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July 31, 2003

Damning With Faint Praise

You know things can't be going too well when your own wife goes to bat for you, and the best she can do is label you an "average guy."

Posted by Xrlq at 05:58 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

Ozone Whole?

Maybe they sky isn't falling after all.

Posted by Xrlq at 04:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Kobe's Non-Accuser

It remains to be seen whether or not Kobe Bryant will be found guilty of rape. One thing is clear, however: he's absolutely, positively not guilty of raping Katie Lovell, the 18- year-old girl whom many web site owners have falsely accused of accusing him. She is also one of the reasons I'm not sure I agree with the mass media's "ethical" rule against divulging the identies of rape accusers. In this case, the media's ham-handed attempt at protecting the privacy of the real accuser has created a nightmare for a young woman who had nothing to do with the incident.

Continue reading "Kobe's Non-Accuser"


Posted by Xrlq at 04:24 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Sauce for the Goose

Daniel Weintraub reports that Joe Davis has pledged, sort of, to waive his right to force taxpayers (not to be confused with Taxpayers™) to pay for his campaign if he survives the recall. Weintraub writes:
He just announced that he won't take the money, and in a clever twist, has challenged his "millionaire" opponents to promise to help pay for the recall if they lose. Of course they won't, but it's a good line that I am sure you will hear again.
Frankly, I'm not sure it is such a good line, for Davis anyway. If I were Congressman Issa, I'd take him up on the challenge, provided that he also agreed to help pay for the recall if he loses.

Posted by Xrlq at 12:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I Know Our Credit's Good, 'Cuz God California Don't Make Issue No Junk

I recently blogged that California's new Standard & Poor's rating, BBB, is one level above junk bond status. Turns out I was mistaken. According to this article that ran in today's Orange County Register, bonds rated BBB- are also considered investment grade, albeit barely so. Time for another Pollyanna Post™.

Continue reading "I Know Our Credit's Good, 'Cuz God California Don't Make Issue No Junk"


Posted by Xrlq at 10:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'll Be Damned

Looks like it really was all about oil after all.

Posted by Xrlq at 08:50 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

July 30, 2003

Obscure Recall Candidates

The San Jose Mercury-News reports that 123 Californians have taken out papers to run for governor in the recall election. I hope that at least one of them - or, preferably, 118 - are ordinary Joes whose name happen to be "Joe Davis."

On the one hand, this insanely long list is going to make the recall ballot look extremely stupid. On the other, given the current budge crunch, maybe that's a small price to pay. At $3,500 a pop, 123 candidates means $430,500 of much-needed revenue. If the trend continues, maybe this recall election will end up paying for itself. That will surely come as good news to the Taxpayers™, or whatever they are calling themselves this week.

Hat Non-Tip: Some guy who won't admit he's a blogger, and who therefore won't be identified here.

Posted by Xrlq at 11:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Lemons to Lemonade Dept.

Neal Boortz has an interesting idea: now that the American Psychological Association has published that idiotic Berkserkeley study on the mental illness known as conservatism, maybe we can start claiming a disability under the ADA?

Posted by Xrlq at 02:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All-Time Google-Low?

nude pictures of uday hussein
Maybe this person remembered a weird phrase from my "Google Bait" entry and was actually looking for that post. Or maybe not.

Posted by Xrlq at 07:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 29, 2003

Speaking of Weird Lawsuits

FoxNews reports that certain liquor establishments are suing underaged drinkers to recoup the fines they had to pay for selling alcohol to minors. Apparently, these suits concentrate on individuals who were "carded" but who produced a fake ID.

Continue reading "Speaking of Weird Lawsuits"


Posted by Xrlq at 06:49 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (4)

Another Recall Suit

U.S. District Judge Barry Moskowitz has just struck down Section 11382 of the California Election Code, which requires voters to vote "yes" or "no" on the recall in order to have their votes counted as to the replacement candidate (hat tip: Daniel Weintraub). This sounds like a Really Important Rule for Elections (RIRE). Don't you sleep better at night knowing that your Right To Vote is so important that you can't even deprive yourself of it by choosing not to vote? I know that I do.

Continue reading "Another Recall Suit"


Posted by Xrlq at 04:23 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (1)

How to Spot a Hoax, Pt. 1

While on the topic of urban legends in general, and in particular those that make it into the "responsible" press, I note that Bryon Scott recently linked to an op-ed piece by Zay N. Smith of the Chicago Sun-Times on the topic of silly product warnings spawned by crazy lawsuits. The piece makes some valid points, but seriously misstates the facts on Stella Liebeck, the plaintiff in the infamous McDonalds coffee case. The rest of the cases cited by Mr. Smith have no names, dates, case names, etc., and basically haev "hoax" written all over them. Here's hoping Snopes will look into some of them - as if these brave souls don't have enough crap to debunk already.

Remember, folks, just because you read it in the mainstream press does not mean it is true! Maybe newspapers need to come with warnings, too, such as caveat lector, or let the reader beware.

UPDATE: Snopes has an impressive list of real and phony "Stella Award" type cases. I just alerted them to the Sun-Times article to see if they know anything about the cases discussed in it. Stay tuned!

Posted by Xrlq at 01:08 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Taxpayers™ for Higher Taxes

The Oakland Tribune notes that if the recall is not successful, taxpayers may be stuck with the bill for Joe Davis's campaign. Seeking a repsonse from the Davis camp, the paper noted that:

Continue reading "Taxpayers™ for Higher Taxes"


Posted by Xrlq at 10:00 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

McClintock for Governor

Dan Weintraub reports that Bill Mulligan Simon is planning to run. Thanks, Bill, but no thanks. If you had run even a mediocre campaign in 2002, there would be no recall election now, no Taxpayers™ to oppose it, and hack journalists from Texas to New York would have to find something else to write about. So for now, I'm siding with the Orange County Register and "just saying no" to Gov. Mulligan. Um, I mean, Simon.

As for Ah-nold, if he still can't make up his mind whether or not to run, I say hasta la vista, baby. He's basically a RINO anyway, so no big loss. It would be nice if he would give a formal "I'm not running" speech somewhere in Vista, CA, with a parting line like "Hasta La Bye-Bye, Vista." And don't even get me started on that "Republican" who helped get Joe Davis elected in 1998, only to lose to the guy who lost to Davis in 2002.

In other news, Justene says she's not running. Too bad. That makes my support for McClintock a relatively easy choice.

Continue reading "McClintock for Governor"


Posted by Xrlq at 08:56 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I Know It's True, 'Cuz I Saw It On TV

As you know, the recent "Hunting for Bambi" hoax was initially covered by several mass media sources (e.g., KLAS-TV, MSNBC, FoxNews) as though the story were legit.

Continue reading "I Know It's True, 'Cuz I Saw It On TV"


Posted by Xrlq at 07:33 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Comcast Hella-Sucks

Geoffrey Allen recently opined that Comcast, his ISP, sucks. As I have never used Comcast's Internet service, I will have to take Geoffrey's word on the quality of their service. I will note, however, that there are at least two other things about Comcast that truly suck, to wit:
  1. While other ISPs are contesting the RIAA's harassing subpoenas on various grounds, Comcast is rolling over and selling out its customers' names without a fight.
  2. Comcast pays employees a $1.50 bounty to spy on their neighbors and report any homes with satellite dishes that aren't already in Comcast's spam-list.
Anything else I missed?

Posted by Xrlq at 06:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 28, 2003

Life Imitates Scrappleface?

First, Scott Ott predicted that Bill Clinton would inject himself into the recall election. Now, Matt Drudge is basically predicting the same thing. Say it ain't so, Joe.

As far as I'm concerned, this is not happening. Until I hear it from the insider, it's just an unfounded rumor, nothing more. Dammit.

Posted by Xrlq at 09:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Great Britain, Gun Control Utopia

Today's Evening Standard reports that there 164 muggings per day in London. It sure is a good thing English people don't get to carry guns, as Americans do. Imagine the huge occupational hazard an armed citizenry would pose to these 164 fine young men who are just trying to make a living the only way they know how.

At the same time, the news of 164 muggings per day can't be all good, even by British standards. I mean, with that many people being mugged at random, the law of averages all but guarantees that sooner or later, someone is going to mug a burglar.

Posted by Xrlq at 01:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Don't Get Mad, Get Glad

Jonah Goldberg gives those nutty Berserkeley "researchers" the level of consideration they deserve.

Posted by Xrlq at 01:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

People Unclear on the Concept

Lessee. Democrats have controlled both houses of the Legislature since 1996, all three branches of the California government since 1999, and every single statewide office since this January. Meanwhile, our already abysmal bond rating has been lowered to near-junk bond status, resulted in additional interest in excess of the cost of holding a recall election every year, but the Senate's top Democrat, John Burton, doesn't care because "the money" (mine, for example), will be there to pay it. So of course letter writer Teri Markson blames the obvious culprits, the Republicans.

Posted by Xrlq at 10:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Adamec for Governor

Justene's husband wants her to run but can't move with her to Sacramento. Justene doesn't want to live 400 miles from her family, so she's opting not to run.

Xrlq says Justene should re-consider her candidacy. I mean, hey, if the Governor of Illinois can live in Chicago, then why can't the governor of California live in L.A.? Based on this new (to me) information, I will withhold my endorsement for Tom McClintock until Justene has had time to consider whether or not she would like to become the nation's second literal absentee governor. We already have an "absentee governor," figuratively speaking.

Posted by Xrlq at 09:27 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Naming Names (Or Not)

For longer than I can remember, Tom "Have I Stopped Beating My Wife?" Leykis has been conducting a one-man campaign to end the media policy of keeping (alleged) rape victims secret. Leykis's own problems with women notwithstanding, I believe there are some decent arguments to be made against the policy, particularly given the fact that rape suspects' identities are not kept private. Unfortunately, Leykis made this argument instead:
We're told that rape is violence, not sex, and if that's true there's no reason she should feel shame or embarrassment."
It's a perfect argument, aside from two minor flaws: a bad premise and bad logic.

Continue reading "Naming Names (Or Not)"


Posted by Xrlq at 07:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

No Gov. T3

Daniel Weintraub reports that Arnold will be sitting out the race for governor in the recall election.

UPDATE: Or maybe not.

Posted by Xrlq at 06:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Why I Spell My Name "Xrlq"

Any questions?

Posted by Xrlq at 06:27 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Prop 54

Prestopundit reminds us of the other issue we need to concern ourselves with on October 7, and the one that may matter more in the long run.

UPDATE: Or maybe not.

Posted by Xrlq at 12:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 27, 2003

Fisking 101

Justene recommends that bloggers new to fisking cut their teeth on this article by Maureen Dowd. I'm not sure I agree. A lot of the stuff Dowd puts out nearly fisks itself. This one is bad - almost all Dowd articles are - but it's not completely rotten. I rather like this (undowdified) quote, for example:
But the effort could not have succeeded, even in a state festooned with do-it-yourself democracy, if someone besides Sharon Davis liked Gray. Even before he mismanaged the energy crisis and the budget mudslide, he irritated his fraternity brothers at Stanford by calling the police to report them for car theft when they borrowed his red Chevy to go surfing.

Anyway, while I'm not sure the current Dowd article is the best one for a newby to cut his teeth on, it certainly is doable. For anyone thinking of taking up the fine art of fisking, I have a few ideas you may want to consider. Depending on what comments I get, if any, I may update the list from time to time.

Continue reading "Fisking 101"


Posted by Xrlq at 11:10 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

July 26, 2003

Not Everything That Can Be Done Should Be Done Dept.

The Crats Unit is beginning to crack, or is it? This article reports that ultra-leftist Audie Bock is running as a Democrat in the October 7, 2003 recall election, and suggests that Arianna "Damn, I'm annoying" Huffington, Michael "Please Ignore My Ex-Wife And Elect Me For Once, God Damn It" Huffington, and Gary "Chandra Who?" Condit may do so as well. I have to wonder if Team Davis put them up to it. After all, it's not as though any of these clowns is going to win. All their candidacies would do is to make the whole recall election look like a farce. The more known oddballs' names we see under question 2, on either side of the aisle, the more convincing Davis's argument will get as to why we should all vote no on question 1.

Posted by Xrlq at 06:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

20K served

Congratulations, 65.139.28.#, you are my 20,000th customer. I hope you visit was worth every penny you paid for it.

Posted by Xrlq at 06:27 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

July 25, 2003

Stalker Sites

Dean Esmay links to an anti-Dean Esmay site called Dean Esmay Sucks. That reminds me of another site I had all but forgotten about, which doesn't appear to have been updated for a while now. I mean, the attention is great, but I have to feel sorry for the guy; he's on Blog*Splat, after all.

Posted by Xrlq at 11:50 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Tonight, on the O'Really Factor

The credulous mainstream media has finally figured out that "Hunting for Bambi" was a hoax. You read it here first.

Posted by Xrlq at 03:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ah'll Be Back - Ven It's Conwenient

Businesses are fleeing the state, our bond ratings are one notch above junk bond status, and the recall election date is set, but T3 has more important things to do than to announce whether or not he'll run.

Link via Prestopundit.

Posted by Xrlq at 02:44 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

Ever wonder why California's bond rating is in the proverbial toilet (no, I don't know any proverbs about toilets, but thanks for asking)? here's why (hat tip: Justene Adamec). No sooner had Standard & Poor's lowered California's bond rating from A (already the worst in the nation) to BBB (one two grades above junk bond status), then Senate President Pro Tem John Burton (D-Frisco) proudly announced that:
I don't care about Standard & Poor's, and I don't care about Wall Street. I care about 27 and 54 and a signature.

Continue reading "You Can't Make This Stuff Up"


Posted by Xrlq at 12:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 24, 2003

Google Bait

This is a test entry consisting of nothing but naked, ignorant rambling. Ignore it, there's nothing to see here.

Continue reading "Google Bait"


Posted by Xrlq at 05:47 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (1)

Clinton and Iraq's WMD

He said:
We should be pulling for America on this. We should be pulling for the people of Iraq. We can have honest disagreements about where we go from here, and we have space now to discuss that in what I hope will be a nonpartisan and open way. But this State of the Union deal they decided to use the British intelligence. The president said it was British intelligence. Then they said on balance they shouldn't have done it. You know, everybody makes mistakes when they are president. I mean, you can't make as many calls as you have to make without messing up once in awhile. The thing we ought to be focused on is what is the right thing to do now. That's what I think.
He meant:

Continue reading "Clinton and Iraq's WMD"


Posted by Xrlq at 12:11 PM | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (3)

Mark Your Calendars

The date has been set: Tuesday, October 7, 2003. With Cruz "Tourette" Bustamante backing off from his clearly inappropriate reading of the "if appropriate" clause, the Crats Unit has until August 9, or 59 days before the election, to reconsider their non-committal "I have no intention" non-pledge. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: Via Daniel Weintraub, here is the Summary of Qualifications and Requirements. It lists August 9 as the deadline, but does not say whether anyone will actually be there to accept a filing on that date, or whether the weekend moves the de facto deadline to Friday, August 8 or or Monday, August 11. If you're thinking of running, better get the signatures in by the 8th just to be on the safe said.

Posted by Xrlq at 10:27 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

July 23, 2003

Hey Joe, Where You Goin' With That Gun in Your Hand?

It is official. Joe "Gray-Out" Davis has made California history.

Posted by Xrlq at 06:33 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Mommy, Mommy, Make the Bad Man Stop!

I just found one more reason to recall Acting Governor Joe Davis: he's a whiny little snot. Here's what he said in today's press conference:
Remember, there's [sic] a lot more people willing to vote against the recall than there are who think I'm doing a good job. If you look at those voters, they say, "it's not fair to blame this on the governor." It's that sense of fairness that I think will carry the day.
Two new potential campaign slogans come to mind:
  1. OK, I'm a sucky governor, but re-elect me anyway.
  2. Don't recall me, it's not fair!
I doubt Davis would have the guts to push #1 very hard, although it is a theme that may actually resonate with at least some voters. The fairness theme of #2 is a bit more palatable, but if he's serious about pursuing it he may want to clue in the Lieutenant Governor. Apparently, not all members of the Crats Unit got the memo.

UPDATE: Claire has more.

Posted by Xrlq at 04:09 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Governor Bustamante?

Cruz "N-Word" Bustamante has proven to be even stupider than I thought. Is it too late to recall him, too?

UPDATE: Election law blogger/law professor Rick Hasen sort-of agrees with Dan Weintraub that Bustamante is wrong, but ultimately blames the victim, i.e., the drafters of the recall statute. I disagree. It is appropriate for some recalled officials - judges, for example - to have their positions left unfilled. The position of Governor, obviously, is not one of these positions, and no one in his right mind believes it is "appropriate" for the Lieutenant Governor to appropriate the governorship to himself just because he wants the gig. This is either a ham-handed attempt at a power grab, or just another stall tactic, not a good faith legal argument.

Link via Calblog.

Posted by Xrlq at 11:37 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

July 22, 2003

Here's Something to Get Angry About

Just when I thought today couldn't possibly get any crappier, Angry alerted me to this "study" just released by four Berkeley psychology "researchers" who purport to have figured out how to diagnose that strain of dementia commonly known as "conservatism." Below are the key symptoms of this common disorder*:

Continue reading "Here's Something to Get Angry About"


Posted by Xrlq at 09:23 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (1)

The Other Clinton Library

Bill Clinton is about to become the first U.S. President to have two libraries dedicated to him. This one might actually be worth visiting. Heh.

Link viaVenomous Kate.

Posted by Xrlq at 06:35 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

That's So 45 Minutes Ago

FoxNews has the scoop on an issue the blogosphere disposed of last week.

UPDATE: Or maybe not (hat tip: Daily Pundit).

Posted by Xrlq at 02:58 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Hurry Up, Idi, You're Lagging

The Pentagon has confirmed that Uday and Qusay McCormick Hussein are finally dead. This time, let's hope they stay that way.

Posted by Xrlq at 01:56 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Tony Martin's Final Insult

Notwithstanding this gross mischaracterization of the issue, I stand by my previous statement that Bush didn't "lie" when he cited the British government's findings about about uranium in Niger, particularly since there is still a good chance that this "lie" may ultimately prove to be true. I must say, however, that Bush made one collossal, inexcusable mistake: he relied on the "intelligence" of a nation that imprisoned an innocent homeowner for protecting himself and his property, and which is now denying him a routine, preparatory home visit because his parole officer thinks he poses a continuing "danger to burglars."

I have a kinder, gentler solution. If the idiots who serve in the British government are really that concerned about citizens posing a "danger to burglars," they should let Martin go immediately, on the condition that he post a large, conspicuous sign in his front yard which reads "Warning: This House is Occupied By a Known 'Threat To Burglars.'" The burglars, having been duly warned, will burglarize his neighbor's house instead, and everyone will be happy. If the Brits won't accept this modest proposal, then the least we can do is offer Martin instant citizenship and a pardon for any "crimes" he may have committed on his own property in August, 1999. Britain's burglars will be able to sleep better at night, and America's non-burglars will, too. It's a win-win.

Link via Rachel Lucas.

UPDATE: Spoons has more.

Posted by Xrlq at 12:14 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Hacker Attack?

The L.A. Times offers an uncharacteristically sensible editorial on Liberia.

Posted by Xrlq at 11:15 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Pollyanna

Today I have to start work at 6:00 a.m. to do a bunch of menial tasks unrelated to my job description. That that means no commuter traffic and a really awesome parking space! Woo-hoo!

Continue reading "Pollyanna"


Posted by Xrlq at 05:17 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

July 21, 2003

Kobe's Defense

"Well at least I didn't kill anybody."

Posted by Xrlq at 08:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Heh

Michele Catalano has a great idea for anyone wanting to get back at PETA.

Posted by Xrlq at 04:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Bizarre Google Search

Today's assignment, kiddies, is to tell me which of the following Google search terms does not belong with the others. Ready....go.

Continue reading "Bizarre Google Search"


Posted by Xrlq at 08:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 20, 2003

If Bad Logic Is Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Read the L.A. Times

Stefan Sharkansky fisks a bumper sticker.

Posted by Xrlq at 08:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

More Nonsense from the Daily Monopoly

Just in case you had any illusions that anyone at the Daily Monopoly Los Angeles Times had read the memo, be sure to read this article from today's Monopoly.
Gov. Gray Davis, a longtime political centrist, appealed aggressively Saturday to his Democratic base, hoping to cast the upcoming campaign in sharply partisan terms to survive California's first statewide recall election.
A "lifelong centrist," eh? Let's see what "centrist" causes he champions:
With a banner proclaiming "Crats Unit""Democrats United" as his backdrop, Davis told 250 cheering supporters that the recall would threaten legal abortion, gun control, labor protections, gay rights, public schools and preservation of the California coastline.
Your job: to find Waldo the "centrist" issues identified above. I can't think of any, with the possible exception of legal abortion, which is a lie. Who is behind this effort? How about "Centrists For Citizen Disarmament" (or, if you prefer, "Citizens Who Support the Odd Amendments of the Bill of Rights")? Or maybe that should be "Centrists for Forced Unionism," "Centrists Against Public School Accountability," "Centrists Against Business" or "Taxpayers Against the Governor's Recall."

Here's the very next paragraph, in which Greedy Joe elaborates even further about his "centrist" agenda:

"This is not simply about me," he said. "This is about all Californians who believe in a progressive agenda."
In other words, even Joe Davis himself doesn't pretend to be a centrist. Then again, why should he? He knows the largest newspaper in the state will do it for him.

Posted by Xrlq at 06:06 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

More Hand-Waving from the Crats Unit

As I've pointed out before, Republicans can "lie" by making statements they believe to be true, or which may even turn out to be true, provided that enough Democrats really, really want those true statements to be lies. The bar for Democrats is much higher, however. This is demonstrated by the great number of Democrats who once stood by Clinton's "legally accurate" (i.e., false on every level) statements, yet who are now on Bush's "technically true" (i.e. true on every level, albeit inartfully defended by Donald Rumsfeld) statements like white on rice.

Continue reading "More Hand-Waving from the Crats Unit"


Posted by Xrlq at 05:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Heh

BushLied (TM) for Dummies is now being traded on eBay.

Posted by Xrlq at 03:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Gotta Love That "Crats Unit"

Justene links to this story in the San Jose Mercury News concerning the Democrats' game of high-stakes poker on the recall. Nancy Pelosi, predictably, decries the recall as "part of the Republican agenda to achieve [at the polls in 2003] what they have not achieved at the polls [in 2002]." Here's another gem, from the horse's mouth:
This election is not about changing governors.
Somebody better break the news to this guy.
It's about changing directions ... They want to go backward. We want to go forward
I suppose it's all a matter of perspective.

If you're curious as to the source of the title of this blog, here's the photo that inspired it:

Continue reading "Gotta Love That "Crats Unit""


Posted by Xrlq at 10:01 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

July 19, 2003

Passwords

Windoze always asks you to password protect your computer. I've never done that in the past, because I figured that there was no need. We live in one of the lowest-crime neighborhoods in the country (or, for that matter, world), so it's not as though some tech-savvy burglar is going to break into my house, log on to my computer and post a few embarassing entries on this blog which purport to be from me. [IOW, sad to say, all the embarassing entries on this blog really are from me.] And unlike Justene, I don't have any kids who might log on to the computer and post stuff of their own. So I figured, who needs passwords?

What never occurred to me was that one of our dogs might break in to the system and start blogging on her own. Apparently, this has been going on for some time now.

Posted by Xrlq at 02:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Wishful Googling

From Google.FR: "france was right"

Speaking of France, any bets as to how much longer "le Google" lasts before going the way of l'email?"

Posted by Xrlq at 01:10 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Tinfoil Hats

David Kelly's death (no, alas, not that David Kell(e)y) has been ruled a suicide. Yeah, sure, that's what they said about Vince Foster, too.

Posted by Xrlq at 12:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 18, 2003

Proof That 60% of all CNN Readers Are Brain-Dead

This on-line poll on CNN's web site asks, "Has the charge against Kobe Bryant changed your opinion of him?" Currently, 40% say yes, 26% say no, and the other 34% have declined to express any opinion at all until the trial. Here are a few possible explanations:

Continue reading "Proof That 60% of all CNN Readers Are Brain-Dead"


Posted by Xrlq at 05:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

It Was an Honest Mistake, Honest

The Court of Appeal has swatted down Secretary of State Kevin Shelley's dilatory stunt aimed at persuading counties to stall the signature counting process. This was not the first Stupid SOS Trick attempted by Shelley, so don't bet that it will be the last.

UPDATE: Jeff Lewis beat me to the punch.

UPDATE x2: Daniel Weintraub has more, including a link to the decision.

UPDATE x3: Weintraub reports on the newest Stupid SOS Trick: grossly underreporting the signature count.

UPDATE x4: Or maybe not?

Posted by Xrlq at 02:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"If Appropriate" - Bustamante's Nuclear Bomb?

Dan Walters writes that Article 2, Section 15 of the California Constitution may technically allow Lt. Gov. Cruz "N-Word" Bustamante to prevent Bill Simon, Darrell Issa, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Xrlq, Richard Riordan and everyone else from running on the recall ballot, leaving nothing but an op-or-down vote on the recall. If that happened, a 50%+1 vote for the recall would result in Bustamante himself becoming governor.

Continue reading ""If Appropriate" - Bustamante's Nuclear Bomb?"


Posted by Xrlq at 12:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

BushLied (TM) Redux

One of the nice side-effects of yesterday's Instalanche is getting referenced by tons of discussion boards and other sites you'd never heard of before. I particularly liked the first two entries in this discussion on Netwerkin:

Continue reading "BushLied (TM) Redux"


Posted by Xrlq at 08:04 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Memo to Texas: Don't Mess With Us

Yesterday's fisk-fest seems to have spooked Justene, so she sent me this article from the Amarillo Globe-News just to make sure I had something to chew on other than her blog. Rest assured, I have yet to find a single fiskable item on Justene's blog, and it's unlikely I ever will (and believe me, coming from someone who who once fisked the Bill of Rights, that's saying a lot). Even so, in the extremely unlikely event that I ever do find anything fiskworthy on her blog, I'll remember I owe her a favor and drop her a polite email instead.

This editorial is, quite frankly, even sillier than the New York Times article Justene fisked last month. Let it be a lesson to all other non-California newspapers tempted to weigh in on a question of California law: beware. Most California papers can't seem to get a grasp on this issue; are you really sure you can do better? If, like most journalists, you are a jack of all trades and master of none, you'd probably do best to shy away from this issue altogether.

Continue reading "Memo to Texas: Don't Mess With Us"


Posted by Xrlq at 06:07 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

July 17, 2003

Thank You Sir, May I Have Another?

I thought that the National Association for Advancement of Charming People had shot itself in the foot when it declared three Donks "persona non grata" [sic, personae non gratae] for failing to attend Monday's gripe session. Apparently not. It seems that the old cliché about catching more flies with honey than with vinegar only applies to Republican flies. Republican flies can't stand vinegar, but Democratic flies eat the stuff up.

Posted by Xrlq at 10:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Carrot Top Is Unconstitutional

Dan Weintraub quotes an anonymous lawyer who holds himself out as an election law "expert" [can you say "Rick Hasen?" UPDATE: Don't.] whose publicist makes a series of bogus "legal" arguments against the recall [Rick Hasen] that aren't really legal arguments at all [Rick Hasen]. As you may recall, noted election law professor Rick Hasen made a series of similar arguments against the recall in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Anyway, Weintraub isn't telling us who the new "expert" is [Rick Hasen], but does note that whoever this guy is will be quoted tomorrow in a major unnamed newspaper [damnum absque injuria]. I look forward to finding out tomorrow who that "expert" is [Rick Hasen].

"Mr. Subliminal" references aside, I don't have any real knowledge as to who Weintraub is actually referring to in his entry [Rick Hasen]. It would sure be a funny coincidence, though, if it turned out to be ... oh, I don't know ... Rick Hasen?

UPDATE: D'oh! We still don't know who the anonymous lawyer in question is [NOT Rick Hasen], but we do know that whoever it is, it isn't Rick Hasen [NOT Rick Hasen]. Oh well, we'll know the real culprit is soon enough [NOT Rick Hasen].

Posted by Xrlq at 09:38 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Jörg Haider - Mölleman South

It's bad enough that everyone's favorite living idiot-Aryan, Jörg Haider, gets to be governor of the Austrian province of Carinthia. In a Sunday column on Arnold Schwarzenegger, the San Francisco Chronicle managed to go one better by promoting him to President of the country. The paper has yet to run a correction online, although it has been promising to do so since Sunday. Thing is, the putative "correction" they promised to run is worse than the original error, as it identifies Haider's province as "Carpathia" rather than Carinthia (or, in German, "Kärnten"). The name "Carpathia" refers not to an Austrian province, but to a a boat which was used to rescue 705 survivors of the Titanic's first and last voyage in 1912.

The "good" news is that the Carpathia was sunk by a German U-Boat in 1918. The bad news is that Haider, at the time, was nowhere near the boat the Chronicle charged him with governing. So while an untimely death may have taken Haider's northern twin out of the gene pool, we do have Jörg Haider to kick around anymore. Can't fault the Chronicle for trying, though.

Posted by Xrlq at 08:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 16, 2003

Ecosystem

I'm not sure what to make of the Ecosystem. My linkage and hit counters have been almost perfectly steady since I got the initial BFL boost, but recently got demoted to Adorable Little Rodent. Now, all of a sudden I'm back to Marauding Marsupial, by a whisker.

Posted by Xrlq at 01:11 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Hunting for Bambi Suckers?

FoxNews reports on Hunting For Bambi, the latest Las Vegas outrage where men supposedly pay to shoot naked ladies with paintball guns. Several other bloggers have picked up this story, too, though at least one has subsequently acknowledged the possibility that it may be a hoax.

I'm reserving judgment, but for now, I lean toward "hoax." Snopes has already raised several reasons to doubt that this is anything more than a colossal leg-pull. Here's another, from the FoxNews story:

According to the site, the hunters also have the option of mounting their prey when they're done — and having sex with the women.
So the site is publicly advertising the fact that you can pay the women for sex, eh? Isn't that ... um ... illegal? [Not in Nevada! -Ed. Not so fast! Prostitution may not be prohibited statewide in Nevada, but it is illegal in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas. And stop calling yourself "Ed." -Ed.]

UPDATE: This story on MSNBC makes a rather ham-handed attempt to tackle the hoax issue:

Questions were being raised about the veracity of the company’s claims. Snopes.com, which researches so-called urban legends, noted that the huntingforbambi.com Web site lacks proper contact information and stated that some readers who sent e-mail expressing interest in booking a hunt received no reply to their inquiries.

But David Krekelberg, who responded to an e-mail inquiry from MSNBC.com early Wednesday and said he was a spokesman for the company, insisted the enterprise is real.

Well, gee, it must not be a hoax, then. I mean, if it were a hoax, surely the company hoaxman ... er, spokesman ... would tell them. Did Hans Blix take a new job with MSNBC while no one was watching?

UPDATE: Whether or not the whole thing is a hoax or a ruse to sell porno tapes, this part has to be a joke.

Posted by Xrlq at 09:10 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

"Taxpayers" Redux

Probably the worst kept secret about "Taxpayers" Against the (Governor's) Recall is that the Taxpayers aren't exactly a group of concerned citizens looking out for taxpayers. Quite the opposite. According to this article from the Sacramento Bee (hat tip: Daniel Weintraub), the Taxpayers consist almost entirely of tax-receivers, most notably the firefighters' union.

Continue reading ""Taxpayers" Redux"


Posted by Xrlq at 07:23 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

July 15, 2003

Democrat Campaign Slogan

"It's the economy, stooopid."

Posted by Xrlq at 05:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

DBrowning in Hysteria

As with any other tool, if you are thinking of purchasing a gun, be sure to buy the right gun for the right job. Before you buy, think about what it is you want to do with the gun:
  • If you want to shoot cheap ammo to your heart's content, get a .22.
  • If you want to defend yourself against an intruder, get a .38 revolver or a 9 mm pistol - at least.
  • If you want to impress the hell out of everybody, get an S&W; .500 if you can find one (good luck).
  • If you think you are as good a shot as Assemblyman Paul Koretz and want to try your hand at shooting airplanes out of the sky, get a .50 BMG rifle. [Note: I'm being sarcastic. Contrary to Koretz's propaganda, there is no friggin' way you can do that. One can only hope that future terrorists are dumb enough to try.]
  • If you want to shoot yourself in the foot, get anything made by Browning.

Continue reading "DBrowning in Hysteria"


Posted by Xrlq at 03:43 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

BushLied (TM) for Dummies

Last night, while watching a discussion on Hannity and Colmes over the "Bush Lied" meme, Mrs. Xrlq asked me what all the fuss was all about. After explaining the basics to her, it occurred to me that many other people might have been wondering the same thing, but were afraid to ask. Here it is, in a nutshell:

Continue reading "BushLied (TM) for Dummies"


Posted by Xrlq at 10:17 AM | Comments (116) | TrackBacks (5)

July 14, 2003

Count Every Vote (For Me)

True to form, the Davis camp is trying to sue to prevent a democratic election from taking place this fall. The basis for their lawsuit appears to be Section 11045 of the California Elections Code, which provides that:
Only registered voters of the electoral jurisdiction of the officer sought to be recalled are qualified to circulate or sign a recall petition for that officer.

Continue reading "Count Every Vote (For Me)"


Posted by Xrlq at 07:06 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

If You're Stuck in a Hole . . .

. . . dig faster. Michael Ballou, the Petaluma, CA Political Science "professor" who recently took academic "freedom" to a new low by asking his students to write emails threatening President's safety, has managed to do the (seemingly) impossible and made himself look even worse than before by submitting this smug reply to my fellow Bearflagger, the Daily Pundit.

Damn, I like the sound of that. The sound of "fellow-Bearflagger, the Daily Pundit," that is. I do not at all like the sound of what hack "professor" Ballou has to say, inside or outside the classroom. I wonder if there are any bloggers who actually agree with the guy or would disagree but nonetheless defend his "right" to do it. I can only think of one blogger whose notion of academic freedom is broad enough that I could even imagine her coming to his defense. My guess is that she won't support this guy, but then again, she has yet to weigh in on the controversy so until/unless she does, I shan't put words in her mouth.

UPDATE: Emily has more.

Posted by Xrlq at 11:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Virtually All" = 0/6

It pains me to fisk the Orange County Register, because their libertarian hearts are in the right place, for now. However, the first item under today's "Needle Points" is as far off the mark as anything I've read in the Daily Monopoly Los Angeles Times or the Seattle Post-"Intelligencer." Here it is, without any deletions, dowdies, etc.:
In the July 14 Time magazine, Ann Coulter, author of the best-selling "Treason," opines, "No serious person thinks that we are in the middle of a civil-liberties crisis." This takes Republican Bush-worship to new heights. The president's badly misnamed "USA Patriot Act" violates virtually every element of the First Amendment, such as allowing widespread wiretapping without a court order.
As the only person in the blogosphere who has anything nice to say about Ann Coulter (OK, that not quite true, but it's pretty damned close), I guess it's up to me to call them on this one. Let's take a look at each of the six seven elements of the First Amendment, to see how the Patriot Act has fared.

Continue reading ""Virtually All" = 0/6"


Posted by Xrlq at 09:58 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

More Perverse Google Action

I thought I'd gotten some weird Google hits, but Kelley has done better. Speaking of Kelley, it's not too late to congratulate her on having Suburban Blight named Writer's Web Site of the Week by the Writer's Guild of America. "Site of the Week" is a very prestigious honor in the blogosphere, second only to being named Blog of the Day by Stefan the Shark.

Posted by Xrlq at 08:01 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

July 13, 2003

Random Bits

I took a brief camping trip at Dinkey Creek this weekend. Thus, I've completely missed any current events that might otherwise be worth blogging about. I did learn a few interesting facts, however:
  • Ever rent a "no smoking" room that has an ashtray? I can do one better. The Motel 6 near the Bakersfield airport has a "no-smoking" sticker attached to the ashtrays in its no-smoking rooms.
  • Thought the stuff about black helicopters was delusional paranoia? Wrong! I saw a black helicopter flying over Clovis today. So there!
  • On a similar note, if you thought only paranoid schizophrenics thought there was a Trilateral Commission, think no longer. [Actually, do think, just don't think that.]
  • As to Jewish bankers, etc., I didn't find any, but then again, I didn't visit any banks. Of all the bankers out there, some have got to be Jewish, no?
  • When I stopped at the Chevron station on the way home, I witnessed a woman watching Carrot Top on TV. Voluntarily.
That's it for now. I'm sure I'll have something more substantive during the week.
Posted by Xrlq at 06:03 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (2)

July 11, 2003

Karma

Harvard has revoked its acceptance of Jayson Blair Hornstine, the allegedly learning disabled co-valedictorian plagiarist/brat who sued her way into becoming the sole valedictorian. It couldn't have happened to a nicer person.

All the above links were "plagiarized" from Joanne Jacobs, a recent recipient of the coveted Blog of the Day award.

UPDATE: Tim Cavanaugh of Reason thinks the plagiarism charges are poop.

UPDATE ON THE UPDATE: Cavanaugh has reviewed a text comparison of Hornstine's plagiarized works to her sources, and now concedes that the charges weren't poop after all; rather, it was Cavanaugh's poop about them being poop that was poop, not the charges themselves. After composing this update, I'm pretty pooped myself.

Posted by Xrlq at 02:44 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

WMD = What Mass Destruction?

Justene's posts are usually very calm and measured, but all this BushLied (TM) nonsense has her angry as a clam.

Posted by Xrlq at 12:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Persistently Safe Schools

One aspect of the No Child Left Behind Act that you may have heard of is a provision allowing students to transfer out of any schools that are deemed "persistently dangerous." Rather than define the term uniformly, however, the NCLBA leaves this up to the states. So California's Board of Education - the same nice guys who, only last year, attempted to "regulate" and "clarify" Proposition 227 out of existence - has come up with a definition of their own which only a bureaucrat could love:
California officials defined the term narrowly, ruling that a school is persistently dangerous if at least one of its students has been caught with a firearm in each of the last three years. Also, it must have expelled at least 1% of its students each year for hate crimes, extortion, sexual battery or other violent acts.
[Emphasis added.]
Note the key word: expelled. That means that no matter how crime-ridden a school may be, it won't be "legally dangerous" unless the school administrators do something about it. Doesn't that make you feel safer already?

State Information Board of Education Minister President Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf Reed Hastings non-explained this rosy picture by suggesting that rather than get too hot and bothered over semantic technicalities, "[w] should feel good that so far our districts haven't allowed persistence to occur." Let's all join together for a group hug, and no one will ever get hurt in school again, mmmkay? Sorry, this feel-good nonsense is so loopy that even the L.A. Times editorial staff isn't buying it.

As Glenn Reynold's often says, "read the whole thing," or in this case, both stories. But if you don't have time to read the articles, at least be sure to check out the list of California schools (out of approximately 8,000, total) which have thus far been deemed "persistently dangerous." I've included it in the extended area of this post for the reader's convenience:

Continue reading "Persistently Safe Schools"


Posted by Xrlq at 09:09 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

July 10, 2003

If Your Right Leg Causes You to Sin . . .

... cut it off. If it doesn't, hell, cut it off anyway. Or so say the amputee wannabes.

Posted by Xrlq at 05:55 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Copyright and Theft

Tyler Cowan of the Volokh Conspiracy asks why millions of Americans "steal" music from the Internet but would not dream of stealing food from restaurants. He offers the four possible explantions:
  1. Anonymity.
  2. Copyright as a weaker form of property right.
  3. Revenge against the music companies.
  4. Dislike of a business model that does not provide for "test driving" before you buy.

Continue reading "Copyright and Theft"


Posted by Xrlq at 05:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Not a Dowdy, But Misleading Nonetheless

Probably in response to a comment I left on Justene's blog, Daniel Weintraub has updated this entry to provide the full context of Darrell Issa's comment that "the truth is a relative term." He prefaces the update with "Lest I be accused of committing a Dowd..." but goes on to add that he does not believe the comment looks any better in its natural habitat than it does on the outside.

Continue reading "Not a Dowdy, But Misleading Nonetheless"


Posted by Xrlq at 08:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 09, 2003

Somebody Needs To Take Out the Trash

Mikey Weiner rightly lost his show on MSNBC for telling Bob Foster, a career troll, to get AIDS and die. If WQAM 560 of Miami has any decency at all, the same will happen to its top-rated talk show host, Neil Rogers. According to this NBC story, here's what the brainiac had to say, upon reading a story (presumably this one - hat tip: Susanna Cornett) reporting that Congresswoman and former Secretary of State Katherine Harris had died in a plane crash:
"Katherine Harris is dead!" reported Rogers on the air, "I've got the news story right here, it's on the Internet. A plane crash! Yes!!"
Fortunately for Harris, but unfortunately for Mr. Rogers, Congresswoman Harris is alive and well, and was actually appearing live on C-SPAN at the very moment he gloated over her non-death on the air. Let's hope Mr. Rogers's career is as dead now as his listeners thought Harris was then.

Link via Drudge.

UPDATE: The Armed Prophet and Balloon Juice have more.

Posted by Xrlq at 02:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

They Can Dish It Out, But...

The German government is furious with its one-time ally, Italy. First, Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi recommended that German lawmaker/troll/inquisitor Martin Schulz play a Nazi concentration camp guard in an upcoming Italian movie. Nevermind that Schulz won't apologize for attacking Berlusconi in the first place (in fact, Schulz has since compounded the problem by playing the victim and accusing Berlusconi of "incompatibility with Europe"); no, all that matters is that Berlusconi won't apologize for hitting him back.

Continue reading "They Can Dish It Out, But..."


Posted by Xrlq at 12:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Democracy Redux

Continuing the discussion on direct democracy, Justene rejects my argument that it is reasonable to allow voters to step up to the plate when legislators fail. In response to my observation that government-by-soundbite at least as bad (if not worse) among politicians who seek re-election than it is among citizens who are free to vote their conscience on a secret ballot, she replies:
Seriously, just because the legislature does an inadequate job , that doesn't justify taking the decision to yet another group of people who will do an inadequate job in the hopes that one of the groups gets it right.

Continue reading "Democracy Redux"


Posted by Xrlq at 12:11 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

July 08, 2003

More Pigs Fly

Fellow Bearflagger Justene Adamec finally gets the Instalanche she earned five months ago. Better late than never, I guess.
Posted by Xrlq at 02:14 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Pigs Fly

Aztlan nut and recall veteran Larry "Nativo" Lopez talks some sense about the current recall effort. Money quote:
No one should take the Latino voters for granted and think that they are stuck in the pockets of one or another political party. Electoral competition for our vote suits us much better.
Who better than Larry to illustrate the principle that even a stopped clock is right twice a day?

Link via California Insider.

Posted by Xrlq at 12:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Michael Savage

Much has been written about Michael "Savage" Weiner (pronounced "whiner") over the past couple of days, in both the print media and the blogosphere. The coverage has been, unsurprisingly, almost universally negative. I've got no great love for the guy myself, but I do think it is only fair to present both sides of the issue. After all, I'm the one who thought even racists and trolls (OK, make that only racists and trolls) should get to use Blog*Spot. Thus, as a public service to readers of damnum absque injuria, I have summarized below the key arguments why, in my view, MSNBC should have thought twice before kicking Mr. Weiner ... I mean, um, "Savage" ... off the air.

Continue reading "Michael Savage"


Posted by Xrlq at 07:33 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (1)

July 07, 2003

Thanks, Pollyanna

California may be losing jobs faster than the rest of the country is gaining them, but at least this is reducing congestion on the freeways.

Link via everyone's favorite non-blogger blogger.

Posted by Xrlq at 09:43 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Recall Update

Jill Stewart thinks the recall election is about to get even uglier.
Posted by Xrlq at 06:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Memo to Viacom

Not everything that can be done, should be done. It's not too late to come up with a better name.
Posted by Xrlq at 04:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Prison vs. College

Liberals love to pontificate about how much cheaper it is to send a hardened criminal to college than it is to incarcerate him. Would any of you lefties care to step up to the plate and attend college with this guy?
Posted by Xrlq at 03:14 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

"Dog" Gone

Duane "Dog" Chapman and his fellow bounty hunters have failed to appear in a Mexican "court" to face charges for the unconscionable crime of depriving serial rapist Andrew Luster of his liberty. I wonder what will happen next? Given the inability of the Mexican "police" force to catch Luster themselves, I have to question whether their Dog catchers will do any better. Maybe it will take a group of Mr. Dog's competitors to catch him, after which they too will face criminal charges for depriving Mr. Dog of his liberty, as will the third group of bounty hunters who finally catch them, and so on.

Meanwhile, the real criminals in Mexico appear to be getting the last laugh. It must be nice knowing that the very cops who ought to be arresting you are instead working to protect you from anyone who has a prayer of pulling it off.

Posted by Xrlq at 10:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Just Wondering

What is the past tense of the verb to ping? I'm torn between pang, pung and pought.

Posted by Xrlq at 10:03 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Teaching Math

My father, Sr. Xrlq, is a vocal proponent of real math reform, which involves gutting the phony "reforms" of the new-new math of the 1990s. His favorite argument against the status quo (not mine, obviously) is that I was once credentialed to teach math myself. Here's an argument I like better:

Continue reading "Teaching Math"


Posted by Xrlq at 09:57 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

A Defense of Direct Democracy

The concept of direct democracy frequently comes under fire from all sides. Often the argument boils down to the popular "We Are A Republic Not A Democracy" meme. Apart from playing fast and loose with the meaning of the word democracy, which includes republics, the slogan does nothing to answer the more important question, to wit, "republican or unrepublican - what's wrong with it?" Justene Adamec tackles that question in a recent entry that sums up the most frequent anti-initiative pretty well:
Initiatives ... are fraught with problems. They sound good but legislation has developed to a point that it is difficult, and dangerous, to make law directly. I do not believe that the population as a whole has the ability or interest to analyze legislation. Most of us make decisions based on soundbites.

Continue reading "A Defense of Direct Democracy"


Posted by Xrlq at 07:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 04, 2003

Bear Flag League

This is to announce the Bear Flag League, a new alliance among conservative bloggers in California. Member blogs include The Angry Clam, Justene Adamec's Calblog, the California Republic (which includes an excellent non-blog component, as well), my blog, Howard Owens's blog, Peter Sean Bradley's Lex Communis, Molly's Musings, Pathetic Earthlings and Jeff Lewis's Southern California Law Blog.

As you may notice upon perusing these fine blogs, all but two of us are southerners, making us a bit understaffed on the northern front. [I was tempted to invite the Shark, but he ended up moving a little too far north.]

Posted by Xrlq at 08:52 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (1)

Technical Difficulties

The announcement schedued for today has been delayed. Xrlq gave me posting rights to come in and post his announcement. Alas, he did not give me privileges to edit his posts and therefore, I have no ability to access his draft post and publish it. Keep checking back. Perhaps my hacker skills will solve the problem (note to Xrlq: I have no hacker skills so you can rest easy). Perhaps Xrlq will check his site and discover the problem.

XRLQ UPDATE: Yup, finally. Getting Internet access in this hotel was like pulling teeth, but it finally happened.

Posted by Justene at 08:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 03, 2003

Happy Fourth

I'm off to Vegas to attend my college roommate's oddly-timed wedding. Blogging will be light, but do check back tomorrow for an announcement. Have a great Independence Day.
Posted by Xrlq at 10:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Now That's Dedication

Just for the record, if I end up needing an emergency appendectomy, I'll probably go offline for at least a day or two.
Posted by Xrlq at 09:03 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

July 02, 2003

Ann Coulter - "Michael Moore of the Right?"

Andrew Sullivan links to this article by Brendan Nyhan on Ann Coulter. Nyhan utterly misses the point of Coulter's book, and focuses primarily on an irrelevant detail: the strict legal definition of "treason." Sully argues that Coulter's tendency toward hyperbole "damages conservatism as much as Michael Moore damages liberalism."

Continue reading "Ann Coulter - "Michael Moore of the Right?""


Posted by Xrlq at 09:38 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

A New Low for Team Davis

Joe Davis hasn't found the bottom yet, though it certainly isn't for a lack of trying. First we were supposed to keep him in the governor's mansion because Darrell Issa was a terrorist (and all other challengers, presumably, chopped liver). Now he isn't just a terrorist, he's a Nazi. I mean, he must be a Nazi, since he went to a gun show, right? Only Nazi would attend a gun show or support that forgotten amendment lodged in there somewhere between the First and the Third. I'm sure Hitler himself would have supported the right to bear arms, if his advisors hadn't advised him that it would be much harder to murder 6 million armed Jews than unarmed ones. Sheesh.

Rick Hasen thinks we need to revamp our recall laws. I agree. Codifying Godwin's Law would be a great start. Next time a governor facing recall brings up Hitler, no election is necessary: he loses automatically on a TKO. This will save taxpayers millions, much to the chagrin of "Taxpayers" Against the Recall.

Link via Calblog.

Posted by Xrlq at 08:01 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

July 01, 2003

Another Paper Makes Up The Law

Recently, Stefan Sharkansky and I tag-fisked the Seattle Post "Intelligencer" for citing a non-existent "constitutional" standard for the war power. Now, you can add The Guardian to the list of "news" papers that state nonexistent laws to promote their positions. Funny-money quote:
A peculiarly Californian drama will play out over the next five months while voters decide whether to get rid of the state's current governor, Gray Davis: peculiar in that Davis was only re-elected to office last November; peculiar in that the state's electorate has the legal right - it's called a 'recall' - to dump any politician who is is [sic] deemed to be guilty of an 'egregious act'. (In effect, all election results in California can be thrown out at a time of the voters' choosing.)
In fact, there is only one law that addresses the reasons for a recall. That law is Article 2, Section 14(a) of the California Constitution, which states in relevant part:
Recall of a state officer is initiated by delivering to the Secretary of State a petition alleging reason for recall. Sufficiency of reason is not reviewable.
In other words, the only requirement as to the reason is that there be one, and that it be stated on the original petition. That's it. No "violation" need be alleged, let alone an "egregious" one. Like the P.I.'s "clear and present" fabrication, this "egregious act" standard is itself an egregious misstatement of California law. I'm not an expert on the canons of journalism, but I have to think that such a gross misstatement of the facts would have to be an "egregious act" of journalistic malpractice. Can we recall the Guardian, too, under its own standard?

Link via Prestopundit.

Posted by Xrlq at 06:23 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (1)