YOUU WANT WHAT????? YOU OUTTA YOUR FRICKIN' MIND?????

The evidence in the Blago case (when I say evidence, I should really say "information" because I haven't seen the hint of anything criminal yet) is that BHO wanted none other than Valerie Jarrett to become the next United States Senator when BHO's seat opened up.

Aside from being politically tone deaf, possessing a true superiority complex and being borderline inarticulate, she's ideally suited for a legislative office.  I guess this falls under the "change Washington" stuff.  What a strange wish list.

COMING TO A SECOND CITY NEAR YOU?: A TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE TRASH

Forget about Blago.  Forget about Z.  Forget about Urlacher's ongoing custody struggle.  Forget about Cog Hill losing its Open Bid.  Forget about the Supreme Court raining on the gun control parade in Chicago.

It's starting to look like Bron-Bron Time in Chicago.  If it happens, even Mark Kirk couldn't screw it up.  Until June of 2011, nothing else will matter.

That stuff about Sport being the opiate of the masses...guess what?  It is.  Pass the hot spoon and that dirty needle.

THIS JUST IN:

Roger Goodell hs given Stanley McChrystal six games off for "poor judgment."  If he goes to Anger Management he could have his suspension reduced to four games.

Seriously, Stanley, enjoy your looming retirement.  You knew your were punking the CIC and you did it anyway.  You were trained better than that.  "Poor Judgment" is leaving your money clip on the night stand.  Discussing your Command Staff's advisors is willful misconduct.  If it made you feel good, I'm happy for you.  You hadda know there would be a price to pay.  In a chain of command, there is no First Amendment.

All kidding aside, this is a sad day.  It's not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last.  But it's still sad.

FWIW, I might even agree with some of what he said.  That's not the point at all.

PLEASE OVERLOOK BP-GUY'S "SMALL PEOPLE" REMARKS

He was in a hurry to get to a Board of Directors' gala.  The entertainment was a Dwarf Throw.

SCOTUS TAKES AT LEAST SOME OF THE KEYS TO THE COURTHOUSE AWAY FROM HUMAN RIGHTS PLAINTIFFS

Click here

I guess now we have to do credit checks before we risk-share with victim/clients

THE EARTH MOVED, BUT WILL THE NAME CHANGE?

We are still linked her to "Funions Follies" which I've always thought to be grammatically incorrect.  Since the the proprietor of that site is a professional wordsmith, I've left it alone.  Well the author of  Funions Follies is no longer a Funion.  In MLB terminology, he's been "designated for assignment".

No question the FF site provides some worthwhile and thoughtful stuff.

So we need a new name for FF.  Let's have a naming contest.

I shall lead off with "Cheese-Booger" but it may not be my final answer.  Whatcha got?

HYPOCRISY, NIMBY AND LIFE IS GOOD IN ADAMS COUNTY

Our Rural Citizens are, By God, anti-zoning.  "Nobody tells me what to do with my property."  "If you pass land use, you will be ousted in the next election and, by the way, concealed carry will get your Momma.."  We've all heard the rant.

EXCEPT, kiddies, when the neighbor wants to lease space to wind turbine.  Suddenly, the answer to the wind turbine question is "blowin' in the wind".  Suddenly, we're talking about noise, shadows (I pity da groundhog), vibration and structural safety.

Now the message is "I can do anything with my property I want....but that guy next door can't put a wind turbine on his."

How quickly libertarians become regulators.

THE NEWEST GADGET: THE ARKANSAS LEFTY PISSED-O-METER

After watching the Arkansas Primary and Run-off take place, I'm not sure I'm shrill enough to be a "progressive".

Blanche Lincoln appeared to have a real problem.  The lefties were honked because she wouldn't vote for the "public option".  The blue to purple dogs were wailing because she voted for the Health Insurance Package at all.  Her opponent, magically, found ways to suck up to both sides.  Mostly he aligned himself with the Movies, the Rooties and the DFA types.  He raised piles of money.  He was presentable and Blanch, undeniably, had made a whole bunch of shiny new enemies.

But as long as you keep Lincolns out of the Ford Theater, they are remarkably durable.  She had two assets that made her tough in a Run-off.  Long term committeemen knew her, liked her and respected how she stayed in touch with the people she met on the way up.  These were the people who knew how to do a GOTV.  They did, particularly in Pulaski County.  Run-offs are an interesting creature in Arkansas.  GOTV will almost always win an otherwise close Run-off. Blanche had the the GOTV experts.  Halter had Generation Next and the odd Deaniac.   Her other asset was the ever-useful William Jefferson Clinton.  WJC, himself once lost a general election for congress but, since 1993, no one he's endorsed for legislative office in Arkansas has lost, including a couple of serious underdogs.

Anyhow, Blanche won.  Now we get to measure how pissed the lefties and the Purple Dogs really are at her.  Do they stay home?  Do they cross over?  Do they throw fruit and vegetables?  I don't think so.  Arkansans haven't gotten excited about a Republican other than Huckabee since Timmy Hutch's wick-dip episodes.

MEMORIAL DAY: LT. COL. HENRY J. PLAWER AND HIS LIFE OF SERVICE

This is from May 25, 2009.  I moved it up so everyone who walked this way with Colonel Plawer would see the important comment that just came in.  It was very special to receive it so close to memorial day.  Thanks, John.  Know your loss is shared by many.  

Henry Plawer died last week.

You can read about Henry's remarkable life of service in his recent obituary. What follows is what you will not read, precisely because of the kind of man Henry was and the noble life he led.

Henry's life cannot be journaled without compelling the conclusion that his life and service were distinguished. Yet those who knew him in his adult life never heard him boast, or engage in any self-promotion. He was always content to make his contribution and let someone else's star shine brighter than his own. His parents were humble people and they passed that natural humility on to their son, no matter his achievements.

Even more unusual than his natural humility was Henry's strength. His life was neither linear nor smooth. He endured at least four major life crises. When is use the word "crisis" in its plural, I am not talking car repairs or toothaches. Any one of them would have broken, or at least changed, an ordinary man. Henry rebounded, as the same solid guy, each and every time. He focused on family and service. He survived terrible things by turning to giving and, through giving in so many ways to so many others, he saved himself from being altered. How did he know to do that? I take it on faith that is what he learned at home. That is what he saw modeled. Now that he is gone, those of us who loved him will have to practice more of that in his memory.

Humble and Strong. Who among us can't learn from that?

Henry's last act of service was leaving us a life lesson, one we all need.

A brother in the administration of justice, a brother in arms and the truest of friends. It comes many Memorial Days too soon but Henry is the only possible subject for this day.

Goodbye too soon, Colonel.