I had a friend check out what was going on with my local Sarahpalooza book signing. Here’s what he said:

I talked to one of the clerks and she said they’ve been getting calls non-stop since it was announced, from places as far away as Oregon and Yonkers. One of the other clerks was on the phone fielding Palin questions as I spoke to this one.

The appearance is at 6 PM. She’s not doing anything but signing books for 3 hours—no remarks. They’re handing out 1000 wristbands at 9 AM. Each is good for one “family”—two adults and their kids—to have a maximum of two books signed. The clerk expected that all the wristbands would be gone at 9, considering the volume of calls they’re getting.

Sounds like a pain in the ass hassle to get an autograph…

Two pics today by reader woolie. I can’t get over the use of light in these photos.

The Machines Rest At Night

Construction Worker

Email me a link to your one or two favorite pics on a photo site like Flickr (do not send the image itself please) and I will put up favorites in open threads. Send a short caption if you want one.

The findings of this research really suck:

When Seattle oncologist Dr. Marc Chamberlain was treating his brain cancer patients, he noticed an alarming pattern. His male patients were typically receiving much needed support from their wives. But a number of his female patients were going it alone, ending up separated or divorced after receiving a brain tumor diagnosis.

Dr. Chamberlain, chief of the neuro-oncology division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, had heard similar stories from his colleagues. To find out if these observations were based in fact, he embarked on a study with Dr. Michael J. Glantz of the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute and colleagues from three other institutions who began to collect data on 515 patients diagnosed with brain tumors or multiple sclerosis from 2001 through 2006.

The results were shocking. Women in the study who were diagnosed with a serious illness were six times more likely to become separated or divorced than men with similar health problems, according to the report published in the journal Cancer.

I’m really not sure how some people live with themselves.

Some good info from Jake Tapper:

In Wednesday’s meeting, Pentagon officials presented more details about four strategies—two from Gen. Stanley McChrystal, and two others—but President Obama was not satisfied with their assessments.

Specicially, he pushed the generals to clarify how and when U.S. troops would be able to turn over responsibility to the Afghan government.

“The key sticking points appear to be timelines and mounting questions about the credibility of the Afghan government,” an administration official said, adding that the President “wants to make it clear that the U.S. commitment in Afghanistan is not open-ended. After years of substantial investments by the American people, governance in Afghanistan must improve in a reasonable period of time to ensure a successful transition to our Afghan partner.”

I’m sure this will be met in greater Wingnuttia with abject horror, as they all have their marching orders from the Cheneys and will need to pursue the “dithering” story line no matter what. In fact, a quick perusal find that Uncle Jimbo at Blackfive is very close to soiling his camouflaged knickers:

If this is true then just about all the worst fears we had about Obama as Commander in Chief are coming true.

Meanwhile, Colonel Mustard, with his years of military and geopolitical training, offers up his sage advice:

Will someone tell our President this is not a term paper. You don’t get to move the paragraphs around, tweak the punctuation, and cut and paste until it reads just right.

I’m sure there is more, but why bother digging it all up? And while the usual suspects are all getting the vapors, it is probably worth remembering that the conservative position, back when there were actual conservatives, and not just reactionary loudmouths and know-nothing war-mongering idiots, was to weigh all the options before making momentous and important decisions. We even used to call it the “Powell Doctrine”:

The Powell Doctrine states that a list of questions all have to be answered affirmatively before military action is taken by the United States:

1. Is a vital national security interest threatened?
2. Do we have a clear attainable objective?
3. Have the risks and costs been fully and frankly analyzed?
4. Have all other non-violent policy means been fully exhausted?
5. Is there a plausible exit strategy to avoid endless entanglement?
6. Have the consequences of our action been fully considered?
7. Is the action supported by the American people?
8. Do we have genuine broad international support?

Funny that. Caspar Weinberger and Colin Powell, both of whom served under St. Ronald of Reagan, the man who single-handedly beat the Soviets. Now granted, the Powell Doctrine was there because some folks in the Pentagon and in the National Security apparatus actually learned some lessons from Viet Nam, and tried to avoid making that same mistake again. In fact, as Jake Tapper notes, someone with more brains than the 101st Chairborne is urging Obama to take his time:

“This is a very difficult one for him,” Powell said. “And it isn’t just a one-time decision. This is the decision that will have consequences for the better part of his administration. So Mr. President, don’t get pushed by the left to do nothing; don’t get pushed by the right to do everything. You take your time and you figure it out. You’re the commander-in-chief and this is what you were elected for.”

Powell said he had “advised him is to not be rushed into a decision because this one is the decision that will have consequences for years to come.”

The fact that Obama is concerned with details like timelines and a schedule for handing over control makes me feel about as positive as I have regarding the Afghan dilemma in a long, long time.

It never, ever ends.

If this country avoids becoming a Franco-style dictatorship in our lifetime, praise be to FSM.

Sadly, despite our best efforts, Bitsy did not make the top four:

Good Morning to All,

Little Bitsy was not chosen as one of the 4 Finalists for the Cutest Dog Competition. I had such high hopes that she would be chosen by the judges. But I know that she IS the Cutest Dog and has been the perfect poster dog for animal welfare in our area.

I would like to personally thank everyone who worked so hard to get her chosen as Week 12 winner and I cannot tell you how many positive things have occurred as a result of her being in the contest. A special thanks to Sylvia and Barney Evans for giving Little Bitsy should a wonderful and loving home and for spearheading her being a contestant.

The Balloon-Juice (initiated by Laura Winzler), the Flybabies (initiated by Marla Cilley), the Don’t Bully My Breed groups were so instrumental in helping get votes. Sean Trapp at the Transylvania Times ran front page stories. Our local radio station, WSQL interviewed Little Bitsy and gave regular updates. The Asheville Citizens Times ran a story. Asheville TV station had a featured story.My granddaughters, Lauren and Kaytlin, had Little Bitsy on Face Book as did Sylvia’s daughter, Rachel, and my daughter Heather too. And of course, our dear Erma Rhodes and Cherie Henderson spent countless hours on the computer spreading the word. Debbie Deaver at Steve Owen and Associates helped bring all of us at work closer together. Brevard Board of REALTORS spread the word to all real estate agents. I could go on and on and know that I am surely leaving out so many others who helped. It was definitely a community effort.

Our goal of creating a 501c3 non profit for animal rescue work is progressing. Brian Philips, Attorney and John Moore, CPA, are working on it now. It will be called Charlie’s Angels Animal Rescue in honor of my Daddy, Charlie Powers, and Gault Beeson who loved his Gault’s Angels, his beagles.

With heartfelt thanks to all..Please send this on to others that you know are interested in knowing the results.

Oh, well. We tried.

Open scrum tonight- 80’s and 90’s edition. I open with the following:

This goes out to Spec. Geoff Wood, my best friend back in the day, a good Texas boy, someone who raised hell with me in several countries and a bunch of states, was my best friend, a good soldier, a man who loved his fast cars and Lucchese boots, taught me a lot about music and food, loved life and loved his Willie:

RIP, brother.

It just never stops with these clowns:

Texas GOP Gov. Rick Perry accused President Barack Obama on Wednesday of “punishing” Texas and being “hell-bent” on turning the United States into a socialist country.

Speaking at a luncheon for a Midland County Republican Women’s group, Perry said that “this is an administration hell-bent toward taking American towards a socialist country. And we all don’t need to be afraid to say that because that’s what it is.”

Perry praised the tea party movement to the Republican activists in attendance, crediting the grassroots groups with discouraging some Democrats in Washington from pushing for a public option in the health care bill.

No mention in the article about how exactly Obama is “punishing Texas, but then again, that would have required reporting with actual questions, and not just stenography.

You want to punish Texas and Rick Perry? Blockade it and stop the flow of everything, including hair products. I’m open to an airlift to Austin.

John +whatever (rumors have it around 7-8. Big fan of Boddingtons tonight.)

Because I am ornery, I just need to see this again (and again and again and again):

That never gets old. I’m dying here.

John +6

Let’s have a big round of applause for Joe Klein:

Now that’s a panel discussion! A heated debate between Time magazine’s Joe Klein and the New Republic’s Jamie Kirchick spilled off the dais Tuesday into a hallway confrontation where Klein called the younger pundit a “dishonest [expletive]” and a “[expletiving] propagandist.”

Klein told us today he’s not sure he uttered the “propagandist” bit—heard by a few witnesses—but stands by the “dishonest [expletive]” part.

“Absolutely. He’s a [expletive],” Klein, 62, told us. “He’s 25 years old, and he’s one of those people who has opinions but no facts or experience.”

In other words, Kirchick is perfect in his role as Marty Peretz’s jockstrap.

I’m sure the Weekly Standard and Commentary magazine will spend the next week explaining how this makes Joe Klein a self-hating jew. Joe may not be perfect, but he is on the side of angels when it comes to these assholes.

And as a fellow heater, I understand Joe and appreciate it, even when I disagree with him.

John +5

*** Update ***

Wolcott:

Klein may have his flaws and vanities, a plethora of less than charming polemical traits, but Kirchick—Kirchick is the Eddie Haskell of neoconservatives, a calculating little suck-up whose obsequious pieties drip like melted plastic. (To wit: “Reached for comment, Kirchick said ‘McCain spent five years in a North Vietnamese torture camp. He doesn’t need lessons in the horrors of war from the likes of Joe Klein.’”) If Commentary made a lunch box, Kirchick is what you find packed inside, between a banana and a hand grenade.

Brilliant.

This makes sense to me:

I don’t want my tax dollars touching even one milimeter of that overly engorged expense.

I realize that many people disagree with my moral objections to men getting erections which God clearly doesn’t want them to get, but my principles on this are more important to me than theirs are to them. So too bad. If you want a boner, pay for it yourself.

And I think those noxious advertisements for the drugs should be banned as well, if only for aesthetic reasons. Having to watch my baby boomer fellows wail “Viva Viagra” is offensive to anyone who has any taste in music.

I’m sure a lot of people have “serious moral concerns” about the government paying for erections, and as we know, all you have to say is that you have “serious moral concerns” and then no one can question your position. I know I don’t want my tax dollars paying for Senator Ensign to be able to bang his workers or Rush Limbaugh’s dalliances in the Dominican (although there is a good chance he bought the Viagra the same way he buys the rest of his drugs- on the street). If our Republican leadership and the panty-sniffing Blue Dogs can’t get it up the way God intended, with a dildo in the anus while wearing two wetsuits, I don’t see why the American taxpayer should be subsidizing insurance for the little blue pill. Public or private.

And that goes especially for the C Street pricks like Stupak.

John +4

Loud Dobbs just quit CNN. I’m sure his xenophobia and paranoia will fit right in over at Fox, as will the constant sucking of his dentures when he talks (something that drove me insane- it sounded like he was going to spray on the camera every time he talked). Will he talk that crazy woman who fills in for him into going with him?

I’m wondering who they will find to replace him. Maybe someone slightly less hateful, like, say, Michael Savage.

I just started watching Hardball, and Matthews told me to make sure I didn’t miss a segment from the the Daily Show clip in which Jon Stewart nails Fox news using old footage to pretend that last week’s Dachaupalooza on the Capitol steps had hundreds of thousands of attendees.

That’s great, and everything, but why the hell is it up to Comedy Central to expose all the lies of the GOP and their paid mouthpieces? Shouldn’t a political show, say, one named HARDBALL, be breaking this sort of news, and not the network that shows South Park and Secret Girlfriend?

What exactly are our news reporters doing that the heavy lifting these days has been left to a Rolling Stones reporter and a comedy network?

Just a reminder, tomorrow is the selection day for the final four for the Cutest Dog, and we are all still pulling for Little Bitsy:

A special thanks to those of you who privately sent checks to Evelyn to help with dog rescue efforts.