Ann Althouse a Rube? Nah, Robert Stacy McCain's Just Trolling for Traffic

C'mon Robert. Althouse a rube?

We know Althouse breaks political convention, and she's been hammering Obama for some time now. Besides, you just like posting her picture.

I like this one:

Added: Now a Memeorandum thread, with The Lonely Conservative, "Was Voting for Obama Rational?"

Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) Delivers Weekly Republican Address, 7/9/11

She's the highest ranking GOP woman Congress and House Republican Conference Vice Chair --- and she's a congressional mom. Her son Cole McMorris Rodgers was born in April 2007, prematurely and with Downs Syndrome:

The Republican representative is just the fifth woman to give birth while serving in Congress

More Kate Upton: Sports Illustrated

And encore:

Theo had the SoBe stare down posted before I did, so I promised more Kate Upton over there...

Kate Upton Rule 5 Bikini Stare Down

She's the model of the moment.

At AdWeek, "SoBe Gives Kate Upton's Cleavage Its Own Commercial."

And here's a Rule 5 roundup:

At Randy's Roundtable, "Thursday Nite Tart: Caitlin Manley."

And at Bob Belvedere's, "Rule 5 News: 09 July 2011 A.D."

And at Say Anything, "Saturday Linkaround."

More, at American Perspective, Maggie's Notebook and Zilla of the Resistance.

Don't miss: Astute Bloggers, Blazing Cat Fur, Bob Belvedere, CSPT, Dan Collins, Doug Ross, Gator Doug, Irish Cicero, Left Coast Rebel, Mind-Numbed Robot, Legal Insurrection, Lonely Conservative, PA Pundits International, PACNW Righty, Pirate's Cove, Proof Positive, Saberpoint, Snooper, WyBlog, The Western Experience, and Zion's Trumpet.

And my friends Marathon Pundit and Marooned in Marin.

Drop your links in the comments!

The Future of Space

We need a space program. The end of the Space Shuttle Program makes us think about our priorities and world preponderance. America's not relinquishing scientific leaderships just yet, thank goodness.

There's an appraisal at New York Times, "3, 2, 1, and the Last Shuttle Leaves an Era Behind" (via Memeorandum).

Also at USA Today, "Shuttle ends 30-year run, but U.S. will be back":

Though shuttles will have launched 135 times with unique achievements — and two catastrophic failures that claimed the lives of 14 courageous astronauts and reminded a stunned nation of the price of pioneering — the program never did vastly expand the human presence in space.

But fret not. The end of the shuttle is not a signal that America is becoming less adventurous. It is simply the latest indication that technology advances in fits and starts, and rarely along the trajectories projected by the experts.

America will be back with a new manned space vehicle at some point. This may happen for political reasons if China, or some other nation, goads us into action by embarking on an ambitious program of its own. And it will happen for a variety of reasons when engineers overcome the one barrier that has frustrated them — the prohibitive costs of getting the first hundred miles or so off the Earth's surface.

In the meantime, let's step back and consider the extraordinary age that we have created ...

Running of the Bulls

At USA Today, "1 gored, 6 others hurt in running of the bulls."

And lots of pics at Daily Mail, "Get out of my way! The bulls of Pamplona go running… over the backs of revellers." And The Sun, "It's crush hour in Pamplona."

'Get Back'

Okay, this clip's from early in the show. Notice at how the dividing curtains fall at about 45 seconds. The theater is divided into quadrants. The curtains are up as guests are seated. Later throughout the performance projections onto large screens are used as part of the performance. There are also a couple of transitional segments with musical choreography projected as well. The crashing bricks here represent something of the Beatles' origins and search for meaning of the rubble of the war. From the commemorative booklet:

The action suddenly stops cold and we flash back further still, to the chaos and devastation of war. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is destroyed. But there is hope:

'A Day in the Life'

More video:

'Octopus's Garden'

Okay, I promised more from "Love."

"Octopus's Garden" is toward the last third of the performance. I'm looking around for some clips from earlier parts of the show, which begins with background from the Beatles' origins in Liverpool during WWII.

I love this, in any case.

Bonus: Ringo live clip. He was touring last month, and spoke to the 5th anniversary audience by satellite feed.

Economic Freedom Improves Lives

From the reviled Charles Koch Foundation, "Economic Freedom" (via Doug Ross):

Progressives hate freedom.

RELATED: At Nice Deb, "DSCC Responds Lamely to Koch Bros Letter."

'She's Got Sex Appeal': Pawlenty Aide Apologizes for Calling Michele Bachmann Hot

I saw this at London's Daily Mail earlier, "Tim Pawlenty aide forced to apologise after making inappropriate remark about GOP rival Michele Bachmann."

And it's Vin Weber who made the faux pas, a former GOP House member himself. The original comments appeared in an interview at The Hill:

"It's going to be very hard to beat Michele in Iowa. Period," Weber said of both the Iowa caucuses and August's influential straw poll in Ames.

"She's got hometown appeal, she's got ideological appeal, and, I hate to say it, but she's got a little sex appeal too," he said in a phone interview.

Oops. Can't say that. The PC language cops will be all over you. Tim Pawlenty distanced himself from the comments immediately, and here's this at Fox News, "Pawlenty Aide Apologizes for Remark on Bachmann's 'Sex Appeal'."

And of course, Representive Bachmann handled it with class:

The Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil

My wife and I have seen three performances so far by Cirque du Soleil. The shows are simply outstanding, but nothing's left me with the same feelings as the LOVE production. I'll be writing about it this weekend, and posting music videos and commentary. I've never been an absolute Beatles junky. The show was transformative, however. I can see better than ever how important The Beatles are to American culture. And not just from the show, which was so good — exquisite even. It's the fans, the excitement, and the demand for it all. I'll save some thoughts for later this morning. Here's the brief advertisement at the Mirage YouTube page:

The BBC had a write up in 2006, "Love unveils new angle on Beatles."

And last month, at Las Vegas Sun, "Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono lead celebration for ‘Love’ anniversary."

See the write up at Rolling Stone, "Paul McCartney Celebrates Fifth Anniversary of the Beatles 'Love' Show: Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon also attended Las Vegas performance."

Betty Ford, 1918 – 2011

She follows her husband by five years.

An obituary at Los Angeles Times, "Betty Ford dies at 93; former first lady."

Former First Lady Betty Ford, who captivated the nation with her unabashed candor and forthright discussion of her personal battles with breast cancer, prescription drug addiction and alcoholism, has died. She was 93.

Ford died Friday at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, according to Barbara Lewandrowski, a family representative. The cause was not given.

As wife of Gerald R. Ford, the 38th president of the United States and the only person to hold that office without first being elected vice president or president, she spent a brief, yet remarkable time as the nation's first lady. But after he left office and even after his death in 2006 at 93, she had considerable influence as founder of the widely emulated Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage for the treatment of chemical dependencies.

"Throughout her long and active life, Elizabeth Anne Ford distinguished herself through her courage and compassion," President Obama said Friday in a statement. "As our nation's First Lady, she was a powerful advocate for women's health and women's rights. After leaving the White House, Mrs. Ford helped reduce the social stigma surrounding addiction and inspired thousands to seek much-needed treatment. While her death is a cause for sadness, we know that organizations such as the Betty Ford Center will honor her legacy by giving countless Americans a new lease on life."

Also at ABC News, "Former First Lady Betty Ford Dead at 93." (Via Lonely Conservative and Memeorandum.)

Jenn of the Jungle Smacks a 'Liberal'

She's smacking down a progressive really, but maybe she's not reading David Horowitz on the terminology.

In any case, see Jenn at The Political Jungle:

Really??? Do you even have a fucking clue who any of us are? NO. You squeal like a fucking twat on fire about Faux News and "indoctrination" all day long without a fucking clue.

Yeah I was "indoctrinated". By reality, eventually.

I'm from the SF Bay Area....I was a totally indoctrinated leftard. I fucking organized a march against the 1st "Iraq War" in high school. I NOW KNOW had we done the job then we could have saved thousands+ of lives....but I followed the leftist line. LEAVE NOW....let the flying spaghetti monster figure it out. THAT was what the MSM told us then...I notice they totally do NOT say that now in regard to say....LIBYA.

My friends were black, brown, tan, yellow and every color in between....it doesn't change the fact that criminal invaders are scum sucking racist fucks and blacks, oh and I mean NIGGERS are fucking running wild in this country now that their lord and savior is "president". Look at the fucking news asshole...riots in the streets endless shootings, rapes, lies, massive property destruction....ignorant blacks seem to think that they have no rule of law now. I can't MAKE this up. It's FACT. Look at the tiny little microcosm of just the 4th of July weekend. WHO shot police, their own and who rioted in the streets and ran like ANIMALS.

I look at the state of the California educational system and see we are burdened not just by anchor babies but we are LITERALLY educating MEXICANS every day by the THOUSANDS. WHY????

It goes on like that, at the link. If you're looking for no holds barred commentary, well, there you go ...

Shannon Stone Death Prompts Questions on Baseball Stadium Safety

The Texas Rangers will establish a memorial fund for the family of Shannon Stone, the firefighter who died Thursday after trying to catch a souvenir baseball for his son. The Dallas Star-Tribune has the report (and additional updates there as well). Also, at CBS Sports, "Ryan: Stone's widow worried for son."

And see Los Angeles Times, "Baseball fan's death raises concerns about stadium safety":

Whenever he threw a baseball into the stands, Angels outfielder Vernon Wells said he tried to place it beyond the front row so it wouldn't fall back onto the field.

Now major leaguers are confronted with more grave fears than whether play will be disrupted.

A fan trying to catch a ball tossed by Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton fell over a railing and plunged 20 feet to his death Thursday at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, raising concerns about stadium safety regulations and the time-honored tradition of throwing balls to fans.

"You look around a ballpark like this and look at all the ledges and think about all the stuff you could possibly do," Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier said Friday before a game against the San Diego Padres. "It definitely makes you think twice."

In a statement, Major League Baseball said its "players are encouraged to be fan-friendly and we will carefully review this incident with our clubs to continue to ensure a safe environment for our fans."

The accident occurred when Hamilton picked up a foul ball and flipped it to Shannon Stone, a 39-year-old firefighter who was at the game with his 6-year-old son. To make the catch, Stone leaned over a railing that didn't come up to his waist, lost his footing and fell head first onto concrete.

Though he initially moved his arms and was able to talk to medical responders, Stone went into cardiac arrest while being transported to a hospital. He was pronounced dead less than an hour after he fell.

More at the link above,A and at New York Times, "Grief and Questions After Death at Ballpark." The Rangers have inspected the stadium and everything's apparently up to cold, but check the New York Times piece for some discussion, since the park's had a previous accidents and questions linger. At Minneapolis Star Tribune, for example, "Will tossing balls to fans get tossed?"

Texas Rangers Baseball Fan Dies While Trying to Catch Ball For Six-Year Old Son

This is unbelievably sad.

At London's Daily Mail, "'Please check on my son': Fireman's final words as he lay dying after falling in front of seven-year-old son as he tried to catch ball at baseball game."

UPDATE: I've taken the video down out of courtesy for the Stone family. And Donald Sensing comments on the tragedy.

Fox News Fireworks Over Casey Anthony Verdict

Some excellet television last night on Fox News.

See Hollywood Reporter, "Bill O'Reilly Goes Off on Casey Anthony Juror, Praises Judge (Video)." And Mediaite, "Casey Anthony Got Away With Murder!? Hannity Panel Explodes Over Verdict."

Unemployment Up to 9.2 Percent, Raising Doubt About Economic Recovery

At Los Angeles Times:

The U.S. employment picture went from bad to ugly in June as employers added almost no new net jobs and the unemployment rate edged up for the third straight month, to 9.2%.

The report Friday from the Labor Department was a huge disappointment and raised fresh questions about the sustainability of the recovery, now technically starting its third year.

Major stock indexes fell sharply. Economists once again ratcheted down their expectations for future growth. And many others implored the federal government, deadlocked on how to address the deficit and intent on cutting spending, to step up and help the flagging economy and the millions of unemployed get back on their feet.

Continue reading.

Also, at Bloomberg, "U.S. Payrolls Grow at Slowest Pace in 9 Months." (Via Memeorandum.)

Atlantis Launches on Final Shuttle Mission (VIDEO)

Mashable has video, "Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch Video: The Final Flight."

And at Los Angeles Times, "Space shuttle Atlantis lifts off":

Despite earlier weather concerns, Atlantis is launched on the final flight for NASA's space shuttle program. It is the 33rd flight for Atlantis and the 135th shuttle mission overall.

Reporting from Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Atlantis lifted off Friday morning, shooting straight into a brightening sky on a 12-day mission that marks the end of the nation's three-decade space shuttle program.

There was a brief hold in the countdown at 31 seconds because of a glitch seemingly involving a piece of retractable equipment. As millions of onlookers on the ground and via television held their breaths, officials checked and reported that the equipment had, indeed, been moved.

With the last knot in the timeline unsnarled, the countdown resumed and the engines fired, sending the craft upward and out along the eastern coast of the United States.

When it returns, Atlantis will join Discovery and Endeavour as retired vessels. NASA will shift its mission to sending astronauts to asteroids and Mars while private companies take over the more mundane aspect of moving cargo and crews from Earth to orbit.

More at the link above. I'll post YouTube video later.

10:20am PST: Okay, from AP ...

Also, at Wired Science, "The Last Space Shuttle Launches Safely Into Orbit" (via Memeorandum).

Michele Bachmann's First Ad Buy Iowa: 'Waterloo'

Jonathan Tobin provides the background, at Commentary, "Purity Makes Good Politics":

The political value of Bachmann’s purity shouldn’t be underestimated. As Chris Cillizza wrote in today’s Washington Post, unlike most members of Congress, Bachmann’s legislative record is no burden to her candidacy. During her five years in Congress, Bachmann has not devoted any effort to “going along to get along” as most members must do in order to pass legislation. She has not brought home any “bacon” to her district because she viewed her purpose very differently than her colleagues. Instead of log rolling with other members to gain passage of pet legislation, she has spent all of her time “tilting at windmills” and generally running afoul of her party’s leadership.

Many members of the GOP establishment, including fellow members of the Republican congressional caucus, probably rolled their eyes when they saw her Iowa ad. But those who view her record on the Hill as one of failure which ought to render her candidacy quixotic, don’t get it. Her purity may make her irrelevant in Washington, but it is exactly the ticket for pleasing movement conservatives who are disgusted with the pragmatic measures getting things done requires. Far from hurting Bachmann’s chances, this attitude helps her immeasurably.

I'd add that I'm very impressed by how well Bachmann's rolling out her campaign. It's very professional, and she's turning on the heat. Bachmann's not far behind Mitt Romney at RCP's polling averages for Iowa, and Romney's already announced he's skipping the Ames Straw Poll. where a victory for Bachmann could delivery tremendous momentum for the GOP presidential caucuses in January December.

RELATED: At Des Moines Register, "Bachmann is first to sign Family Leader’s pro-marriage pledge" (via Memeorandum).

No More Mister Nice Guy: Can Tim Pawlenty Make the Sale to Voters?

From Kim Strassel, at Wall Street Journal, "Beyond Minnesota Nice":

Republican presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty brags that as governor he stared down Democrats on taxes and spending, but can he sell it to conservative voters?

Ask Mitt Romney to opine about his time managing a blue state, and the former Massachusetts governor will mostly take a pass. Ask Tim Pawlenty about his recent tenure governing liberal Minnesota, and you could be listening for hours.

If Mr. Pawlenty sees a path to the Republican presidential nomination, it's increasingly through the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Running in a highly conservative primary as the former head of a proudly liberal state—one perpetually beset by economic woes—certainly holds its downsides. But Mr. Pawlenty isn't shying away from that past. He's intent on turning his own feisty leadership of Minnesota into his main selling point for the nomination.
This has become all the more clear this past week, as the Minnesota government shut down over a budget impasse. The focus instantly turned to Mr. Pawlenty, highlighting the risks his time as governor (which ended earlier this year) holds for his run.

Conservative critics jumped to suggest the shutdown shows Mr. Pawlenty is far from the fiscal hawk he claims to be—that he instead papered over Minnesota's budget woes. Democrats piled on, with Walter Mondale emerging to lay the entire "mess" of a shutdown at Mr. Pawlenty's feet. All this is the last way Mr. Pawlenty wants to be defined to primary voters who are only now becoming familiar with candidates.

And Mr. Pawlenty's response? Far from going on defense, this week he aired a spot on Iowa television feting . . . the Minnesota shutdown. To be precise, the ad is highlighting a 2005 Minnesota shutdown, bragging that it happened because Mr. Pawlenty refused "to accept Democrats' massive tax and spending plans." The ad also references a 2004 transit strike (caused by a fight over pension cuts), in which Mr. Pawlenty "refused to cave in to government unions." The ad's moderator notes that both situations ended with one result: "Pawlenty won."

And:

Still, Mr. Pawlenty has been playing off variations of the tough-guy-from-a-purple-state theme since he first started contemplating a run, and he has yet to get traction. The RealClearPolitics average of polls has him pulling 4.5% of voters—significantly less than Republicans who haven't even declared. This helps explain why the Pawlenty team is embracing, not running from, the Minnesota shutdown. They are happy for the headlines.

More at the link.

I like Pawlenty. He seems like a nice guy. I just don't see him getting traction, and I expect a loss in Iowa could be the end of the line for the former governor --- at least for now.

RELATED: At New York Times, "Will Republican Race’s First In Be the First Out?" (via Memeorandum).

Emma Watson and Co-Stars Say Farewell to 'Harry Potter' Films

At London's Daily Mail, "Tearful Emma Watson and her Harry Potter co-stars give an emotional farewell at final film premiere."

Also at Telegraph UK, "Emma Watson steals the limelight at the Harry Potter premiere."

'What Happened in Room 2806': The Evidence Against Dominique Strauss-Kahn

At New York Times:

Even as the criminal case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn erodes with each new example of his accuser’s crumbling credibility, the central question remains unanswered: What actually happened in Room 2806 of the Sofitel New York on May 14?

Certain facts are not in dispute. As the illustration below shows, electronic evidence reveals what time the accuser, a 32-year-old hotel housekeeper from Guinea, entered Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s suite. Physical evidence indicates that a sexual encounter took place.

The housekeeper has characterized the encounter as a sexual assault. Lawyers for Mr. Strauss-Kahn, 62, have said any sexual act was consensual. Others have offered other theories.

Here is a look at three possible sequences of events, and how the available evidence — physical, electronic and witness testimony — could support each of them.

Read it all at the link.

Humberto Leal, Mexican Citizen, Executed in Texas

At New York Times, "Mexican Citizen Is Executed as Justices Refuse to Step In."

More at Memeorandum.

Assimilation's Failure, Terrorism's Rise

From British author Kenan Malik, at New York Times:

SIX years ago today, on July 7, 2005, Islamist suicide bombers attacked London’s transit system. They blew up three subway trains and a bus, killing 52 people and leaving a nation groping for answers.

In one sense the meaning of 7/7 is as clear to Britons as that of 9/11 is to Americans. It was a savage, brutal attack intended to sow mayhem and terror. Yet whereas 9/11 was the work of a foreign terrorist group, 7/7 was the work of British citizens. The question that haunts London, but that Washington has so far barely had to face, is why four men born and brought up in Britain were gripped by such fanatic zeal for a murderous, medieval dogma.

British authorities have expended much effort in seeking to understand how the 7/7 terrorists acquired their perverted ideas and became “radicalized.” In the immediate wake of the attacks, much ink was spilled over the role of extremist preachers and radical mosques. More recently, the focus has shifted to universities as recruitment centers for terrorists.

But this obsession with radicalization misses the point. The real question is not how people like Mohammad Sidique Khan, the leader of the 7/7 bombers, came to be radicalized, but why so many young men, who by all accounts are intelligent, articulate and integrated, come to find this violent, reactionary ideology so attractive. To answer it, we need to look not at extremist preachers or university lecturers but also at public policy, and in particular the failed policy of multiculturalism.

Continue reading.

Actually, I don't separate multiculturalism from extremism. The same ideological forces promote both: the neo-communist left. But state policy exacerbates tensions, and Malik makes some interesting suggestions on bringing people together rather than driving them apart --- and driving some into the hands of terrorists.

Midweek Getaway to Mirage Las Vegas

Blogging's been a little spotty.

My wife and I arrived last night at Mirage Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. It's our first stay here, and I'm impressed. We have a suite on the 21st floor. The room is well appointed and luxurious:

That console at the foot of the bed hosts a television, which elevates when turned on:

Here's the sitting area, with another high-quality television, and the second bath (this one with a shower, the other with a whirlpool).

The view looks east, with Trump Tower at center. (The property hasn't been the most profitable asset for Donald Trump.)

At breakfast this morning, the beard is gone --- and all the gray. My wife said I look "so much younger." Well, thanks!

And out front, the view across the Las Vegas Strip. That's the Venetian Hotel & Casino:

Looking down the Strip toward Treasure Island and Steve Wynn's properties:

Another shot of the Venetian:

Looking back at the Mirage from the sidewalk:

At the hotel entrance, the sign for the Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil:

Back inside, here's the box office and a display. We're going to the 9:30pm show. I was thinking, what the heck? We just learned that John Lennon was going Republican by 1980. All the more fun!

I'll be in and out of the hotel room all night, and might have some blogging updates. So check back!

Wall Street Journal Reports on News of the World Closing

It's interesting, since WSJ is the jewel in the crown of Rupert Murdoch's media empire.

See, "News Corp. to Close Scandal-Hit Tabloid":

News Corp. said it will close its 168-year-old U.K. tabloid News of the World, a dramatic bid to cap a scandal centered on the paper's controversial reporting tactics.

The weekly paper, published on Sundays, is accused of improperly intercepting voice mails of everyday people, including a 13-year-old murder victim, as well as those of celebrities.

James Murdoch, News Corp.'s deputy chief operating officer, told staff Thursday that News Corp. had decided to close the paper because the allegations—if true—were "inhuman" and had no place in the company.

He said the paper's reputation had been "sullied by behavior that was wrong."

The paper is one of Britain's sauciest and most storied tabloids, and was a key building block in the global media empire built by News Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch, who purchased it in 1969. It became the U.K.'s best-selling Sunday paper with a righteous, no-holds-barred approach to taking down the rich and famous, from politicians to soccer stars. That style both appealed to the U.K.'s working class and titillated sophisticates who bought it as a guilty pleasure.

But News of the World's populist foundation was cracked this week when allegations surfaced that the same dubious reporting tactics it deployed against celebrities and political leaders may also have been used against the kind of regular people who make up its readership.

More details at the link above, including the disclaimer that News Corp. is the parent company to Wall Street Journal. See also, "Murdoch savvy like a fox in shutting tabloid."

And here's more video from Telegraph UK:

Also, at

British Actress Sienna Miller Settled With Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation Earlier This Year

This was a report from June, "Sienna Miller settles phone-hacking claim."

But Washington Post has an epitaph, "RIP News of the World: Scandal was its product, scandal was its downfall":

The newspaper recently spent a lot of time in court, settling claims from people who claimed their phones had been hacked. Actress Sienna Miller collected 100,000 pounds ($160,000), and former Scotland football star Andy Gray got 20,000 pounds ($32,000). Publicist Max Clifford reportedly won 1 million pounds ($1.6 million) in a private settlement and former Professional Football Association chief Gordon Taylor reportedly won 700,000 pounds ($1.12 million).

Other claims are lined up for trial.

“Our motto is the truth, our practice is the fearless advocacy of the truth,” proclaimed John Brown, who launched the weekly paper in 1843.

A year later, it had the highest circulation of any British weekly at 18,000 copies.

The paper flourished under editor Lacelles Carr, who built circulation from 40,000 to more than 4.4 million when he died in 1941.

Circulation peaked at 8.4 million in 1950.

Rupert Murdoch established his beachhead on Fleet Street by buying the News of the World in 1969.

The News of the World remained the biggest-selling paper in Britain until 2008. It was overtaken by Murdoch’s daily tabloid, The Sun, in 2008, and the circulation now stands below 2.7 million.

Plus, an analysis from Peter Oborne, at Spectator UK, "What the papers won’t say."

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

News of the World to Shut Down in Hacker Fallout!

I knew this was a big deal.

At Telegraph UK, "News of the World axed: last edition this Sunday, says Murdoch." It's a live blog, and following the links, see the Daily Mail, "End of the World: James Murdoch announces News of the World will close this Sunday."

Like Kryptonite to Stupid? Sorry Oliver, Kryptonite's Getting Killed

I always thought that blog motto was risky, but I just don't read Oliver Willis, so I have no chance to test it out. But I happened to see this post at Memeorandum, and boy, Kryptonite's getting clobbered:

If I’m being charitable, I’ll just assume the White House is floating a trial balloon in order to make the eventual Republican rejection look even worse. AKA “we even offered to cut social security!” But if there’s any reality to this proposal, I hope that at the very least a senator like Bernie Sanders and the few remaining Senate Dems who aren’t spineless or bought off will filibuster.

Well, you know, I'm sure Oliver's a clever writer, but he might study the rules of the Senate a bit before making proposals like this. Senate rules allow opportunities for the minority party to slow down legislative action, and with the filibuster, the possibility of talking a bill to death. While in principle any member can filibuster, the fact is only the minority party has reason to do so, for it has no agenda setting power within the chamber, and the minority can't prevail on a simple up-or-down vote. Hence, by allowing any member to take the floor to debate a bill, legislators in the minority seize the opportunity the tie up the Senate until the bill is either changed or withdrawn. The Democrats are currently in the majority, and won't need to filibuster. Majority Leader Harry Reid, if he's opposed, simply won't introduce legislation to cut Social Security. And even if Senator Bernie Sanders opposed a Democrat bill on Social Security reform, he caucuses with the Democrats (although he's a socialist) and he'd be in no position to oppose the majority.

So, sorry Oliver. We all make mistakes blogging now and then, but your motto cries out for brutal mockery.

Sonja Schmidt's 'Left Exposed': Democrats' Café

Via Theo Spark:

Obama Proposes Social Security Cuts

The PBS clip is informative, but no mention of calls to reform Social Security.

But see the Washington Post, "In debt talks, Obama offers Social Security cuts" (via Memeorandum):

President Obama is pressing congressional leaders to consider a far-reaching debt-reduction plan that would force Democrats to accept major changes to Social Security and Medicare in exchange for Republican support for fresh tax revenue.

At a meeting with top House and Senate leaders set for Thursday morning, Obama plans to argue that a rare consensus has emerged about the size and scope of the nation’s budget problems and that policymakers should seize the moment to take dramatic action.

As part of his pitch, Obama is proposing significant reductions in Medicare spending and for the first time is offering to tackle the rising cost of Social Security, according to people in both parties with knowledge of the proposal. The move marks a major shift for the White House and could present a direct challenge to Democratic lawmakers who have vowed to protect health and retirement benefits from the assault on government spending.

“Obviously, there will be some Democrats who don’t believe we need to do entitlement reform. But there seems to be some hunger to do something of some significance,” said a Democratic official familiar with the administration’s thinking. “These moments come along at most once a decade. And it would be a real mistake if we let it pass us by.”

The proposal doesn't seem very specific on reforming Social Security, other than perhaps reductions in the annual inflation adjustments for recipients. That's a step in the right direction, but there's no shortage of proposals for fixing entitlements, so I'll be interested to hear what else comes up.

See also New York Times, "President Looks for Broader Deal on Deficit Cuts."

Reports: Grieving Relatives of War Dead Targeted in News of the World Hacking Case

More on the scandal.

At Telegraph UK, "Phone hacking: families of war dead 'targeted' by News of the World."

The Daily Telegraph has learnt that the personal details of the families of servicemen who died on the front line have been found in the files of Glenn Mulcaire, the private detective working for the Sunday tabloid.

The disclosure that grieving relatives of war dead were targets for the newspaper prompted anger among military charities, who said it was a “disgusting and indefensible assault on privacy”.

The Metropolitan Police is facing growing calls from the families of murder victims, those killed in terrorist attacks and those who died in natural disasters, such as the Indonesian tsunami, to disclose if they were targets.

Rebekah Brooks, the former editor of the News of the World and now chief executive of News International, its parent company, faced calls from Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, to step down.

Yesterday The Daily Telegraph disclosed that families of victims of the July 7 bombings were targets for Mulcaire in the days after the atrocity in 2005.

More at the link. And at Los Angeles Times as well, "More accusations of cellphone hacking attempts raise heat on British tabloid."

And from the Guardian, "Rupert Murdoch backs Rebekah Brooks over phone-hacking allegations":

Rupert Murdoch has taken the highly unusual step of issuing an official public statement backing Rebekah Brooks over the phone-hacking scandal engulfing his UK newspaper business.

The News Corporation boss described the recent allegations about phone hacking and payments to police officers by the News of the World "deplorable and unacceptable".

"I have made clear that our company must fully and proactively co-operate with the police in all investigations and that is exactly what News International has been doing and will continue to do under Rebekah Brooks' leadership," the News Corp chairman and chief executive added, in a statement issued from the annual Allen & Co media business conference he is attending in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Murdoch also said he had asked Joel Klein, who heads News Corp's recently created education unit, "to provide important oversight and guidance". Viet Dinh, a non-executive director, is keeping the News Corp board informed along with Klein, he said.

Murdoch's backing came on a day of mounting pressure on Brooks and News International, with prime minister David Cameron bowing to calls for public inquiries into phone hacking by the News of the World and the Labour leader, Ed Miliband, saying the chief executive should "consider her position".

News Corp also faced criticism from MPs during an emergency debate on phone hacking in the Commons on Wednesday afternoon, with Labour's Tom Watson alleging there was "further evidence" that Brooks "knew about the unlawful tactics of News of the World as early as 2002, despite all her denials yesterday".

More at New York Times, "Murdoch Facing Parliament’s Ire in Hacking Case":

From all sides of the House of Commons the disgust came thick and fast, as the legislators recited the most recent allegations against The News of the World: that its executives had paid police officers, lied to Parliament and hired investigators to intercept voice mail messages left on the cellphones of murdered children and terrorism victims. Legislators also attacked the news media in general for employing many of the same tactics.

Also, "The Murdoch Style, Under Pressure."

EXTRA: At Business Week, "Murdoch Gets Dangerous for Cameron as Phone-Hack Scandal Widens." Also, at Mediagazer.

Nidal Malik Hasan to Face Death Penalty

At The Western Experience, "Islamist Shooter in the Fort Hood Massacre Will Face Death."

Los Angeles Times Shills for Communists on Business Section Front Page

That's longtime local communist and union activist Paul Krehbiel at the photo, where he's featured at the front page of the Los Angeles Times' business section: "Learning how to be a union activist." He's wearing a militant clenched-fist solidarity shirt, red, with the slogan, "Stand With Wisconsin."

Krehbiel is the author of a memoir, Shades of Justice, and his biography states:

Since 2003, he has been active in the campaign to end the war in Iraq, working with the Coalition for World Peace, US Labor Against the War, and the Iraq Moratorium.

Coalition for World Peace is one of the many groups closely aligned with the World Workers Party (WWP), a Marxist-Leninist apparatus that backed Moscow's invasion of Hungary in 1956 and the Soviet army's brutal suppression of the Prague Spring in 1968. The Coalition for World Peace is listed as an active affiliated group at the homepage of United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ). Here's this at the UFPJ at Discover the Networks:

UFPJ was officially created on October 25, 2002 in the Washington, DC offices of People For the American Way. Its initial membership consisted of approximately 70 organizations. Prior to UFPJ's founding, the anti-war movement had earned a reputation as a hodgepodge of radical elements. All the large-scale peace demonstrations to that point had been held under the auspices of International ANSWER, an organization aligned with the Marxist-Leninist Workers World Party; Global Exchange, headed by the longtime pro-Castro communist Medea Benjamin; and Not In Our Name, a project organized by Ramsey Clark and fellow leaders of the Revolutionary Communist Party. United For Peace and Justice was created explicitly to put a milder face on the anti-war movement, although from its inception UFPJ shared with the aforementioned groups a passionate hatred for the United States and for capitalism.

The Co-Chair and principal leader of UFPJ is Leslie Cagan, an original founder of the Committees of Correspondence (a remnant organization created by the American Communist Party upon going out of business) and a strong supporter of Fidel Castro since the 1960s; Cagan proudly aligns her politics with those of Communist Cuba.

The breadth of UFPJ's agendas extends well beyond anti-war activism. Passionately anti-American, this group condemns virtually every aspect of U.S. foreign policy and domestic life. It impugns America's "daily assaults and attacks on poor and working people, on women, people of color, lesbians/gays and other sexual minorities, the disabled, and so many others." It asserts that "the government treats all immigrants as potential terrorist threats until proven innocent, in violation of the Constitution," thereby "expanding the scope and depth of racial injustice within the U.S." ...

UFPJ has campaigned against American support for Israel's construction of an anti-terrorist security fence in the West Bank, which it describes as an illegal "apartheid wall" that violates the civil and human rights of Palestinians.

UFPJ is a signatory to the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, a hardline anti-Zionist (anti-Semitic) organization that attacks Israel as an "apartheid state."

And back over at the CFWP homepage, we see that Krehbiel's group was a leading organizer for the March 21, "Mass March and Rally in L.A.," and the link there takes us to the announcement at the ANSWER Coalition's page, "List of March 21 Organizing & Transportation Centers." (More on ANSWER here.)

The Times article gushes about the workshop Kreibiel was offering at Pasadena City College, where young students attending "munched on the free chocolate chip cookies and potato chips they were provided..." (Right. Free, of course.) The article notes a couple of times how organized labor is trying to match the energy and effectiveness of the tea parties, and quotes a Teamsters union hack agitating to take back the streets: "Those are our streets, that's where we need to be."

And buried on page B4 we find this bland acknowledgement and evasion:

The Troublemakers School in Pasadena and five others like it held this year across the country were organized by Labor Notes, a Detroit nonprofit funded by membership dues and course fees, as well as donations from pro-labor individuals. There's no question this group leans heavily left: One student carried pamphlets about a meeting for anarchists.

Leans left? You think?

Here's the Labor Notes' manifesto from its 1993 conference, hosted at the Encyclopedia of Trotskyism Online (Marxist.org).

The bottom line is that we see yet again another mainstream media outfit reporting rapturously on the organizing activities of hardline communist cadres. It'd be nice if the tea parties got a fraction of such fawning reporting by the nation's media establishment.

Typical.

Linked at The Rhetorican, "Oxymoronic Juxtaposition of the Week." Thanks!

John Cole on Republicans

I'm keeping my promise to bone up a bit on the budget negotiations. The Wall Street Journal, for example, endorses Bill Clinton's recent suggestion to cut corporate tax rates in exchange for an elimination of business loopholes. That might get a deal in the near term, and later the administration and Congress could work toward a more substantial reform of the tax code. See: "A Debt-Limit Breakout." But as I was surfing around I clicked on John Cole's Balloon Juice, where we have a long post with this conclusion:

And anyone who still calls themselves a Republican is just an asshole. Really, you’ve had ample time to figure out your party is run by maniacs. If you’re still sticking around because the “Democrats are worse” or you think the party can turn it around or because you fancy yourself a small “c” conservative or you are a glibertarian or because you hate taxes or you think Dennis Kucinich is weird (he is), you’re just an asshole. And incredibly stupid.

Wow. A whole post on Republcans as "hostage takers" just to conclude with a nasty jab at Republicans as "assholes."

Takes one to know one, I guess.

Romney Raises $18.25 Million in Second Quarter

Mitt Romney is far and away the GOP's fundraising leader, which is always a sign of a campaign's momentum. At Washington Post, "Mitt Romney raises $18.25 million" (via Memeorandum):

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney raised $18.25 million over the past three months, a sum likely to put him head and shoulders above his rivals for the 2012 Republican nomination in the dash for cash.

“Voters are responding to Mitt Romney’s message that President Obama’s policies have failed and that we need new leadership in Washington,” Romney national finance chairman Spencer Zwick said. “Our fundraising for the second quarter represents the strong support Mitt Romney has across the country.”

All of the money Romney raised is for the primary race; he ended June with $12.6 million in the bank. Romney raised more than half of his total for the entire quarter during a single call day in Las Vegas in May.

Romney’s total is short of the $23.5 million he raised in the first quarter of 2007 — a sum seeded by roughly $2.5 million of his own money. He did not make any personal contributions during this reporting period, although he has not ruled out doing so during the campaign. In the 2008 race, Romney donated $44.5 million of his own money to the effort.

The Romney fundraising numbers come even as a new WMUR-TV Granite State poll in New Hampshire (see below) shows him as a clear frontrunner in the state’s primary.

The Republican Party May No Longer Be a Normal Party

And that should be a good thing, except that David Brooks is arguing that the GOP is missing an historic opportunity to balance the budget, if only it would compromise on closing tax loopholes, etc., and so forth. At New York Times, "The Mother of All No-Brainers":

A normal Republican Party would seize the opportunity to put a long-term limit on the growth of government. It would seize the opportunity to put the country on a sound fiscal footing. It would seize the opportunity to do these things without putting any real crimp in economic growth.

The party is not being asked to raise marginal tax rates in a way that might pervert incentives. On the contrary, Republicans are merely being asked to close loopholes and eliminate tax expenditures that are themselves distortionary.

This, as I say, is the mother of all no-brainers.

But we can have no confidence that the Republicans will seize this opportunity. That’s because the Republican Party may no longer be a normal party. Over the past few years, it has been infected by a faction that is more of a psychological protest than a practical, governing alternative.

The members of this movement do not accept the logic of compromise, no matter how sweet the terms. If you ask them to raise taxes by an inch in order to cut government by a foot, they will say no. If you ask them to raise taxes by an inch to cut government by a yard, they will still say no.

The members of this movement do not accept the legitimacy of scholars and intellectual authorities. A thousand impartial experts may tell them that a default on the debt would have calamitous effects, far worse than raising tax revenues a bit. But the members of this movement refuse to believe it.

The members of this movement have no sense of moral decency. A nation makes a sacred pledge to pay the money back when it borrows money. But the members of this movement talk blandly of default and are willing to stain their nation’s honor.

David Brooks is a the left's token big government conservative, and there's some icing on the cake there, as he's operating from the hallowed perches of the New York Times. What's interesting is how this story remained on top at Memeorandum all day yesterday, with progressives weighing in on Brooks' righteousness, and even Megan McArdle agreeing with the notion of some kind of crazed GOP party cult. I can't speak on the budget negotiations, because I'm not in the least convinced that anything the administration and Congress do will make the slightest difference regarding the long term fiscal balance sheet (think entitlement reform). What we need is growth. With a growing economy and a robust job sector we'll begin to pay down the debt as long as nothing else screws things up, like a lousy momentary policy (and Democrat housing policy). Anyway, I'll try to read up a bit anyway, and update with something more knowledgeable. Here I'm mostly ranting at how David Brooks once again shows his true colors as the favorite RINO of the moment.

The Gay Hate Campaign

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

Man!

Read this post at Uncoverage, "“Gay Mafia” Threatens, Vandalizes Traditional Marriage Supporters in Washington State."

As I've said many times, it's lies, violence, and intimidation that's putting the gay agenda over the top. You gotta call these people out for what that are: Homosexual criminals, mobsters, perverts, and thugs. And that goes as well for the hetero progressives who're enabling the hate.

Attack on Oil Pipeline Highlights Egypt's Threat to Israel

At Al Arabia, "EGYPTIAN GAS PIPELINE TO ISRAEL AND JORDAN BOMBED AGAIN."

And Los Angeles Times, "Pipeline explosion underlines opposition to gas deal with Israel."

The third attack by saboteurs in six months against the pipeline supplying natural gas to Israel and Jordan underscores security lapses and the opposition of many Egyptians to their nation's contract to ship low-cost energy to Israel.

Early-morning blasts Monday were carried out by masked men who tied up security guards and planted bombs at the Bir el Abd pipeline station near the town of Al Arish in the Sinai Peninsula. The official state news aganecy, MENA, reported that the assailants remotely activated the bombs by firing gunshots. No casualties were reported.

The pipeline was attacked two other times this year: a few days after the Feb. 11 overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak and a second assault on April 27 (pictured) that interrupted supplies to Israel for weeks.

Also, from Barry Rubin, "Egypt Gas Pipeline to Israel Sabotaged Again: A Consequence of Egypt’s Revolution":

For the third time since February, terrorists have blown up the gas pipeline from Egypt that provides 45 percent of Israel’s natural gas. As I predicted, this pipeline will never function normally again. This serious economic disruption is the first material cost to Israel of Egypt’s revolution. The Obama Administration’s help in bringing down a stable (yes, a dictatorial regime but prepare for much worse) has already damaged Israel’s economy and security. And this is not the end of the story by a long shot.

Britney Spears – Harper’s Bazaar (June/July 2011)

A little late on this, but better late than never!

At Harper's, "BRITNEY SPEARS IS BACK: THE INTERVIEW."

And a slideshow, "Britney Spears Style."

UPDATE: The Hearst Magazines Public Relations Office sent me the larger image.

7 Million Down, Only 33 Million to Go...

Robert Stacy McCain previewed his 7 millionth hit the other day, and then Smitty recorded the moment: "7,000,000 Hits, 7-Minute Blogs."

And I just want to say, "Hey, guys, congratulations — and don't be getting too cocky, alright? Ha!"

It turns out Ann Althouse had a blogging milestone the other day as well, 40 million hits!

Now that's some traffic!

And how's it done? Well, Doug Ross offers a 10-trick guide: "Advice for a Young Blogger: How to get a million or less hits on your blog over some unspecified period of time, maybe." I like this part, tip #4:

Try to keep content fresh and stories flowing, even if it means running a group blog or having guest bloggers. People don't visit sites that are static. If nothing changes between visits, there's really not a reason to surf to your site. As for myself, each day since January 9, 2009, I've posted Larwyn's Linx, my roundup of important stories. No matter what else is happening, regular readers can at least get a daily snapshotof my favorite articles.

Excellent advice (and RTWT), and I want to give Doug some extra kudos for keeping up the Linkfest with such consistent excellence. That's an achievement all by itself. Meanwhile, Robert Stacy McCain takes a bit different approach: "‘Like Losing Your Virginity …’"

I've written about blogging success numerous times before, and I hope readers have learned something. Checking back on some of the old posts I'm reminded of political science research on the gatekeeper effect in the blogosphere, which holds:

Blogs with large numbers of incoming links offer both a means of filtering interesting blog posts from less interesting ones, and a focal point at which bloggers with interesting posts, and potential readers of these posts can coordinate. When less prominent bloggers have an interesting piece of information or point of view that is relevant to a political controversy, they will usually post this on their own blogs. However, they will also often have an incentive to contact one of the large “focal point” blogs, to publicize their post. The latter may post on the issue with a hyperlink back to the original blog, if the story or point of view is interesting enough, so that the originator of the piece of information receives more readers. In this manner, bloggers with fewer links function as “fire alarms” for focal point blogs, providing new information and links. This reduces the need for bloggers at the top of the link structure to engage in “police patrols” to gather information on their own...

The point still holds, although at the time of publication social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter hadn't taken off, so I'm convinced that self-promotion and networking can help newbies break into the top tier much more quickly than in earlier days of the blogosphere. And frankly, I think there's less consensus on the "top tier" itself, since reader self-segregation and the sheer number of excellent blogs makes those earlier hierarchical effects less meaningful or pronounced.

In any case, here's an interesting flashhack: "Blogging While Female: 5 Conservative Women Bloggers Talk About Gender Issues And The Blogosphere."

Julie Chen Breaks Down Over Casey Anthony Verdict

At Hollywood Reporter, "Casey Anthony Trial: 'The Talk's' Julie Chen Becomes Emotional While Reading Verdict On-Air (Video)."

And my previous report: "Casey Anthony Not Guilty — UPDATED: Report: Casey Anthony Pregnant!!"

Added: The Lonely Conservative has more: "Julie Chen Needs Therapy After Casey Anthony Verdict."

Google to Retire Blogger!

The brand name "Blogger," that is.

With the launch of Google+ there's some other developments in store as well, called "brand unification."

See Mashable!, "EXCLUSIVE: Google To Retire Blogger & Picasa Brands in Google+ Push."

Say goodbye to the Picasa and Blogger names: Google intends to retire several non-Google name brands and rename them as Google products, Mashable has learned.

The move is part of a larger effort to unify its brand for the public launch of Google+, the search giant’s social initiative.

Blogger and Picasa aren’t going away, of course — they’re two of Google’s most popular products. Instead, according to two sources familiar with the matter, Google intends to rename Picasa “Google Photos” and Blogger will become “Google Blogs.” Several other Google brands are likely to be affected, though our sources made it clear that YouTube would not be rebranded. The technology giant shut down Google Video, its failed web video service, in May.

Meanwhile, it looks like Ann Althouse has gotten the full archives from Google, and should be making her switch-over soon. See, "'Hello. I am on the Blogger team and am one of the guys who has been helping Ann with her blog...'"

Are You Reading Theo Spark?

Lovely blogging over there.

Today's pic dump and news roundup, for example, and also some Tuesday totties and bonus babes.

And check out Maggie's Farm too! "Tuesday morning links - It's really summer now."

Britain's News of the World Scandal

This is the big story across the pond.

At Telegraph UK, "Live coverage of the News of the World phone hacking scandal, in which 13-year-old murder victim Milly Dowler allegedly had her voicemails intercepted ..." Also, "News of the World loses adverts over Milly Dowler scandal."

And from Telegraph's Daniel Knowles, "The News of the World has put the independence of the press at risk."

And at Financial Times, "Rupert Murdoch’s responsibility":

The latest allegations in the phone hacking scandal at News Corp’s UK tabloid papers elevate it to a new level. This is no longer just a matter of journalists infringing the privacy of celebrities in order to gossip about them in print. By intercepting the voice messages of a murdered schoolgirl, Milly Dowler, as the News of the World is alleged to have done, the newspaper has potentially impeded a criminal investigation. If true, this is not only wrong and illegal; it exhibits a fundamental lack of human decency.

We must hope the public disgust that has greeted the allegations may finally persuade the company to get a handle on the hacking scandal. For nearly five years, it has shamefully dragged its feet as interminable investigations have continued into the illegal interception by its UK journalists of mobile phone messages. True, the police have been similarly lackadaisical and puzzlingly reluctant to pursue cases – an attitude that still has properly to be explained. But none of this excuses News Corp. Rupert Murdoch must now get a grip.

And I'm seeing nothing but bikini babes and celebrity hotties at News of the World.

More on this later ...

4:42pm PST: At Los Angeles Times, "Phone hacking scandal involving kidnapped girl roils Britain":

For months, Britain's scandal over scoop-hungry reporters hacking into the cellphones of celebrities and politicians drew shrugs from the general public, which viewed the affair as a rarified dispute between the rich and famous and those who write about them.

Not anymore.

Revulsion swept the nation Tuesday amid allegations that a sensationalist tabloid owned by media baron Rupert Murdoch also intercepted and tampered with voicemails left for a kidnapped 13-year-old girl whose body was later found dumped in the woods.

Britons from Prime Minister David Cameron on down declared their disgust over the accusations, the latest to hit Murdoch's weekly News of the World.

The disturbing turn in a long-running scandal has raised troubling questions about the media magnate's relationship with the British political establishment and police. It comes at a particularly sensitive time for the Australian-born Murdoch, who also operates Fox News in the U.S. and is seeking political approval to expand his already massive media empire in Britain.

This should be manna from heaven for the progressive left, for example, at Media Matters: "Murdoch Tabloid Accused of Hacking Murdered Schoolgirl's Phone."

6:25pm PST: At New York Times, "Milly Dowler Hacking Puts Pressure on Rebekah Brooks of News Corp.":

LONDON — Political pressure is bearing down on Rebekah Brooks, a top executive of the News Corporation in Britain, following allegations that one of the company’s newspapers hacked the cellphone of a 13-year-old girl who was abducted and murdered in 2002, when Ms. Brooks was its editor.

Prominent politicians chastised the company and Ms. Brooks, and Ford Motor Company suspended advertising in News of the World, the tabloid that has faced a long-running scandal over the widespread interception of voice mail messages of celebrities and other public figures.

Ed Miliband, leader of the opposition Labour Party, said Tuesday that Ms. Brooks should “consider her conscience and consider her position” after the disclosures.

“It wasn’t a rogue reporter,” Mr. Miliband said. “It wasn’t just one individual. This was a systematic series of things that happened and what I want from executives at News International is people to start taking responsibility for this.” News International is the News Corporation’s British newspaper division, and Ms. Brooks is now its chief executive.

Prime Minister David Cameron took time out from a visit to British troops in Afghanistan to lament what he called a “truly dreadful situation.” The police, he added, “should investigate this without any fear, without any favor, without any worry about where the evidence should lead them.”

And the editors at New York Times weigh in, of couse: "The Greater Evil."

Casey Anthony Not Guilty — UPDATED: Report: Casey Anthony Pregnant!!

R.S. McCain has the headline: "HOLY FREAKING CRAP! Casey Anthony Becomes the O.J. Simpson of Baby-Killers."

Updates coming ...

Some video:

12:25pm PST: More video ...

And R.S. McCain updates with a report from the Orlando Sentinel:

Frankly, I thought she deserved the death penalty for hogging up endless hours of cable-TV news coverage, but apparently that’s not a capital felony in Florida.

12:50pm PST: Aaron Worthing says he's just getting up to speed but promises updates: "Casey Anthony Found Not Guilty of Murder."

And more video. The local reaction to the verdict:

And Blazing Cat Fur links. Thanks!

1:10pm PST: At Los Angeles Times, "Casey Anthony found not guilty; Twitter erupts in outrage."

And more video:

1:22pm PST: FWIW, from National Enquirer, "EXCLUSIVE: CASEY ANTHONY TELLS PALS -- I’M PREGNANT!"

4:32pm PST: Pat Austin has a report: "Casey Anthony Walks Away."

And more video:

Also, at New York Times, "Casey Anthony Not Guilty in Slaying of Daughter":

ORLANDO, Fla. — Casey Anthony, the young mother whose seeming heartlessness at the disappearance of her daughter transfixed America for three years, was found not guilty on Tuesday of killing the girl, Caylee Marie.

After nearly six weeks of testimony, a panel of seven women and five men decided that Ms. Anthony did not murder Caylee by dosing her with chloroform, suffocating her with duct tape and dumping her in a wooded area, as prosecutors claimed. They did, however, find her guilty of lesser charges of providing false information to law enforcement officers. The jury did not ask to review any evidence.

When the verdict was read, Ms. Anthony, 25, who faced a possible death sentence, cried.

The verdict vindicates the defense, which argued from the start that Caylee drowned accidentally in the family swimming pool and that the death was concealed by her mother and her panicked grandfather George Anthony.

It also drove home just how circumstantial the prosecution’s case proved to be. Forensic evidence was tenuous and no witnesses ever tied Ms. Anthony to Caylee’s murder. Investigators found no trace of DNA or solid signs of chloroform or decomposition inside the trunk of Ms. Anthony’s car, where prosecutors said Ms. Anthony stashed Caylee before disposing of her body.

The prosecution was also hurt by the fact that nobody knows exactly how Caylee died; her body was too badly decomposed to pinpoint cause of death.

All of this allowed José Baez, Ms. Anthony’s lawyer, to infuse enough reasonable doubt in jurors’ minds to get Ms. Anthony acquitted of murder.

“They throw enough against the wall and see what sticks,” Mr. Baez told the jury, “right down to the cause of death.”

More at the link. (Via Memeorandum.)

Ann Coulter's Valentine to the Left

A two thumbs-up from David Horowtiz:

At last we have a conservative narrative that not only nails but also encompasses the left, totalitarian bombers and liberal fellow-travelers, exposes its love of violence, its witch-hunting mentality, its rampant hypocrisy, and destructive nihilism, and puts them all in the historical perspective they require.

Crystal Cathedral Denies Robert Schuller Ousted From Board of Directors

The initial report was in yesterday's Los Angeles Times, "Crystal Cathedral board ousts the Rev. Robert H. Schuller." But I saw a conflicting report at the Orange County Register, "Schuller will be a non-voting board member." And then this update at the Times, "Crystal Cathedral denies reports of Schuller's ouster from board":

A Crystal Cathedral spokesman on Monday denied reports that the church's founder, Robert H. Schuller, was voted off the board of directors in a meeting more than a week ago.

“He [Robert H. Schuller] was not voted off the board,” said John Charles, the Garden Grove church spokesman. “He is still board chairman emeritus.”

The church released its statement a day after Schuller’s son, Robert Anthony Schuller, said his 84-year-old father had been ousted because he had proposed adding new members to the board.

“Recently, the board of directors of Crystal Cathedral Ministries voted to change Dr. Schuller's position from that of a voting board member to the honorary Chairman of the Board Emeritus, a non-voting position,” the statement read.

The Times reported Schuller's new non-voting position June 19.

In Monday’s statement, Charles said the move will free up Schuller's time for more speaking engagements and a writing project: “He will also continue to speak in the pulpit of the Crystal Cathedral and on the 'Hour of Power' and meet with staff in creative and vision-casting meetings.”

PREVIOUSLY: "As Crystal Cathedral Fights to Survive Bankruptcy, Spanish-Language Ministry Comes of Age."

The Space Shuttle Program Helped Carry Southern California's Aerospace Industry for Four Decades

At Los Angeles Times, "The space shuttle's Southland legacy."

Amid the odes to a shuttle program that ends with the last mission of the last shuttle, Atlantis, scheduled for liftoff Friday, is an awareness that the space plane helped carry Southern California's aerospace industry for four decades. It staved off decline after the end of the moon landings, bequeathing new generations of aeronautical technology — and jobs — to the regional economy.

"Building the space shuttle fleet enabled a historic chapter in NASA's space program," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, a former shuttle commander. "Southern California has a strong place in shuttle history as a key site where the spacecraft were built and often landed."

Constructing the shuttle fleet was testament to how advanced Southern California's aerospace engineering and labor workforce had become by the 1970s — and assured that the vast assemblage of brainpower and engineering know-how would not be lost in the Southland.

The history of the shuttle program may be linked forever to the flights of Challenger and Columbia, its two deadly tragedies. But the shuttle era will also be remembered for advancing technology, including reusable rocket engines and computerized guidance systems, that changed manned flight.