Today's feel-good story...

I LOVE this story that Enigma referenced on his blog.


This version is even better, and gives you more of the story.

Did you get into Yale?

If not, you may just have had the wrong strategy. Apparently, you gotta think outside the box. I direct your attention to this eye-opening article from the Journal:

http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110008020

It's perplexing to me that if you even suggest that we should consider whether women and men might have different sets of talents (Larry Summers) you are jeered and derided in the Ivy league, but if you happen to be the former spokesman for a regime that brutally repressed and tortured women and generally treated them like mere chattel, they clamor for you to attend their hallowed halls. Maybe I'm missing something...

Viva Italia

I was watching the medal ceremony tonight for the Speed Skating medals. Now, you might expect I'd comment on the whole Davis/Hedrick quarrel. I'm not going to. Instead, I just wanted to point out that the Italian National Anthem is very upbeat and pretty fun - they even get to shout at the end. Anybody else notice it?

Words here. For a lousy old-school midi file, click here and scroll down a bit.

After a simple google search, I discovered that there are some people with some pretty strong opinions about national anthems.

"Birkenstocked Burkeans"

Conservatism without Capitalism?

This guy is all for it.

Olympian Popularity

It appears that the Olympics are not as dominant in the ratings race this time around. Jason Moring of Slate thinks he knows why Americans don't care as much about the Olympics as they used to. (Thanks to RedRock for this story)

BYU Grad nominated by Bush for Appeals Court

Milan D. Smith, a BYU graduate, was named to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Smith is the elder brother to Oregon Senator Gordon Smith. Smith did his undergraduate work at BYU and got his JD at the University of Chicago.

http://www.chicoer.com/news/bayarea/ci_3515140

Speaking of Cheney

Figures. As soon as I make my Cheney post, he makes a public statement, basically taking all the blame.

Cheney chatter

OK so this is old news. But I wanted to put my two cents in. I'm sure more facts will later be revealed that might change my mind on it, but here is my snap opinion on it.

There is a temptation to find this story funny (bring out the Aaron Burr jokes), but the fact that someone got shot in the face and is in critical condition makes it a very serious story.

But one thing that I can't help find amusing about it now is the degree to which the Washington press corps is pissed that a po-dunk Texas newspaper would be informed before them. There is something that feels almost juvenile in the press' response. "How dare the White House not tell us immediately!! Scooped by the Corpus Christi Newspaper??!" This is the same press corps that made nary a peep (at least to my recollection) when the Clinton people were routinely burying damaging stories with late-Friday-night press conferences and other like tactics.

Of course, while illustrating some of the silliness of the Washington press corps, this also illustrates Cheney's complete media ineptitude, antipathy, or apathy. My guess is that it is mostly a tall heaping of the latter with some smaller portions of the others. In my mind, Cheney is a no-nonsense guy, not running for anyting in '08 (when was the last time that happened?) and doesn't really care how popular he is (I have to admit I find that sort of attitude very appealing in some respects, especially when contrasted to other politicians, who will do anything for the smallest of political payoffs).

Not being a hunter, I'm not sure what to think about all the surrogate finger-pointing that is going on. My guess is that there is fault to be placed on both Cheney and Whittington. But I am sure hitting a person is every hunter's worst nightmare, and that Cheney feels awful about the whole thing (I don't buy into the Cheney-as-Satan mantra).

BUT he broke a cardinal rule - thou shalt confess everything to the public right away. For a strong critique of Cheney and the administration's response, see John Dickerson's article here.

Perhaps the most scathing portion:
"And at some point Cheney's starchy behavior is also insulting. Shouldn't there be some minimum level of explanation he's willing to offer as the second-highest ranking public official? When you nearly commit manslaughter as a public official shouldn't the honor of your office compel you to stand up and explain yourself in some fashion, at least say something in a press release and not just whisper it to a Texas rancher?"

As Dickerson points out, Cheney could have diffused this situation to a large degree with a quick statement, acknowledgement to the press... SOMETHING. I really had expected some sort of public apology or statement from Cheney at least by Monday. As Captain's blog suggests, this kind of behavior does you no favors when you are already unpopular. While Cheney might not care about popularity, he SHOULD. "As a veteran staffer of two administrations and a cabinet secretary in another, Dick Cheney should know that he is not supposed to embarrass his boss."

Maybe while on vacation Cheney forgot he HAS a boss...

Most importantly, I am hoping for the recovery of Mr. Whittington.

Hatch speaking on Mitt

Orrin Hatch, asked what he thought about the '08 GOP Nomination, and Mitt Romney's chances:

"If (current Secretary of State) Condoleezza Rice came up, I think she’d blow people away.... I’ll just say this as a matter of fact: Mitt Romney has more management ability than any potential candidate on either side. He is one of the best managers in the country. He took over Massachusetts, which is an extremely liberal state with a totally dominant Democratic Legislature and turned a $3 billion deficit into a $1 billion surplus in just the few years he’s been in there.

The day I announced for president, I was on “Larry King Live” and he said “senator, how are you going to do it? Eighteen percent of the American people will not vote for a Mormon under any circumstances.” I found that to be true, but I think I helped break down some of those barriers. Mitt, I think, can overcome that.

I believe that if it came down to Mitt showing that he can do the job better than anybody else, I think he can make it."
* * * *

Interesting comments. I think Mitt would make a formidable candidate, if he's able to get past the religious bigotry, and get himself a decent campaign team. And, ya gotta love Hatch setting himself up to put a few feathers in his proverbial cap should Mitt actually get anywhere in the GOP primaries.

By the way, I'm very curious to see how Mitt does, so you'll probably see more posts from me on this topic.

V-Day Humor

Speaking of the Anti-Valentine's crowd, a friend sent this to me. I thought it fitting for the mood of the day. [These are entries to a Washington Post competition asking for a rhyme with the most romantic first line... but the least romantic second line…] Here is an excerpt:

I thought that I could love no other
Until, that is, I met your brother.

Roses are red, violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet, and so are you.
But the roses are wilting, the violets are dead, The sugar bowl's empty and so is your head.

My love, you take my breath away -
What have you stepped in to smell this way.

What inspired this amorous rhyme?
Two parts vodka, one part lime.

Cupid rhymes with stupid

Well, Valentine's day is upon us. It can be a great day if you are in a completely committed relationship (and if the menfolk can avoid its pitfalls - after all, the womenfolk tend to take this day pretty seriously) but otherwise, be warned. It can be dangerous, depressing, or confusing.

As many of you are no doubt aware, there is a whole segment of dedicated Anti-Valentine's populous out there, proclaiming that "Cupid rhymes with stupid!" A simple google search on the phrase reveals that many anti-valentine crusaders have been there, done that, and even bought the t-shirt (or the greeting cards).

Many are convinced that this 'holiday' has been over-commercialized in an attempt by florists, confectioners, and card-makers to ensure business in an otherwise slow time of year. Some contend that it is a vile, insidious conspiracy. I'm not sure about the conspiracy theories, but the over-commercialization seems apparent enough to me.

And lest you think that this Valentine over-commercialization is confined to Europe and America, read here to disabuse yourself of any such notion.

BYU Prof with an AIDS cure?

BYU Prof Paul Savage claims his compound may fight and kill AIDS virus