Obamania

Obamania!

Fox news reports:

Obama Trip Could Push Rock-Star Persona to New Heights

Barack Obama’s advisers insist his coming trip abroad is not a campaign swing. Even so, the high-profile journey has all the trappings of a rock-star tour.

The Illinois senator’s trip to Europe and the Middle East has generated so much interest that all three TV network news anchors are planning to accompany the candidate.

Drudge links to this piece:

CBS scores first Obama interview abroad

Lara Logan, chief foreign affairs correspondent for CBS News, has landed the coveted first interview with Barack Obama while he’s abroad, according to sources familiar with the arrangements.

Did she faint? I hear a lot of women faint around Barack John Paul George Ringo Obama.

Investor’s Business Daily’s senior editor and political cartoonist Michael Ramirez hits just the right note:

UPDATE: Scott Ott weighs in:

McCain Backs Timeline to Get Obama Out of Iraq

(2008-07-20) — Republican presidential nominee John McCain today for the first time said he can now support a timeline to reduce the American presence in Iraq, specifically advocating the withdrawal from Iraq of Democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama, and several battalions of U.S. news anchors and reporters.

ROFLMAO!!

Why I Read Instapundit

Why I Read Instapundit

Glenn is a veritable firehose of information and links. From Friday, the Quote of the Day for today by Jerry Pournelle:

The purpose of modern government is to take money from the folks who save and pay their bills and live within their means, and use that to hire government workers; and to keep their power by using the money to buy votes from those who do not save and pay their bills and live within their means. And of course the money comes from those who work and save and pay their bills and live within their means — who else will have any money for the government to take?

Or am I unduly cynical? But you ain’t seen nothing yet. Wait until we have President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Senate Leader Reid. Then you’ll see a lot of new laws, all designed to help you. Maybe it’s not possible to be unduly cynical.

From yesterday, a chart that illustrates what Jerry was saying:

In somewhat related news, I just ordered 800 rounds of .30-06 ammunition from the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

I mean, perhaps it’s just not possible to be too cynical.

Public Housing, Public Transit, Public Bathrooms…

Public Housing, Public Transit, Public Bathrooms…

Seattle sells 5 of its troubled toilets on eBay (The AP can sue me.)

Seattle’s five problem-plagued public toilets could be yours if you’re flush.

City officials decided to pull the plug on the multimillion-dollar self-cleaning toilet stalls and instead put them on the auction site eBay.

Starting bids are $89,000 apiece.

Neighbors and city-commissioned analysts said the unisex facilities attracted drug users and prostitutes, and were less cost-effective than regular public restrooms.

On May 19, the City Council voted to remove the problem toilets. Council President Richard Conlin said although people were using the high-tech, self-cleaning silver stalls, they also fostered illegal behavior, such as prostitution and drug use.

The German-made automatic, high-tech toilets were installed in 2004 and have cost the city about $5 million. Each has handsfree washing and drying ability and an emergency button that automatically dials 911.

The automated doors on the impact- and graffiti-resistant toilets will close Aug. 1, said Andy Ryan, a spokesman for Seattle Public Utilities. The auction will last for 10 days.

As of Thursday morning, none of the toilets had received any bids.

As of Thursday evening, still no bids.

Hey, I know! Let’s let the government run health care!

Why Michael Ramirez Wins Pulitzer Prizes

Why Michael Ramirez Wins Pulitzer Prizes

Or wildlife. Or beachfront property.

This is Ramirez’s cartoon for today from Investor’s Business Daily. Click on the link. Thursday’s cartoon is even better. Hell, I’ll post that one too:

As Jon Stewart said on last night’s Daily Show

Barack Obama should in no way be upset about the cartoon that depicts him as a Muslim extremist, because you know who gets upset about cartoons? Muslim extremists.

No wonder the LA Times fired him. He made everyone else there stare into a mirror.

(h/t Power Line)

Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Not everyone is Martha Stewart with a kitchen full of matching cookware, but Martha can’t do a two inch grouping at 50 feet either. – Brigid, General Tso’s Chicken, at Home on the Range

And, unless I’m misinformed, Martha’s conviction for lying to the FBI voids her right to arms, so we’ll never be able to test that proposition…

Insert Hysterical Laughter Here

Insert Hysterical Laughter Here

`Che’ Shirts, Fake Rebels, Acting Class Helped Free Betancourt

The T-shirts with images of Ernesto “Ché” Guevara convinced Ingrid Betancourt. She assumed the men with the iconic revolutionary on their chests were ushering her into the helicopter for transfer to yet another rebel camp.

Instead, Betancourt, along with 14 other hostages, was taking her first steps toward freedom after six years of captivity at the hands of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Less than 24 hours later, she would be reunited with the two children she hadn’t seen since her capture.

The white helicopter Betancourt climbed into was piloted by Colombian troops, and the six men wearing Ché shirts were soldiers who tricked the rebels into following “orders” to move the prisoners. Colombian intelligence had infiltrated the group, known as the FARC, and started planning the rescue mission as long as a year ago.

RTWT.

I wonder if they bought their Ché shirts from ThoseShirts.com?

This is just too rich!

Trembling with Anticipation

I emailed GEErnst over at Potowmack.org last night:

It’s been almost a week. Surely you have SOMETHING to say?

Like “OUCH!”?

He replied:

The Potowmack Institute must have some people worried.
For good reason. Stay tuned.

GEErnst

Yeah, I was worried that he’d gone off on a quaalude and Jägermeister bender.

I’m reminded of The Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, when Arthur asks him, “What are you going to do, bleed on me?”

I’m trembling with anticipation, I assure you!

“Okay, we’ll call it a draw!”