The following is a joint statement issued on behalf of a number of bloggers concerned with the forthcoming House leadership elections; the text was prepared by NZ Bear: We are bloggers with boatloads of opinions, and none of us come close to agreeing with any other one of us all of the time. But we do agree on this: The new leadership in the House of Representatives needs to be

For those who would insist—out of both ideological and (subsequently) narrative necessity—that Iraq’s oblique, secular-Baathist relationship with the fundamentalist regime of al Qaeda (a characterization that relies on the carefully-worded dodge that the Hussein’s regime showed “no evidence of operational ties” to bin Laden’s group [see the 911 Commission Report], a formulation that means, simply, that none of any number of potentially developed and financed plans were ever provably completed),

FOXNews’ Brian Wilson is reporting that, though some in the anti-Alito contingent may try to delay the confirmation process a bit longer (presumably to allow some of the negative ads to run a longer, their hope being that the American public will suddenly find themselves so outraged by Alito’s personal finger probing of an innocent eleven year old girl that they’ll turn the sound down on “The View” long enough

1.  Enjoy the Botanical Gardens 2.  Golf 3.  Avalanche game (seasonal) 4.  Try some “Rocky Mountain Oysters” 5.  Visit The Tattered Cover bookstore 6.  Casa Bonita! 7.  Horseback riding / kayaking 8.  Shotgun Willy’s Gentlemen’s club and grill 9.  Pray that whole Jesus resurrection thing wasn’t just a load of bullshit

me: “Did I ever tell you about the time my puppy, Scout, fell through some thin lake ice during a pickup hockey game?  I must have been seven.  Anyway, I dove in after the little guy—and rescue workers found me about a quarter mile down stream clinging to a branch under the ice, still breathing through the hollowed out end of my hockey stick.  Scout lived, thank God, and everyone

From DEBKAfile, “Tehran steps up war threats Thursday as three EU ministers call for UN nuclear watchdog to refer Iran’s case to the Security Council”: Our exclusive Iranian sources report Iranian defense minister Mostafa Najjar […] warned the Gulf oil emirates in exceptionally aggressive terms to beware of Iran’s great strength and not place its trust in the American navy. He threatened major action against any party assaulting Gulf security.

Biden:  “Is it fair to say, Judge, that you, like, cringe at the mention of fried chicken and collared greens, or that ‘the bling,’ as I’m told the homies call their shiny material possessions, makes you socially uncomfortable—?” Chairman Specter: “—That question is completely inappropriate, Senator, and the Chair admonishes you against using this forum as an opportunity to float such inflammatory hypotheticals –!” Biden:  “—You’re absolutely right, Mr Chairman. 

From Reuters: The foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany meet on Thursday to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme and EU diplomats said the trio would call for Tehran to be hauled before the U.N. Security Council. The United States said on Wednesday it was “more likely than ever” Iran would be referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions and that it would seek to “change Iranian behavior” through