Indeed.

Something to be thankful for.

Today's Required Reading.

Beyond the Welfare State. Read it all.

"The American People Did Not Send Us Here To Fail."

Speaking truth to power. Somebody needs to chisel that over the over the front door of the US Capitol.

Dogs And Cats, Living Together.

One Lynette Wilson, writer of this story for the Episcopal News Service, must not want to byline there again. Buried in her story about mission work in Honduras (which is why I went to the story in the first place), was this:

Mike Miller was raised Baptist; Kim Miller was raised Roman Catholic. They found common ground to worship and were married in the Episcopal Church. The are members of Church of the Redeemer, in Tallahassee, Florida, which is part of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America. (emphasis mine)

You Anglicans/conservative Episcopalians out there will want to read that again. Yes, it said "Anglican Church in North America" in an article in 'Piskie Pravda that didn't mention the words "property" or "lawsuit".

And no, it's not April 1st.

Short Answer: Yes.

Scott at The Hayride asks: Does Caroline Fayard Represent Today’s Louisiana Democrats?

Why We Should Never, Ever Invade Iran.

Revealed: The new Iranian multi-function, semi-autonomous, stealth weapons platform (and pleasure service device).

Just Following Orders.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-CNN) makes a point:

He told the group to make sure they label the GOP spending cuts as "extreme."

"I always use extreme, Schumer said. "That is what the caucus instructed me to use."

And Democrats spending money we don't have hand over fist is what, exactly? It sure as hell isn't sound fiscal policy. If I were Speaker Boehner, I'd label it "malfeasance".

Nanny State vs. Meand U.

Real March Madness:



Hattip: Hot Air

"The Consummate Management Consultant".

This is why I wouldn't vote of for Mitt Romney for dog catcher, much less President:

In his opinion, without the Massachusetts plan the federal individual mandate plan wouldn’t have garnered acceptance and gotten through. “It was huge,” Gruber says, to have the Massachusetts plan to point to. And without it, he thinks “it’s likely” ObamaCare wouldn’t have become law.

Having lived there, I can assure you the old axiom is true: A "Massachusetts conservative" is a liberal in the rest of the country.

Arnie Sings.

Well, sort of:

The New Civility...

...Louisiana Democrat style:

“I hate Republicans. I hate Republicans,” Fayard said, drawing some nods and voices of approval from the crowd.

“They are cruel and destructive. They eat their young. They don’t think. They don’t allow people to think. They are bullies.”

How nice. How civil. How toning-down-the-rhetoric.

And for the record, Republicans don't eat their young - my kids are still quite healthy and growing, and are well past their pedo-cannibal prime. But Republicans will eat a young lawyer in the governor's race, no matter how much money daddy puts behind her or how many Obama missionaries are brought in.

And Caroline, just to let you know I don't hate you. Hate implies what do matters to me. It doesn't. I ignore you. You are simply not worth hating.

Hattip: The Hayride.

Life Imitates Punk Rock.

After the events in London yesterday, this seems de rigueur. So, take it away, Sid and Johnny:



Mark Steyn gets to the heart of the human right the protesters are upset about.

Like, Who Cares?

Katie Couric is leaving CBS Evening News. In the age of cable/satellite/Internet, does anybody even watch anymore?

If Kate's looking for a money-making gig, she seems well qualified for one career I can think of. (Hint: It's just like the first one, but it pays less and there are more wardrobe changes.)

Oh God It's Friday.

It's really, really hard to parody something that's already a parody of itself (my theory as to why there are so few Obama impersonators -ed.), but this parody comes close to making the mark. While equally nasally, the 'Dylan' cover is actually bearable.

If you really must see and listen to the original, it is here. But be forewarned - you will most likely be stuffing kitty litter in your ears and ripping out your eyes with knitting needles before it's over.

Egomagination.

Remember when The Left / Mainstream Media would lambast Big Business as a bunch of "fat cats" not paying their "fair share"? That was then. This is now. In Obama's America, taxes are for the little people - not his friends.

Those Peace-Loving 12th Century Boys...

...Practice interfaith-dialogue and mutual respect again. This time in Ethiopia.

Imagine if this kind of thing happened every time there was even the slightest rumor some Muslim insulted Christianity. Bet NPR would notice.

Did The Episcopal Church (tm) say anything? Are you kidding? They have more important priorities.

Rebranding.

A Lefty Universalist with a funny collar suggests the Anglican Church of Canada should dump the soooo un-hip 'Anglican' thing in favor of a new name. His suggestion, and I am not making this up: "The Episcopal Church of Canada".

I'm in favor of this. It allows the ACC to finally admit it's true calling - which has nothing much to do anymore with Anglican Christianity - and cement it's alliance with The Episcopal Church (tm), their secularists-at-prayer allies south of the border. And, it allows those in the Great White North who still believe in traditional Anglicanism to identify themselves without confusion.

Hattip: The MCJ.

UPDATE 24MARCH2011: Episcopalians: A winning team! Or, not.

If You're A Slacker With No Ambition, Uncle Sam Wants You!

And he will pay you really, really, really well for it. With our money, of course. In the real world, f*#king off all day on Facebook would get you a pink slip. But in Obama's government, it will get you up to $115,000.00 a year. Beats working.

A government job: Produce nothing, collect a check. It you have ever met a FEMA employee/"associate", you know exactly what I mean.

I Need A Pickup

It has been a particularly miserable day in a particularly miserable week. (Mommas, don't your babies grow up to be architects.) A morale booster, plaese.

There. That's better.

(NOTE: This is the greatest video ever crafted by the hand of man. Which means it is, 1) a very 'guy' video, and 2) NSFW. You have been warned.)

Yes, And I "Unexpectedly" Didn't Win The Powerball.

Home sales "unexpectedly" tank big fall.

These days, when change doesn't go the way The Left / Mainstream Media hoped it would go, the prefix "unexpected" or "unexpectedly" is automatically attached to it as if the news is some great surprise. WTF, over? Did the Ruling Class really expect the government takeover of the mortgage industry and the transferring of a couple trillion dollars from the productive sector to the non-productive (read: government) would actually bring prosperity?

Only an idiot, a socialist, or government bureaucrat (sorry, he repeats himself -ed.) would actually expect that. Even us rubes in flyover country know better.

This Was Either A Really Stupid Idea Or Something That Should Keep Us Awake At Night.

13 illegal aliens in a van with altered government plates were arrested yesterday. They were all wearing Unites States Marine Corps uniforms.

And all named 'Perez'. Almost sounds like a Monty Python sketch. Or a Tom Clancy novel.

Meanwhile, Somewhere In The Arctic...

...BWHAHAHAHAHA!!!

(Oh yes - NSFW.)

Seven Minus One Is... Carry The Politics... Six.

The Louisiana Legislature is in session for a few days of once-a-decade redistricting. We understand it's progressing something like this.

"Is There Any Wine Sweeter Than The Tears Of A Hippie?"

Tamara over at View from the Porch explains why she has had a big, dumb grin on her face for the last three days. I'm smiling, too.

Has All This Recent Protesting And Regime Change And Shooting At Leaders Led Some Arabs To Think Outside Of The Box?

And I mean, waaaaay outside the box? Maybe. But hindsight is always 20/20. Foresight is the tough one, especially if you may - literally - lose your head in the process.

Fun With Tornados.

RAF Tornados messing about in the Falklands. And, at about 2:30, one of the best examples of extreme ironing I've seen.

Veri-twaddle?

Amity Shales thinks a Harvard education is more about the bragging rights, and really isn't worth it.

I don't know about that (on the whole, I tend to disagree), but what I do know is this - in the early 90's I had an opportunity to attend the GSD, and turned it down when I they told me the five-figure cost for just a year (the time for a master's degree for someone already licensed). Instead, we decided to start a family and move back to Louisiana. I have never regretted the decision to pass up wearing Crimson, nor do I hold any grudge against my colleagues who went on to the GSD.

Instead, I ended up with the greatest kids in the world. And, to me, that's worth all the alumni 'Veritas' afghans and student loans you could ever give me.

Just A Man, His Skis...

...And a jetpack.



Add one of these, and you take biathlon to a whole new level.

Hattip: Instapundit.

Sammy Hagar Tries To Out-Sheen Charlie.

Really:

Hagar laughs and goes on to explain that a passage in the book described as a dream in which he is contacted by aliens from outer space in California was, in fact, reality.

The tale describes how the beings tapped into his mind through a wireless connection.

"It was real," Hagar told the reporter, according to the story on MTV's Hive website. "They were plugged into me. It was a download situation ... Or, they uploaded something from my brain, like an experiment."

This, boys and girls, is why you should never, ever, ever, do drugs.

Saturday Morning Palette Cleanser.

(notes on) biology

I tried to do something similar in Coach Bryson's biology class, but that was back in the Stone Age (the Carter Era) - we didn't have high res-digital cameras and video editing software . Back then, we had to flip the notebook pages really fast by hand, so my dream of a best animation Oscar for 'Godzilla vs. Mrs. Petrie' (my English teacher) was never realized.

Hattip: The Borderline Sociopathic Blog for Boys.

The Episcopal Church (tm) Advances Their Top Priority.

The quest to remake a Christian Church into a sexual identity advocacy group with funny outfits, loads of money and marketable property, takes another step:

In a historic meeting, nearly 200 Episcopal Church General Convention deputies gathered here March 18 to begin a churchwide consultation on same-gender blessings.

And, fellow 'Piskies, if you think they are even pretending to base this twaddle in anything, y'know, Scriptural... from that Bible thingy... think again:

When evaluating materials proposed for blessing same-gender relationships, the SCLM says, they "must above all be consistent with the implicit theology and ecclesiology of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer"

Since when did the Book of Common Prayer become equal to the Bible? Is it now, an Even Newer Testament?

One other thing, dear readers - take a look at the images at the link. The lower image shows three African-American women, implying that this well-intentioned heresy effort has support across diverse groups. But look at the image of the overall gathering - notice anything interesting? Those three African-Americans appear to be the only ones in the crowd of 200. I've seen more racial diversity at Tea Party events.

UPDATE: I actually threw away 5 minutes of my life and went through the high-res image all blown up, and, there do appear to be two more definite, and one maybe, African-American women in the crowd in the background - and one man. But even with that, my 'whiter-than-a-Tea-Party-rally' conclusion seems confirmed.

Metaphor.

New Jersey elementary school renamed for Barack Obama closed due to lack of enrollment.

Heaven And Html.

Yeah, this is funny:


They're often varying shades of #736F6E.

From here, of course.

Which Is The Hope? Which Is The Change?

Food prices increase most in 36 years.

Housing starts see biggest drop since 1984.

(singing) Car-ter days are here again.... (/singing)

Do As Igoe, Not As I Say.

Richard Fernandez looks at my profession and concludes, if you want to know about the future don't ask an architect. As an architect, on the whole I couldn't agree more.

The starry-eyed Corbusian impulse to "remake" man by remaking cities, a movement that was driven far more by ideology, romance, and elitist guilt than by necessity or demand, failed utterly. It crashed under the weight of it's own totalitarian arrogance and lack of real understanding of the problem, since most of the people creating solutions for the working poor were, well, members of the ruling classes and had never been poor themselves. It especially failed here America for three reasons, I think. First, Americans, unlike Europeans, tend to value individual freedom more than we value collective security. When we look in the mirror we see "me", not "we". Or, at least, we used to, anyway. Second, we didn't have an entrenched aristocracy per se, especially one whose opinion the masses were conditioned over centuries to follow. We like the fact we have don't have a paternalistic ruling class determining our outcome. Or, at least, we used to, anyway. And third, unlike Europe we have the space to escape urban decay and start over, and have traditionally valued the freedom to make that choice when we had the means. Or, at least, we used to, anyway. Hence, the rise of American suburbia and exurbia - Wright's 'Broadacre City' became our solution instead of Corbu's 'Radiant City'. We started 'Learning from Las Vegas', and we liked what we saw. Or, at least, we used to, anyway.

I think the "green" movement, which is all the rage in architectural circles these days, will go the same way as the Corbusian movement of the last century, and for much the same reasons. It is ideologically driven with an apocalyptic, totalitarian bent, it is elitist in the extreme, and those wanting to impose it have little understanding of, or experience with, how they want others to live. Without restrictive laws and government regulations imposing this or banning that, or handing out tax-payer funded grants and subsidies to favored groups and solutions, the "green" economy we hear so much about would, if people were given a choice, never come to pass. That is why those who advocate "going green" want to limit personal choice as much as possible (buy only this kind of light bulb, or that type of toilet, or use this kind of window) and why, like those before them who advocated Corbu's outlook, they mostly ignore the wants, needs and values of those they claim to be helping.

Cause And Effect.

In a larger sense, these two stories are quite related:

The Dayton Police Department is lowering its testing standards for recruits.

Police in Roanoke, Virginia, shut down a shopping mall because they mistook an umbrella for a rifle.

OK, everybody, watch very, very closely. There may be a test. (Though failing it will not be held against you -ed.)

This, is a rifle:


If you carry one of these through a department store you look like Machine Gun Kelly.

This, is an umbrella:

If you carry one of these through a department store you look like Gene Kelly.

Any questions?

Profiles In... In... Um... Well... Winning The Future! Yeah, That's It.

Japan has been devastated and nuclear fallout may headed our way. The Mid-East is aflame and the rebellion in Libya is being brutally crushed. America is out-of-work and our nation is broke. We have to bum rides into space from the New Soviets Russians.

But your worries are over, dear readers, because President Obama has made his picks for The Final Four.

Sleep soundly tonight.

In The Eye Of The Censor.

What is the purpose of Art? Well, the Lefty ACLU, in defending a recent exhibit at The Smithsonian that offended the values of some on the Right, put it this way:

One of the primary purposes of art is to challenge and provoke and question. Inevitably that may offend some and cause others to cheer. Debating works of art, as opposed to censorship of those deemed controversial, is what a free society should support.

But when the art offends, challenges, and provokes, and/or questions the values of The Left/Mainstream Media, well, well, well... all that goes out the window.

So much for a free society - at least in the art world.

Hattip: Roger Kimball at Pajamas Media, via Instapundit.

The Ides Of March

Today, if you're named Julius I wouldn't let a let a guy named Brutus get too close. Just 'sayin.

Separate But Equal Yesterday, Separate But Equal Today, Separate But Equal Forever.

Jesse Jackson - the new George Wallace. Really.

A little background: SUNO - Southern University in New Orleans - is a mostly African-American college that is part of the separate public university system originally created for African-Americans during Louisiana's Jim Crow era. It is right next door to the University of New Orleans, and SUNO has a graduation rate of only 5% in six years. (UNO's is four times that, but still an anemic 21%)

In an era of threadbare budgets, the notion of having two universities next to each other doing the same thing is ludicrous, and Governor Jindal is right to want to merge the two.

But the controversy brings up another point that puts Jesse Jackson arm-and-arm with the former Alabama governor: Separate-but-equal is dead. Why, in 2011, any government has two separate university systems, effectively based on race, is beyond me. The Southern University system's continued existence is, to your humble blogger, an affront to everything I understand Dr. King worked for.

If Jackson, or anyone else for that matter, wants to start or fund a private university based on race, or religion, or national origin, I'm all for it so long they are accredited and don't take public funds. It's a free country. Here's an idea: Jindal could sell SUNO to Jackson and his Rainbow/PUSH group for $1, and let them take it private. Heck, give them the unspent FEMA money to get it going. If Jackson and his friends truly think a segregated university with a 5% graduation rate is an asset to the Crescent City, then let them prove it.

UPDATE 15MAR2011: The Louisiana Board of Regents, the folks who oversee all public colleges in the state, voted today to recommend the merger. Good.

A Happy Story.

Something to make you smile on a Monday. Precision, discipline, and a "Quigley" are involved.

Remember That Thou Art Dhimmi, And To Dhimmi Thou Shalt Return.

An Episcopal priest in St. Louis is “Giving Up Church for Lent.” In it's place, the Rev. Steve Lawler wants to "deepen his understanding" by practicing...

(you get one guess here, dear readers)

That's right! He wants to practice Islam from now until Easter. Really.

Come to think of it, giving up The Episcopal Church (tm) for Lent is a nifty idea. I think I'll head on over here and "deepen my understanding" of the Anglican Communion of North America from now until Easter. Heck, I may make my penance permanent and not return to the Katie and Bonnie Show. Not like they'd give a damn, nor would I be missed.

Hattip: Christopher Johnson at The MCJ.

A New National Anthem?

I could live with this.

Short And Sweet.

It's Lent, so here is my annual response to the Presiding Bishop's Lenten message. To wit:

No, they're not;

Yes, we are, but you can blame your environmental do-gooder buddies and government manipulation of the free market for it;

And what part of this...

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

...do you not understand??

The only thing travelling light here, madam, is your theology.

Maybe We Should Start Ducking.

In Obama's America, one third of what Americans receive to live on comes in the form of a government check or freebie. One third.

Is a public handout really the way to grow the economy? Is free money now new American Dream? Let's let the Circle Jerks put it in perspective:

A Billion Dollars Is a Tradgedy; A Trillion Dollars Is Merely A Statistic.

Think back, dear readers, to the heady days of the 2008 presidential campaign. Remember when candidate Obama and his devotees on the Left / Mainstream Media called W's deficits fiscally irresponsible and unsustainable? Remember how they promised that Obama would put our financial house in order, if we but believed in a whole lot of vague, generic promises of hope and change we can believe in?

Well, here's what that hope and change we can believe in looks like in real terms:

In 2007, Bush's irresponsible and unsustainable deficit for the fiscal year was $244 billion. In a year.

Last month - yes, I said month, President Obama ran up the the deficit $233 billion. Two hundred thirty-three B-I-L-L-I-O-N dollars.

In a month. (And it was the shortest month of the year, too! -ed.)

If you read further in the article, you'll see Obama and his buddies say that they will accept no more than $6 billion in domestic spending cuts next year. A 0.00193% reduction. Yep. That's Hopenchange leadership for you.

We're not only going to hell in a hand basket, Obama is borrowing the hand basket from the Chinese.

A Tale Of Two Newsletters.

Compare and Contrast:

The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana.

The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina.

Now, dear readers, see if you can tell which diocese is growing, and which is not? Which diocese is embracing the "doing-a-new-thing" pop theology of the national church, and which is holding to more traditional Christian values (and running afoul of the Committee for the Promotion of Vice and the Prevention of Virtue national church leadership because of it)? Bonus points: There is a connection between the answers to the two questions. See if you can figure out what it is.

PERSONAL NOTE: For those who know me, please know that I will not, alas, be riding in the Krewe of Hermes parade tonight in New Orleans - that's the one mentioned in the Diocese of Louisiana newsletter. Work and personal matters prevent my sorry butt from gracing the back of a horse. Next year...

Million Dollar Lunch.

Speaker at lunch today was a woman who worked at Sun Records in Memphis back in the 1950's, and was there on 4 December, 1956, a tectonic moment in American music. In celebration, some Carl Perkins:



That's right, kids. Elvis did it second.

Guns Don't Kill People...

...The people who ATF allegedly let get guns illegally - they kill people.

Lies, Damn Lies...

...And NYT/CBS polling.

Well, There's Our Problem.

The beach ball on the left doesn't match the beach ball on the right:



Here is the crux of our national debate:

The Left / Mainstream Media claim the one on the left is too small.
Those of us in Flyover Country think the one on the right is way too big.

Then Run, Damnit!

Chris Christie: I could win the White House.

Religion Of Peace (tm) Watch.

More from the annals of interfaith dialogue and mutual respect:

Jews are Satan:

“Some of you think that I’m just somebody who’s got something out for the Jewish people," Farrakhan said. "You’re stupid. Do you think I would waste my time if I did not think it was important for you to know Satan?

Americans must die because God is great, or something:

When he opened fire, the gunman, identified as a long-term resident of Germany, shouted "Allahu Akbar," according to sources. He fired nine times, killling two and critically wounding two others before the gun jammed and he was subdued by other passengers. While being wrestled into submission, the suspect shouted either "Jihad Jihad" or "Allahu Akbar," sources said.

Religious cleansing In Pakistan:

Militants gunned down the only Christian in Pakistan's government outside his widowed mother's home Wednesday, the second assassination in two months of a high-profile opponent of laws that impose the death penalty for insulting Islam.

"I'll Take 'The Green Economy' For 50 Billion, Alex."

"And the answer is... '928'."

"Alex, what is the total number of Chevy 'Volt' cars sold since it was rolled out in November?"

"That is correct."

'Volt'. The 21st century way to say 'Taxpayer Subsidized Edsel'.