tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743413778045827362011-07-08T05:16:50.773-04:00Standing Athwart 5th Avenue, yelling "Stop!"Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1521100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-62389513121721527342008-09-19T09:14:00.003-04:002008-09-19T09:45:32.365-04:00

In answer to a reader's query at Instapundit:A READER TAKES ME TO TASK for not paying enough attention to the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in Texas, and she's right. The Houston Chronicle has been doing a good job of covering that, and there's a lot of coverage from John Little. And here's the latest update from Dr. Melissa Clouthier. If you've got more stuff, please send it.Why do hurricanes that

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-23243823089721344492008-09-18T09:42:00.004-04:002008-09-18T09:49:30.904-04:00

20% more, according to a report from the TNS Media Intelligence Campaign Media Analysis Group (TNSMI/CMAG) and the University of Wisconsin Advertising Project.via Marc Ambinder at TheAtlantic.comThe campaigns are spending about $15m in ads per week; each is spending about $7.8 million. most of McCain's ads are paid for with both McCain campaign money and money from the RNC; 97% of Obama's ads are

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-68196727576347515222008-09-18T09:38:00.001-04:002008-09-18T09:40:58.414-04:00

A friend/co-worker of mine (she actually sits right behind me, and therefore literally oversees everything I put up here) has launched her own blog, devoted to her cooking. She's very talented, and makes a lot of Korean dishes. Give it a look, if you're into that kinda thing. I like the name.Ambitious Delicious(ness)

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-22256785618087685612008-09-18T09:37:00.001-04:002008-09-18T09:38:15.949-04:00

Food News to GoVia Instapundit

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-36147303186114644912008-09-18T09:10:00.009-04:002008-09-18T09:36:02.597-04:00

An addendum to the non-story about idiots breaking into and stealing Sarah Palin's emails and some photos, which were then displayed by moronic enablers at Gawker and the AP, among others. Now, after the Secret Service "asked" the AP for copies of the leaked emails, the AP refused to comply.I don't really care about people breaking in Sarah Palin's Yahoo account and swiping some emails and

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-75585262736357547642008-09-18T09:10:00.005-04:002008-09-18T09:17:46.815-04:00

As usual, Victor Davis Hanson injects a much-needed dose of reality and sanity into your day...I think almost everyone knew that should McCain surge a point or two hysteria would ensue, and the hope and change idealism would morph into the wounded fawn cries out against the "lying" and "lost his bearings" and "can't remember" enfeebled, aged McCain — while in the mind of his galvanized

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-88906579138049915802008-09-18T09:10:00.002-04:002008-09-18T09:13:51.965-04:00

Democratic Congress May Adjourn, Leave Crisis to Fed, Treasury from Bloomberg, via The CornerSept. 18 (Bloomberg) -- The Democratic-controlled Congress, acknowledging that it isn't equipped to lead the way to a solution for the financial crisis and can't agree on a path to follow, is likely to just get out of the way.Not that I mind at all, in fact, this seems like something that Congress should

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-68111413990718950272008-09-16T09:51:00.006-04:002008-09-16T09:59:06.598-04:00

PELOSI PUSHES RANGEL TO STEP DOWN FROM COMMITTEE CHAIR from the NYPost, via JammieWearingFoolIt can't happen soon enough. Although having said that, the longer this fool hangs around as a symbol of his party, the better for the Republicans. I worked for several months as a Congressional intern in the House back when I was in college, and the office I was in was directly across from Rangel's.

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-89651889682191284262008-09-16T08:55:00.003-04:002008-09-16T09:50:47.020-04:00

Sorry, to all my faithful readers (all one of you), my computer went on the fritz yesterday, and there were some awfully tense moments around my apartment as I tried desperately to resurrect her. She seems to be working ok now, but if there's anyone out there who knows anything about such things, who also happens to be reading this blog, I'd appreciate any input you can offer. And yes, I realize

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-92169264075143457772008-09-12T14:33:00.002-04:002008-09-12T14:50:47.884-04:00

Dirty Harry has a video clip up of John McCain on The View, apparently trying to answer a serious question in a serious manner, you know, like adults do. Whoopi Goldberg jumps in out of left field with an utterly idiotic comment about being "returned" to slavery, apparently thinking that McCain's stated support of judges who will interpret the Constitution as the founders intended was his way

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-92027710914851260802008-09-12T09:32:00.002-04:002008-09-12T09:45:25.738-04:00

via Television Without Pity (which has been going steadily downhill since it was purchased by Bravo, but still is worth an occasional read, particularly once real TV starts up again and they can write about things other than fake TV, ie, crappy Bravo reality shows)This is a list that inspires endless debate, and would probably end up leaving no one happy. I think it might fall into the category

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-66719658658034374852008-09-12T09:01:00.002-04:002008-09-12T09:04:21.681-04:00

I suppose it's time to stop being surprised, and just stop buying the papers...from Confederate Yankee:Anne E. Kornblut, just stop.Unless Kornblut buried the lede, Palin said precisely nothing about Saddam Hussein or his government at all or any roll they may have had in 9/11. Kornblut simply made that up, because she wanted Palin to say that.When Palin referenced "...the enemies who planned and

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-10539129896487452882008-09-12T08:47:00.003-04:002008-09-12T08:56:43.243-04:00

Good grief. Via Ben Smith at Politico -"Our campaign from the beginning has been about changing government," he said, recalling some great accomplishments of American government: Civil rights legislation, the interstate highway system, and the National Park system.Obama would, he said, "transform Washington" and "make government cool again."Government isn't supposed to be "cool," or hip, or rad,

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-64633915065410074072008-09-11T09:00:00.003-04:002008-09-11T09:13:07.627-04:00

And Glenn has inspired me. I barely knew what blogs were back seven years ago today, as a young pup still in undergrad at good ol' U of Maryland. September 11, 2001 was a beautiful morning in College Park, MD, I had an early class in the English building all the way across campus, and I wasn't in the habit of catching any news before I went out for the day, so the first thing I heard was as my

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-5098141032100934392008-09-11T08:57:00.002-04:002008-09-11T08:59:55.403-04:00

Clicked over to Instapundit briefly, saw that Glenn Reynolds had linked to his postings from 9/11/01. It became very tough to do so. If you want to be taken back, go click on over for as long as you can bear it.

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-39558506379259917732008-09-11T08:54:00.002-04:002008-09-11T08:55:51.338-04:00

Posting will be light this morning, due to work...

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-74797538276858910692008-09-10T11:14:00.001-04:002008-09-10T11:16:32.342-04:00

Brilliant, as alwaysvia InstapunditRead all of it

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-68302555670526979242008-09-10T10:24:00.002-04:002008-09-10T10:31:25.170-04:00

Ashamed to be even commenting on this, the Chad Ocho Cinco nee Johnson fiasco, but he's on my fantasy team (2 points last week, way to go #2 draft choice), so I happened to notice it. According to Bengals.com (I'm not going to bother linking, just take my word for it) apparently Chad hasn't been allowed to wear "Ocho Cinco" as his last name on his jersey to this point due to an outstanding

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-11120853794709638992008-09-10T09:56:00.003-04:002008-09-10T09:58:41.292-04:00

Florida will require I.D. match for all would-be votersfrom McClatchy, via InstapunditWhat a novel concept, requiring that a person actually prove that they're who they say they are before voting! This must not stand!

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-57594007016803486612008-09-10T09:50:00.003-04:002008-09-10T09:52:59.611-04:00

On a related note, nice jab from Dave Letterman last night, via the Corner:David Letterman: "How about that Barack Obama?" They are "saying for the first time he's starting to slip in the polls," but "don't worry. He's got a plan. He's going to go back to campaigning in Europe."

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-51837145403071598972008-09-10T09:44:00.003-04:002008-09-10T09:49:26.563-04:00

I forget to mention yesterday, it wasn't really a surprise, but still nice to see...there's a reason I pick up the Post with my coffee and ham, egg and cheese bagel at Bagel World each Saturday morning, and it's not because of Page Six. (Although the great Mets coverage doesn't hurt)"THE Post today enthusiastically urges the election of Sen. John S. McCain as the 44th president of the United

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-58649785186483417142008-09-10T09:03:00.006-04:002008-09-10T09:39:31.266-04:00

The world's verdict will be harsh if the US rejects the man it yearns forfrom Jonathan Freedland at the Guardian, via Mark Steyn in the Corner"The world's verdict"? Is this a joke? What the hell does "the world's verdict" mean? And more importantly, as Steyn so ably lampoons, what is "the world" going to do about it? (His suggestions: "You mean economic sanctions? Expulsion from the Olympics?

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-59570704156982750672008-09-09T16:05:00.003-04:002008-09-09T16:16:05.621-04:00

Risk for thee but not for mefrom David Harsanyi in the Denver Post via InstapunditA good column re the Mac/Mae (Bear Stearns, airline industry, et al) mess. It's stuff like this that makes me reconsider voting at all, for anyone. Massive corporate bailouts and nationalization are a problem that pretty much everyone in Washington has a part in, save for a few brave souls, and sometimes it seems as

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-72618791323059315412008-09-09T09:06:00.002-04:002008-09-09T09:21:48.666-04:00

Oil nears $100 a barrel ahead of Opec meetingfrom TimesOnline, via InstapunditGlenn Reynolds comments, "I suspect we'll see production cuts. I'm not sure it's a good thing if oil drops much below $100/barrel anyway, as it will kill off alt-energy and conservation efforts that we're very likely to need anyway."I don't know that I agree with Glenn's assessment. At this point, it seems as if our

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-22952341051644249322008-09-09T08:55:00.003-04:002008-09-09T09:02:13.446-04:00

What I fail to understand is how liberals can cry foul over the Sarah Palin pick, screeching about how it's purely political, how she's only on the ticket to woo Hillary voters, or women, or moose-hunters, or Eskimo-descended champion snowmobile racers or some other group, that it's impossible that she's on the ticket because she apparently appeals to pretty much everyone and because she's done a

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-77102186546174871902008-09-09T08:51:00.003-04:002008-09-09T08:54:09.662-04:00

via the Corner, t-shirts and assorted other emblazoned materials available from CafePress

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-5769280583427289922008-09-09T08:49:00.001-04:002008-09-09T08:51:30.953-04:00

Oh dear. It's really really a good thing that McCain brought Palin in when he did, or else this, combined with his stance on immigration, could have been the final nail in his coffin in terms of my vote...from BusinessWeek, via the Corner

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-11936920235269901602008-09-08T12:26:00.003-04:002008-09-08T12:34:12.170-04:00

One of the more fascinating aspects of the Sarah Palin extravaganza is the inability of even those who seem to detest everything thing about her to stop talking about her. My office (and my city) is filled with people who are die-hard Democrats, people who voted against Hillary in the primaries because she was too conservative. However, these same people seem incapable of getting Sarah Palin

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-10113041196156215992008-09-08T10:42:00.003-04:002008-09-08T10:50:58.989-04:00

As a lover of wings, I couldn't be more excited about this news - I don't think I've ever actually had Atomic Wings, but frankly, I can't really imagine they'll be bad. Unlike cheeseburgers, chicken wings are a junk food about which no one can accuse me of being a snob. The only ways to ruin a chicken wing, for my money, is to overcook them. Beyond that, I really couldn't care less if they have

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-52943503948577098982008-09-08T10:13:00.003-04:002008-09-08T10:20:24.825-04:00

Out of necessity, I learned on Friday that you can charge your Motorola phone with nothing more than a USB cord and a computer. This certainly isn't news to a lot of people out there, but it is a big help when you're about to go out of town for a weekend wedding, and you realize you've left your charger at the office. I simply used the USB cord that came with my Canon SD1000 camera, plugged it

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-28748380091844643062008-09-08T10:09:00.002-04:002008-09-08T10:13:01.366-04:00

Palin/McCain lead, 50-46% among likely voters, according to GallupIt's hard not to feel excited about this, the first substantial lead for McCain, although there's certainly a long long way to go. The campaign needs to keep Palin out there and visible, let her shoulder a lot of the load for McCain, keep pressing the experience angle, and start hammering the Dems on economic and energy issues.

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-20527054398233945542008-09-05T11:18:00.002-04:002008-09-05T11:21:08.853-04:00

School of EverythingI haven't really tried it yet, but if it works, this could be one of the cooler, more useful applications of the Internet that's come along in a long time - a website that connects teachers of just about anything, to people who want to learn...via Jonah Goldberg's Cool Link Gal in the Corner

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-1724406541307484672008-09-05T09:10:00.001-04:002008-09-05T09:12:33.178-04:00

Time to pull out of Chicago...via InstapunditWITH VIOLENCE, AND AN IRRETRIEVABLY CORRUPT POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, I think we should just pull out of Chicago: "Nearly 125 Shot Dead In Chicago Over Summer. Total Is About Double The Death Toll In Iraq."

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-90417712455808500622008-09-04T10:18:00.003-04:002008-09-04T10:23:22.616-04:00

Apparently the apple has fallen very far from the tree...Nick Clooney (George’s Pop) Defends Bristol PalinThe veteran journalist and former anchorman had this to say in defense of Bristol Palin:“I did not get into this racket half a century ago so we could go out trashing 17 year old girls.”We are in a very nasty period right now - with no gatekeepers. Nobody seems to care.from Fox News, via

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-63917511381687851202008-09-04T10:09:00.002-04:002008-09-04T10:16:29.649-04:00

Watch here as Fox News' Megyn Kelly wipes the smug smile off of the face of Us Weekly's Bradley Jacobs in about 2 seconds. It's replaced quickly by a look that conveys something more along the lines of nausea. What a tool. Oh, and just FYI, "Bradley" has officially entered the "Top 5 Boy's Names That I Will Never Consider For My Sons" list, right up there with Trevor. Love the way Megyn keeps

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-15452599804479199242008-09-04T09:00:00.002-04:002008-09-04T09:48:08.209-04:00

This morning's AMNY, which I shall no longer be picking up outside of the subway station each morning, has outdone itself. On the morning after a truly historic event, the first ever acceptance speech by a female member of a major party's presidential ticket, you'd think perhaps they would lead with that event, or, given that the speech didn't end until later than the paper went to press,

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-9786550499592208482008-09-04T08:49:00.003-04:002008-09-04T09:00:18.733-04:00

Not that this is any sort of revelation, but in the past few days, pretty much ever since the Palin announcement, the media has reached a new low. The unwarranted, unsubstantiated attacks on Palin and her family, are unlike anything I have ever witnessed.It is time for the Right to stop treating the liberal mainstream media as anything but an enemy. No longer should the Olbermans, the Courics,

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-21706063618669444882008-09-03T08:31:00.004-04:002008-09-03T08:55:05.407-04:00

Another day, another self-centered female, liberal columnist writing about how she's no fool, she's not going to be taken in by this "Palin" character masquerading as Hillary Clinton. This time it's Meg Boyle, featured in this morning's AMNY, writing from the Politirazzi blog.Boyle spouts,McCain did not pick Palin because she is the right person for the job. Sarah Palin is a gimmick...The Palin

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-22069363639499165292008-09-02T20:49:00.003-04:002008-09-02T20:55:03.259-04:00

Sarah Palin FactsBasically a rip-off of the "Chuck Norris Facts" thing, but still earns a hearty "Heh!"Some of my favorites:- Ben Linus does Sarah Palin’s bidding- N. Alaska is sunny half the year and dark half the year because Sarah Palin needed the reading light, then wanted a nap- Sarah Palin uses French Canadians as bait to catch giant king salmon- Sarah Palin got Tom Brady pregnant, and then

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-43819010838544025952008-09-02T14:55:00.005-04:002008-09-02T14:58:46.541-04:00

Trailer Voiceover King Don LaFontaine Dies at 68The owner of one of the most recognizable voices in the world is dead.R.I.P.

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-39709917287372431642008-09-02T14:11:00.004-04:002008-09-02T14:34:09.804-04:00

A woman, but why this woman?via Drudge, from the Baltimore SunSusan Reimer, a female columnist, echoes many of the sentiments that I've heard ad nauseum since the Palin pick, from female liberal friends, in the papers, around my office, etc., that they're "insulted" by McCain's selection for VP, as if he made the choice solely to appeal to them.John McCain picked Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-5809158099879238792008-09-02T12:10:00.002-04:002008-09-02T12:19:47.099-04:00

Tried Mee Thai, (180 5th Ave., btw Berkeley and Lincoln) last week with a group, and if you're looking for a relatively inexpensive dinner or a Thai alternative to Song, this is a good bet. We shared a few appetizers between the eight of us, I had chicken dumplings, which were excellent, others I tried included a duck and a beef "salad," which was sort of the Thai equivalent of a taco salad, in

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-14685463057409038392008-09-02T09:41:00.006-04:002008-09-02T09:55:25.403-04:00

Here's my two cents:I love the choice of Sarah Palin for McCain's VP, if for no other reason than it forces the media to divert their attention, at least temporarily, from Obama. However, she also seems to be a tremendous pick in terms of reassuring conservatives that McCain is aware we still exist. Sure, her lack of experience is a potential liability, particularly in the foreign policy vein,

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-64159132892091079482008-09-02T09:28:00.003-04:002008-09-02T09:41:10.769-04:00

Party CrashersThe peace-loving, road-blocking, window-smashing protesters at the RNC. by Christopher Beam, at SlateHard to pin down piece following a group of "protesters" (read: vandals/anarchists/idiots) as they act like the over-privileged, under-educated morons they are, "demonstrating at and around the RNC in St. Paul.Beam seems to be at least somewhat sympathetic to the young jackasses, but

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-60179477654809772442008-08-26T10:04:00.004-04:002008-08-26T10:17:59.829-04:00

Great essay from Orson Scott Card on the damage that Western "intellectuals" are doing to America, freedom, and as a direct result, the rest of the world. via Michael Ledeen in the CornerEnder's Game has been one of my favorite books since I first read it about six years ago, and I was very happy to find out that the author is, if not a true conservative, at the very least a blue dog Democrat,

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-45088211829651120562008-08-26T09:54:00.008-04:002008-08-26T10:04:36.398-04:00

When I first moved into Park Slope almost three years ago, I quickly became a big fan of Pizza by the Park, on 3rd St. It was convenient, relatively cheap, made good meatball hoagies, tasty chicken fingers, great salads, and had some decent toppings. It was perfect for grabbing a quick couple slices on the way home. Unfortunately, it was closed down by the health department a number of months ago

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-70437068296019756632008-08-26T09:30:00.002-04:002008-08-26T09:37:22.296-04:00

One of my favorite historical sites in Park Slope, the Old Stone House is a rebuilt Dutch farm house, located on 3rd St., between 4th and 5th Aves, and commemorates the Battle of Brooklyn, in which a colonial regiment from Maryland fought the good fight against British regulars, losing over 200 men, and serving as inspiration for the Colonials to continue fighting. Or something like that. All I

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-13444978029149771562008-08-26T09:14:00.002-04:002008-08-26T09:26:53.099-04:00

Oh no no no nonononononono...Cher 'to play Catwoman' in next Batman film from the London Telegraph via Dirty HarryAre they serious? Is there any part of this article that is legit? No one is buying it in the comments at Dirty Harry's Place, and I can't imagine how they could make this work, at all. Also mentioned in the article is Johnny Depp as the Riddler. Now, I enjoy Johnny Depp as much

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-23804791156444642672008-08-26T09:09:00.003-04:002008-08-26T09:14:24.022-04:00

Definitely one of the few issues these days that the left and the right should be able to agree upon without too much trouble:Silliest column of the week award, in vino veritas division by Roger Kimball at Pajamas MediaOld enough to fight, old enough to drink by Michele Catalano, also at Pajamas MediaWant to lower the drinking age? Hope you like spam by Andy Guess at Inside Higher Edall links

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-71751048009694778932008-08-25T20:49:00.004-04:002008-08-25T20:53:44.385-04:00

Just as a quick addendum to the post below, James Taranto over at the Wall Street Journal's Opinion Journal also posted a take down of Jacob Weisberg's ridiculous article at Slate, and naturally, his is a lot better (and shorter) than mine. I can only take pleasure in knowing that I wrote mine first, and I blame it on having a job to worry about while I'm writing my posts :)Today's Best of the

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-42090241860574406882008-08-25T14:24:00.006-04:002008-08-25T17:16:20.709-04:00

If Obama LosesRacism is the only reason McCain might beat him. from SlateAt Slate, Jacob Weisberg comes up with a truly idiotic article, one of those that sets the blood boiling beginning as early as the title and not letting up throughout its thankfully brief length. Perhaps taking a leisurely stroll through the piece, with frequent breaks for sanity, will help break up the rage a bit...What

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-24018558786394290032008-08-25T13:52:00.004-04:002008-08-25T14:01:28.766-04:00

Things We Thought We'd Never See: Democrats Rally Against the Teacher's Union! from Mickey Kaus at SlateWow - who woulda thunk - although naturally, this burgeoning movement (and yes, it's definitely a good thing for education in this country and "for the children," shudder) has to come when I'm about a year from becoming a teacher. The only people who really benefit from the immense power of the

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-38606022219704837642008-08-25T13:47:00.002-04:002008-08-25T13:51:53.432-04:00

This is certainly one of the less frightening options, as a McCain supporter. I would have been much much more worried if Obama had opted for Hillary, or Kaine, of Bayh, or if somehow Gore had come out of the wings. All of them have their flaws, but Biden seems to bring nothing to the table besides his longevity and experience, which is obviously one of Obama's biggest problem areas, but by

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-19832462723390761522008-08-25T13:45:00.000-04:002008-08-25T13:47:07.134-04:00

UGLY ENDING FOR GIANTS' OSI - OUT FOR SEASON AFTER MRI FINDS TORN KNEE CARTILAGE via NYPOSTThat can't be good...

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-1816699961743727542008-08-25T13:01:00.004-04:002008-08-25T13:31:05.204-04:00

One of the primary causes of the below-mentioned lack of posting over the weekend was an all-day trip to the glorious Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden in Astoria, Queens. The hour+ subway ride to this wonderful establishment has been a summer ritual at least once a year since I've lived in Park Slope, and every time it seems to get better. We usually go with a fairly large group (best to get there

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-59213888021736759832008-08-25T12:56:00.002-04:002008-08-25T13:01:17.574-04:00

Weekends tend to be a busy time, often with limited access to a computer, so posting will probably continue to be light from Fridays through Sundays, but hopefully as I become more comfortable and attuned to my personal blogging rhythm, whatever that means, I'll be better able to contribute over the weekend.

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-62278354844322853812008-08-22T11:28:00.004-04:002008-08-22T11:49:57.759-04:00

From the recent NY Times Obama piece, cited by Jim Geraghty at NRO, and noted by Mark Hemingway in the Corner“If you talk to Warren (Buffet), he’ll tell you his preference is not to meddle in the economy at all — let the market work, however way it’s going to work, and then just tax the heck out of people at the end and just redistribute it,” Obama said. “That way you’re not impeding efficiency,

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-74837164654924137832008-08-22T09:21:00.003-04:002008-08-22T09:27:27.198-04:00

Another nice post this morning from Maimon Schwarzschild at The Right Coast, rapidly becoming one of my essential morning visits, on the straight-talking appeal of Ralph Nader, even to those on the right.My thoughts:I know exactly what Schwarzschild means. If only the GOP had some leaders who were as direct and no B.S. as Nader, but without the leftist policies, the Dems would have a hard time

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-11397029858152943912008-08-22T09:11:00.002-04:002008-08-22T09:21:10.009-04:00

World Trade Center 7 Report Puts 9/11 Conspiracy Theory to Rest from Popular Mechanics via InstapunditApparently fire can melt steel. Who knew? What I find particularly amusing (aside from allowing additional light to be shed on general the idiocy that is Rosie O'Donnell, and enabling the use of the subject line above...) is the idea that's been included in pretty much every article I've read

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-54839135910046074672008-08-21T09:18:00.004-04:002008-08-21T09:22:49.924-04:00

Not a problem I'm ever going to have, but still makes for a hilarious post from Tom Smith at The Right Coast -I read somewhere about the controversial yacht some Russian oligarch has recently launched. It sounds like your total Bond villain yacht. Instead of lots of decks for your mistress to sun herself on (and normally they do that a lot), the thing is totally enclosed, and its hull is designed

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-8127140798129961062008-08-21T09:14:00.002-04:002008-08-21T09:16:41.826-04:00

I'm exhausted this morning, and it seems to be a relatively slow news day (knock on wood), so posting will be light. All zero of my readers are crushed.

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-37384540841326241382008-08-20T10:11:00.004-04:002008-08-20T10:20:55.134-04:00

As I mentioned briefly earlier this morning, I would have very little problem with John McCain selecting someone like Rudy Guiliani or even Joe Lieberman as his VP candidate. If the election was a lock, if McCain was up by fifteen points in every poll and somehow had California, New York, and Texas assured, than by all means, pick a Bobby Jindal or Fred Thompson, get them out there, pave the way

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-20754983740014053162008-08-20T09:47:00.004-04:002008-08-20T10:02:23.810-04:00

Following Rosanne Barr's asinine comments about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, which I won't link to, since they're idiotic and probably just an attempt to get her name out there enough so that Bravo will offer her some kind of humiliating reality show, Jolie's father, Jon Voight, fired back at the chronically annoying and offensive (not in the "she curses too much" way, but in the "by your

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-40852307661388476032008-08-20T09:36:00.007-04:002008-08-20T09:46:36.197-04:00

Not Your Typical Surrender Monkey-- Sarkozy Travels to Afghanistan To Support His French Troops After Attack from Gateway PunditSarkozy certainly isn't perfect (but what politician is?) but this is what a leader does. Regardless of public opinion polls, or of what would help him win the next election, a leader supports his nation's troops that are in harm's way, when they are hurt of killed, he

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-86433121363153579812008-08-20T08:57:00.006-04:002008-08-20T10:21:36.605-04:00

Reuters/Zogby Poll: McCain Makes a Move, Takes 5-Point Lead Over ObamaGranted, this should be taken with a large grain of salt, since it's a Zogby poll (or just because it's a poll in general), but regardless, it's nice to see. To this point, Obama has been much closer than he "should" have been, but McCain has always seemed unable to actually surge ahead, or open up any kind of lead of his own,

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-65013975230298526712008-08-19T12:34:00.003-04:002008-08-19T12:40:38.286-04:00

The Great Lobster Mystery from SlateMoney quotes:In a seafood store in downtown Portland, a pound of lobster ($5.49) went for pretty close to what I had paid for a gallon of gas in Connecticut the day before ($4.30). A few years ago, the pound-of-lobster-to-gallon-of-gas ratio would have more like 4-to-1.Finally, lobsters remain cheap in Maine because of their simplicity. Raising them isn't a

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-80852762501335171262008-08-19T11:25:00.008-04:002008-08-19T11:42:37.179-04:00

Star Trek warp drive is a possibility, say scientists from the Telegraph, via InstapunditGranted, it'll probably never actually happen, or at least not in the lifetime of anyone currently living, but it's great to know people are out there working on stuff like this. Who knows, a century from now, perhaps our current perceptions of the laws of physics will seem as outdated as the idea of the Sun

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-81788538814633021772008-08-19T10:13:00.004-04:002008-08-19T11:16:16.065-04:00

News from Variety, via Dirty Harry, re a sequel to Bryan Singer's Superman Returns, a film which, while entertaining, could have been so much more.(Related, see my earlier review of the wonderful Superman Returns trailer)However, I'm not sure, as Harry seems to think, that more studio control with regards to the sequel is a good thing. Granted, he expresses his reservations, which are

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-37927314443444824452008-08-19T09:43:00.005-04:002008-08-19T10:13:03.525-04:00

via Ramesh Ponnuru in The CornerCollege Presidents Want Lower Drinking AgeGood grief - where were these presidents when I was in school? Having said that, I think this is a long overdue change (back), largely because as it is, getting alcohol and binge drinking when I was under 21 was never a problem. There were always house parties, frat parties, friends, and casual aquaintances and even bars

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-91082430430661349002008-08-19T09:22:00.004-04:002008-08-19T09:38:50.476-04:00

Great, impassioned rant at Riehl World View on the contrast between John McCain and Barack Obama, and the depths to which the left is willing to sink in order to trash an American hero, one of the few we've got left.I Honestly Can't Believe I'm Reading ThisWhat is quite well known beyond ANY shadow of a doubt is that Senator John McCain spent five years in captivity for serving his country during

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-65250557904552246312008-08-18T14:34:00.003-04:002008-08-18T14:37:04.054-04:00

Fascinating article from Mark Hemingway at The Weekly Standard involving African island nations, cannabalism, coups, mercenaries and Fredrick Forsyth...Destination MalaboA group of mercenaries' failed attempt to take over the worst place on earth.

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-54400335335765099762008-08-18T11:01:00.002-04:002008-08-18T11:03:59.744-04:00

Very interesting piece by Stanley Kurtz at NRO, detailing his ongoing attempts to get access to records pertaining to domestic terrorist William Ayers, and his connections to Obama.

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-39669320585093904142008-08-18T10:42:00.002-04:002008-08-18T10:55:13.755-04:00

Kaman the German: He'll never wear a Team USA jersey via ESPNOne of the more depressing stories to come out of these Olympics that doesn't involve the apparently random stabbing death of the father of the American volleyball coach or the blatant persecution of Chinese Christians without a peep from America or the IOC.Chris Kaman is a third-generation American, just about as American as you can

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-89003835550028275792008-08-18T10:36:00.007-04:002008-08-18T10:41:46.961-04:00

All the personal pictures on this site were taken with my Canon SD1000 - I couldn't recommend it more, it's relatively inexpensive, it's got some really fun features (color swap, digital macro, etc), and it's easy to learn and use. A great camera for amateur photographers.

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-30732911985861319732008-08-15T11:51:00.001-04:002008-08-15T11:52:44.450-04:00

'Beer goggles' are real - it's official via Jonah Goldberg in the CornerAnd more importantly, how does one become part of future studies in this vein?

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-55794273311337813632008-08-15T11:46:00.003-04:002008-08-15T13:50:49.491-04:00

Nice work in Human Events from Nugent, on the Gang of 10 and the ongoing and ultimately disastrous (for the GOP) love affair with "bipartisanship."Gang of Sellouts hat tip to my Mom, who emails me Human Events every Friday morning :)The Gang of Ten is a bipartisan group of senators who recently offered an energy policy -- intentionally or stupidly otherwise -- that can only benefit Senator Obama,

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-89037505469380677902008-08-14T14:31:00.005-04:002008-08-14T14:37:52.047-04:00

Great column (as always) by Charles Krauthammer at NRO, with suggestions on how to deal with Putin and Russia.Making Putin PayBoils down to the following:1. Suspend the NATO-Russia Council established in 2002 to help bring Russia closer to the West. Make clear that dissolution will follow suspension. The council gives Russia a seat at the NATO table. Message: Invading neighboring democracies

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-82280180093993125402008-08-14T10:07:00.003-04:002008-08-14T10:17:45.218-04:00

Newly released files show Julia Child was a spy Awesome stuff. I recently read a tremendous biography of Mrs. Child, Appetite for Life, by Noel Riley Fitch, and she was truly a fascinating, remarkable woman.When you hear the expression "They don't make them like that anymore," it couldn't be more applicable than it is to Julia Child. Passionate about life, obviously a brilliant chef, an amazingly

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-36636709475777026692008-08-14T09:49:00.002-04:002008-08-14T10:06:47.497-04:00

Still pretty bothered about our response, or lack thereof, to Russia's blatant disregard for any sort of external pressure or disapproval. The longer we wait to respond, the longer we allow the situation to escalate without taking any meaningful action, the tougher it's going to be to affect any meaningful change without resorting to military action.Having said that, Bush's dispatch of "

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-90447708794227945592008-08-14T09:12:00.005-04:002008-08-14T09:49:33.809-04:00

Suspected Terrorist Tortured?Slightly strange goings-on in this morning's AMNY.An article by Anthony DeStefano appeared in the print version with the above headline, referring to Pakistani "scientist" Aafia Siddiqui, arrested for shooting at American soldiers while being held in an Afghan police facility. The version of the article on newstands is shorter than that featured on the website, and

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-60284028728880899362008-08-13T14:16:00.006-04:002008-08-13T15:22:57.617-04:00

Roger Ebert has finally gotten around to reviewing 300. Thank god.To be honest, I'm not sure why I still even bother reading his reviews. He can't seem to help but inject his political viewpoints into pretty much everything he writes, and combined with his questionable take on "humor," reading his work becomes old, quickly. I guess really the only reason I go to his page anymore is for his

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-15484888736665187452008-08-13T09:59:00.005-04:002008-08-13T10:14:46.231-04:00

US, allies weigh punishment for RussiaScrambling to find ways to punish Russia for its invasion of pro-Western Georgia, the United States and its allies are considering expelling Moscow from an exclusive club of wealthy nations and have scrapped plans for an upcoming joint NATO-Russia military exercise, Bush administration officials said Tuesday.Yeah, that'll show 'em. Somehow I think the

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-75864895007265166332008-08-13T09:55:00.001-04:002008-08-13T09:58:40.614-04:00

New rules shorten Meadowlands tailgating timeTailgate parties can only start five hours before games instead of seven. Season ticketholders who are ejected from the stadium or arena will have their tickets revoked.Another new effort will have banners hung on the stadium's spiral ramps to prevent fans from harassing women. Security at Gate D had to be increased last season during Jets games when

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-16440705864336587182008-08-13T09:31:00.004-04:002008-08-13T09:55:01.395-04:00

Can NY Infrastructure Handle Floods, Intense Heat?The latest in a long line of alarmist reports threatening a flooded coastline and roiling heat waves, this one seems to be the result of a few too many late-night viewings of The Day After Tomorrow."We have to adapt to the environmental changes that have already taken place, or that we can reasonably expect will occur because of climate change,"

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-2306165641227982362008-08-13T09:00:00.003-04:002008-08-13T09:31:13.840-04:00

'Snake Oil'Debunking three 'truths' about offshore drillingSurprisingly centrist editorial that takes on some of the misleading, or outright false claims that the anti-drilling environmentalists often make. While I give the editors at the WaPo credit for doing that (although not too much, when you reach the point where even Obama and Nancy Pelosi are trying to achieve some "nuance" in their

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-59307446965197380982008-08-12T11:00:00.001-04:002008-08-12T11:04:03.130-04:00

NY governor calls for $1B more in budget cuts from BusinessWeek

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-89687596480115076002008-08-12T10:29:00.002-04:002008-08-12T11:00:24.070-04:00

US orders medical care for jailed Pakistani scientist from Yahoo!First off - "Scientist"? Even if I don't support it, I can understand the use of a term other than terrorist to describe our enemies, such as insurgent, but to identify this woman as a scientist is a little ridiculous. The day she picked up a weapon and attacked American soldiers, she gave up the right to be referred to as a

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-68939782061424556552008-08-12T09:55:00.002-04:002008-08-12T10:02:50.960-04:00

Change you can earmark TheNextRight by way of InstapunditAs stated elsewhere, this isn't really a big revelation, it goes on all the time in Washington and elsewhere, candidates and politicians ensuring that millions and millions of taxpayer dollars get funneled to people who have supported their campaigns. The big deal in this instance is that it's being blatantly done by Barack Obama, who has

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-42055902145955382192008-08-12T09:51:00.003-04:002008-08-12T09:55:21.274-04:00

Liver Problems? Paging Dr. Cuervo! from Wired, via InstapunditInteresting, encouraging article detailing medical research that seems capable of basically cleansing and reinvigorating liver cells in the elderly.All done by a "Dr. Cuervo."The marketing opportunities are endless...

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-90550881238299589302008-08-11T12:03:00.002-04:002008-08-11T12:14:21.161-04:00

Finally got around to watching the US victory in the 4x100m Freestyle Relay from last night. What amazing stuff. One of those situations, similar to the Giant's Super Bowl win, where everything is in place for unbelievable drama, between Phelps' quest for 8 golds, the French as the villain, accentuated by their talking of smack, everything was in place, and the actual race couldn't have been

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-2018710934268078922008-08-11T10:02:00.003-04:002008-08-11T10:12:02.483-04:00

Officials nab Chinese activist on way to churchIn one of the stranger pieces of pro-Chinese Communist propoganda that has emerged so far during the Olympics, the AP does an amazing job making what appears to be the blatant persecution of a Christian into a normal, everyday, "nothing to see here" moment (and maybe that's exactly what it is in China).The way the article is presented here is how it

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-81556839819437580602008-08-11T08:43:00.005-04:002008-08-11T09:58:05.420-04:00

Nationwide ‘Thunder’ Boycott in the Works from the NYT, via Dirty Harry (Like Harry, I have yet to see the film in question, but I'm not going to let that hold my tongue. He's a better man than I am)There are so many things about this article to ridicule that I'm not sure where to start, but the beginning is always a good place:A coalition of disabilities groups is expected as early as Monday to

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-4578961489062209162008-08-11T08:37:00.004-04:002008-08-11T08:43:16.575-04:00

Obama Tax Plan Would Balloon Deficit, Analysis Finds from the WaPoWhen Obama promises to cut taxes for the middle class without increasing the deficit, he is measuring his proposals against the large deficits that would result from Bush's plan to extend his signature tax cuts beyond their 2010 expiration date. Because Obama wants to eliminate some of the Bush tax cuts, he would bring more money

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-31127033560806819252008-08-08T15:36:00.004-04:002008-08-08T15:41:59.670-04:00

At least somebody in Edwards' PR team knows what they're doing. Not only did they employ the tried and true "Release a big scandal on a Friday afternoon and let it die over the weekend," but they also managed to have it be competing for air time with the first day of the Olympics, and the start of what could potentially develop into a full-blown war. What're the odds that this story will get more

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-20065499295328787962008-08-08T15:24:00.002-04:002008-08-08T15:31:26.331-04:00

Edwards Admits Sexual Affair; Lied as Presidential Candidate from ABC NewsHow is it possible that this story stayed under wraps in the mainstream media for so long after the National Enquirer first broke it? Is it at all possible that a similar allegation about a Republican politician would have been blatantly ignored for this long? You'll recall, back in February, the New York Times ran a

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-58013126923833952872008-08-08T12:50:00.003-04:002008-08-08T12:56:07.742-04:00

Apparent outbreak of war between Russia and Georgia (the country, not the state...) via Times UKNice way to kick off the Olympics...key graphs:"One hundred and fifty Russian tanks, armoured personnel carriers and other vehicles have entered South Ossetia," President Saakashvili of Georgia told reporters in Tbilisi. "This is a clear intrusion on another country’s territory. We have Russian tanks

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-62781635133524377882008-08-08T11:39:00.004-04:002008-08-08T11:46:04.559-04:00

Article from March 2008, worth a glance for comedic value, if nothing else - gives a great idea of what living in Park Slope is like, the kind of people that make up at least the most visible majority - the title alone, "Sisters in Idiosyncrasy," is wonderful - it's from the NY Times, but it reads like it could have come from the Onion, in terms of the number of stereotypes touched on. Funny

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-73898501173575433842008-08-08T10:47:00.001-04:002008-08-08T10:49:24.344-04:00

from Gizmodo, hat tip to LibbyHere

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-23110225458647789732008-08-08T10:40:00.003-04:002008-08-08T10:56:36.838-04:00

From US News & World Reports, via the CornerThis one pretty much speaks for itself - however, I would point out the headline at US News, "One Nation, Under A New Obama Salute" - guessing it's satirical, either way, the Obama as Messiah/God meme seems to be firmly entrenched:George Bush had his three-fingered W salute that supporters flashed when greeting him at presidential campaign events in

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574341377804582736.post-272063308897360672008-08-08T10:04:00.008-04:002008-08-08T10:55:42.644-04:00

Group Plans Campaign Against G.O.P. Donors - NYTimes, via InstapunditNearly 10,000 of the biggest donors to Republican candidates and causes across the country will probably receive a foreboding “warning” letter in the mail next week.The letter is an opening shot across the bow from an unusual new outside political group on the left that is poised to engage in hardball tactics to prevent similar

Charles Martelnoreply@blogger.com0