Barack stumps in the Seattle area for caucus votes and for change

Obama works the ropeline at a rally
of his supporters - click to enlarge


Barack Obama visited the Seattle area today, hoping to encourage voters to attend their local caucuses, and vote for him.

Billary, then and now

I wonder if we will address them as Presidents Clinton? Or what?

Bill and Hillary, then

Bill and Hillary, now
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Painting: The lines are drawn

click to enlarge
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Mitt Romney has exited the Presidential race to avoid surrender in the war on terror

Click to enlarge - stunned Romney supporters react to news
of his withdrawal at a rally this morning

Mitt Romney today suspended his campaign for President. He said he quit because to continue increases the chances one of the Democratic candidates will surrender to "our enemies." His entire speech follows, below.

"I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror."

Governor Romney’s Address to the Conservative Political Action Committee – February 7, 2008

I want to begin by saying thank you. It’s great to be with you again. And I look forward to joining with you many more times in the future.

Last year, CPAC gave me the sendoff I needed. I was in single digits in the polls and I was facing household Republican names. As of today, more than 4 million people have given me their vote for president, less than Senator McCain’s 4.7 million, but quite a statement nonetheless. 11 states have given me their nod, compared to his 13. Of course, because size does matter, he’s doing quite a bit better with his number of delegates.

To all of you, thank you for caring enough about the future of America to show up, stand up and speak up for conservative principles.

As I said to you last year, conservative principles are needed now more than ever. We face a new generation of challenges, challenges which threaten our prosperity, our security and our future. I am convinced that unless America changes course, we will become the France of the 21st century—still a great nation, but no longer the leader of the world, no longer the superpower. And to me, that is unthinkable. Simon Peres, in a visit to Boston, was asked what he thought about the war in Iraq. “First,” he said, “I must put something in context. America is unique in the history of the world. In the history of the world, whenever there has been conflict, the nation that wins takes land from the nation that loses. One nation in history, and this during the last century, laid down hundreds of thousands of lives and took no land. No land from Germany, no land from Japan, no land from Korea. America is unique in the sacrifice it has made for liberty, for itself and for freedom loving people around the world.” The best ally peace has ever known, and will ever know, is a strong America!

And that is why we must rise to the occasion, as we have always done before, to confront the challenges ahead. Perhaps the most fundamental of these is the attack on the American culture.

Over the years, my business has taken me to many countries. I have been struck by the enormous differences in the wealth and well-being of people of different nations. I have read a number of scholarly explanations for the disparities. I found the most convincing was that written by David Landes, a professor emeritus from Harvard University. I presume he’s a liberal–I guess that’s redundant. His work traces the coming and going of great civilizations throughout history. After hundreds of pages of analysis, he concludes with this:
If we learn anything from the history of economic development, it is that culture makes all the difference. Culture makes all the difference.

What is it about American culture that has led us to become the most powerful nation in the history of the world? We believe in hard work and education. We love opportunity: almost all of us are immigrants or descendants of immigrants who came here for opportunity—opportunity is in our DNA. Americans love God, and those who don’t have faith, typically believe in something greater than themselves—a “Purpose Driven Life.” And we sacrifice everything we have, even our lives, for our families, our freedoms and our country. The values and beliefs of the free American people are the source of our nation’s strength and they always will be!

The threat to our culture comes from within. The 1960’s welfare programs created a culture of poverty. Some think we won that battle when we reformed welfare, but the liberals haven’t given up. At every turn, they try to substitute government largesse for individual responsibility. They fight to strip work requirements from welfare, to put more people on Medicaid, and to remove more and more people from having to pay any income tax whatsoever. Dependency is death to initiative, risk-taking and opportunity. Dependency is a culture-killing drug—we have got to fight it like the poison it is!

The attack on faith and religion is no less relentless. And tolerance for pornography—even celebration of it—and sexual promiscuity, combined with the twisted incentives of government welfare programs have led to today’s grim realities: 68% of African American children are born out-of-wedlock, 45% of Hispanic children, and 25% of White children. How much harder it is for these children to succeed in school—and in life. A nation built on the principles of the founding fathers cannot long stand when its children are raised without fathers in the home.

The development of a child is enhanced by having a mother and father. Such a family is the ideal for the future of the child and for the strength of a nation. I wonder how it is that unelected judges, like some in my state of Massachusetts, are so unaware of this reality, so oblivious to the millennia of recorded history. It is time for the people of America to fortify marriage through constitutional amendment, so that liberal judges cannot continue to attack it!

Europe is facing a demographic disaster. That is the inevitable product of weakened faith in the Creator, failed families, disrespect for the sanctity of human life and eroded morality. Some reason that culture is merely an accessory to America’s vitality; we know that it is the source of our strength. And we are not dissuaded by the snickers and knowing glances when we stand up for family values, and morality, and culture. We will always be honored to stand on principle and to stand for principle.

The attack on our culture is not our sole challenge. We face economic competition unlike anything we have ever known before. China and Asia are emerging from centuries of poverty. Their people are plentiful, innovative, and ambitious. If we do not change course, Asia or China will pass us by as the economic superpower, just as we passed England and France during the last century. The prosperity and security of our children and grandchildren depend on us.

Our prosperity and security also depend on finally acting to become energy secure. Oil producing states like Russia and Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Iran are siphoning over $400 billion per year from our economy—that’s almost what we spend annually for defense. It is past time for us to invest in energy technology, nuclear power, clean coal, liquid coal, renewable sources and energy efficiency. America must never be held hostage by the likes of Putin, Chavez, and Ahmendinejad.

And our economy is also burdened by the inexorable ramping of government spending. Don’t focus on the pork alone—even though it is indeed irritating and shameful. Look at the entitlements. `They make up 60% of federal spending today. By the end of the next President’s second term, they will total 70%. Any conservative plan for the future has to include entitlement reform that solves the problem, not just acknowledges it.

Most politicians don’t seem to understand the connection between our ability to compete and our national wealth, and the wealth of our families. They act as if money just happens–that it’s just there. But every dollar represents a good or service produced in the private sector. Depress the private sector and you depress the well-being of Americans.

That’s exactly what happens with high taxes, over-regulation, tort windfalls, mandates, and overfed, over-spending government. Did you see that today, government workers make more money than people who work in the private sector. Can you imagine what happens to an economy where the best opportunities are for bureaucrats?

It’s high time to lower taxes, including corporate taxes, to take a weed-whacker to government regulations, to reform entitlements, and to stand up to the increasingly voracious appetite of the unions in our government!

And finally, let’s consider the greatest challenge facing America—and facing the entire civilized world: the threat of violent, radical Jihad. In one wing of the world of Islam, there is a conviction that all governments should be destroyed and replaced by a religious caliphate. These Jihadists will battle any form of democracy—to them, democracy is blasphemous for it says that citizens, not God shape the law. They find the idea of human equality to be offensive. They hate everything we believe about freedom just as we hate everything they believe about radical Jihad.

To battle this threat, we have sent the most courageous and brave soldiers in the world. But their numbers have been depleted by the Clinton years when troops were reduced by 500,000, when 80 ships were retired from the Navy, and when our human intelligence was slashed by 25%. We were told that we were getting a peace dividend. We got the dividend, but we didn’t get the peace. In the face of evil in radical Jihad and given the inevitable military ambitions of China, we must act to rebuild our military might. Raise military spending to 4% of our GDP, purchase the most modern armament, re-shape our fighting forces for the asymmetric demands we now face, and give the veterans the care they deserve!

Soon, the face of liberalism in America will have a new name. Whether it is Barack or Hillary, the result would be the same if they were to win the Presidency. The opponents of American culture would push the throttle, devising new justifications for judges to depart from the constitution. Economic neophytes would layer heavier and heavier burdens on employers and families, slowing our economy and opening the way for foreign competition to further erode our lead.

Even though we face an uphill fight, I know that many in this room are fully behind my campaign.” You are with me all the way to the convention. Fight on, just like Ronald Reagan did in 1976. But there is an important difference from 1976: today… we are a nation at war.

And Barack and Hillary have made their intentions clear regarding Iraq and the war on terror. They would retreat and declare defeat. And the consequence of that would be devastating. It would mean attacks on America, launched from safe havens that make Afghanistan under the Taliban look like child’s play. About this, I have no doubt.

I disagree with Senator McCain on a number of issues, as you know. But I agree with him on doing whatever it takes to be successful in Iraq, on finding and executing Osama bin Laden, and on eliminating Al Qaeda and terror. If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.

This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose. My family, my friends and our supporters… many of you right here in this room… have given a great deal to get me where I have a shot at becoming President. If this were only about me, I would go on. But I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, I feel I must now stand aside, for our party and for our country.

I will continue to stand for conservative principles; I will fight alongside you for all the things we believe in. And one of those things is that we cannot allow the next President of the United States to retreat in the face evil extremism!!

It is the common task of each generation—and the burden of liberty—to preserve this country, expand its freedoms and renew its spirit so that its noble past is prologue to its glorious future.

To this task… accepting this burden… we are all dedicated, and I firmly believe, by the providence of the Almighty, that we will succeed beyond our fondest hope. America must remain, as it has always been, the hope of the earth.

Thank you, and God bless America.
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Bring back Jeri Kehn!

I liked this race so much better when Jeri Kehn was still on the campaign trail...

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Mr. Loophole trademarks his nickname

The British "celebrity lawyer" Mick Freeman has trademarked his 'Mr Loophole' nickname to prevent other lawyers from using it. He was branded Mr Loophole in the British press after helping a string of celebrities—including Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham, Jeremy Clarkson and Wayne Rooney—dodge drunk driving convictions. Mr Freeman, from Mere, Cheshire, warned other lawyers who might try to cash in on his nickname. "If anyone attempts to use the name, legal action can be taken.'

Gwent Police arrested him on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice two years ago, but no charges were ever brought.

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Run Barack Run! --- A poster

Click The Senator to enlarge

Since they have been so nice about calling to ask for money, I elected to make an in-kind contribution instead. I wrote the Obama campaign tonight, and offered this poster for their use free of charge.

[ed's note: Now that we've posted this, we notice Jack left off an important bullet point: "- He has the smallest mansion of anyone running!"]
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Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Transcends (with a video and lyric sheet for John Lennon's song Sexy Sadie & video on The Beatles in Risikesh)

Video clip from the maharishi mahesh yogi's ashram in rishikesh india, AKA the beatles's ashram because they visited the place in the summer of 1967. "Lennon became discouraged after the Maharishi had allegedly made a pass at one of the female members of their entourage." (wikipedia)"


Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a guru to the Beatles the Beach Boys' Mike Love, Mia Farrow, Donovan, and millions of others, died Tuesday at his home in the Dutch town of Vlodrop, a spokesman said. He was probably 91 years old.

When I was young, he was a huge cultural figure, with many people taking his transcendental meditation, and those of us who didn't felt like we should have...

"He died peacefully at about 7 p.m.," said Bob Roth, a spokesman for the Transcendental Meditation movement that the Maharishi founded. He said his death appeared to be due to "natural causes, his age."


The Beatles and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Rishikesh (1968)

Once laughed out of the room as hippie mysticism, the Hindu practice of mind control that Maharishi taught, called transcendental meditation, gradually gained medical respectability and has been proved to help regulate blood pressure, anxiety, etc.

He may have been a teacher and holy man, but he also amassed a multi-multi=-million empire of transendental meditation centers, and a TM University in the middle west of the Unites States.

Cosmic Debris by Frank Zappa was probably written about him. Sexy Sadie by John Lennon (from The White Album) most certainly was.

Sex Sadie
By John Lennon/Paul McCartney

hoSexy Sadie what have you done
You made a fool of everyone
You made a fool of everyone
Sexy Sadie ooh what have you done.

Sexy Sadie you broke the rules
You layed it down for all to see
You layed it down for all to see
Sexy Sadie oooh you broke the rules.

One sunny day the world was waiting for a lover
She came along to turn on everyone
Sexy Sadie the greatest of them all.

Sexy Sadie how did you know
The world was waiting just for you
The world was waiting just for you
Sexy Sadie oooh how did you know.

Sexy Sadie you'll get yours yet
However big you think you are
However big you think you are
Sexy Sadie oooh you'll get yours yet.

We gave her everything we owned just to sit at her table
Just a smile would lighten everything
Sexy Sadie she's the latest and the greatest of them all.

She made a fool of everyone
Sexy Sadie.

However big you think you are
Sexy Sadie.

Cosmik Debris
Music and lyrics by Frank Zappa

The Mystery Man came over
An' he said: "I'm outa-site!"
He said, for a nominal service charge,
I could reach nervonna t'nite
If I was ready, willing 'n able
To pay him his regular fee
He would drop all the rest of his pressing affairs
And devote His Attention to me
But I said . . .
Look here brother,
Who you jivin' with that Cosmik Debris?
(Now who you jivin' with that Cosmik Debris?)
Look here brother,
Don't you waste your time on me

The Mystery Man got nervous
An' he fidget around a bit
He reached in the pocket of his Mystery Robe
An' he whipped out a shaving kit
Now, I thought it was a razor
An' a can of foamin' goo
But he told me right then when the top popped open
There was nothin' his box won't do
With the oil of Afro-dytee
An' the dust of the Grand Wazoo
He said:
"You might not believe this, little fella, but it'll cure your Asthma too!"
An' I said . . .
Look here brother,
Who you jivin' with that Cosmik Debris?
(Now what kind of a geroo are you anyway?)
Look here brother,
Don't you waste your time on me
Don't waste yer time . . .

I've got troubles of my own, I said
An' you can't help me out
So take your meditations an' your preparations
An' ram it up yer snout
"BUT I GOT A KRISTL BOL!," he said
An' held it to the light
So I snatched it
All away from him
An' I showed him how to do it right
I wrapped a newspaper 'round my head
So I'd look like I was Deep
I said some Mumbo Jumbos then
An' told him he was goin' to sleep
I robbed his rings
An' pocket watch
An' everything else I found
I had that sucker hypnotized
He couldn't even make a sound
I proceeded to tell him his future then
As long as he was hanging around,
I said
"The price of meat has just gone up
An' yer ol' lady has just gone down . . . "
Look here brother,
Who you jivin' with that Cosmik Debris?
(Now is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho?)
Don't you know,
You could make more money as a butcher,
So don't you waste your time on me
(Don't waste it, don't waste your time on me . . . )
Ohm shonty, ohm shonty, ohm shonty-ohm
SSHONTAY
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Video: Mattel's Tommy Burst Submachine gun

We really did get to grow up in a better time. Witness this way cool machine gun ser depicted in thse rare early 60s tv commercial for Mattel's Tommy Burst submachine gun detective set.

A Tommy Burst in excellent condition will bring at least $200 on eBay. I lunched mine pretty quickl;y as I remember...

Grand Central Station in suspended animation/The Blog Wars Revisited

I have a soft spot for quirky public art--performance art on a massive scale, like nude-ins, or various forms of mass public hysteria, or the best rock and roll where you become as much a participant as an observer (think of The Grateful Dead or the Bonaroo gang) .

Check out this Grand Central takeover by a concerted band of a couple of hundred people. Dean Ericksen of our arch-rival blog Almost There In No Time found this video of a sweet performance art event. Lest you think we're going soft on Mr. Ericksen, note that as recently as last week, his blog also published links to a film portraying--indeed, glorifying?-- members of the Nazi high command, along with the usual myriad of filth, degeneracy, and crimes against nature that masquerade as "content" on the ATINT blog.
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Photo fun: The Hillary haters rejoice as she sheds another tear 'though who is not to say Obama wasn't sneaking some teardrops too?

Did Barack Hussein Obama have his own boohoo moment?

A commenter, Hector, wrote the following about the "Democratic Poster" we published yesterday:

Hector said...

It appears that you missed the latest on your candidate, "the world class genius" "Hillary loses voice, bawls again, kills Vince Foster and will garnish your wages". Now that's someone to get behind.

Monday, February 04,
2008

They're coming out of the woodwork again. The Clinton haters----the most vehement of who seem to be Obama supporters--are joining ranks with the fellas, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, and the other radical conservatives looking for any flimsy reason to dismiss the New York Senator's presidential bid. Even Ann Coulter has backed off, and said she would vote for Clinton. The Obamanites don't much cotton to emotion, although they have hoisted their man onto a pedestal and generally characterize the Illinois Senator as Gandhi, Socrates, and Jesus rolled up into one smiling, marketable package.

If Hillary cried, so what? In context, and it's easy to see why it WAS an emotiomnal moment. People had a ball when George Bush shed a few tears. But it is apparently not seemly for a woman to exhibit the same emotion. The Obamanites scoff at tenderness and compassion in a woman as scripted and cynical but swoon over and venerate their Chosen One for showing the same emotions without the waterworks.

In fact, it appears to us that Saint Obama himself may have shed a discrete tears on the hustings. But even if he had, the Obama idolators would tell you it's OK, it comes from his heart.

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The Day We've Been Anticipating & Dreading::::::43 Presidential Contests In 24 States

click to enlarge

Maybe this will all be settled by Wednesday morning. The polls seen to say no, but they've been very wrong before in this race. With the Republican winner-take-all system, it may well be decided on their end. We Dems, however, like the fractiousness of proportional primaries, and as a result our contect will likely NOT be settled tomorrow. Maybe it will be settled enough that I can return to the happier days of made-up stories, alien lore, poetry, and parody, instead of obsessing over a bunch of rich people seeking glory who could care less if we woke up tomorrow.

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