Sadly, No!

Look everybody, it’s 43 and 43!

Imagine that! (Link via Katieweb.)

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Andrew Sullivan is back, and the blogosphere’s favorite bipolar disorder victim can’t control himself:

Meanwhile, the Family Research Council distributes fortune cookies at MSG with the message: “Real Men Marry Women.” I guess Jesus and the Pope aren’t real men.

Did Sully just compare himself to the Pope and Jesus? Jesus Christ. Trouvez l’intrus, as French people might say:

A. Jesus
B. The Pope
C. Andrew Sullivan

Andrew followed up with this:

Yes, the few times I have attended these shindigs, I’ve noticed that the Republicans are usually much sexier than the Democrats – especially the men. The people running the show are hipper as well. Odd, I know, given the religious right dominance. But striking nonetheless.

Striking? Ever taken a look at the pictures of an NRO cruise? It’s hip to be square we guess. We bet that Yosef fellow is way hot though.

PS: For SullyWatch — professional liars.

Although we don’t happen to know what that is. Still, over at the Dark Window the inimitable Yosef left this comment:

Damn, Pete. You brought me out of hiding with this post.

“…my county is considered a “swing” district, President Bush won here in 2000.”

I didn’t know they considered counties swing districts for Presidential elections. You would think both Bush and Kerry would be campaigning more at the local grocery store to win that coveted county’s electoral votes.
Yosef | 09.01.04 – 11:05 am |

More on the non hottest conservative writer that prompted the comment here.

Attorney General John Ashcroft, June 3, 2003:

Today?s convictions sends a clear message: The Department of Justice will work diligently to detect, disrupt and dismantle the activities of terrorist cells in the United States and abroad. We will commit every resource to preventing terrorist attacks, and sending those who aid our enemies to jail. Today’s verdict reaffirms our commitment to pursuing aggressively the evidence wherever it may lead.

I congratulate the prosecutors and agents who worked tirelessly on this case. […]

Every victory in the courtroom brings us closer to our ultimate goal of victory in the war on terrorism. The Department of Justice will continue its aggressive battle in the courts to ensure the safety and security of all Americans.

In related news, today:

The Justice Department asked a judge Tuesday to throw out the convictions of a suspected terror cell in Detroit because of prosecutorial misconduct […]

In a late-night filing, the department told U.S. District Judge Gerald Rosen that it supports the Detroit defendants’ request for a new trial and would no longer pursue terrorism charges against them. That means the defendants at most would only face fraud charges at a new trial. […]

The Justice Department is “concurring in the defendants’ motions for a new trial” and asks the court to dismiss the first count of the original indictment charging the defendants with material support of terrorism, according to a summary of the government’s filing that was obtained by The Associated Press through the court’s electronic access system. [Emphasis added.]

So, are we supposed to be feeling more or less safe now?

Not too long ago, we wrote some unflattering things about one Sheri Valera, whose claim to fame is that she’s never been kissed. You can imagine our disappointment when, in spite of our best efforts, somebody else got credit for mocking Sheri:

This engendered some snide Internet commentary, including on the July 29 edition of the blog Whizbang, where a poster with the potentially subversive handle of “Allah” opines, “Hot though she may be, do we really want a chick who refuses to kiss to be the voice of young conservative America at the convention?”

Then again, perhaps “the Lance Armstrong of professional virgins,” which is what we called her, isn’t quite New York Metro material. Yet we (with help from Pete M.) had managed to discover Sheri 6 day earlier. So what did we get for our trouble? Well, a one-way express ticket to hell, if recent comments left on our Sheri Valera post are any indication:

Shame on all of you, I know and I love Sheri, she’s a good Godly girl. Because she is standing up for some thing she believes in, your making a fool out of her. Remember Christ, remember that He, God, will judge you someday… –Jordan

or this:

Sheri is an awesome Godly young girl and she has accomplished more with her life than you will ever think to accomplish. Jordan is right… You will be judged by God for your comments and you will get no sympathy from me. –Josh

Jordan, is that you? Have you tried giving Sheri the tongue yet?

This:

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Former Hollinger International Chief Executive Conrad Black and other former executives looted the company of more than $400 million, using the company as a “piggy bank” to pay for private jets and club memberships, according to a report filed on Tuesday.

In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, a special committee of Hollinger’s board described a “corporate kleptocracy” at the top of the company that publishes the Chicago Sun-Times. […]

The special committee also said that director Richard Perle, a former Pentagon adviser who was a member of the board’s executive committee, had “repeatedly” signed off on transactions that were beneath the radar of the audit committee.

The panel said Perle, who remains on the board, should be required to repay the more than $3 million in bonuses he has received from the company. [Emphasis added]

Richard Perle, doing something shady and dishonest? Will wonders ever cease?

Thanks to uggabugga, we find out about George “The W stands for Walrus” Bush’s Most Excellent Record of Achievement:

The Accomplishments

Opening Markets for American Goods

Exports have reached record levels during the Bush Presidency. [Emphasis in original.]

Not only is this listed as an achievement — it’s ranked over there at the very top (le num?ro un, as we might say back home.) Is it true? What’s the answer we’re looking for. What is it? It’s right there on the tip of our tongue… Ah yes:

Sadly, No!

Surely we jest you say! Surely there’s no way that the number one achievement listed by the administration on its web page about said achievements could be little more than meaningless bullshit?

To which we can only say: way.

In 2000, US exports (in millions of dollars) totaled 1,070,980. In 2001, 1,006,653. In 2002, 975,940. In 2003, 1,020,503. (U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division, PDF file.)

For the first 6 months of 2004, exports reached 561,105, compared to 525,092 for the first 6 months of 2000. Which seems like things got better, except that adjusted for inflation this is a small decrease in the value of exports, not an increase (see NASA’s GDP Deflator Inflation Calculator.)

From 1960 to 2003, the value of US exports declined (in non-inflation adjusted dollar terms) in only 7 years. From 1981 to 1985, in 1998, and in 2001 and 2002 (although 2003 exports were still lower than 2002’s.) From 1992 to 2000 exports increased by 73%.

If (if!) exports maintain their current level for the rest of the year, Bush will have been witness to an increase of 4.9% in the non-inflation adjusted value of exports.

That’s his number 1 accomplishment on trade according to his web site.

And people call us Bush haters for wanting him out of office.

PS: From 1960 to 2000, the 4-year increases (in %) in the value of US exports: 28.5%, 39.5%, 47.6%, 112.3%, 7.1% (Reagan I,) 48.1%, 43.1%, 38.1%, and 25.8%. As should be obvious, no President has seen exports diminish over a 4-year period during that time. Bush managed to sit by and see them go up by the smallest margin in the last 43 years.

(With help from Blair.)

Fortunately, other bloggers answer that question for us:

Just when you thought Bob Novak had reached the maximum on the jackass scale:

Among the stoutest defenders of “Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry,” the best-selling book arguing that Mr. Kerry lied about his record of service in Vietnam, is the columnist Robert Novak.

In his syndicated columns and on the CNN program “Crossfire,” Mr. Novak has lauded the book and referred to veterans who criticize Mr. Kerry – most notably John E. O’Neill, the book’s co-author – as “real patriots.”

Unmentioned in Mr. Novak’s columns and television appearances, however, is a personal connection he has to the book: his son, Alex Novak, is the director of marketing for its publisher, the conservative publishing house Regnery.

In a telephone interview, Robert Novak said he saw no need to disclose the link.

“I don’t think it’s relevant,” he said. [Emphasis added.]

Thanks to Blair for the link.