The InstaWife suggests an experiment to confirm or disprove these findings: posting contrarian messages on DKos or FireDogLake, to test the "openness" of liberals.

This is of course utter nonsense, as the study of course relies on self-reporting of respondents' own self-evaluation of their "open-mindedness." As liberals all claim to be "open-minded," whereas conservatives, while not claiming to be "close-minded," do insist in objective standards, it's hardly any surprise liberals would all claim they're open-minded.

I have, I think, a better test by which to judge this study. The next time this jerkoff wants to publish a silly self-reporting study and claim it actually means something, he should include the following questions:

Would you say your sense of humor is: worse than average, about average, better than average?

Would you say your code of honesty and personal ethics is: worse than average, about average, better than average?

90% of respondants will, of course, say they're average or above average on both, of course. (With the majority saying "above average.")

Which is, of course, an impossibility.

And thus refuting the whole "study."

Such "soft" and difficult-to-quantify "virtues" are ludicrously prone to over-estimated through self-evaluation. One's income is pretty objective. One's looks and sexual desirablility less so, but there is still a cold hard reality out there reminding most of us we ain't all that.

But some bullshitty, vague measure like "open-mindedness"? Please. Anyone who wants to believe he's open-minded can easily give himself top ratings for every question/scenario/prompt.

It would take very little effort to create a similar survey, with a few changes of wording and a different bias, to find that most liberals are "immoral" (believing in few standards of objective morality) and that conservatives are much more "moral (believing in such standards). All one needs to do is ask virtually the same questions, with a few modifications here and there, but this time assign a positive interpretation to those who don't claim to be "open-minded" enough to believe, say, that the taking of an innocent civilian human life is sometimes justified or at least mitigated in its evil by one's political beliefs or "disadvantaged" upbringing.

But the whole thing's a farce, anyway. Liberals' unshakable belief in their open-mindedness and willingness to "ask questions" is utterly closed to discussion and beyond questioning.

"Scientists."

Uh-huh.

Because the Dow broke 12,000... I have to add this:

I must self-report that I am open-minded about Dr. Helen taking off her shirt and dipping those puppies in Marshmallow Fluff.

Quite open-minded, indeed.

I'd say I'm in the 99% percentile when it comes to "open-mindedness" on "asethetics" and "fantasy" as far as that particular prompt.

Actually, I'm not just "open-minded." I'm "open-pantsed," as well.

I think that qualifies me for the Lightning Round or somethin'.

Posted by: Ace at 01:04 PM | Comments (54)
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Ka-ching.

More after the fold, again.
more...

Posted by: Ace at 12:31 PM | Comments (25)
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Unbelievable, except it's not:

Philippe Karsenty, founder of Media Ratings, has been found liable and fined for “insulting” Charles Enderlin and France2 in the matter of the controversial Mohammed Al Dura video. This video, produced by Enderlin and promulgated by France 2, has been deemed a fake and called the Father of All Fauxtography. This was barely disputed at the trial and yet Karsenty was still found liable for saying so.

Although the falsity of the orginal coverage was "barely contested," the jury still wasted little time in pronouncing Karsenty liable for defamation.

A bit like the OJ trial -- facts mean little when you want to send a message.

And what is that message? France hates Jews:

It is a truism in post-2000 French culture that anyone who presents evidence favorable to Israel is, by definition pro-Israel, and by implication, Jewish, and by extension, not reliable because partisan (communautariste as the French say. As both Jews and Gentiles told me in France, whenever I defend Israel, people say, “I didn’t know you were Jewish.”

Guys? We got it. You don't have to keep reminding us. You had us at assisting the Germans "evacuate" Jews to "the East."

Posted by: Ace at 12:23 PM | Comments (21)
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Here's the quick story.

Strickland hired a "senior" staffer. He conducted no background check. He was annonymously tipped the staffer was a pedophile, exposing himself and masturbating in front of actual children. (Not 18 year olds-- children.)

Strickland took no action against him. The staffer later left his staff of his own volition.

In addition, Strickland inexplicably voted "present" (one of only 13 Congressmen to do do) when an anti-child-sex bill came up for a vote.

Some will object that Strickland almost certainly knew nothing about his staffer's propesnity to masturbate in front of children. After all, no staffer, no matter how competent and useful, is worth that kind of nuclear political blowback should his predilictions be exposed.

But then, the same can be said of the GOP and Mark Foley -- one very minor Congressman running in a safe Republican seat, where pretty much anyone legitimate with an R after their name would win, would hardly merit a conspiracy and cover-up, either.

And yet the media and the Democrats wish to punish the GOP as if they engaged in precisely such unlikely behavior with malice aforethought.

Well, by the same standard, Ted Strickland should be forced to withdraw from the race for "enabling" a homosexual pedophile by not taking aggressive action against him. If a sort of political strict liability attaches in one case, it attaches in the other, too.

Posted by: Ace at 12:04 PM | Comments (13)
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Nothing really new here, huh? We've known for years and years that Clinton conducted rendentions of terrorists to torture-using countries (and bless 'im for that), and yet the media, and the Democratic Party, never seems to want to discuss that.

Unless, of course, it's mentioned to prove Clinton was "tough" on terrorists. But as soon as that point is made, the fact is quickly forgotten.

He re-endorsed the use of torture last freakin' month, on NPR. Hot Air pretends to be baffled that no one's heard of this until now, but as Alan Derschowitz and Captain Ed note, it's just par for the course.

Either torture is reprehensible or it isn't. The liberals apparently it may be justified, but only if an enlightened liberal President says so (and only when such a president says so).

Enough of the nonsense. The double-standards are so obvious it would take a really, really liberal MSM not to notice them.

Forturnately for the Democrats, that's precisely what we have.

Posted by: Ace at 11:52 AM | Comments (40)
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But... Oil prices rise above $58/bbl after Saudis say they "aboslutely" support cuts in production of 1 million barrels a day.

It stopped the freefall in the price, but it may not actually increase it.

Posted by: Ace at 11:24 AM | Comments (25)
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As soon as the Democrats take over the House.

A plan is in place to censure and impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Orchestrated and organized by the radical Left and Congressman John Conyers, Jr., this plan is ready to go should the Democratic Party take control of the House of Representatives in November.

The plan is the ultimate manifestation of left-wing hatred for George W. Bush rooted in the contentious election of 2000. Since failing to defeat Bush in 2004, the Left has focused its efforts on destroying his presidency by assembling a list of charges aimed at impeaching him.

Impeachment plans began seriously coalescing in 2005, after the NY Times published classified aspects of the NSA surveillance program. In mid- December of that year, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-CA, asked a group of presidential scholars whether President George W. Bush had committed an impeachable offense when he authorized the NSA foreign surveillance program. John Dean, the long-time Bush critic of Watergate fame provided Boxer with the answer she and most other Democrats were looking for: “Bush is the first president to admit an impeachable offense,” he said.

...

More recently, Rep. Brad Miller, D-GA, said, “The Democrats on the House Science Committee are collecting stories of the intimidation or censoring of scientists. We’re building a case for hearings by the Committee, which may be unrealistic to expect under the current majority, or to be ready for hearings next year if Democrats gain the majority in November.” [Emphasis added.] Miller was making that threat in relation to accusations by leftists and Democrats that Bush was silencing those concerned about global warming.

Impeached. Over the NSA eavesdropping program.

And, of course, global warming.

Maybe people should vote or somethin'.

Thanks to JackStraw.

Posted by: Ace at 10:49 AM | Comments (66)
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Like Spinal Tap, their appeal hasn't diminished. It's just become more selective.

The New York Times Co. reported Thursday that its third-quarter 2006 profit from continuing operations plunged 39.2% on costs related to its job cuts and a loss on its sale of its 50% stake in the Discovery Times Channel.

Meanwhile, Belo, publisher of The Dallas Morning News, said net income for the quarter fell to $19.2 million, or 19 cents per share, compared to $22.1 million, or 20 cents per share, during the same period last year.

At the New York Times Co., 3Q operating profit was down 48% from the same period in 2005 to $20.5 million on total revenues that slipped 2.4% to $739.6 million.

Meanwhile NBC is slashing its budget, and jobs as well. They plan to stop scheduling scripted shows for the 8-9 PM hour -- kind of giving up on one-third of primetime.

Posted by: Ace at 10:37 AM | Comments (33)
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Laughing out loud. For real. Not just meant as an expression.

It's the Homos, Stupid

An Open Letter to the Conservative-American Community

by Dr. Howard Dean
Chairman, Democratic National Committee

Dear Valued Potential Customer:

As the leader of one of America's premier political parties, I know firsthand the importance of building bridges to the various communities and constituencies we serve. Unfortunately, when serving as many diverse communities as we do at the DNC, sometimes an important relationship can inadvertently fall through the cracks. Frankly, I realize we have not always brought our "A Game" when it comes to the concerns of conservative-Americans. That's why we would like to take this opportunity to start a dialog with you, the conservative "values voter," by addressing an issue of vital importance to all of us -- the growing Republican homo menace.

Despite what you may have heard on Fox News, we Democrats know what issues are on the minds of heartland conservatives like you. We know that your number one concern of is the safety of your children -- whether they are plucking their banjos on the back porch, speaking tongues to snakes at Jesus Camp, or torching crosses at your local Nascar racing contest. We also know that the number one threat to your children's safety is the scourge of international homo-ism. That's why we at the DNC have created "The Contract With American Hillbillies," a new multipoint investigation program to identify and root out conservative stealth homoism before it threatens you or your precious little inbreeds.

What we have found so far has been shocking. You may have already read the disgusting story of Mark Foley, the Florida Republican gay pervert congressman who spent night after night on the godless internet discussing unnatural sex acts and interior decoration with innocent underaged pages. And now our investigators have learned that Idaho Republican Senator Larry Craig is less interested in Boise than he is in "boy-sies." Now that his sickening secret is out, the good conservative folks of Idaho can send this pansy packing to San Francisco where he can be Potato Queen in the the next pride parade.

He also writes of the GOP's problem with rampant negroism.

This pitch should resonate with you, because, let's be honest, you're all morons.

Posted by: Ace at 08:01 PM | Comments (95)
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Holy crap! Can you believe that! He joked! About suicide!

In related news, Matt Drudge has no big scoops about the Borat movie for headlines.

This is news? Really?

I thought the silly season was in August. I thought now we're supposed to be talking about the really important issues, like whether House leadership kept a careful enough watch on Mark Foley's AIM messages and his Friendster proflie.

Posted by: Ace at 07:56 PM | Comments (43)
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