Monday, February 14. 2005
The remarkable Belmont Club fills me with humility because of his/her/their intelligence, breadth of knowledge, and breadth of information. But their commentators are equally good. I hope people read them along with Belmont's commentary. Please note the following harvested (stolen?) from Belmont's readers recently: "Both the Left and Salafist Jihadism are thouroughly modern rejections of modernism. Both are eschatological creeds, promising heaven on Earth and the abolition of injustice. Both see the US as main impediment to their dreams. Both are so fully convinced of the correctness of their creed, of the better future for humanity that they offer, that the ends justify the means. So it is no surprise that the Left would jump into bed with the Jihadis, and that Stewart, the promotor of civil rights, would make common cause with the choppers of heads and stoners of gays."
# posted by Ray : 4:11 PM
Sunday, February 13. 2005
On Monday morning, don't forget to pick up the thing at the thing, and to put them in the place with the thingy.
Note from Gwynnie: Gwynnie noted that a pack of dogged blogs sank their canines into Eason and hounded him out of the CNN kennel yesterday. Good dogs. At least he had the dignity not to try the Mary Mapes/Dan Rather defense (there's no proof, in fact not a shred of evidence, but I want to believe in my heart it's true so I'll report it as news).
Yet another - wow - we sure are lucky to have such an active readership: Hey Bozo: This blog makes no sense. It is incoherent. Who is the dog? Who is the owner? Is Bird Dog a dog or a person? Who are these other things or animals or people posting? And I can't tell what is serious and what isn't. Is it supposed to be funny? It isn't. What the heck is it about, anyway? I think you are a big jerk. (wishes to be anonymous) Dear Loyal Reader, Thanks for caring and sharing. Sincerely, Bird Dog
"If I had six hours to cut down a tree, I would spend four hours sharpening the axe." A. Lincoln
Saturday, February 12. 2005
Dear File: In the possible event of any PETA lawsuits, remember that working dogs, like all dogs other than goofy ankle-biters, must go outdoors sometimes, if only to poop or pee-pee, regardless of weather and other conditions. Bad weather is not the fault of the owners, unless they are Republicans, in which case it probably is their fault. We will not move to Florida, nor can we wait for Global Warming to save our dog's dainty feet from crusty snow up here in Yankeeland.
Oh no ! More complaints. Trust us, we don't publish all of the highly complimentary material - there just isn't room. From Sukie S: Are you aware that "Department of Complaints Department" is an offensive, annoying, and irritating redundancy? Dear Sukie S: No, we did not realize that. It was originally Department of Complaints Department Department, but we concluded that made us sound like a larger and more important organization than we truly are. Made us sound like a non-profit, or like a for-profit like IBM or the UN. BTW, do you teach high school English, or are you just an ordinary obnoxious pest? Sincerely, Bird Dog
I was PERFECT ! Just to prove that I can be - if I feel like it. (Ya gotta understand, we dogs never outgrow adolescence.) The Gods were pretty good - not totally alert, but not bad, for Gods. Swing the gun, Gods - swing the darn gun and just let it roll ! I don't run around all day in the snow, covered with prickers and with bleeding feet, for my health.
Yahoo. Hunting today. Can't wait. If the Gods miss birds, they will be in deep trouble with me. Oh, boy ! What fun !
A Milk-Bone or two to Gwynnie:
Gee whiz - two days in a row from the LYF. A tad agitated, LYF? The LYF has already fed the chickens and milked the cows, while you lugs were still putting on the snore or bothering the old wife, but he found a moment between bites of his poached (get it?) vension sausage and apple pie breakfast to email a trenchant comment (edited for family reading): "Well, those -------- ing ------ ------s like that -------ing Mr. Eason Jordan, and that -----ing Mr. Dan Rather, and the rest of that ------ing ------ MSM. There's only one use for the -----ing -- Times, and my puppies know what it is. Ayuh. Now goin to fiddle with the ----ing dihydrogenator on that old Ford agin. Ayuh."
The power of the news and commentary blogs is demonstrated once again with the resignation last night of CNN News chief Eason Jordan. Michaelle Malkin reviews the sequence of events here: Click here: Michelle Malkin: EASONGATE: A RETROSPECTIVE But the real story isn't the blog angle. The real story is the old story about the arrogance, condescension, dishonest impulses, and left-wing bias of the MSM - the Mainstream Media - who have monopolized Big Media during our lifetime. With their infotainment approach, their silly star system, their money, and their power, they painted a consistent picture of reality for us, the passive and dumb TV-watching great-unwashed who cannot be trusted to think for ourselves. A similar complaint applies to the DTM - the Dead Tree Media: The NY Times, the LA Times, the Boston Globe, the news services, etc. Well, this is just old-hat polemical stuff The Bird Dog is venting here, but the BD hates to have partial or false realities presented to him.Two recent examples: the MSM essentially ignored and buried the Jordan story, but tried their damndest to make a story last week about General Mattis - a straight-talking soldier. What is guiding news "selection" is as obvious as the invented non-story about missing explosives two days before the election. What is now happening is that the MSM have finally met some real competition from some real smart folks - amateur journalists like Captain Ed, Powerline, the great Instapundid, Michelle Malkin, etc. - all impossible before the net. Power to the Dogs !
Friday, February 11. 2005
With our rapidly swelling readership, we are accumulating some complaints. First, from "wishes to be anonymous": 1. "Are you aware you have tons of extreme right-wing links?" Dear Anonymous Reader: We are unaware of any "right-wing" links. We have a variety of politically centrist, moderate links about which only a crank could complain, along with a large number of useful and important non-political links. If you think these are right-wing, you ain't seen right-wing. We firmly reject all extremism except in the defense of freedom, or in the protection of our little bowl of kibbles. Second, from journalist JR: 2. "You need to find your "voice." Your blog is too random". Dear JR: No kidding. But with contributors including miscellaneous breeds of dogs, farmers, physicians, etymologists, entomologists, insurance salesmen, college kids, bird-watchers, hunters, idle rich, equity traders, serfs, clergy, southern rebels, Democrats, small children and juvenile adults, moguls, movie stars, Box Turtles, etc. etc., it is tough to find a single "voice." Don't hold your breath. Anyway, a petty consistency is the hobgoblin of small blogs, so please don't throw out the dishes with the baby-water.
Gwynnie, a pal of the Bird Dog, (a Corgi, not a Yorkie - we mis-spoke just like Jordan and Rather and...) well, anyway, she was just out looking for new links, and came home with this random piece from UKistan: http://www.melaniephillips.com/articles/archives/001046.html
Where is Gwynnie? A cute Yorkie who speaks only Celtic. Or Celtish. Or Elvish? She promised a weekly column, or at least a comment. She can't hunt but can offer love - promiscuously. Please return to the Farm, Gwynnie - it's right up Highway 61, just past the bleachers. Or at least send an email letting us know you're OK.
Dull day. Lying on my back in the sun here in Yankeeland, fully relaxed, with my hmm in the breeze, with nothing to do, except to think about tomorrow, when God says he'll take me hunting with a couple of his friends. Will I retrieve, or will I run away with the birds? Haven't decided yet...
George Balanchine, who ought to know, famously observed that a distinction between art and entertainment isn't worth making. The Bird Dog observes that the distinction between news and entertainment isn't worth making either. For example, The Dog gets his daily morning news from Iowahawk and Scrappleface. The Hawk gives new meaning to the words "arch" and "droll." Scrappleface, a very fine reporter, isn't always 100% accurate, but in time he usually will be.
Once is a mistake.
Twice is a bad habit.
Three times is a way of life. Anon.
About Walker Percy (a favorite of mine), religious insanity, and love:
Thursday, February 10. 2005
No, not about Giambi. It's about the amusing media antics surrounding the white-skin Ward (not your father's Churchill) Churchill, and media giant Eason Jordan, or Jordan Eason, or whatever. Whence all of this testosterone, all of a sudden? The election? Well, debate is a good thing, and plenty of fun and diversion. But we could end up with a conservative PC competing with an equally silly lefty PC. That could grow stale fast. Anyway, it's far better than in Euroland (now known as Euristan) where there's no debate at all.
A good Lenten piece (a Milk-Bone to Howard):
Wednesday, February 9. 2005
This is the official Commissioning of Maggie's Farm.
Breathlessly awaited by doubtless tens of millions of readers worldwide, Maggie's Farm will address many compelling topics, but promises to never attempt to unpack, interpret, deconstruct, or otherwise do harm to any Dylan song. All we promise is that Bird Dog and his Littermates will, while attempting to master the elusive English language, also attempt to master the intricacies of Blog Tech 101. While the admitted purpose of this blog is to provide a handy source for good links, the secret purpose is purely narcisssitic - to get into print regardless of the value of what is said. Also of course to make the world a better place to live - natch. Thanks to mad genius C.S. for setting this thing up.
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