The New York Times discusses the 12-seat Republican Senate pickup in 1980 (link to Hot Air.)

In 1980, shocked Senate Democrats lost 12 seats in a rout that ended the Congressional careers of such notable lawmakers as George McGovern of South Dakota, Birch Bayh of Indiana, Frank Church of Idaho, Warren Magnuson of Washington and Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin.

...

“It was a very weird time,” recalled Senator Patrick J. Leahy, a Vermont Democrat who narrowly won a second term that year. “A lot of those people had no idea what they were doing.”

While party strategists and analysts say Republicans still face a steep climb to gain the 10 seats needed to flip control of the Senate, polls and circumstances in contests around the country suggest it is not inconceivable that Republicans could seize the majority if crucial races uniformly break their way on Nov. 2.

If they do, it is a certainty that the new membership of the Senate would include sharply conservative Republicans with a deep skepticism of government and a determination to change Washington.

...

Given the prospect of a marked ideological shift in the Senate, some are already asking what the institution would be like upon the arrival of a cadre of fire-breathing conservatives.

Fire-breathing. Okay.

Posted by: Ace at 08:41 AM | Comments (237)
Post contains 221 words, total size 1 kb.

You've probably read this, but it's darn good.

Liberalism under siege is an ugly sight indeed. Just yesterday it was all hope and change and returning power to the people. But the people have proved so disappointing. Their recalcitrance has, in only 19 months, turned the predicted 40-year liberal ascendancy (James Carville) into a full retreat. Ah, the people, the little people, the small-town people, the "bitter" people, as Barack Obama in an unguarded moment once memorably called them, clinging "to guns or religion or" -- this part is less remembered -- "antipathy toward people who aren't like them."

That's a polite way of saying: clinging to bigotry. And promiscuous charges of bigotry are precisely how our current rulers and their vast media auxiliary react to an obstreperous citizenry that insists on incorrect thinking.

-- Resistance to the vast expansion of government power, intrusiveness and debt, as represented by the Tea Party movement? Why, racist resentment toward a black president.

-- Disgust and alarm with the federal government's unwillingness to curb illegal immigration, as crystallized in the Arizona law? Nativism.

-- Opposition to the most radical redefinition of marriage in human history, as expressed in Proposition 8 in California? Homophobia.

-- Opposition to a 15-story Islamic center and mosque near Ground Zero? Islamophobia.

Now we know why the country has become "ungovernable," last year's excuse for the Democrats' failure of governance: Who can possibly govern a nation of racist, nativist, homophobic Islamophobes?

Note what connects these issues. In every one, liberals have lost the argument in the court of public opinion. Majorities -- often lopsided majorities -- oppose President Obama's social-democratic agenda (e.g., the stimulus, Obamacare), support the Arizona law, oppose gay marriage and reject a mosque near Ground Zero.

What's a liberal to do? Pull out the bigotry charge, the trump that preempts debate and gives no credit to the seriousness and substance of the contrary argument.

James Taranto follows up by giving this intense loathing liberals feel for their fellow Americans, but somehow I don't think "Oikophobia" is going to stick.

He quotes Robert Reich making the typical "bitter, clingy" analysis of Americans -- we're all just reacting, animal-like, in fear -- and responds:

So if some Americans are afraid of people "who have what seem to be strange religions," it must be a totally irrational reaction to "economic insecurity." It couldn't possibly have anything to do with an act of mass murder committed in the name of the religion in question.

And Reich doesn't just fail to see the obvious. He dehumanizes his fellow Americans by treating their values, feelings and opinions as no more than reflexive reactions to material conditions. Americans in fact are a very tolerant people. Even in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, there was no serious backlash against Muslims. What makes them angry--what makes us angry--is the bigotry of the elites.

I've tried to get the RNC's attention -- I think an ad which featured members of the media calling Americans racist and ignorant, over and over again, for a full minute, followed by the text "You know who They're voting for" would be effective.

No one reacts well to hatred and condescension directed at them. Liberals get this when it comes to certain minorities. But when it comes to others -- us -- they strangely have no empathy whatsoever.

Posted by: Ace at 06:37 AM | Comments (186)
Post contains 571 words, total size 4 kb.

I only managed to get into one book in the past week, and it's a book I mentioned in the thread last week: Fred Pohl's Man Plus. It's as good as I remembered. I also picked up a copy of Steven Saylor's Roman Blood, per a recommendation in a previous book-thread.

What else is everyone reading?

Posted by: Monty at 06:21 AM | Comments (102)
Post contains 62 words, total size 1 kb.

There were a few people there (wapo titters here in this link).

I think all of them are very interested in November 2. I hope the Dems took note, but they're idiots and they'll find a way to piss everyone off about this day. They do that.

photo via Clint C.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 06:59 PM | Comments (235)
Post contains 57 words, total size 1 kb.

“May You Live in Surreal Times” edition. (ancient Chinese curse, updated for the modern day)

ItÂ’s Caturday. I suppose. Kitteh and kitteh-related items below the fold.

Concerning festivals:

HereÂ’s a little something to piss you off (might as well start off the thread in the proper mood). Beaverton, Oregon, a largish suburb of Portland wishes you to know that the city will be celebrating MexicoÂ’s Independence. From the Official Press Release. (PDF format):

“ BEAVERTON, Oregon (August 25, 2010) – Celebrate the bicentennial of Mexico’s independence with an evening of music, dancing and food in City Park (corner of 5th Street and Hall Boulevard) on Thursday, September 16 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Come listen to Mariachi Viva Mexico, hear from guest speakers, including Mayor Denny Doyle, and enjoy a performance of a variety of native dances from regions across Mexico by Ballet Folklorico Sol Azteca.

“The city of Beaverton is fortunate enough to have one of the most diverse populations in the area and we’re excited to be a part of this cultural celebration,” said Mayor Doyle. “It’s an honor to recognize events like these that are so special to many members of this community.”

Two historic milestones in Mexico’s history occur this year. September 16 marks the 200th anniversary of Mexican independence movement”

Well, IÂ’m glad Hizzoner Mayor Doyle cleared that up for us. One little problem though: The City of Beaverton doesnÂ’t sponsor any kind of American Independence Day festivities. YÂ’know, America? The nation in which the city is actually located?

Last Wednesday, Oregon-based talk show host Lars Larsen had The City of Beaverton’s “Event Coordinator,” Erin Hickey, on his show and pretty much devastated the city’s reasons for doing a Mexican celebration but not an American one. The bubbly Ms. Hickey, despite her best efforts, was clearly out of her league. Link to the interview here.

Concerning Hobbits:

After reading/listening to all that, youÂ’ll need something to cheer you up. So why not travel to New Zealand and take a tour of Hobbiton? According to the website:

"The Hobbiton Movie Set has been returned to its natural state. However, 17 of the original 37 hobbit holes and some structures from the film set are still present. There are spectacular views across to the Kaimai Ranges from the rolling green hills of the movie set, which is still a working sheep and beef farm."

But wait, there's more!

"As the Hobbiton Movie Set is located on a real New Zealand farm, we also offer you an authentic and unforgettable Sheep Farm Experience. See how the shearer cleverly handles the sheep, plus take the opportunity to cuddle and bottle feed the pet lambs."

Given the type of guys who frequent this place I somehow get the feeling that the sheep farm may be a bigger draw than Hobbiton.

Concerning cannibal-themed German restaurants:

After your sheep-dipping experience, no doubt you'll have worked up an appetite. So why not jet back to Germany for dinner? I know just the place. From the Guardian UK:

"Would you be prepared to sacrifice your testicles, stomach fat or ears for the sake of high-class cuisine? A soon-to-open Berlin restaurant is touting for diners willing to do just that: donate body parts that it says it will turn into gourmet meals according to the age-old cooking habits of an Amazonian tribe infamous for its cannibalism."

Yeah, it's fake of course...some kinda' weird marketing campain for who-knows-what. But the article does have a link to other bizarrely-themed eateries.

Now without further ado, here's your damned cats: more...

Posted by: Genghis at 06:00 PM | Comments (679)
Post contains 625 words, total size 6 kb.

The whole dealio is a photo still, and I'm not stealin' it, so you'll hafta click over to see just how bad CNN's political coverage is.

In short, they got the wrong person, then spelled the name wrong, and gave the wrong title and this is for someone who is as well known as the President.

Maybe the "Best Political Team on Television" has weekends off?

Via @jtlol.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 04:12 PM | Comments (227)
Post contains 86 words, total size 1 kb.

Old and busted: Al Sharpton

The New Hotness: Glen Beck

If Sharpton and the whole Dem apparatus at his disposal can't scrape up more than 3K in DC to "counter" a bunch of racist teabaggers, someone has developed big time branding issues.

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 02:53 PM | Comments (322)
Post contains 60 words, total size 1 kb.

I was kind of lucky I left the Army when I did. PowerPoint was just coming into vogue. In fact, it was still something of a useful tool back then. Even cutting edge.

Sadly, like almost every other tool at the bureaucrats disposal, it became bloated and went from being a means to an end in itself.

Most of you have seen some interminable training or marketing presentation at work. Guess what, the Army is even worse. There are a slew of officers at work who do nothing but generate PPT presentations.  And we aren't talking about stateside staffs, or offices buried deep in the bowels of the Pentagon. We're talking about the operational forces in theater in Afghanistan or Iraq.

With that much information, virtually all of it useless, you are almost certain to attain paralysis by analysis. But that is the nature of a bureaucracy.

So it is more than a little surprising that a Reserve officer has thrown the bullshit flag.

For headquarters staff, war consists largely of the endless tinkering with PowerPoint slides to conform with the idiosyncrasies of cognitively challenged generals in order to spoon-feed them information. Even one tiny flaw in a slide can halt a general's thought processes as abruptly as a computer system's blue screen of death.

The ability to brief well is, therefore, a critical skill. It is important to note that skill in briefing resides in how you say it. It doesn't matter so much what you say or even if you are speaking Klingon.

Not surprisingly, COL Sellin has been relieved.

Hat tip to the invaluable War News Updates. Be sure to watch the video.

Crossposted at my place.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 01:35 PM | Comments (91)
Post contains 285 words, total size 2 kb.

"Extraterrestrials."

A Bosnian man believes his house has been hit six times by meteors.

Radivoje Lajic first came to international attention in 2008, shortly after the fifth meteorite had crashed into the roof of his house in the northern village of Gornji Lajici.

And now, within the past month, another rock has hit the roof of his house, in defiance of all the odds - making it six strikes since the plague of meteorites began in 2007.

. . .

Lajic has his own explanation, of course. After the fifth rock struck his house, he said: 'I am obviously being targeted by extraterrestrials. I don't know what I have done to annoy them but there is no other explanation that makes sense. The chance of being hit by a meteorite is so small that getting hit six times has to be deliberate.'

Posted by: Open Blogger at 12:19 PM | Comments (125)
Post contains 184 words, total size 1 kb.

The proposal was made by some birdwatcher organization on August 3 and then opened up for public comment by the Environmental Prosecution Agency. That comment period was supposed to run through October, but after the bullet-ban proposal got public scrutiny this week, the agency suddenly remembered that it doesn't have jurisdiction over bullets. Really (PDF):

EPA has determined that TSCA does not provide the Agency with authority to address lead shot and bullets as requested in your petition, due to the exclusion found in TSCA 3(2)(B)(v). Consequently, we are denying that portion of your petition.

It took four weeks for EPA to figure out its own authority? I doubt that very much. Somebody at the agency, a libtard, thought this was a great idea. But that same somebody forgot that the Democrats, including the President, do not want to talk about gun rights because their always on the losing side of public opinion. So when this started to get public scrutiny this week, I bet you a beer the order to circular file this petition came from a political appointee.

EPA isn't all that popular at the moment after its botched participation in the Gulf spill cleanup. It also stands to irritate a substantial portion of the country when it starts its own carbon regulation scheme. As Ed Morrissey notes, EPA's actions threaten to inspire a bipartisan move to de-fund the agency.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 09:49 AM | Comments (150)
Post contains 250 words, total size 2 kb.