M.A.W.B. Squad

No, they didn't ask me!

How many of  you people that are reading this get the StarTribune newspaper? Out of the people that do, how many of you like the new look that they have? I know I don't. The type face is really bad and it looks mean to me, and the faces of the columnists are really scary. I'm just a kid, but mean and scary does not sound to me like a good way to attract readers.

My grande problemo, however, is with the Variety section, which is now called the Source. I don't know, but when they start messing around near my comics section I just want to say, "Go away! No touchy! No touchy!" Touch my comics, and prepare to feel my tiny fists of fury!

By "my comics" I mean ones I like such as Zits, LuAnn, Pickles, Dennis the Menace, Baby Blues, Family Circus, Peanuts, Stone Soup, Heart of the City, One Big Happy, Arlo and Janis and Get Fuzzy. I even like Mark Trail because of all the nature stuff, but I don't like the sappy way the characters grin.

Judge Parker? Touch that one all you want, StarTribune! Every one who reads Judge Parker, raise your hand. Just as I thought. I also can't remember ever seeing anything funny in Doonesbury.

As for the columnists, James Lileks is funny and not as scary looking as Dear Abby. I like Dear Abby though because of the way she dishes it out, even if I don't always agree with her (her advice to the pregnant woman who wanted to name her baby Dallas but who's sister-in-law said she had already "claimed" the name actually made me write my own letter to her).

Maybe I should start my own advice column, "Ask TIger Lilly." As long as "I have no idea what you are talking about" is an ok answer, that is.

My dad says somebody described the StarTribune's new look as being like Highlights magazine. That's just wrong. Highlights has never made me feel like I wanted to hit somebody. Do you think Goofus went to work for the newspaper?

Ciao for now.

Jason Lewis Returning to Minnesota?

Mitch floats the rumor that Jason Lewis is returning to Twin Cities radio.  We have a few great locals, the NARN, Taxpayer's League, and Bob Davis, but I know we can make room for one more.  During his previous show, with the listenership of KSTP at the time, and his drive-time slot, I think Jason did a lot to educate the Minnesota electorate on being conservative, pushing the state from solid blue to purple.  Of course we also miss the theme song for Minnesota's Mr. Right:

    He rode a blazing saddle
    He wore a shining star
    His job to offer battle
    To bad men near and far
    He conquered fear and he conquered hate
    He turned our night into day
    He made his blazing saddle
    A torch to light the way       

Al-Jazeera Reporter Convicted in Spain

Spain convicted Eddin Barakat Yarkas and sentenced him to 27 years in prison for his connection to the 09/11 plot.  In total, 18 people were convicted including an Al-Jazeera reporter:

"Tayseer Alouni, 50, was found guilty by Spain's High Court of collaborating with a terrorist group but acquitted of being a member of al Qaeda.....................Alouni, a Syrian with Spanish citizenship, had told the court he delivered $4,000 to Yarkas but said he was doing a favour for an acquaintance."

Iraq the Model wonders if the Al-Qaeda collusion goes higher up the Al-Jazeera ladder.

Al Franken: You LIED to ME!

Michelle Malkin and Radio Equalizer absolutely nail Al Franken lying on Air America about the Gloria Wise money.  That's right, Nobody's Monkey's hero of juvenile insult generation, and Minnesota Senatorial hopeful told his radio audience that he had no idea about these bothersome loans that the alleged crook Cohen had used to fund Err America.  The icing on the cake is that both Al and Piquant, (the "new" owners), claimed they had no legal obligation to repay those loans.

LIES.  ALL LIES.

If the documentation that Malkin and Maloney have is authentic, (one suspects it is or they'd be inviting a slander suit), the purchase contract for Air America plainly states that the debt to Gloria Wise must be paid by the new owners, and our dear friend Stuart Smalley signed the contract on the dotted line.

Un-be-lie-va-ble.  The evidence is here and here. Just how long will the MSM give them a pass on stealing from the disdvantaged then lying to cover it up?

Bush on SCOTUS

Just heard live on FOX during media questions after the cabinet meeting.

Media question:  Mr. President, on the Supreme Court, do you have a candidate in mind, and now that you have a second opportunity are you more inclined to follow the First Lady's advice and choose a woman?

Bush:  First of all I'm proud of my nominee to be the Chief, and the goal is to get this good person confirmed by the time the Court convenes this fall, see?  They're going to need a Chief, and therefore the Senate needs to have, you know obviously, a thorough debate about Judge Roberts and get him confirmed, quickly. So, that when the court convenes there is a Chief Justice. And uh..I was deliberate in my process last time.  I'll be deliberative this time.  I obviously interviewed a lot of good candidates last time.  I still will continue to reach out and make sure every good candidate is considered. 

Media:  Are the same ones on the list, Sir? Some of the same ones that you interviewed last time?

Bush:  The list is wide open, which should create some good speculation here in Washington.  And make sure you notice when I said that, I looked right at Al Gonzales which could really create speculation. (Laughter)

Media: Thank you.

Bush: I'm not through yet. But, this is important for people to understand.  I want the Senate to focus not on who the next nomineee is going to be, but the nomineee I got up there now.  And it's important for the country that they complete the work. And in the meantime the country can be assured that I'll take a good long look at who should replace Justice O'Connor.  I called her from Air Force One yesterday and told her of my decision to name John Roberts to be the Chief.  Her first reaction was that she better get back to do her homework. She said so somewhat tongue in cheek. But, she's right.  She'll be there when the Court is seated with a new Chief Justice, and then we'll move deliberately to replace Justice O'Connor. Thank you all for coming.

I loved the Gonzales tweak.  (I wouldn't love it if he nominated him on the other hand.)

Update:  Cross posted a Redstate.org.  (What the hey? Give it a try.) Don't miss all the SCOTUS talk there and at Bench Memos. (For some reason the link to Bench Memos won't take, and I've got work to do, so go to National Review and find it, mmm-Kay?

Katrina: Stupid Media Moment

Listening to FOX news on XM Saturday afternoon, Bridget Quinn asked Greta VanSustern the following question:

"What makes the Houston Astrodome any different than the Superdome?"

Um. I'm not a news professional, but let me take a shot at this.  Electricity? (with the perks of air conditioning and lights) Showers? Clothes? Medical attention? Phones? Law enforcement? Plenty of food and water?  Not to mention visits from Oprah.

Sure, I understand that these news anchors are under pressure and can blurt out something that sounds stupid trying to fill time.  You'd expect a softball like this one would be a home run for a professional like Greta to hit out of the park.  Her answer?  Something to the effect that people were on hand to hug the evacuees.  Ack!

While we're on the subject, we need to get the Cookie Monster in touch with Geraldo to hone his counting skills.  He was on the air Friday evening gong on and on about how it had been 6 days and no help had arrived, (of course he had only arrived himself the same day.)

The levees broke Tuesday morning.  Here's how it works.

Wednesday morning was one day.
Thursday morning was two days.
Friday morning was three days.
Friday evening was 3 1/2 days.  (We know fractions are hard, but try to keep up.)

To ward off flames, note that I'm not saying all the help arrived in a timely manner.  I don't think anyone could have watched the disintegration of the city without understanding the sheer horror of the situation.  My point is that the situation was so bad by itself, exaggeration was entirely unnecessary.

Yost: He's Everywhere! He's Everywhere!

Remember the Yost column, Why They Hate Us?

I was driving home late Wednesday night listening to Britt Hume's Special Report on XM radio when to my surprise Britt does a short piece on Yost's column.  Mark and his lovely wife, have been known to show up at Keegan's for trivia night, so it was pretty cool to hear his name on a news show that I have a lot of respect for.

Fraters has covered the media backlash.  There's also more at the NRO Media Blog.

High Praise for the Strib!

At Democratic Underground.  I bet this commenter writes some of those lovely Letters to the Editor that Kool Aid loves:

I have initially refused their offers to renew my subscription and I told them flat out it was because their coverage was too soft on the administration. Here in MN they brought in a consultant just to take the complaints about coverage and she started moving in more pieces with at least some truth to it. I'll have to start checking them out again. It looks like the media is beginning to get a spine.

Alas! No comment love for Nick "nobody's monkey" Coleman!  How will he bear it?

K-Lo's Corner Confession

Radioblogger has the scoop.  Apparently that funny smell in the National Review offices wasn't incense.

Personally, I suspect Buckley.  It would explain a lot.

Via Hewitt

Check Out Those Breasts!

I bet that got your attention.

Talk show host Laura Ingraham, who recently announced her engagement, was diagnosed with breast cancer on Friday.

Laura's breast cancer was picked up during a simple breast examination by her OB/GYN. The tumor was not even visible on a mammogram! You MUST make sure that you, and every woman in your life does a monthly breast self-examination. Learn to do it correctly, slowly, carefully. If you feel ANYTHING that seems strange or unusual, go immediately to your OB/GYN. Make sure that you and/or the women you know go for an annual gynecological appointment for a comprehensive check up. Laura is embarrassed to admit she had not been to her doc in more than three years. Really stupid (her words, not ours). Don't be afraid to ask your friend, girlfriend, sister, mother, or wife if she has done everything to detect breast cancer. We all need someone to remind us, get on us, demand that we take care of ourselves.

I was on the road this morning so I heard her call into the show.  They were waving her into surgery.  Also, on the way home, I was flipping through the dial and caught Hannity saying she was going to be calling his show with a post surgery update, so I guess it went O.K.

While I want to send our best wishes to Laura, I also want to remind all the budding female dictators to Check Out Those Breasts!, and for those of us who've reached a certain age, go in and Get Your Breasts Smashed on a regular basis, OK?