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Nightly Ramble: Hot August Night Edition

  • Hey, Glenn, when you start making noises about MPG, and about getting a little too small for comfort, how about we talk about crash safety? I have, already. [1] How about we talk about the idea that none of the vehicles you’re speaking about here [2], will survive the crash with a ten speed bike, and likely, neither will it’s passengers?
  • The New Republic, has come up with a statement about Scott Thomas Beauchamp the short version of which is “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain over there”.  Bruce McQuain does a fairly decent job of dismantling that nonsense.. as does Joyner.  As such, other than linking it, and saying that the dodge was not unexpected, I’ll allow Bruce to handle this one [3]and Joyner. [4] Oh… and Michelle [5].
  • Speaking of Joyner, he makes mention of the story coming up on a Phoenix that I hadn’t seen, previously.  Of course, I have seen the chopper crash coverage, I didn’t mention it, too much, because I have some rather strong personal feelings about that.  I’ve had friends who died in helicopter crashes, and I know of another crash, just west of here, a few years ago up around the Niagara Falls area, involving a local traffic chopper.  That crash and Phoenix, brought those situations back to mind, and frankly it, little too close to home for me to comment on, at the time.  But now, I see where they are actually considering something a little crazy; you will remember that the reason that the choppers were out in the first place was because of a high speed chase that was going on.  They are now planning, apparently, on charging the driver of the chased vehicle on felony murder charges.  To my mind, that stretches the law all out of shape. It stretches the credibility of the law, the prosecutors, and the police to be so charging the perpetrator.  The law, to my mind, was never intended to be used in that fashion.  If, in fact, it does end up being used in that fashion, the law should be rewritten to prevent such abuses in future.
  • Before I forget, on other honorable mention at OTBs caption contest
  • I’d actually already heard this one last night, but Billy [6] heard it this morning… the joke… at least I hope it’s a joke, about how senator Ted Kennedy was going to be running a senate committee which was supposed to be expediting the recovery of underwater victims in Minneapolis.  Actually, I heard that he was supposed to be investigating how many people simply drove off the bridge to the left… before it collapsed.  That such a joke makes it as far and as fast as it does, suggests that our national memory is still working.  At least, outside the people’s Republic of Massachusetts, and the halls of the DNC.
  • Did you happen to notice the ironic annoyance of MADD, with Amtrak the other day? apparently, Amtrak has decided to offer liquor service to some of its premium passengers.  MADD has responded by demanding assurances that Amtrak won’t “overserve” its passengers.  Forgive me, but it seems to me that the only people that mothers against drunk driving should be concerned about, in terms of the alcohol consumed on the train, are the ones actually driving it.  Or, are we to now assume that the essential purpose of MADD has shifted from preventing drunk driving, to reinstating the eighteenth amendment?  I wonder if they understand just how much damage they’ve done their own credibility with this one.  Somehow, I doubt it.
  • Paul, over at Power Line [7], was apparently on a conference call with John McCain today.  Well, I suppose, somebody has to.  If McCain’s comments, and pols notes on them, are to be believed Mr. McCain apparently has a grip on reality, as regards the immigration bill, at last.  According to fall, he attributes the political problem to his inability to convince people that the government would actually enforce the borders.  What Mr. McCain doesn’t seem to understand, is that no law is worth the powder to blow up unless it’s enforced.  Because the very next words out of his mouth are that the next time the legislation comes up he will include legal measures to create more confidence in enforcement, etc..  It is said that a man with a hammer, thinks that every problem that pops up in his path can be handled as if it was a nail.  So it is, apparently, with senator McCain.  All he knows is the law.  By my read, the larger problem with the good senator, is that he still can’t figure out why people don’t trust him after so many years of being “the maverick”.  The phrase “loose cannon on deck” leaps to mind.  By definition, not a very trustworthy situation.  He’s begun to understand the situation, but apparently the solution as yet eludes him, thereby disqualifying him for the White House, in my view.  Now, of course, it should be pointed out that there are a number of other people who have actually made it to the White House to share that disqualification.  Bill Clinton being among them.  Somehow, if I were senator McCain, I would have a real confidence problem , being placed in such company.  Wouldn’t you?
  • Middle nineties around here today.  Before it got too hot, I actually got the chance to go out and clean the interior of the trailer, in preparation for the next tourney.  I have some photographs of the park from last weekend, which I may get around to putting up later tonight.