The Countertop Chronicles

Looks like there’ll be one less student at Yale this fall.

A 21-year-old Yale student, posing as a volunteer at the Republican National Convention, got within 10 feet of Vice President Dick Cheney and shouted anti-war statements before being dragged away, authorities said Tuesday.

What an ass. In his struggle to evade arrest he apparantly hit one of the Secret Service guys in the face. I hope they treat him like the cunning and plotting terrorist he is.

Federal prosecutor John M. Hillebrecht said Frampton went through elaborate efforts to get close to Cheney, including going through training sessions with convention organizers, “all the while masquerading as a Republican supporter of the president.”

Of course, you won’t be surprised to learn that this bozo has never lived in the real world.

Frampton’s father is a partner at a New York law firm and mother is a professional photographer in Washington

Typical limousine liberal. He was charged with assaulting federal officers and imeding the operation of the Secret Service.

If I was the prosecutor I’d lock him up in Guantanamo and throw away the key. Sadly, they released the guy on $50,000 bail already.

There are only 12 more days until my so called “assualt weapon” is simply a rifle.

John Tant has some thoughts on Congressman Schrock’s “outing.” I tend to agree with John that the practice, especially coming from hypocrites who claim an unfettered right to privacy in all aspects of life, is outrageous. Howeve, as I stated yesterday, Schrock should have expected this to happen. When you play with matches. . . . .

I hope everyone in the Southeast survives Huricane Frances. its looking like a bad one.

From the looks of this map, it appears to be heading directly for St. Simons Island and Brunswick, GA. I hope it doesn’t . . . part of the charm of this area is that it has not been hit by a hurricane in over 100 years.

If it is hit, the storm surge is likely to be devestating for Brunswick, GA. I’d imagine it would be much worse for St. Simons.

Sorry the bloggins been light today again. I was up most of the night, both with my pretty bad sunburn but also because of the trouble my wife and son encountered in Richmond, VA driving back from St. Simons Island.

Not sure how many of you are aware of this, but Richmond was hit with flooding of biblical proportions last night. At one point, just as my wife and 2 year old were entering the city on I-95, the rain was coming down at a rate of 7-10 inches an hour. Traffic pretty much came to a standstill and they moved less than a mile in 2-3 hours of the downpour, watching as the roads around them quickly began to fill with raging waters.

A brick building of at least two stories had collapsed in the Shockoe Bottom area, and several dozen buildings had extensive water damage after the rain that fell Monday afternoon and evening flooded the area as much as 10 feet deep, Mayor Rudolph McCollum said Tuesday. In places, rushing water floated cars and trucks and smashed them into buildings.

Almost 80 roads eneded up being closed, and close to 100,000 people were without electric as a result of the storm.

Eventually, they were able to get off the interstate (which had been closed down) and thanks to the fact that they were driving an SUV, were able to avoid flooding the engine and driving over washed out sections of road and head west until they could stay at a hotel. Other cars around them weren’t able to get out.

I guess SUV’s don’t necessarily suck then, do they. Or am I simply being a cold hearted, selfish, American human. And people wonder why I hate Gulfstream liberal environmentalists.

God damn hypocrites. May they all rot in hell.

R.I.P.

Here’s the A.P. story:

CONCORD, N.C. — A custom motorcycle builder known for his appearances on cable’s Discovery Channel died Monday at a hospital of head injuries suffered during a stunt, officials said.

“Indian Larry” fell off a motorcycle Saturday while performing before 8,000 people at an arena outside Charlotte. He was not wearing a helmet, the officials said.

Indian Larry was standing on the moving bike when it began to wobble and went out of control, said Mike Downs, Cabarrus County deputy manager. His full name was not immediately known.

“Indian Larry was a man with great skill and talent as a mechanic and metal sculptor,” said Robert Freeman, chairman of the county board of commissioners. “He will be truly missed by his fans here in Cabarrus County and throughout the nation.”

Indian Larry, who appeared in movies and television shows, was featured on a Discovery Channel series in which motorcycle builders design and build bikes from scratch, then have them judged by motorcycle aficionados.

If your going to ride a motorcycle, please wear a helmet.

Wow!

McCain Rocks!

Those who criticize that decision would have us believe that the choice was between a status quo that was well enough left alone and war. But there was no status quo to be left alone.

The years of keeping Saddam in a box were coming to a close. The international consensus that he be kept isolated and unarmed had eroded to the point that many critics of military action had decided the time had come again to do business with Saddam, despite his near daily attacks on our pilots, and his refusal, until his last day in power, to allow the unrestricted inspection of his arsenal.

Our choice wasn’t between a benign status quo and the bloodshed of war.

It was between war and a graver threat. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Not our critics abroad. Not our political opponents.

And certainly not a disingenuous film maker who would have us believe that Saddam’s Iraq was an oasis of peace when in fact it was a place of indescribable cruelty, torture chambers, mass graves and prisons that destroyed the lives of the small children held inside their walls.

Whats good for the goose is good for the Gander, or so they say. My only reaction to this news is WOW!

U.S. Rep. Edward L. Schrock abruptly announced Monday that he will not seek a third term in Congress, citing unspecified allegations “that have called into question my ability” to serve.

In a five-paragraph news release issued by his office, Schrock said he has “come to the realization that these allegations will not allow my campaign to focus on the real issues facing our nation.”

He continued: “Therefore, as of today, I am stepping aside and will no longer be the Republican nominee for Congress.”

What were those unspecified allegations?

Well I had read about them a couple of days ago here but simply dismissed them as mere internet rumor mongering.

Congressman Ed Schrock has made a habit of rendezvousing with gay men via the MegaMates/ MegaPhone Line, an interactive telephone service on which men place ads and respond to those ads to meet each other. What makes this story more amazing? Congressman Schrock not only voted for the homophobic Marriage Protection Act, but he also signed on as a CO-SPONSOR of the Federal Marriage Amendment!

Ed Schrock has a voting record that the most right wing conservative would be proud of. The Christian Coalition gave him a 92% rating in their 2003 voting guide.

Now, I am no big fan of “outing” people. What they do in their bedroom is their own business. However, this IS pretty shocking, but sadly also stereotypical. Now, of course, Schrock could be Gay and also opposed to gay marriage as bad public policy (which I tend to believe) but he ought to have known his political enemies would uncover this scandal. . . especially on the heals of McGreevy. At least he has the good sense to resign before election day, and contrary to what Kos is reporting, I highly doubt that the Ds will ever be able to pick up this seat.

They’ve posted audio of his telephone calls here. This is not really work friendly or for the faint of heart.

Cam Edwards has picked up my post on the electoral college editorial in the Times and has dedicated a good portion of his show to it as well as making it the poll of the day.

Well, I’m back. I was hoping to have some pics and other info up already, but alas, i don’t. I went kayaking yesterday (Roosevelt Island to the Chain Bridge Falls) and got a bad sunburn instead.

Anyway, while on vacation I had the pleasure of seeing AC/DC’s shot on Behind the Music. Very good program and Malcom Young statement concerning the death of Bonn Scott (They were more concerned with protecting his parents from the media than their own future because “Their just nice people”) was more down to earth than the usual drivel VH1 spews out on its program.

Since I am back, and the web page continues to be black, and all the dead skin on my shoulders (which is red right now) will eventually be black, I thought AC/DC would be a fitting tune. Plus. they are one of my alltime favs.

Back in Black

(Young - Young - Johnson)

Back in black, I hit the sack

I been too long, I’m glad to be back

Yes I’m, let loose from the noose

That’s kept me hanging about

I keep looking at the sky cause it’s gettin’ me high

Forget the hearse cause I’ll never die

I got nine lives cat’s eyes

Using every one of them and runnin’ wild

‘Cause I’m back

Yes I’m back, well I’m back

Yes I’m back

Well I’m back back

Well I’m back in black

Yes I’m back in black

Back in the back of a Cadillac

Number one with a bullet I’m a power pack

Yes I’m, In a bang with the gang

They gotta catch me if they want me to hang

‘Cause I’m back on the track and I’m beatin’ the flack

Nobody’s gonna get me on another rap

So look at me now I’m just makin’ my play

Don’t try to push your luck just get out of my way

‘Cause I’m back

Yes I’m back, well I’m back

Yes I’m back

Well I’m back back

Well I’m back in black

Yes I’m back in black

Well I’m back, yes I’m back

Well I’m back, yes I’m back

Well I’m back back

Well I’m back in black

Yes I’m back in black

Well I’m back (I’m back)

Back (I’m back), back (I’m back)

Back (I’m back), back (I’m back)

Back, back in black

Yes I’m back in black

Outta sight

I posted this way way way way back in January after the South Carolina debate.

If someone knows how I can get an audio track of the debate, I have a great anti Kerry flash commercial I’d love to make.

Here’s what I said then.

Read this exchange.

Its from the South Carolina Debate.

Is this really the guy the Democrats are going to nominate?

What does he call the airplanes flying into the WTC and Pentagon. Even Howard Dean isn’t this clueless. Joe Lieberman should take this and RUN RUN RUN. God Help The Democratic Party.

BROKAW: We’re back on stage at the Peace Center for Performing Arts in Greenville, South Carolina, with the seven presidential candidates contesting for the Democratic presidential nomination. South Carolina’s primary is next Tuesday.

Senator Kerry, let me ask you a question. Robert Kagan, who writes about these issues a great deal from the Carnegie Institute for Peace, has written recently that Europeans believe that the Bush administration has exaggerated the threat of terrorism, and the Bush administration believes that the Europeans simply don’t get it.

Who is right?

KERRY: I think it’s somewhere in between. I think that there has been an exaggeration and there has been a refocusing…

BROKAW: Where has the exaggeration been in the threat on terrorism?

KERRY: Well, 45 minutes deployment of weapons of mass destruction, number one.

Aerial vehicles to be able to deliver materials of mass destruction, number two.

I mean, I — nuclear weapons, number three.

I could run a long list of clear misleading, clear exaggeration. The linkage to Al Qaida, number four.

That said, they are really misleading all of America, Tom, in a profound way. The war on terror is less — it is occasionally military, and it will be, and it will continue to be for a long time. And we will need the best-trained and the most well-equipped and the most capable military, such as we have today.

But it’s primarily an intelligence and law enforcement operation that requires cooperation around the world — the very thing this administration is worst at. And most importantly, the war on terror is also an engagement in the Middle East economically, socially, culturally, in a way that we haven’t embraced, because otherwise we’re inviting a clash of civilizations.

Of course, this just reminds me again why I feel so strongly about my prediction here.

If you’ve got that audio, send it over. Thanks.

Seems Kerry On Iraq has surpassed the opening day numbers for Michael Moore’s slanderous flick.

Check it out.

One of the nifty new features blogger has introduced (in addition to the gmail accounts) is the Blogger Browser. If you look at the top right hand corner of my page, you will notice where it has a little static bar and button for the NEXT BLOG. If you hit it, it takes you to a random blogger page that was updated that day.

Well, I just hit it and came to James Powers art gallery. Since my wife is an artist (but unwilling to share her work online, so far) and her art was the source of our introduction (and, together with Lynyrd Skynyrd, one of the reasons I became intrigued by her) I always try to promote other artists.

So, in that spirit, check out Jame’s work. Purchase some if your so inclined as well.

You could also do worse than to check out Sarah Hemphel’s site too! But she’s on the blog roll, so you should have been to her bog at least, already.

If you look to the left, you will notice that there are only 14 days, a mere two weeks, until the expiration of the so called assault weapons ban.

Check out AWBsunset.com. and the NRA’s Clinton Gun Ban page for more information on how this giant waste of time and resources ever became law and why its expiration is a good thing.