After three years of Hi-Speed internet access both at home and at work, let me tell you that dialing into the internet at 56k is just bloody awful. I am dog-sitting at my folks, and there is no Hi-Speed access here. Only two more weeks…
John Cole started Balloon Juice early in 2002. Those who have followed along know that this has been quite the journey.
The Misery Continues
And the California ‘compromise’ budget fails:
A compromise budget intended to cover the state government’s record deficit and break a bitter political stalemate fell nine votes short early Tuesday on the Assembly floor.
The failure to pass the nearly $100 billion budget is at least a temporary setback for party leaders in both houses who had backed the budget plan that used a combination of spending cuts, borrowing and a variety of higher fees.
Nattering Nabobs
So, the Pentagon thinks outside the box for a change, and attempts to install a futures market to help with the prediction of terrorist activity. How do Democrats react:
Two Democratic senators slammed the move.
“The idea of a federal betting parlour on atrocities and terrorism is ridiculous and it’s grotesque,” said Senator Ron Wyden D-Ore.
Democratic Senator Byron Dorgan described the market as “unbelievably stupid”.
“Can you imagine if another country set up a betting parlour so that people could go in … and bet on the assassination of an American political figure or the overthrow of this institution or that institution?” he said.
The Dems got their way:
The Pentagon has abandoned plans to set up a ‘terror stock market’ in which investors could bag cash by successfully predicting terrorist attacks.
US defence chiefs had hoped the market would have been a valuable tool in second guessing when terror strikes would occur.
Instapundit has a whole host of links about the futures market- I am waiting for the left flank of the blogosphere to beat up on the Democrats for blocking this. Again, I will be waiting for a while.
*** Update ***
Yglesias is skeptical, but thinks the Pentagon deserves credit for thinking outside the box. They got beat up for it Matt, not praised- I await your condemnation of Dorgan and Wyden.
*** Update #2 ***
I am not defending this idea because I think it will be the end-all, be-all for fighting terrorism. I am not sure the damned thing will even work. What I am angry about is that no idea for fighting terrorism should be simply laughed away or dismissed for partisan political gain. That is what ires me- this might have had some utility, certainly would have been inexpensive- and it got nuked without even a chance.
Friends- Everybody Needs One
This should be entertaining (if Drudge is right):
Bill and Hillary Clinton will inject themselves in to the historic California recall battle, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned, as Democrats vow to fight to the finish to retain the state’s governorship!
The former president and his senator wife will trek to the golden state for campaign appearances with Gray Davis, top sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT.
The Clintons and Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe plan to reinforce a theme of Republicans undoing and undermining election results, “like they did in Florida,” a well-placed source said from Washington.
The permanent campaign continues… What is Gary Condit doing?
Graham Cracker
Bob Graham wants us to believe that Bush has lied, and he wants us to believe that he should be impeached. Check out his remarks yesterday:
Sen. Bob Graham defended his assertion that President Bush’s actions in making the case for the war in Iraq reach the standard of an impeachable offense set by Republicans against former President Clinton.
“Clearly, if the standard is now what the House of Representatives did in the impeachment of Bill Clinton, the actions of this president [are] much more serious in terms of dereliction of duty,” the Florida Democrat and presidential hopeful said on “Fox News Sunday.”
Sounds fair, reight? Except this is just bartisan BS coming from the Florida politico. When Graham states “if the standard is now what the House of Representatives did in the impeachment of Bill Clinton” he fails to mention that he was in the Senate at the time, and that he voted NO to all of the charges against Clinton.
In other words, Graham didn’t think that was the standard for impeachment then- and he probably doesn’t think it is the standard now, but he is running for president and needs to sling mud at Bush.
If you don’t think this is not just part of a series of DNC coordinated attacks and talkng points, you are nuts.
Fantastic Five
American AND Texan. Heh.
Tour de Frog
It looks like Lance Armstrong is going to win his 5th Tour de France, but this is the most amazing part of the race this year:
When the ceremonial 20th stage ends on Sunday, Alexandre Vinokourov, a Kazakh with Telekom, will be third, 4:29 behind. Fourth will be Tyler Hamilton, the American leader of CSC, who has been riding for three weeks with a double fracture of his right collarbone.
Hamilton finished second today, nine seconds behind Millar on the course from Pornic on the Atlantic inland to Nantes, one of the six stops in the first Tour in 1903. His performance vaulted Hamilton from sixth place to fourth over all.
With a BROKEN COLLARBONE.