Government-mandated health care explained so even a liberal can understand it

George Will explains a problem with government-mandated health care in a way that even a liberal can understand:


[Direct link]

Excerpt transcript:

One question: If the government came to you and said, "Professor Krugman, you have a car. We're going to compel you to buy a more expensive car, but it's not really more expensive because it's a better car." Wouldn't you tell them to get off your land?

I wish I had thought of that.

Maybe people would listen if Obama said "I inherited this Democratic Senate"

Barack Obama keeps saying he inherited problems. And, the statistics show that, just maybe, he did.

Look at this graph from the Bureau of Labor.


[Source: Bureau of Labor]

Notice that unemployment was on its way up before he took office. It looks like Obama did inherit rising unemployment.

But then, take the statistics from this source -- the Unites States Senate -- showing which party controlled the Senate, and apply it to that graphic.

What do you get? This:


[Source: American Thinker]

So, when you go to criticize Barack Obama for his dismal performance, keep in mind that it's not just his fault. It's the Democrats' fault.

And the fault of those that keep electing Democrats.

It takes courage to go against the American people

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D NS-CA-8), appearing on ABC's This Week. told Elizabeth Vargas that Democrats need courage to pass health care over the objections of the American people...


[Direct link]
[Full transcript]

Excerpt transcript:

What do you say to your members, when it does come to the House to vote on this, who are in real fear of losing their seats in November if they support you now?

PELOSI: Well first of all our members -- every one of them -- wants health care. I think everybody wants affordable health care for all Americans. They know that this will take courage. It took courage to pass Social Security. It took courage to pass Medicare. And many of the same forces that were at work decades ago are at work again against this bill.

But the American people need it, why are we here? We're not here just to self perpetuate our service in Congress. We're here to do the job for the American people. To get them results that gives them not only health security, but economic security, because the health issue is an economic issue for -- for America's families.

You know who else is told to have "courage" before they go and do something harmful to America?

These people:



I guess that's something that everyone ready to commit suicide on behalf of others is told ... even if it's political suicide.

Some things aren't hard...

This came in an email. So far, I haven't found the source...



I found many variations on this, but so far, haven't confirmed the source of the original. If you know, let me know in the comments.

Let the government run it

But of course we should let the government run health care. They've shown they're qualified to run things smoothly and efficiently...


[Michael Ramirez]

Cleaning up teh blog

Last summer, I made a monumentous decision: I gave up teh WordPress.

All the lousy details are here. But I've used teh Blogger, teh TypePad, and teh WordPress for teh blog. And they all have their great points, and their weaknesses. Anyway, I've landed on teh Blogger again. But all these changes over the years have meant that some things need to be cleaned up. And I hate doing that. But, I gotta.

One of the most aggravating things is, during the transfer of some posts from one platform to another, I broke some links. How many links? Well, teh Google has a service called Webmaster Tools. And the latest report says I have 556 broken links.

Now, some of these links are to Websites that have gone dark. But the vast majority of them are links that are simply broken and can be fixed. Let me explain.

When we were on teh WordPress, we often made links like this:

• /2009/01/my-post/

instead of

• http://basilsblog.net/2009/01/my-post/

Why? Well, WordPress would automatically generate a TrackBack ping. And I didn't care for pings to my own stuff. Nothing wrong with them, just a personal preference.

But, I knew that on a Web page, if you leave off the "http://" part, it would automatically put it there for you. That's why these are essentially the same link:

• /2009/01/my-post/
• http://basilsblog.net/2009/01/my-post/

And, that's why, if you've ever put a link in a Web page and left off the "http://" part, you got some odd results. For example, if I made this link:

• www.imao.us/about/

It would actually try to go to this:

• http://www.basilsblog.net/www.imao.us/

Don't ask why. It's how it works. So, today's tip: Always verify your links.

But back to this little blog's 556 broken links...

I had many links like that. Those are all broken. For two reasons.

First, on teh Blogger, if you put a link with no leading domain, and just make one like this:

• /2010/02/my-post.html

It will translate at

• http://www.blogger.com/2010/02/my-post.html

Because the interface where you write the post is on a blogger.com domain.

If all this is confusing, the thing to learn from it is, you can't take shortcuts with links on teh Blogger.

And I've got a butt-load of those kind of links.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

But, had I done the link in the standard way, I'd still have a problem.

WordPress uses a different naming style than does Blogger. So, the pages have slightly different names. And, on them Internets, slightly different means way different.

So, though I might have created some issues, if I had done different, I'd still have just as many broken links.

Today, I begin fixing the links. Because I care. Would any other blogger do that for you? No. Because they're selfish. And self-centered.

I bet they even have their own name in their custom URL.

Hard to swallow

This cartoon by Steve Kelley first appeared in August, 2009.

It's still appropriate.


[Steve Kelley]

Tsunami watch ... and other news

Hawaii disappeared under the waves forever yesterday! What? Oh. Well, that's the message I got from the talking heads on TV about what was going to happen.

Wife wanted to know: When you evacuate Hawaii, where do you go? Indonesia?

Which makes more sense: watching news coverage of a wave heading to Hawaii, or watching a NASCAR race? Both are waiting for something bad to happen. Or nearly happen.

As I was watching, I wondered that, with the tsunami coming, if I be should be buying duct tape. Sure, I'm in the southeast US, 4 hours from the coast, but still...

And why didn't we have helicopters flying over the wave, watching it bear down on Hawaii? Don't news directors watch disaster movies?

If this tsunami had hit the Kapi'olani Medical Center in Honolulu, it might have destroyed Obama's original birth certificate. And there goes reelection!

I came up with a name for this tsunami: "Godot."

After a while, I realized that the whole wave heading to Hawaii thing was just an advertising ploy for Google Wave.

Did the scientists that predicted the Hawaii tsunami use IPCC data?

Maybe we should have named this tsunami "Obama" for it's big hype and small results.

I knew it was over when all the news head started talking about the killer whale again.

After a bit, I was looking for any channel still carrying the tsunami. I want to see death and destruction. Nothing. So, I watched The Three Stooges on teh TiVo.

In fairness, everything turned out okay. Obama asked Thomas Magnum and Steve McGarrett to help protect Hawaii from the wave. It worked.

Just the threat of a tsunami means that we MUST pass Obamacare. Or the Kyoto Treaty. Or something.

Report: Emergency shipment of condoms headed to Olympic athletes. Emergency? "Quick, dial 911. I need a rubber. NOW!!!"

Don Surber's comment was best: "Please hurry. We must not let them breed."

This cartoon is teh funneh.

Congressman John Smoltz? Yes, that John Smoltz.

Doctor Al Gore

Another award for Al Gore

The University of Tennessee, fresh off banning of ownership of handguns by student-athletes, ups its moonbattery status by awarding Al Gore with an honorary doctorate.

The degree - an Honorary Doctor of Laws and Humane Letters in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology - will be given to Gore at the spring commencement exercises of the College of Arts and Sciences on May 14, where he will be the featured speaker.

"Why?" you ask. Let's see what UT Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek said:

"Vice President Gore's career has been marked by visionary leadership, and his work has quite literally changed our planet for the better,"

No, this isn't a joke. He was serious when he said it. Really.

Now, I'm not saying that Gore shouldn't be given an award or a degree. I'm just not sure that the degree he's getting is most appropriate.

What awards and degrees should Al Gore have?

• Nobel Prize in Literature (Fiction)
• Bachelor of Settled Science
• Hugo Award
• Doctor of Asshattery
• Master of Arrogance
• Academy Award for Acting ... Like An Idiot

I'm sure there are many other awards and degrees that Al Gore should possess.

Freude, schöner Götterfunken

Saw the a GE commercial today. It's called "Say Ahh" and features many characters saying "ahh" for doctors:


[Direct link]

Good commercial. And I just love Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

But it reminds me of this scene from Help!:


[Direct link]

If I was GE, I'd sue the Beatles for stealing their idea.

Coffee Party

It started as a joke.

But then, many on the left are a joke. Which explains the lack of a sense of humor.

But there is a left-wing response to the Tea Party. It's the Coffee Party (tip: OTB). Really. Okay, maybe they do have a sense of humor. Because I'm laughing.

And, they've already had their first meeting:

[Direct link]

I'm thinking that Kraft Foods wouldn't let them use the name "Kool-Aid Drinkers."

Real Members of Congress

PJTV won't let you embed their videos. Or, they won't let me embed this one. Mean ole PJTV.

Oh, Scott Ott and Zo did this one. So, you know it is teh awesome!


[Click to view]
[Click to view in a new tab/window]

Bad humor, bad shopping, bad women ... and other news

The other day I said "tinnitus sucks." How naïve I was. Today, it *really* sucks.

Facebook Lite? I thought that's what Twitter was!

Brent Spiner says "The only (thing) that offends me is pedestrian humor. Particularly when it references (Star Trek)." Like this: "Why did the Horta cross the road?"

ArmyWifeToddlerMom doesn't like grocery stores. I feel the same way. Had to go shopping last night after work:

• Wife didn't like the last deodorant she bought. True story: I offered to let her use my Secret solid, but she said "no."
• Wife was looking for low-carb pasta. I told her it's over by the sugar-free sugar. Found out alter there is such a thing. Now, if there was only low-carb pasta...
• Who is the angry black man on my cereal?
  
• Now, why is there an angry white man on my cereal?
  
• Liberals hate Wal-mart. So, if you tell a liberal that you can buy Ben&Jerry's at a Wal-mart, will their heads explode? And can I watch?
  

So, Obama, all by himself, talked longer than the Republicans?

Boy, was January one hot month!

Sorry, but women drinking and smoking cigars is not sexy. However... drunk, cigar-smoking chicks with hockey sticks? I'm not gonna tell them to stop.

Today's Hope 'n Change cartoon explains the Democrats' suddend support of the PATRIOT Act.

Instead of starting a third party, who don't conservatives take over the GOP and let the RINOs form their own? I mean, l like being "The Party Of 'No'" is a bad thing?

Having morals is stupid. Behaving as if you have morals is smart.

They're seriously countering the Tea Party with Coffee Party? Shouldn't they have chosen Kool-Aid as their drink?

Ed Morrissey points out that the Dead Sister's Denture Story is irrelevant. Obamacare doesn't cover dentures.

Some cheesy pictures.

Thomas Friedman says "I'm a Dick Cheney guy." He could have left off "Cheney guy."

Maybe the University of Tennessee will change it's mascot, too

What is it with the SEC? Or the politics of the states having schools in the SEC?

First, the University of Mississippi drops Colonel Reb as its mascot. Now, the University of Tennessee has banned student-athletes from owning guns.

This comes after some pot-smoking basketball players were found with handguns that had altered serial numbers.

So, how does the school respond? Banning drugs? Throwing idiots off the team? No, they ban guns. Stupid athletic director.

Oh, and then there's the whole Second Amendment thing. But let's suppose we ignore that for a second. (After all, many on the left do it all the time. It's used to being ignored.)

Let's look at the school itself. The University of Tennessee. What's the school's nickname? The Pundits? No, that's not it.

The Moonshiners? Nah.

The 'Possums? That's not right.

Hound Dogs? Nope.

The Volunteers? Yes, that's it! The Volunteers. Because Tennessee's nickname is "The Volunteer State."

Now, how did they get that name? Wouldn't have anything to do with the War of 1812, would it?

...when President James Madison called on Tennessee to help defend the "Lower Country," Tennesseans volunteered en masse, earning the nickname "The Volunteer State." Tennessee Governor Willie Blount was asked to send 1,500 troops for the defense of the lower Mississippi region and an expedition under the command of Andrew Jackson, major general of the Tennessee militia, was outfitted in December 1812.

You think that maybe left-wing nutcases think the "Volunteer State" nickname came about from registering voters?

What will happen when they discover that the "Volunteer" nickname is from gun-owners offering to help defend others?

Maybe they'll want to change the mascot.

How about the Dumbasses?

Congressman calls stimulus "Obama Slush Fund"

Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL-3) took a shot at the president on the floor of the House recently. He asked, "where are the jobs." And he called the stimulus the "Obama Slush Fund."


[Also available on YouTube]

When you're spending trillions, what's a few million here and there?

Calling the administration on it is one of the reason I like Congressman Rogers.

Georgia's new state bird

First, in Mississippi, there's the mascot change at the University of Mississippi.

Now, in Georgia, somebody wants to change the State Bird. Right now, the Brown Thrasher is the state bird. I learned that in Georgia History class back in the 8th grade. But, quite honestly, I don't know if I've ever seen one.

There's a fellow in Augusta who wants to change the state bird ... to the chicken.

Now, sure, chickens account for $15-billion a year to the state's economy. But, really, is the chicken the best representation for the state? Having grown up in Georgia, I have some ideas.

The mosquito


The house fly


The Sand Gnat


The buzzard


The Obama Bird


There may be better suggestions for the state bird of Georgia. Perhaps for other states, too.

Whales, summits ... and other news

Talk about a FAIL WHALE.

Tilly the Teabagger.

Heh. This cartoon before the summit wasn't too far off.

Dan Riehl found two Obama quotes that will come back to haunt him.

The "I Don't Count My Time Because I'm The President" quote was one of them. However, in fairness, he's used that excuse before:

• I don't have to explain because I am the President.
• I get extra cheese because I am the President.
• Droit de deigneur, I am the President.
• We'll order the pizza I want because I am the President.
• I get the toy in the box of Capn Crunch because I am the President.
• I get to sit in the front seat because I am the President.
• I'm blaming you for my farts because I am the President.
• I get to stay up late tonight because I am the President.
• I'm getting a new XBox, because I am the President.
• I get the top bunk because I am the President.
• I get another serving of ice cream because I am the President.
• All the cool kids like me because I am the President.
• I get a new puppy because I am the President.
• I don't have to color inside the lines because I am the President.
• i can haz helthcaer cuz I am the President.

Charles Krauthammer says that today, a star was born: Paul Ryan.

I didn't watch the summit. I'm waiting for the Hitler video. Like this one.

Some want the chicken as the new state bird for Georgia. How about fried chicken?

U.S. soldiers and the Taliban are trash talking during firefights. "You're mama so ugly, when she comes in the room, people yell 'Incoming SCUD!'"

Former GOP mayor goes out on a limb and endorses the only GOP candidate for a state senate seat.

Jack Ryan, running against Obama for Senate, was taken out by a scandal. Paterson stood up to Obama. Now, a scandal. Coincidence?

Wear your seatbelts

Best public service announcement I've seen in a while...


[Direct link]
Tip: Cowboy Blob's Saloon and Shootin Gallery

Hannah and her Storm ... and other news

I don't know what's becoming of my world. I find I have to defend Tony Kornheiser. ESPN overreacted in suspending him.

If they want to suspend him, they should do it because he's a jackass the rest of the time, not because of what he said about Hannah Storm.

Hannah Storm wants to be one of the boys. But she doens't want to be treated like one of the boys. Go figure.

Neighborhood watch reported that we had little bits of snow at the house. Frikkin' Global Warming.

Blogging about how nutso crazy Ron Paul supporters are? Remember the scene in Blazing Saddles: "Where all the white women at?"

After I left work last night, I rant into a wreck waiting to happen. An east-bound jackass was in the same lane as a west-bound jackass. Both vehicles stopped, and were staring each other down. I tried to comment "Look, a jackass face-off," That's hard to say. And, in mixed company, can be embarrassing if said wrong.

Great Britain vs Sweden in some Laff-A-Lympics curling match? What, no English-speaking countries?

When I got to the house, I fired up teh Google Reader. It showed 567 unread items. That's just great. I need to manage subscriptions.

Reuters reports "sales of new homes unexpectedly fell." Also, the sun unexpectedly rose this morning.

If you aren't following me on teh Twitter, you're on the side of the terrorists!!1!!! http://twitter.com/basilsblog

Ole Miss needs a mascot

The University of Mississippi -- Ole Miss -- is going to have a new mascot. And, the students voted on whether or not the students should have a say in the mascot (tip: Paul Mitchell). Yes, they voted on whether to vote. Now, I'll admit that I've attended meetings to schedule meetings, but I have never voted on voting. I need to think about that.

Anyway, Ole Miss has said goodbye to Colonel Rebel. Because he's racist. I mean, look at him...


So, who should replace Colonel Rebel? The leading candidate is Admiral Ackbar. Yes, the character from Star Wars. Really.

But, George Lucas will never agree. So, what's Ole Miss to do?

I have some ideas.

Burl Ives would be a good choice...

They'd replace the "From Dixie With Love" as the fight song with "Jimmy Crack Corn."

Another idea would be Harland Sanders, a successful southern businessman...

They could even pass out fried chicken at the games. Fried chicken isn't racist, is it?

If southern characters are eliminated -- because of the reminder that Ole Miss is actually in Mississippi -- there is a character from up north that might work. I'm thinking about Sam The Snowman from
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer...

They could sing "Holly Jolly Christmas" at games. Or "We're A Couple Of Misfits."

However, there is another possibility. What about an historical character that would be closely related to those that decided to get rid of Colonel Rebel to begin with. Who? Why, Leon Trotsky, of course...


Any of these would be suitable candidates for the job of mascot at Ole Miss. Unless you have another idea?

Baba O'Reily as you've never heard it

I've always loved The Who's Baba O'Reily. But I've never heard it like this...


[Direct link]
Tip: Wil Wheaton

The McCain Test, bipartisanship, Harry Reid ... and other news

In 2008, voting for John McCain proved you weren't a crazy liberal. In 2010, endorsing John McCain proves you might be a crazy liberal.

People complaining about Romney endorsing McCain forget that Romney is a Massachusetts Republican. And those criticizing Sarah Palin for endorsing McCain forget that she has a trait called "loyalty."

If Obama's ego gets any bigger, it will collapse into a black hole.

If both sides work together to cut their own throats, isn't that bipartisanship?

Tried Google Reader mobile on the BlackBerry. It had trouble with a page, telling me: "Sorry: the page you requested uses advanced space age technology that we were unable to adapt for your phone." Teh Google is teh funneh.

Did the Google Reader thing while I was at the doctor's office. And that visit was fun. It was 2-1/2 hours and a $36 co-pay to find out ... I will come back in 3 weeks with $176 to have a happy-fun procedure.

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter * (R-MI 11) had fun with Chris Matthews (via CrabbyCon).

Don Surber slaps Canada (actually, one Canadian) around a little.

By the way, does Harry Reid still beat his wife?

Re-elect Harry Reid, or his wife's bruises are on your head. (Related: TNOYF)

Dan Riehl says Obama is sacrificing his party for his own prestige.

It was Bring Your Gun To School Day in Columbus.

Go ahead. Burn the Undertaker. He's from Hell. He'll wrestle anyway.

No, I'm not trying to get personal here. But does your wiener have a "choking hazard" warning?

Maybe they should just call it Rules Of Disengagement.

Last night, I fell asleep while watching TiVo. Then I woke up, and had no idea what was on. Either a King Tut special, Futurama, or Nazis, or vampires. They all sort of look the same to me.

Don't follow the crowd. Be different. Follow me on teh Twitter: http://twitter.com/basilsblog

Wingnuts satirical logo isn't funny ... what ... it's real?

I saw where the Missile Defense Agency has a new logo:



Funny, I thought. But the left will throw a hissy-fit when they find out that some right-winger combined the MDA's logo, the Obama logo, and the Islamic crescent. I could hear the charges of racism already.

Then I found out it was real (via Wild Thing).

Here's where I make some comment making fun of it. But it's hard ... really hard ... to make fun of something that's a parody of itself.

So, I'll just shake my head. Join me, won't you?

Two Obama Voters On An Escalator

Yes, I know the history. Yes, it's old. But it's timeless. And more and more people are understanding why we conservatives feel like we do...


[Direct link]
Tip: Blue Star Chronicles

Maybe if they told him there'd be dolls and invisible friends...

The Dallas Tea Party has taken issue with Keith Olbermann and his characterization of the Tea Parties as a Whites-only club. So, they invited him to come visit (via The Jawa Report):


[Direct link]

Olbermann has said no. His father is ill, he says, and can't make the 4-1/2-hour flight from New York to Dallas. He's only been out of New York once in 6 months. Apparently, something is important enough to go out of town during the illness, but not this.

Golf Tango Golf

Last night, I told of this little blog being taken down by Google/Blogger after it was incorrectly flagged as a  splog.

I told how quickly Blogger began their research based on my appeal, and that they had it back up in a little over 6 hours.

But there's more.

Noah, from Blogger, emailed me today:

From: Noah XXXXXXXX
Subject: Wiskey Tango Foxtrot - Apologies from Blogger (and me).
Date: February 23, 2010 4:19:57 PM EST
To: Basil

Hi Basil,
I wanted to extend my sincere apology for the incorrect spam blocking of your blog. I'm an engineer on Blogger and take cases like this very seriously.

Yesterday I met with our anti-spam team to see what went wrong. In short, it was a combination of process and human error. We are taking steps to prevent such errors in the future.

I hope you will continue to use and enjoy Blogger. Feel free to contact me any time directly with any issues you have.

Thanks :)
Noah

Now, the fact that they got it back up so quickly (yes, 6-7 hours is quickly, based on what has to happen to undo a deleted blog), was good enough for me.

But Noah went above and beyond. He offered his apology (not necessary, but appreciated and accepted), and he explained the steps taken to identify the problem and prevent it from happening again (very much appreciated).

Working with Web servers and databases and such, I know that things happen. Often, it's an error in software (coding, in many cases), or in human action, that causes the problem. What makes it really difficult is that often people will cover up the error -- often corrected it on the fly without telling anyone -- so that they or their group doesn't look bad. And, with larger companies, the CYA factor is worse, and that makes it harder. I suspect it happens at Blogger and Google.

If I was handling it, I'd identify the problem, identify what caused it, and take steps to prevent it.

And that's exactly what Noah and Blogger is doing. They're doing it right.

Everything is now Golf Tango Golf. And I appreciate, not only the service I've received from Blogger over this, but the personal service and work ethic of people like Noah. He's what others should aspire to.

Olympics, POTUS, GOP ... and other news

A Georgia man held in a killing implicates his twin brother. I see a Law & Order episode in someone's future.

Some compared the USA hockey win over Canada to the 1980 win over the Soviet Union. Which is silly.

Why Winter Olympics are teh ghey.

For the sake of diversity, the Army was "willing to overlook (Ft. Hood shooter MAJ Nidal Malik) Hasan’s deficiencies as an officer." (tip: Sissy Willis)

ABC News Report: POTUS hopes the health care reform summit will "cleanse" the health care reform bill and process. Actually, all of Washington needs an enema.

Remember the last time Obama was right about an issue? Me neither.

Facts are stubborn things. Unless you're a Democrat. Then, they're just something to be ignored.

With unemployment at 10.6%, things are tough under Obama. How tough? Harry Reid said Barack Obama is responsible for men beating their wives.

Enough about Barry. I imagine there are some Republicans I can pick on. Let's see...

Due to a severe shortage of tin foil, Ron Paul supporters are urged to not venture out in public today.

Oh, and GOP? How's that Scott Brown working out for you? Of course, you should keep in mind that, in Massachusetts, a Republican is someone to doesn't perform the abortion themselves. On the other hand, Brown was better than the alternative (Coakley) for Massachusetts voters. Plus, the 80% rule applies. But those that hoped he would be a hard-core conservative need a reality kick to the head.

Dick Cheney was put in the hospital yesterday. Which leads to today's Question of the Day: Will the left's comments on Cheney's hospitalization be worse than their comments on Limbaugh's hospitalization?

Enough of teh politics. Other news...

There is a vacuum cleaner museum? I bet that place sucks.

Someone sold Action Comics No. 1 for $1-million? So what? The big story: somebody PAID $1-million for it.

Follow me on teh Twitter: http://twitter.com/basilsblog

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

It began simply enough. I was up way too late, surfing them Internets, leaving a comment on someone's blog post. And an email arrived.

Getting an email at some un-Godly hour isn't unusual. I get them all the time. Most, I don't want. But the subject of this one caught my eye: http://www.basilsblog.net/ has been deleted

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

I opened this one.

Hello,

Your blog at http://www.basilsblog.net/ has been reviewed and confirmed as in violation of our Terms of Service for: SPAM. In accordance to these terms, we've removed the blog and the URL is no longer accessible.

For more information, please review the following resources:

Blogger Terms of Service: http://blogger.com/terms.g
Blogger Content Policy: http://blogger.com/content.g


-The Blogger Team

I immediately went to my blog. It was down.

I opened the Blogger Dashboard. Or tried. It wouldn't let me open it.

Okay, this is not a good thing.

I looked at the email again. "violation of our Terms of Service for: SPAM"?

Spam? Me? My little blog? A splog?

Yeah, I don't think so.

But, when you get right down to it, it doesn't matter what I think. The actual hosting is on Google/Blogger's servers. And if they think it's spam, that's what I have to deal with.

Google/Blogger has a 4-step process for dealing with having a blog removed for TOS violations.

1. Read the articles listed.
2. Submit a review request.
3. Submit an appeal.
4. Post a report in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.

Took me nearly an hour to read all the documents, to get back into my Dashboard -- I had to have a special unlock code sent to my cell phone -- then to submit the requests for review.

Within minutes, the first review of this little blog began. I know, because it was still all there inside the Google/Blogger mystic ethernet. Including my Site Meter, which operated still, allowing me to see when and who was viewing the blog. So, I knew they were looking it over.

I kept up with it for a couple of hours, but, being way past my bedtime (and I do need my beauty sleep).

After several more hours, I woke up and checked it out. Still being reviewed, until a little before 7:00 AM. That's when the blog showed up as active on the Dashboard. I had to repeat the custom domain again (http://basils.blogspot.com/ was working, but I wanted http://www.basilsblog.net/ to work, too.)

Got that all squared away, and everything was back to normal.

Or abnormal, depending on your view.

Spying, fighting, not fighting, Ron Paul ... and other news

I wonder who's spying on me while I'm on my MacBook.

First Pakistan. Now the Philippines. Everyone but Obama is fighting terrorists.

Andy does not like the negro.

Gina Cobb found a cartoon that is teh funneh.

I met Glenn Reynolds at CPAC. What? He didn't go? That's okay. Neither did I.

Okay, this is nuts.

Macker takes issue with Charles Johnson.

Ron Paul hasn't been the same since the Three Billy Goats Gruff beat him up over that bridge. 17 hours ago reply

My Ron Paul-CPAC post? I also posted it at IMAO. And, boy, the Ron Paul swamped it over there.

CBS headline: "Democrats worried about Obama's track record," I, too, was worried about his record. In 2008.

The Olympics: TiVo's raison d'être. I cleared several movies off the TiVo yesterday.

When will Bart Simpson get a friend named "Hussein"?

There were only a few slices of bologna in the 'fridge. I suggested giving it to the cat. Wife checked expiration date on the packet. But she doesn't do that when I want a sandwich.

More later about this: Google/Blogger took this little blog down overnight. It's back. In case you hadn't noticed.

You can always follow me on teh Twitter: http://twitter.com/basilsblog

Extremists

A couple of reports -- one by the Associated Press and another by Voice of America -- tell that Obama's Homeland Security chief, Janet Napolitano is worried about "extremism" in the U.S.

(Note: although this story is reported on many new Websites, so far, there have only been two sources: AP and VOA. For example, the Fox News story is actually from the AP.)

Now, nowhere does either report mention "right wing extremism." But neither does it mention "left-wing" extremism. But, because Napolitano has supported last spring's report concerning "right-wing extremist groups," I have a feeling about to whom she's referring: me.

I fit the profile of the DHS report: ex-military, extreme right-wing.

To which I repeat the words of Barry Goldwater:

I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.

I ought to put that on my blog somewhere.

Google likes me better than Instapundit

Earlier tonight, I wrote a post about Religion vs Spirituality.

Visitor logs (yes, I know when you're here) showed that someone came here by doing a Google blog search on "spirituality."

At the time, this blog was the top search result. Above Instapundit. Who I quoted in my post.


Now, does this mean that I've Instapundited Instapundit? Or does Google just like me better?

Heck, I don't care. I'll take it. I'm a Google-whore if there ever was one.

Religion vs Spirituality

A poll by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion and Public Life indicates that younger Americans are less likely to identify themselves as religious.

But, as New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow pointed out, they are more likely to reject religion, but embrace spirituality. (via Hot Air)

What's the difference? Plenty. I like the way Glenn Reynolds put it:

Religion often tells you to do things you don’t want to do, or to refrain from doing things you want to do, while spirituality is usually more . . . flexible.

He's a lot nicer about it than I would be.

Someone who is "spiritual" is someone who believes there is something missing, something more, but is too wrapped up in themselves to seek it out.

"Spirituality" is religion for the spiritually lazy. It's today's version of the "Rebel Without A Cause." Back in the '60s and '70s, teens grew their hair long like other teens.

Same thing today with tattoos and piercings and whatever else it is that these kids do.

They all want to be different ... together.

And that's spirituality. It's long hair. It's tattoos. It's metal in your head. It's the thing the cool kids do. To be different. Together.

Religion requires thought. Religion requires study. Religion requires understanding -- or, at least, the seeking of understanding.

And that's too much to ask of some people.

Obligatory Ron Paul Won The CPAC Poll Post

News outlets are playing up the CPAC straw poll that Ron Paul won.

Some are asking "What does this mean?" Others are saying "Here's what this means."

Being a conservative blogger -- I'm a better at being a conservative than I am at being a blogger -- it's my duty to either ask what it means, or say what it means.

So, I'll do neither.

Instead, I'll tell you why Ron Paul is a nutcase: Because he's nuts.

Oh, sure, he has some good ideas. There are many, many issues where he and I agree. And, where we disagree, it's likely an issue where I'm more conservative than he.

But, there are areas where I agree with Barack Obama. Like sending more troops to Afghanistan. If the military says they need more troops, they should get more troops.

And, if we want to play to "I agree with ..." game, it could done with just about anybody.

And, on lots of issues, Ron Paul is right.

But, he's like that crazy uncle that fought in the big war. He was right about so many things, and has done a lot of good. But also walks down to the post office and pees on the plastic plants in the corner.

That's Ron Paul. Here's an old CNN video where he says he doesn't accept the 9/11 commission findings, and says that our presence in the region contributed to the attacks.


[Direct link]

You know who else blames the U.S. presence for the 9/11 attacks? Osama bin Laden.

Yes, Ron Paul has some good ideas.

But he needs to shut up and go pee on the plants in the post office.

Update: I also posted this at IMAO. And boy, did it ever attract the Ron Paul trolls there!

An experiment

Reading about the battle between Wyoming and the ATF, an idea came to mind.

Let's propose an amendment to the Constitution:

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."

How many Democrats, RINOs, newscasters, liberal bloggers, Constitutional scholars, U.S. presidents, etc, would recognize it for what it is.

And how many would criticize it as dangerous? Or racist? Or something.

POTUS, SCOTUS, CPAC ... and other news

POTUS to SCOTUS? As if things aren't scary enough already.

Alexander Meigs Haig, Jr. (1924-2010).

Is Jesus guarding the restrooms at a Columbus laundromat.

Obama says you don't have to spend money you don't have in Las Vegas, because he'll do it for you.

Deficit Commission? How about a Dipsh*t Commission to find out how this dipsh*t got elected to start with?

Former Muslim Wesley Snipes comments on IRS plane attack: What's new?

Finally watched Mulholland Drive yesterday. I was told it had some twists. If by that they meant it was twisted, then, yes.

Charles Ray, log lover (via Althouse).

NASA to find ways to reach out to Muslims. What could go wrong?

I just read that Windows 7 has an XP mode! Know what? So does Windows XP! 15 hours ago reply

What else is going on? Oh, CPAC 2010. Anybody hear about this?

By the way, did you know that more people were killed by Rick Sanchez' car than Dick Cheney's CPAC speech?

Ron Paul win CPAC straw poll? I'm thinking that wasn't straw, but some other weed. Still, 31%? Who says conservatives don't have a sense of humor? Here's my choice: Other-Undecided 2012.

Last word on CPAC goes to Innominatus: CPAC would be a lot cooler if there were a lot less speechifying and a lot more hand-to-hand combat.

On a more personal level, tinnitus sucks. And Loren Heal agrees, saying "That has a ring of truth to it."

Your task for the day: Follow me on teh Twitter: http://twitter.com/basilsblog

When is NSFW not NSFW?

NSFW, just in case you weren't aware, means "not safe (or suitable) for work." That can mean language, images, subject matter, or other attributes that might make the content unsuitable for work environment -- or for kids.

But, what when something isn't what it appears? Or, at least, not what it appears at first? Is it still NSFW?

You decide...

Proof it's working, unless you look at the facts

The Obama administration caught a lot of flack over its policies for dealing with terrorists. Like Mirandizing the pantybomber. And civilian trials for terrorists captured in battle.

When Dick Cheny, along with Liz Cheney (Cheney: The Next Generation) criticized the administration's policies last week, the left went nuts. Okay, more nuts.

Then, word came out about several Taliban captured in Pakistan. That, cried the left, was proof that Obama's policies were correct.

But facts are stubborn things.

Like the fact that this was in Pakistan. The U.S. didn't capture them. Had it been Iraq or Afghanistan, then it might indeed be that the U.S. military captured them. But the U.S. isn't conducting military raids in Pakistan. (Not that we'd admit to, anyway.)

No, the Pakistani captured those terrorists on Pakistani soil. The U.S. is able to question them when Pakistan grants permission, but they remain in Pakistani custody. And, last time I checked, U.S. law doesn't apply. Nor do U.S. policies.

Prisoners of the Pakistani don't have the right to remain silent. And there are no guarantees that an attorney will be provided.

Word is now that Pakistan might not even turn the prisoners over to the U.S.

So, I fail to see how Pakistan capturing and questioning Taliban is a win for Obama's policies. Unless Obama's policy is to do nothing.

If only. Doing nothing is often preferable to doing the wrong thing.

Bowing to pressure

Here's how the president treats various dignitaries:


"Your Highness is most kind to grant this audience."



"Thank you for seeing me, Your Excellency."



"I am honored to be in your presence, Mr. Premier."



"Madame Mayor is most gracious to see me."



"You can find your way out, right? And drop this in the trash for me, how 'bout it?"


I am so waiting on November 6, 2012.

Teh Blogger got teh Pages

It happened over two weeks ago, but if I spent my entire life only two weeks behind, I'd be way ahead of where I am now.

What I'm talking about is Pages. On teh Blogger.

Blogger is Google's blogging platform. (We won't discuss it's merits or shortcomings here; every platform, including the big one, WordPress, have shortcomings.)

One of the things about teh Blogger that was most frustrating to some (including to me) was it's lack of support for pages.

What I'm talking about are content pages that aren't part of a blog post. Like an About Me page. Or a Contact page. Things like that. It was either a blog post (that resided along with the other blog posts), or it was hosted elsewhere (probably Google Sites content).

But, earlier this month, teh Blogger announced that Pages was now a standard feature.

Since this little blog is running on teh Blogger platform, it's a big deal to me. I'm using Pages to list this little blog's policies (they were blog pages):

• Comment Policy
• Links Policy
• TrackBacks Policy
• Submissions Policy

I'm glad to see teh Google adding useful features to teh Blogger, rather than taking away functions. I've not regretted moving back to teh Blogger from WordPress. But, now I'm not regretting it more.

CPAC is a bunch of homophobes that ... oh, wait

It's a known fact -- if by fact you mean something that's not true but fits a left-wing agenda -- that all conservatives hate homosexuals. Which is why Ryan Sorba bashed GOProud (he called it "GoPride," a different group).

However, the "fact" of all conservatives hating homosexuals doesn't fit with this tidbit: Sorba was booed off the stage.


[Direct link]
Tip: Midnight Blue

There's not a lot of news reports about it. Because the "facts" don't fit the truth.

Buzz, Brady, bad ideas ... and not much other news

Bye, bye, Buzz. You and your buddy Wave seem like good people. It's not you. It's me. Let's stay friends. I'll call you.

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence accidentally proved more guns=fewer homicides (via Don Surber).

Na'vi taste like chicken.

Wish I'd said this: "CPAC would be a lot cooler if there were a lot less speechifying and a lot more hand-to-hand combat" (via Innominatus).

Wife is all excited. It's four weeks until New Moon is on DVD. Oh, joy.

If this is the first time you're reading any of this, maybe it's because you aren't following me on teh Twitter: http://twitter.com/basilsblog

Skiers, careers, airplanes ... and other news

Climage change kills ... useless careers.

Skier falls after 5 seconds? Even a French skier wouldn't do that! What? Oh.

Been away from them Internets. Has the left blamed Bush for the guy crashing his plane in Austin? They have? Well, I'm not surprised that they're ignoring the fact that Andrew Joseph Stack is a left-wing nutcase.

You don't have to be crazy to think every crazy person is a right-winger, but it helps.

Muzz Lightyear. Heh.

Blackfive: What's really behind the Pakistani crackdown on the Taliban.

My question has been, if the Pakistanis are keeping the captured Taliban leaders, and getting intel, doesn't that mean their way works and Obama's doesn't?

Saw this headline: "Ancient Beetles Will Date Mesolithic Shorelines." Turns out that Ringo's still married, but Paul is single again.

Speaking of the Beatles...

Cloning Neanderthals? Don't do it. They'd just want health care.

NBC: No Blacks Channel?

Las Vegas mayor to Obama: Piss off (in so many words).

Wife saw Alan Simpson on Fox a little while ago. Her question: Isn't that Walter?

Voted for change...


Elton John: Jeebus wuz teh ghey. Remember when Elton sang songs & otherwise kept his mouth shut? Those were the days.

Ace Ventura loves Young Obi-Wan.

The Iraq War will be renamed "New Dawn." As in "New Dawn takes grease out of your way?"

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed, unless a really bad storm hits”

One term for Obama? That's still one term too many.

Follow me on teh Twitter: http://twitter.com/basilsblog

Okay, I admit it: I watched curling today

Lots of people on teh Twitter and them Internets have been following the Laff-A-Lympics on teh NBC. But not me. Growing up in southeast Georgia, our winter sport was basketball. At least, after the Super Bowl, that was the only thing going on until baseball started.

But, on teh Twitter, lots of folks I follow have been jabbering on and on about curling. Which is sort of like horseshoes, only with brooms. And no horseshoes. Or stakes.

It's like a bunch of drunk horseshoe players got stranded in Canada one winter, and had to either invent a game or go all Brokeback Mountain. I'm still not sure they made the right decision.

Anyway, today I did something I hadn't done in a long, long time. I watched curling. But, I watched it here:


[Direct link]

And, from what I've been reading, the USA men's and women's teams learned how to play by watching that scene from Help! The women are 0-3, and the men are 0-4.

But, there's good news. My TiVo still has 129 hours of programming recorded that I can watch.

Olbermann vs Chipmunk

In a battle between Keith Olbermann and a chipmunk, who would win?


[Direct link]
Tip: Buzz Blog

I'm thinking the chipmunk could take Olbermann. But I'm sure Olbermann could beat ... well, something. Maybe a ... no. He could beat ... no.

Okay, I'm stumped. Who ... or what ... would lose a battle with Keith Olbermann?

Whatever it is, I'm against it

Conservatives -- okay, actually Republicans -- are being painted as "The Party Of 'No.'"

And, Republicans seem to want to respond to that charge.

Now, maybe it's because I'm not a Republican (I'm not a member of any party -- I am a conservative), but the tag doesn't bother me.

Obama and his Congress have done lots of damage. And it needs to stop. So, I'm willing to embrace the "Party of 'No'" moniker.

Look at it like this: You're taking a trip. Someone else is driving. They're doing a piss-poor job of driving. And they're going in the wrong direction. At a high rate of speed.

What do you do?

Well, you don't grab the steering wheel and suddenly turn it to the right. You stop the car. You remove the incompetent driver. You take the wheel (or get someone capable behind the wheel). Then you move in the right direction at the right speed.

That pretty much sums up what we need to do with the presidency and the Congress. Stop things. Put someone capable in charge. Then proceed.

We're at the "stop" point of the strategy right now. So, yes, I'm all for stopping things. Stopping things cold.

And, until we have things stopped, and until we have the right people in charge, whatever Congress tries to do, I'm against it.


[Direct link]

Embrace your inner Groucho!

Liars and Tigers and raccoons ... and other news

A CNN poll says 52% of Americans believe Obama doesn't deserve 2nd term. I believed he didn't deserve a first term.

It's not just other politicians whose popularity falls when linked to Obama. News channels suffer the same fate.

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. Or, as Baptists call it, Wednesday.

I saw the ashes on Joe Biden's forehead during a newscast last night. Did that increase his carbon footprint?

Best Ash Wednesday joke I saw? WordMarvin: For Lent, BO gave up jobs

A lot of people are saying Obama's policies haven't created jobs. Not true. There's a job opening for the Indiana Senate seat.

Obama's policies have helped one sector of the economy. Sales of torches and pitchforks are up.

The Federal Reserve predicts unemployment will stay high over the next two years. Anyone notice that timetable allows for it to drop in time for Obama's reelection campaign.

The Obama administration plans to spend its way out of debt.

Don't question Obama's patriotism. But, criticize Obama and they'll question yours.

Atlanta Progressive News doesn't believe in objectivity. Sounds familiar.

Tiger Woods' penis announced a press conference Friday.

Rep. Steve King (R-IA-5) killed a raccoon. PETA's Jaime Zalac says "pick on someone your own size." So, how big is Zalac?

A boy and his dog. Plus bitches.

TV chef fired for eating pussy.

A report says that warp speed will kill you. Not if the inertial dampers are functioning properly.

Video of the day: Yes, it's been around for a bit, but it's so good and so bad, all at the same time: The Yankee Prankee.

Speaking of pranks, if you want to prank yourself, there's no better way than following me on teh Twitter: http://twitter.com/basilsblog

The Unbearable Whiteness of Being

Everybody's favorite nutbag, Keith Olbermann, -- who was fired from ESPN in 1997 for being a dick -- wants to know

Where are the people of color at the Tea parties?

The fact that an NBC person is asking this asking this is, well, ridiculous. Michelle Malkin has pointed out for some time just how White NBC is.

However, suppose someone else -- someone honest and with integrity -- were to ask the question. How would I answer it?

Well, I could point out the Black man -- identified as "an unidentified man" -- at the Tea Party rally in Arizona who was carrying an AR-15. You may recall that NBC's Contessa Brewer showed a close-up of his weapon, but not showing any skin (so you couldn't tell he is Black), as she narrated: "there are questions about whether this has racial overtones....white people showing up with guns."

Of course, there were Blacks present at the Tea Party in Columbus, GA on Independence Day. Blacks were in the crowd, as well as leading the protest.

But, that was in Georgia, where Blacks make up 30% of the population, as opposed to New York's 17%.

Maybe I shouldn't bother to get into such a discussion on how many Blacks are involved in the Tea Party protests. Maybe NBC shouldn't be the Peacock Network, but instead, be called the Pea-brain Network.

I have now joined the 21st century

I have finally started using a feed reader.

Yes, I know. I'm several years behind the rest of teh Internets when it comes to using an RSS reader for blogs I follow. But, I've finally decided to give it a shot. And I like it.

Now, I have tried feed readers in the past. My thoughts were: meh.

Perhaps it was just me. Perhaps I had a really sucky reader (no, I actually don't remember which one it was, but I didn't care for it). So, I did things the old fashioned way: I clicked links and went to the blogs I followed, and read.

After a while, that really becomes a chore. Sure, I could only follow a few blogs. In fact, that's what I ended up doing. Despite have a large blogroll, I found I would click on only a few blogs. I had to force myself to check them all.

And, if I have to force myself to do something, I'm not going to enjoy it. So, I eventually started just clicking on a few regular blogs. And, as a result, I missed out on some good stuff.

But, a few weeks ago, I decided to do some maintenance on my little blog, and that maintenance included updating my feed configuration -- something I hadn't put any serious effort into for some time.

Part of my standard methodology of making Web changes -- and changing the feed (I use FeedBurner) is a Web change -- is to see how the changes look in a browser. There's nothing worse than screwing up your Website and not knowing!

To view the changes in an RSS feed, I thought it would be a good idea to view it in a reader. And, since this little blog is hosted on Google's Blogger platform (they bought it a while back), and since FeedBurner is also a Google product (they bought it a while back), I decided to use Google Reader to check out the feed.

It was easy enough to set up a feed in Google Reader -- real easy in Firefox, in fact -- I decided to check out other blogs, starting with IMAO (not just because Frank J lets me blog there sometimes, but because I've been a fan for many years).

"Cool," I thought. And I added a few more. And a few more. Then, I discovered that there was an easy way to set up blogs from my blogroll (which is a simply list of blogs I added through Google/Blogger's Follow process).

"Cool," I thought. And then I discovered why many people use RSS readers. And, I'm not missing nearly as much as I used to. Everything's right there.

Some blogs use summary feeds. That means the feed contains just a teaser, and the reader must click to the blog to Read The Whole Thing. If the teaser teases me properly, I'll click through. But I don't prefer that method of feeds.

Many blogs put their entire posts there. When that happens, I can read from the Google Reader window. That's the way I prefer. And that's how I do my feed. Anyway, I'm enjoying using my feed reader.

I have now joined the early 2000s.

I've also been looking at video games. Have you seen this thing called Pong?