I’m feeling a bit Zen today, and I don’t want to ruin that with a lot of political talk. You’re all welcome to come along for the ride. In fact, here, this ought to get you started.

Recently, in relation to a post on Charles Johnson, Pam Geller, Michelle Malkin and related, people criticized Geller for speaking at a conference, saying that she should have been more cautious about accepting an invitation to an event where representatives of groups that may be . . . connected with? sympathized with? by neo-Nazi organizations would be present. I don’t want to rehash that whole thing, but I find that

Officials want to remove the word “swine” from the name of the flu, for fear that it will hurt the pork industry. Mexican Flu is also not kosher, of course. MedFlu isn’t fair to medflies, either. Hannitizer Flu does seem unfair to Shawn Hannity, though it contains the handsanity that experts are recommending. I suggest Congressional Flu, or Murtha Flu, but feel free to suggest your own. Heck, on second

Stupid Obama stunt ruins perfectly good Iowahawk post. Priceless.

with swine flu: More: Far out. But maybe it was just “a furious President Barack Obama.” OMFG.

We’re this much closer to calling things what they are. And that’s nearly always a good thing. From Human Events: HUMAN EVENTS has learned from staff sources that Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa) is about to announce his switch to the Democratic Party. Specter, a five-term Republican and ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is facing a tough primary challenge next year from former Club for Growth president Pat Toomey.

by two Americas. Stacy’s got a post up about the desire of some Republicans to separate themselves from the South and fundamentalists, presumably the extremist wing of conservatism. And he’s right to say that the impulse arises out of scorn that in turn arises from buying into the progressive characterization of Southerners (apart from those in Athens, Georgia and Greater San Antonio in Texas, maybe) as backwater hicks. Donald Douglas

I mean, wow. No. Really. Wow. (h/t J Howard) **** update: Like, seriously? WOW!

Michael Barone, Washington Examiner: It is an article of faith among the Madame Defarges that the interrogation techniques they consider torture didn’t produce useful information. All along, Obama tried to pay homage to this dogma. The text of Adm. Blair’s letter released to the public carefully omitted his admission that “high value information came from interrogations in which the methods were used.” Just normal editing, said his spokesman. Yeah, sure.

Or at least, responsible for its spread. Now, if only the government would step in and save us…!**