Morning Whip 3/3/05

The mainstream media’s macabre fascination with the Iraq body count continues.

Meanwhile, the flame of freedom[*2] continues to flicker in Lebanon.

Greenspan: deficits bad, Social Security is in fact fubar’ed[*3] .

And, the Award for Most Disingenuously Confusing First Line in a News Article Award goes to: The Detroit Free Press, for Poll: Social Security plan wins young voters’ support[*4]
WASHINGTON — While polls show that President George W. Bush is losing support for his push to partly privatize Social Security, the group he’s winning support from may be the most important one politically — young people.

Another reason why it’s a bad idea to make public policy according to poll results.

Ah, the Replacements[*5] . One of my all-time favorite bands. I might have to make my way down to the Grand Emporium tomorrow night.

Morning Whip, 3/02/05

Judge, Lawyer on Saddam Tribunal Killed[*1] . This being the same judge that the Iraqi provisional authority pleaded with the media to keep his name secret. Coincidence? Or irresponsible media?

Supreme Court bars juvenile executions[*2] . Yawn. Yet another issue decided by the unelected, unaccountable nine-member Ruling Council of the United States. Remind me again what we elect legislators for?

IE drops below 90 percent market share[*3] . What can you say? Firefox is a better browser.

Morning Whip, 2/28/05

Breaking: Fox News is showing an anti-Syrian demonstration in Beirut. Thousands of Lebanese, flying the cedar tree flag. No link yet that I can find.

Who watched the Oscars?[*1] Me neither. What’s the over/under–a 20 share?

Gee, President Bush wins a Razzie[*2] . Har, har, har. That cracks me up. Really. Har.

Got Ding[*3] ? Southwest Airlines wants you to. Too bad you can’t find it on the SWA[*4] web site.

Without Moody, the Jayhawks are pretty ordinary[*5] . With Moody, the Jayhawks are Final Four contenders[*6] . All hail the role player!

Morning Whip, 2/27/05

Victor Davis Hanson[*1] , writing in the Wall Street Journal’s OpinionJournal[*2] (registration required) again calls the European’s bluff [*3] on their hypocritical attitudes toward America. VDH is always a good read . . .

Until postmodern Europe rightly assumes a role commensurate with its moral rhetoric, population, and economic strength, out of envy or pride it will often seek to undercut and occasionally embarrass the U.S.–at least up to that fine, though ambiguous, point of not quite alienating its hyperpower patron. For our part, we cannot ridicule Europe’s present military impotence only to oppose its nascent efforts at a unified defense establishment. So go to it, Europe–one voice, one army, one U.N. Security Council seat!

Jacks win! Jacks win! Jacks win![*4] Now, it’s a bit silly I know to get excited about a college basketball team’s tenth win occuring at the end of February, but these are my Jackrabbits. Not many teams get to end their season with a win. You gotta understand. It’s a fan thing.

Lady Jacks, however, lose for the second time[*5] to arch-rival North Dakota State. Still, 20 wins in your first year in D-I and wins over Alabama, Kentucky, and Oklahoma State is not a bad thing. One more game to go for the Lady Jacks . . .

Note to editorial writers: Any editorial which includes both “quagmire” and “exit strategy” can safely be ignored if not ridiculed for showing an utter lack of comprehension of the post-9/11 world. No link here. You know who you are.

More Euro-love for Dubya

Courtesy the
U.K. Telegraph: “The day Dubya trumped Putin by playing the joker”[*1]

(OK, England isn’t exactly Europe, but it’s close . . . )

As the post-summit press conference got under way in Bratislava Castle, however, drooping heads were suddenly jerked upright. White House correspondents have seen a few taut press conferences in their time. Few had witnessed anything like the electric closing Bush/Putin encounter.

Bush Was Right

Out of curiousity, I typed
“bush was right”[*1] into Google.

The result:

Results 1 – 10 of about 32,400 for “bush was right”. (0.49 seconds)

Hm.

Morning Whip, 2/26/05

I’ve noticed an unfortunate tendency for the Morning Whip to become the Afternoon Whip. Discipline, Filbert, discipline.

Wichita police think they’ve got the BTK serial killer[*1] . I hope so.

It’s almost March, which means it’s Madness time. Is it time for John Chaney[*2] to go?

They’re not eligible for the Big Dance for a while, but – – – Jackrabbits[*3] vs. Bison[*4] . Tonight. In Fargo. The Women[*5] . The Men[*6] . Gotta love college basketball.

Wal-Mart (select boo-hiss[*7] or hurrah[*8] based on your personal preference) is still out in NYC[*9] , but in to redevelop an aging shopping center in Kansas City[*10] .