I’m Shocked.

Shocked.

Cliff May asks,

What’s the dictionary definition of “useful idiot”?

I looked it up. It said, “See Nasty Little Man.”

Evolution may be faster than previously thought

Back when I still harbored doubts about the theory of evolution I used to say that speciation has not actually been observed. This semi-inadvertent island lizard experiment is showing that the process of adaptation may be faster – a lot faster – than previously believed.

Researchers found that the lizards developed cecal valves—muscles between the large and small intestine—that slowed down food digestion in fermenting chambers, which allowed their bodies to process the vegetation’s cellulose into volatile fatty acids.

“They evolved an expanded gut to allow them to process these leaves,” Irschick said, adding it was something that had not been documented before. “This was a brand-new structure.”

Along with the ability to digest plants came the ability to bite harder, powered by a head that had grown longer and wider.

And that’s all just since 1971. It’s not quite speciation yet, but it’s sure heading that way.

Replacing Fatalism with Hope

Katheryn Lopez has a great interview with Michael Yon.

KATHRYN JEAN LOPEZ: What does it mean to be American “in the most romantic sense of the word” and why is it essential to counterinsurgency?

MICHAEL YON: Remember the scene in Lawrence of Arabia, where Peter O’Toole executes an Arab friend? “It was written,” Anthony Quinn tries to console him. Lawrence turns on him furiously and declares “Nothing is written.” It’s a very American moment in an English story. Americans live in a romance of possibility; we say “we can do it!” We reject fate.

Where’s the USAF Suggestion Box?

A good friend has a son in pilot training with the Air Force. He’s leaning toward the C-17 now in part because he’s not crazy about the way the Air Force is treating fighter pilots right now. Many are being shunted to “flying” Predators. The way it works is that a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) is really an RPV (remotely piloted vehicle) and the Air Force, rightly I think, insists they be operated by licensed pilots.

As is pointed out in this article,

[M]any Air Force pilots prefer to fly fighter aircraft and look upon the UAV mission as a glorified desk job they try to avoid. Air Force officials admit that could take a change in the traditional “fighter jock” culture

I can completely understand a fighter jock not wanting that job. Someone who wants to fly wants to fly, dammit. I also understand the amazing and vital job UAV/RPVs are doing. Clearly we need pilots for them, too. But remember that one of the significant advantages to an RPV is that the pilot doesn’t need to be an eagle-eyed athlete. So here, for anybody in the USAF out-of-the-box department, is my proposed recruiting message:

The Air Force needs professional pilots to command UAVs. Our standards for professionalism and judgement are just as high as for fighter pilots – but not  the physical requirements. If your eyesight isn’t perfect, if you can’t pull gees, even if you’re over 40, then maybe we have the job for you. Because for every hour piloting a UAV on a combat or recon mission, you will have an hour of air time in one of these to keep your chops up.

I think a lot of people would sign up. Good pilots, too.

Well, would we?

Good question.

MoveOn Can’t

Yes, the organization whose very name is an oxymoron has come smack up against the internet’s detailed memory.

In a statement to The Huffington Post, MoveOn’s Executive Director Eli Pariser reacted strongly to Clinton’s remarks: “Senator Clinton has her facts wrong again. MoveOn never opposed the war in Afghanistan, and we set the record straight years ago when Karl Rove made the same claim.

We have always been at war with Eurasia. Have these guys even read Orwell?

Reagan said “How do you tell a Communist? Well, it’s someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s someone who understands Marx and Lenin.” Maybe there’s a flip side. A Progressive is someone who has read Orwell but didn’t understand him. Just what a Progressive understands from his reading of anything might make for an interesting study.

Why I Never Celebrate Earth Day

I remember whose birthday it is. And don’t try to convince me it’s a coincidence, because it isn’t. It doesn’t have to stay on that date. Here’s an idea, for example.

Flunked, not Expelled

I used to love reading Ben Stein’s Journal in The American Spectator, back in the 90’s. His dry wit, earnestness, and humanity made for good reading. Sure, there was the time or two when he wrote admiringly of lunatics like PETA, but I chalked that up to good intentions on the part of a man who really, really loved his dog.

Then, recently, came the shameful trailer to Expelled, the dishonest anti-evolution “documentary”. There was loveable Ben engaging in ad hominem attacks on “big science”, using all the Left’s favorite tactics. Poor Ben. He’s really gone over the edge, and I have no idea who pushed him.

The National Center for Science Education has put up a site: Expelled Exposed where you can win prizes playing Set Ben Straight. Ironically, this will sell a few more tickets to the movie if it gets people like me to actually watch it.

Update:

Michael Shermer, one of the scientists ambushed interviewed by Stein has a nice, short article about it.

Endgame?

TigerHawk sees a possibility.

Even the New York Times, which has done its level best to promote the myth of Iraqi incompetence, acknowledges that the government has won the battle of Basra…

It’s an interesting take on the situation. At first blush it seems feasible. Take a look and see what you think.

Nasty Little Man Explained

Ramirez elucidates.

Right in my Own Back Yard!

There was a Marine counter-protest against the Code Pinkos yesterday, and I didn’t hear about it before hand. And it happened only three blocks from my house! Zombie provides his usual good coverage.

I hate that their stupid, ugly truck defaces Solano Avenue.

Tell you what, though. I’ll remember the stupid mayor, decked out in the shirt of a local grade school, come next mayoral election. He’s lost my vote due to his wimpy stand.

Got One

Good news: The jihadist scum who shot down that helicopter full of SEALs in Afghanistan has been properly ventilated. It’s extra good news that Pakistan did it.

Patriots Day 2008

Snipped from the Patriot Post:

On 19 April 1775, the brave Patriots at Lexington and Concord fired the opening volley for American liberty. Today we honor them, as well as those Patriots who continue in that tradition, shouldering the burden of American liberty, particularly those on the warfront with Jihadistan.

By the spring of 1775, the Massachusetts Colony was preparing for conflict with the Royal authority over taxation without representation. The colonial authorities had become oppressive, and American Patriots were prepared to cast off their masters.

On the eve of 18 April 1775, General Thomas Gage, military governor of Massachusetts, dispatched a force from Boston to confiscate weapons stored in the village of Concord and to capture Patriot rebels Samuel Adams and John Hancock, reported to be in Lexington. But Patriots had anticipated this raid.

Paul Revere had arranged for advance warning, and though he was captured, Patriot allies William Dawes and Samuel Prescott continued their midnight ride for 22 miles from Boston’s Old North Church to Concord and warned militiamen along the way.

As dawn arrived on 19 April, between 50 and 70 militiamen came to the town green at Lexington to confront the British column. When a few links away from the militia column, the British officer swung his sword, and said, “Lay down your arms, you damned rebels, or you are all dead men. Fire!” Several Patriots were killed and wounded, but none had been ordered to return fire.

However, when the British arrived at Concord’s Old North Bridge, American “Minutemen” fired the “shot heard round the world.” That was the beginning of an eight-year struggle for American independence, a beginning we honor on Patriots Day.

More reading appropriate to the day here.

Update:

Jules Crittenden celebrates.

Patriots Day may be the least known American holiday, and the day most deserving of our recognition. Observed in Massachusetts and Maine only. Don’t know it? It marks the day, April 19, 1775, on which Americans took up arms against their king, and bled, at the crack of terrible dawn.

9/11 Data Dump

NORAD and U.S. Northern Command “have released a copy of their audio files, telephone conversations and situation room discussions, from the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.”

If you want to see how futile it is to present facts and logical arguments to conspiracy theorists, just read the comments on that page.

President Daintyfingers and Princess Ticked-Off

Today’s therapeutic belly-laughs come curtesy of Robert Ferrigno.

And Now A Little Guitar Pickin’

Two guys, one guitar.

Update:

How about a musician/stringed instrument ratio of four?

Indoctrinate-U

is now available on DVD.

Spot the Bogus Gun Rights Group

One good way is with their endorsements.

The American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA) is a trojan horse every bit as dishonest as CAIR, if not quite as dangerous.

Speaking of Presidents who aren’t exactly on our side

Bush is furiously trying to turn his legacy into a crater. Gee, thanks, George, for legitimizing the scare mongers.

I’m old enough to remember

• Overpopulation
• Nuclear Winter
• Global Cooling
• The Hole in the Ozone
• Vanishing Rainforests
• Aluminum Cookware Causing Alzheimer’s
• Cyclamates Causing Cancer
• DDT Killing Birds

So far the alarmists have been exactly wrong every single time. So pardon me if I’m one of many who don’t immediately buy into the anthropogenic global warming scare.

Nasty Little Man Too Nasty for Islamic Jihad

Oh, this is just so weird. Not content with wanting to meet with merely evil terrorists, the Nasty Little Man wanted to meet with Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an even more violent and evil terrorist group. But they snubbed Mr. Peanut thinking, unbelievably, that he’s on our side and Israel’s.

In turning down the request, Shallah declared that Carter is “carrying an American-Israeli agenda,” while PIJ spokesman Daoud Shahab blasted Carter’s criticism of Palestinian rocket attacks during the former president’s visit to Sderot.

Note to PIJ: He only criticized the missile attack because his littlebrained notions of “can’t we all just get along” kicked in. You can relax. He really is on your side.

“When I go to a dictatorship, I only have to talk to one person and that’s the dictator, because he speaks for all the people. But in a democracy like Israel, there is a wide range of opinions and that counterbalances the disappointment that I have in not meeting with the people shaping Israeli power now in the government.”

-Nasty Little Man

And you’re welcome to him.

Islamic Porn

Turns out it’s a lot like ours, but way lamer.

Update:

This post gets a regular trickle of viewers who are searching the web for “islamic porn”. What on earth are you people looking for? Naked women standing in a row while praying?

I’ve closed comments on this post because it’s now just a spammer honeypot.

The Torch

The Olympic torch being run past rallies, headed for the seat of a despotic regime. Ring a bell?

He’s At It Again!

Remember the kid who cornered Kerry? He’s baa-aack.

Go, Michael

Michael Yon’s book has hit #9 on Amazon.

If “the American people” have lost interest in the war, why is this book an instant best-seller? The more copies get out there and read, the harder it will be for the Democrat nominee to pretend the war is lost.

Glass Half Full Department

This is, at least, one area in which a McCain presidency will not be a train wreck.

Baracky!

End of an Era

Ollie Johnston, the last of the “Nine Old Men”, has passed away. I’ll always count as one of the best days of my life when he and Frank Thomas came up to give us a talk about animation. One doesn’t meet genuine pioneers every day (although I’m privileged to work for one).

They will be missed, and fondly remembered.

Update:

Brad Bird’s tribute to Ollie Johnston is here.

A Call to Censure

Here’s a suggestion that we call our senators and ask them to censure the Nasty Little Man. Seems like a fine idea, especially if you agree with Jerry Pournelle:

[Nasty Little Man] has been meeting with Hamas leaders for years. Where is the Logan Act now that we need it?

There is, on the other hand, a more direct approach.

Big News from Italy

Michael Ledeen reports that the communists are gone. Really gone.

Tomorrow’s papers will pretend that this didn’t happen, and warn that Berlusconi’s allies in the Northern League are mercurial and dangerous, and that his majority isn’t as stable as it looks. But it is. And there’s an even more annoying feature to these elections, as seen by the chattering classes: Berlusconi is an outspoken, even passionate admirer of George W. Bush and the United States of America. Reminds one of the elections that brought Sarkozy to the Elysee, doesn’t it? Best to keep that quiet, or somebody might notice that hatred of America doesn’t seem to affect the voters in Italy, France or Germany.

Science and the Left

A long and thought-provoking article by Yuval Levin on The New Atlantis – recommended if you have the time.