Thursday, August 16, 2007
DOVES KARLED
Post-Washington, Karl Rove’s legend grows:
As if he hasn’t taken enough heat for what he did in the White House, Karl Rove is coming under fresh attack for what he plans to do after he leaves on August 31. Specifically, his Labor Day weekend plan to go dove hunting down in Texas ...
What else would you expect? Meanwhile, Rove is interviewed by Rush Limbaugh:
RUSH: You haven’t probably heard about this, although it won’t surprise you, but I’ve gotta tell you something. It’s a hilarious story. The editor of the Seattle Times was conducting a staff meeting when they learned of your resignation announcement, and everybody stood up and started cheering, and ...
ROVE: Ha-ha-ha-ha! Was my wife there?
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
NEWS BRIEFLETS
* Last week’s column.
* Hugo Chavez gets his tilt on.
* A celebrity-owned Humvee is headed for the crusher.
* Behold, the garages of Murmansk.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
HICKS LIKES BEARDS
Back in Australia. Situation still ridiculous:
The man who once embraced radical Islam and Osama bin Laden now says he wants to help save the environment, and identifies his new guru as Australian of the Year Tim Flannery …
Asked if he would be prepared to advise Hicks, Flannery told The Bulletin: “Of course I would - why wouldn’t you?
”People who’ve had a hard life often find nature a more easy and forgiving place to engage,” Flannery says. “The natural world offers you some solace.”
It’s good to be home. Regular posting rate to be resumed shortly.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
1934 WINS
Spent the afternoon talking cars with the guys at Chicago’s Hot Rod Chassis & Cycle. One of the shop’s projects, a chopped 1934 Plymouth powered by a sweet 354 Hemi, looked particularly warm. Appropriate, that, since 1934 has just replaced 1998 as the hottest year on record:
NASA has now silently released corrected figures, and the changes are truly astounding. The warmest year on record is now 1934. 1998 (long trumpeted by the media as record-breaking) moves to second place. 1921 takes third. In fact, 5 of the 10 warmest years on record now all occur before World War II. Anthony Watts has put the new data in chart form, along with a more detailed summary of the events.
Further blogger reaction here; also, don’t miss Hot Air’s take. Meanwhile, those mispredicting muppets at Britain’s Met office are at it again:
A study forecasts that global warming will set in with a vengeance after 2009.
In April, the same mob claimed there were “no indications of an increased risk of a particularly dry or particularly wet summer.” Result: Britain’s wettest summer since 1766. I blame hot rodders.
(Via Alan R.M. Jones and Debi)
SAVE THE ELVES
A Canadian actress considers global warming, and asks the obvious question:
What would Thumbelina be doing in this kind of situation?
Tim Flannery is to blame, of course. Speaking of Flannery, the great water-shortage alarmist is currently “recovering from the flu after a particularly cold, damp July.”
UPDATE. Headline of the month: “Rural climate change sceptics shock kayaker.”
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
POLLING, PRESBYTERIANS, ETC
Last week’s column may tell of events to come, if we keep seeing this type of dire polling. Still, Kevin Rudd remains in the happy position of being able to promise everything to everyone (reduced carbon emissions! AND cheaper petrol!) - a situation that’ll change once we move into actual election mode.
In Presbyterian developments, last Sunday morning Mr Bingley actually lured me to his New Jersey church; possibly the first time I’ve been inside such a place for 30 years or so without anyone getting married or buried. Highlight: Bingley’s excellent singing (three hymns performed in duet). Lowlight: communion wine replaced by some kind of cranberry-flavoured substance. It burns!
Upcoming: midwestern antics. Stay tuned.
UPDATE. One reason not to be too sad at the prospect of a Howard defeat is that lately he’s become creepy greenish:
“Apart from the normal trade and economic issues, we’ll be talking a lot about climate change,” Mr Howard said.
“APEC will be the first meeting which brings together both China and the United States, and they are the principal polluters, they’re the two countries that have the largest volume of greenhouse gas emissions.”
Good luck changing that, pal.
Friday, August 03, 2007
ART FOR ART’S SAKE
I’m in New York City, for no reason at all other than to expand my carbon footprint. It’s a performance art piece, really; similar in a way to this:
A Chorus of Women will use drama, poetry and music to create an emotional response to climate change ...
My own “emotional response” will shortly take me to the trailer park home of Iowahawk, and thereafter to the carbon killing fields of Bonneville, Utah. Speed Week pictures promised.