6000th Post & John Roberts on Recess-Appointments

Here is my little contribution to Hugh Hewitt's and Radio Blogger's attempt to pound through the documents put out by the Reagan Library.

Box 31-JGR/Legal Services Corporation (4)

The first items are memos to Ted Olson, then Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Counsel, regarding concerns about the Justice Department appropriations bill. Specifically President Reagan "expressed reservations concerning the provision [the "Weicker Amendment"] freezing the level of grants from the Legal Services Corporation in the absence of action taken by directors confirmed by the Senate." Recess-appointed directors would have reduced authority.

This is a question of whether Congress can restrict Presidential power by controling the purse. Roberts thinks not. In a memo to his boss Fred Fielding dated 01.09.1984 he writes,

As guardians of the legal prerogatives of the Presidency, we should resist any Congressional effort to demean the recess appointment power by distinguishing between the powers of the confirm and recess-appointed nominees. Olson views the difficulty as arising from the fact that Congress in this instance exercised its authority in an appropriations bill, but Congress cannot accomplish through the budgetary process that which it is constitutionally prohibited from doing directly. Congress can decide not to fund LSC, and thereby deprive our recess-appointed directors of authority, but if LSC is funded at all, Congress cannot condition decisions with respect to those funds on whether the directors are confirmed or recess-appointed.

Next there are pages and pages of xeroxed legal opinion dealing with recess appointments (written by Lawrence Walsh of all people). Along with that I found extracts of the law at issue.

Also contained in this box was a letter from the president of the Colorado Bar Association asking the President for more money for LSC. Roberts issued a brief reply.

Roberts could be asked some questions on his view of Congressional power over the executive branch. That could lead into questioning about Presidential war powers. Nothing in these files seem like ammunition for the Democrats.

It's not as exciting as knowing this is the 6000th post on TAM. Well, sort of. Before Movable Type, and before Blogger, I hand-coded TAM with a plain-old text editor and FTP'd to Angelfire. I did that for over a year so, technically, there are 6000+ posts in the "vast" TAM library. One thing I've learned is I've written over 6000 posts and TAM is almost six years old. So I've averaged about 1000 posts per year. That's just under three posts a day, everyday, for six years. When I look at it that way I wonder if I've written that much. Three posts a day doesn't seem like much, but I know there have been times I've spent a hours working on only a few hundred words. I hope I've offered quality over quantity. Thanks for reading.

August 21, 2005

Mission Accomplished

The Webloggers League is filled. I don't know everyone in the league, but I will soon. This should be a fun year even if I mess up my strategy immediately in the draft like last year. And remember, blogospheric bragging rights are one the line. By the way, who won last year? King, James, Steven, or Kevin (who unfortunately isn't with us this season)? I don't recall any big celebrations.

UPDATE: After a tiny bit of hunting I found Kevin won last season. That's kind of sad that the commish--me--can't remember the recent history of his own league.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Sports at 02:32 PM | Comments (3)

The Ladies Love Sean

But just not the one pumping out posts on a daily basis here at TAM. Oh well. So we learn from the Huffington Post that Jessica Alba has a crush on Sean Connery. This is surprising to Arianna? What woman doesn't have a crush on 007? (And ladies, if you say you don't, you're lying! It's universal and probably genetic. Just like a woman's love for McDonald's french fries.) It's that combination of grey hair, weathered face, seriousness, and--yes--that accent. It certainly doesn't hurt to still be in great shape and have a history of looking really good in a tux.

"Jessica Alba has a Crush on Sean Connery!"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Miscellaneous at 04:23 AM | Comments (5)

Why Ask Why?

Tonya asks, "Why do we talk about men and sex so much, by the way?" Thousands of pages could be written answering that question. And after all those keys were clicked, trees killed, and pages printed we still wouldn't know the answer.

[via Ann Althouse]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Miscellaneous at 01:30 AM | Comments (0)

Still Looking for Owners

Two spots are left in the coveted Webloggers Fantasy Football League. So close to being full. I know you really, really want in to compete with some of the smartest people in the blogosphere. It's free and the draft is tomorrow night at 7:30 pm. If interested leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Sports at 12:47 AM | Comments (0)

August 20, 2005

Morse's Odd Pro-Life Argument

The problem with Jennifer Roback Morse's arguement is she tries to make reproductive freedom a postive liberty. She writes,

The various euphemisms such as “reproductive self-determination,” and “reproductive justice,” vastly overstate what government can provide. The government cannot assure anyone that they will achieve their reproductive goals.

This is an odd way looking at the abortion issue. Since I've been politically conscious I've never seen it conveyed as dealing with reproductive goals. I think Morse is overthinking. Simply put (for a complicated, emotionaly-heated issue), abortion comes down to autonomy. Those supporting abortion rights either believe the human embryo has no rights or the woman's rights trump the embryo's. Pro-lifers believe the embryo is a human being with rights the same as any other living human. The debate is about coersion and who (or what) is being coerced. She knows there are far-reaching societal effects from the abortion question, but such passion on both sides would come from such a convoluted demand about assuring reproductive goals.

In her essay Morse also laments this feminist demand:

We now believe that we are entitled to have sex without having a live baby result.

I'm as pro-life as you can get and I have little trouble with that demand. (I always have some problems when someone claims they're "entitled" to anything, but this is Morse's word choice not feminists'.) Sex is a pleasurable activity. We have a right to seek pleasure. In and of itself, that's not a bad thing. Better, safer sex isn't necessarily a bad thing either so long as other's rights aren't violated. Thus birth control per se isn't bad. It become immoral when the method harms the unborn. Obviously I don't take the Catholic Church's stance that unnatural methods preventing pregnancy are sinful. Condoms, diaphrams, sterilization, and other birth control methods are fine with me. I draw the line at methods that prevent a fertilized egg from attatching to the uterus wall. I also oppose "morning after" drugs that are really chemical abortions.

"The Illusions of Reproductive Freedom: Part I" [via Instapundit]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Culture of Death at 11:21 PM | Comments (29)

Warship Attacks Weren't Much

Jay Tea does a little research and some logical thinking to conclude the al Qaeda attacks on U.S. ships in Jordan were "all sizzle, no steak."

"O, How the Mighty Have Fallen"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Terrorism at 10:26 PM | Comments (0)

Return of Crypto

Cryptosporidium has hit a waterpark in New York State:

Gastrointestinal illness possibly stemming from a state-run water playground has sickened more than 700 people, mostly children and teenagers, the state Health Department said Thursday.

"The numbers are growing significantly," said department spokesman Rob Kenny.

Seneca Lake Park's Sprayground, which has water jets shooting up from a hardtop surface, was closed after tests showed the tank system that feeds the water jets was contaminated with a common waterborne disease called cryptosporidiosis.

The disease is highly contagious and can cause diarrhea, nausea and fever that can last for weeks. It usually goes away without treatment in healthy individuals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 1993 an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in Milwaukee got 403,000 people sick and killed over 100. The event became a source of academic research. It also was the largest outbreak of its kind "ever recorded in the developed world." Two years after the outbreak AIDS patients were still infected. The funny thing--and not in a good way--was then-Mayor John Norquist didn't fire anyone. No one was held accountable.

At least The Onion found a way to make us smile while making a little money.

"Water Park Closes After Hundreds Fall Ill" [via Boots & Sabers]

"10 Years Ago, Crypto Gripped the City"

UPDATE: CNN reports, "Nearly 1,800 people from 20 New York counties have reported symptoms of a gastrointestinal illness."

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 07:49 PM | Comments (0)

Down to the Wire

Four more people are needed for the Webloggers Fantasy Football League. If four more people don't sign up there is no draft and I'll have to set up another draft time. I've also just learned from digging through the NFL.com help pages that I can't set the league to public to let any old Joe Shmoe in. (That doesn't please me.) So if you know anyone who wants to play free fantasy football send me an e-mail so I can quickly shoot off an invitation. The live draft is scheduled for Monday at 7:30 pm CT. If you can't make the live draft you can still play. All you have to do is rank players before the draft. Take it from me, watching football is much more exciting/gut-wrenching when you something to cheer for in just about every game.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Sports at 03:02 PM | Comments (0)

Great Deal at Amazon

I found something to let all your tensions melt away. And it's a whopping 96% off!

[This absolutely isn't safe for work. But it's the weekend. I'm sure nobody will be watching.]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Miscellaneous at 02:30 AM | Comments (7)

August 19, 2005

Good Advice

Stephen Karlson is getting into his teaching mode:

With the new semester starting, it is time to review some fundamentals of policy making and argumentation. The extremists of any stripe (and I apologize for the excessive abstraction of "Left" and "Right;" nativists are not necessarily royalists or capitalists, and pacifists and war resisters not necessarily republicans or socialists) do not affect public policy unless they are able to move the marginal decision maker. And that marginal decision maker is somewhere in the middle. Why? Review the median voter theorem and the principle of minimum differentiation. (The closing paragraph of Harold Hotelling's "Stability in Competition" notes that Democrats and Republicans, or Methodists and Episcopalians, are quite similar.)

So, should prospective students be reading these pages, kindly be advised that discredit-by-appeal-to- argmin[Michael Moore, Rush Limbaugh] will not fly. Evaluate immigration policy, or war, or gasoline prices on the merits, and be particularly sensitive to those arguments attempted to move the median rather than to shore up the base.

Webloggers (myself included) as well as students should heed this advice.

"The Company You Keep?"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 04:13 PM | Comments (1)

My Innocence is Lost

When I saw The Cookie Sutra in my bookstore last week I said, "Wrong, wrong, wrong!" Wholesome Gingerbread Man turned into a sex fiend. I'll never be able to eat one again. And I certainly won't be baking these. Next thing I'll learn is Twinkie the Kid is gay--not that there's anything wrong with it.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Books at 03:21 PM | Comments (0)

$253 Million in Vioxx Trial

Texas jurors just socked Merck with at $253.4 million in the first Vioxx case. I've only glanced at the story since Vioxx was pulled off the market last year. As an inquisitive layman I want to know if Vioxx really was that dangerous. A study found the drug "could double risk of heart attack or stroke if taken for 18 months or longer." But what does that mean? Does that mean my risk of a heart attack went up from 0.001% to 0.002%? If the risk was small to begin with a doubling of it doesn't do much. And that increased risk might be acceptable if the drug was doing such a good job relieving pain. Many lawsuits end up being a lot of Monday-morning quarterbacking. Much like the revived blame game about Sep. 11.

"Jury Awards Widow $253.4M in Vioxx Trial"

UPDATE: Dave Taylor comments:

Merck, of course, is going to appeal, but the writing's on the wall, and the implication for big pharma overall is clear: you can't risk developing new drugs at all, ultimately, because even with the best disclosure mechanisms and the best communications strategy, you can find that the little speed-bump in the testing phase comes back as a 500-foot monster and, like this Vioxx settlement, might just crush your firm.

"Merck's Vioxx Liability: The Death of Big Pharma?"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Law at 02:52 PM | Comments (2)

Fantasy Franchises Still Available

The Webloggers League fantasy football draft is Monday August 22, at 7:30 pm CT. Five spots are still open. It's free, on NFL.com, and it should be fun. Who wants in to challenge the smartest fantasy football owners in the blogosphere? Having a weblog is no requirement. If you want to play a little fantasy football, you're more than welcome. Send me an e-mail or leave a comment, and I'll send you an invite.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Sports at 01:09 AM | Comments (0)

Uranium Dealers Caught in Turkey

Thank goodness Turkish police caught these guys:

Turkish security forces have seized one third of a pound of medium-grade uranium in Istanbul.

The uranium was captured from two men arrested in Istanbul and it amounted to 173 grams or 6.102 ounces. Authorities fear the dangerous substance smuggled from Russia could have landed in the hands of terrorists, Turkey's Anatolia news agency said.

Two people who were planning to sell the substance in a glass bottle for $7 million were detained. The detainees said that they had smuggled the substance from Russia, the news agency and Mos News in Moscow reported.

I have no idea how much uranium is needed to make a simple nuke or if there was enough of the proper isotope in the goons' glass bottle (what about radiation poisoning?), but this could have been used to make a dirty nuke creating a lot of fear.

"Russian Uranium Seized in Turkey" [via In the Bullpen]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Terrorism at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)

August 18, 2005

Carnival of the Badger

Nicholas Schweitzer has put together the first-ever Wisconsin weblogger linkfest. Dumb name (no more "carnival" linkfests please; need something original) but great idea. Find some new weblogs and see what some very smart Badger Staters are thinking.

"Carnival of the Badger Edition 1"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 04:32 PM | Comments (4)

We're Probably as Bad as the Kossites

The Badger Blog Alliance is MKE's blog of the week with "more than half the votes." Thank you, thank you, thank you. No prizes and definitely no $50,000/year contracts. Still it feels good.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 04:22 PM | Comments (0)

August 17, 2005

Cut & Run Russ

Sen. Russ Feingold wants U.S. troops out of Iraq by the end of 2006. Wishful, anti-war thinking, yes. But completely ignorant of the real world and history. Most U.S. troops will leave when President Bush and the Iraqi government think Iraq can defend itself. I'm sure Bush would like nothing more than to pull out thousands of troops, get them rested and restocked, and ready as a nice hefty stick to threaten Iran and/or North Korea. As for history, we invaded Germany and Japan 60 years ago. Guess what? We're still there. I'd hope there'd be American bases in Iraq for years to come. Liberty and representative government in the Middle East will be a long-term process. A permanent American presence would facilitate that.

Feingold really wants to run for President and has given himself plenty of room to wiggle out of his headline grabber:

While Feingold is proposing a deadline for American troop withdrawal, he says it can be a flexible deadline.

"It's a target date," he said. "If we believe we need a little more time we may have to continue [in Iraq].

Feingold outline three possibilities:

"One, we achieve our goals in the timeframe and we are able to bring our troops home. "Two, we make progress but not quite as fast as hoped and we might need flexibility. Or three, things might get much worse and we might decide that we simply can't achieve our goals. But at least a time frame measures how we are doing."

So Feingold wants a deadline to kiss up to the MoveOn.org Bush-bashing anti-war activists while trying to remain realistic. It's a deadline but not really.

"Feingold Seeks Troop Withdrawal"

"Feingold Proposing Target 'End Date' for Withdrawal"

"Feingold goes Deaniac"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in War at 11:17 PM | Comments (14)

Vote for the BBA

Today is your last chance to make the Badger Blog Alliance MKE's Blog of the Week. So stop reading TAM and vote, vote, vote!

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 06:49 PM | Comments (0)

Xbox 360 Prices

So Microsoft will sell two versions of the Xbox 360. For me the only difference I see is the $399 one will have a 20 GB hard drive while the $299 won't. But how many Xbox games were using the hard drive in the original machine? How many games will need one in the 360? I thought the point of the hard drive was so you didn't need to shell out a bunch of cash for those memory cards.

Probably in reaction to Microsoft's announcement Amazon is lists the PlayStation3 for $299. That's a price I could live with. Now, will Sony be able to make enough of them so they don't have a shortage like they did with the PS2?

"Official: Xbox 360 Prices are $299 and $399" [via Engadget]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Tech at 06:14 PM | Comments (3)

Pod People

Since I'm still on vacation I'm not beholden to writing about the news of the day. It's August and other than Air America owing money to everyone there isn't anything going on (the distraught mother in Crawford, TX doesn't count). This brief post is on podcasting. For those who haven't been following this young phenonenon Glenn Reynolds spells out its potential:

Interestingly, he [GarageBand's CEO, Ali Partovi] thinks that DJs will be harder to bypass than radio stations: "DJs play an important role. Consumers want new music, but most don't want to take the trouble to listen to it on their own. They want someone else to do the filtering, and the human touch is key." What's more, it's a better promotional tool than radio in some ways. If you hear a song you like on the radio, you have to figure out what the song is and who does it, then go find out about the artist. With podcasting it's different: "Once you discover an artist you like via a podcast, the technology makes it easy to find out more about the artist. You can find a band via a DJ's podcast, follow a link to subscribe to the band's podcast, and then the band doesn't need a middleman to get in touch with you. You'll know when they have something new."

That's not only important for the little guy, but for established artists like Paul McCartney who are no longer darlings of the radio, he notes. They need a way to reach their fans that doesn't depend on the radio business, and the Internet provides one. (Partovi didn't mention it, but I wonder if this isn't an answer to the unfolding payola scandals involving commercial radio, too.)

I've been toying with putting out a music podcast. Searching for cheap bandwidth and simple tools are part of my barriers to entry. The fact that I couldn't play any song I wanted to is another problem. Podcasters can't get "blanket licenses" like over-the-air radio stations. Reynolds thinks Big Radio (and probably Big Music) will use their political muscle to keep it that way and try to stifle the new-tech competition. But like with any barrier the internet finds a way to get around it. There is now something called "podsafe" music where the artist gives permission to podcasters to play their music. There is even the Podsafe Music Network that's a clearing house for artists and podcasters.

With that I'll give you my list of must-listen-to podcasts:

• Rip & Read Blogger Podcast--Charlie Quidnunc has a unique, down-to-earth voice as he points out what the political blogosphere is talking about.

• Tim Riley's City Desk--Witty yet informative. This podcast harkens back to old-time radio. Only after you're entertained do you realize Riley shoved a bunch of news into your ear.

• The Starkcast--Beware, this contains some of the filthiest stuff ever to enter your ears, but it's so damn funny. JimK yammers about politics and pop culture. This is a politically incorrect zone.

• 5 Minutes with Wichita--Wichita Rutherford has the funniest voice in the podosphere. I don't care who he interviews as long as he says, "precious." And it's only five minutes so you feel like you wasted any time listening.

• Dave's Lounge--Downtempo and trip-hop to chill things out.

• ACIDplanet Electronica Podcast--Lots of variety each week. It makes you appreciate how far bedroom production has come.

• The Tartan Podcast--It features Scotish bands, but this is the best music podcast around. Mark Hunter plays songs loaded with melody, harmony, rock crunch, and all the stuff that makes good pop rock so infectious.
  

"Podcasting and the New Media"

[Added to OTB's Beltway Traffic Jam.]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 05:41 PM | Comments (5)

August 16, 2005

Re-Hashing Mary Cheney

There's enough interest in Mary Cheney that I'll link to some of my posts on the subject:

• "Post-Debate III Spin"
  
• "How Christian Conservatives Think"
  
• "Oliver's Smear"
  
• "Elizabeth Edwards Makes Things Worse"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Politics at 10:33 PM | Comments (1)

Vacation Day in the Windy City

Today, I'm in Chicago. Primary mission is to visit the Art Institute and get some culture in me. A secondary mission is to check out Millenium Park and mock the Frank Gehry pavillion. (Acutally for a Gehry it doesn't look that bad.) Already I sense trouble. My 125 MB flash memory decided not to be recognized by my camera and computer. Does flash memory sometimes just give out? That means I'm limited to about 20 pictures--not that I'd force you to see them all.

Catch you tonight.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Miscellaneous at 07:01 AM | Comments (2)

Dumb Name

In a few hours Lazer 103 will die and 1029 The Hog will be born. The format will probably be a wider breadth of rock instead with less emphasis on the lame excuses for rock acts like Staind and [fill-in-the-blank] faux punk. It will probably be similar to 97.3 The Brew. The change is good even though I don't listen to music on the radio anymore, but, my god, can they possibly think up worse names? "The Hog?" "The Brew?" Next, we'll have to endure "The Brat" or "The Cheese."

"Lazer 103 to Change Music Format"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 12:28 AM | Comments (4)

Brutal Fruit Bonked

Brutal Fruit died before it was born:

Miller's drink, Brutal Fruit, didn't pan out with consumers when it was tested this spring and summer in three cities: Richmond, Va., Tampa, Fla., and Seattle, said Miller spokesman Peter Marino.

Instead of pursuing an alternative beverage launch, Milwaukee-based Miller plans to continue focusing on its core brands, including Miller Lite, Marino said.

Brutal Fruit bills itself as fruit juice with 5% alcohol by volume, a level similar to beer. It comes in four flavors: strawberry, mango, litchi and kiwi.

The drink was launched in 2002 in South Africa by SABMiller Plc, Miller's corporate parent. Brutal Fruit has enjoyed strong sales in South Africa, and its main consumers are women between 24 and 35.

Brutal Fruit and other flavored malt beverages are aimed at consumers in their 20s who grew up drinking juice and soda and aren't wild about the taste of beer.

This is a company that recently abandoned such "malternatives" as Skyy Blue and Jack Daniel's Original Hard Cola. I thought the product's name was bad enough. I guess test marketing showed there was more distaste than just the name.

"Miller Abandons Niche Drink"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 12:17 AM | Comments (1)

Are You Ready for Some Fantasy Football?

It's less than one week until The Webloggers League live draft 08.22 at 7:30 pm CT at NFL.com. Seven spots are left. I'm now opening it up beyond past owners. Preference will go to those with a regularly-updated weblog (good reason to start one if you haven't already) and who can suck up to the commissioner (i.e. me!). Just leave a comment or e-mail me.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Sports at 12:00 AM | Comments (2)

August 15, 2005

If You Were on Vacation...

For those of you who need a catch-up on Able Danger and its importance Jack Kelly is your man.

"Able Danger -- Now They Tell Us"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Terrorism at 11:36 PM | Comments (0)

Devin Prediction

With Milwaukee getting its first local liberal talk radio yapper since...hmm...well.... Was Jay Marvin [and here] a liberal or just nuts? From what I remember his approach seemed to involve being a buffoon. Nicole Devin will be the newest edition to the local airwaves. I give her a year. By then the MSM glow will have worn off and WISN will notice they can get better ratings with Bill Bennett's syndicated morning radio show. Clear Channel will eat up the contract and Devin will go to another market or even national if Air America survives. That's assuming Devin has any talent. (Yes, liberals can and do have talent, or else I wouldn't have any music or comedy to be entertained with.) I didn't listen to her at all during the contest so I don't know if she's a whiny, I'm-a-victim, capitalism-is-evil Lefty or one like The New Republic's Peter Beinart (but with a personality). Taking on Wisconsin's conservative blogosphere wouldn't hurt. *wink* *wink*

"The Blogosphere Manufactures a Liberal Talk Radio Host in Milwaukee"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 04:06 PM | Comments (3)

A Liberal Talkstar is Born

Kossites and Lefties across the nation are preening over getting a liberal on conservative Milwaukee talk radio. Charlie Sykes was talking about it this morning. I know he was eating up the fact that his talk radio competition looks like fools for turning talent selection over to anyone with internet access. But Charlie "Mr. Mock Zero Tolerance" Sykes seems to think that if there's nothing in the rules it's ok. Lefties didn't violate any laws in voting for Nicole Devin, but they did break the spirit of the contest. I'm pretty sure if you ask WISN programming director Jerry Bott if he wanted the opinion of a weblogger in Seattle or Miami, he'd say, "no." But that's what happened. The point was to have open auditions (I entered the lottery but didn't try out) and local listeners pick the winner. No lawyer was needed to pour through the voting rules to understand that spirit. This wasn't "fraud" in the same sense as what happened in Milwaukee last November. But some Lefities feel that talk radio is so important they need to have a voice of their own. They can either take loans from non-profit groups or organize a national campaign for a show most will never listen to.

Yes, much of the blame can be put on him for not thinking of the possibility of an organized national campaign. Tech measures could have been installed to limit this.

I'm not whining about who won. I didn't listen to any of the contestants and didn't vote. I have no horse in this race. Maybe Nicole Devin is interesting even though she's a liberal--not that there's anything wrong with that. Hell, some of my best friends are liberal. Something interesting on morning radio would be nice. WTMJ is informative but bland. Lazer 103 is funny but has little substance. Maybe Ms. Devin can find an entertaining, informative combination.

P.S. Charlie, I can listen to you and call in while on vacation. They're not mutually exclusive. I did sleep in if you want proof I'm taking it easy.

"A Vast Left Wing Conspiracy?"

"Fraud in the Milwaukee Talkstar Competition"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 11:16 AM | Comments (19)

August 14, 2005

Great Moments...

Great moments in (alternative) weblog history. Sounds like inspiration for a Harry Turtledove novel.

[via Instapundit]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 11:52 PM | Comments (0)

Zero Stars and Thumbs Down

You know it's a truly awful, wretched movie when Roger Ebert spends more time ripping on the whining lead actor than on the movie itself. [via RWN]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Culture at 11:21 PM | Comments (1)

Vacation Time

You read that right. I'm taking some much-needed time off from work. I've been at the bookstore so long I have three weeks of vacation a ear, and I'm taking all of it. I feel like a Frenchman. No overnight trips are planned. With my time off coming up I thought about going someplace, but I realized I did a whole lot of traveling this year: Washington, D.C. for CPAC; Phoenix, AZ for my annual Spring Training baseball pilgrimage; and Nashville, TV for BlogNashville. That's more flying than I've ever done in a year. So my nine days off (returning on 08.23) will be relaxing around the house, possibly going to Chicago, visiting some local parks, reading, and some weblogging. Events will take place and inspiration will hit me to write. So I may be on vacation but TAM will still be humming.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Miscellaneous at 03:59 PM | Comments (1)

August 12, 2005

"Right" To Nukes

A South Korean official has said it's ok for kooky North Korea to have some nuclear plants. "Building the light-water reactor is North Korea's due right," said Chung Dong-Young. How representative this is of South Korea's position I don't know. Having the north aim an enormous amount of ordinance on your capital does make you view things in a particular way. Why Chung is more trusting of a rogue state that has lied and cheated about its nuclear weapons program for years I don't know.

"South Korea Now Says North Has Right to Civilian Nuke Program"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Foreign Affairs at 02:39 PM | Comments (3)

August 11, 2005

Head Scratcher

Bill Christofferson is happy the Journal Sentinel editorial board still doesn't support voter photo ID. Fine, that's not the interesting part of his post. It's he calls the Journal Sentinel his "favorite Milwaukee daily newspaper." Huh? It's the only Milwaukee daily newspaper. Am I missing something? Where's that other newspaper that's doing a lousy job as competition for the Journal Sentinel?

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 11:49 PM | Comments (4)

Sep. 11 Report: Riveting but Now Flawed

One more thing about the Sep. 11 Commission report: my praise for it was for its depiction of how events unfolded. It was riveting reading through how the attacks took place, government reaction to them, and how people tried to survive. The part of the book I took least seriously was the recomendations. I figured they would get churned up in the meat grinder that is national politics. Little did I know the commission would still be in existence (as a non-profit organization) badgering the President and Congress. A good thing to come out of our new knowledge of Able Danger is it dulls the shine of those concieted commissioners.

James Joyner doesn't go down the conspiracy road:

The alternative explanation, that they were engaged in some sort of political coverup, is dubious. Not only were the commission members selected (with a couple notable exceptions) for their reputations for integrity but they were picked on a bipartisan basis. To the extent that this information reflected unfavorably on the Clinton administration, one would think several of the Republican members would have been happy to see it come to light.

The commissioners weren't the platonic philosopher kings many made them out to be.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Terrorism at 11:11 PM | Comments (1)

Able Danger and the Sep. 11 Commission

So the Sep. 11 Commission knew military intelligence scoped out Mohammed Atta as a possible terrorist, but they didn't bother putting into their final, well-received report. This piece of information can transform the final analysis of how to make the U.S. safer as Michelle Malkin points out herself and in a number of links to other webloggers.

For me there's is a little egg on my face. I named the commission report as one of the best books of 2004. Here's a little of what I wrote about it:

There is plenty to critize about the the Sept. 11 Commission. There was a big confict of interest with one of the commissioners as well as the partisanship that ran roughshod over the public hearings. Those aspects will be forgotten. What will stand is their report. It's detailed, comprehensive, and most importantly readable. While not perfect (no work could be) it's the place to begin to understand that awful day.

It's still imperfect but now it's not as "comprehensive" as I initially believed.

Now, will those like Seymour Hersh start looking to see if the commission "stovepiped" information to come to their final conclusions or does that just apply to President Bush, VP Cheney, and the run up to the Iraq War? Can we expect commissioner Jamie Gorelick to receive additional scrutiny?

"9/11 Commission Ignored Key Facts on Hijackers"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Terrorism at 10:34 AM | Comments (3)

August 10, 2005

Magic Mike

If Florida Marlins' third baseman Mike Lowell wasn't playing baseball he could make a good living as a magician. Against the Diamondbacks he tagged out Luis Terrero using the hidden-ball trick. This is the second season in a row Lowell has pulled it off.

Curiously, Milwaukee Brewer Greg Brock pulled off the trick in 1989 on Ozzie Guillen, now manager of the Chicago White Sox.

"Hidden Ball Trick Dooms Diamondbacks"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Sports at 11:32 PM | Comments (0)

Honored for Killing His Wife

After Teri Schiavo died I really hoped I'd never hear Michael Schiavo's name again. The Florida State Guardianship Association brought him back into the news for naming him Guardian of the Year. Try Oxymoron of the Year. Imagine being at that ceremony:

MC: Michael Schiavo, for having your wife killed, for having her dehydrated to death, for making her suffer in a way liberal Jesse Jackson felt was "immoral and unnecessary," for siding with death over life, for helping the Culture of Death take a big step toward a world where human life is no longer sacred you are named Guardian of the Year. Congratulations.

[APPLAUSE]

[MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE CRY OUT, "SPEECH! SPEECH!"]

Michael Schiavo: Thank you. Thank you all. As you know I'm not much of a speechmaker. I don't talk much. I couldn't have done this without the support of those before me that have weakened the sanctity of human life. They include Margaret Sanger, the American eugenics movement, the Hemlock Society, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, and all those Supreme Court justices who either made Roe v. Wade the law of the land or affirmed it. I know I'm forgetting many, but without you all Teri couldn't have been legally killed. On behalf of my wife, Theresa, I thank you.

I would have vomited after the first "thank you."

"Michael Schiavo Named Guardian Of The Year" [via Badger Blogger]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Culture of Death at 10:09 PM | Comments (13)

Jagger Jabs War Supporters

I'm shocked, SHOCKED! A rock star is an anti-war, anti-conservative lefty. Ho-hum. This is so 2004.

If Mick Jagger wants to call me a hypocrite for supporting the Iraq War he better offer a little more in than singing, "You call yourself a Christian, I call you a hypocrite/You call yourself a patriot, well I think you're full of shit."

Eric wonders if the song really is about President Bush or Jagger hyping the next Rolling Stones' tour. The Marshall Blog notes that the Stones will be on Monday Night Football (I hope someone told them it's on cable this year) and wonders if the NFL will drop them because of screaming from the "right wing blowhard consciousness." I like that phrase. It's more New Age than "Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy." Matt Welch points out the mixed record of Stones' political songs.

"Stones Target 'Hypocrite' Patriots in New Song"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Culture at 05:47 PM | Comments (1)

Next Zelda is Stunning

Sure I just bought a PS2 (Destroy All Humans was good, cheesy fun), but I'm not dumping my GameCube because The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess comes out later this year. Wow. It's the most beautiful game I've ever seen on the GC.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Tech at 05:21 PM | Comments (1)

Voting Often...Literally

Greg Borowski filed his full story on the Wisconsin GOP's allegations that people voted in more than one city in November 2004. [See my previous post.] The party stated people with similar names and birthdates voted in Milwaukee, Chicago, Madison, and Minneapolis. Other than that they didn't say much other than the location of the press conference--in front of a Milwaukee condo--was significant. Borowski reports,

While the party did not release names or addresses, the city lists three voters at the house where the news conference took place: Stuart and Gayle Schenk and their son Joseph, who moved to Chicago last August.

Both Stuart and Gayle Schenk said Joseph did not vote in Milwaukee or request an absentee ballot here. Gayle Schenk said her son is in Chicago studying to join the Franciscan order of the Roman Catholic Church.

"It's a good thing I wasn't home," Stuart Schenk said when he learned of the news conference. "It's amazing how much nerve these people have."

Obviously the GOP didn't want to provoke a libel suit by naming names. Assuming they are accusing Joseph Schenk of voting twice it's possible someone fraudulently voted in Joseph's name in Milwaukee as well as Chicago. The U.S. District attorney said over 100 people voted fraudulently. I wouldn't be shocked if Joseph Schenk was the victim of identity theft. Since Wisconsin has no requirement to show a photo ID before registering I could have registered to vote as him. So, Bill Christofferson is wrong. Voter ID would have helped protect Joseph Schenk's franchise.

"9 May Have Voted in 2 Cities"

[Added to OTB's Beltway Traffic Jam.]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 12:18 AM | Comments (1)

August 09, 2005

What's That Smell?

Napalm? Well, then it must be the latest Bonfire of the Vanities hosted by WunderKraut.com.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 08:44 PM | Comments (0)

One Word Description

Moron.

"Texas Man Aims to Visit Every Starbucks" [via PoliBlog]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Miscellaneous at 08:25 PM | Comments (3)

New Home for Milt

WGN is doing the smart thing and hosting Milt Rosenberg's fine weblog.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 08:19 PM | Comments (0)

NARAL Lies About Roberts

To learn about NARAL's dishonesty you can read TAM or FactCheck.org:

The ad is false.

And the ad misleads when it says Roberts supported a clinic bomber. It is true that Roberts sided with the bomber and many other defendants in a civil case, but the case didn't deal with bombing at all. Roberts argued that abortion clinics who brought the suit had no right use an 1871 federal anti-discrimination statute against anti-abortion protesters who tried to blockade clinics. Eventually a 6-3 majority of the Supreme Court agreed, too. Roberts argued that blockades were already illegal under state law.

The images used in the ad are especially misleading. The pictures are of a clinic bombing that happened nearly seven years after Roberts signed the legal brief in question.

Matthew Barge's article goes on to say NARAL used "the classic tactic of guilt by association."

"NARAL Falsely Accuses Supreme Court Nominee Roberts" [via Eugene Volokh]

UPDATE: Charmaine Yoest found that pro-abortion groups NOW and NARAL have taken hit in their pocketbooks since 1992, the "Year of the Woman." The false anti-Roberts ad may be their last gasp.

[Yes, I'm going update-crazy tonight.]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Law at 07:00 PM | Comments (2)

Voter Fraud Crosses State Lines

At a press conference today the Republican Party of Wisconsin furnished evidence that people double voted in the 2004 election:

The investigation indicates that voter fraud has extended into neighboring states. The preliminary results show people recorded as voting both in Milwaukee and in the city to which they filed a change of address. Four people are recorded as voting in both Milwaukee and Chicago, two people are recorded as voting in both Milwaukee and Minneapolis and three people are recorded as voting in both Milwaukee and Madison. It was conducted by comparing the City of Milwaukee Voter History List for November 2004 with the National Change of Address List from the US Postal Service and the voter history lists for Chicago, Minneapolis and Madison. RPW will share the information with the US Attorney’s office and the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office as part of their ongoing investigation into voter fraud in the November ‘04 elections.

The party timed this announcement with the GOP-controlled legislature sending a photo ID bill to Gov. Jim "Needles" Doyle for his signature or veto.

UPDATE: Bill Christofferson immediately replies,

Quick: What will a photo ID to do prevent people from voting in two states?

Nothing, of course.

Therefore voter ID shouldn't be enacted. This passes for logical thought? If you've read TAM's coverage of the voter fraud issue you know photo ID is only a start. Same-day registration has to end too. Like anything in politics small steps take you to the goal.

"No Connection Between Problem, 'Solution'"

UPDATE: Kevin at Lakeshore Laments writes,

Expect the typical response from the usual suspects. Doyle will veto it again. Xoff will call us all right-wingers, racists, vote suppressionists, and charge the GOP with insanity (repeating the same action over and over again expecting a different result). DPW will call the State GOP “scare mongers”. (Apparently they haven’t been reading their own press releases on Social Security reform lately)

So while the statewide left will go into spin mode, or better yet, Ostrich mode and ignore it like a turd in a punch bowl, the facts are still the facts.

There are 4600 more votes than voters in the City of Milwaukee alone - the rest of the Badger State’s a mystery. Dozens have been charged by U.S. Attorney Steve Biskupic with voter fraud. Gwen Moore and Marvin Pratt have sons awaiting trial for their pre-election night escalades.

But again, it’s those of us who think there was/is vote fraud in this state are the ones making this up.

Whatever.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 06:11 PM | Comments (0)

And Speaking of Beer...

Budweiser is coming out with a rasberry-flavored brew called Tilt.

It will be aimed at people ages 21 to 27 who are looking for a "transition" beverage for the period between the end of their workday and the start of their night out, said McGauley and Mic Zavarella, Anheuser-Busch director of innovation.

Now, that's quite the micromarket. They want to get those who want a good buzz before really getting drunk. It sounds like your average male student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Miller may respond with a concoction from South Africa. Brutal Fruit sounds like an immediate failure to claim the angst-driven Staind-loving market.

"Tilting at 20-Somethings"

UPDATE: Gizmodo takes a short break from yapping about gadgets and has this to say about Tilt:

It is gradually being released across the states, expect it everywhere in October and all over your pants on October 16th.

I'm sticking with my Spotted Cow. (Oh, I know someone someday will misquote me on that one.)

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Miscellaneous at 05:53 PM | Comments (2)

Bad Idea But It Tasted Good

When you come home from work dead tired because you slept so little the night before it's not a good idea to drink a bottle of New Glarus Brewery's Spotted Cow if your goal is to write up a few posts. That stuff's 5.1% alcohol level wiped me out. After that bottle that tastes so good on this hot, hot day I want to go take a nap.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Miscellaneous at 05:37 PM | Comments (3)

Busted

A Russian ex-U.N. employee was arrested and quickly pleaded guilty in the Iraq Oil-for-Food scandal:

A former United Nations procurement officer pleaded guilty Monday to soliciting a bribe under the oil-for-food program, making him the first U.N. official to face criminal charges in connection with the scandal-tainted operation.

Alexander Yakovlev, a Russian, also pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of wire fraud and money laundering for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from U.N. contractors in his work outside oil-for-food. He could face up to 20 years in prison for each of the three counts.

Yakovlev surrendered to FBI agents in Manhattan earlier Monday, as U.N.-backed investigators released a report accusing him and Benon Sevan, the former chief of the $64 billion program, of corruption. Sevan was accused of taking some $147,000 in kickbacks.

The probe, led by former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, had recommended that both men's diplomatic immunity be lifted if asked. Later Monday, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan waived Yakovlev's immunity when he got just such a request from David Kelley, the U.S. attorney for the southern district of New York.

Kelley must have a ton on Yakovlev for him to turn in a guilty plea faster than Bill Clinton could down a dozen Krispy Kremes. Rarely does just work so fast.

Captain Ed has more. Owen is "SHOCKED."

"Ex-U.N. Officer Pleads Guilty to Bribes"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Foreign Affairs at 06:22 AM | Comments (0)

An Ode to the Internet

Patrick Ruffini points out that today is the 10-year anniversary of Netscape's IPO. Wow. My life can be easily divided into BI, "Before Internet," and AI, "After Internet." But really I can't imagine my life without access to so much information, the access to so many goods and services, and the ability to communicate with so many people. As a conservative I don't like to spout, "revolution" often, but with how the internet has changed so many aspects of our society, economics, politics, and culture there isn't a better word. Just like Patrick, I have no idea what we'll be doing with the internet in 10 years. All I know is it will be one hell of a ride.

"A Wild Ten Year Ride"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Tech at 12:58 AM | Comments (0)

Find Another Dress

Another in a long line of examples of celebrity idiocy:

Christina Ricci wearing a see thru dress to something called the Rape Foundation is like Dakota Fanning wearing nothing but roller skates and a thong to a pedophile convention. It just sort of seems sarcastic. Almost like a dare.

And check out the neanderthal Ricci went to the event with.

"Christina Ricci is a Fan of Irony"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Culture at 12:20 AM | Comments (2)

August 08, 2005

These "Reprehensible" Times

What the NY Times calls "initial inquiries" a lawyer called "reprehensible." That being the Times' look into Judge Roberts' adoption of his children. Drudge strikes again:

NY TIMES QUESTIONED LEGALITY OF JUDGE ROBERTS ADOPTIONS; SUPREME COURT NOMINEE 'DISAPPOINTED'

**Exclusive**

Supreme Court Nominee John Roberts expressed great disappointment after learning the NEW YORK TIMES was poking around for details on his adopted children, sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT.

The DRUDGE REPORT first revealed how TIMES investigative reporter Glen Justice questioned if the adoption records for the Roberts children, Josephine and Jack, ages 5 and 4, would be made available for examination.

TIMES editors were determined to find any possible legal irregularities in the adoptions, insiders claim.

FOXNEWS's Brit Hume reported late last week how the TIMES has been asking lawyers that specialize in adoption cases for advice on how to get into the sealed court records:

"Sources familiar with the matter tell FOXNEWS that at least one lawyer turned the TIMES down flat, saying that any effort to pry into adoption case records, which are always sealed, would be reprehensible.

A senior editor at the TIMES lashed out at this space over the revealtion:

"The DRUDGE REPORT is wrong, overwrought and a gross misrepresentation of what has happened," blasted the paper's senior editor in a press release.

But the editor did confess: "Our reporters made initial inquiries about the adoptions... They did so with great care, understanding the sensitivity of the issue."

Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison called the newspaper's actions "reprehensible," saying the inquiry crossed the "fine line between legitimate background inquiries and invasion of privacy."

The National Council For Adoption issued the following statement:

“NCFA denounces, in the strongest possible terms, the shocking decision of the New York Times to investigate the adoption records of Justice John Roberts’ two young children. The adoption community is outraged that, for obviously political reasons, the Times has targeted the very private circumstances, motivations, and processes by which the Roberts became parents.

"The adoption histories of four- and five-year old children have no bearing whatsoever on the suitability of Justice Roberts to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court – or in any other position, for that matter."

The Times' reputation is sinking in the mud. They may cut themselves off from the net just because of sheer embarassment.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Law at 11:34 PM | Comments (1)

Roberts Attack Ad Update

Tom Curry of MSNBC has more on NARAL Pro-Choice America's anti-Roberts ad. First, the ads will air in Rhode Island and Maine to put pressure on GOP Senators Olympia Snowe and Lincoln Chafee. Second, Curry reports the federal law in question in the Bray case was the Civil Rights Act of 1871, not the Klu Klux Klan Act that Ed Whelan said in today's conference call. Third, the headline editor of MSNBC doesn't understand the GOP. Snowe and Chafee aren't "centrists." They're a dying breed known as "liberal republicans."

John Hinderaker gives the ad a thrashing going far beyond my meek "bait-and-switch" remark:

So NARAL misrepresents the Bray case in every particular. Roberts didn't "support violent fringe groups" or a "convicted clinic bomber." He supported the federal government's position on a specific question of law--correctly, as the Court found. NARAL's reference to a "convicted clinic bomber" is especially outrageous. The Bray case had nothing to do with a bombing by Eric Rudolph or anyone else, and Rudolph attacked the Birmingham clinic--the bombing that is referred to in the NARAL ad--eight years after Roberts wrote the brief on the Section 1985(3) issues.

For NARAL to suggest that John Roberts has ever done anything to support violence against abortion clinics (or anything else) is so far outside the bounds of civilized debate that one can hope that, even in today's far-gone Democratic Party, sane voices will be raised to denounce NARAL's advertising campaign.

If this is how the air war starts it's going to get really ugly. $40 million may be spend to pursuade 100 Senators. NARAL is just the beginning.

"Abortion Rights Group Presses Republican Centrists on Roberts"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Law at 10:56 PM | Comments (0)

TAM is Hot

It's currently #336, ahead of Betsy's Page, Opinion Journal, and The Huffington Post. Thanks to all who've put TAM on their blogrolls.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 09:37 PM | Comments (0)

Wisconsin's Legal Morass

Guest radio yapper Kevin Fisher today confirmed Patrick's scoop at Badger Blogger that Wisconsin State Supreme Court Justice Shirley Abrahamson threatened to impose a sexual predator facility on Milwaukee County. We're now cursed with a judicial body that thinks they are the law instead of simply interpreting it.

"State Supreme Court Justice on Sexual Predators"

---

In another sort of legal story Jessica McBride reports State Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager will shred fellow Democrat Gov. Jim "Needles" Doyle. Few things are more entertaining for a conservative than watching Democrats beat each other over the head.

"Doyle/Lautenschlager"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 09:27 PM | Comments (1)

Happy Anniversary

Instapundit is four-years-old today. Wow, it feels like Glenn has been posting forever. Then that makes TAM older than dirt since it will be six(!) in December. Congrats, Glenn even though you're on vacation and not reading this.

[via Badger Blogger]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 08:54 PM | Comments (0)

Drumming Up Business

Professor Christine Hurt got an offer from an enterprising (I'm being kind) law graduate she could definitely refuse.

"Interesting, but Unethical, Business Plan"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Law at 08:10 PM | Comments (0)

Trackback the News

No, this isn't a post on how we should be worried about how much Google knows about us. If you're scared learn to clean out all your cookies and use anonymizer like Tor. Also wonder why Google would even care about you as more than an eyeball for their ads.

What caught my attention was CNET News.com now has trackbacks on their stories. With one click I can read comments on the story from webloggers. It's like trackbacks for weblogs only a weblog isn't the instigator. A bright light is shining on me: all webpages with semi-static (not generated on the fly) should have trackback. News stories, Amazon product links, think tank policy papers, digital photo collections, flash games, you name it. Imagine going to Amazon because you're interested in a video game. Along with the price and customer reviews you see a link to a walk-through from some sleep-deprived gaming weblogger. That walk-through might help you decide if the game is too hard, too easy, or not as cool as you thought. It could spur a sale which Amazon would love and it would increase traffic for the weblogger. If the web is becoming more of a conversation then trackbacks can only help us hear all the voices.

"Google Balances Privacy, Reach"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Media at 05:16 PM | Comments (1)

First Anti-Roberts Ad Airs Tuesday

Tomorrow begins the air war in the Judge Roberts nomination battle. NARAL Pro-Choice America will be lauching a $500,000 ad buy in Rhode Island and Maine to highlight some work Roberts did as a lawyer in the Solicitor General's office when President George H.W. Bush was President. The ad involves Bray vs. Alexandria Women’s Health Clinic. NOW and pro-abortion groups wanted to use the Klu Klux Klan Act of 1871 against pro-life protesters that included radical and violent elements like the counter-productive Operation: Rescue. In a conference call today Ed Whelan of the Ethics and Public Policy Center said Roberts' amicus brief supported the argument that "under established precedent" the federal statute didn't apply. Before the court Roberts said [PDF], "The United States appears in this case not to defend petitioners' tortious conduct, but to defend the proper interpretation" of the Klu Klux Klan Act. He went on to say,

Petitioners do not interfere with respondents' rights because respondents are women. Petitioners do what they do because they're opposed to an activity, the activity of abortion. They target their conspirators not because of who they are, but because of what they are doing.

...

Petitioners are opposed to abortion, not women, even though only women can exercise the right to an abortion.

A bombshell this isn't. Nor is this some wild legal concoction. The reasoning wasn't ideological; it was determining the proper bounds of a federal law.

In their ad NARAL contends Roberts' work means he turned a blind eye from violence at abortion clinics. To hammer that message home the ad stars Emily Lyons a victim of a clinic bombing who had endured "more than 20 surgeries for the injuries she sustained." But NARAL is very misleading. The Bray case dealt with a clinic in Virginia. Lyons was injured Birmingham, Alabama. The culprit was Eric Rudolph. This is a bait-and-switch to rile up abortion supporters and scare Democratic Senators into forcefully opposing Roberts. Jennifer Braceras, member, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights thought Lyons part in the ad was "totally inappropriate." She later added that it was "unfortunate we can't have a more intellectual debate of the role of the court in our society." But when the nominee is as nebulous as Roberts and interest groups have money to burn this is what we get.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Law at 04:21 PM | Comments (0)

August 07, 2005

Invasion Successful

What I learned at the Wisconsin State Fair:

Mass transit can occasionally be useful.

Eating lots of this will make you fat:

Paul Hornung is fat:

This segway-riding dude was a jerk. I just want him to stop for another picture:

The Badger Blog Alliance can do some damage at a micro brew tent:

Wisconsin webloggers and readers know how to have a good time:

Steve the rabid reader and commenter and Mary Eileen of Stand in the Trenches who also left early to write the first post.

Owen of Boots & Sabers and Kevin of Lakeshore Laments.

Professor John McAdams of Marquette Warrior.

Sorry Jib. I just didn't take a good picture of you. At least you know how to keep your mouth shut. The only "dirt" I'll mention is someone can really type.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 06:55 PM | Comments (9)

August 06, 2005

Webloggers Invade State Fair Sunday

Tomorrow is suppose to be a beautiful day. Come to the Wisconsin State Fair for food, food on a stick, food you'll be ashamed to have eaten the next morning, cream puffs, and to meet Wisconsin webloggers and weblog readers. The fun will be at the Micro Brew Tent starting at 1:00 p.m. Scheduled webloggers include Jib, Professor John McAdams, and yours truly who will be wearing his Contra Cafe t-shirt. And please heed Owen's advice, "Be sure to drop by and get your favorite blogger drunk!"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 02:21 PM | Comments (3)

August 05, 2005

Outed in 2002

The Plame Scandal is over. Forget all the work the special prosecutor is doing. There's no way Karl Rove or anyone will get convicted since Valarie Plame is listed in Who's Who in America under Joseph Wilson's entry. If I could find who Wilson's wife was by going to the library then she wasn't much of a "secret" agent.

"Joseph Wilson's "Who's Who In America" Entry"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Politics at 02:26 PM | Comments (12)

NBC Doesn't Suck as Much

NBC will not be back in good graces with PVR owners:

Looks like NBC is finally going to be putting an end to one of their more odious practices: scheduling shows by a minute or two off in order to purposefully create the kind of scheduling conflicts that prevents TiVos and other digital video recorders from properly recording shows.

This was a pain-in-the-ass last season when I always missed the last minute of Desparate Housewives so Crossing Jordan could be recorded. Now, if the network could get some decent programing to watch.

"NBC to Stop Trying to Annoy DVR Owners"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Tech at 02:09 PM | Comments (2)

Blair Wants to Expel Radicals

Tony Blair has forced the U.K. to examine how it deald with Islamist extremists:

Prime Minister Tony Blair proposed strict anti-terror measures Friday that would allow Britain to expel foreigners who preach hatred, close extremist mosques and bar entry to Muslim radicals. "The rules of the game are changing" following last month's bomb attacks, he declared.

The proposals, which also target extremist Web sites and bookshops, are aimed primarily at excluding radical Islamic clerics accused of whipping up hatred and violence among vulnerable, disenfranchised Muslim men.

Some British Muslims are concerned. It's up to the Blair government to focus only on the extremists preaching violence so as to not alienate moderate Muslims who could have a tremendous effect on global Islam. One moderate Muslim has had enough and backs Blair, "Day after day these lunatics on our behalf ... are really messing up our lives here."

"U.K. Institutes New Deportation Measures"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Terrorism at 02:06 PM | Comments (0)

Kossite Takes Over Times

I figured wacked-out Kossites would go after Judge Roberts' kids, not the NY Times:

NY TIMES INVESTIGATES ADOPTION RECORDS OF SUPREME COURT NOMINEE'S CHILDREN

**Exclusive**

The NEW YORK TIMES is looking into the adoption records of the children of Supreme Court Nominee John G. Roberts, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

The TIMES has investigative reporter Glen Justice hot on the case to investigate the status of adoption records of Judge Roberts’ two young children, Josie age 5 and Jack age 4, a top source reveals.

Judge Roberts and his wife Jane adopted the children when they each were infants.

Both children were adopted from Latin America.

A TIMES insider claims the look into the adoption papers are part of the paper's "standard background check."

Bill Borders, NYT senior editor, explains: "Our reporters made initial inquiries about the adoptions, as they did about many other aspects of his background. They did so with great care, understanding the sensitivity of the issue."

Roberts’ young son Jack delighted millions of Americans during his father’s Supreme Court nomination announcement ceremony when he wouldn’t stop dancing while the President and his father spoke to a national television audience.

Previously the WASHINGTON POST Style section had published a story criticizing the outfits Mrs. Roberts had them wear at the announcement ceremony.

One top Washington official with knowledge of the NEW YORK TIMES action declared: “Trying to pry into the lives of the Roberts’ family like this is despicable. Children’s lives should be off limits. The TIMES is putting politics over fundamental decency.”

One top Republican official when told of the situation was incredulous. “This can’t possibly be true?”

The Times' public editor Joe Plambeck is already on the case and got a response from editor-in-chief Bill Keller. The Times is being "particularly sensitive" since Keller adopted kids too. That sounds like a racist claiming some of his best friends are black.

Nothing surprises me anymore. It's still amazing a reporter's first instinct (i.e. "initial inquiries") is to what can be found on a public figure's kids. I'm still waiting for the illegal immigrant rumors to start flying. Hopefully that sad excuse for a paper will make everything (except the book review) subscription. Then we can forget about the Grey Lady.

"New York Times Investigates Adoption Records of John Roberts Children"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Law at 12:13 AM | Comments (1)

August 04, 2005

Old Fart

Bob Novak, the "Prince of Darkness" uttered a profanity and stormed off a CNN set.

The on-air outburst by Novak, 74, came when the conservative commentator was interrupted by liberal political strategist James Carville during a discussion of the upcoming U.S. Senate race in Florida on CNN's "Inside Politics" show.

"Let me finish what I was going to say, James, please. I know you hate to hear me," Novak said as he and Carville jousted over the Senate election chances of Republican U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris.

Carville persisted, saying: "You got to show those right-wingers that he's got backbone. ... the Wall Street Journal editorial page is watching. Show 'em you're tough."

An angry Novak shot back, "I think that's bull****, and I hate that." Then to the show's host, Ed Henry, he added, "Just let it go," before standing up from his seat, unclipping his microphone and walking off the set.

Carville and Henry continued the discussion without pausing, but Henry acknowledged Novak's departure at the end of the hour, saying he was sorry "Bob Novak left the set a little early."

James Carville is probably still laughing his ass off. You could blame it on age or all the Valarie Plame stress. Novak is a 74-year-old man. His television days are done, "time off" or no time off.

The Political Teen doesn't let me down and has the video.

"CNN Suspends Robert Novak for On-Air Outburst"

"Novak Walks Off"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Media at 09:49 PM | Comments (0)

Charlie and I Need to Talk

Charlie Sykes' latest column covers the effect webloggers are having on Wisconsin politics. We haven't garnered a Dan Rather yet, but we're having an impact. In his list of recommended weblogs he's missing one very important weblog. Hmm. I wonder if Charlie didn't like the slight criticism I gave him on his libel lawsuit?*

"The Blogger Revolt" [via Badger Blogger]

*Now let me yank my tongue out of my cheek.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 09:27 PM | Comments (2)

BBA Invades State Fair

Attention all webloggers and weblog readers within driving distance of the Wisconsin State Fair. Through the power of this new-fangled internets technology the Badger Blog Alliance has instantly organized a first-ever BBA meet-and-greet. On Sunday, 08.07 at 1:00 p.m. the BBA will be taking over Benno's Microbrew Tent. It should be a perfect place for us to meet:

[F]eaturing Wisconsin microbrews in 30-plus flavors, six TVs to watch your favorite sporting event and live music next door at the US Cellular International Amphitheater.

Should our conversation get too focused on the Packers, politics, or what kind of gun it took to take down this moose you can drink yourself silly with some of Wisconsin's best microbrews (I'm hoping for New Glarus Brewery's Spotted Cow) or wander off, disavow our existence, and listen to some music. It's the state fair so bring your kids, or just stop and say "hi." This isn't anything fancy. Just a nice way to names and faces together...at least until the beer starts really flowing.

Jib will be "wearing a gray Wisconsin baseball jersey with red script and a gray Wisconsin hat with the red W." I'll try to remember to wear my new favorite t-shirt that just came in the mail.

WARNING: There will be cameras there. Cameras, beer, and cream puffs: oooh, scary combination.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 03:08 AM | Comments (1)

August 03, 2005

Help Out a Weblogger

A bicycle accident had really thrown a wrench in Kate's dental plans. She has daunting dental bills and is asking for donations. Kate's good people. Please help her out.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 10:30 PM | Comments (0)

Finley's Wacky Idea

When Dan Finley decided to leave his Waukesha County County Executive job to take over the Milwaukee Public Museum he ended any near-term political aspirations. He was rumored to one day run for governor, but the rise of Scott Walker snuffed his chance of being the Republican who could claim Milwaukee's vote-rich suburbs. Now, that that pressure is gone, Finley has gotten goofy by proposing a regional cultural district to run the museum as well as other cash-strapped venues like the zoo, the Mitchell Park Domes, and the Marcus Center.

What an astounding idea! Let's combine a bunch of financially unstable entities and see what kind of synergy can be squeezed out of them. That has success written all over it. Where was Finley during the halcyon dot-com days? He probably thought the Excite/@Home merger was brilliant. Finley must have standing a little too close to the microwave. I think a few neurons got fried.

Finley can claim all he wants that a cultural district doesn't equal a tax, but he used Miller Park as an example of what he envisions. Bad example since the stadium district taxes a five-county region to pay for the ballpark. Plus, how could any cultural district have any power if didn't have a source of financing? Government doesn't work like that. The purse is all-powerful. Finley isn't stupid, he knows that. Hasn't Southeast Wisconsin been taxed enough?

Finley and those that run the troubled attractions in the area have a solution that would allow people from the entire region to provide funding: offer something of value. That means places like the Domes and the public museum have to draw interest from the regional community. They'll have to do a better job marketing and improving their facilities. Marketing and cost-control have to be a priority. People need to know what's available and think they're getting something for a good price. Maybe something should be closed? That's how private businesses work. What is required is creativity, ingenuity, and hard work.

Every summer we witness a great example of a non-profit providing so much value it draws in almost 1 million people: Summerfest. Paying for bands, employees, food, beer, and rent costs tons. On top of that they advertise and give away bushels of tickets. The result of all that savy was $10 million in revenue in 11 days. They're in the black. A lot could be learned from the Big Gig.

"Finley Urges New Cultural District"

"A Culture Tax"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 10:07 PM | Comments (0)

My Little War of the Worlds

My current time-consumer is Destroy All Humans. It's full of cheesy 50s sci-fi, and I get to blow up entire towns. Fun, fun fun. Surprising since I usually only play sports games. When one of the weapons is the "anal probe" you know this game isn't for kids.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Miscellaneous at 09:22 PM | Comments (1)

Islamism's Favorite White Man

On Syrian TV British MP George Galloway said,

Two of your beautiful daughters are in the hands of foreigners - Jerusalem and Baghdad. The foreigners are doing to your daughters as they will. The daughters are crying for help, and the Arab world is silent. And some of them are collaborating with the rape of these two beautiful Arab daughters.

We knew Galloway hates America, but tossing in Jerusalem takes him down the path of anti-semitism*. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Galloway claims the "Arab daughter" is being raped. Thus he must think Jews are doing the raping. This is the same hateful Jew-bashing uttered by Islamists.

"British MP George Galloway in Syria: Foreigners Are Raping Two Beautiful Arab Daughters - Jerusalem and Baghdad" [via In the Bullpen]

*I don't conclude that being opposed to any policy of the State of Israel makes one an anti-semite. Jerusalem (at least part of it) has been part of Israel since its creating in 1948. Driving the Jews out is only the desire of Muslim radicals like Hamas, and now, creeps like George Galloway.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Foreign Affairs at 06:21 PM | Comments (1)

Like Trying to Plug a Dike

NASA's embarassment continues. An astronaut yanked out the gap fillers and now might have to do another spacewalk to fix thermal blanket. Engineers are sure to spend many sleepless nights worrying that this new "problem" will raise the danger of the astronauts by 0.0006%. Because we can't have any chance of disaster with people traveling at thousands of miles per hour 100 miles above the earth. At this rate if the shuttle's toilet gets plugged they'll just have to abandon Discovery and let it burn in the atmosphere. Hey, that might not be such a bad idea.

"Astronaut May Face Another Shuttle Repair"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Tech at 05:45 PM | Comments (0)

August 02, 2005

Post-Funeral Report

My grandfather's funeral service was nice. Short but nice. We didn't satisfy his 15-minute wish, but some bible readings, a eulogy, and some songs were all fit into about 30 minutes. We then took the ashes to a cemetary about 15 miles outside of Richland Center where the funeral was. That was the area my grandfather grew up. At the grave the ceremony was very, very short. Just a reading of Psalm 23. It took us longer to walk up the steep incline to the grave.

Driving almost six hours in one day can tire a person. I'm in total R&R mode.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Miscellaneous at 05:09 PM | Comments (1)

King Fahd Dies

The Saudi leader hasn't really led his country in years. But we'll see if fed-up Saudi citizens will take this as a chance to demand political and religious reforms.

Here's some of the hypocrisy of the Saudi ruling family:

Tuesday's ceremony was not a state funeral — a tradition they say is not part of the kingdom's strict version of Islam known as Wahhabism.

According to Islamic rituals, the deceased should be buried quickly to honor it, and coffins are not used. Instead, the body is interred in a white shroud.

Yet leaders from around the world are coming to Saudi Arabia to pay their respects. That looks like a state funeral to me. Wahhabis like Osama bin Laden won't be fooled.

"World Leaders Fly in for Fahd Funeral"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Foreign Affairs at 07:08 AM | Comments (0)

August 01, 2005

Long Few Days

Tonight was my grandfather's visitation. The family is taking his death well. We all knew it was coming and are relieved his suffering is done. My grandmother hasn't broken down, but she admits "there are good times and bad times." After the service tomorrow she'll wonder what to do. She was my grandfather's caregiver. She definitely isn't alone. She's living in the area she grew up in, and her sister who also just lost her husband is there by her side. Heck, there's even little old me.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Miscellaneous at 11:38 PM | Comments (0)

It's Like Not Very Promising

AlGore's Current is now on the air. Judging by the lame entry on the network's weblog they have people with poor English skills putting together programming.

Current is live in like ten minutes.

Valley Girl talk is a great sign of intellectual content.

And wouldn't a network supposedly so tied into the internet (hell, AlGore invented the damn thing) let viewers watch via the web? Not in Current's case.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Media at 12:29 AM | Comments (3)

When the Tables are Turned

I almost feel sorry for Helen Thomas:

White House press doyenne Helen Thomas is plenty peeved at her longtime friend Albert Eisele, editor of THE HILL newspaper in Washington, D.C.

In a column this week headlined "Reporter: Cheney's Not Presidential Material," Eisele quoted Thomas as saying "The day Dick Cheney is going to run for president, I'll kill myself. All we need is one more liar."

Thomas also said: "I think he'd like to run, but it would be a sad day for the country if he does," according to Eisele's column.

But Thomas said yesterday at the White House that her comments to Eisele were for his ears only. "I'll never talk to a reporter again!" Thomas was overheard saying.

"We were just talking -- I was ranting -- and he wrote about it. That isn't right. We all say stuff we don't want printed," Thomas said.

But Eisele said that when he called Thomas, "I assume she knew that we were on the record."

"She's obviously very upset about it, but it was a small item -- until Drudge picked it up and broadcast it across the universe," Eisele said.

Still, he noted that reporters aren't that happy when the tables are turned. "Nobody has thinner skin than reporters," Eisele said with a laugh.

Nah!

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Media at 12:21 AM | Comments (1)

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