tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61963252011-06-08T02:23:35.332-04:00"Disorder in the house. . . <i><strong>reptile wisdom</i></strong> . . . zombies on the lawn, staggering around; Disorder in the house, there's a flaw in the system, a fly in the ointment's gonna bring the whole thing down."<br> <strong>Warren Zevon</strong>Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199876264885890444noreply@blogger.comBlogger1451100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1135221448129898082005-12-21T22:16:00.000-05:002005-12-21T22:17:28.140-05:00

. . . on sabbatical. Probably indefinitely. Plenty of good stuff elsewhere. Bad stuff, too. You decide.

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1117290940682548302005-05-28T10:26:00.000-04:002005-05-28T10:35:40.693-04:00

I wish I could take one from work, but since I can't, I'll have to take one from blogging. As much as I need an opportunity to vent, I can't take the time away from my practice and my family. So, if anybody is interested, I probably won't be posting anything for the next month or so. I'll be back, but until then, go to the blogroll, read, sleep, and repeat. (I will try to change the music

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1115331571724837562005-05-05T18:16:00.000-04:002005-05-05T18:19:31.730-04:00

Click the link, it's worth it.(via onegoodmove)

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1115089478148686162005-05-02T23:00:00.000-04:002005-05-02T23:04:38.150-04:00

Not such a good day for blogging. Not such a good month for blogging, actually. Too much work, plain and simple, and all the writing I have time to do is in legal documents. But, that's a good thing. So, go to the blogroll, start at the top. And hey, it's a good day for the blues.

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1113963748695091762005-04-19T21:50:00.000-04:002005-04-20T09:53:39.383-04:00

Sometime in the spring of 1998, I was at House of Blues in Myrtle Beach for an Edwin McCain Show, and while I can't really say I remember much about the headliner, I can certainly remember the opening act. And what I most recall was the way a lone performer with a low slung acoustic guitar and a knit cap completely obscuring his face, took the stage and completely mesmerized a group of several

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1113961852118366152005-04-19T21:29:00.000-04:002005-04-19T21:50:52.120-04:00

Civil trials, that is, and they've pretty much shut down my blogging for the past month. Faithful Progressive has the same problem from time to time, but it really doesn't seem to materially limit his consistently excellent posts. When my trial schedule is as heavy as it has been recently, I barely have time to read, much less write. I do usually find time to read Faithful Progressive, though,

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1112581595441327462005-04-03T21:59:00.000-04:002005-04-03T22:26:35.446-04:00

When I've been away from blogging for a week or so due to work, I always read the last several days' posts from The Sideshow to catch up. There is no question that Jim Henley is right when he says that Avedon Carol is the "single best portal into liberal blogging." In the past several weeks, though, she's gone to the well for some great material of her own. Read for example "Unconstitutional,"

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1112579299189776292005-04-03T21:30:00.000-04:002005-04-03T21:48:19.193-04:00

While Bush want to privatize everything from the National Park Service to Social Security, Fred Clark thinks Bush's Christian conservative supporters want to privatize Jesus. Maybe he has a point.Plenty of people, including me, have commented on the fact that the majority of Christian conservatives exhibit a worldview which somehow completely filters out the Biblical focus on social justice.

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1111979483749194322005-03-27T22:11:00.000-05:002005-03-30T21:48:52.253-05:00

Okay, not totally, but it's close. I really shouldn't be surprised by this, but it seems the LA Times is reporting that Tom Delay, one of the primary supporters of the GOP's politically motivated "emergency" Terry Schiavo legislation, took exactly the opposite position with his own brain-damaged father in 1988. Delay joined with the rest of his family in deciding not to connect Charles Delay to

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1111634128249186582005-03-23T21:59:00.000-05:002005-03-23T22:15:28.250-05:00

The hypocrisy of the Republican position in the Terry Schiavo matter is none too subtle, and neither therefore, is William Rivers Pitt:"The next time you find yourself in a debate about Ms. Schiavo with a person who agrees with Bush and the Congressional majority on this, ask them about Sun Hudson. Hudson was born with a genetic disorder and was sustained by machines from the day of his birth.

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1111116323614634842005-03-17T22:25:00.000-05:002005-03-17T22:25:23.616-05:00

George W. Bush says that drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will strengthen both the economy and national security. George W. Bush says that expoliting the Alaskan wilderness is "a way to get some additional reserves here at home on the books. In terms of world supply ... demand is outracing supply, and supplies are getting tight. This project will make America less

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1110901498780109982005-03-15T10:32:00.000-05:002005-03-15T10:44:58.780-05:00

In the wake of Monday's ruling that California's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, Athenae at First Draft has posted a truly moving essay on marriage. Read it to be reminded of what's really important in this debate.When I first read it, I could hear in my mind the words of the song you're now listening to, "Toss the Bouquet," written by an incredibly talented friend of mine, Sam Frazier.

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1110860479005362812005-03-14T23:19:00.000-05:002005-03-14T23:45:40.790-05:00

Great. As Maru reminds us, five years of paid-off "journalists," propaganda outlets, and staged, carefully rehearsed "townhall meetings" and the Washington Post just now decides to write about it. As anyone with a brain knows, Bush's "conversations on Social Security" are anything but: The White House follows a practiced formula for each of the meetings. First it picks a state in which

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1110682858079788492005-03-12T21:31:00.000-05:002005-03-12T22:06:54.446-05:00

No, not the budget deficit. We've all seen the commentary on Bush's shameful, irresponsible, immoral and deceptive federal budget. We all know how bad that deficit is; hell, it's so bad that not only did the democrats grow a spine and decry it, even confirmed Bush apologist Alan Greenspan says it's a "significant obstacle to long-term stability." Indeed, Robert Hormats, Vice-Chairman of

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1110642142209050162005-03-12T10:42:00.000-05:002005-03-12T10:42:22.213-05:00

The MBNA-penned, creditor-friendly Bankruptcy "Reform" bill passes in the Senate, and is expected to easily pass in the House of Representatives. Included in the 25 "Nay" votes was Joe Lieberman, who posted this comment on his website yesterday. Bull Moose buys it, Atrios doesn't. I'm with Atrios. You don't vote to limit debate on a bill, then say you did your part to prevent its passage.

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1110594728190988022005-03-11T21:27:00.000-05:002005-03-11T21:45:35.163-05:00

I learned that I'm in good company when I say that the Bankruptcy "Reform" bill is worse than even the Patriot Act.I learned that sometimes, as with S. 256, even the good guys can be bought and sold.I learned what the autopsy photos of a three week old baby girl look like when she's born into a home that operates as a crystal meth lab.I learned that Ken Layne reads The Stinging Nettle, but not

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1110082615918549422005-03-05T22:54:00.000-05:002005-03-06T09:54:07.916-05:00

And while you're going, read Faithful Progressive's ongoing, well written and exhaustively researched series on the religious right, with its recent tie-in to the "Most Influential Evangelicals" profiled last month in Time magazine. Then read Avedon's typically excellent post on truth and the media, as manipulated by the right, then follow her link to Mahablog's post on the travesty of the

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1110081268009060252005-03-05T22:52:00.000-05:002005-03-05T23:18:16.206-05:00

Some days, I have a lot to say, and plenty of time and energy to say it. Other days, when I've spent my week involved in endlessly complicated legal controversies between petty, vindictive people who have more money that I'll ever see in my lifetime, or when I'm completely drained after advocating for the rights of grandparents to custody of their three-year old grandson, whose three-week old

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1110060275497877332005-03-05T17:04:00.000-05:002005-03-05T17:04:35.500-05:00

I'm not sure how significant it is that Ken Layne's son was born the day before Hunter S. Thompson shot himself, but Brian Linse hopes there was a connection, in a cosmic continuity sort of way, and that was the comment that finally got me to check out "Fought Down," by Ken Layne and the Corvids. To be sure, Layne's songs and recordings have gotten all manner of rave reviews. Ken's vocals have

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1109651302879903212005-02-28T22:57:00.000-05:002005-02-28T23:44:25.280-05:00

Why am I not surprised? At a U.N. conference designed to mark the 10 year anniversary of the Beijing conference on equality for women, the Bush administration announced that it would withhold support for the accord unless the U.N. publicly renounced support for abortion rights. Not satisfied with previous efforts to undermine support for global population initiatives by re-directing funds to "

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1109520905749025212005-02-27T10:30:00.000-05:002005-02-27T11:38:49.930-05:00

Continuing the theme of the post below, I note via Barbara O'Brien of Mahablog, the Washington Post editorial entitled "Deadly Ignorance," which details the Bush administration's extension of a policy which undermines the fight against global HIV/AIDS. "Deadly" is certainly right, but "ignorance?" Not a chance; on this issue, Bush's minions know exactly what they're doing. As the editorial

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1109517157145032432005-02-27T09:33:00.000-05:002005-02-27T10:12:37.146-05:00

Father Andrew Greeley is not one to mince words: "As the criminal, sinful war in Iraq enters its third year, the president goes to Europe to heal the wounds between the United States and its former allies, on his own terms of course. The White House propaganda mill will hail it as another victory for the president and ignore the fact that most Europeans still consider the war dangerous folly and

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1109387293390807602005-02-25T22:05:00.000-05:002005-02-25T22:13:56.220-05:00

Right now, I've got nothing to say that someone else hasn't already said.But nobody else is playing this tune. So I'm just gonna close my eyes and listen. . .

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1109179033535690412005-02-23T11:54:00.000-05:002005-02-23T12:17:13.540-05:00

Reading Avedon Carol, I note this Common Dreams essay by Thom Hartmann, who reminds us that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. All quotes are from "When Democracy Failed": This weekend - February 27th - is the 72nd anniversary, but the corporate media most likely won't cover it. The generation that experienced this history firsthand is now largely dead, and only a few of us dare

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1109123489865785872005-02-22T20:51:00.000-05:002005-02-22T20:51:57.996-05:00

Steve Young, of American Politics Journal, has uncovered a list of questions that Jeff "Gannon" intended to ask, but never got the chance. (via onegoodmove)QUESTIONS JEFF GANNON NEVER GOT TO ASK:"In the early 1940's, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and turncoat Jim Jeffries murdered six million Jews and untold numbers of homosexuals. How do you work with these obviously insane assassins to pass laws

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1109036873464952912005-02-21T20:47:00.000-05:002005-02-22T08:42:27.416-05:00

Hunter S. Thompson left us the same way he did everything else: on his own terms. His "gonzo journalism" provided the vehicle for, and was in some ways inseparable from, one of America's truly original voices. Respected, revered, feared and loathed, Hunter Thompson wrote about and exposed American culture through his own unique filter, even while his acerbic pen relentlessly skewered those

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1108829836386125032005-02-19T11:02:00.000-05:002005-02-19T13:05:01.363-05:00

To the extent that Christian fundamentalism requires one to hold beliefs which conflict with reality, it makes sense that religious conservatives would feel at home putting their "faith" in George W. Bush. And, if "faith" is defined as "a firm belief in something for which there is no proof," then the belief that this man is a moral, Christian President certainly meets that definition. To be

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1108818796967424042005-02-19T08:12:00.000-05:002005-02-19T08:13:16.970-05:00

If you read nothing else today, read Frank Rich's New York Times column, "The White House Stages It's 'Daily Show.'" I read this piece yesterday, but didn't have time to link to it until now. While reasonable minds may differ on substantive policy issues, the efforts of this White House to manipulate the media, and to withhold and distort the truth, are indefensible. Ideological differences

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1108438170605959692005-02-14T22:20:00.000-05:002005-02-16T21:23:35.073-05:00

. . . who follows the Rapture Index. MyDD also takes notice of the Grist article to which I've previously linked, and specifically, the fact that some evangelicals are actually taking steps to hasten the apocalypse. And on that note, take a look at "Forcing the End," an account of one man's quest to bring about the apocalypse by breeding a red heifer, thus fulfilling a Biblical end times

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1108403483725627182005-02-14T12:39:00.000-05:002005-02-14T14:44:55.413-05:00

Avedon Carol can't believe she's actually typing the phrase "torture debate." It's a valid point: Are there no "givens" any more? When we're actually carrying on serious, structured debates about something as universally reviled as torture, you know our government is in the hands of extremists. As William H. Taft, IV notes in his letter to Deputy Assistant Attorney General John C. Yoo, "as

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1108346480321219732005-02-13T20:59:00.000-05:002005-02-13T21:03:19.853-05:00

Counterpunch has another great essay from Paul Craig Roberts, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan administration, former Associate Editor of the Wall Street Journal editorial page and Contributing Editor of National Review, this one entitled, Nothing to Fear But Bush Himself:"Suppose you are the party responsible for invading a country under totally false pretenses. Suppose you had

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1108187020996539372005-02-12T00:43:00.000-05:002005-02-14T11:38:32.703-05:00

Paul Krugman realizes he may sound shrill when he says that Bush's new budget "takes food from the mouths of babes and gives the proceeds to his millionaire friends," but he says it anyway, because it's true. Public Theologian, referring to Krugman's column entitled "Bush's Class-War Budget," calls Krugman a "latter-day prophet," and asks "How can a bunch of people who rail on and on about how

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1108153351529787522005-02-11T15:22:00.000-05:002005-02-11T15:24:09.813-05:00

Gen. JC Christian stands by his man Bush, who stands by his man, Guckert/Gannon. Seriously, though, photo-shopping aside, most everyone is framing the issue in terms of White House sanctioned propaganda, which Gannon's presence in the White House press room most certainly was, but hell, that's not even surprising. What stands out to me is the sheer incompetence of the effort. Surely, there

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1108094469398810002005-02-10T22:39:00.000-05:002005-02-11T17:25:27.063-05:00

I used to own a bar. I booked mostly blues bands, so I bought an old Hammond B-2 from this shyster down in Mississippi, had it shipped up here to North Carolina, and set it up with a leslie at the back of the stage. I figured that the keyboard players with the bands I booked would appreciate it, but more often than not, I ended up sitting in myself. There's something organic about playing a

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1107914417518016722005-02-08T20:29:00.000-05:002005-02-08T21:00:17.516-05:00

If the attention the blogosphere has recently given to the religious right is any indication, the left is finally beginning to wake up to the fact that fundamentalism is now "mainstream" Christianity. I've said as much for years, only to be told by my colleagues that the religious right is merely the most vocal and visible faction of Christianity, and that mainstream American protestantism

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1107448353715504772005-02-03T11:25:00.000-05:002005-02-03T11:34:36.763-05:00

If anyone is actually interested, a ridiculously complicated jury trial has me completely unable to post anything this week. Read Avedon Carol; she always has great observations, and clearly provides the best overall survey of the leftward side of the blogosphere. I'm sure I'll find the time to rant about something next week, and I'll have some new tunes up in a day or so.

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1107097406090199572005-01-30T07:52:00.000-05:002005-01-30T10:03:26.090-05:00

Okay, maybe I'm channeling Rude Pundit here this morning, but whatever Hindrocket is smoking, I want some. I seldom read these hacks, but I got sucked into this one from the Daou Report's excerpt, and it confirmed my previous opinion that these guys are the worst of the worst. While it starts as a typically self-absorbed Hindrocket post advertising his Sunday school lesson (it's the Book of

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1106968324936446042005-01-28T21:44:00.000-05:002005-01-29T10:23:45.853-05:00

While arguing social politics with an avowed fundamentalist last week, I was once again reminded of the fact that biblical literalists are almost always completely oblivious to the fact that the Bible is a compelling voice against earthly social injustice. The themes of Jesus' ministry which echo in the voices of the civil rights movement, the womens' rights movement, the gay rights movement,

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1106795340969113632005-01-26T22:08:00.000-05:002005-01-26T22:09:00.970-05:00

(Nick Anderson cartoon via Josh Marshall and Ezra Klein)

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1106742404329168602005-01-26T07:26:00.000-05:002005-01-26T08:29:15.330-05:00

I know I've linked to the Moose several times this week, but he's got the muse. Yesterday, our resident ruminant warned of the impending divorce action between the religious right and the Bush administration. As The Washington Post reports, the Senate Republicans' top 10 legislative priorities do not include a constitutional ban on gay marriage. As result, some conservative religious groups are

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1106616947357916352005-01-24T20:35:00.000-05:002005-01-24T20:35:47.356-05:00

As the Moose notes, Bush's "pro-life" message could pass for progressive if it applied to the born as well as the unborn: "You know, we come from many backgrounds -- different backgrounds, but what unites us is our understanding that the essence of civilization is this: The strong have a duty to protect the weak. (Applause.) "I appreciate so very much your work toward building a culture of

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1106616926677534382005-01-24T20:33:00.000-05:002005-01-24T20:35:26.676-05:00

The Bull Moose says what I tried to say below, but does a much better job: As the Moose previously pointed out, the religious right provides the foot soldiers for the Republican Party while the money men get the goodies. While the President aggressively presses for tax cuts for the rich and social security privatization for the financial services industry, he retreats on a gay marriage

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1106542093387774062005-01-23T23:47:00.000-05:002005-01-23T23:48:13.386-05:00

Anticipating tomorrow's 2005 Right-to-Life March, Loyal Opposition makes some good points on the importance of framing the issue of abortion, and the conservatives' "vested interest" in keeping the issue alive. In 1995, Republicans were obviously delighted to draft a "partial birth" abortion bill that they knew Bill Clinton would veto, rather than attempt a "health of the mother" compromise that

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1106422555264522792005-01-22T14:35:00.000-05:002005-01-22T17:17:10.266-05:00

During Thursday's inaugural address, Mr. Bush informed the nation that "because we have acted in the great liberating tradition of this nation, tens of millions have achieved their freedom." Further, Mr. Bush asserted that, "[b]y our efforts, we have lit a fire as well – a fire in the minds of men." Unfortunately, the latter statement is most likely true. As The Guardian's James Meek reminds

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1106276549439996982005-01-20T22:01:00.000-05:002005-01-20T22:36:13.556-05:00

From The Guardian: "George Bush will be sworn in as president of the United States for a second term today in a lavish Washington ceremony, amid mounting international concern that his new administration will make the world a more dangerous place. A poll of 21 countries published yesterday - reflecting opinion in Africa, Latin America, North America, Asia and Europe - showed that a clear

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1106199254228543512005-01-20T00:34:00.000-05:002005-01-20T00:38:42.373-05:00

Avedon Carol spots CNN's best headline ever: Poll: Nation Split on Bush as Uniter or Divider. Surely some editor somewhere is having a good chuckle. Oliver Willis has a priceless clip from Fox News in which Vanity Fair's Judy Bachrach ambushes a clueless Fox newswoman with her opinion of the obscene $40 million inauguration the nation will be subjected to tomorrow. (You really should watch

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1106016874949984272005-01-17T21:54:00.000-05:002005-01-18T21:42:03.463-05:00

The Christian canon would have a lot more credibility with me if several of the Apostle Paul's epistles were replaced with Martin Luther King's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." Written partially on scraps of paper in his jail cell, this timeless essay was King's response to a published statement by eight Alabama clergymen which referred to King's civil disobedience movement as "unwise and

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1105973803083243322005-01-17T09:56:00.000-05:002005-01-18T10:51:52.960-05:00

Don't let anybody make you think God chose America as his divine messianic force to be a sort of policeman of the whole world. God has a way of standing before the nations with justice and it seems I can hear God saying to America, "You are too arrogant, and if you don't change your ways, I will rise up and break the backbone of your power, and I will place it in the hands of a nation that

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1105753809204844052005-01-14T20:49:00.000-05:002005-01-14T20:50:09.203-05:00

Bush is my shepherd; I dwell in want. He maketh logs to be cut down in national forests. He leadeth trucks into the still wilderness. He restoreth my fears. He leadeth me in the paths of international disgrace for his ego's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of pollution and war, I will find no exit, for thou art in office. Thy tax cuts for the rich and thy media control, they

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1105669394089025222005-01-13T21:21:00.000-05:002005-01-13T21:23:14.090-05:00

I was seriously considering making my next computer purchase a Mac, or "coming over from the dark side," as Mac users like to call a switch from Microsoft based systems. Now I'm not so sure that Apple isn't creating their own dark side in the area of digital music. For all you NIU's out there (Non-Ipod Units), the iPod isn't just hype. And, it's not just a nifty digital music player, it's a

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1105582647364405082005-01-12T21:16:00.000-05:002005-01-12T21:17:27.363-05:00

Avedon Carol (again) makes a good point when she notes that while everyone keeps talking about "the Armstrong Williams story," the real scoop should be "the administration propaganda and corruption story." Just as "Rathergate" kept the attention on CBS rather than on the undisputed truth of the Killian Memos, once again the left ends up with the important issues lost in translation. Currently

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1105551258142719622005-01-12T12:04:00.000-05:002005-01-12T12:34:18.143-05:00

As do most other bloggers, I often link with approval to posts on other sites, but I seldom publish a post dedicated solely to a wholesale endorsement of someone else's weblog. I'm going to have to make an exception for Avedon Carol. Since discovering her site through a post by Digby, I've linked to her site several times now, and there's a reason for that: She's good. Consistently good. And

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1105505500765606442005-01-11T23:37:00.000-05:002005-01-12T12:01:58.103-05:00

Earlier this week, I heard an NPR piece on Jared Diamond's new book, "Collapse," which details the collapse into ruin of several of earth's great societies. In the course of the interview, he was asked if the Mayans were aware of the fact that their shortsighted environmental policies were dooming them to extinction. His answer was to express his opinion that 70 years from now, historians will

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1105412644319116512005-01-10T21:12:00.000-05:002005-01-10T22:07:57.006-05:00

"Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." Revelation 1:3 It is no surprise that the Christian Right sees the Indonesian Tsunami as another sign of an increasingly imminent apocalypse; they've interpreted every natural disaster the same way for the better part of a century. But

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1105383337547298842005-01-10T13:55:00.000-05:002005-01-10T14:41:20.300-05:00

While President Bush's appointment of Claude Allen as Domestic Policy Advisor on January 5, 2005 seemed to go relatively unnoticed last week, I'm sure many North Carolina readers remember Allen as the former Jesse Helms' spokesman who, in 1984, accused then Governor Jim Hunt's senatorial campaign of having connections with "radical feminists" and "queers." Allen later explained that he was

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1105310514384852072005-01-09T17:17:00.000-05:002005-01-09T17:41:54.386-05:00

If you're still deliberating on your vote for Best Group Blog in The Koufax Awards, the above quote should be reason enough to give some consideration to First Draft. I no longer have time to check out all my favorite blogs on a daily basis, but I try to give this one a click at least several times a week. "The Shadow President" is typical of the great posts published every day by this geat

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1105291620875272022005-01-09T11:59:00.000-05:002005-01-09T23:41:07.866-05:00

I note from The Guardian's Newsblog that the first book penned by celebrated blogger Belle de Jour will be released in the UK on Thursday of next week. This event is of interest to me primarily because the erudite London call girl is apparently not, as has been rumored, Andrew Orlowski. After all, it was Andrew who graciously conferred upon me the honor of Grand Exalted Editorial Panjandram of

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1105115531839232232005-01-07T11:31:00.000-05:002005-01-07T11:32:11.840-05:00

Paul Krugman: "How did we find ourselves living in a bad novel? It was not ever thus. Hypocrites, cranks and scoundrels have always been with us, on both sides of the aisle. But 9/11 created an environment some liberals summarize with the acronym Iokiyar: it's O.K. if you're a Republican. The public became unwilling to believe bad things about those who claim to be defending the nation against

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1105067952612746972005-01-06T22:18:00.001-05:002005-01-06T22:19:12.613-05:00

The New York Times reports: Mr. Klein specifically cited the criticism that the comedian Jon Stewart leveled at "Crossfire" when he was a guest on the program during the presidential campaign. Mr. Stewart said that ranting partisan political shows on cable were "hurting America." Mr. Klein said last night, "I agree wholeheartedly with Jon Stewart's overall premise." He said he believed that

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1105067897344658542005-01-06T22:18:00.000-05:002005-01-06T22:18:17.343-05:00

(From Jesus' General via Rob Schumacher)

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1104803493041365602005-01-03T20:39:00.000-05:002005-01-03T20:51:33.040-05:00

So, with all the attention being paid to the generosity of private American citizens in the wake of the Indonesian Tsunami, where are the "moral values" voters of the religious right? Of course they're at the forefront of the relief effort, right? AmericaBlog surveys their websites: Pat Robertson: Nothing. Jerry Falwell: Nada. American Family Association: Zilch. Family Research Council

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1104802253532151322005-01-03T20:30:00.000-05:002005-01-03T20:30:53.533-05:00

I have absolutely no use for those bloggers who do nothing but blog about blogging. However, as a denizen of the Triad, I would be remiss not to mention that the Greensboro blogging community has recently garnered some national attention. And, though I generally tune out that portion of the blogosphere that continually engages in self-congratulatory discussions as to the world-changing

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1104802162846524712004-12-29T23:28:00.000-05:002005-01-03T20:29:22.846-05:00

Do we really need proof that "Christian Leader" George W. Bush is anything but? Is there any doubt that this man has absolutely no global awareness, no basic human compassion, and no real moral values? Not really, but if you need additional evidence look no further than his reaction to the Indonesian Tsumani crisis. Holed up in his Crawford Ranch on vacation, Bush can't be bothered to make

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1103470041252907492004-12-19T10:26:00.000-05:002004-12-19T10:27:21.253-05:00

Sidney Blumenthal, then a staff writer at The Washington Post, concluded in his 1986 book, The Rise of the Counter-Establishment: From Conservative Ideology to Political Power, that "conservatism requires liberalism for its meaning." For "without the enemy [of liberalism] to serve as nemesis and model, conservative politics would lack its organizing principle." -from What is Conservatism?, by

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1103469967667594352004-12-19T10:25:00.000-05:002004-12-19T10:26:07.666-05:00

Backwards City, (which is an excellent blog with a terrific name and concept), today gives us a link to a recent article from The Economist regarding not just Christian endtimes theology, but eschatology in general. Also linked is a post at MetaFilter and a handy Apocalypse Chart. After noting that, "[f]rom time to time, sophisticated Americans indulge the thrillingly terrifying thought that

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1102892824639057022004-12-12T17:17:00.000-05:002004-12-13T12:39:36.330-05:00

Anybody that's read more than two or three of my posts has heard me railing about fundamentalists, and if you've been unfortunate enough to read a couple of those particular rants, you've probably also heard me opine that the imminent occurence of the Rapture gives these nutjobs the crutch they need to support or enact policies which destroy, not only the next generation, but the planet. Well,

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1102879821116062382004-12-12T14:29:00.000-05:002004-12-12T14:30:21.116-05:00

Yes, I've previously written a post entitled "The "F" Word," and yes, it's subject was fundamentalism. And yes, the theme of that post will be repeated here. But that's actually the point. With all the attention that bloggers and pundits have paid to fundamentalism since the "moral values" election of 2004, you'd think the movement was something that has just appeared on the political and

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1102171222919357782004-12-04T09:39:00.000-05:002004-12-04T09:46:40.506-05:00

The Rude Pundit (reader discretion advised) gets it right when he reminds us that the "Christ" of today's "moral values" voters has nothing to do with the Biblical Jesus. In a series of posts entitled "Christ Weary," the Rude One gives us his typically correct-but-rhetorically-over-the-top take on conservative Christians, but today includes this important qualification: "Let's be clear here: "

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1101954485205902242004-12-01T21:27:00.000-05:002004-12-01T21:28:05.206-05:00

Or he would if he were here. This is truly incredible. Via The Gadflyer, (and others) we learn that liberal media giants CBS and NBC are censoring an ad by the United Church of Christ, not because of its Christian message, but because it conveys Jesus' message of tolerance, openness and inclusivity. What's wrong with that, you might ask? Why not air that message? Well, according to NBC,

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1101606498206239132004-11-27T20:48:00.000-05:002004-11-27T20:50:21.583-05:00

Okay, so I wasn't there, and I don't pretend to know the whole story behind the shooting by a US Marine of an unarmed wounded insurgent in a mosque in Iraq, but putting a photo of the killing on a T-Shirt? Here's a closer look, and if anyone can make out the small print immediately beneath the image, I'd love to know what it says. UPDATE: Rob Schumacher says the small print reads: "The God of

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1101515618037253332004-11-26T19:30:00.000-05:002004-11-26T19:35:09.570-05:00

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron." H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1101499389768448122004-11-26T14:59:00.000-05:002004-11-26T15:09:39.060-05:00

George W., acting consistently with his character, violates established protocol and tries to push past Bill Clinton at the dedication of the Clinton Presidential Library. What a sad little man he is. It won't work, George. You'll never be ahead of Bill Clinton, by any measure that matters. Read more here. (via onegoodmove)

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1101479043236670122004-11-26T08:55:00.000-05:002004-11-26T14:52:10.710-05:00

The post below got me in the mood for some more celtic stuff, so now playing is one of my favorite Waterboys songs, "Fisherman's Blues."

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1101477292539800242004-11-26T08:54:00.000-05:002004-11-26T08:54:52.540-05:00

"Fall from Grace with God," that is. Alive and (sort of) well after being given six weeks to live 25 years ago, Shane MacGowan rejoins the original lineup of The Pogues for some live shows in December, the reissue of all seven studio recordings and who knows what else. If you'd asked me in the 80's, I would have predicted that all we'd have at this point would be MacGowan's songs. Thankfully,

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1100987457290545842004-11-20T16:49:00.000-05:002004-11-20T16:50:57.290-05:00

Yeah, the country's polarized, and everybody's got their own favorite dichotomy: Red v. Blue, conservative v. liberal, faith-based v. reality-based, north v. south, urban v. rural, it goes on and on, ad nauseum. But, things are just a little more complicated than that, and regardless of your preferred characterization, they all pretty much fall apart under a little scrutiny. Take Georgia,

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1100470442195723172004-11-14T17:13:00.000-05:002004-11-14T17:14:02.196-05:00

Okay, Jerry, if you think Boobah and the Teletubbies are bad, watch this clip from "Rainbow." Apparently, this innuendo-laden episode actually aired and was seen by millions of children. Funniest thing I've seen in awhile, actually. It takes a minute or two to load, but it's well worth the wait. (Thanks to Tristero, who provided the link as his swansong. We'll miss you, dude.)

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1099843846525304952004-11-07T11:09:00.000-05:002004-11-07T13:15:12.003-05:00

"Every 10 years the US Census Bureau has a bit of harmless fun and calculates the demographic centre of America's shifting population. It is an imaginary spot on the map where America would balance perfectly if placed on a pivot. The spot is moving south and west by several miles a year: straight into the Republican heartland. With the re-election of President George W. Bush the political map

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1099676499489006912004-11-05T12:35:00.000-05:002004-11-05T12:41:39.490-05:00

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1085839460054814342004-05-29T10:03:00.000-04:002004-05-29T10:04:20.053-04:00

David Neiwert has the unique ability to consistently produce posts which weave together current events, the thoughts of other writers, and his own unique insights, in such a way that the end result resembles nothing so much as a Bach fugue in its structure and complexity. Note his theme and the attendant repetitions and variations in this post, which addresses the shameful but increasingly

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1084652641122938622004-05-15T16:23:00.000-04:002004-05-15T16:26:11.566-04:00

So it's been awhile. Okay, so it's been three months. I have a new daughter and things are well, different, to say the least. I'll be back to posting my usual blather in a week or so. In the meantime, check out the links and catch me at The Stinging Nettle, where my fellow blogger, DrFrankLives is also a new father.

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1076717947629151092004-02-13T19:19:00.000-05:002004-02-13T19:22:17.200-05:00

Puts things in perspective, doesn't it? (Thanks Ezra.)

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1076616791177683932004-02-12T15:13:00.000-05:002004-02-12T15:15:42.856-05:00

Clark to endorse Kerry. From the AP. With a Nedra Pickler byline, no less.

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1076616720966460502004-02-12T15:12:00.000-05:002004-02-12T15:14:32.670-05:00

Kos has the goods on Drudge's "Intern Scandal." Somehow I expected it to be something like this. Check it out, I'm too busy today to summarize.

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1076597195401094272004-02-12T09:46:00.000-05:002004-02-12T09:49:19.543-05:00

Atrios is once again your one-stop source for all things AWOL, and has no less that seven (count 'em) consecutive posts which address the issue. Hesiod parses Campenni, and Oliver Willis actually actually tracks him down. Ezra makes the case that it really doesn't matter, but his commenters disagree. Shoveldog doesn't know whether it matters or not, but is certainly amused.

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1076515085432347402004-02-11T10:58:00.000-05:002004-02-11T11:00:35.640-05:00

Via Atrios, today's Dallas Morning News quotes Retired National Guard Lt. Col. Bill Burkett, who stated earlier this week that in 1997, Joe Allbaugh, chief of staff for then Gov. George W. Bush, asked a National Guard chief to review Bush's file to make sure "there's not anything there that will embarrass the governor." Burkett then states that he saw portions of Bush's file "discarded" in a

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1076513071177660372004-02-11T10:24:00.000-05:002004-02-11T10:27:01.076-05:00

Slate's Fred Kaplan rather diplomatically points out that the best defense offered by conservatives against the charge that George W. Bush frequently lies is the argument that he's not lying, he's, well, stupid out of the loop. Reviewing his "interview" with Tim Russert, and noting Bush's ever expanding language regarding "pre-emptive warfare," Kaplan notes: "If no commentators have noted, or

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1076513012271947132004-02-11T10:23:00.000-05:002004-02-11T10:26:02.186-05:00

The wording of the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment is getting a lot of attention from the blogs this morning, and for good reason. Despite being promoted as a compromise position which would allow civil unions, this amendment prohibits far more than same sex marriage. The text in question reads: Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1076430162536196332004-02-10T11:22:00.000-05:002004-02-10T11:25:11.043-05:00

The Washington Post reports that the Department of Defense has requested George W. Bush's payroll records from an archive in Colorado in order to determine how to respond to numerous recent requests from news organizations to make such records public. During his interview with Tim Russert on Sunday, Bush agreed that he would make all records public in order to resolve the issue of whether he

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1076430073620238162004-02-10T11:21:00.000-05:002004-02-10T11:23:42.153-05:00

Kevin Drum's latched on like a pit bull to the Bush AWOL issue, and has some new insights. Atrios points out a blatant lie on the same topic in Bush's autobiography. It's taken four years, but finally, the issue is being discussed.

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1076161805301454392004-02-07T08:50:00.000-05:002004-02-07T08:52:29.920-05:00

Even with the considerable political fallout in Britain from the obvious whitewash of the Hutton Inquiry, George W. Bush has done Tony Blair one better with the appointment of Laurence Silberman to the panel investigating intelligence failures leading up to the events of September 11. As most observers know, Silberman has had a hand in some of the most egregious partisan maneuverings of the last

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1076119257110530582004-02-06T21:00:00.000-05:002004-02-06T21:03:20.950-05:00

Yes, I got it from Drudge. It's still funny

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1075700285857335942004-02-02T00:38:00.000-05:002004-02-02T00:52:44.310-05:00

That's me. Shoveldog. And of The Register, no less. Here, read all about it. Well, actually, maybe you'd better start here,with here being an article, by Andrew Orlowski of The Register, which most appropriately and most deliciously sends up the pretension and hyperbole of the weblog infatuated techno-gurus in the wake of Howard Dean's loss in Iowa. It's one of the few intelligent articles

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1075415027383490832004-01-29T17:23:00.000-05:002004-01-29T17:25:59.716-05:00

Tom Schaller, once again, proves his courage by posting objectively about the Dean Campaign on DailyKos. As the comments to his post show, he might as well have thrown a bloody steak to a school of piranhas. The intensity of the response, of course, is a good indication that he's likely correct in his theory of Howard Dean and "buyers remorse."Schaller actually mentions two theories with that

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1075214932437450322004-01-27T09:48:00.000-05:002004-01-27T17:39:08.436-05:00

Brian Linse notes that the Vh1 documentary filmed during the recording of "The Wind," Warren Zevon's benedictory album is soon to be available on DVD. As Brian points out, it contains extra footage not included in the television broadcast. Go buy it through the link on his post. The three of you who read this blog know that it takes its name from a phrase in "Disorder in the House,"

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1075190583179350592004-01-27T03:03:00.000-05:002004-01-27T03:05:31.110-05:00

Here's the Washington Post helping me beat my recent favorite dead horse: (Thanks to William Swann, of Centerfield for the heads-up) Ask any of President Bush's Washington strategists to size up the Democratic candidates campaigning for Tuesday's New Hampshire primary and they will say they are delighted at the prospect of running against a liberal tax-raiser who is soft on terrorism. They

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1075190524835731722004-01-27T03:02:00.000-05:002004-01-27T03:04:31.013-05:00

I know I've posted on this before, but I think it's important to note the amount of attention John Edwards is getting from the right wing these days. Scrolling down Andrew Sullivan's site to check up on the Atrios feud, I came across no less than three posts about Edwards, including this one, which features a letter from a conservative who's fed up with other (honest) conservatives say positive

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1075188373879381242004-01-27T02:26:00.000-05:002004-01-27T02:28:22.593-05:00

Jim Capozolla slams Andrew Sullivan not once, not twice, but thrice. And no, Andy it's not a personal attack; no, it's not because you're gay; and no he's not hiding behind a pseudonym, so just deal with it. And while I'm at it, damn, what a great writer is Jim Capozzola. I'm not the only person to notice, and if you agree, you should pop on over to Wampum where Jim's blog, The Rittenhouse

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1075151171229795182004-01-26T16:06:00.000-05:002004-01-26T16:08:19.623-05:00

I can't agree with the title of Atrios' post, but I can concede the fact that Scalia gets one right here. Even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and then.

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1075047587302471232004-01-25T11:19:00.000-05:002004-01-25T16:23:45.530-05:00

The New York Times gets it right. Justice Scalia's recent duck hunting trip with Dick Cheney is exactly the type of extra-judicial contact with a litigant that should disqualify a jurist. The standards for judicial recusal are necessarily objective, as actions which call into question the impartiality of our courts erode public trust. Because no one can determine the subjective mindset of a

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196325.post-1075011887031337742004-01-25T01:24:00.000-05:002004-01-25T01:27:52.546-05:00

Todd Morman's candidate didn't do well in the Iowa caucuses, and the candidate he said would be out of the race last November (John Edwards) did very well, so, well, . . . somebody must have cheated!! From CaucusFraud at Monkeytime: (No, Todd doesn't title his posts, but that's the name he gives it in the permalink.) "So I'm fine with a result that makes the Dem race more competitive. But

shoveldoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11270942648489454993noreply@blogger.com