Gov. Palin's (VP Palin's?) letter to Senator Reid

Are you listening Senator McCain? The letter is here.

Austin is Men's Health Magazine's 7th Drunkest City

I'm shocked, shocked to learn that Austin is the 7th drunkest city in America.

Re: Are you guys dead? On vacation?

I think those excess donations get to be used for future campaigns.

I'm bored with the Obama issues. It's too hot and I care much less about campaign finance than the substantive issues. I'll get my oomph back after the conventions.

But I will say that this weekend Johnnie Mac made inroads on energy with his Continental Shelf flip-flop. What is that quote attributed to Keynes?

"When the facts change, so do my opinions; don't yours?" Paraphrased but close. Good thing for Sen. McCain that he flipped so early. Good thing, too, that he's not flipping on his other issues that so rile the elephant base. He picked the one issue on which to flip that won't hurt him as the "maverick."

I'm still not so cynical as you about politicians but agree that any Presidential candidate has to have a huge ego and hunger for power to put themselves and families through the media spotlight. I'd say that the only Presidents who truly fit your model in the last fifty years were Presidents Nixon and Clinton.

Imperial Grunts by Robert Kaplan

Imperial Grunts by Robert Kaplan

In the first in a series that I started last year with Hog Pilots and Blue Water Grunts, Kaplan takes us to Colombia, The Philippines, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Yemen, Kenya (I think it was Kenya…definitely an east African country), and most heartbreakingly to Al-Fallujah (the first time, when we backed out on the very cusp of victory) to illustrate how the US is every bit the empire that was Rome and Great Britain.

A fascinating look at how the Special Forces and Marine Corps operate around the world in very quiet and not so quiet ways. While I preferred HPBWG to Imperial Grunts, the Mongolia , Afghanistan and Iraq chapters were wonderful. I hope that Kaplan will supplement the Al-Fallujah chapter sometime since its retaking.

Btw, I think M&T but at least T has been in NM and CO.

I don't recall the number....

but it's probably better that I don't. Want to wish T a Happy Birthday. Brings back many memories from my Houston days (and nights).