The Crows Nest
Crow's Nest Mostly Unmanned
Yes, I know the Crow's Nest has mostly been moribund since the site's relaunch. I do plan on using it more often in the future, I promise. I'll be spending a little more time on these posts as a way to link out to the blogosphere. Keep an eye on this space.
Also, please note that I've put the Amazon search bar on the main page, in the right sidebar. If you want to do some shopping at Amazon -- and who doesn't? -- be sure to shop through Captain's Quarters. Amazon does pay a small percentage of the sale to me, and it helps pay for a few sundries related to the blog. Much appreciated!
OpenCongress Web Widget
Ever wanted to announce your support or opposition to Congressional legislation? OpenCongress now has a web widget that allows bloggers to do exactly that. Take a look at this, and check out how easily you can build your own.
Maybe They're Flotation Devices?
The Australian Navy foots the bill for breast augmentations. The Labour Party would like to know why, and probably so would most of the voters in Australia.
The Thinking Blogger
Congrats to Fausta, who won a Thinking Blogger award. She thanks me for my friendship, but the truth is that Fausta makes it easy to be her friend. She's always positive and energetic, and she epitomizes the notion of a thinking blogger. Make sure to put her on your must-read list!
Ensign Calls For Return Of MoveOn Money
NRSC chair Senator John Ensign calls for Democrats to return all campaign funds donated by MoveOn, after their despicable New York Times ad today accusing David Petraeus of treason. "If Senate Democrats are serious about moving our country forward, they will denounce this outrageous ad and return the campaign funds MoveOn.org has lavished on them as well as the donations made through MoveOn.org -- the choice is theirs." Ensign's right, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the refund ...
Support The Al-Dura Petition
Roger Simon at Pajamas Media is circulating a petition to demand accountability for the discredited al-Dura report from France's Channel 2. This is, as Roger calls it, the "Father of all Fauxtography," and C-2 has never acknowledged its fault in airing the supposed murder of a Palestinian child. He wants C-2 to show all of the unedited footage of the incident in order to show that C-2 faked the murder. If they're resisting the demand, I'd say they have something to hide ....
There Goes The Undefeated Season
Notre Dame managed to get its first loss out of the way as soon as possible -- and as badly as possible. Georgia Tech came to South Bend and stomped the Irish, 33-3, in the worst home opener loss in school history. The offense fumbled twice and allowed seven sacks on Evan Sharpley, who must have longed to have Brady Quinn back on the field instead. If Charlie Weis doesn't turn this debacle around fast, he may want to start asking Ty Willingham for some career counseling ....
Would Early Primaries Allow More Donations?
Jim Geraghty at The Campaign Spot believes that candidates will benefit if primaries and caucuses get pushed into 2007. A loophole in campaign finance regulation appears to allow an extra $2,300 per donor for candidates if those elections are held this year. Be sure to check out Jim's analysis, and the surprising candidate that may benefit the most.
When Tom Met Jeralyn
One of the interesting aspects of politics is finding out that opponents are people, too. Jeralyn Merritt of TalkLeft met Rep. Tom Tancredo backstage at NBC's studios, and found him more likable than she had anticipated. Perhaps it was their mutual interest in Dog, The Bounty Hunter ...
Joe Lieberman A Right-Wing Nut?
That's what CAIR says, according to Joe Kaufman. He has a link to a CAIR official's blog post that calls Lieberman, along with John Bolton, former CIA director James Woolsey, and the Heritage Foundation's Peter Brookes as "extremists". Affad Shaikh also calls Dick Cheney a "fat bastard of a liar," apparently not meant as a pop-culture reference to the Austin Powers movies. (via Let Freedom Ring)
Broadband Homelessness
The Japanese have made homelessness more efficient, and more Net-friendly, too. Their Internet cafés have become homeless shelters for the struggling manual-labor sector. The problem has grown into such a problem that government intervention will shortly become a political priority.
Found My Law Firm
Power Line links twice to this story regarding an attorney at Faegre & Benson who refused to become a victim and helped capture a very dangerous man. Keith Radtke is a partner in the firm as is Power Line's John Hinderaker. Radtke is listed in satisfactory condition after getting shot in the back, but that didn't keep him from locking up his attacker in a wrestling grip until police could arrive. I don't know about you, but that's the kind of man I'd want as my counsel ....
Don't Click That YouTube E-mail
The latest in spam seems to be redirections from YouTube links in e-mail to IP addresses without domain names. They attempt to entice people by making it seem that they have been inadvertently YouTubed. I'm sure most people can see through this scam, but just in case, you've been warned ....
Rick Moran Escapes The Floods
Rick Moran has kept us up to date on his travails along the Algonquin River. Yesterday, the police showed up to get him evacuated before the river flooded his home -- but today, Rick finds that a minor miracle has taken place, and that his house survives ... at least for now. Keep Rick in your prayers, and keep checking in at Right Wing Nut House for updates.
Rule 1: Drag The Corpse On Over First
If I've learned anything in four years of blogging, don't try to be out in front of the death rumors, especially with the villains of the world. Saddam died a hundred deaths before we caught him alive in his spider hole, and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi almost as many before his demise last year. Osama may or may not be alive, but everyone's avoided speculating on his fate for a while now. Maybe Val at Babalu Blog will get luckier with his "Castro Is Dead" story. We all hope so. I'll wait for the announcement ....
Comments (11)
Posted by ScottM | October 14, 2007 1:32 PM
Amazing that people can actually manage to function in the world without any sort of common sense.
Posted by Carol Herman | October 14, 2007 1:33 PM
Wait a minute. Hold the presses!
You mean a Spanish jingle helps a candidate win?
Did I hear you, correctly?
A Spanish jingle?
As to oral sex, I'm sure it gains recognizition; given how many people have tried it.
What if this gimmick works?
Will we get condoms, ahead, with political messages on the wrappers? With "go ahead, try me?"
If nothing else this particular Caragol gets "name recognition!" What's so bad about that? Seems to me the whole purpose in adertising your candidacy to adults old enough to vote, is to get "your name out there."
At least Caragol's name ain't Nixon.
What are the odds on this one winning?
Posted by Jeff from Mpls | October 14, 2007 1:36 PM
Say Ed, as long as we're on a light hearted thread, let me tell you what made me laugh so hard I couldn't breathe.
Glenn Beck was bantering with his producer & they were commenting on how weird it was that Larry Craig tried to explain himself by saying when he put his hand under the divider, he was picking up a little scrap of toilet paper on the floor.
Glenn ponders a bit and deadpans, "unless maybe he was a little bit anal."
Posted by Drew | October 14, 2007 3:07 PM
If your last paragraph accurately portrays his position, this is a candidate for public office I could support!
Posted by jaeger51 | October 14, 2007 3:16 PM
What slippery slope is he heading down? Tax breaks for doing it? Taxpayer funded educational classes on how to do it? Court ordered equal opportunity laws on who you do it with? Hmmmmm....
Posted by leftnomore | October 14, 2007 3:41 PM
How about "Get aHead, vote for Caragol."
Posted by RD | October 14, 2007 9:29 PM
Some time in l992 a woman who claimed to have had a 12 year affair with a Presidential candidate wrote the story of the affair for a "men's magazine" She was called a liar and the tapes she had of some telephone conversations were pronounced doctored by a private detective hired by the candidate's wife.(That private detective has since spent time in jail for his own shenanigans) In that story she told of the man's preference for oral sex. Do you suppose if that story were to be currently published with what we now know that it would be dismissed as a lie?
Posted by mariner | October 15, 2007 9:20 AM
Not quite, Ed.
He thinks VOTERS suck.
Posted by km | October 15, 2007 10:08 AM
Perhaps the jingle was supposed to indicate that if one liked anal sex, one should vote for him (seeing as that is what the politicians typically do to their constituents in the figurative sense at least) - but the focus groups preferred the other line.
Posted by SWLiP | October 15, 2007 10:31 AM
The shameless vulgarity of Latin-Caribbean culture is one of the more vexing aspects of trying to raise a teenaged girl in greater Miami.
Posted by milly herrera | October 18, 2007 6:35 PM
Councilman Caragol has said worse things. Last year, following a council meeting, he had the nerve to tell me (a voter, "I don't have to listen to what the people have to say, because I receive a packet of information and already know how I am going to vote (on an item), I have to listen to the city planner who does know what she is talking about, and I vote the way I want to because that's why I am a councilman."
Vote for Caragol? NEVER.
I know Mercy Dominguez and her husband, and know that they have fought for their neighborhood in Hialeah. Mercy is the best choice!
Milly Herrera
Hialeah, Florida
herrera101@aol.com