This STILL is not the big one

I wrote about this back in July after Justice O'Connor retired (and before Rehnquist died). John Roberts taking over as Chief Justice probably changes the makeup of the court very little. So we're still right where we were back in early July.

Even if the extreme right manages to pull off a win in this Alito nomination battle, the court will still be generally split 4-4-1 with Kennedy's swing vote perhaps leaning a bit towards the conservative four. Granted, Alito is pretty awful and definitely worse than Roberts on paper, but the reality of the situation is that that's what Americans voted for. Perhaps folks didn't know the real Bush in 2000. And perhaps Bush wasn't the real winner in 2000. But people knew what they were voting for in 2004. And Bush actually won that election.

I'm still wholeheartedly in favor of putting up some fight and dirtying Alito as much as possible, but Bush is probably entitled to swing the court from 4-3-2 to 4-4-1. We gave these jagoffs a second term in the White House and now we're paying the price. Like I argued in July, I'd like to save the filibuster for a truly dire circumstance such as a possible Stevens retirement before 2009.

CNN Web Editor: "Find me the gayest Takei picture possible!"

Okay, so now we know George Takei is gay. But instead of being so obvious (I think its safe to say my little headline above represents the actual order from the web editor), why not find a picture of Takei in his well known Star Trek / Sulu role?

PENS WIN!
PENS WIN!

They went down 4-0 in the first period, seemingly on their way to a 10th straight loss... and then it was Mario time. The big guy scored two goals before the end of the first period and then set up three more later on to spark a seven goal rally and a huge win.

Still, I'm in shock that a team which finished last season on a 10-3-2 tear could start out 1-8-1 this month after adding five high-priced vets and a rookie phenom.

Calling it like I see it

The Miers "withdrawal" had a two-fold purpose:

1) Avoid having the nomination formally defeated in the Senate with the help of the far right wing. This was key for the conservatives. They certainly wanted to avoid setting a precedent for the Democrats to publicly latch on to for when Bush caves in and nominates a strict constructionist. Whether it be now, or following a Stevens retirement, it will be much harder for Democrats to say "see, we're not the only ones who tried to shoot down a nomination" when the time comes.

They call it a withdrawal, but who's going to buy that? Bush and Miers knew the nomination was toast. When folks were up in arms over John Roberts and DOJ not producing background documentation, did Roberts withdraw? Hell no. The White House just put up its usual (and often successful) stonewall and the guy sailed through confirmation anyway. This document issue is a 100% cover story for the fact that the right wing blew this nomination out of the water.

and

2) Blunt the coverage of the PlameGame indictments should they be announced today or tomorrow. I think the White House must be expecting bad news in the next 36 hours. And then if the scandal lingers on, Bush gets to try to further blunt coverage by making a better Supreme Court pick in the coming weeks.

Technically, we have to say any nominee withdrawal looks bad for the White House. But with the blood already flowing the moment Bush announced Miers as his pick, this was actually some good damage control.


UPDATE - Though I feel like the right wing may have averted giving the Democrats a powerful weapon to use in the future by not having to publicly go on the attack in hearings or in a vote on the floor, conservative Hugh Hewitt actually acknowledges that conservatives may have indeed handed us a sword.

More hockey

I have no comment on the sad sad Penguins.

But for some extra "WTF?!?" viewing, I am posting this 30 second video clip of Jeremy Roenick dancing on the ice.

(hat tip to Aaron for the link)

Tuesday Night Penguins and Assorted Bar Blather

The Penguins play their ninth game of the season tonight. Normally that would not be noteworthy, but when November is rapidly approaching and your team hasn't won a fricken game yet it starts getting serious. The Pens have three straight home games starting tonight. It almost feels like they have to win two of them to save their season even though the playoffs are still five months away.

Mark Recchi, Sergei Gonchar, John LeClair, Zigmund Palffy, Jocelyn Thibault. That's a lot of big name veterans brought in since the end of the last season. And Palffy excepted, that's starting to look like a long list of 30-somethings that aren't going to amount to much in Pittsburgh. Fingers crossed for tonight.

As for other Tuesday night affairs:

It has been brought to my attention that the Harris Grill on Ellsworth Avenue in Pittsburgh has Bacon Night every Tuesday from 7 to 12. I have yet to hear more details on this, but you can bet your ass that I'll be there if I'm ever in Pittsburgh on a Tuesday night.

Finally, there's this drink which I recently came across in a Washington Post Sunday magazine article:


an Amor Prohibido, made with tequila, passion fruit juice, ginger, and jalapeno

Yeah, I know beer stopped being cool a few years ago. But COME ON! This concoction sounds more like an Abu Ghraib torture device than a beverage. I give this one a big fat four star "WTF!" rating. I think I'll be sticking with my bottle of Yuengling, thank you very much!

Happy B-Day Kelvin!!!

Through the miracle of blogging, I am now going back in time to yesterday to say happy birthday to Kelvin.

Yes, I am going to scroll down to the bottom of the post and change the date. That's right, I am engaging the flux capacitor and heading all the way back to YESTERDAY to wish Kelvin a proper happy birthday. Fortunately, I am in DC now which means that there's no chance I will run into my yesterday self (who was in Maine) while doing this. We wouldn't want to risk creating a time travel paradox.

Okay. Engaging time travel...

Upcoming DC area shows!

This lineup is right up my alley...

Yonder Mountain String Band
     Oct. 22 @ State Theatre
     Oct. 26 @ Rams Head (Baltimore)
Mike & Leo
     Nov. 2 @ 9:30
Bob Weir & Ratdog
     Nov. 2 @ Rams Head (Baltimore)
Keller Williams
     Nov. 4 @ 9:30
Medeski Martin & Wood
     Nov. 11 @ 9:30
Galactic
     Nov. 18-19 @ 9:30
Alison Krauss & Union Station
     Nov. 20 @ Patriot Center
Phil Lesh & Friends
     Dec. 2 @ Patriot Center

We're totally broke, so I'm obviously not catching most of these shows. We did get tickets for Alison Krauss last night, though. And I'm also thinking about catching Mike & Leo.

Redirection and smoke screens surrounding the PlameGame

I think the most important thing getting lost in this swirling Rove / Libby / Plame controversy is that Joe Wilson was right! Even lefty folks like me seem so caught up in the drama of the identity scandal that they're losing track of the part where Joe Wilson went to Niger and told us that our administration's Iraqi uranium claim (and thus a significant chunk of its war rationale) was bullshit.

Everyone has been going bonkers over the Valerie Plame end of the story, yet the stark fact that we are in year THREE of a war the administration lied its way into is barely a blip on the media radar. Unless the President or VP is actually forced out of office over the PlameGame, kids' history books won't be talking about Valerie Plame and Karl Rove 10 years from now. But they will be talking about Iraq. Its important we don't lose sight of the big picture here.


I also want to throw around the Bullshit label a bit more with regard to this new "criminalization of conservatism" mantra being spewed by Jeffrey Bell, William Kristol and the Republicans. What a load of steaming hot crap. Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald was recommended for appointment in 2001 by a Republican. He was then appointed as a US Attorney under the Bush administration. And he was appointed as Special Prosecutor under a John Ashcroft-run Department of Justice.

What about Ronnie Earle's "persecution" of Tom DeLay down in Texas, you ask. Though Ronnie Earle is indeed a Democrat, Republicans would have you believe that the guy is some sort of political hitman only out for GOP blood. Daily Kos says otherwise with great authority.

And what about poor Bill Frist and his trouble with the SEC and Justice Department? After five years under Bush, I doubt that DOJ and the SEC would be running wild and full of liberals still able to carry out the witch hunts some folks are crying about.

The wingnuts would have you believe that all these folks are being turned into criminals as a sort of Democratic political tactic. Newsflash: that's just not possible. Especially in the cases where the Republicans control the supposed witch hunters. The only thing happening here is that the crooks are getting caught.

Take a nice long look at the Bell/Kristol piece. If you can hold back the puke long enough, I especially recommend the sixth and seventh paragraphs. They basically resort to "everyone's doing it" to defend their positions. "Everyone's doing it" is not a defense. Its an admission.

And the "liberal media bias?" Its like nobody even took notice of the fact that while conservative columnist Bob Novak came out and cooperated with the PlameGame special prosecutor, it was the reporter from the [biased, evil, liberal] New York Times that went to jail for three months to protect a Bush administration source.


Lastly, on a semi-related subject: could someone please explain to me why Bob Novak is still gainfully employed? Who in their right mind would give that guy a paycheck?

Anyway, I'm heading out to the liquor store to make sure I'm prepared to crack one open and celebrate if and when this whole Plame investigation bears fruit.

Ripped Straight From the [Sci-Fi] Headlines of 1986

Transparent aluminum.

For those not in the know, I'm talking Star Trek IV here.

Coyotes in Rockville, Rock Creek Park... what's the fuss about?

I had no idea until Mary told me about this a few minutes ago. But the thing I'm really shocked about is that these folks in Rockville hired a trapper to come in and kill coyotes. Makes me a little ashamed of my old hometown. There hasn't even been a single report of a pet being attacked. These people should be more worried about keeping their garbage can lids on tight and the idiots who invariably try to feed suburban coyotes because they think they're cute.

If anything, I'm excited for the next time I go for a run in Rock Creek Park. Coyotes are awesome. I think these Rockville alarmists must be mixing them up with wolves.

Here are some like-minded responders to a previous story in the Montgomery County Gazette.

And you thought Deuce Bigalow 2 was an uncalled for sequel???

Here it comes. Rocky 6:

Rocky comes out of retirement. Then he finally gets a chance at the champ. Then in a spectacular CGI-assisted final scene, he is gruesomely decapitated in the ring by one of the champ's viscous uppercuts as the "Eye of the Tiger" theme begins to play and the credits roll.

Okay, so maybe that last part was lifted from own my version of the script.

Some Cleveland Park News

First off, it appears that somebody is getting ready to reopen the old Park Bench Pub under a new name. There are now signs out on the Ordway Street side (the upstairs section of what was the Park Bench) indicating that the "Uptown Tavern" will be opening soon. I'm glad somebody's doing this because I was sorely disappointed when we moved in on Ordway Street just as they were shutting down the Park Bench. Hopefully it will still be a good place to watch football / hockey / basketball / etc.

Unfortunately, however, the Uptown theater is going to waste for yet another week. They're still showing "In Her Shoes" at the theater for the coming week. Regardless of whether it is a good movie, it is not an UPTOWN movie. During these lulls in Hollywood output, I would love to see them find a way to show some older big screen classics. You know, something like Alien, Fantasia, The Matrix, or Jaws. But I guess that's just the way the industry works.

And there are still no late-night cheap eats in the neighborhood. I am amazed that nobody has tried to step in to fill the gap since the McDonald's disappeared a year or two ago. With Vace closing early every night, you'd think a small pizza joint could make a killing by catering to the 9pm to 3am bar and movie crowd.

And some more politics

I got back from the Outback* only to be disappointed when I learned that our criminal justice system has yet to take Karl Rove "outback." Though I haven't caught up on all the poli-blogs and news, I imagine the special prosecutor will have some announcement for us soon... this thing is really starting to drag out.

There are plenty of us out there that will, of course, be ready to celebrate if this guy gets shipped off to jail. Or at the very least, disgraced and shipped out of the administration. But I imagine there are three people in particular that have some serious champagne on ice ready to party hard: Ann "Gay" Richards, John "insane-with-an-addict-wife-and-illegitimate-black-child" McCain, and John "Hatin' on the Swift Boat Vets" Kerry.


Additionally, there is an interesting campaign commercial running on TV here in the DC area. Tim Kaine (D) is running for governor in Virginia and people down there are apparently worried that the guy might not be bloodthirsty enough when it comes to killing people. And being labeled soft on killing people is risky business when you're trying to get elected in a state that trails only Texas in state-sponsored killing.

So he really lays it out in the commercial. He says his faith teaches him to respect life and that he is personally opposed to the death penalty. But he clarifies that he will carry out death sentences given by juries because his job as governor would be to administer, not legislate. I think its actually a pretty slick way for the more liberal of two candidates to go on TV and say "respect life," but I'm not sure how the ad will play in the rural red counties of Virginia.


* random Australia sidenote: nobody in the Outback actually drives a Suburu Outback

Who are the people that voted for Bush and are now telling pollsters they disapprove of his performance???

I just don't get it. Seriously.

If you voted for Bush last fall, I would tend to think you are merely misguided. But if you're among the big chunk of Bush voters that are now saying you're upset with how he's running the country (into the ground), I'd just like to remind you that NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

Cronyism... a 100% FUBAR war in Iraq... incompetence in dealing with disasters and breaking news... an iffy economy... corruption. That's why I worked my ass off for the Kerry campaign last fall. And that's what you reelected in November 2004. Sure, a few things have come to a head over the past couple months, but there's really nothing new going on to justify Bush voters' changes of heart.

You elected this jagoff. Deal with it.

Special Football notes from Australia

Since it's football season...

- ESPN International or ESPN Australia or whatever it was that they had over there always showed 30 second "Rules of the Game" segments during commercials in which they would try to explain American football to viewers. Very basic stuff like "when a player possesses the ball in the other team's endzone, it is a touchdown worth six points."

The noteworthy part was that at the end of each little ad, they had slow motion video of Jerome Bettis rushing the ball interspliced with their NFL Rules of the Game logo. I obviously loved seeing that all over Australia, but it did leave me wondering if The Bus is really the NFL's most exciting sales figure. I'm thinking a Ladanian Tomlinson or maybe a Barry Sanders clip would have made more sense.


- When we pulled into Kakadu National Park, one of the first things we actually did was watch the end of the Australian Football League Grand Final at a ranger station. The Sydney Swans pulled out a historic nailbitter against the West Coast Eagles to win their first title in 72 years, only clinching the win when a Swans player caught a defensive mark deep in his own end as time expired (approximate NFL translation: offense was driving for a Super Bowl winning field goal when defensive player makes a diving interception as time expires). Great stuff.

And only a couple weeks earlier, Mary and I had actually attended the Swans' quarterfinal against the Geelong Cats at the Sydney Cricket Grounds. Going to an Aussie Rules playoff game was AWESOME. Plus, we saw Sydney come back from a 53-30 4th quarter deficit to utterly shock Geelong (approximate NFL translation: team wins divisional playoff game at home after trailing 27-14 in the 4th quarter). The place was nuts afterwards. They sang the Swans' fight song -- adapted from the Notre Dame fight song -- at least 10 or 12 times through as the music blared over the PA system while the players ran around the field.

Second Half

So while spending a couple days chilling in Darwin, we saw a great Aboriginal art exhibit at the Northern Territory Museum and Art Gallery, caught the sweet Thursday night Mindil Beach markets (solid cheap food, nice crafts booths, and good music everywhere), and started running into World Solar Challenge people everywhere.


the Michigan "Momentum" team heading into the pit

Turns out the 3000k Darwin to Adelaide race was only days away from starting. So on our way out of town, we managed to catch some of the preliminary time trials being held on a local racetrack. There were 21 or 22 teams from all over the world preparing for the big competition which I decided should be known as NASCAR for Nerds. Just after we got to the track, the MIT car actually flipped over on one of the turns. The driver was okay and the team was able to overcome solar panel damage to finish the race in 6th place later that week (the only other American team, U of Michigan, finished 3rd). The whole thing was quite a scene.

Next up was Kakadu National Park. We spent three fantastic days there. The scenery was nice, but it was the Aboriginal artwork and wildlife that made the place truly special. Kangaroos, storks, crocodiles, wallabies, pelicans, etc, etc... wow. Additionally, camping in our tent without the rainfly under the stars was awesome. The Milky Way was so brilliant that it looked like clouds even through the mesh of our tent. Kakadu was also the first place that we really made use of our 4WD en route to some great waterfalls and swimming holes.

A few hours to the south and we were at Nitmiluk National Park and Katherine Gorge. We originally planned to do an overnight canoe on the river, but the combination of TINY canoes and blazing sunshine convinced us to just do a day trip instead. After we dragged our canoe over a series of rocks exposed by low water and made our way into the second gorge, we found ourselves in a pretty nice spot.


Mary in the second gorge

From Katherine it was a long, desolate trip down "The Track" into central Australia. Along the way, we stopped in at a couple quirky little pubs and motels and also helped a drunk Aboriginal man get his car back onto the road after he had flipped it and rolled into a ditch -- the sad state of the Aboriginal people in the NT is a true Australian disgrace, but that's a whole different blog post.

Next up was West MacDonnell and Kings Canyon National Parks. We spent a pleasant day and a night at each. We also did a tough four hour hike around Ormiston Gorge in West MacDonnell. We took the back route from West MacDonnell to Kings Canyon; 260k on dirt, sand, and gravel which our Nissan X-Trail handled beautifully.

Finally, we got to our last stop, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. We spent four nights camping nearby. It was still plenty hot during the day, but now temperatures were getting down towards 60 at night. Great for camping. We had already seen Ayers Rock and the Olgas on plenty of postcards and book covers, but seeing them up close at different times of day and doing three or four hour walks around both was still completely worthwhile. And on our last day there, we finally saw the dingo we'd be waiting to see for a month.


the money shot in front of Uluru

Overall for the trip, we spent eight nights in luxury five-star accommodation, eight nights camping, and the rest of the time it was something in-between like hostels or dinky motels. Everyone we spoke to was ridiculously nice. We didn't hear a car horn the whole trip. The Australian people were wonderfully hospitable.

My quick glib assessment of Australian culture is that they just have very little to speak of with two notable exceptions: sports and general outdoorsiness. Everything else just seemed like it was United States or United Kingdom south.

Anyhow, now we're back. Mary's working and I'm hoping to be soon.