With John McCain the presumptive nominee at this point, the talk has turned to the selection of a Republican running mate. This is important for a lot of reasons, of course, but three in particular stand out.

1) John McCain has issues with the conservative base of the GOP, and he needs to woo them.

2) John McCain will be 72 years old when elected in November, and though his health is good his age makes it important that he have a qualified successor.

3) John McCain may very well be a one-term president due to his age, and his vice president is likely the presumptive front-runner in 2008.

So who are some possibilities? Well, other than a decision to reach out to a former rival like Mitt Romney (a good choice in light of point 1) or Rudy Giuliani (a bad choice for the same reason), one of the names I have heard on virtually every list is Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

Even through the McCain campaignÂ’s darkest days in 2007, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty remained a steadfast ally to the Arizona senator in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

As a result, with John McCain as the clear GOP front-runner and insider talk turning to speculation about his possible running mate, party insiders are now buzzing about the 47-year-old, second-term governorÂ’s vice presidential prospects.

Why Pawlenty?

“First of all, his age is attractive,” Weber says, hinting at the nearly quarter-century difference between his fellow Minnesotan and the 71-year-old McCain. “Second, he’s from outside Washington. Third, he represents a battleground part of the country. And he has a nice balance of, on one hand being totally acceptable to the conservative wing of the party, especially to social conservatives, but at the same time sharing a couple of key maverick strains of thought with McCain.”

And let's be honest -- Pawlenty has a great following within the conservative blogosphere, which has been none-to-pleased with the rise of McCain. One of his big backers is none other than Ed Morrissey of Captain's Quarters. Ditto Hugh Hewitt, who it appears has spoken highly of the governor for years. That can't hurt a young governor with a proven record of success. Expect to here more speculation about Pawlenty in coming weeks.

Posted by: Greg at 11:11 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Have you ever wanted to just kick back in a beautiful natural mountain setting and cast your line into beautiful water full of fish? It is great to do, as I found out many years ago when I went to college in Virginia. As great as the angling is in the other places I have fished, I really haven’t found anything compared to that experience in the Blue Ridge Mountains. That’s why I’m excited about The Coves at Smith Mountain Lake in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The Coves is a planned community that well thought out and designed with your comfort and enjoyment in mind – including some great fishing. So for VA boating and fishing, visit CovesAtSML.com and prepare to be excited.

Posted by: Greg at 11:01 PM | Comments (218) | Add Comment
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In my eyes the question is not if the junior Senator from Illinois will get it, but when.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) paid a secret visit to his former rival, John Edwards, in quest of his endorsement on Sunday.

The meeting in Chapel Hill, N.C., where Edwards lives, is the latest effort by Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) to win "the Edwards primary" — the heatedly sought endorsement of the third-place finisher in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Clinton also pulled off a secret meeting to the Edwards mansion earlier this month. Speeches by both candidates have been including frequent references to Edwards' message about ending poverty.

In a delegate race that's essentially tied, with Obama in a slight lead, the Edwards nod could be very valuable.

Obama's campaign said in a statement: "Sen. Obama visited this morning with John and Elizabeth Edwards at their home in Chapel Hill to discuss the state of the campaign and the pressing issues facing American families."

What I find amusing is the need for this to be a secret meeting at all. Everybody knows that both Obama and Clinton want -- need, actually -- Edwards' endorsement right now to make clinching the nomination quickly a real possibility. If Edwards withholds that endorsement, the Democrats will be facing a race that runs through May or June -- if not the convention itself due to the superdelegates.

Pictures and video can be found here.

Posted by: Greg at 10:47 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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A fine timepiece is a treasure – and at 10hs10.com, you will see a great many of these treasures. This site is devoted to the art of the Swiss watch, and is designed for the watchmaker, watch buyer, and watch lover alike. They even have a fantastic newsletter to which you can subscribe – and maybe even win one of these Amazing Swiss luxury watches.

Posted by: Greg at 08:41 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The winning entries in the Watcher's Council vote for this week are Mandate Me, Baby by Right Wing Nut House, and Are We At War? And What Is the Political Consequence of That For Conservatives In This Election? by BeldarBlog.  Here is a link to the full results of the vote:

Congratulations to the winners, and good job to all those who entered. I was really impressed with the quality of this week's nominees. Can't wait to see what comes our way with the next set of entries.

Posted by: Greg at 07:31 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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We have a nice little garden in the backyard, along with a path that leads out to and around it. It is a nice place to sit at night – but a bit dark. The solution? Landscape lights to brighten the path and provide a little atmosphere. It did add to the beauty and the safety of the path and garden. And in the interest of energy efficiency, we chose to go withlow voltage landscape lighting provided by LED lights . LED lights cost less to operate and last much longer than traditional bulbs, which makes them very cost efficient. Who knows – maybe we will do the front yard this summer.

Posted by: Greg at 06:59 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Seems like the government of Mahmoud the Mad is demanding censorship of anti-Islamic speech here in the West.

The Iranian government has called on the Dutch government to stop the screening of a film in the Netherlands blaspheming holy Quran.

The film, by the Dutch member of parliament Geert Wilders, is regarded by the Muslims as blasphemous.

The Iranian justice minister, Gholam Hussein Elham, wrote to his Dutch counterpart, Ernst Hirsch Ballin, calling for a ban.

Gholamhossein Elham said freedom of speech should not be used as a cover for attacking moral and religious values.

Well, then, Minister Gholam Hussein Elham, I can only presume that you will ban this film and punish those who made or funded it.

A new movie in Iran depicts the life of Jesus from an Islamic perspective. "The Messiah," which some consider as Iran's answer to Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ," won an award at Rome's Religion Today Film Festival, for generating interfaith dialogue. The movie will be adapted into a television series, shown on Iranian TV later this year.

Of course, the film itself is an act of blasphemy from the Christian perspective -- it denies Jesus was the Son of God, denies the Crucifixion, and denies the Resurrection, and relegates the Messiah to the mere status of "the last Jewish prophet" rather than rightly honoring him as the Savior of all humanity. And given that this satanic, blasphemous work was funded by the Iranian government and is to be shown on Iranian state television, I'd have to argue that what we have got here is a massive display of hypocritical chutzpah by the Iranians.

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Posted by: Greg at 07:02 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I am not into rubber stamping, but my wife is. She passed on this little bit of political humor from one of her favorite stamping sites.

Dear Paperlicious,

I live in South Gambusta and am unfamiliar with the US system of politics.  Do politicians stamp?

Signed,
Want to Know As Much As You Do

Dear WTKAMAYD:

Hey there other side of the world person!!  Welcome to my explanation of politics USA and its relationship to stamping.

First, here is a brief summary of the Presidential race.  The President runs the country.  Kind of like the Shelli Gardner of the USA. Not quite as influential, but pretty important.  Up until this year, the President has always been a POWG  (pretty old white guy).  This year, he may be John McCain (POWG), but may be a YAAG (young African American guy) -- Barack Obama, or a MAWW (middle age white woman).  Our heads are spinning at the thought!!!

Right now the Repubicans are about to select McCain to be their nominee for President but half the Repulicans hate McCain so we have no idea what's up with that.  The Democrats are in a knock down drag out fight between Obama and Clinton, so we have no clue where that is going.

Basically, we have no clue.

UNTIL TODAY!!!! 

I was lucky enough to interview each of them.

You'll have to click the link to read the actual interviews, which to my way of thinking seem to have captured the personalities of each of the three major candidates. If you have ever been dragged to a craft store by your wife visited a craft store with your significant other, this one will bring a smile to your face.

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Posted by: Greg at 05:09 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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When I was a little kid, I liked the Carpenters. Indeed, I even owned their Now and Then album (on vinyl!), which featured their home on the cover. The group is a bit of nostalgia for me.

But their home is NOT a significant historical structure -- no matter what some fans think.

Owners of The Carpenters' former home aren't feeling on top of the world about the legions of fans who keep stopping by to pay tribute.

The five-bedroom tract house, where siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter lived and penned some of their greatest hits, was featured on the cover of their 1973 hit album "Now & Then." It was also where an anorexic Karen Carpenter collapsed in 1983 before dying.

Owners Manuel and Blanca Melendez Parra have apparently grown weary of the parade of fans paying homage.

The couple have submitted plans to officials in Downey, a city about 15 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, to raze the 39-year-old main house, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday. The Parras have already torn down an adjoining house and have begun construction on a larger home.

The proposal to level the rest of the residence has angered fans.

"This house is our version of Graceland," said Carpenters aficionado Jon Konjoyan. "When they photographed the 'Now & Then' cover here in 1973, the house was instantly immortalized."

The 57-year-old musician and promoter is heading a campaign to save the original home from the wrecker's ball. Some fans have proposed that Downey officials declare the house a historic landmark.

Good grief! The Carpenters, while good, must be retrospectively viewed as nothing more than the purveyors of cloyingly sweet pop music. They certainly have not left a legacy significant enough to necessitate the preservation of this home -- and in the process strip the owners of their property rights without compensation.

Jon Konjoyan wants the home preserved -- either through government action, purchase of the home, or requiring it to be moved.

I want Jon Konjoyan to mind his own business and quit trying to interfere with the property rights of the Parra family, who bought the home when nobody considered it significant enough to purchase.

Posted by: Greg at 03:10 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I wonder how this slipped by the editorial staff of the Washington post. After all, the conclusion is quite supportive of the war in Iraq and projects victory.

In Iraq, as we have seen with the anti-al-Qaeda, Sunni Arab "Awakenings," Sunni extremism is now in retreat. More important, the gruesome anti-Shiite tactics of extremist groups, combined with the much-quoted statements made by former Sunni insurgents about the positive actions of the United States in Iraq, have caused a great deal of intellectual turbulence in the Arab world.

It's way too soon to call Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda spiritual outcasts among Arab Muslims, but they have in fact sustained enormous damage throughout the region because of Iraq. The lack of holy-warrior manpower coming from the Muslim Brotherhood is surely, in part, a reflection of this discomfort with al-Qaeda's violence, the complexity of Iraqi politics and America's not entirely negative role inside the country. If bin Ladenism is now on the decline -- and it may well be among Arabs -- then Iraq has played an essential part in battering the movement's spiritual appeal.

Iraq could still fall apart (and if an American president starts withdrawing troops haphazardly, it probably will). The country's descent into chaos and renewed sectarian strife would likely reenergize Islamic extremism. But it is certainly not too soon to suggest that Iraq could well become America's decisive victory over Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda and all those Muslims who believe that God has sanctified violence against the United States.

Yeah, I did bold that parenthetical comment -- because it goes to the very heart of the 2008 presidential election. We have one candidate still in the running for the White House who says he is prepared to do what it takes to ensure victory over the terrorists. and stability in Iraq. You have two others who are promising immediate withdrawal of American troops if they are elected. The choice is therefore clear -- a policy that will be a setback to the Islamists, or one that will bring about their resurgence. There is no question which outcome is better for the United States.

Posted by: Greg at 02:49 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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For all that the New York Times wants to make this into a scandal, their own reporting of the story proves why it is not.

A technical glitch gave the F.B.I. access to the e-mail messages from an entire computer network — perhaps hundreds of accounts or more — instead of simply the lone e-mail address that was approved by a secret intelligence court as part of a national security investigation, according to an internal report of the 2006 episode.

F.B.I. officials blamed an “apparent miscommunication” with the unnamed Internet provider, which mistakenly turned over all the e-mail from a small e-mail domain for which it served as host. The records were ultimately destroyed, officials said.

Bureau officials noticed a “surge” in the e-mail activity they were monitoring and realized that the provider had mistakenly set its filtering equipment to trap far more data than a judge had actually authorized.

The episode is an unusual example of what has become a regular if little-noticed occurrence, as American officials have expanded their technological tools: government officials, or the private companies they rely on for surveillance operations, sometimes foul up their instructions about what they can and cannot collect.

So what we have here is not overreaching by government. What we actually have is human error. And let me be quite blunt -- as long as we have human beings involved in the process of collecting intelligence, there will continue to be human error. If the New York Times wants to make a scandal out of these occurrences it can try to do so -- but I think it will look pretty silly doing so when its own reporting indicates that these are not terribly common and not intentional misdeeds.

Posted by: Greg at 02:31 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I've started this post about three times since yesterday afternoon.

I've dumped everything I've written each time -- mainly because I've been unable to prevent myself from veering off into a profane rant against Chuck Roesnthal.

After all, as I have indicated earlier, I believe he should have left office weeks ago.

Instead he hung on and damaged the DAs office here in Harris County in ways which could and should have been avoided.

Besieged by an e-mail scandal and perjury accusations, Texas’s most powerful prosecutor resigned on Friday, saying that a combination of prescription drugs had “caused some impairment in my judgment.”

The resignation of the prosecutor, District Attorney Charles A. Rosenthal Jr. of Harris County, the stateÂ’s busiest criminal jurisdiction, ended removal proceedings by the Texas attorney general.

It was a relief to fellow Republican leaders who last month quashed Mr. RosenthalÂ’s bid for a third term.

The office of Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican who will appoint a successor, said it had not been formally notified by Mr. Rosenthal and had no immediate response.

Asked by e-mail for comment, Mr. Rosenthal, 62, sent a terse answer: “Yeah. Right!”

The resignation, announced in a one-page statement, followed by hours the filing of a state suit seeking Mr. Rosenthal’s removal “for intoxication, incompetence or official misconduct.”

Frankly, that is a pretty good summary, and decent reporting for the New York Times. And for what it is worth, I think that Rosenthal's response to the Times is indicative of the attitude he has shown throughout the recent scandal -- that he was a law unto himself and needn't answer to anyone.

The resignation press release itself is rather interesting.

As the Houston Chronicle points out, only ten days before he had been denying medication issues.

>As recently as 10 days ago, Rosenthal publicly denied having any problems with medication to deal with pain.

At a Feb. 5 meeting with about 20 of his upper echelon administrators, Rosenthal addressed "rumors that he was addicted to painkillers" that he had heard was going around, said Julian Ramirez, a division chief.

Rosenthal said he didn't even take painkillers, Ramirez said.

So if it isn't an issue op painkillers, what medications have been rendering Rosenthal unfit for office? Has he, as accused in a lawsuit filed by Democrat activist and C.O. Bradford surrogate Lloyd Kelley (his former law partner), been self-medicating with alcohol in the office?

Now some speculate the resignation -- and the reason for casting it in terms of involuntary intoxication due to prescription medications -- has less to do with the medical issues and more to do with legal ones surrounding possible perjury charges.

Rosenthal might have admitted pharmacological drugs impaired his judgment so he can raise involuntary intoxication as a possible defense if he is charged with perjury, Kelley said.

Involuntary intoxication — such as unawareness that a combination of drugs could have a certain effect — is a fact issue that can be considered by a jury in a perjury case, said attorney Pat McCann, president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association.

"It is a circumstance that could make it difficult to prove you intended to lie," McCann said.

And once again, we find Dr. Sam Siegler, husband of ace prosecutor and DA candidate Kelly Siegler, right in the middle of the entire mess. The information that comes out over the next few days could be critical in determining how badly damaged Kelly Siegler's candidacy is by this continually unfolding scandal. However, it confirms in my mind the correctness of my decision, communicated to Kelly Siegler in person at the GOP Executive Committee meeting on February 11, to endorse Jim Leitner for the DA nomination because he is not married to one of the principals in the unfolding scandal. She may be the single best courtroom advocate that the Harris County DA has had in recent years, but until the dust settles in this case I believe someone from outside the office and not closely related to a major figure in the case is a better option, even if her conduct has been undeniably above reproach.

And i agree with the Houston Chronicle on this point about the temporary replacement for Rosenthal.

Gov. Rick Perry now will have to appoint an interim replacement. The Chronicle urges Perry, a Republican, to pass over any of the four Republicans and the lone Democrat now seeking election to the office. Appointing a political candidate to fill Rosenthal's unexpired term would give that person an unfair advantage in the voting to permanently replace the outgoing district attorney. That would interfere with the voting public's right to choose the office's next leader.

The person who steps in to replace Rosenthal in the months before the November general election should be independent of politics, have a reputation for integrity and judgment that is beyond reproach, and have no desire to be elected to the office.

The ideal candidate, who would serve until an elected successor takes office Jan. 1, would be a person from outside the District Attorney's Office who has previous prosecutorial experience, perhaps in the federal system. Experience on the defense side of the bar would be an additional plus, because it would offer the balanced perspective that many have complained is lacking in the office.

The governor cannot be seen as taking sides between the GOP candidates two weeks before the primary, or between general election candidates. I tend to agree with the proposed qualifications as well, though I can think of candidates without all those qualifications who would help restore public confidence in the prosecutor's office again. Among these would be former DA Johnny Holmes, who built the office into one of the finest District Attorney offices in the nation during his tenure.

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Posted by: Greg at 08:18 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Obama insisted that other candidates adhere to campaign spending limits -- but he has been raising cash like they don't apply. Seems a wee bit hypocritical to me. And he is getting hammered for it.

Hammering Senator Barack Obama for a fourth straight day, Senator John McCain said here on Friday that he expects Senator Obama to abide by his pledge use public financing for his general election if Mr. McCain does so as well.

“It was very clear to me that Senator Obama had agreed to having public financing of the general election campaign if I did the same thing,” he said after a town hall meeting here. “I made the commitment to the American people that if I was the nominee of my party, I would go the route of public financing. I expect Senator Obama to keep his word to the American people as well.”

Asked if he would use public financing even if Mr. Obama did not, he said: “If Senator Obama goes back on his commitment to the American people, then obviously we have to rethink our position. Our whole agreement was we would take public financing if he made that commitment as well. And he signed a piece of paper, I’m told, that made that commitment.”

Mr. Obama did not rule out the possibility of accepting public financing, but declared on Friday, “I’m not the nominee yet.”

“If I am the nominee, I will make sure our people talk to John McCain’s people to find out if we are willing to abide by the same rules and regulations with respect to the general election going forward,” Mr. Obama told reporters at a news conference in Milwaukee. “It would be presumptuous of me to start saying now that I am locking into something when I don’t even know if the other side will agree to it.”

Actually, at this point Senator Obama DOES know who the GOP niminee will be, and he has agreed to abide by the spending limits, so his refusal to commit is disingenuous.

Especially since his campaign is claiming that Barack Obama has never ACTUALLY committed to public financing.

“Obama is not the nominee, but this is a question we will address when he is," campaign spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement Thursday. Burton rejected the idea that Obama was trying to have it both ways on the issue.

The context here is important. Obama made his original comments when his campaign was just getting started and his fundraising ability was largely unknown. Obama has since emerged as a record-setting fundraiser who likely would eclipse the $85 million public financing limit.

In other words, that commitment was back when he didn't know if he could raise much more then the spending limit -- but now that he sees he can, he doesn't consider what he said to be binding. Seems like the "candidate of change" is really the "candidate of change his mind".

And the Washington Post offers this observation.

But this kind of backtracking and parsing isn't what the millions of voters who have been inspired by Mr. Obama are looking for. It's not befitting Mr. Obama's well-earned image as a champion of reform. Instead of waffling, Mr. Obama should be pushing Ms. Clinton to go beyond her spokesman's statements that she would "definitely consider" forgoing public financing.

Why not let the candidates raise as much cash as they can and save the taxpayers' money? Because it's better for voters if candidates spend more time talking to them and less time cozying up to donors. It's better for democracy if candidates are less indebted to big bundlers who have raked in six- or seven-figure amounts for their campaigns. Mr. McCain seems to understand this. What about the Democrats?

Now I personally disagree with the whole premise of Political Speech And participation Limitation Laws like those supported by the liberal media, John McCain, and, supposedly, the Democrats. I believe it is better for the American people and the American political system if individuals (not corporations or unions, but individuals) are permitted to freely speak and donate money to campaigns without limits. I believe that it is better if candidates and campaigns and political parties are not muzzled by spending limits. And I believe that this piece in today's Washington Post makes a compelling case that such laws are inimical to the First Amendment. But if Barack Obama is going to argue that clean politics require the suppression of political speech and participation, he ought to bind himself to that regime right now.

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Posted by: Greg at 06:13 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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If you have rental properties that you own or manage, or if you are a property association that needs to keep track of dues, assessments, and the like, the hard work can now be eliminated by simply using the correct software to assist you.. What you really need to be aware of is Buildium.com. They have a fantastic Online Property Management Software package that will really help you cut back on the time and effort you put into keeping track of your properties, because it streamlines tasks from any computer with an Internet connection. The program has a number of property management-specific features, such as creating work orders, and tracking finances by individual property. One nice thing about Buildium.com is that you don't need to install the rental property management software onto your computer -- everything is done online. That is a great advantage because besides freeing up your time, it makes your physical location have less of an impact upon your business because of your ability to access the system anywhere in the world with internet access. All of these features, and many more besides, make Buldium.com a fantastic choice for those in need of property management software. So check them out today -- and take their free trial, too!

Posted by: Greg at 05:42 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I fail to see how anyone can object to this program.

PHOENIX — The police in this city at the center of the immigration debate will soon ask all people arrested whether they are in the United States legally and will in certain cases report the information to the federal authorities, Mayor Phil Gordon announced on Friday.

People stopped for civil traffic violations like speeding will not be questioned, nor will crime victims or witnesses.

All those arrested on criminal charges like drunken driving and murder will be asked by officers whether they are in the United States legally.

The police may decide to recommend checking by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The change includes having the police notify the immigration agency about people who are detained but not arrested who officers have “reasonable basis” to believe are illegal immigrants.

This seems like a commonsense solution to me. In asking the question of those reasonably believed to be involved in criminal activity, the police will be targeting folks based upon conduct and not ethnicity. Furthermore, those involved in criminal activity are, the last time I checked, considered undesirable by the overwhelming majority of Americans, except for the open borders extremists among us.

Posted by: Greg at 05:31 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Ever wonder how independent truckers get hooked up with shippers so that they have loads of cargo to move from one location to another? Frankly, it had never crossed my mind, but I now find that there are folks whose entire business is being the middleman between shipper and trucker. These individuals are called freight brokers, and they can be either an individual or company that acts as the liaison between those in needs of getting a shipment of goods from Point A and Point B and an authorized independent truck driver who is able to get that shipment there safely and on time. A freight broker works with the shipper to determine the needs of that shipper and then connects that shipper with a carrier willing to transport the items at a negotiated price. The freight brokers do not do the actual transportation – they simply expedite the process. Many people have found this to be a lucrative career, which is why there are now schools like Transport Training International offering 3 and 5 day freight broker agent training classes. On their website you can find a great deal of information to help you decide if this is a career you’d like to pursue.

Posted by: Greg at 04:32 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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For those on the Left who want to argue that C.O. Bradford, former Houston police chief and Democrat candidate for Harris County DA, should become our chief prosecutor in the county, let's take a look back at one of the two best-know scandals of his tenure. You know, the one that resulted in HUNDREDS of unjustified arrests of innocent individuals in the space of an hour and which will likely cost the city MILLIONS in damages by the time the lawsuits are through.

A federal judge has declined another city request to end the 10 lawsuits filed by people arrested in a 2002 Kmart street racing raid.

It's the second time U.S. District Judge Nancy Atlas has ruled that the lawsuits can go forward.

In a decision this week, Atlas wrote that the more than 100 plaintiffs could sue about whether the Houston Police Department had a "custom of mass detention without individualized reasonable suspicion."

* * *

In 2005, the judge ruled that the police plan that led to the mass arrests was unconstitutional. In a scathing opinion, she called HPD tactics to detain and arrest people who were not observed violating the law "an unjustified, almost totalitarian, regime of suspicionless stops."

Civil rights lawsuits were filed after almost 300 people were arrested in August 2002 during a surprise raid on the Kmart parking lot in the 8400 block of Westheimer. The HPD operation was an attempt to combat street racing.

All of the cases name former HPD Chief Clarence C.O. Bradford, who is running as a Democrat for Harris County district attorney, and allege he knew about the plan. The lawsuits also accused police of brandishing firearms and being verbally abusive during the incident.

What a timely article!

It serves as a reminder that C.O. Bradford had no respect for civil liberties as police chief.

Add to that the fact that he, not the Harris County DA, was responsible for the crime lab debacle, and it becomes clear that he isn't competent to run a hot dog cart, much less the Harris County DAs office.

Posted by: Greg at 04:04 AM | Comments (167) | Add Comment
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IÂ’ve been with the same auto insurance company I turned 16, back during the Carter administration. They have been very good to me over the years, and IÂ’ve stuck with them. After all, thereÂ’s something to be said for ongoing relationships with businesses you trust. However, rising gas prices and other increasing expenses are causing me to reconsider some of these relationships as I look at tightening the belt where I can. That includes seeking quotes on car insurance from other companies.

Over at CarInsuranceRates.com, all I have to do is fill out one simple for to have my information was sent to multiple insurers who will provide me with free quotes on my car insurance. When I get them, I can examine and compare them at my pace in the privacy of my own home in order to decide which policy best suits my needs and my budget. ThereÂ’s no obligation when I get the quotes, and I can stay with my current insurer if I decide they are the best deal for me.

Not only can I find cheap car insurance on the site, but CarInsuranceRates.com also provides an archive of articles, tips, and advice on auto insurance and related topics.

Posted by: Greg at 04:00 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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We in the GOP have only one living ex-President, having lost two in the last four years. On Monday, George H. W. Bush will endorse John McCain for the presidency.

Former president George H.W. Bush will endorse Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in Houston on Monday during a media availability at 9:30 a.m. Texas time, Republican sources say.

President Bush will be in Africa at the time. He told “Fox News Sunday” last weekend that he would help make the case for McCain’s conservative credentials as soon as there was an official nominee.

The endorsement by the former president does two things that are crucial to McCain as he tries to capitalize on the potential advantages of being the nominee when Democrats are still fighting it out:

— It begins to make former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee look like he’s not being a team player, raising expectations that he should drop out or run a quieter campaign.

— It also undercuts Republicans who are reluctant to fully support McCain because of his past differences with the party’s right wing.

This endorsement is important in that it serves as the second leg of the Bush trifecta of endorsements. Jeb Bush has already endorsed McCain, and President George W. Bush will give his endorsement after McCain numerically secures the nomination.

But here in Harris County, Texas, it is likely that this endorsement will carry some weight. After all, the former president lives here among us in Houston, where he and Barbara are respected and beloved members of the community. That might be enough to carry Harris County (and with it all of Texas) for McCain on march 4.

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Every day at school, I see most of the latest fashions on my students. Maybe it is a sign of my advanced age (45 is just around the corner) that I don’t always know all the brands and the styles that they are wearing or talking about in my classroom. However, one of the brands I do know is Roca Wear, because they do have some great looking fashions for men. For example, there are a number of great Roca Wear Coats that a guy of my age and size could wear without looking completely absurd for trying to look like a kid while in middle age. In fact, I’m thinking about ordering this Roca Wear shirt for myself just because I think it would look good on me – and the price sure is right.

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Obama is talking Second Amendment.

At first he sounds really good.

Obama said he spoke to Northern Illinois University's president Friday morning by phone and offered whatever help his Senate office could provide in the investigation and improving campus security. The Democratic presidential candidate spoke about the Illinois shooting to reporters while campaigning in neighboring Wisconsin.

The senator, a former constitutional law instructor, said some scholars argue the Second Amendment to the Constitution guarantees gun ownerships only to militias, but he believes it grants individual gun rights.

"I think there is an individual right to bear arms, but it's subject to commonsense regulation" like background checks, he said during a news conference.

Like I said, pretty good – and I think most of us are open to some discussion about what constitutes a “commonsense regulation”.

Unfortunately, Obama then turns around and proves that he is really just another gun-grabber.

At his news conference, he voiced support for the District of Columbia's ban on handguns, which is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court next month.

“The notion that somehow local jurisdictions can't initiate gun safety laws to deal with gang bangers and random shootings on the street isn't born out by our Constitution,” Obama said.

The problem is that the DC law in question sweepingly bans an entire class of guns and limits the rest in such a manner as to render them inoperative. Indeed, under that law the act of meaningfully bearing arms within the District of Columbia is a criminal offense when that “individual right to bear arms” is exercised by an average citizen.

Obama, then, is trying to have it both ways. While he pays lip service to the Second Amendment, he actually is willing to see it eviscerated through legislation that restricts the individual right to keep and bear arms. To argue for something like the DC law is like arguing that the expansive right to freedom of religion guaranteed in the First Amendment is subject to “commonsense regulation” so that it includes only the right to be a member of a government-approved and licensed church.

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Well, that is certainly one way to interpret this statement.

In an effort to persuade the academic community that HarvardÂ’s financial muscle should not be feared, Harvard will make the point that at best it will enroll 200 black freshmen each year. Thus, it will be argued that its new financial aid plan will have a negligible effect on enrollments of blacks at AmericaÂ’s leading state universities.

Now why should it be that Harvard will only enroll 200 black freshmen each year? What happens if more than 200 qualified black applicants apply? Will they be rejected on the theory that more than that number of blacks will unbalance the “diversity” that Harvard seeks? And why this notion that X number of black students somehow belong to public universities?

But more to the point, what is wrong with the possibility that the new Harvard financial aid plan, likely to be adopted by many other top-tier private institutions of higher learning, will siphon away many of the best and brightest students OF EVERY RACE AND ETHNICITY (but especially minority students) into these elite schools? After all, doesnÂ’t making attendance at such elite institutions more affordable go a long way to matching students with the institutions where they best fit academically?

H/T Discriminations

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IÂ’ve always been troubled by the notion that a president or potential president is expected to release his or her tax returns and lots of other personal financial data to the public. For that matter, IÂ’m troubled by the amount of information made available to the public through ethics disclosure forms. ThatÂ’s why IÂ’m in complete disagreement with this NY Times editorial.

As the presidential campaign narrows and its costs skyrocket, detailed disclosure of financial resources becomes ever more important. Of the leading contenders, so far, only Senator Barack Obama has released his full income-tax returns — a level of disclosure once routine for candidates after the political corruption of Watergate.

Release of the tax returns should not be made conditional on winning the nomination, as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has made it. Both Senator John McCain, the Republican front-runner, and she owe it to their parties and to voters to promptly make available their Internal Revenue Service filings, and to respond to any questions about them. It is true that as senators, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. McCain are required to file financial disclosure forms. But those forms present only general parameters of family financial resources, not the detail available on tax returns.

I fundamentally disagree. John McCain and Hillary Clinton don’t owe ANYONE the information available on their income tax returns. Indeed, it would be healthy for America for them to flat-out REFUSE to release their tax information even after they are nominated. And while I have questions about the business dealings of Bill Clinton, I respect his privacy enough to recognize that the American people are not entitled to the details of his speaking fees and other financial dealings just because his wife is running for the office he once held. For that matter, we don’t need to know the detailed medical information related to post-cardiac care for Mr. Clinton following his heart problems or any medical conditions for which the younger McCain children may be receiving treatment – information that might well be a part of the two families’ tax returns.

Speaking personally, I’m often curious about the business dealings of certain commentators, certain reporters and members of certain editorial boards. Their slant on the news is of great public import – and yet we never get a glimpse into the nitty-gritty details of, for example, the finances of Keith Olbermann. What about the public’s right to know?

When down to it, this isn’t a matter of the public’s right to know. Rather, it is a matter of the right to privacy of American citizens – which, let us recall, is the highest title that will ever be held by either of these two senators or their fellow candidate, Senator Obama.

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What would Reagan do?

Michael Reagan tells us how his father would respond to the McCain nomination.

In 1976 the Ford vs. Reagan campaign for the Republican presidential nomination got so heated it looked as if my father and Jerry Ford would never again talk to one another.

When it was over and Ford had won, what did Ronald Reagan do? He simply went all-out to help Ford win his re-election, as did I and as did my sister Maureen. My dad simply followed his rule of backing the Republican candidate no matter who he was.

Assuming that John McCain will be the Republican nominee, you can bet my father would be itching to get out on the campaign trail working to elect him even if he disagreed with him on a number of issues.

In other words, those of you claiming to be Reagan conservatives who persist in stating that you will not vote for John McCain for president are posers and imposters. You appropriate the good name of the father of modern conservatism and the architect of nearly three decades of GOP dominance of the executive branch in order to justify political behavior diametrically opposed to that he engaged in himself.

WhatÂ’s more, what was the outcome when a group of conservatives failed to heed his example in 1976 and chose to sit out the election or vote third party?

Unlike my father, a lot of conservatives stayed home in 1976, and we got four years of Jimmy Carter, whose main legacy was to drive the Shah of Iran from power and create the Islamic Republic of Iran with a bunch of wild-eyed mullahs running the show. He also gave us 20 percent inflation and long, long lines at the gas pumps. And donÂ’t forget 440 days of Americans held hostage by the mullahs.

By staying home those conservatives made possible the future election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

We are still suffering from the legacy of James Earl Carter, thanks to the conservatives who refused to follow Ronald ReaganÂ’s example and instead sulked at home while the nation was being handed over to the worst president in American history.

We were still in the middle of the Cold War in those days, and by staying home conservatives risked losing that war by allowing an incompetent leader to become commander in chief.

We stand at a crossroads this election. We can choose to back a leader willing to pursue a policy of victory over Islamism, or we can allow the election of a president dedicated to a policy of weakness and surrender. We can capitalize on the advances of conservative principle over the last three decades, or we can squander them by refusing to back a candidate who isnÂ’t pure enough. We can aid the election of a moderately conservative president, or ensure the election of an unabashedly liberal one.

The real question, though, is not “What would Reagan do?” That is in the past, and we know what he did when confronted with precisely this situation.

My friends, the real question is “What will we do?”

As for me, I choose to follow in the footsteps of Reagan – and urge you to do the same.

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Posted by: Greg at 11:36 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Mitt Romney does the honorable thing in the name of party unity and the good of the country.

One of the bitterest feuds of the 2008 presidential race ended Thursday when Mitt Romney threw his support — and vowed to try to throw his delegates — behind his former archrival for the Republican nomination, Senator John McCain of Arizona.

The formal backing of Mr. Romney was the latest coup, though an expected one, for Mr. McCain as he seeks to unite a fractured Republican Party behind his candidacy. And while the fate of Mr. RomneyÂ’s delegates will be determined by rules that vary from state to state, his request that they vote for Mr. McCain at the convention is expected to push Mr. McCain closer to the 1,191 delegates he needs to clinch the nomination.

“I am honored today to give my full support to Senator McCain’s candidacy for the presidency of the United States,” Mr. Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts, said at a hastily arranged news conference with Mr. McCain in Boston. “I am officially endorsing his candidacy. And today I am asking my delegates to vote for Senator McCain at the convention.”

Mr. Romney decided to make the endorsement on Thursday morning during a meeting with his advisers. Mr. McCain, who was already on a New England swing through Rhode Island and Vermont, quickly added a stop in Boston to collect it.

These two went against each other tooth and nail. John McCain won. Mitt Romney recognized -- quite appropriately -- that there is more that unites us with McCain and his supporters then divides us from them, and that the best way to advance our goals is to work with McCain to reach a conservative result. It isn't an abrogation of principle -- it is an accommodation with reality.

Do I minimize my differences with John McCain? No, I don't -- and I stand by every criticism of him that I have offered during th course of the campaign for the GOP nomination this year. That said, I know he is a lot better than either of the options that the Democrats will offer the American people, and so I choose the good of America over ideological purity.

More At Michelle Malkin, including some deluded sounding Huckabee comments.

Posted by: Greg at 11:35 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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We don't know why this happened yet -- but it has to be described as tragic.

A former graduate student armed with two handguns and a shotgun opened fire Thursday in a large lecture hall on the campus of Northern Illinois University, killing five students and wounding 16 others before killing himself, authorities said.

University President John G. Peters said six students — four women, the shooter and another man — were killed in what he described as a “very brief, rapid-fire assault.” Sixteen other students were injured by gunfire or flying glass, authorities said.

All of the victims were students, including the shooter and the instructor, a graduate teaching assistant, who survived, Peters said. At least two of the wounded were hospitalized in critical condition.

There is a lot more to be learned here, but we don't have the details. Was there a specific target? Why this class in this room?

This event again raises the question of gun-free zones and their danger to students -- but now is not the time to discuss it at length. Instead, it is time to pray for those killed and wounded, and for all their loved ones.

For me this strikes close to home. Having grown up in Illinois, I visited the NIU campus a number of times and had many friends who went to school there. I interviewed at schools in the area some years ago, and could have been teaching just down the road from the campus had I gotten one of the jobs -- and former students could have been among those in the classroom if that had been the case. It does give one pause.

Posted by: Greg at 11:21 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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It is 5000 pounds of out of control space junk with half ton of poisonous fuel aboard. It is going to crash to earth sometime in the next month or so. The solution? Try to shoot it down so as to minimize damage.

President Bush has ordered the Pentagon to use a Navy missile to attempt to destroy a broken U.S. spy satellite — and thereby minimize the risk to humans from its toxic fuel — by intercepting it just before it re-enters the atmosphere, officials said Thursday.

The effort — the first of its kind — will be undertaken because of the potential that people in the area where the satellite would otherwise crash could be harmed, the officials said.

Deputy National Security Adviser James Jeffrey, briefing reporters at the Pentagon, did not say when the attempted intercept would be conducted, but the satellite is expected to hit Earth during the first week of March.

Yes, there are concerns about classified technology and injuries to people on the ground, but the big concern is the hydrazine fuel. We down here in Texas learned about that when Columbia broke up over the state just minutes from landing. Folks were urged not to touch the wreckage because of the toxic nature of the fuel -- and friends of min from NASA told me privately that the description is NOT an exaggeration. Indeed, the best outcome is to puncture the fuel tank of the satellite in order to dissipate the contents before it can enter the atmosphere.

UPDATE: The NY Times offers up an editorial about the shoot-down (siding with Russia and China against the US, naturally), and an article about the impact of the plan on missile defense systems (slanted, of course, to fit the paper's editorial policy). Interesting pieces, but not for those looking for an unbiased look at the plan.

Posted by: Greg at 11:12 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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One of my buddies from school is struggling with an immigration issue. He is here on a work visa that allows him to teach in our school district – but that’s it. He’s working on an advanced degree that would allow him to become an administrator – but to accept such a promotion (even within the district) would put him in violation of his immigration status and subject him to possible deportation.

I may have found a site to help him out, where they have a great immigration law forum - VisaAmigo dot com. They have a newly launched immigration forum (in English and Spanish) where users can get immigration questions answered by a real immigration attorney. Hopefully it will point him in the right direction.

Posted by: Greg at 11:01 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Here it is -- the trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Indy looks older, and he has a young stud to be his protege. Could this signal a new way to revive the franchise? And correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that look like the warehouse where they stored the Ark of the Covenant? My only question is this -- why does it look like the US military is the bad guy in this one?

Posted by: Greg at 10:53 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Anyone who read this blog during the past football seasn knows that I am a big fan of NFL football. And while my team of choice today is the Houston Texans, I follow several other teams as well – among those being the Denver Broncos. Of course, the most exciting player in Denver Broncos team history has to have been John Elway. Year in and year out, it was guaranteed that Elway would be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Over at 20Yardline.com, you can learn all about the Broncos – or any other NFL team you are interested in. I know I’ll be adding the site to my list of favorites for the fall.

Posted by: Greg at 10:45 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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But we won't be visiting any time soon -- it is 5000 light years away.

Astronomers said Wednesday that they had found a miniature version of our own solar system 5,000 light-years across the galaxy — the first planetary system that really looks like our own, with outer giant planets and room for smaller inner planets.

“It looks like a scale model of our solar system,” said Scott Gaudi, an assistant professor of astronomy at Ohio State University. Dr. Gaudi led an international team of 69 professional and amateur astronomers who announced the discovery in a news conference with reporters.

Their results are being published Friday in the journal Science. The discovery, they said, means that our solar system may be more typical of planetary systems across the universe than had been thought.

In the newly discovered system, a planet about two-thirds of the mass of Jupiter and another about 90 percent of the mass of Saturn are orbiting a reddish star at about half the distances that Jupiter and Saturn circle our own Sun. The star is about half the mass of the Sun.

Neither of the two giant planets is a likely abode for life as we know it. But, Dr. Gaudi said, warm rocky planets — suitable for life — could exist undetected in the inner parts of the system.

What is truly fascinating with this one is not just that they found this solar system, but how. It involves application of some of Einstein's principles to determine whether a star has planets -- and is explained better in the article than I could possibly do. Suffice it to say it involves the bending of light from one star around another star -- something that almost sounds like science fiction, but clearly is not.

Posted by: Greg at 10:43 PM | Comments (32) | Add Comment
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You need to keep the light and heat out when the sun beats down on your house. I'm thinking that maybe some Custom Blinds like these blackout Roman shades may be the solution to the high energy costs associated with all that light and heat, and would be a good decorating solution as well.

Not only is the price right, but so is the quality. If you doubt me, look at the wood blinds and other sorts of blinds and shades they hang when next you watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. They provide the blinds and shades for the show.

Posted by: Greg at 09:38 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Sounds good to me.

The "Star Wars" universe, already substantially rendered by computer generated imagery, is giving in all the way to animation.

"Star Wars: The Clone Wars," an animated film, will open in theaters Aug. 15 and be followed by a TV series of the same name, to air on the Cartoon Network and TNT this fall.

"I felt there were a lot more 'Star Wars' stories left to tell," said "Star Wars" creator George Lucas in a statement. "I was eager to start telling some of them through animation and, at the same time, push the animation forward."

Add to that the upcoming live-action spin-off series, and I think there is still some life left in the franchise.

However, there is one aspect of the Star Wars universe that this leaves unexplored – one that really ought to be done.

As most fans (especially of my generation) know, at one time Lucas' conception of Star Wars involved a "trilogy of trilogies". We now have the classic Star Wars trilogy (episodes 4-6) and the more recent trilogy (episodes 1-3), showing us the descent of the Republic into Empire and the overthrow of that Empire. Why not give us that additional trilogy – what were originally to be episodes 7-9 – as animated films. This would complete the original George Lucas vision without the difficulties of writing, directing, and producing three more live-action films.

Posted by: Greg at 11:35 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Not content to disgrace and exploit her heroic son in the US, Cindy Sheehan has now gone abroad to lend support to the ideological/theological confreres of those who killed him.

Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan joined a protest Wednesday seeking the support of Egypt's first lady in ending a military trial of members of the country's largest Islamic organization.

Under the watchful eyes of dozens of black-clad and helmeted anti-riot police, some 50 heavily veiled wives and children of 40 senior members of the Muslim Brotherhood detained for the past year, gathered in front of the headquarters of first lady Suzanne Mubarak's National Council Women carrying banners calling for their release.

* * *

"As a mother of a son who was killed in the war, I presented a letter to Ms. Suzanne Mubarak to realize how those women and children are suffering."

Yeah, my heart bleeds for the children of terrorists and terrorist supporters.

Not.

And when you consider the history of the Muslim Brotherhood and the ideology it supports, for Cindy Sheehan to be campaigning in favor of them while invoking her son's sacrifice is the moral equivalent of her fornicating with a dog on her son's grave.

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Posted by: Greg at 11:34 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Once we get rid of the current crop of border jumpers and figure out how to avoid turning this into an anchor baby creation program, this proposal might not be too bad.

Mexican president Felipe Calderon called for a return to the bracero programme of the 1950s as a way to address issues of immigration and illegal workers between the US and Mexico. Calderon made the statements in an address to the California legislature, where he said that immigration "carries off the best among us" and vowed to create economic conditions that would allow Mexicans to find well-paid work at home.

"While my government is committed to protecting the rights of all Mexicans, including those living beyond our borders, we are taking great efforts to ensure that in the future no Mexican needs to leave our country to find job opportunities elsewhere," he said.

Calderon reminded legislators that Mexico is the top destination for California exports, and he recalled the bracero programme from the 1940s-60s as a system that met both countries' needs.

"We need to make migration legal, safe and organized," said Calderon, who met with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

And I think Calderon hit on one point – Mexico needs to clean up its act politically and economically so that border jumping ends. After all, the current immigration situation is indicative of the reality that, at this point in time, MEXICO SUCKS! I know that is a harsh statement to make, but the reality is that the country is currently a kleptocracy in which the common people are oppressed by corrupt government officials on the one hand and criminal gangs on the other -- to the degree that the two are not one and the same.

And let me say it again – I am not opposed to Mexicans coming to work, or even live permanently, in the United States. I object to their doing those things in violation of our nation's laws and sovereignty.

Posted by: Greg at 11:32 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Barack Obama wants to ensure that retirees who make more than I do a year pay no taxes.

"We'll also eliminate income taxes for any retiree making less than $50,000 per year, because our seniors are struggling enough with rising costs, and should be able to retire in dignity and respect."

I'm curious -- as a public school teacher who makes less that $50K a year, will I be given the opportunity to work with dignity and respect? After all, I struggle with rising prices, too!

Somehow I doubt it. After all, the junior Senator from Illinois wants to ensure that my Bush-sponsored tax cut is eliminated, effectively giving me a tax increase.

So much for respect and dignity for workers – you know, the very folks the Democrats CLAIM to represent.

H/T The Campaign Spot

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Now if he would just have the decency to get out of the Senate immediately.

Oh, wait -- if he had any decency he wouldn't have been trying to pick up guys in bathroom stalls.

So I don't expect this aciton by the Ethics Committee to have much effect.

Senator Larry E. Craig was admonished by his colleagues on Wednesday for conduct that reflected poorly on the Senate as the result of his arrest and guilty plea last summer in an undercover sex sting in a menÂ’s bathroom at the Minneapolis airport.

The reprimand handed down by the Senate Ethics Committee said that Mr. CraigÂ’s conduct in the bathroom was improper and that his actions after his arrest appeared to be an effort to evade the legal consequences in violation of the code of ethics for government service.

Committee members also raised questions about Mr. CraigÂ’s conversion of over $200,000 in campaign money to pay legal fees, noting that he had not cleared that action as required with the committee. The panel said it would consider further use of campaign money without approval as showing a continuing disregard for ethics rules.

Unfortunately, the committee didn't recommend more serious sanctions, especially in light of the financial misconduct that was cited. That's too bad, because it signals that there is a serious flaw in the ethics process.

The GOP has called upon Larry Craig to get ut of the Senate. I wonder why the Ethics Committee failed to take steps towards making that a reality. Could it be fear by top Democrats -- including San Francisco's own Barbara Boxer, who chairs the committee -- that taking that drastic step could be seen negatively by the gay community?

Posted by: Greg at 11:28 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Change is coming in Iraq, bit by bit, as the Sunni, Shi'a and Kurds work to forge a stronger, freer Iraq.

IraqÂ’s parliamentary leaders on Wednesday pushed through three far-reaching measures that had been delayed for weeks by bitter political maneuvering that became so acrimonious that some lawmakers threatened to try to dissolve the legislative body.

More than any previous legislation, the new initiatives have the potential to spur reconciliation between Sunnis and Shiites and set the country on the road to a more representative government, starting with new provincial elections.

The voting itself was a significant step forward for the Parliament, where even basic quorums have been rare. In a classic legislative compromise, the three measures, each of which was a burning issue for at least one faction, were packaged together for a single vote to encourage agreement across sectarian lines.

“Today we have a wedding party for the Iraqi Parliament,” said Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, the speaker, who is a Sunni. “We have proved that Iraqis are one bloc and Parliament is able to find solutions that represent all Iraqis.”

Yes, there is still more work to do, but this is one more key step along the way.

And for those who claim that this is all taking too long, I offer the reminder that it took several years to get the Articles of Confederation approved after they were written -- and several more years to produce a truly functional government under the Constitution. Indeed, it was 13 years from the signing f the Declaration of Independence to the inauguration of George Washington. In other words, creating workable political institutions takes time.

Posted by: Greg at 11:19 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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One of the difficult tasks for the sponsor of any school organization is finding new and creative ways of raising funds for their organization. After all, the traditional candy sale is now officially discouraged in many districts. Besides, selling the same old thing doesn’t necessarily cut it – if there are two or three groups all selling the same sort of product at once, it cuts into your fundraising success. What you really need to do is find items that are different than the other fundraisers. What works best is items that are both cute and practical. But it really takes some thought to come up with a creative new way to raise those funds along with your students.

One of my fellow teachers recently came across a website called arcmktg.com. They offer a wide variety of items for fundraising – things like custom silicone bracelets and custom car magnets. Those are great items in and of themselves -- the silicone bracelets are “in” right now among teenagers, and the custom car magnets are a great item for parents, teachers, and students who drive. Frankly, I think they would be awesome items to sell for any school fundraiser. So if you are looking to raise money for your organization or club, check out arcmktg.com.

Posted by: Greg at 11:15 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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That's what it looks like, with the campaign's firewall (Ohio and Texas) not coming until March 4.

ItÂ’s a high-risk play for the once undisputed Democratic front-runner. It also may be the only maneuver she has left after rival Barack Obama managed to effectively counter her planned Super Tuesday knock-out punch.

Since then, heÂ’s seized momentum by racking up eight wins on friendly turf, including three more Tuesday in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

“How do you survive all of the Obama money, momentum and media between now and March 4 when it looks like you are going to lose everything in between, including the Democrats Abroad vote?” asked unaligned Democratic strategist Mary Anne Marsh.

And there is a particularly dangerous aspect to this strategy -- she has to dismiss Obama voters as somehow unimportant and unrepresentative of America.

But her strategy is fraught with risks, not the least of which is dismissing the relevance of thousands of pro-Obama Democratic voters in small caucus states and in the seemingly hostile terrain of traditional Republican strongholds.

“It’s not a factor,” was how Clinton dismissed Obama victories in Maine, Nebraska, Louisiana, Virgin Islands and Washington state in an interview with WJLA and Politico on Monday.

“We had a great night on Super Tuesday. We’re winning the states that we have to win. The big states that are really going to determine whether the Democrats win,” she said during the televised discussion.

So got that folks -- if you live in a state won by Barack Obama, you really aren't all that important to Hillary. I'm sure that will leave you motivated to get out and vote for her in November, right?

Yeah, Hillary Clinton is starting to look and sound a lot like Rudy Giuliani -- without the charm.

Posted by: Greg at 11:02 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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