Weekend Obamapalooza Non-Enforcement Cartoon Roundup!

More cartoons at Theo Spark's.

And previously at Flopping Aces.

Carrie Prejean Marries Oakland Raiders Quarterback Kyle Boller

Good for her!

Saw it first at TMZ, "Carrie Prejean Got Married ... 'Cause She Can."

But also, US Magazine, "Carrie Prejean Weds." And E! Online, "Carrie Prejean and Footballer Beau Tie the Knot" (via WeSmirch).

I wrote previously about the Prejean scandal at Pajamas Media. See, "Miss California Carrie Prejean’s Odyssey: Not Very Pretty."

Liz Cheney Statement on Michael Steele Resignation

She endorses William Kristol's call for Chairman Steele to step down, "RESIGN, MR. CHAIRMAN."

I've long thought Michael Steele was a disaster, and so has Michelle Malkin:

What's interesting is that it's always been neoconservatives leading the call for Steele to go. But now the momentum is building all across the GOP right. See also, WSJ, "Republicans Slam Steele Over Remarks" (via Memeorandum).

'Restrepo' Screening in West L.A.

I didn't take any pics until I came out of the movie. This is the hallway leading back to the Westside Pavilion, from theater #4 at the Landmark. I've never been to a cineplex like this one:

The view looking west across Pico, toward Westwood:

Concessions and the Barnes and Noble second below:

The food court, way down the mall, near Macy's on the north end:

One more shot, looking west up Westwood Boulevard at the intersection with Pico:

Additional "Restrepo" posting, including movie reviews and film clips, at the link.

The Advanced Degree Job Market Detour

I'm not as critical as Monty at AOSHQ. As long as a student plans on graduate training by they time they entere junior year, I don't see a problem. But those that are in a "failure to launch" mode, and using grad school as a real-world avoidance crutch, well, Monty's got some good points.

In any case, at WSJ, "For Many, a Grad-School Stint Doesn't Pay Off in Job Market":

College graduates who took a detour around the weak job market by going back for advanced degrees are beginning to emerge from those programs—and finding job prospects aren't much better than they were a couple of years ago.

The jobless rate for 20- to 34-year-olds with master's degrees, though well below the overall 9.5% U.S. average, was 4.2% in June, the Labor Department said Friday, up from 3.9% last year and 2.9% in June 2007, before the recession started.

The economy has started creating jobs—albeit at a slow rate—in recent months. But those with new master's degrees often aren't at the front of the line to get them, say experts. One reason: They frequently compete for jobs that require those advanced degrees with older workers who have the advantage of more work experience.

Caitlin Johnson, 23 years old, may soon find herself among them. A 2009 graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a B.S. in computer-science and engineering, she said she was unable to land any of the 10 positions she applied for.

So she opted to stay at MIT for her master's in engineering. Having just finished her first year of the two-year program, Ms. Johnson said she might look for a job at the end of the summer to start after she completes the degree next year. But finding graduate school more appealing and facing a job market that remains weak, she said she would most likely go on to earn her Ph.D.

This Caitlin doesn't fit my criteria laid out above. I knew I was seeking a Ph.D. by the time I entered my senior year. Once accepted to UCSB in the spring of '92, I knew I'd be completing another 5-plus years of study with hopes of becoming a professor. Young folks who're aren't that focused probably should stay away from that type of commitment, especially if the academic life --- beyond the M.A. degree in particular--- isn't their likely cup of tea.

Canadian Recruiting Office Bombed by Left-Wing Terrorist Faction

Saw this just now at Stormbringer.

At CBC News, "Group claims responsibility for Quebec Blast":

Quebec provincial police say they are taking seriously a claim of responsibility for an explosion early Friday at a Canadian Forces recruitment centre in Trois-Rivières.

A group calling itself Résistance Internationaliste sent a statement to the newspaper La Presse saying it was responsible for the blast, according to the paper.

The group, which has previously claimed responsibility for two other attacks in Quebec, claims it is against the militaristic ideals and practices of the Canadian government.

In portions of the statement published on the paper's website, the group said it aims to "ensure that political, economic and military powers cannot continue their enterprise of indoctrination justifying their imperialist venture, without impunity."

"The Canadian government is not content to merely submit us to the merchant oligarchy and to deliver it our resources, it demands that we enslave other people," the group said. "Suffering the effects of the dangers of gas exportation is not enough, we have to secure a pipeline route (TAPI) on Afghan territory.

"The soldiers of the Canadian Army, let it be very clear, they are not 'ours', they belong to the one to whom they foolishly pledge allegiance, Her Majesty Elisabeth II."

More at the link.

See also National Post, "Quebec explosion linked to G20 violence, professor says."

I'm reminded of the film from 2008 (2009 in the U.S.), "The Baader-Meinhof Complex."

I wrote at the time, after seeing the film, about eerie parallels to politics today in the U.S. and the Western democracies. I think we'll be seeing more of this stuff, with riots and protests (like last week in Toronto), and terrorist factions seeking to destabilize the state.

I hope I'm wrong, but for many young people today there's a crisis of legitimation, and they're easily brainwashed by the radical left's fellow travelers in academe, the unions, even the Democratic Party. See, "Yet another terrorist tie to Obama White House."

Winnable

From Frederick Kagan and Kimberly Kagan, at Weekly Standard, "A Winnable War."

Success in Afghanistan is possible. The policy that President Obama announced in December and firmly reiterated last week is sound. So is the strategy that General Stanley McChrystal devised last summer and has been implementing this year. There have been setbacks and disappointments during this campaign, and adjustments will likely be necessary. These are inescapable in war. Success is not by any means inevitable. Enemies adapt and spoilers spoil. But both panic and despair are premature. The coalition has made significant military progress against the Taliban, and will make more progress as the last surge forces arrive in August. Although military progress is insufficient by itself to resolve the conflict, it is a vital precondition. As the New York Times editors recently noted, “Until the insurgents are genuinely bloodied, they will keep insisting on a full restoration of their repressive power.” General David Petraeus knows how to bloody insurgents—and he also knows how to support and encourage political development and conflict resolution. He takes over the mission with the renewed support of the White House.

Neither the recent setbacks nor the manner of McChrystal’s departure should be allowed to obscure the enormous progress he has made in setting conditions for successful campaigns over the next two years. The internal, structural changes he made have revolutionized the ability of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to conduct counterinsurgency operations. He oversaw the establishment of a three-star NATO training command that has accelerated both the expansion and the qualitative improvement of the Afghan National Security Forces in less than a year. He introduced a program of partnering ISAF units and headquarters with Afghan forces that had worked wonders in Iraq—and he improved on it. He oversaw the introduction of a three-star operational headquarters to develop and coordinate countrywide campaign plans. He has managed the massive planning and logistical burden of receiving the influx of surge forces and putting them immediately to use in a country with little infrastructure.

While undertaking these enormous tasks of internal reorganization, he has also taken the fight to the enemy. The controversies about his restrictions on the operations of Special Forces and rules of engagement that limit the use of destructive force in inhabited areas have obscured the fact that both Special Forces and conventional forces have been fighting harder than ever before and disrupting and seriously damaging enemy networks and strongholds. Targeted operations against Taliban networks have increased significantly during McChrystal’s tenure, and the Taliban’s ability to operate comfortably in Afghanistan has been greatly reduced. ISAF forces have killed, captured, or driven off numerous Taliban shadow governors and military commanders. They have pushed into areas the Taliban had controlled and eliminated safe-havens.

And Uncle Jimbo video clip c/o Theo Spark.

RELATED: At the Los Angeles Times, "The Challenge of Kandahar."

Unlimited WiFi at Starbucks?

I like it ...

One problem is if you have to take a leak. Don't leave your laptop unattended ...

At LAT, "Free, unlimited Wi-Fi policy begins at Starbucks":

Ted Thompson, a civil engineer from Santa Clarita, likes his coffee without Internet.

But sitting in a downtown Los Angeles Starbucks, he worried that there might not be much room for him in the chain's shops in the future.

"You won't be able to find a place to sit down anymore if more people are coming in to use their computers," said Thompson, 70. "I thought a coffee shop was for drinking coffee."

On Thursday, Starbucks Corp. instituted a free, unlimited Wi-Fi Internet policy for patrons at its nearly 6,800 company-operated stores in the U.S., plus 750 locations in Canada.

Some competitors beat Starbucks to it. Six months ago, McDonald's Corp. launched free Wi-Fi at about 11,500 U.S. locations. The companies have been butting heads ever since McDonald's debuted its McCafe line of coffee drinks a year ago, typically at lower prices than at Starbucks.

Even before the free Wi-Fi policy some customers spent hours in Starbucks shops with their laptops, taking up the tables and chairs. The Seattle company doesn't have a policy regarding how long a person is allowed to stay, even if he or she doesn't purchase so much as a "tall coffee" (despite the name, the smallest size offered).

The new free, unlimited Wi-Fi program could bring in more of those folks.

"This is a double-edged sword," said Eli Portnoy, a Los Angeles brand strategist who stopped going to Starbucks months ago because it was always "littered with laptops."

"It's going to get worse," he said. "But I feel they think it's a no-win situation, that if they don't offer prime amenities that they're going to be at a loss."

The way it works is you buy a Starbucks drink card with a login code on the back. Customers load the card with money (I started with $5.00) and then register with a password. Only one bummer: I had to go home to register since I couldn't log into the store's WiFi when I first got the coffee card. Other than that, I'm more comfortable at home, watching news, movies, and sports while blogging and tweeting!

It's good to have for traveling, that's for sure. I made sure I got all set up before I went to cover the Arizona immigration rallies, just in case I had problems at the hotel, or if I got stranded somewhere hopefully I could find a Starbucks to kill time ...

Rep. John Lewis Blows a Vessel or Two on Unemployment Extension!

My God!

Democrats start the fireworks early! Seriously. This is gold, even better than Speaker Pelosi's completely unhinged "unemployment insurance is economic stimulus" mind-melt. Watch civil rights icon John Lewis of Georgia really let it rip. "I've been to the mountaintop!!"

I ask my Republican colleagues: Can't you hear? Can't you feel? Can't you see? Where is your heart? Where is your compassion? Where is your concern? Extend unemployment benefits, and extend it now!!

And at Roll Call, "Republican Eyes Hoyer for Speaker." No, no!! John Lewis for Speaker, and do it DO IT NOOOOWWWW!!

Hat Tip: Memeorandum.

Watching 'A Life Less Ordinary'

Great flick. Saw this years ago, and it's a blast:

Obama's Jobs Numbers: Unemployment Dip or Double Dip?

At the viddy, President Obanomics says the new jobs numbers show we've had "six straight months of job growth" and that "our economy has added nearly 600,000 private sector jobs this year." And he adds, in his trademark line, that "make no mistake, we are headed in the right direction."

Well, maybe not.

At LAT, "Unemployment rate dips as more workers leave labor force":

Although the jobless rate in June fell from 9.7% in May, that reflected a big drop of 652,000 people in the labor force over the month. The labor force is made up of workers and those actively looking for jobs. With the economic recovery weakening and many employers reluctant to hire, many more unemployed people may have quit looking for work, which would push down the jobless rate.

So much for heading in the right direction...

But see David Leonhart, "The Recovery Is Losing Steam" (via Memeorandum):

I want to reiterate this point: the unemployment rate fell last month even though actual unemployment did not fall. Only official unemployment — the share of people actively looking for work — fell.

And that's key ... all the rest, from Obama or the pundits, is bull. Well, perhaps I'd agree in part with Paul Krugman: The economic stimulus didn't work. Although the I part with Krugman on the response to the administration's failure. WE DON'T need another economic stimulus package, which was in fact a pork-barrel boondoggle that in 18-months has failed to invigorate the economy and expand the job market. Where we do see that happening is in the marketplace among firms able to promote growth through innovation. Apple comes to mind, but no doubt we'd have more concerns like that if the economic wizards in Washington focused economic initiatives toward expanding business startups and freeing entrepreneurial talent. It's amazing how far the Democrats are dragging down the economy with onerous regulations and the heathcare albatross that's leaving more and more Americans increasingly risk averse as they see the costs of doing business skyrocket. The fact is, we're doing as well as we are simply due to the massive scope of the American marketplace. Despite high unemployment and tepid growth, there's considerable bustle among people looking to seize openings and opportunities amid economic crisis and technological transformation. And interestingly, a lot of manufacturers aren't finding a work force with enough skills for them to expand:

As unlikely as it would seem against this backdrop, manufacturers who want to expand find that hiring is not always easy. During the recession, domestic manufacturers appear to have accelerated the long-term move toward greater automation, laying off more of their lowest-skilled workers and replacing them with cheaper labor abroad.

Now they are looking to hire people who can operate sophisticated computerized machinery, follow complex blueprints and demonstrate higher math proficiency than was previously required of the typical assembly line worker.

Makers of innovative products like advanced medical devices and wind turbines are among those growing quickly and looking to hire, and they too need higher skills.

“That’s where you’re seeing the pain point,” said Baiju R. Shah, chief executive of BioEnterprise, a nonprofit group in Cleveland trying to turn the region into a center for medical innovation. “The people that are out of work just don’t match the types of jobs that are here, open and growing.”

Seems the administration's failing on the "skilled workforce for the 21st century," as Obama claims at the clip.

The Economist discounts the chances for a "double dip," however.

RELATED: At Wired, "Driven: How Henrik Fisker Aims to Floor the Auto Industry."

Victoria's Secret: 'Splash!'

Wonderful cinematography, and bathing beauties as well:

Three Reasons Why Obama's Financial Regulation Bill is Epic Fail

At Reason.TV, via Glenn Reynolds:

PREVIOUSLY: "Obama Financial Regulation Bill is Bank Bailout Bonanza."

Assimilation and the Founding Fathers

At Michelle's (via):

In his immigration speech on Thursday, President Obama heralded America as a “nation of immigrants” defined not by blood or birth, but by “fidelity to the shared values that we all hold so dear.” If only it were so. Left-wing academics and activists spurned assimilation as a common goal long ago. Their fidelity lies with bilingualism (a euphemism for native language maintenance over English-first instruction), identity politics, ethnic militancy and a borderless continent.

Obama blames “politics” for the intractable immigration debate. Whose politics? The amnesty mob has taken to ambushing congressional offices this week to scream at lawmakers to choose “reform” (giving a blanket path to citizenship to millions of illegal aliens) or “racism” (their description of any and every legislative measure to stiffen sanctions for and deter the acts of border-jumping, visa-overstaying and deportation-evading).

Is there no middle ground for all sides to agree that clearing naturalization application backlogs should take priority over expanding illegal alien benefits, or that tracking and deporting violent illegal alien criminals should take precedence over handing out driver’s licenses to illegal aliens, or that streamlining the employee citizenship verification process for businesses (E-verify) and fixing outdated visa tracking databases should come before indiscriminately expanding temporary visa and guest worker programs?

Must every response to even the most modest of immigration enforcement measures be “RAAAAACIST”? ...

RTWT.

PREVIOUSLY: "Immigrants and Socialists March Against SB 1070 in Phoenix." A vendor sells shirts decrying Arizona's SB 1070's as "racist."

Friday Diversions

Snagged straight from Theo's

See also, Eye of Polyphemus, "Miranda Kerr," and Blazing Cat Fur, "Because it's Friday...and it's Donna Reed."

With the Afghan National Army...

...and U.S. allies.

A slideshow from Afghanistan, "Soldiers in Waiting," at Foreign Policy:

RELATED: Don't miss the roundup at Thunder Run, "From the Front: 07/02/2010."

'Angle of Attack' — From the Steven Givler Collection

From my good friend, Maj. Steven Givler, "New Home for My Paintings."

Lots more fabulous paintings at the link.

And on this holiday weekend I take pride in reposting Steven's e-mail to me from April 4, 2009:

Sir,

Thank you for your blog. I’ve often wondered lately whether my more than 20 years of military service have been devoted to defending a constitution that is no longer recognized by the people who benefit from its protections.

Every once in a while something encourages me to believe that there are still Americans who understand what makes us different from other nations, and who are willing to preserve that difference. Your blog, which I found via RS McCain’s blog, is one of those things.Thanks for the encouragement.

All the best,

Steven

STEVEN A. GIVLER, Maj, USAF
Assistant Air Attache
US EMBASSY Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Steven is now working at a new assignment in Portugal.

Thank you, Steven, for your service.

Blog Headline of the Morning (Regarding Asshole Andres Serrano)

At Althouse, "Andres 'Piss Christ' Serrano as a guest judge on "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist." And click through to the original article. Some of the works include things like men performing sexual self-gratification. And you can see this stuff on TV? Seriously.

But it's Andres Serrano who's of interest to me (why is he considered a worthy judge for Bravo's program, for example?).

Check this interview with Anna Blume from 1993, regarding "Serrano’s recent photographs of [black] dead bodies":

AB Since color is an issue throughout the show, not just aesthetically, but also racially, and racial issues have shown up in your work before, was this in your mind when you edited for the show, thinking about which bodies to photograph?

AS In a manner of speaking. I photographed these people after the moment of death. I never knew them as human beings. I never knew what languages they spoke, what their religious or political beliefs were, how much money they had, or who they loved. All I know about them is the cause of death. And, as they say, you cannot judge a book by its cover. The woman you referred to as not knowing whether she was actually black, is a bleached blonde, brown-skinned woman. She’s a black woman. But she’s been in the morgue for over two months because she’s a Jane Doe, and as a result, she’s starting to decompose and if you look really closely, there are patches of white skin. I asked the doctor and he confirmed that there is white skin under black skin. A teacher of his once took a very thin slice of skin off a cadaver and showed it to his students and said, “This is the thickness of racism.”

And here's this, from an interview with Andres Serrano in 2002:

Being born, especially being born a person of color, is a political act in itself. Everything you do from that point on is political without having to be called political. My work has social implications, it functions in a social arena. In relation to the controversy over Piss Christ, I think the work was politicized by forces outside it, and as a result, some people expect to see something recognizably "political" in my work. I am still trying to do my work as I see fit, which I see as coming from a very personal point of view with broader implications.

Asshole.

UPDATE: Saberpoint provides some artwork, "Stogie Art: Piss Andres (Andres Serrano)."

Who Are the 238 Presidential Scholars, Historians, and Political Scientists Polled for the SRI Presidential Rankings? — UPDATE!!

It's just comedy, really.

The main story's here, at Politico: "Professors rank President Obama 15th best president." Also Cassy Fiano offers the best one-paragraph summary:

Some “scholars” made a list ranking our presidents from best to worst. Apparently, President Zero is already a better president than Ronald Reagan, and predictably, Dubya is ranked one of the worst. Gee, this list sounds objective. Oh, and guess who number one is? FDR!

Exactly.

Some "scholars" placed Democrat FDR and Democratic-Republican (Anti-Hamiltonian) Thomas Jefferson ahead of Republican Abraham Lincoln.

Hey nothing like a little partisanship in an "objective" scholarly ranking.

And note something else: Here's the headline to the Siena presidential survey from 2006, "Experts: Bush Presidency is a Failure: Little Chance to Improve Ranking." More objectivity, no doubt.

I've checked the SRI links (the summary and the crosstabs). There's no information on the poll's respondents, which violates ethical survey sampling methodology.

Here's the contact information: Professor Tom Kelly: 518-372-7890 or Dr. Douglas Lonnstrom: 518-783-2362. I'm looking for e-mail addresses, and will update with those when I find them. And when I get it, I'll publish the list of the 238 "objective" scholars as well.

I should be laughing, and then I remember that these idiots are in charge of educating a large portion of today's youth. Society's going FUBAR.

**********

UPDATE: Just got off the phone with Professor Tom Kelly at Siena College. He told me the survey's "anonymous." He was was real nice. I asked if I could see the list of survey respondents. He said, "Well that's the thing. The survey is anonymous." I doubt Professor Kelly was up on things like Memeorandum. I asked about criticisms of left-wing bias at the poll, and he said, "Oh, I've heard things like that before." You think? Only a far-lefty could love a polling monstrosity like this. When I inquired a bit more about the identity of the respondents he said the reason for anonymity was designed to increase "objectivity." Hmm... Probably more likely to increase physical safety. He mentioned that the poll had gained reputation and the survey's write-ups have been published in Presidential Studies Quarterly, although I don't see a citation at the Wikipedia entry. (But here it is: "Rating the presidents: a tracking study," by Douglas A. Lonnstrom , Thomas O. II Kelly.) Frankly, only academics could like something like this.

(Well, actually, the MSM eats it up. See "In a new hard time, FDR's aura endures." Professor Kelly is interviewed there. Also, here's the Siena press release, "Siena Poll: American Presidents.")

Stuff like this is frankly another blow on the credibility of high-falutin scholarly research. As Rick Moran points out at American Thinker:

It's that the nation's public intellectuals operate so much in a cocoon that they don't realize people are laughing at them when they make Barack Obama the 15th best president of all time, while giving him "high marks for intelligence, ability to communicate and imagination." The evidence for any of that is so lacking that it obviously exists only in the minds of the respondents.

Additional commentary at Common Sense Political Thought (in high demand, obviously) and TrogloPundit (so simply even a Troglo can do it!).

Irresistible Marisa Miller

Picking up from yesterday.

Enjoy: