I would have thought that they had it first

Slashdot Technology Story | Space Station Astronauts Gain Internet Access

The ISS finally got their internet installed. Their ISP must be Comcast.
I would have thought that a space station would have been the first place wired up; irony must rear its snarky head . . .

Olbermann Tells Us What He Really Thinks

Hot Air » Blog Archive » Olby: Massachusetts suddenly turned racist!

It's not just Olbermann, either. What Olbermann is what many, many, lefties really believe to be true. Any sign of conservative or even libertarian beliefs are considered evidence of deep-seated racist, misogynist, and knuckle-dragging ideology, and is to be loathed.
He's just saying what they all think.

The Film Adaptation of The Hobbit Is Moving Along

This is nothing less than the best news I've heard from Hollywood in ages.

The lack of Texas accent makes all the difference

It is apparent that as long as one avoids the Texas accent, almost anything can be said by US presidents and it isn't likely to be criticized. Am I the only one who finds the paradox of a man accepting a prize for peace spending his allotted speaking time defending war unexpected?
I'm all for the destruction of our enemies, but I prefer the hypocrisy free spin myself.

"Such is the weight of he prize. Suddenly and forever, Obama is in the company of Gandhi, King, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama."

Let's not forget Yassar Arafat, either.

"He won it, in the eyes of the Nobel committee, for changing the U.S. approach toward the world. The panel cited his efforts on nuclear disarmament, climate change and diplomacy."

If I remember, he was nominated far before he even took presidential office. Perhaps the "panel" should have cited his intent, not his efforts. I for one intend to enter both powerlifting competetions and marathons next year. Perhaps the prize committees for both will award me the first prize medals for my "efforts" as well.

Urban Dictionary's Word of the Day

The Urban Dictionary is daily stop for me. Today's word is truly hilarious. The Booty Text.

The lazy, low-commitment version of the booty call.

Irony is best. Well, best after "to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women." Here I thought that a booty call was already low commitment, not just low effort. A whole way to feel even cheaper than one though possible.

NPR reporter pressured over Fox role

Wow, I'm actually a bit impressed by this, though not pleasantly. NPR is concerned that another network seems to have a political bias? Pot. Kettle. Black.
Is there anyone who listens to NPR who can with a clean conscience and without taking drugs say (or believe) that NPR doesn't have its own political bias? I don't know about the drugs or conscience, but apparently Dick Meyer from NPR doesn't (or can't) detect any bias there.
Is Fox biased? Sure. Biased like ABC/CBS/NBC/MSNBC/NYT/LAT/NPR. Of course it isn't bias if one agrees with a particular worldview, its just-you know-the truth. Keith Olbermann isn't biased, he's just right. Speaking truth to power and all that. No bias to see here, just move along.
I can't decide on the diagnosis: hubris or tone-deafness.

h/t to Politico

Packers-Ravens

I managed to score two tickets for the Packers' Monday night game against the Baltimore Ravens. A good friend is going with me and I'm under the impression that yes, alcohol will be a factor. It's supposed to be coldish there: high of 27, low of 18, wind about 5-10mph. Snow in the morning. Yeah, I'm going to freeze. I'll report in later with charming anecdotes.

Update: Charming Anecdotes:  It was cold, fun, and Green Bay won.  Sorry to the Ravens fans behind us, but I think we were gentle.

Good Heavens

Imagine my surprise when I looked at my Sitemeter stats (yes, I do that) and found I had had a visitor from the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York. What on earth is anyone from there doing here?

Michael Moore may not be a fool, but he sure is foolish

My strongest impression from this letter is: WTF, Michael Moore; you have an AOL email account? Sheesh.

It must be noon, for Pat Buchanan is correct

Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and today is Pat Buchanan's day. It leaves an ashen, nasty, taste in my mouth to say it though. He talks about the same misgivings which I have about using the US courts to fight terrorists. I'll let his words speak for themselves.

"And if we must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that KSM was complicit in mass murder, by what right do we send Predators and Special Forces to kill his al-Qaida comrades wherever we find them? For none of them has been granted a fair trial.

When the Justice Department sets up a task force to wage war on a crime organization like the Mafia or MS-13, no U.S. official has a right to shoot Mafia or gang members on sight. No one has a right to bomb their homes. No one has a right to regard the possible death of their wives and children in an attack as acceptable collateral damage."

That is, by putting terrorists on trial we abrogate the entire legal basis for using the military to fight them. One does not follow due process procedures in combat. Imagine having to interview each enemy soldier to determine guilt or innocence before they might be fired at. Not just interviewing, though. An arrest must be made, a trial (with counsel) granted then conducted. Guilt must be ascertained, then sentencing would follow. What exactly is the punishment for taking up arms against the United States, anyway? Ten years for sedition or treason? But they aren't citizens of the United States so that's out.
See what I mean? Nothing but trouble. If OJ Simpson could wriggle out of a murder conviction through prosecutorial missteps, then why not Khalid Sheikh Mohammed? I sure hope that Obama knows what he is doing here. This is his show and it might very well be a disaster.