Dennis Lucey And Patrick Ewing: Separated At Birth?
Well, they both sweat a lot, but Dennis doesn't quite have the same game.

More wedding pics here.

Marc

Convention-al Wisdom
Monday:
- It seems like the cornerstone of the Democrats' foreign policy message is: we're the party that's endorsed by France. Every speaker who mentioned foreign policy trotted out the old "unilateral" smear, and boo-hooed about the "allies" (France, Germany and Belgium) that we've offended. David Brooks raised a good point when he asked when one of these people was going to mention all those Muslim animals who are trying to kill us.

- Old Hillary was practically licking her chops talking about John Edwards. Man, oh man, is she going to tear that poor bastard a new one in 2008.

- How hilarious was it hearing Bill Clinton piling praise on Kerry's military service? By the way, I'll bet a bottle of Glenlivet that buffoon will be the next ambassador to the U.N. if Kerry manages to sneak his way into the White House.

Tuesday:
Well, the networks didn't give the convention any coverage last night, and by and large they didn't miss much.

- Well, they did miss Barack Obama's speech, which was the best of the convention so far. He was the first to really talk about winning the war on terrorism as opposed to wishing it away. He also decried black anti-intellectualism, saying that a black child should be able to open a book without being accused of "acting white".

- Evita Heinz Kerry was a big letdown. She started her speech by boasting of her legendary opinionation, but turned out to have the opinions of a Bethesda PTA mom.

- Deano was pretty sad. This is pretty much the end of the line for him, even if Kerry loses (which might not be such a bad thing, says the SEIU chief). It's Edwards vs. Hillary in 2008, with Dean as Bruce Babbitt if he decides to get in.

Wednesday:
Well, you can't keep the crazy aunt in the attic forever, I guess:

I suggest to you tonight that if George Bush had selected the court in '54, Clarence Thomas would have never got to law school.

Good ol' Al Sharpton. Here's another winning issue for Democrats:

You said the Republican Party was the party of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. It is true that Mr. Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, after which there was a commitment to give 40 acres and a mule.

That's where the argument, to this day, of reparations starts. We never got the 40 acres. We went all the way to Herbert Hoover, and we never got the 40 acres.

We didn't get the mule. So we decided we'd ride this donkey as far as it would take us.

You want to know why the Democrats lost Congress and are about to be out of the White House for four more years? Maybe because you're more likely to hear someone calling for reparations at a Democratic convention, than say, a pro-life Democrat, or an anti-gun control Democrat. Putting Al Sharpton on stage at the Democratic convention is like the Republicans putting Ann Coulter on stage. Sweet Jesus.

As for the main event, I wasn't terribly impressed by Edwards' speech. His tired old fable about the poor kids who can't afford a coat is the Democrats' answer to Reagan's "welfare queens". I live in a pretty poor neighborhood, but I've never seen kids walking around in rags like it's fucking Bangladesh or something.

I give Edwards some credit for at least trying to sound tough on the Islamists:

And we, John and I, we will have one clear unmistakable message for Al Qaida and these terrorists: You cannot run. You cannot hide. We will destroy you.

But I wasn't buying it. Still, Edwards' personal magnetism (he's like the hero in those sad romance novels that center around swell-husband fantasies) cannot be denied, especially when compared with the guy at the top of the ticket.

Speaking of which, Kerry's speech is being reported to last 55 minutes. If I don't post tomorrow, you can assume I strangled myself with my own intestines at about the 35-minute mark (right about at the 17th "So I say to you...").

Friday:
Well, I made it.

It's amazing that someone could make a 55-minute speech and leave something out of it, but Kerry found a way. I'm talking about that splendid little war in Mesopotamia, maybe you've heard something about it? How in God's name could Kerry give the most important speech of his life, the one that is supposed to explain why he should be president, and not put forth an Iraq policy?

I know what we have to do in Iraq. We need a president who has the credibility to bring our allies to our side and share the burden, reduce the cost to American taxpayers, reduce the risk to American soldiers. That's the right way to get the job done and bring our troops home.

"Because foreigners love me, I can harness the military might of France and Belgium, thus making this war less expensive". That's it? Are you shitting me? This is a "serious man for serious times?

A few sentences later, in the middle of a stretch of tough talk, Kerry reveals the core of his foreign policy:

I defended this country as a young man, and I will defend it as president. Let there be no mistake: I will never hesitate to use force when it is required. Any attack will be met with a swift and a certain response.

The key word is response - not preempting, or disrupting, or slaughtering terrorists - responding to them. This guy combines the foreign policy wisdom of Jimmy Carter with the charm of Richard Nixon (speaking of Nixon, did you notice Kerry sweating like a hog? I actually changed the channel to watch him sweat from different angles).

The other barf-bag moment in Kerry's speech was the disgusting appeal for stem cell research:

What if we find a breakthrough to cure Parkinson's, diabetes, Alzheimer's and AIDS?

What if we have a president who believes in science, so we can unleash the wonders of discovery like stem-cell research and treat illness for millions of lives?

Is he running for president or Messiah? What a desperate, desperate candidate to run on such a bogus issue. I thought that the Democrats couldn't stoop any lower after putting Ron Reagan on the other night, but I guess I was wrong.

The whole issue of research using embryonic stem cells (which is legal, just not subsidized by Uncle Sam) is an attempt to shore up unlimited abortion rights by tying them to a bunch of live-forever promises. And if this research actually led to a bunch of miracle cures, who would be selling them? That's right, Public Enemy #1 - the drug companies! Or, as Vice-Dreamboat John Edwards would say, "Big Pharma".

I'm starting to think that this election isn't going to be as close as it looks right now. Not that Bush is going to win 45 states or anything, but I'll think he'll have about a 2.5-3% margin of victory, with a comfortable electoral win. Kerry had his chance this week to tell us why he should be president, but he didn't seize it. The GOP's motto this fall will be "They didn't define themselves - we will". Start stamping those Hillary buttons.

I'm Marc Nelson, and I'm reporting for duty.

Steakbag On Rye
Following up on my first post extolling the virtues of rye whiskey, I can now recommend another brand of rye - Old Overholt.

First, the smell (or nose, as they say) is outstanding and very unique. Before I actually tasted the stuff, I spent about two minutes inhaling from the bottle. The smell is kind of like a rye bread-flavored cough drop. Trust me, it's better than it sounds.

Old Overholt has a more intense flavor than Pikesville, very spicy/herbal and drier than Pikesville. Jim Murray says:

Old Overholt has a creamy nose and flavor, with citrus notes. When the rye makes its mark, it is moist and sweet before going on to perfect the driest finish of its genre.

And again, rye is an amazing bargain. I got my 750ml bottle of Old Overholt for $11! So, drink up - and ask for rye at your favorite watering hole. If those Philistines can stock 18 different kinds of schnapps, they stock one more kind of whiskey.

Marc

Calling Ken Shepherd
Check out this subheadline in the Post:

Documentaries Still Turn Left

It's the one form of media that liberals continue to dominate.

Well that's good to know. I had mistakenly thought that the right-wing conspiracy still had a lot more forms of expression left to silence. Just one to go!

Marc

Librarians: America's 17th Line Of Defense
Looks like the library police were on to Sandy Berger (from Byron York at the National Review):

Third, it appears that Berger's "inadvertent" actions clearly aroused the suspicion of the professional staff at the Archives. Staff members there are said to have seen Berger concealing the papers; they became so concerned that they set up what was in effect a small sting operation to catch him. And sure enough, Berger took some more. Those witnesses went to their superiors, who ultimately went to the Justice Department.

So THAT'S why you have to go to grad school to be a librarian.

I am too revolted to try to make any kind of serious comment about the Berger affair, except to say this: Is there anyone out there who still misses the Clinton years?

Marc

ADDENDUM: Billy Jeff says, "Aw, shucks" to the spectacle of a former National Security Adviser stealing secret papers from the National Archives:

Former president Bill Clinton defends his embattled national security advisor as a man who "always got things right," even if his desk was a mess.

"We were all laughing about it," Clinton said about the investigation into Sandy Berger for taking classified terrorism documents from the National Archives. "People who don't know him might find it hard to believe. But ... all of us who've been in his office have always found him buried beneath papers."

I rest my case.

Still Life, With Beef Fat

Marc

Truly, King of Kings
Marc, Jerk, hero.



For more pictures from Nathan and Freda's wedding you can check my website in a coupla' days.

Draper

p.s. There will be pictures of food.

Bad Bounce
From a Washington Post poll, via Mickey Kaus:

The survey also found that Kerry's choice of Sen. John Edwards (N.C.) as his running mate did little to change the overall character of the race. Although the Edwards selection was greeted warmly by many voters, particularly Democrats, Kerry and Bush remain in a tight battle -- with each candidate claiming 46 percent of the hypothetical vote of registered voters. In June, the Massachusetts senator led Bush 48 percent to 44 percent.

Ah, but think of the bounce the Democrats will get after the convention - provided they dump Kerry, that is. Actually, Kerry will get the Torricelli treatment much later, probably after the Republican convention.

Edwards/Dean '04. Believe it.

Marc

What If You Had A Chance To Kill Hitler?
That's what some people are asking themselves about George Bush. Here's a taste:

I vote to first toture and then painfully kill the piece of **** called Bush!

BUSH IS A WAR-CRIMINAL. do you know what they did to such criminals at nuremburg? they faced a firing sqaud so that they couldnt reproduce or harm anyone again, although i cringe at the thought that Bush would receive a death sentence above his level of dignity. I think he should be hanged by the neck until he's dead, the way they kill dogs for consumption in Korea.

Dubya Bush you are the real follower of Hitler, Stalin and not better than Hussein.
I hope you will realize when the day comes and God put's you into hell.

Insanity seems to be catching. You might want to remember this post from Howard Veit:

WHEN WILL PRESIDENT BUSH BE ASSASSINATED?

Marc

A Million Here, A Million There
If you think we know how to waste taxpayer money in the Free State, take a look at James Lileks' feature on Minneapolis' new light rail system:

the operating budget requires an $11K subsidy per passenger per year

Be sure to check out the hilarious public "art" decorating the light rail stations.

Marc

Barbarians Inside The Gates

Children and barbarians have clear ideas of justice due to them, but no idea at all of justice due from them.

-Murray Leinster, Med Ship

How long until our society ceases to function, brought down like the Roman Empire by barbarians within? These little monsters even have some of the the same names: Diarmaid and Brianna, Liam and Caitlin.

I ask this question after working three Summer Reading Program events in the past week: When did people stop beating their children... and why?

Oh, the beatings I took when I was a kid - belts, hairbrushs, shoes, the switch - and I was a good kid! Now I don't quote the Bible very often, but this is some good stuff:

The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

- Proverbs 29:15

Man, they don't call them proverbs for nothing:

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction will drive it far from him.

- Proverbs 22:15

That last one really cuts to the heart of the problem with these kids. Their parents think that they can be reasoned with - that if you ask Cody nicely to stop screaming he will listen. Kids respond to one thing - fear. And a few beatings are just the thing to put the fear in him.

Be sure to tune in for my upcoming posts "Things Cost More Than They Used To" and "You Call That Music?"

Marc

Playing through pain ( A hero is born)
So I got a phone call the other day from one of the jerks. First thing said is, 'I fractured my wrist.' At first, I thought how like this particluar jerk, to go and hurt himself playing a pickup basketball game among, horrible (at best) basketball chumps. Then, it set in, I kind of took hold of the information, he broke his wrist and kept playing. He made a beautifal arcing three point shot at the end of the day with his guide wrist broken. And then it hit me, we have a new hero, a player with pain. A man who stepped above and beyond the physical, to achieve something. What that something is, I'm not sure, hell we weren't even keeping score. But, this still matters, people were dropping like flies, at the end of the playing there were only five bodies left standing, all three Jerks, thank you very much, Nathan (the batchelor, soon to be no longer) and John Bearr (the only player with skillz, this past Saturday). So who is this jerk, this newfound hero to all lazy occaisionally active weekend warriors. Well it was...that's right, Tbor

So here is a tribute to Tbor and all those other players, of all the sports, who have played through pain.

The first on my list is much like Tbor, a guy who if looking at him you wouldn't think much of, a guy who weighs maybe 130lbs soaking wet, yes a cyclist. Don't ever tell me these guys are wimps, this one broke his collarbone on stage one of the TdF last year, fought through the pain, rode some two thousand miles with a snapped bone and even won a stage, and finished fourth overall. Tyler Hamilton. That's right, he rides a bike, and could help to create a little bit of history this year, two Americans on the podium of the Tour, which, by the way, starts on Saturday.



















And we all remember Kellen Winslow Sr., not the whiny bitch of a son of his. But the old Charger, the good old Chargers, with Mountain Man Dan Fouts, the Kellen Winslow who played so hard and so long that he had to be helped off the field by his teamates.

And we all know what kind of shape Butkus' knees were in by the end of his career, yet, he still was one scary bitch.


So here is to to Tony and all the others out there, who, yes, play through the pain.


My only fear is the Tony won't be able to two-fist the beer like before. I mean, look at all those great atheletes in history, once that fatal injury occurs, they're never quite the same again. Could this spell the end of the group alcoholism, a newfound sobriety, no, I hope not. Remember, play through the pain.

Draper

Wardrobe By Botany 5000
Where in the hell did Saddam get that jacket? Shouldn't this swine be in an orange jumpsuit? I don't like it.

Marc

You Can't Say That On Television
The Federal Election Commission is considering banning ads for Fahrenheit 9/11 after July 30th:

In a draft advisory opinion placed on the FEC's agenda for today's meeting, the agency's general counsel states that political documentary filmmakers may not air television or radio ads referring to federal candidates within 30 days of a primary election or 60 days of a general election.

The opinion is generated under the new McCain-Feingold campaign-finance law, which prohibits corporate-funded ads that identify a federal candidate before a primary or general election.

This is so insane, I am actually hoping they do it. If anyone thought there was a reason for McCain-Feingold besides restricting political speech for the purpose of protecting incumbents (of both parties), maybe this disgusting episode will make them see the light.

At least one FEC commissioner (Bush appointee Michael Toner) thinks the ban would be a bad idea:

I think there's evidence that when Congress created the press exemption they intended for it to cover media in all its forms," said Toner. "If a documentary produced by an independent company would be subject to restriction or, equally important, if efforts to promote the documentary would be subject to restriction, I think that is very problematic.

Marc

Old Hickory On Sprawl
From P.J. O'Rourke's All the Trouble in the World:

What good man would prefer a country covered with forests and ranged by a few thousand savages to our extensive Republic, studded with cities, towns, and prosperous farms, embellished with all the improvements which art can devise or industry execute?

Marc