I spotted the report that Clinton's campaign advisers are in a state of panic this morning. I didn't think much of it at the time except that-- NO KIDDING! Also, I wouldn't mind watching her supporters get increasingly nasty as she turns on the tears.

But this afternoon, I noticed that her campaign manager, Patti Solis Doyle, is quiting (you may remember Solis-Doyle as one of the Clinton folks that got a Prada bag and a Vegas trip from Norman Hsu). She is being replaced by Maggie Williams, Clinton's chief-of-staff when she was First Lady.

After Clinton lost the Iowa caucuses, Williams was brought in to help manage the campaign. Campaign insiders say the move took power away from Solis Doyle.

Many on the campaign underline that family considerations also played a role in her decision. The mother of two young children, Solis Doyle is like many in the campaign who had expected the nomination fight to have been wrapped up one way or another by Feb. 5, Super Tuesday, and are exhausted and somewhat demoralized to think this struggle might last weeks or even months longer.

The spin on this is that it's just a family thing; Solis-Doyle got tired and wanted to stand down. And, of course, I believe that because the Clinton's have proved time and again what honest folk they are.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 03:26 PM | Comments (7)
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This was sent to me over the weekend, describing how the production, transportation, and conversion of land involved in creation of biofuels overwhelms the benefit at the combustion end of the line. I didn't post on it at the time because the discovery that the green movement is damaging the world isn't exactly rocking mine. Still, you may be interested:

Together the two studies offer sweeping conclusions: It does not matter if it is rain forest or scrubland that is cleared, the greenhouse-gas contribution is significant. More important, they discovered that, globally, the production of almost all biofuels resulted — directly or indirectly, intentionally or not — in new lands being cleared for food or fuel.

"When you take this into account, most of the biofuel that people are using or planning to use would probably increase greenhouse gases substantially," said Timothy Searchinger, lead author of one of the studies and a researcher in environment and economics at Princeton University.

Searchinger's team determined that corn-based ethanol almost doubles greenhouse-gas output over 30 years when the land-use changes to grow corn are considered. Cellulosic ethanol made in the U.S. from switchgrass, a fuel that has been singled out by President Bush as a way to reduce the country's dependence on oil, produces 50 percent more emissions than gasoline does, the study said.

The green activist who does more harm than good is a tired cliche, from the oily Greenpeace clunker-boat to the con-men who sell phoney carbon offsets. I say it's tired because this is a well-known characteristic of the earth-first type and, yet, it doesn't seem like they're all that interested in changing their image. I don't mean that it is an unfair description; rather, I'm tired of having to always mention it in the same breath as I do the latest green issue.

So it doesn't surprise me when it appears that individuals leaped to the magic solution of biofuels without giving it a thorough examination first. The real struggle will be convincing stubborn environmentalists that they were wrong about it. They have a conspiracy theorist-like tenacity to hold on to their pet projects long after they've been disproved. For example, from the article:

Industry groups, like the Renewable Fuels Association, immediately attacked the new studies as "simplistic."

"Biofuels like ethanol are the only tool readily available that can begin to address the challenges of energy security and environmental protection," said Bob Dineen, the group's director, in a statement issued after the Science reports' release.

The language "only tool readily available" should be a primary clue that this man has made up his mind and no Princeton studies are going to change it. The possibility that the sticking with conventional fuels might be better at present than adoption of green-unfriendly biofuels will not be forthcoming. I guarantee it.

h/t genghis.

In related news: Warren Meyer of Coyote Blog found this gem:

Fortunately, after years of skeptics trying to warn folks about this, the global warming folks are doing us the favor of being honest about their goals. From the catalog description for the book "The Climate Change Challenge and the Failure of Democracy."

In this provocative book, Shearman and Smith present evidence that the fundamental problem causing environmental destruction--and climate change in particular--is the operation of liberal democracy.

Go on over to Warren's place for the rest of the book description, which includes the priceless claim that "the authors conclude that an authoritarian form of government is necessary, but this will be governance by experts and not by those who seek power."

Greens crack up my whole world.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 03:16 PM | Comments (18)
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From the Archbishop of CanterburyÂ’s advocacy of Sharia lite, to the countryÂ’s ubiquitous network of security cameras and the disarming of the population (except the criminals of course), itÂ’s almost impossible to believe that the United Kingdom is the ancestral home of the freedoms we and most free nations enjoy.

The latest installment of the UKÂ’s slide into irrelevance centers around the upcoming Olympics in China.

British Olympic chiefs are to force athletes to sign a contract promising not to speak out about China's appalling human rights record – or face being banned from travelling to Beijing.

Â…The controversial clause has been inserted into athletes' contracts for the first time and forbids them from making any political comment about countries staging the Olympic Games.

From the moment they sign up, the competitors Â…will be effectively gagged from commenting on China's politics, human rights abuses or illegal occupation of Tibet.

The amazing thing is other countries, you know the ones that actually value freedom, arenÂ’t inserting clauses like this. In fact only New Zealand and Belgium are reported to have similar clauses, so it doesnÂ’t appear to be an effort by China or Olympic officials. Surrendering your fundamental rights is ignoble enough, surrendering them preemptively is nothing short of contemptible.

By the way, does anyone think if this yearÂ’s Olympics were in the US that there would be clauses prohibiting athletes from speaking out against George W. Bush or the war in Iraq?

Posted by: DrewM. at 07:42 AM | Comments (46)
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What's going on in the world today? (UPDATE: I moved the second half of this post into the extended entry. Sorry about that. It didn't look so big last night when I wrote it.)

John McCain is the presumptive Republican nominee.

The stimulus package is going ahead, and it will send every American (well, at least every American who doesn't live in a household that makes over $175k per year) $600 to "stimulate the economy". That's approximately 60 lukewarm ballpark beers, 30 private lapdances at an average midwest strip club, 2 Remington 870 12-gauge shotguns ("Express" model with the parkerized finish, not the premium model which is approximately twice the price of the Express), or one moderately severe beating administered to your former high school tormentor by Moose & Rocko. Don't get me wrong, I'll cash the damn check if it comes, but I'm not going to pretend that the check came from my Fairy 'effing Godmother.

CPAC gave their "Best Conservative Blogger of the Year" award to the guy who hangs out with Jason Mewes and gets to speak once per movie. I think they chose wisely, because he managed to make it through a six minute speech without referencing "Rick Derris", "Walt Flannigan's Cat" or "snowballing".

In 2008, more people will buy "Hannah Montana" CD's than the CD's of all living blues musicians combined.

The world is swirling down the crapper, and the question on everyone's mind is "What are you going to do about it, Mr. Conservative McRightwinger?"

My answer to that question? I shall attend the First Annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival.

more...

Posted by: Russ from Winterset at 07:54 PM | Comments (57)
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Thank goodness. This primary process, it just gets better and better.

Nighty night, Nebraskians. Nebraskan..NeBRASKEEYAHNUS...

whatever.

UPDATE from Laura on the Batphone: Washington too. Obamarama.

This phone is cool. Also I liked Offutt AFB.

Spacious.

Posted by: Dave In Texas at 05:56 PM | Comments (85)
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Risen will have to testify before a federal grand jury about the contents of State of War and the apparent leaks at CIA who slipped him the information.

...a federal grand jury in Alexandria issued a subpoena to James Risen of the New York Times, seeking information about who in the U.S. government provided him with classified information that he published in his book, State of War...

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 03:46 PM | Comments (175)
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Do you like Ewoks?

Do you like Ewoks who talk about gladiator movies?

Of course you do! That's why I present you with Ace's CPAC Speech.

It's the real thing. I promise. Enjoy.

I'll check in later. Right now I'm too busy laughing about Huckabee's humiliation of Johnny Mc.

I'm beginning to think some people really just don't like McCain. Who woulda thunk it?

UPDATE: I almost forgot to, umm, update my favorite joke!

You know who didn't "fall in love or fall in line"? Kansas.

You know who that benefits? Anyone not named "Sam Brownback."

Posted by: Jack M. at 02:11 PM | Comments (82)
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Donate to his primary opponent.

Because, let's face it, you'd be even more moronic than usual to give money to Maverick, the RNC, etc.

Posted by: Open Blog at 12:42 PM | Comments (18)
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Neil Young has decided that his 2006 anti-war tour didn't do a thing to change the world. Presenting a documentary of the tour, he said that music hasn't evolved since the 1950s.

Canadian folk rock legend Neil Young said he has lost all hope that music can change the world, as he presented a documentary about his 2006 anti-war concert tour at the Berlin film festival on Friday.

"I know that the time when music could change the world is past. I really doubt that a single song can make a difference. It is a reality," Young told reporters.

"I don't think the tour had any impact on voters."

I think part of Young's problem may have something to do with the fact that when I got this link I said, "Neil Who?" Apparently, he was hot stuff back in the days before television or something. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young? Never heard of 'em.

As to his premise, music changes the world in the same way that benzodiazepines do, which is to say that it keeps a great many people happy and distracted enough to get through the day without twitching their way to the nearest gun cabinet. Okay. Maybe I overstated that. A bit.

Really, though, what did Young think was going to happen? If he just pointed his guitar (or whatever), people would storm the White House calling for impeachment? I'm not surprised that he's disappointed.

Thanks to Jahiliyya for the link.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 11:50 AM | Comments (194)
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Friends, I post today not to praise but to bury Ron PaulÂ’s presidential campaign. Sure, itÂ’s not officially ending but close enough.

In an emailed message to supporters, Paul says, "Let me tell you my thoughts with Romney gone, the chances of a brokered convention are nearly zero." From Paul this is about as close as we can get to an admission there is no possible way he can get the nomination.

The fact there won't be a brokered convention, "does not affect my determination to fight on, in every caucus and primary remaining, and at the convention for our ideas, with just as many delegates as I can get," he declares.

Â…He's just going to do it with even fewer resources than he already has. "With so many primaries and caucuses now over," writes Paul, "We do not now need so big a national campaign staff, and so I am making it leaner and tighter."

But fear not Paulbots, the good doctor is going to fight the good fight from his congressional seat. Presuming of course he survives a primary challenge.

"I have constituents in my home district that I must serve. I cannot and will not let them down. And I have another battle I must face here as well. If I were to lose the primary for my congressional seat, all our opponents would react with glee, and pretend it was a rejection of our ideas. I cannot and will not let that happen," he says.

And by good fight I mean the fight for pork for his district. You know, the kind heÂ’s always railing about in his presidential campaign.

Watch out all of you WoW and other online gamers...there are going to be a lot of pissed of players looking to take out their frustrations.

Posted by: DrewM at 10:08 AM | Comments (15)
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