Category Archives: MichaelW’s Page

40 Years (a Haiku)

It is not so much, And Time stands alone for a moment. Fall begins.

Posted in Art, Culture, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Palinmania and the Stature Gap

Toby Harnden weighs in with his thoughts on the Palin effect. All interesting, all very astute IMO. Of particular interest is Toby’s argument that McCain commands enough public respect for his experience and expertise, that he has no concerns about … Continue reading

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A Gutter-al Scream

It’s almost as if the Dems can’t help but to resort to misogynistic antagonism in dealing with Gov. Sarah Palin. This comes courtesy of Alan Colmes, citing Rogers Cadenhead who questions Palin’s maternal abilities: One bit of weirdness associated with … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Health Care, Media, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Warehouse

I’ve mentioned before that I lived (in the fullest sense of the word) in Charlottesville, VA for many years in the 90′s. During that time I got to know a great many talented musicians including Dave Matthews. We weren’t buddies … Continue reading

Posted in MichaelW's Page, Music | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

New Media and “Defending the Ridge”

Because the blogosphere and all its scions have much more prominence, and arguably more influence, with respect to this year’s election, I’ve been lazily paying more attention to how new media is tackling the subject at hand. I think the … Continue reading

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Siloviki

How much of the Georgia/South Ossetia/Russian conflict can be laid at the hands of a corrupt cabal of former soviet ministers bent on lining their own pockets? Perhaps a great deal. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has handed his Russian counterpart, … Continue reading

Posted in Foreign affairs, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Have A Laugh On Me

If you’re not laughing hysterically while watching this, then you’re probably crying uncontrollably … from laughing so hard. Turn up the volume for this one: Funniest Laugh Ever – Watch more free videos

Posted in Humor, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

When Families Fail

Because of my background in working with emotionally disturbed, learning disabled, and generally abused kids, I am often to drawn to stories about the results of extreme neglect of children. I saw some awfully hard cases with some of the … Continue reading

Posted in Law, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page, regulation, Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Ch-ch-ch-Changes …

I won’t bore you with the details, but I’ve been invited to blog at QandO and I took it. That’s right, I hopped all over that opportunity like a starving alley cat on plate of tuna fresh and a saucer … Continue reading

Posted in Blogs, Humor, MichaelW's Page, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Politics and Maliki’s Timetable

Not the same thing as a Harry Reid Timetable (HT: McQ): A deadline should be set for the withdrawal of U.S. and allied forces from Iraq, and the pullout could be done by 2011, an Iraqi government spokesman said Tuesday. … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Foreign affairs, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Launch

Due to popular demand, I’ve thrown my hat into the race. (HT: My Best Man)

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Humor, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Elect Phil Gramm!

From an interview by Stephen Moore (HT: GR): So what if a President Barack Obama were to impose 50% or 60% tax rates on these CEOs and other big earners? Mr. Gramm pounces: “When you help a company raise capital, … Continue reading

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Hippocrates Unbound

The idea of state funded and administered universal health care is a bugbear of libertarians everywhere, and especially those who are subjected to such a system as a matter of course. Routinely held up as one of the worst of … Continue reading

Posted in Health Care, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

George Lakoff: Neo-Syndicalist

Over the weekend I read with fascination William Saletan’s review of the new offering from George Lakoff, “The Political Mind,” and was struck by the remarkable similarities between it and the revolutionary syndicalism espoused during the prior fin de siècle. … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Domestic Politics, Election 2008, History, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page, Philosophy, social science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Breaking: Tim Russert Dies Of Heart Attack

R.I.P. Tim Russert: Tim Russert, NBC News’ Washington bureau chief and the moderator of “Meet the Press,” died Friday after being stricken at the bureau, NBC News said Friday. He was 58. Russert was recording voiceovers for Sunday’s “Meet the … Continue reading

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Boumediene — The Great Sandbagging

UPDATE: Welcome QandO readers. Please look around after you’ve finished with this post, but McQ says you have to go back over to QandO when you’re done … but I won’t tell if you won’t. _____________________________________________________________ The recent Supreme Court … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Law, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Is The Evidence In On Minimum Wage?

When the most recent unemployment numbers were released, the media bleated about the highest percentage increase in the jobless rate since 1986. For example, The New York Times lamented: The unemployment rate surged to 5.5 percent in May from 5 … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Economics, energy, Media, MichaelW's Page, regulation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Unbearable Deification of Obama

Perhaps the most interesting thing to come out of this (unbearably) long campaign season is the rare opportunity to witness deification in process. From Mark Morford, a San Francisco Gate columnist: Is Obama an enlightened being? Spiritual wise ones say: … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Humor, Media, MichaelW's Page, Religion and theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Potent Quotables

I’ve always loved that quote from Charles Austin Beard about earning a reputation as a “dangerous citizen” by quoting the founding fathers. This quote is from the man who made the “dangerous citizen” a cinematic icon, including in one of … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Libertarianism, Media, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Thoughts on Brains

Guess what part of your brain is not primarily for storing information about a two gyrating hippos on a camping trip. The right parahippocampal gyrus. Much to your (and my) surprise, that part of the brain is used to detect … Continue reading

Posted in Humor, MichaelW's Page, science | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Food For Thought

After speculating upon Hillary Clinton’s strategic thinking with respect to the Democratic nomination, James Taranto concludes (emphasis added): To summarize, Mrs. Clinton maximizes her chances of becoming president if she (1) does enough damage to Obama to snatch the nomination … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Humor, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ellas Otha Bates, R.I.P.

Rock & Roll lost one of it’s brightest and most penetrating stars yesterday, even if one of the least well known. The founder of the jungle beat heard in too many songs to count over the last 50 years succumbed … Continue reading

Posted in History, MichaelW's Page, Music | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Words Fail Me

Luckily there’s a picture. Is this man really going to be our next President? The only people who will be more disappointed than non-Obama supporters after election day in November will be the idiots who believe in Obamessiah’s changey changitude. … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Media, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Adventures In Stupidity

The leftosphere is up in arms over John McCain “lying” about Barack Obama’s stated intentions vis-a-vis Iran. The latest source of righteous outrage comes courtesy of a Joel Klein interview with McCain: At a press conference here, I just asked … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Foreign affairs, Media, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Backdoor Kyoto — The Next Chapter

The march of the watermelons towards control of US policy continues apace: Polar bears will now be listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. But in announcing the listing, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne said the decision should … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, energy, Environment, Law, MichaelW's Page, regulation, science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Two Iraqi Jokes

Both via Major John at Miserable Donuts, a milblog. First, a joke as told by an Iraqi Army captain: President Jalal Talibani summoned the leaders of the Iraqi parliament to his office for a meeting. In the middle of the … Continue reading

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Fact-Checking 101

It should be clear by now to anyone who frequently reads blogs that the MSM is not terribly accurate in its reporting, nor does it seem to have any intention of getting better at it. Whether you think the media … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Foreign affairs, Media, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Next Right – A New Activism

For those on the political right who have bemoaned the lack of any real grassroots, online activism in support of Republican(ish) causes, there is a new project in the works just for you. Political blogging mavens Jon Henke, Patrick Ruffini, … Continue reading

Posted in Blogs, Domestic Politics, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vote For Obama Or You Will Make Little Girls Cry

That’s what I took from Michelle Obama’s stump speech anyway (HT: Jim Lindgren): She tells the story of a ten-year-old girl she met in Newberry, S.C., before that state’s primary. “It was in a little beauty shop, and we were … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Wright Stuff

I haven’t had much time to grace the pages of ASHC lately, but I was skimming through Memeorandum and just couldn’t resist saying something about this little screed: Wright issue will haunt conservative media elite By Roland S. Martin CNN … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Media, MichaelW's Page, Race, Religion and theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Sunni Bloc To Rejoin Government

This is a positive development: Iraq’s largest Sunni bloc has agreed to return to Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki’s cabinet after a nine-month boycott, several Sunni leaders said on Thursday, citing a recently passed amnesty law and the Maliki government’s … Continue reading

Posted in Foreign affairs, Media, MichaelW's Page, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Abiogenic Oil

Hoystory poses a thought-provoking question with potentially dramatic consequences for the concept of “peak oil”: What if “fossil fuels” weren’t made of fossils at all? What if the earth naturally made petroleum? What if gasoline was a renewable resource? Imagine … Continue reading

Posted in energy, Environment, MichaelW's Page, science, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

More Like This Please

I was pleasantly surprised, and mildly irritated, to see that Condi Rice basically called Muqtada al-Sadr a coward while she was in Baghdad recently (via: Instapundit): Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice mocked anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr as a coward on … Continue reading

Posted in Foreign affairs, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

What Is ASHC?

There seems to be some confusion on the part of some as to exactly what sort of place ASHC is: I was rather surprised to read this dubious and scornful appraisal of Michael Yon’s Wallstreet Journal editorial at A Second … Continue reading

Posted in Blogs, Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war, Philosophy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Who Would You Rather Drink With?

I have no idea who’s going to win the election this year, but as I attempt to handicap the race I’m drawn to the old saw that the person with whom most people would rather sit down at a local … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Humor, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

FEC Complaint Filed Against McCain

Some people are hoping to hoist John McCain on his own campaign finance petard. As satisfying as it would be to see the Senator receive a healthy dose of his bitter medicine, however, the complaints filed against him with the … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Law, MichaelW's Page, regulation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

AQI’s Last Stand?

Al Qaeda’s efforts in Iraq have been less than successful over the past year, due in large part to the Anbar Awakening and the related Councils of Concerned Citizens/Sons of Iraq movements, and the support offered those movements by Petraeus’ … Continue reading

Posted in Foreign affairs, MichaelW's Page, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Left, McCain And The War

The inestimable Oliver Kamm provides a glimpse at the value our British friends find in a potential John McCain presidency: Two points about McCain stand out. He’s not a conservative and he’s been right all along about Iraq. These are … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Foreign affairs, MichaelW's Page, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Spitzer Resigns

But there’s no plea deal regarding the potential federal charges. Is it possible that the feds are going to do to Spitzer what Spitzer paid to do to “Kristen”? (HT: JOM): Eliot Spitzer’s tumultuous tumble from the zenith of a … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Law, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mixed Blessings (UPDATED)

Ever since John McCain effectively wrapped up his party’s nomination, I’ve been thinking that it might not be such a great thing for the Republican ticket. Because Obama and Hillary are still battling it out for the Democrat nomination, and … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

CENTCOM Commander Admiral Fallon Resigns (UPDATED)

Apparently rumors have been swirling around for awhile that Fallon was on his way out. Well, today he resigned and the speculation is that it was over a recent interview he did in Esquire, written by Thomas P.M. Barnett (regarding … Continue reading

Posted in Foreign affairs, Media, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

It Couldn’t Happen To A Nicer Tyrant

I’m sure you are all well informed on the Spitzer chronicles by now. If not, crawl through the Memeorandum links to inform yourself (get a cup of coffee or other preferred beverage, because it will take awhile). I just wanted … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Glenn Greenwald's Carnival of Fisking, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lightweight Punditry

The inscrutable and vainglorious Boi from Brazil weighs in to explain why Republicans find Obama’s candidacy “scary”: Conservatives love to claim that Obama supporters have excess reverence for their candidate and see him as some sort of transcendent messiah figure. … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Glenn Greenwald's Carnival of Fisking, Media, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

There Can Be Only One

Two Messiahs. One Religion. McQ considers how this might become a problem for the Democratic Party: There is indeed a faction on the left who want a Gore presidency badly. And for a variety of reasons, one of which, of … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Humor, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Silly Season: A Continuing Saga

“Why are the letters ‘NIG’ on the child’s pajamas?” Asks a commenter — “Tom” — on my post about the new Hillary Clinton commercial, the one that shows several children sleeping and then Clinton taking a national security phone call … Continue reading

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Helping The NYT Find Media Bias

Story here [via: Instapundit] After reading the story, you will probably need a new one of these:

Posted in Humor, Media, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Perverse Consequences

Does it strike anyone else as tragically ironic that, if indeed John McCain were declared not to be a “natural-born citizen” due to the locus of his birth, then an “anchor baby” could be elected President but the child of … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Law, Media, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Citizen McCain

THE LATEST non-issue hyped by (who else?) the New York Times is that “some” people are questioning whether or not John McCain is eligible to be a sitting President: The question has nagged at the parents of Americans born outside … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Law, Media, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Imagine

Two things you probably don’t know about me and one you probably do: (1) I’m a pretty decent musician and singer. (2) I love American Idol. (3) I hate John Lennon’s “Imagine” because of the message, even though I’ve always … Continue reading

Posted in MichaelW's Page, Music | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Politics of Personal Destruction

The Politico notes a rather amateurish effort from Hillary Clinton: Obama campaign manager David Plouffe accused the Clinton campaign Monday of “shameful offensive fear-mongering” by circulating a photo as an attempted smear. Plouffe was reacting to a banner headline on … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments