I’ve already recommended the fantastic Balvenie Doublewood (about $33-$39), for my money the best value in single malts, but for those on an even tighter budget—or who wish to try different Scotches without having to pony up $99 for a bottle of Macallen—Lismore, on sale in these parts for $15 this week, is a great value, and has ranked rather high on tasting lists, including one prominent list where it

In the airy forest green, a marshmallow boy sits alone beside a cool brook sipping hot cocoa from a cup made of crystalized sugar—his tiny marshmallow feet washed over by the gentle caress of liquid caramel. The sight makes me weep.  —Which, of course, doesn’t keep me from eating the little fucker.  But it sure makes for an idyllic memory, once properly edited.

Today’s topics: how the US military is stocked with a bunch of intellectual midgets and would-be felons who, sadly, had no other life choices but to live and die as Uncle Sam’s war puppets; how Bush went to war for BIG OIL; how terms like “terrorist” and “cell” are merely shock words meant to “scare” us (unlike, say, “fascist” or “oil baron” or “neocon conspiracy”—which are merely descriptions of the

Early reports are legion, but there’s been no confirmation.  So, you know, keep your chin up, Harry!  There’s still hope!  From the Australian: The reported death last night of al-Qa’ida’s leader in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, in an internal power struggle could be the second significant blow to the insurgent group in as many weeks. Masri’s reported death comes just nine months after he succeeded the Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a

I call it, Joe Biden:  A Man and his Nuance. Unfortunately, my initial title— Joe Biden:  A Man, His Hair, “His” Writings, and an Unwavering Respect for Very Clean Negroes—just seemed a bit too, you know, unwieldy… **** update:  related.  Too.

…which, to those who’ve been paying attention, is of course quite different than positing a connection between Saddam and 911.  Of course, for its part, our “neutral” media does its best to conflate the two—then cites as proof of Bush’s lies the very conflation they themselves continue to make and attribute (erroneously, arrogantly, and intentionally) to the Administration—before peddling it to those Americans who still rely on traditional media for

1.  Instead of showering, borrow some of your kid’s Mr Bubble and take a bath.  Then, when it dawns on you that you’re stewing in a compote of your own filth, giggle at the fact that you convinced yourself a bubble bath would cheer you up.  2.  In place of your usual baggy cargo shorts, put on shorter, tighter athletic shorts.  Re-acquaint yourself with your upper thighs.  Also, if you

In case you’re wondering what to do till Jeff comes back [… ingrate], write a blurb for Patterico’s collection.

Story #426:  Two Jews walk into a garage sale, one walks out—a bit bloodied, but carrying with him a 1956 Topps Sandy Koufax card in near mint condition. The secular authorities, knowing little about suburban Jewish culture, proceed with manslaughter charges.  But in the eyes of the Jewish community, the real crime here was that the two warring Jews, in a fit of tribal bickering, drove the price of the