Good evening morons!

The Chemical Brothers - Elektrobank
Okay this is one of my favorite music videos. The song is alright but what I really love is how the director, Spike Jonze, managed to tell a complete story in just 5 minutes while hinting at enough backstory to fill a movie. The gymnist is Sofia Coppola who in case you didn't know is the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola and cousin of Nicholas Cage.

Posted by: Open Blog at 05:50 PM | Comments (673)
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B+.

For the first time, ObamaÂ’s overall job approval rating has fallen below 50 percent (to 47 percent). In addition, for the first time since Sept. 2007, a plurality (45 percent) sees the Democratic Party in a negative light. And the percentage believing the country is on the wrong track (55 percent) is at its highest level in the Obama presidency.

“This survey underscores what I consider a dramatic and unmistakable change in the political landscape,” said Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted the survey with GOP pollster Bill McInturff. “For Democrats, the red flags are flying at full mast.”

More:

As the Senate sprints to pass a health-care bill by Christmas, the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll finds that those believing President Obama's health-reform plan is a good idea has sunk to its lowest level.

Just 32 percent say it's a good idea, versus 47 percent who say it's a bad idea.

In addition, for the first time in the survey, a plurality prefers the status quo to reform. By a 44-41 percent margin, respondents say it would be better to keep the current system than to pass Obama's health plan.

I've got an idea -- maybe he can go on tv and give a speech.

Thanks to AHFF Geoff.

Sorry... Got sucked into another comment fight and skipped the whole damn day of work. Now I just post a poll post.

I screwed up. Not in my position, but in the jackass decision to have a fight over old business instead of doing my freaking job.

Posted by: Ace at 03:21 PM | Comments (186)
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Be a darn shame if somethin happened to it.

Offutt Air Force Base employs some 10,000 military and federal employees in Southeastern Nebraska. As our source put it, this is a "naked effort by Rahm Emanuel and the White House to extort Nelson's vote." They are "threatening to close a base vital to national security for what?" asked the Senate staffer.

Uhm, for Obama. That's what.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 01:57 PM | Comments (185)
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I got an email from a reader who objected to my calling Sullivan's audience "stupid queerbait readers."

First of all, I shouldn't have said that. I'll indulge in a bit of self-apologism and explain what I was thinking when I said that, but in final analysis -- I shouldn't have. My defense is not a defense that gets me off; it's a mitigation only. more...

Posted by: Ace at 10:48 AM | Comments (680)
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Wow. Just wow.

I've heard people say that it's not fair to criticize the Democrats for botching health care reform because the Democrats never truly had a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. Sure, they have 60 votes in principle, the argument goes, but with Lieberman, Nelson, Landrieu, and Bayh counted as four of those votes, it's not really a solid 60...during Bush's most effective years, from 2001 to 2005, the GOP had a grand total of 50, and then 51, Senators. The slimmest margin possible.

...So what's the difference? Why with 60 votes are Democrats so ineffective, but with 50 votes Republicans excel?...

...We lost real health care reform not because we don't have a "real" filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. We lost health care reform because we don't have a real leader anywhere in our party. It's not going to get better if we elect more Democrats to the Senate and it's not going to play out any differently should we try to revisit this issue in the future....

Of course John can't quite bring himself to entertain the other reason why Bush was so effective compared to the current insane clown posse running the congress and White house. That obviously being that the "radical Bush agenda" wasn't nearly as radical to the general public as the Democrats loved to portray it, and the Pelosi/Reid/Obama agenda is far more radical than they're willing to admit.

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 09:03 AM | Comments (94)
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He's making them read Sander's universal coverage amendment.

I have no idea how long this is going to take but according to the CSPAN super it's been going on since about noon. As of 1:02 est they are on page 28 of...366 (pdf)!

Unless Cobrun calls it off, the Senate is shut down. Not that it matters since they are rewriting the whole damn bill behind closed doors anyway but it's showtime.

Expect cries of "Delay!" "Obstruction!" and "Bitch!", oh wait, the last one is Chuck Shumer talking to a flight attendant.

It'll be interesting to see if this is the process going forward. If so, it's hand to hand combat time.

UPDATE: Coburn's not going rogue, it's part of the GOP strategy.

Republican sources say this is an intentional use of the procedures to slow down the bill. Reading this amendment could, by GOP estimates, take until midnight.

Senior aides say, "If we need to lay down in traffic to stop the bill we would."

This is one amendment and one that has no chance of passing. Imagine what happens when the "Manager's Amendment" comes up? That is essentially going to be a brand new bill that reflects the compromise the Democrats are trying to work out.

Update: Sanders pulls his amendment and is now screaming about something, which is pretty much all he wanted to do anyway.

This was, as are many things in Congress, a bit of theater. The amendment was never going to pass but it was a good shot across the bow of Harry Reid and the Democrats.

Posted by: DrewM at 08:58 AM | Comments (251)
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Lots of rioting lefties, pissed off third world 'leaders' not happy with how their extortion attempts are going and the French are whining.

Seriously, does it get any better than this?

“Collapsing in chaos” is a phrase the media is using to describe the Copenhagen climate conference, and that certainly is the feeling among many here at the Bella Center....

Substantively, it looks as though little has been accomplished towards binding emissions targets to replace the expiring provisions in the existing Kyoto Protocol. The reason is simple - reducing carbon dioxide emissions is prohibitively expensive. The citizens of none of the 192 nations represented here really want this done to them. Certainly not Americans, whose concern for global warming is plummeting while concern for the economy and jobs remains high. Not the Europeans whose words are rarely backed up by actions- many have not reduced their emissions under Kyoto yet are asking for tougher targets here. And not developing nations who insist on being exempted from any binding targets while demanding aid packages in the hundreds of billions annually, well above anything the developed world is willing to offer.

France's ambassador to this Rogue's Gallery is learning the same lesson a lot of liberals here in the US are...Obama may talk their language but He's not willing to put Himself on the line.

In an interview, Brice Lalonde said the progress of negotiations is "not good," and complained that the U.S. has been too "defensive" throughout the summit. While praising the Obama administration's moves to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, he criticized the U.S. for not coming to the summit with a long-term proposal for financing efforts in the developing world to fight climate change.

..."Some door has to be opened on long-term financing, and it has to be opened here," Mr. Lalonde said. He conceded that the Obama administration's negotiating position is constrained by the U.S. Senate's decision to delay action on climate legislation until next spring. But he said, "we all have problems with our senates and parliaments."

"We understand [President Obama] has a smart tactic, which is to never hassle the Congress," Mr. Lalonde said. "But he must nevertheless speak to the American people. He must convince them that [passing climate legislation] is important."

In fairness, I'm sure Obama would love to transfer large amounts of wealth to the rest of the world. The problem is, He maybe a God but He's not a king and He needs the Senate to act. Turns out many senators are only willing to commit political suicide once and they are going with health care not climate change.

Still, Obama is scheduled to show up at the circus on Friday so there's still a chance He'll screw things up but let's be honest, his track record in Copenhagen isn't that great.

Somewhat related, House Democrats are beginning to notice their colleagues in the other body are hanging them out to dry.

Posted by: DrewM at 08:27 AM | Comments (114)
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Why they are even bothering with this idea of checking in with him anyway is beyond me.

The Times raised the alarm on Tuesday after visiting al-MegrahiÂ’s home and hospital in Tripoli and being told he was at neither. Jonathan Hinds, East RenfrewshireÂ’s criminal justice manager, then telephoned him but was told he was too ill to speak.

Yesterday morning Mr Hinds called again, and this time he was allowed to talk to al-Megrahi, but that does not prove the former Libyan intelligence officer was at home on Tuesday.

Mr Hinds calls al-Megrahi every second week. TuesdayÂ’s call was the first time he had called unexpectedly, and the first time he had been unable to speak to him. Al-Megrahi knew Mr Hinds was going to call back yesterday.

Sceptics also asked how al-Megrahi was well enough to take yesterdayÂ’s call when he had been too sick to do so less than 24 hours earlier. Some politicians and victimsÂ’ relatives doubt al-Megrahi was as sick as Kenny MacAskill, the Scottish Justice Minister, claimed when he released him.

In somewhat related news, the 270 people this animal killed are still dead.

As was noted at the time, this release was not about illness or compassion, it was about oil deals. I'm not sure how that's possible given neither the US nor George Bush was involved but there you have it.

Posted by: DrewM at 07:14 AM | Comments (79)
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You may notice that many of your favorite military blogs don't have any new posts today. That's because, as Jonn Lilyea of This AinÂ’t Hell writes in an email, there's an organized day of silence.

The reason for this is two-fold. First, milblogs are facing an increasingly hostile environment from within the military. While senior leadership has embraced blogging and social media, many field grade officers and senior NCOs do not embrace the concept. From general apathy in not wanting to deal with the issue to outright hositility to it, many commands are not only failing to support such activities, but are aggressively acting against active duty milbloggers, milspouses, and others. The number of such incidents appears to be growing, with milbloggers receiving reprimands, verbal and written, not only for their activities but those of spouses and supporters.

The catalyst has been the treatment of milblogger C.J. Grisham of A Soldier's Perspective (http://www.soldiersperspective.us/). C.J. has earned accolades and respect, from the White House on down for his honest, and sometimes blunt, discussion of issues -- particularly PTSD. In the last few months, C.J. has seen an issue with a local school taken to his command who failed to back him, and has even seen his effort to deal with PTSD, and lead his men in same by example, used against him as a part of this. Ultimately, C.J. has had to sell his blog to help raise funds for his defense in this matter.

I'm not familiar with Master Sgt. Grisham's blogging but a lot of milbloggers I read and respect are and they are supporting him. This is not a group apt to fly off the handle and complain at small slights. As a group they are, in the words of the Declaration of Independence, "more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." I think the fact that they have taken this step shows the importance they attach to this issue.

Milbloggers have served an important function since their rise to prominence. As someone will no military experience IÂ’ve found their insights invaluable to understanding and appreciating the men and women who serve our nation in this time of war.

As a blogger here at the HQ, IÂ’ve been able to find stories that I wouldnÂ’t have otherwise known about or been able to add details and perspective that simply arenÂ’t available from other sources.

To my mind, their most important contribution has been in countering the various slanders the left and the media have attempted to lay on this generation of servicemen and women. Thanks to milbloggers, the Scott Beauchamps and Jessie MacBeths of the world are exposed for what they are and this generation of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen wonÂ’t be defined by those hostile to them.

Change is scary for any organization and as I’m sure the milbloggers will tell you, there are many in the military who ‘get’ what they do and value their efforts. No doubt they also understand there are rightfully lines that have to be drawn and not crossed.

Hopefully this day of protest and the attention it will draw will hasten the militaryÂ’s ability to strike the right balance.

Posted by: DrewM at 06:42 AM | Comments (26)
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Snowbeast.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 05:37 AM | Comments (153)
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