Uh-Oh: Municipal Bonds Market Crashing
— Ace

Three days of crashing, and this is the steepest drop of the three days.

Thanks to Monty.

Posted by: Ace at 07:33 AM | Comments (71)
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Saturday Morning Open Thread
— Gabriel Malor

It's probably gonna be a while before the other cob-loggers are around with new content and I'm sick as heck with some lung thing I caught on a plane, so here's a shiny new open thread to grow and thrive in.

Spotted this over at Volokh Conspiracy and thought it was quite excellently done:

I've been told that BBC News is one of three channels always made available in theater Over There, along with FOX News and CNN, because the higher-ups like it. Apparently, CNN hardly ever gets watched.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 05:00 AM | Comments (192)
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Overnight Open Thread
— Genghis

Some Friday Night Scrat Fer YaÂ’:

Who wouldn't love them some scrat? He's the Wile E. Coyote of our time (Except the acorn never says "meep meep." Maybe it should? What would an acorn sound like anyway?) According to the poster, the vid's mirrored so that YouTube won't delete it.

More hawt hobo on tranny action below the fold... more...

Posted by: Genghis at 06:10 PM | Comments (496)
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Ron Reagan hits rock bottom
— Slublog

Pathetic.

2011 is a big year for Ronald Reagan fans, being the centennial of his February 6 birth in Tampico, Ill. But youngest son Ron Reagan is spoiling the good cheer with a new book that suggests the Gipper suffered from Alzheimer's disease while in the White House, a claim dismissed by Reagan's doctors and outside experts. "Had the diagnosis been made in, say, 1987, would he have stepped down?" Ron asks, regarding the disease confirmed in 1994. "I believe he would have," he writes in My Father At 100: A Memoir, due in bookstores Tuesday.

When I saw this story at Hot Air, I couldn't believe it at first. I know Ron disagreed with his father and the combination of his famous name and his liberal views have given him some notoriety with the media but still...I can't imagine him being this desperate for attention.

Visit the Hot Air link to see just how easy others have found it to punch holes in his 'exclusive' stories. Bloggers are going to spend weeks disproving the tales in this book. Heck, as AP points out, even David Gergen is counseling Ron against this.

Time for Ron to face a hard truth: he peaked while doing "Risky Business" parodies on "Saturday Night Live." It's been all downhill from there.

Posted by: Slublog at 05:51 PM | Comments (128)
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"Tell them to kiss my butt..."
— Slublog

Paul LePage, Maine's new governor is not known for his tact. He was asked to attend an event to celebrate the MLK holiday next Monday. LePage declined the invitation, citing other plans, and the NAACP complained. When asked about their complaints, LePage answered in what is coming to be known as his trademark style.

Speaking to reporters Friday morning, LePage was asked to respond to suggestions from NAACP members and others that his decision not to attend ceremonies honoring Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. were part of a negative pattern.

“Tell them to kiss my butt,” LePage said with a large smile, according to video by WCSH6. He then added: “If they want play the race card, come to dinner and my son will talk to them,” a reference to his adopted son, Devon Raymond, who is black.

Dan Demeritt, LePageÂ’s spokesman, had said the Republican governor was unable to attend an NAACP dinner honoring King in Portland on Sunday because of personal commitments and an NAACP breakfast in Orono on Monday because he plans to attend the funeral for a former state trooper.

But leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People pointed out in a news reports published Friday that LePage had declined numerous invitations from the organization.

Rachel Talbot Ross, state director of the NAACP, told the Portland Press Herald she was concerned “we’re not welcome and we’re not part of the Maine” LePage is preparing to lead.

I voted for LePage, and acknowledge that he could have been more diplomatic in his language. The NAACP's reaction, however, is outrageous. Unless they have direct evidence that LePage has any intention to exclude minorities from the state, they should refrain from such rhetoric.

The reaction of the Maine NAACP is mild compared to the national organization's statement.

"Governor Le Page's decision to inflame racial tension on the eve of the King holiday denigrates his office. His words are a reminder of the worst aspects of Maine's history and out of touch with our nation's deep yearning for increased civility and racial healing."

So you're on notice, wingnuts. "Kiss my butt" is now officially racist language. Unfortunately, the NAACP is correct that Maine's history on such matters has not always been the best. The KKK was once quite active in the state, and mainly targeted the French Catholic community. Which makes the NAACP's statement unfortunate, since LePage is French Catholic. So they're accusing him of displaying the same sort of discrimination that was once aimed at his ancestors. Great job, guys.

Lost amidst the outrageous outrage at LePage's statement is the fact that the NAACP has made far worse statements about their opponents in the recent past. Saying conservative groups "have given platform to anti-Semites, racists and bigots," seems a wee bit more outrageous than LePage's inelegant words in this instance. This doesn't make LePage's words any better, but given their history of making outrageous statements, one would think the NAACP would be a bit more nuanced in what they find unacceptable.

Update - In the comments here and at Hot Air, where this story is linked, my tepid criticism of LePage has been noted. I voted for LePage in the primary. I donated to his campaign in the general election and enthusiastically voted for him. During the campaign, I had the honor of sitting across the table from him during a candidate meet and greet. I have nothing but admiration for my governor.

Still, this is the state of Snowe and Collins. In other words, RINO Heaven. Maine may have elected a GOP legislature, but is still the land of liberals and liberal Republicans. I'm glad LePage called out the NAACP, but I hope he doesn't give the left (including the GOP left) too much ammunition against him. The left hates him, the establishment GOP is suspicious of him, and the media's salivating at any chance to take him down. He's a good guy with good intentions for this state. I hope he succeeds.

Posted by: Slublog at 01:51 PM | Comments (386)
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New RNC Chief: 25th Century Mogolian/Hun Conqueror From the Future, Reince Priebus
— Ace

No, seriously, he has a science-fiction villain name.

I like it, but "Reince Priebus" seems like it should have an "Overlord" or "StarKhan" in front of it.

Good pick? "mama winger" sure thinks so:

Priebus has been near-genius here in Wisconsin. We've completely and totally flipped from all-blue to all-red. Governor, State Assembly, State Senate, US Senator. Anybody remember the untouchable Russ Feingold? Ha.

Yes, indeed, Wisconsin has been one of the high-functioning state parties.

Hah: StarKhan Reince Priebus Called For Obama's Execution Three Times In A Single Interview: Now that's the way StarKhan Reince Priebus takes care of business.

Okay, actually, he was talking about capturing Osama on the battlefield and executing him, and kept saying "Obama."

Gateway Pundit seems to think this is a much bigger gaffe than I do. But he was pulling for Ann Wagner, so he's disappointed.

Sixth Ballot: Priebus 80

Anuzis: 37

Cino: 34

Wagner: 17

I think that last one is right. Might have gotten it wrong. Yup: Yes, I got it wrong; it was 17, not 27.

Priebus is five away from the magic number of 85.

Fifth Ballot: Priebus 67
Cino 40
Anuzis 32
Wagner 28

Thanks to Geronimo.

Steele is out. He seems to be withdrawing, right now.

Update: Throws support to Maria Cino.

Update: After the fourth round, Steele falls into a tie for fourth place; Priebus continues gaining. But with this type of voting you have no idea who vaults ahead when people start dropping out.

If you're thinking "Oh my, Steele might win," I don't think so: Michael Steele came in second, but tally up all the Not Michael Steele votes:

Reince Priebus received 45 votes followed by Michael Steele with 44. Maria Cino, Saul Anuzis and Ann Wagner received 32, 24, & 23 votes respectively.

Apparently they did the second round, but I don't know those results yet. The third round of balloting, they said, is coming up soon.

There's live-stream coverage at the link, too.

Thanks to a commenter -- sorry, clicked fast, didn't get the name.

Second Round: Totals followed by parentheticized change since last ballot; Priebus gains seven, Steele loses seven.

Reince Priebus 52 (+7), Michael Steele 37 (-7), Maria Cino 30 (-2), Ann Wagner 27 (+4) and Saul Anuzis 22 (-2).

Posted by: Ace at 01:22 PM | Comments (721)
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Loughner Dream Media: We Demand That the GOP Apologize For Horrible Invective They Used, But No, We Will Absolutely Not Correct Our Claims That You're All Murderers; Why Would You Ask?
— Ace

Geraghty wrote today that genuine calls for civility should contain genuine personal apologies for civility, by those who have erred.

And the media? Is calling people accomplices to murder "incivil"? How about when it's 100% factually wrong? How about when it's 100% factually wrong but you still keep the meme alive because your wife and boyfriend both believe in it so much and you wouldn't want to disappoint?

Will the media be apologizing for its role in sensationalizing a lunatic's shooting spree into something nearing a pretext for civil war?

No, but thanks for asking!

Hypothetical Question: If there is a shooting of a conservative by a leftie this week -- a false copycat situation, since the "copycat" will not be copying a real event, but one invented by the media -- what will it say about its incitement to violence?

Hypothetical Answer: Shut up, that's what. If we don't acknowledge it, it's not a fact. Not in our Loughner Dream of community-based reality.

So Right-Wing It Hurts: True Conservative:

TUCSON — Law enforcement officials said Friday they have multiple photos of Jared L. Loughner posing with a Glock 9mm pistol next to his naked buttocks and dressed in a bright red g-string.

Thanks to Islamic Rage Boy.

Posted by: Ace at 01:07 PM | Comments (185)
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John F'n Kerry: Hey, We Should Pass My Cap & Tax Act To Honor The Victims of Tucson
— Ace

If it looks like a ghoul, talks like a ghoul, and walks like a ghoul, you may be dealing with a ghoul.

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) said in a speech at the left-leaning policy think tank Center for American Progress that working in a bipartisan manner on infrastructure and clean energy could help overcome the “divisive political rhetoric” in the wake of the Tucson tragedy.

Posted by: Ace at 12:52 PM | Comments (137)
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Pat Buchanan Tells Chris Matthes "You Guys [Are] The Birthers of the Left"
— Ace

This had occurred to me. Buchanan got there first.

Matthews reacts exactly like a Truther to this too. A Truther (note I changed the terms of debate from Birther to Truther) brings up his crazy ideas, states his crazy idea, but then when challenged, he stops asserting the craziest part of his idea and starts claiming he means something more modest. Like, a Truther will start saying "I'm just raising questions" and claiming he "doesn't know" who put those non-existent explosive charges in all 110 floors of the WTC.

That's what Matthews does. After claiming a direct connection for five or six days straight, after Buchanan tells him he's like a Birther or Truther, Matthews starts arguing for the much more modest proposition that saying "Second Amendment remedies" is "wrong."

Well, I'd agree with that! But that is not your thesis, Chris. Your thesis is that Palin's map, and other imagined "incitements," were viewed or heard by Loughner, and that he acted due to these. You can't even establish the former (that he was even aware of them) let alone the latter.

This is what people who know they're lying do. Someone who's wrong, but honest in error, will not immediately back-pedal and walk-back like this. Someone who's honest in error will stick to his (erroneous) guns.

Matthews doesn't. After devoting six hours of prime-time programming (kind of... heh, they won't let Matthews in Prime Time; let's say "early prime") to claiming that Jared Loughner is a right-winger who heard right-wing messages and acted due to these messages, when challenged for the first time by the first guest who tells him he's wrong, he immediately changes his claim to the minor premise "saying 'Second Amendment remedies' is wrong."

And that's all he means, I guess, because that's as far as he can go when he has a guest on to dispute him.

On tonight's show, with Buchanan safely off-set, trust that Matthews' thesis will rise phoenix-like from the ashes once again, and it won't merely be "saying 'Second Amendment remedies' is wrong."

Help Me Out: I'm trying to think of an appropriately derogatory word for the Loughnerian Left that's similar to Truthers or Birthers; anyone have any good ideas?

Update: Stace McCain is hitting the fact that the Idiot Killer was a big fan of lefty conspiracy-monger fave-rave Loose Change, and also something called Zeitgeist, which I've never heard of but which he says is left-leaning too.

Thanks to Error Theory.

Posted by: Ace at 10:55 AM | Comments (627)
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Left Still Making Stuff Up, Claiming Loughner Got His Ideas From DAVID-WYNN: MILLER
— Ace

It's simply not true. I was willing to give the theory a shot, mostly just because crazy is interesting, but there is no connection between DAVID-WYNN: MILLER and Loughner.

Sorry: Another long post, and deployed to destroy a silly nit. But this seems to be the Patient Zero of their viral insanity, so I wound up spending a lot of time and words quarantining it.

The left (here, Mother Jones) is riding this pony hard because as of yet there is nothing else to connect Loughner to anyone arguably on the right. DAVID-WYNN: MILLER is not on the right, and is not "well-liked in conservative circles," as DAVID: CORN claimed, but hey, it's something.

This article shows just how utterly absent any connection is, by straining so hard to establish a connection -- and failing.

What was going on in Jared Loughner's mind? Based on his online rantings, the man who allegedly emptied a 31-round clip into Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and dozens of bystanders Saturday was preoccupied with theories on a massive government fraud. Many of his seemingly random statements—on "grammar," "the ratifications," "the new currency," and more—echo the teachings of the "sovereign citizen" movement, a right-wing school of thought alleging that Americans have been surreptitiously stripped of their God-given rights.

No, they don't echo that at all, and no, DAVID-WYNN: MILLER is no more "right wing" than David Icke is left-wing.

These are not random parallels, as I discovered in reviewing Loughner's YouTube videos.

They're not, in fact, random parallels, but only because they fail the first test of being random parallels, that is to say, being parallels in the first place.
more...

Posted by: Ace at 09:25 AM | Comments (350)
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