'Scholars who talk about America’s “civic religion” often don’t appreciate the half of it...'

That's Gordon Wood's first sentence at his New York Review essay from 1997, "Dusting Off the Declaration."

The essay was posted to the front page of the journal's website, for the long Independence Day weekend, no doubt. Wood review's Pauline Maier, American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence. I was in graduate school when that came out and have not read it. I have read Wood's The Radicalism of the American Revolution, however. He's a foremost expert on the period so it's worth reading around, considering both the Maier review and the books.

It's been a great holiday weekend, by the way. My wife has had time off and we were able to take in a game at the ballpark and at few at home together as well.

Happy Freedom, dear readers.

#SFO Crash Photos From the National Transportation Safety Board

On Twitter.

pic.twitter.com/RZ15X2bmY4

— NTSB (@NTSB) July 7, 2013

Two Chinese Students Killed in #SFO Crash Were Headed to West Hills Summer Camp

Here's the background at the Wall Street Journal, "Two Dead in San Francisco Plane Crash: Asiana Statement Identifies 16-Year-Old Girls as Killed in Accident."

And at the San Francisco Chronicle, "Official: SF plane crash victim may have been run over."

Oh, that would be freakin' lame.

Autopsy on 2 SFO crash victims expected Monday http://t.co/Ch0XIvmrQC Will determine if 1 was hit, killed by rescue vehicle

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) July 8, 2013

Video Shows Asiana Airlines Crash at #SFO

I'd be saying "Oh my God" too!



Also at the Los Angeles Times, "Asiana jet was well below its target speed before crash, NTSB says."

And at the New York Times, "Pilots Tried to Abort Landing Before Crash, N.T.S.B. Says."

PREVIOUSLY: "The Latest on Asiana Airlines Crash in San Francisco."

Happy Birthday President George W. Bush

President Bush turned 67 yesterday --- and he's greatly missed.

An awesome entry at Twitchy, "George Bush’s birthday present: Higher approval rating than President Obama."

Still a good, decent, honorable man. RT @GOP: Happy Birthday to our 43rd President, George W. Bush! pic.twitter.com/r1goc4z2SX

— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) July 6, 2013

Not at Twitchy, although I RT'd this one yesterday:

There are NO pictures of Barack Hussein Obama like this one. NONE... #lnyhbt #tcot #tlot #tgdn #gop #teaparty pic.twitter.com/qBeue2eWbg

— Michael A Nöthem (@mikandynothem) July 6, 2013

Not a Looker: Marion Bartoli Takes Beauty Appraisals in Stride

Oh jeez, she's not that bad. If Serena Williams is touted as a hottie, I guess anyone could be. A little makeup and a snazzy French evening gown and Bartolli could be looking hot.

At Sports Illustrated, "BBC apologizes after commentator calls Marion Bartoli ‘not a looker’."

And at the Los Angeles Times, "Marion Bartoli takes high road after sexist remark about her looks":

Marion Bartoli, a French tennis veteran with the IQ of a genius and recently crowned Wimbledon women's champion, had little to say in the wake of a sexist remark about her looks by way of comparison to Maria Sharapova, a lanky blond from Russia.

BBC radio commentator John Inverdale remarked after Bartoli's 6-1, 6-4 victory over Germany's Sabine Lisicki, "Do you think Bartoli’s dad told her when she was little: 'You’re never going to be a looker. You’ll never be a Sharapova, so you have to be scrappy and fight'?"

Bartoli, a first-time winner of a Grand Slam tournament at 28, played it off in a classy way.

"It doesn't matter, honestly," Bartolia said. "I am not blond, yes. That is a fact. Have I dreamt about having a model contract? No. I'm sorry. But have I dreamed about winning Wimbledon? Absolutely, yes."

Inverdale later apologized, saying it was all in fun.

"We poked fun, in a nice way, about how she looks," he said, "but Marion Bartoli is an incredible role model."

That was not lost on Bartoli's father, who helped develop her game as a coach.

"I am not angry," Walter Bartoli said. "She is my beautiful daughter."

Also, "Marion Bartoli overpowers Sabine Lisicki for 2013 Wimbledon title."

Sunday Cartoons

At Flopping Aces, "Sunday Funnies."



And at Randy's Roundtable, "Friday Nite Funnies," and Reaganite Republican, "Reaganite's SUNDAY FUNNIES."

Also at Theo's, "Toon..."

CARTOON CREDIT: William Warren.

RELATED: From Yuval Levin, at National Review, "Obamacare's Invitation to Fraud," and from Avik Roy, at Forbes, "Not Qualified For Obamacare's Subsidies? Just Lie — Govt. To Use ‘Honor System’ Without Verifying Your Eligibility" (via Memeorandum).

Also at Instapundit, "SO IT’S BASICALLY LIKE PIGFORD, ONLY FOR HEALTHCARE: Health insurance marketplaces will not be required to verify consumer claims."

Costa Mesa Unitarian Church Holds First Homosexual Marriage

At the Daily Pilot, "Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church holds its first same-sex wedding."



Well, it's no surprise -- the Unitarian Church is a freakish cult show that denies the Holy Trinity, and is open to anyone, even so-called godless communists who want to wreak homosexual havoc on the nation.

See this Landover Baptist Forum, "The Proof Is In: Unitarian Universalism is a CULT." And the Unitarian Cult is a breeding ground for Marxist usurpers, at American Thinker, "The Unitarian Church and Obama's Religious Upbringing."

Andy Murray is First British Mofo to Win #Wimbledon in 77 Years

I got up early to watch this. Six in the morning is a little early, especially after a couple of bourbons last night.

Anyway, at the Telegraph UK, "Andy Murray wins Wimbledon."

I'll post Murray's victory speech when it's up at YouTube. A great guy. Last year he was bawling after his loss. Much more cool this year, and I'm very happy for him.

Added: He's Scottish, actually, but Scotland's still part of Great Britain, so WTF? Folks are sure happy over there, in any case.

Who's the Most Kissable Nuts Girl?

Lucy Pinder's topping the rankings, so far, but India Reynolds wants your vote.

Would love your vote :) >>> http://t.co/lvJPQWKD2V pic.twitter.com/cCldhd1jBK

— India Reynolds (@missireynolds) July 4, 2013

San Francisco Hotels Price Gouging After Asiana Airlines Crash #SFO

I saw this last night:

That is horrible. Name and shame them! @JimmyOrr @JennaSusko @nbcbayarea
— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) July 7, 2013

And now this:

We found some hotels charging $999/room after today's #SFOcrash #weinvestigate @nbcbayarea
— Jenna Susko (@JennaSusko) July 7, 2013

.@JennaSusko uncovers some hotel rooms have raised rates following Saturday's #SFOcrash. http://t.co/NxFNKElcmO #WeInvestigate
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) July 7, 2013

Hotels near SFO are price-gouging following plane crash that left passengers trended at airport (KTVU graphic) - pic.twitter.com/KNOfiwBptW
— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) July 7, 2013

The Latest on Asiana Airlines Crash in San Francisco

Some links on Twitter:

Today's front page on yesterday's #SFOcrash. Our main story, updated with the latest: http://t.co/NauEROoJh9 pic.twitter.com/0KYKsLYqyg
— SFGate.com (@SFGate) July 7, 2013

INCREDIBLE: Photo of the Asiana jet crash at SFO. #SanFrancisco pic.twitter.com/w8ARohrUAY - @Reuters
— NewsBreaker (@NewsBreaker) July 7, 2013

Today's @latimes A1: "S.F. airport jet crash kills two." With @maevereston and @leeromney: http://t.co/BaBdgWnCGR pic.twitter.com/fARUTchYOe

— Laura J. Nelson (@laura_nelson) July 7, 2013

RT @NTSB: NTSB's Greg Smith with flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from Asiana 777 in NTSB's DC lab. pic.twitter.com/DhbdmhBZGy

— Kate Mather (@katemather) July 7, 2013

A breakdown of Asiana Airlines Flight 214's approach and crash at the San Francisco airport: pic.twitter.com/FdWNx6zgyS
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) July 7, 2013

S. Korea news agency says 2 victims of crash were Chinese teens; bodies were found on runway. http://t.co/IJn7gr2MAb

— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) July 7, 2013

Little-known fact: "Black boxes" aren't black. MT @NTSB Asiana flight recorder (L) and cockpit recorder (R) in lab. pic.twitter.com/7b00j5vreD

— Laura J. Nelson (@laura_nelson) July 7, 2013

Investigation focuses on possible pilot error in crash-landing of S. Korean plane #SFO http://t.co/R9edKcG5Se

— robert lopez (@LAJourno) July 7, 2013

Jason Patrick's Sperm Donor Child-Custody Dispute

Oh, modern scientific progress, the problems it creates.

At LAT, "Jason Patric custody case inspires sperm-donor-rights legislation":

SACRAMENTO — A child-custody dispute involving actor Jason Patric has evolved from Hollywood tabloid fodder into a policy battle in the state Legislature that could affect thousands of California parents.

Patric, a star of films including "The Lost Boys," donated sperm in 2009 as part of a fertility treatment that resulted in pregnancy for a former girlfriend, Danielle Schreiber.

The actor decided he wanted to help raise the child, Gus, who is now 3, but has been stymied in his attempts to gain partial custody in court. A bill unanimously passed by the state Senate, now pending in the Assembly, would change the law to make such efforts easier.

Under state law, someone who donates sperm through a doctor or sperm bank and who is not married to the woman who conceives is not recognized as the child's natural father. The only exception is if the couple agreed in writing before conception that the donor was to be considered a parent.

Patric had donated the sperm in a doctor-supervised procedure, but he and Schreiber had no such agreement, and the two are no longer together, according to Fred D. Heather, Schreiber's attorney. As a result, a judge denied Patric's claim.

A bill by state Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) would allow courts to grant parental rights to sperm donors under broader conditions — for example, if a donor showed that he openly acknowledged the child as his own and received the child into his home.

"In circumstances where you have a sperm donor creating a parenting relationship with a child, someone should not be allowed to take that away from the child," said Hill, who has written other parental-rights laws.

Hill said it is appropriate that the bill is being considered in California, which has more fertility clinics than any state. Parental roles are shifting with family dynamics and technological advances, he noted.

Frankly, I'm not that sympathetic here. If you're going to "donate" your sperm to create a child the best recipient would be a wife, no?

Senator Ted Cruz's Father Compares Barack Obama to Fidel Castro

It's Rafael Cruz, who escaped Cuba's tyranny for the U.S., and now he's slamming our own Communist El Comandante.

At Exposing Liberal Lies, "Ted Cruz’s Father, Rafael Cruz, Delivers Epic Patriotic Speech: “If We Lose Our Freedoms Here, Where Are We Going to Go?”"



Also at the Blaze, "TED CRUZ’S FATHER DELIVERS EPIC SPEECH TOUTING PATRIOTISM AND LAMBASTING OBAMA’S ‘SOCIALIST’ INCLINATIONS."

A New Anti-American Axis?

Damn straight.

It's pretty obvious, considering Putin's clear antipathy to President Hussein the Incompent, to say nothing of China's f-u anti-American national security strategy.

Obama's chicken's are coming home to roost.

From Leslie Gelb and Dimitri Simes, at NYT:

THE flight of the leaker Edward J. Snowden from Hong Kong to Moscow last month would not have been possible without the cooperation of Russia and China. The two countries’ behavior in the Snowden affair demonstrates their growing assertiveness and their willingness to take action at America’s expense.

Beyond their protection of Mr. Snowden, Chinese-Russian policies toward Syria have paralyzed the United Nations Security Council for two years, preventing joint international action. Chinese hacking of American companies and Russia’s cyberattacks against its neighbors have also caused concern in Washington. While Moscow and Beijing have generally supported international efforts to end Iran’s nuclear weapons program, they clearly were not prepared to go as far as Washington was, and any coordinated shift in their approach could instantly gut America’s policy on the issue and endanger its security and energy interests. To punctuate the new potential for cooperation, China is now carrying out its largest ever joint naval exercises — with Russia.

Russia and China appear to have decided that, to better advance their own interests, they need to knock Washington down a peg or two. Neither probably wants to kick off a new cold war, let alone hot conflicts, and their actions in the case of Mr. Snowden show it. China allowed him into Hong Kong, but gently nudged his departure, while Russia, after some provocative rhetoric, seems to have now softened its tone.

Still, both countries are seeking greater diplomatic clout that they apparently reckon they can acquire only by constraining the United States. And in world affairs, there’s no better way to flex one’s muscles than to visibly diminish the strongest power.

Well, international politics is a bitch sometimes, ain't it?

Continue reading.

We're going to be seeing a lot more of this kind of actor behavior toward the U.S. for the next few years, since this administration has gravely weakened the U.S. and now our adversaries are taking the picks of the litter of opportunities against us.

Muslim Brotherhood Thugs Throw Teenaged Morsi Supporters Off Rooftop, Killing One

At the Times of Israel, "‘Islamists throw youths off a roof in Egypt’.'

And at the Barracuda Brigade, "Rabid Animals ~ > Brotherhood & Al-Qaeda Toss Egyptians Off Roof Tops in Egypt ~ > Shocking and Graphic Video."

Here's That Clip of Erick Aybar Driving Home Howie Kendrick for 4th of July Walk-Off Win

MLB takes a couple of days to load these videos to YouTube, but here it is.



PREVIOUSLY: "#Angels Beat #Cardinals in Spectacular 6-5 Walk-Off Win on 4th of July," and "More on #Angels' Walk-Off Win Over Cardinals."

Imagine How Much Better Job Numbers We'd Have If ObamaCare Weren't Encouraging Employers to Hire So Many Part-Time Workers

At WSJ, "Part-Time America":

The U.S. labor market may be gaining a little more steam, judging by Friday's June jobs report. Imagine how much better it might do if ObamaCare weren't encouraging employers to hire so many part-time workers.

The Labor Department's survey of businesses found 195,000 net new hires in June, 202,000 in the private economy. Payrolls for April and May were also revised upward by a total of 70,000, which means the average for the last three months is about 200,000. That's up from the 182,000 monthly average over the last year.

One positive development is that the number of "long-time" unemployed, those out of work for six months or more, fell again and is down by one million workers over the past year. The dismally low labor participation rate ticked up to 63.5% from 63.4% in May as 177,000 more Americans entered the workforce, though the rate is still below the 63.8% from last June. Average hourly wages climbed a welcome 10 cents and for the first time hit $24.

The disappointments include a big jump of 247,000 in the number of "discouraged workers," those who have stopped looking for a job. This could be a one-month anomaly given the other increases, but it bears watching.

Also disappointing is the big jump in the number of Americans who want to work full time but could only find part-time work. That number leapt to 8.23 million, a 322,000 one-month increase. Total part-time employment rose by 432,000, more than double the total number of net new jobs.

That's what you get when you stick the ObamaCare shiv to the American people. Damned commie Democrats. Freakin' loser ass crackers.

More at that top link, and see NYT, "Jobs Data Is Strong, but Not Too Strong, Easing Fed Fears."

RELATED: From Ed Driscoll, "Say, How’s that New New Deal Working Out?"

Charlotte Springer and Jess Davies!

Hey, it's the Wimbledon finals today, so what the heck?!!

Tennis anyone?

Liz Cheney Looking to Challenge Mike Enzi for Wyoming Senate

That would be sitting GOP Senator from Wyoming Mike Enzi, but who wouldn't love to see Liz Cheney take the seat?

Well, actually, a few folks at NYT's piece weren't thrilled with the idea, considering Enzi's well liked in the state. But wow, Liz Cheney is the kind of unflinching hawk we need in office these days, a conservative woman with impeccable national security creds.

I saw Hugh Hewitt tweeting earlier, but William Jacobson is on the case, "Run, Liz Cheney, Run."

Jon Kyl set an important example by not running in '12. It helps party and country to retire at the right time. http://t.co/zTQISVx8b5”

— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) July 7, 2013