News Brief, What’s A Sober Edition?
Joshua Foust on Aug 29 2007 at 11:25 pm | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Drinking himself into a stupid over at The Conjecturer.
Defense & The War
- Yes, expressing doubt about the independence of the Petraeus report and the curious information war he is fighting against America is really just liberal propaganda. That’s it exactly.
- Meanwhile, the deal in Baghdad that might have offered some reconciliation looks more like it was kabuki theater so the 9/11 report (the one on Iraq, mind you) would have something nice to say… from ginormous failure of an embassy.
- I get it: Bush is scrambling for reasons to stay in Iraq, Ahmadinejad says Iran will fill the vacuum after the inevitable, Bush immediately proclaims moral victory (the war is now about saving Iraq from Iran, apparently?) and asks Congress for another $50 billion, and we all giggle and clap our hands and forget that Iran has anything to do with Iraq precisely because we are still there and who really wants Iran around anyway? Clever!
- It’s a good thing we’re fighting this war for the Iraqis, because we won’t even let the ones who are fleeing in terror to register as refugees inside Iraq. Way to go, Bush! Create millions of at-risk innocents, and prevent them from ever finding safe haven! Luckily, the newest member of the Council on Foreign Relations recently took a trip to Iraq to push for refugee rights. The consensus? “God, I’m so turned on.” Unfortunately, there is a larger point to be made as well: this one trip by St. Angelina (an unfair label, since in interviews she seems genuine) will do more to draw attention to the issue than months of professional reporting.
Around the World
- Russian IP thieves, at GAZ. Of all the cars in the world to copy, they chose a Chrysler Sebring, rather than a car people would want to drive. Maybe it’s because Chrysler is going bankrupt.
- I am probably one of a very few people in this country who find choomi (Tuvan throat singing) beautiful… but I do. An interesting interview with the film maker is over at neweurasia.net. More hypnotic, utterly beautiful throat singing can be found on youtube.
- Hey everyone, let’s go study at the new English-language North Korean Technical University!
- You know the efforts in Afghanistan are totally on track when he hire former heroin dealers to head anti-corruption campaigns.
- I take a look at the rise of Islamism in the Ferghana, over at Registan.net.
Back at Home
- Much-maligned Wal-Mart has been caught not paying taxes in Wisconsin. Silly billies.
- While it’s appropriate to mock Miss South Carolina with all our might, what most concerns me is that sash, which says only, “Dumb Bitch.” I want that. I want it for when I’m at work. I want it for when I’m out. I want it for when I interact with people. That is beautiful.
- Speaking of dumb bitches, poor Larry Craig is clearly a victim of an over-eager press and unfortunate circumstance… since 1982, I imagine, and certainly since October, when people like Instapundit were defending him. Meanwhile, Gay Patriot has an appropriate reaction. And The Malcontent, as always, has a big smirk on its collective face.
- I might as well die and go to heaven when STRIPPERS ENDORSE RON PAUL. There is pretty much no reason not to vote for him anymore.
Is it wrong to get a kick out of all of this petty nonsense?
Well if it is, then I don’t want to be right. I’m having a lot of fun today reading all of this. It’s raining here today so no field work, and I had planned to get to the pile of paperwork that’s resting on my desk. But paperwork can always wait until the next day ‘cause I’m having way too much fun reading the blogoshpere.
I’ve never really held any high regard for either of the Glenn’s. I’ve always felt out of place when reading Greenwald or Reynolds. It’s kinda’ like this…
Have you ever been the only sober one amongst a group of drunks?
Well I haven’t. In fact, I consider it rude. But from what other people including my wife, have told me, is that the drunks really aren’t as smart and witty as they think they are. And that one can get a real sense of one’s character when alcohol loosens the inhibitions. That would explain a lot of the misunderstandings around here regarding some of my commentary as I typically have a few while writing. Obviously, in order to better understand one another around here… you guys should just drink more
And that’s typically how I feel when I read Greenwald or Reynolds or others like them. And that is what I’m seeing here. But rather than laughing with the intoxicated, I laugh at them.
Like this gem from Allahpundit who was defending Craig back in October of ’06,
Of course not, Mr. Pundit. That would be ridiculous. Everyone knows that the Minneapolis airport is where all the action is.
And I remember laughing at Althouse and Reynolds back then when they predicted,
Yeah, how’d that work out for you?
And as far as I can tell, as Reynolds described this “outing fever” from an “obviously organized political effort” from “Democrats” appeared to be nothing more than a couple of blogger. I could be wrong. Perhaps someone’s google is better than mine.
Of course, Greenwald gets it wrong too,
He’s wrong because the election is never safely over. There’s always the next one.
They’re calling for his resignation because they know that now as it has become accepted fact, and not merely rumors, if Craig were to run again they would be in great danger of relocating his seat to the other side of the isle.
If Idaho’s Republican governor can safely replace Craig with another Republican that … oh, let’s say… has a more narrow stance in the men’s room, then it would be likely that the Republicans can hold onto the seat.
And hopefully for the Republicans, the next senator would hold onto the seat, rather than place them underneath the stall partition. (Oh that was bad… and I have more!!)
Cheers.