Another Blogosphere Bleg Submitted For Your Approval
— Russ from Winterset

If you've been around the net for any amount of time, you've run into baldilocks. Either you've seen her comments here at the HQ, you've followed a link to one of her essays from another site, or you've read hit pieces where "all the right people" on the other side call her a House Negro for Conservatism.

Now, due to unforseen circumstances, she needs to move some books. Go here, read and consider making a purchase.

If she's half as good at fiction as she is at blogging, this will be a good book. Plus, since she IS a moron, maybe if she moves enough books, she will consider writing another book about an intrepid milblogger Ewok who runs for President as a joke, but due to a freakish contamination of the nation's Val-U-Rite supply with psilocybin mushrooms......actually WINS! I know I'd buy that book.

Well, I'd buy the paperback.

OK, I'd give Gabe $3 for his paperback when he's done with it...but I would watch the movie.

Posted by: Russ from Winterset at 06:29 PM | Comments (61)
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Overnight Open Thread
— Maetenloch

Welcome to the Monday.

Navy Recruitment Commercials: USA vs Japan

Japan is really into cuteness - even when it comes to their military recruiting ads. And apparently snappy uniforms, choreography and a catchy tune is what it takes to fill the ships of the JSDF. Meanwhile the US sells the Navy as an adventure with a rockin' soundtrack.

But notice what happens when you switch the music around. Even the SEALSs seem well, a bit more light hearted.

more...

Posted by: Maetenloch at 05:23 PM | Comments (739)
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Alaska Election Officials Respond To Miller's Vote Tampering Allegations
— DrewM

Earlier today the Miller campaign released a letter alleging that a Murkowski election observer had access to the state's voter computer system and could have had access to voter information but more importantly the ability to tamper with the vote totals.

The state has now responded to the Miller campaign's letter.

(The director of the Election Division Gail)Fenumiai said Murkowski observer Mike) Roman would not have been able compromise the state’s election management system regardless. “There is no GEMS* server in the Wasilla office so there’s no way the state ballot tabulation system was compromised,” Fenumiai said.

It's still possible that Roman violated rules by texting from within the ballot rule and possible taking unauthorized notes. While any violation of the rules can be serious, it seems the integrity of the count hasn't been compromised.

*GEMS (Global Election Management System) appears to be the name of the electronic voting/tabulation system they use in Alaska. It's made by....DIEBOLD insert scary music here.

Posted by: DrewM at 04:35 PM | Comments (140)
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Two Terrorist Suspects Arrested in Amsterdam... After Taking Flight There Out of Chicago
— Ace

At Hot Air.

A cynical reader who I don't think would want the h/t wonders: Was this a screw-up? Or was it planned?

Bear in mind the political firestorm that erupted after the Christmas Day bomber was read his rights right away. Now, Obama and Holder is committed to that -- but they might not want the political fallout resulting from their intransigent punitive liberalism.

So... maybe they knew. Maybe they let these guys fly off to a country where they knew no one could squawk about them using kid gloves.

Hmmm... Actually, the fallout from letting this pair fly out of Chicago will probably exceed the fallout from lawfare, so that conspiracy theory may not make the greatest amount of sense.

Because, reading Allah, it seems these guys were almost determined to raise red flags... and yet had trouble getting the attention of our vigilant TSA.

Posted by: Ace at 03:36 PM | Comments (206)
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Rick Sanchez: Obama Is "The Cotton-Picking President of the United States"
— Ace

In his spare time, Rick Sanchez enjoys colorin' books, picking his feet, and drooling.

But during the day, he's an esteemed member of CNN's Very Special Broadcasting Team.

So here he is, splitting atoms... with his mind.

Thanks to Exurban League (ExLg).

Posted by: Ace at 01:06 PM | Comments (456)
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Obama: Hey Small Businesses!! Don't Need Credit? I'll Give You More!!
— Geoff

Our beloved but spacetime-challenged President spent some of this afternoon talking about the heinous Republicans and the harm their contrary attitude brings to small businesses (paraphrased by Tapper & Miller):

..Republicans need to stop obstructing a initiative he proposed to cut taxes that will encourage small businesses to hire and expand, as well as a $30 billion small business lending initiative.

“Drop the blockade,” he said to Senate Republicans, whom he said were “holding this bill hostage,” damaging economic growth.

Ignoring the obvious partisan blather, I'm troubled by the lending portion of the bill. Not that it's bad to improve small business's access to credit, but it appears to me that right now, in this economy, this is not going to have a significant effect.

When the economy is doing well and businesses want to grow, problems with access to credit can hinder their expansion. But when the economy is sputtering and businesses are uncertain about the future, their need for credit is more as a lifeline to keep paying the bills. Most businesses won't borrow. Businesses who do will do so reluctantly. And they won't use the money to "hire and expand," they'll use it to make payments on old debt and pay for (hopefully temporarily) idled workers.

But don't believe me - believe the recent poll results from the National Federation of Independent Businesses, who found that:

Overall, 91 percent of the owners reported all their credit needs met or they did not want to borrow, up one point. Credit may be harder to get compared to the bubble period (as it should be) and is always harder to arrange in a recession. But credit availability does not appear to be the cause of slow growth as many allege.

The Obama administration, in typical "I've got the car in 'D'" fashion, is wasting time and money pushing a program that is solving the wrong problem. And taking cheap shots at the GOP as they blithely drive toward economic oblivion.

Posted by: Geoff at 12:36 PM | Comments (99)
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Unprecedented: GOP Takes 10 Point Lead In Gallup For First Time In History
— Ace

1994, Democrats?

You wish.

Republicans at over 50-- 51%. Democrats 41%. Plus: a 25 point advantage in enthusiasms.

Enthusiasms. Enthusiasms.

Thanks to curious. more...

Posted by: Ace at 12:22 PM | Comments (141)
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Interview: Ladd Ehlinger, Jr.
— Ace

Ladd Ehlinger, Jr., is a filmmaker who recently directed this ad which I'm pretty sure you've seen:

...which vaulted Dale Peterson from a barely-noticeable 5% up to 28%, and knocked out the front-runner (who Peterson especially opposed).

He also just directed the Young Mattie Fein ad.

This past Tuesday I interviewed him by chat. I have made a few minor changes to the chat, such as when I am unclear about what Ladd means and prompt him to explain. Like, in that case, I delete out my prompt and just include his fuller explanation. There was also cross-talk, him answering one earlier question while I was on to another one; in these cases I've separated out the conversations and put stray sentences into the answer where they should have been. I also deleted a couple of digressions. And of course I've added some links and stuff.

Otherwise, this is pretty much how the chat went. more...

Posted by: Ace at 12:00 PM | Comments (64)
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Rasmussen: WV Senate Moved From "Solid Dem" to "Leans Dem"
— Ace

Manchin 48%, Raese 42%.

But isn't Manchin more popular than that?

Perhaps one explanation for this divide is that among those voters who Somewhat Approve of ManchinÂ’s performance, 64% Strongly Disapprove of President ObamaÂ’s performance.

Powerline is writing that "Toss Up" is the new "Leans Republican," so maybe "Leans Democrat" is the new "Toss Up," too.

Thanks to Herr Morgenholz, Jean, and DrewM.

Posted by: Ace at 10:16 AM | Comments (142)
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Libertarian Party To Lisa Murkowski: Drop Dead
— Ace

Wow. So it's recount or bust, eh?

Yesterday, the 5-member Executive Committee of the Board of the Libertarian State Party meet in an emergency session to consider Sen. MurkowskiÂ’s bid for the partyÂ’s nod. After a contentious three-hour meeting, the Board voted unanimously to deny Sen. Murkowski the partyÂ’s nomination.

Thanks to someone, who noted that old/dirty/b_tard had linked it in comments.

Posted by: Ace at 09:11 AM | Comments (178)
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