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A holiday season open thread, because I don't think any of us are too into serious posting right now.
If I was, I'd go into how positively downright Clintonial the O-Team's self-exculpation in the Blago affair was, and how it really didn't answer any of the relevant questions.
In any case, each and every one of have a great holiday season, and travel safely.
Added (Simon): What Tully said. Have a safe and very merry Christmas everyone.
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Happy Holidays...
Hope all of you had a wonderful Holiday. 64 degrees in NYC today. Global Warming Tully....LOL
I noticed this. It made me wonder if one day CK would confess she was "dismayed" at her record as Senator. The bar is going lower and lower every year.
Why CK doesn't wait for Ted to retire? From what I gather Mass isn't a lock either.
Hell, USCoinNetwork.com is selling a coin set with JFK and Obama on the same coin face...LOL What's up with that? I'm waiting for the Lincoln/Obama coin.
One more somber note to consider. The problem here is the many aspects of the threat from foreign students to broken borders, two issues Obama is not particularly strong on.
I do find it surprising that
I do find it surprising that the intellectual world has avoided analysis of Barak's books. Besides the glowing recommendations, there is little elite deconstruction. I note this review. If in fact, Ayers did help Obama write his book(s), how much will the media protest? Perhaps one must explore the meat of Obama's own (maybe) words to flush out the meaning of "empty suit".
I don't mean this to be a slight at Obama, but rather, an observation that the intellectuals over at the NYT Book Review Section label Obama's works, "off-limits". God Forbid Palin or Bush write a book....LOL.
Wouldn't it be great if media and the intellectual circles make it a New Years Resolution to be more objective and fearless of the truth? Naw..........
P.S.I don't necessarily agree with all the comments regarding the NYT by Spinney (particularly the reasoning behind missile defense and the F-22), but he does show the contradictory and poorly researched claims the NYT often pushes in their rush for political points. Their "in-depth" reporting on Syria, Iran, Hugo, China and Russia are comical at times.
Scattered Notes
Dave Barry secures the "Most Accurate Journalist of 2008" award. It was a weak field. Takeaway quote:
Thomas Friedman (filling in for Maureen "The Misquoter" Dowd) assures us that nothing is as good for the aftermath of an energy-shock recession as raising the price of energy through new taxes. This proves that Friedman [a] has a weak grasp of real-world economics; [b] a deep and perhaps unnatural love of Big Nanny government; and [c] should not be allowed to use the pointy scissors while simultaneously cogitating in metaphor.
I paid $1.339 for gasoline this morning. I want my Suburban back. Friedman demands I be forced into a solar-powered Mini-Cooper instead.
The O-Team dumps the info that their own attorney has assured them that they told him they did nothing inappropriate in their dealings with Blago. They wait to release this info until Obama is in a safe house in Hawaii, Emanuel on a plane to Africa, and most of the press corps headed home for Xmas.
Congress both outgoing and incoming faces the daunting task of continuing to talk down the now-stabilizing economy to justify giving MORE hundreds of billions of dollars to their friends in assorted industries. They are assisted by the media and said industries, who hysterically and hyperbolically proclaim the (not yet ended) 2008-2009 holiday retail season as the "worst in decades." A few cynics note that MOST of the reduction in gross sales receipts from the previous holiday season is due to the fact that gasoline has declined 67% in price since the previous year, that current sales are still as good as those of the 2006-2007 holiday retail season, and better than all years previous to that.
Almost unreported, the latest round of interest cuts has people with good credit swarming to refinance their mortgages.
And don't EVEN get me started on the unions now bankrupting some cities and states, and all three of the US auto companies. Or the ongoing collapse of the Global Warmist "consensus" in the face of actual data and events. Or....
Oh, and enjoy this....
Thanks for the reality check
Thanks for the reality check Tully. Boy did I see happy faces at the huge Mall near Weston Mass. Macy's was jammed and the deals were great. In just a month, we went from the dangers of inflation to the worse dangers of deflation.
I really hope smart people notice the cluelessness of media and pundits of all niches. And us dumb folk thought supply and demand was how it was supposed to work. Yep, the Union stances and consequences go unnoted. The climate data goes unreported. Hugo is nailed by Europe for supplying Syria with nuclear shipping and the Press here goes quiet. Now the "horrible" actions of Israel will be lamented. I wish American journalists had missiles fired into their own backyards.
Ahmadinejad wishes Brits a Happy Christmas...LOL
CK is dismayed by her voting record. Blago wants to fight to the death. Media harps on the neoGreat Depression while noting little on the millions pouring into the Great Swearing In. I guess people find this uplifting after years of Bush-Bashing.
What a great start to the New Year. Perhaps this is the change we voted for.......
It may not be the Change®
It may not be the Change® they thought they were voting for, but it IS what they were voting for. QED.
Some things
never change. Really?
Well, as Tully pointed out, this does seem like real change, the Pilgrimage Press Corp....
"Some people become so excited that they actually pass out. These are members of the press corps."
Gold, Jerry, gold....
What!?
Putin didn't win? Finally a fair election in Russia!
Max, I don't need to refresh you on how the press will ALWAYS
view the Israel-Palestinian conflict with biased eyes, do I? Somehow it always ends up being Israel's fault. I swear, it seems Israel is the only country in the world that has to defend and re-defend her right to defend her own borders.
Oh, and Happy Holidays, y'all.
Twenty years ago and more,
Twenty years ago and more, the NYT was pretty pro Israel. I bet Khalidi's glad he wasn't presently tenured at Hamas U.
I think what you notice now is how the Grand Tale of American Empire coupled with Evil Zionists has captured a spot in the Western Mainstream Press. I'm not worried, Obama is Israel's BFF.
Happy One to U Raf..
It's late, so I'm not sure if you're being at least semi
saracstic, but I really don't doubt Obama's commitments to Israel.
Oh, and Happy Holidays to you too, Max.
Hi Raf
I was being sarcastic, but Obama has made such a point about being a BFF that it doesn't matter he might really not be. I feel better with HRC on board and I lean towards Brian's take on what Obama will do in regards to Israel. So sarcasm aside, I think America will continue to support Israel despite the trends in media, or that some funds Obama got Khalidi or friends of Trinity making their way to the groups now being bombed. The road to the WH has obviously moved Obama into a new direction.
the broader picture
Chess anyone? Militants hit India, cause the military to shift forces to Indian border. Taliban take control. People forget that Bush was able to cool tensions between India and Pakistan. The Moderates are loosing control and that is ultimately threatening Afghnanistan. I hope Obama understands this. He will likely be taking office with both Israel/Hamas/Hizb'Allah/Iran and Afghanistan/Pakistan/India in growing conflict.
Not to be TOO overly sarcastic....
The road to the WH has obviously moved Obama into a new direction.
Not to be TOO overly sarcastic in reply, but if you couldn't really tell which direction he was headed in the first place, how do you know when he changes it? ;-)
Based on everything we knew
Based on everything we knew of Obama's history, record and associations, one would suspect he was leaning fairly hard to the Left (of those calling themselves Liberal, not Leftists). His history on guns, drivers licenses, Iraq, his funding to groups as board member, his bashing Hillary for being a Republican Lite all suggested nirvana for Pelosi and crew was at hand.
I think a case can be made that Obama seems to be steering back to center, but your remark is noted. He has sent up so many contradictory signals, it is hard to see yet where he is really going. Soon, we will have a better idea.
I will add that Obama first talked about using nukes on Iran in 2004. Then he said Iran was not a major threat and steered clear of the Kyl Bill to avoid the issue of Iran killing US troops in Iraq. Then in Iowa as Iran tested missiles and Bush suggest some were appeasers, Obama back-peddled on his comment about meeting Ahmadinejad. Not sure what direction this points to, but this surely points somewhere. Let me guess, Iran? Funny how things are connected as I note the same journalism covering the Hamas conflict now reported on Hizb'Allah with the same flare of objectivity and principle.