Open Threads

If there was ever a question that Congress’s attitude was that they pass laws for other people (meaning us, the peasant class), listen to John Dingell whining about having to remove his trousers because the STEEL BRACE around his knee was setting off the alarms.

“I complied, but tried to do it with some small bit of dignity,” Dingell said, adding that afterward he couldn’t help seething to his wife, “Woman, do you realize what they made me do?” He added: “It seems to me that there was some incompetence involved here.”

After considering Dingell’s track record in Congress, his dignity seems to be something that is difficult to hurt anymore, but at least he perceives he was wronged. Dingell then called Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta, whose chief lackey stated “The secretary got ahold of Mr. Dingell and told him he is appalled.”

Why is he appalled? The screeners were doing their job, and I am not sure at this time if Dingell was his usual loud obnoxious self when it was announced that screeners are going to be required to have high school degrees.

Dingell recounted: “I said, ‘Norm, I’m not asking for an apology. And I know we don’t want any more events like September 11th. I don’t want any special treatment. I don’t want to be treated any better than anyone else, but I don’t want to be treated any worse either.’ “

If he doesn’t want special treatment, he should shut up and suffer the indignities that the rest of us are going through in the name of security. Norm Mineta’s number is not on my speed dial.

If there was ever aPost + Comments

Tim Blair updates the ‘Paki’ scandal, which, as it turns out, is not a scandal at all.

Also, thanks to the mention by the folks at HappyFunPundit. Yes, this is a new site, and I will see how long it lasts. I already need to do some serious template updating, and my layout is just wretched. And no, I was not thinking of the other balloon juice (nor had I ever thought of it in that way). My title has been now amended so as to avoid confusion.

Tim Blair updates the ‘Paki’Post + Comments

Phew… Maybe it is just Gail Collins on mushrooms or something. My sense of order has been restored. Bob Herbert wants us to get to the post post-9/11 era quick so he can start attacking Giuliani again.

Phew… Maybe it is justPost + Comments

For the second time in a week, the NY Times has an editorial criticizing Democrats. This has had more than a slight effect on my understanding of the world, and for some reason I feel as if I am in some alternate universe (remember bizarro Seinfeld?). I am going to hop over to the Washington Times andthe Free Republic to search for editorials praising Clinton and Daschle.

For the second time inPost + Comments

Haven’t seen this online anywhere yet, so I thought I would mention it. On the televisin news this evening, it was gleefully noted by the MSNBC crew that Bush referred to the Pakistanis as “Paki’s,” which is apparently a derogatory term for Pakistanis. No doubt this will be fuel for the fire for the ‘Bush is an idiot crew.’

At any rate, “paki” seems to be slightly less derogatory to my ears than ‘The Great Satan,” as we are affectionately called in those oil-rich sinkholes a couple thousand miles to the east.

Haven’t seen this online anywherePost + Comments

One of the first things I noticed when I started to read all ofthese blogs was that I no longer feel the need to have the tv running on CNN, MSNBC, or FOX 24/7. Bloggers are funnier, faster, and wiser. At any rate, I still watch some shows while I am working, and I would like to nominate this gem as the Best Question by a Telepundit for the Year 2002.

At any rate, last Thursday or Friday, Mike Barnicle was filling in for Chris Matthews, and he asked Alon Pinkas to “explain to me the difference between Osama bin Laden and Yasser Arafat besides height.”

I could not have said it better myself, Mike.

One of the first thingsPost + Comments

I guess I did not miss the debate. Today Will Quick discusses blogs and Fair Use, something I was babbling about in my usual incoherent manner the other day (yesterday??).

I guess I did notPost + Comments