From “Brickbats,” Reason, Feb 2006: A book by a former Labour Party adviser claims British Prime Minister Tony Blair shouted “fucking Welsh” at the TV while watching his party’s poor showing in the 1999 elections for the Welsh Assembly.  Welse police are now investigating whether Blair committed a hate crime. Social progressivism—with it’s showy nods to “tolerance” and its attempts to legislate away thought crimes —have brought us to the

           January 6, 2006 At one, we loved you with all our heart; at two we love you twice as much! — which makes mathematical sense —though it also helps that you’re now much better at completing your chores, and at smuggling Dad’s peyote in from New Mexico in your Easy- Up Elmo toddler nappies. By the way, the grass looks marvelous!—and the rain gutters are running clear as Cameron Diaz

Reuters: Al Qaeda’s deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri said in a video aired on Friday that U.S. President George W. Bush’s plans to withdraw troops from Iraq meant Washington had been defeated by the Muslims. He also criticized Islamist groups, including Egypt’s banned Muslim Brotherhood, for believing in Western-style democracy and taking part in elections. “Bush, you must confess that you have been defeated in Iraq and in Afghanistan and you

I have a bit of a tightness / burning in the left side of my chest, accompanied by a lack of appetite and a dry mouth.  Occasionally, I get chills – mostly in waves, through my arms and legs.  I also feel it in my cheeks.  I feel weak overall. I’ve taken an Ativan, which has gotten rid of the discomfort in the left side of my chest, but my

Once again, a high-ranking member of the administration is insisting that the NSA surveillance program, as it has been authorized, is both Constitutionally and legally permissable.  From today’s Vice Presidential address to the Heritage Foundation: Wartime conditions are, in every case, a test of military skill and national resolve. But this is especially true in the war on terror. Four years ago, President Bush told Congress and the country that

For the record, being called “Wanker of the day” by Atrios is a lot like being called dumpy by Margaret Cho—or being told by Jessica Cutler that you “really can bring a world-class ass fucking!” Though on the plus side, maybe my newfound noteriety will garner me my own panel discussion at the next EschaCon!  A boy can still dream, can’t he?

“You’ve completely missed my point,” he said—waving her away like he would a busker, or the officious water service at a Chinese restaurant.  “Completely and utterly missed it.”

Via Instapundit and the Washington Post, we learn that Ana Marie Cox of Wonkette fame is handing off the reins to her site (Underneath Their Robes’ David Lat will take over)—hardly a surprise, given that she’s landed a second book deal, from Riverhead again, for a non-fiction work that will purportedly take on “the next generation of political activists” and be out in time for the 2008 elections.  The deal

From Peter Ackerman and Ramin Ahmadi, writing in the IHT: For months Iranian activists and even moderate clerics have been concerned about the radical tendencies of Iran’s new president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In the past few weeks—after he said that the Holocaust was a myth, called for Israel to be wiped off the map and banned Western music from state-run radio and television, the concern spread around the world. But there

* **** update From the Guardian UK,