3 days after reaching the concussion that Obama might actually be a big spending liberal our man Davey has backtracked and decided that Obama is in fact, still pretty damn dreamy.

All it took was a series of calls from "four senior members of the administration" (no mere junior aides for our man Brooksy!) and Hope and Change is restored to it's rightful place in the firmament.

I didnÂ’t finish these conversations feeling chastened exactly. The fact is, after years of economic growth, the White House still projects perpetual deficits of more than $500 billion a year. ThatÂ’s way too much, especially with the boomersÂ’ retirements looming. Moreover, Congress will likely pass the spending parts of the budget and kill the revenue parts, like the cap-and-trade energy tax and the limits on itemized deductions, thus producing much, much bigger deficits.

Plus, IÂ’m still convinced the administration is trying to do too much too fast and that the hasty planning and execution of these complex policies will lead to untold problems down the road.

Nonetheless, the White House made a case that was sophisticated and fact-based. These people know how to lead a discussion and set a tone of friendly cooperation. IÂ’m more optimistic that if Senate moderates can get their act together and come up with their own proactive plan, they can help shape a budget that allays their anxieties while meeting the presidentÂ’s goals.

Ah well, it was a 'sophisticated' case they made and that's what really counts. All those messy taxes, gigantic spending increases and intrusions into the private sector? As long as it's done in a sophisticated way, it's all good.

Oh by the way, if you are really banking on Obama's wildly optimistic growth figures and Senate 'moderates' to constrain spending, I have a few bridges in NY I'd like you to buy from me.

Snark aside, if Brooks is backtracking so far, so fast, what exactly was his earlier column based on? You can say it takes a big man to admit a mistake but just three days ago Brooks wrote this.

Those of us who consider ourselves moderates — moderate-conservative, in my case — are forced to confront the reality that Barack Obama is not who we thought he was. His words are responsible; his character is inspiring. But his actions betray a transformational liberalism that should put every centrist on notice.

And now it's all good? Really?

It's almost as if the "four senior members of the administration" each waved their hand in front of Mr. Brooks and said, "these are not the massive government programs you think they are, move along". And he moved along. But in a very sophisticated way no doubt.

Posted by: DrewM at 07:16 AM | Comments (57)
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For the record the post about the Islam ads in SF that Charles at LGF called me out for was lame and poorly written. If I don't have time to do a quality piece I will wait until I do. Neither LGF nor Zombie called for censorship it was a clown protesting in Florida, my bad.

I apologize to them and for causing shame and disapprobation to be heaped upon the morons here at AoS. Now everyone fuck off and get on with more important shite.

Posted by: Uncle Jimbo at 06:57 AM | Comments (132)
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Why is it so bloody cold here?

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 05:06 AM | Comments (112)
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(ItÂ’s almost over, sadly. WeÂ’ll miss them when theyÂ’re gone, but all this is simply practice for when the New York Times and others follow them down the drain. ItÂ’s just kind of amazing to watch a washed-up mid-major newspaper document itÂ’s own demise, yet be so clueless as to the reasons why)

So I guess none of your thoughtful business model suggestions for helping out the P-I really took root last night. Today brings a new tale of woe around the newsroom. Today the evil bastards from Hearst Corp. (owner of the P-I) started thinning out the herd, interviewing those selected to be a part of the new, online-only version of the P-I. It also appears that, besides wire service stories, the remains of the staff are simply wandering around and interviewing each other. And getting lots of “no comments.” From P-I reporter Dan Richman:

”The reporters wouldn't give details, saying they had been asked during their interviews not to comment.”

Posted by: Open Blog at 09:06 PM | Comments (96)
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After earlier hitting community banks with higher fees and threatening that the FDIC would go insolvent were the monies not ponied up.

What the hell are they doing? Does anyone actually have any idea?

Posted by: Ace at 06:29 PM | Comments (255)
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No, not The One™. Everybody's favorite commie punching bag.

Addressing the nation on his weekly television show on Sunday, the Venezuelan president laid out plans for his next crusade, ordering his governors and mayors to draw up a "map of the media war" to determine which media are "in the hands of the oligarchy."

Chavez said that "if it weren't for the attack, the lies, manipulation and the exaggeration" of the private media networks, the Venezuelan government would have the support of at least 80 percent of the population. Recent polls have put Chavez's popularity at a little over 50 percent. "Now bring me a chicken sandwich and a carton of Ding Dongs" he added near the end of his five hour broadcast. "They're a cake and a candy, it's two taste treats in one!"

Oligarchy media bad. Kiss ass media good. They report, he decides.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 05:39 PM | Comments (37)
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TonightÂ’s non-topic topic concerns an extensive research effort to determine and rank AmericaÂ’s Manliest Cities. Yeah, yeahÂ…itÂ’s a marketing rollout by Mars Foods (for the Combos snack line) but apparently they actually did at least some nominal research compiling the stats on the thing. (Pardon the early post...technical issues, etc.)

“HACKETTSTOWN, N.J., March 5, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Step aside men of Motown, Sin City and the Big Apple. Nashville now ranks as the manliest city in America. Mars Snackfood US announced today the release of "America's Manliest Cities" - a study commissioned by COMBOS(R) Brand in partnership with Bert Sperling, the research expert behind the popular "Best Places to Live" studies.”

”The study used criteria such as the number of professional major league sports teams, the popularity of tools and hardware and the frequency of monster truck rallies.

Cities lost points for "emasculating" characteristics like the abundance of home furnishing stores, high minivan sales and subscription rates to beauty magazines.”

Oddly enough, the city that came in dead last out of the top 50 isnÂ’t what would probably pop into your head immediately. Others just seem to defy logic or at least preconceived notions, such as Chicago and San Diego being ranked in the bottom 10. Below Seattle? Some other conclusions from the study below the fold. The list of cities by rank of manliness is at the first link above.
more...

Posted by: Open Blog at 04:59 PM | Comments (88)
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Posted by: Ace at 03:28 PM | Comments (2)
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Trutherism?

Nay, a slightly modified new delusion: Jewtherism.

Link Fixed.

It's only a matter of time before a busty lesbian video link slips through my multiple layers of painstaking fact-checking editorial oversight.

Posted by: Ace at 01:00 PM | Comments (82)
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He pulls the plug on Yucca Mountain, which would have safely stored spent uranium fuel for one million years.

The War on Energy. Obama's winning. But wait for the quagmire.

In case this stupid fuckshit didn't notice, we've been putting our hopes on wind and solar farms since nineteen seventy fucking three and as of yet not a single alternate source of energy is anywhere near mature.

But oh yes, let us destroy the current modes of energy production before we have an alternative.

Who runs Bartertown?

Forget it, Jake. It's Thunderdome.

I can't tell you how scary-smart you have to be to dramatically increase the cost of a necessity that affects the price of every other necessity in the midst of a world recession (potentially sliding into a depression) as consumer spending and business activity has plummeted.

Posted by: Ace at 12:44 PM | Comments (240)
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