An instant classic of the bad sort.

The first poetic vision of Europeans in the new world was that of James Fenimore Cooper, who conjured Natty Bumpo. He had an "Indian name" — he had several: Hawkeye, Deerslayer, Pathfinder — indicating that he had been "reborn" in the new world in the Indian spirit. It is the oldest and most important myth in the American canon of our folklore, from Lone Ranger, who died and became "born again" via agency of an Indian shaman, and Fox Mulder, who returned from the dead via Indian intercession in “The X Files,” born anew with the past burned away in death, to enter a new age under the flag of the White Buffalo.

So Warren's claim to be "part Indian" is correct in mythical terms. Every old-school white Oklahoman is in this regard even if this is nominally not true.

It's true in a mythical sense, even if it's "nominally" false.

Classic.

But it is not a lie to want to be Indian and to imagine your ancestors were.

It's not a lie for me to want to be George Clooney. But if I begin writing checks signed "George Clooney," I'm pretty sure we've exited the realm of the "mythic imagination."

Elizabeth Warren was noted as a "minority woman of color" at Harvard.

She displaced a minority woman of color -- one whose status as a minority woman of color was more than "mythic" or "poetical."

It is to be free of Europeanism....

I call this portrait "Free of Europeanism."

A squaw in the Native American Signature Collection, by Ann Taylor
(available at Nordstrom's, at $585 for the complete ensemble)

Emerson saw the laggard Europeanism within the Yankee mind as a curse of the unformed American, living half in shadow. It would bring temptation unnatural to us raised free in the forest; fascism, as in Italy, Spain and German, and the perennial virus of French nihilism.

This just in: Warrior-dominated tribal bands are free of the evils of power by militaristic rule.

Warren in that regard brings a fresh, classical Americanism from the heartland back to us in Boston where we still have tendencies.

I will gladly thank anyone who can explain to me what this drivelous hackery means.

"We still have tendencies." I'll bet you do, brother.

In the last paragraph he implied he'd been raised "free in the forest" but I let that slide.

The James brothers, both William and Henry, would appreciate it. Henry in particular, in The Bostonians, could only find one worthy character up here, the country cousin Basil Ransom, a lawyer visiting from Mississippi. We are lucky to have Warren among us. She adds stock and substance.

What the f*ck? What is he babbling about?

It's like he realized midway through he was just talking nonsense and just started writing random words.

[I] hope Elizabeth Warren doesn't back down on this, because wanting to be Indian, like Hawkeye, makes us in a deeper sense fully American.

Lying about your background for career gain makes us, in a deeper sense, fully American.

"True in a Mythical Sense"

That's what it was when I made representations about what would or would not be occurring in your mouth. In a real and meaningful way, I've made your mouth more fully American.

You really ought to be thanking me.

Posted by: Ace at 09:48 AM | Comments (435)
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She's wealthy, you know. And weird.

She owns "extraordinarily expensive" horses and does a weird thing called "dressage," also called (they claim this) "horse ballet."

It was a rare moment of pique for Ann Romney, not meant for public consumption, and one that opened a window onto the private world of the would-be first lady. Â…

It also displays her fear of privacy loss, and a depth of feeling for a handful of extraordinarily expensive horses that she compares to maternal love. Â…

She soon fell in love with dressage, a fussy Olympic sport that is also called "horse ballet." Â…

"Fussy Olympic sport."

Starting in 2003, coinciding with her purchase of Super Hit for about $105,000, Romney said she would frequently visit Moorpark from her Boston home, staying either in hotels or in a guesthouse on the ranch. When she is at her La Jolla beach house, she takes the train up from Del Mar. Â…

Dressage is not for the faint of wallet; it requires healthy outlays of cash for upkeep, training, transportation and veterinary care. It attracts some of the world's richest people — the daughter of billionaire New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg competes. …

Isn't that weird? Don't you hate her?

Horse Ballet

Much worse than doin' a little blow.

Posted by: Ace at 09:25 AM | Comments (284)
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Let's see if this thing works to summon "Ace" or "Open Blogger Ace".

Posted by: andy at 08:54 AM | Comments (141)
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In response to recent criticism of the Ninth Circuit Maui judicial conference (hereinafter: "par-tay"), the Ninth Circuit explained:

The conference is authorized by law “for the purpose of considering the business of the courts and advising means of improving the administration of justice within the circuit.” [§ 28 U.S.C. Sec. 333] The conference fully adheres to these goals, providing an exceptional educational program and the opportunity to conduct numerous business meetings that further circuit governance.

(Emphasis added.) Well, then, let's take a look at those meetings and see what kind of business they're conducting. Kevin at Wizbang found the par-tay schedule:

Saturday, August 11
12:00 p.m. – Conference Registration desk opens

Sunday, August 12
5:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Sport Fishing
12:00 p.m. – Golf Tournament

Monday, August 13
9:00 a.m. – Yoga
9:00 a.m. – Surfing Lessons
9:00 a.m. – Stand-up Paddle Board Lessons
12:00 p.m. – Welcome Luncheon & Book Review for Spouses & Guests
2:00 p.m. – Zumba
4:30 p.m. – Opening Program
6:00 p.m. – No-host Cocktail Reception
7:00 p.m. – Maui Dine Around

Tuesday, August 14
9:00 a.m. – Yoga
9:00 a.m. – Surfing Lessons
9:00 a.m. – Stand-up Paddle Board Lessons
1:00 p.m. – Tennis Tournament
2:00 p.m. – Floral Design Workshop (includes flowers & supplies)
7:00 p.m. – District Dinners

Wednesday, August 15
9:00 a.m. – Yoga
9:00 a.m. – Surfing Lessons
9:00 a.m. – Stand-up Paddle Board Lessons
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Day Trip and Tour of Upcountry Maui
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Gemini Catamaran Snorkel Trip (includes gear & lunch)
2:45 p.m. – A special treat! Ice Cream Social
6:00 p.m. – The Aloha Experience

Thursday, August 16
9:00 a.m. – Yoga
9:00 a.m. – Stand-up Paddle Board Lessons

What, no sailing? You can't have a proper conference without sailing.

Added: To clarify, the schedule linked above is for guests. The conferees' schedule is here.

Follow me on Twitter.

Posted by: rdbrewer at 06:02 AM | Comments (393)
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Happy Tuesday, 'rons.

After a failed attempt in August 2008, SpaceX finally succeeded at launching the ashes of James Doohan and 306 others into orbit this morning. SpaceX is trying to make it as a contractor for NASA, but it's also making a little cash on the side---about $1 million for 306 folks' ashes.

By about 2-1, Americans say their financial situation is worse under Obama. Sadly, Americans also still blame Bush 43 over Obama by 49-34 percent for the current economy. *As is usual practice for an ABC/WaPo poll, they haven't listed the partisan breakdown of the poll.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 02:50 AM | Comments (379)
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Barack Hussein Obama - International Man of Mystery

What - you expected to know as much about the life of our current president, Barack Obama, as you do about the lives of Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Joe the Plumber and now George Zimmerman?!? Well the media has a term for that...

And oh yeah: Barack Obama's biographical brief was edited repeatedly over 17 years. And guess when his birthplace finally got changed from Kenya to Hawaii? Hint: It rhymes with 'residential erection'.

Posted by: Maetenloch at 05:45 PM | Comments (686)
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Step one, grab lotion.
Step two, click Intrade's current contract on Scott Walker winning.

You're welcome.

If you really believe Barrett pulls this off, jump on in. You can make a killing right now. Or, you know, just go suck it.

There's no reason to get cocky. But enjoying the moaning of the other side's eeyores right now? Relishing in their angst?

Enjoy it.

Posted by: CAC at 03:12 PM | Comments (431)
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Oh my.

Let's give these brain surgeons higher pay. God knows they could be making millions in the private sector. Achievements? Getting absolutely pwn3d and FUBARed in basic logic and facts by a frickin' fifteen year old.

Give this kid credit: He does not fold under threat by an alleged authority figure.

The teacher's "Fact of the Day" is apparently that Romney is a bully.

When this kid starts questioning if Obama also bullied a little girl in school, the teacher flips out, and insists that she will not permit "disrespecting" of the President. That doesn't apply to Romney, though, you see, because he's not the president yet.

This teacher has been suspended with pay. She must be terminated. She is borderline retarded. She cannot teach anyone anything-- maybe the smallest children. But teenagers already know far, far more than she does; she can only teach then Retard Thinking.

There's a Fox report at Hot Air; below is the original tape.'

Hat Tip: Andy posted this yesterday.

I missed it. more...

Posted by: Open Blogger at 01:04 PM | Comments (545)
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The Narrative cannot be defeated.

This is a link to Breitbart, quoting Gawker, so don't feel shameful about clicking.

Gawker:

Martin, an African American teen, was chased, beaten and shot by a self-appointed neighborhood watchman named George Zimmerman.

This leaves Lee Stranahan sputtering:

Trayvon was beaten by Zimmerman? This is a bizarre fable to start spinning given the new evidence that Zimmerman suffered a broken nose and black eyes while Trayvon suffered a laceration on his knuckle and the new description by a witness that Martin attacked Zimmerman "MMA style." Is Gawker suggesting that Zimmerman is an expert in some bizarre martial arts discipline that involves laying on the ground while your opponent straddles you and then repeatedly beating them in the fists with your eyes?

Whenever force is employed, the use must be reasonable, and used only sparingly.

While people talk about the duty to retreat, they ignore the fact that Zimmerman couldn't retreat, being pinned on the ground by an opponent who was straddling him and ground-and-pounding him.

But they also overlook the fact that by doing so, Trayvon Martin was also breaching his own duty to retreat. Even if you grant that Martin might have felt provoked by Zimmerman, and threatened by him, that only gives him the right to use force such as to effect his own safe escape.

Straddling a man and going to town on his head (and any blow to the head could, in fact, result in death or serious permanent injury) is not necessary to ensure safe departure from the confrontation.

While the media wonders if Zimmerman exceeded the law's guidance on the use of force in self defense, does anyone ask if Trayvon Martin remained studiously within the safe harbor the law provides for lawful, limited self-defense?

Posted by: Open Blogger at 12:02 PM | Comments (281)
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[Open Blogger is Ace, today. Having problems with my login, due to my own stupidity.]

The Washington Post wants to know if voters will hold it against Romney that Mormons massacred Arkansans in something they've decided to start calling "America's first 9/11."

That's funny. Because I have a question for the Washington Post to explore. Given that Obama's application for school in Indonesia stated his religion as "Islam," do they care to explore whether voters will hold it against Obama that his one-time coreligionists were responsible for what I guess we're now calling "America's Second 9/11," which is actually its first one? You know, the real 9/11?

Why would this be unimportant to explore?

Hell, why stop at America's Second-slash-Actual 9/11?

Have people gotten over the Barbary Pirates yet? Thomas Jefferson was pretty angry about their kidnapping/enslaving.

I'm going to start calling that "America's Real First 9/11 Even Though It's Not 9/11."

Next up from The Washington Post:

Michiganders Struggle With Roiling Legacy of "America's Second 9/11 -- The Trim"

Public still terrorized by Romney cutting that gay kid's bangs

Posted by: Open Blogger at 10:41 AM | Comments (408)
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