The Morning Blog

Day 4 of Obama's War: As we continue to spend money we don't have to kill people we don't know in order to protect rebels we don't trust and achieve goals we don't understand a new wrinkle has emerged as it's become clear that when (if) the United States transfers leadership of the campaign, it will be to...a party to be determined. Oh, and an American fighter jet crashed which frankly, is the least of our worries.

Frankly, things aren't going very well on the other fronts.

George Will calls out the Republicans:

There are those who think that if the United Nations gives the United States permission to wage war, the Constitution becomes irrelevant. Let us find out who in Congress supports this proposition, which should be resoundingly refuted, particularly by Republicans currently insisting that government, and especially the executive, should be on a short constitutional leash. If all Republican presidential aspirants are supine in the face of unfettered presidential war-making and humanitarian interventionism, the Republican field is radically insufficient.

Frankly, I think that after the imperial presidency of George W, the first thing the Republicans should say in regards to rapidly expanding executive power is "Sorry. Our bad."

What's in a name?

Anybody remember that Japanese thing?

Huh...somehow I'm not so sure that the Japanese will actually receive this relief money.

Though I knock Obama, there certainly have been worse presidents.

Speaking of presidents, this is pretty interesting: In order to succeed her husband, the first lady of Guatemala has filed for divorce. The Guatemalan constitution prevents close relatives from standing to succeed the president. That frankly, provides a pretty interesting litmus test for how far people will go to attain or maintain power.

Sometimes I'm simply amazed that marriage has managed to survive religion. Especially when I read quotes like this:

Mr. Mohler said he tells the students at his seminary that “if they remain single, they need to understand that there’s going to be a significant limitation on their ability to serve as a pastor.”

When they're not doing their best to keep people from being married and happy, they're doing their best to make people get married and be miserable. However, it does look as though in coming years, marriage may no longer suffer the onslaught of religion.

Unbelievable Quote for the Day:

“Countless attorneys have missed filing deadlines over the years, and state and federal courts routinely dismissed their client’s tardy appeal as a consequence. This case is no different, and it presents nothing new or nationally compelling.”

-Troy King, Alabama's attorney general in arguments before the Supreme Court that a man sentenced to death should not receive be granted an appeal after his lawyers missed a deadline due to paperwork lost in the mail.

Much as I believe in property rights, I'm a bit iffy when it comes to intellectual property. I frankly believe that the purpose of a copyright is to provide a limited incentive to create something, not a monopoly. The Supreme Court is currently hearing a case involving retroactively copyrighting pieces of art that have entered the public domain. Personally, I don't like the idea that suddenly, a small orchestra must essentially pay rent in order to play something by Stravinsky. That sounds silly. It certainly doesn't seem as though Stravinsky is going to care much one way or the other.

2012 Watch: Paw-Paw enters the ring. The article points out that at this time in the last election, nearly 20 Democrats and Republicans had already committed to running. This year...We got Paw-Paw. Anyone else feel like maybe no one wants the job? I suppose Pawlenty has a shot. The Religious Right will love him for his ability to speak in tongues.

Certainly nothing irregular here. Nothing at all.

And I am happy to say that I am suddenly quite pleased with Congress! Fewer taxes = MORE BEER!!!

Well, seeing as how the original "Night of the Living Dead" was filmed around Pittsburgh, I guess this sort of thing was bound to happen sooner or later. With any luck, he'll end up sharing a cell with Ninja Dad.

Yikes...Those are both certainly better than this horrifying yoga store murder out of Bethesda.

Sometimes, trash is good.

News on Knut. Evidently, some sort of brain illness felled the worlds favorite polar bear. That may possibly explain some of the psychotic behavior he reportedly displayed as he grew older (see the blog header). Sort of shocking though that the death of a polar bear deserves an entire article while the death of his keeper rates a footnote.

Kacee Bait: Packing could be worse.

A very, very special Song of the Day.