We’ve been absent a long time, but couldn’t resist posting this one quick item.

Check out ObamaForCHEnge.com. :-)

Kids and media in the bedroom.

The study also showed kids spend more time per day with media than hanging out with their parents, doing homework, and exercising combined.

Speaking of kids, I had a really cool moment with my young son today. I was spackling a wall while he was hammering scraps of 2x4’s together. He was holding the hammer really close to the head, and I took a few minutes show him how to hold it back farther and get a better swing. When he tried it and the nail sank into the wood, his face lit up… “Dad! You were right!!” Yep. Every once in a while. :-)

This is quite a charge. It’s not the first time it’s been suggested, but this is the first time I’ve seen an apparently first-hand account.

A former U.S. Marine who participated in capturing ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said the public version of his capture was fabricated.

Ex-Sgt. Nadim Abou Rabeh, of Lebanese descent, was quoted in the Saudi daily al-Medina Wednesday as saying Saddam was actually captured Friday, Dec. 12, 2003, and not the day after, as announced by the U.S. Army.

I’m sure that in the days ahead the credibility of this young soldier will be bandied about ad nauseum. It will be interesting to watch the dialogue play out. Stay tuned.

Assuming it’s true, though, what does it tell us? Deceptive? Yes. Major PR coup? Probably - while it lasted at least. The image of Saddam coming out of that rat hole will probably stay with most of us, and presumably many thousands if Iraqis, for years. Even if it were carefully orchestrated, would such orchestration have been wrong? Or brilliant?

Comments are welcome….

UPDATE: Michelle Malkin and OTB have picked up the story. They’re skeptical.

Captain Ed says “Sgrena lied.”

Michelle wonders too.

I noticed this quote on
SquareSpace’s Blog (one of the sponsors of this site):

Many blogs are simply opinion-based and very rarely is there any factual evidence to back up what they are saying

Huh? Opinion, sure. But “rarely factual evidence”?

Wow. I’m not sure what else to say, other than that if today were April 1st I would be suspicious that this was a joke.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (AP) — Defense attorney Leslie Ballin called it the “jury pool from hell.”

The group of prospective jurors was summoned to listen to a case of Tennessee trailer park violence.

Right after jury selection began last week, one man got up and left, announcing, “I’m on morphine and I’m higher than a kite.”

When the prosecutor asked if anyone had been convicted of a crime, a prospective juror said that he had been arrested and taken to a mental hospital after he almost shot his nephew. He said he was provoked because his nephew just would not come out from under the bed.

Another would-be juror said he had had alcohol problems and was arrested for soliciting sex from an undercover officer. “I should have known something was up,” he said. “She had all her teeth.”

Another prospect volunteered he probably should not be on the jury: “In my neighborhood, everyone knows that if you get Mr. Ballin (as your lawyer), you’re probably guilty.” He was not chosen.

The case involved a woman accused of hitting her brother’s girlfriend in the face with a brick. Ballin’s client was found not guilty.

Michelle Malkin has some more interesting discussion of the debate around Japanese internment in school curriculum.

When supporters of Bainbridge Island’s biased curriculum say “some things are not debatable” what they really mean is that pertinent facts such as these should be withheld from students. When they say there is no need for additional “context” they mean that students should be taught that internment was solely the result of racism and wartime hysteria; any evidence pointing to legitimate security concerns should be withheld.

She’s referring to an article in the Kitsap Sun and references a couple of related blog entries here, here and here.

Andrew Sullivan today says:

It would be hard to find or invent a more graphic example of evil than that perpetrated by Graner in Abu Ghraib.

Taranto points out:

How about flying planes into buildings? Suicide bombings? Beheading hostages?

He’s got a point.

On this Kerry quote…

“My friends, this is not a time to pretend. We’re here to celebrate the life of a man who, if he were here today, would make it clear to us what our agenda is. And nothing,” Kerry said, his voice rising in anger, “would he make more clear on that agenda than, in a nation that is willing to spend several hundred million dollars in Iraq to bring them democracy we cannot tolerate that, here in America, too many people are denied that democracy.”

The WSJ’s Taranto today says:

They’re such a sour bunch that their way of honoring the man who declared “I have a dream” is to reply: I have a bellyache.

Classic.

From this Reuters story.

“A 66-year-old Romanian woman … was claimed by Romanian media to be the world’s oldest mother ever”

I’m pretty certain I know several moms older than that.

Dan Rather quoted by Ann Coulter in today’s column.

“I think you can be an honest person and lie about any number of things.”

From now through the end of January, go into any McDonalds in the U.S., and if you are over age 60 say:

“I read Myopic Zeal’s blog, and I would like a senior cup of coffee please.”

And you will be given a discount on your coffee purchase!

*Void where not valid.

[Post created specifically for LaShawn Barber’s “Open Thread Thursday“]

UPDATE: Ok, ok. Yes, you would get the discount even if you didn’t mention this blog, just by virtue of your age. However, if you mention the blog you might get people to smile at you funny, maybe ask you to repeat yourself, and every time you do, it’s more free publicity for this blog!!! :-D

In here discussion of the Kid Rock controversy, Michelle Malkin reprints from US Code, Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 8 (d) the rules and regulations on respect for the flag.

I did not know this one:

9. The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.

This, for example, should never be done, according to that rule.

Or this.

I feel almost famous, a mini LaShawnLanche.

Thanks LaShawn!

:-)

Interesting discussion here from Eugene Volokh.

While I’m on the subject of McCarthyism, if you haven’t read it yet, Treason, by Ann Coulter is worth reading.

Congratulations to Eugene Volokh, who now has to answer the question of how many children he has with:

“That’s a controversial political question,”

From Cox & Forkum via LGF

If you’re reading this post, the headline of this WND report is old news, but they add some good summarization of today’s topic du jour from around the blogosphere.

The latest update on stuffingtopsecretdocumentsinsocksgate, according to WorldNetDaily.

The criminal investigation of former National Security Adviser Sandy Berger – accused of pocketing highly classified terrorism documents prior to the Sept. 11 Commission hearings – is now before a federal grand jury, according to an anonymous source with knowledge of the probe.

More good commentary from Ace of Spades: None Dare Call it Bias

Side note: It’s funny, seems everyone is referring to my blog recently. I’m seeing “myopic zeal” all over the place in the last couple of days. Coincidence? Or is this blog simply that popular? ;-)

Fat Kid points out the definition of zeal, in a sort of subtle way. Great point!