U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts spoke at the University of Alabama’s School of Law Tuesday. While fielding questions after his talk, Roberts had the opportunity to discuss the ambush that occurred at the State of the Union address. If you’ve forgotten, President Obama directly attacked the court for a decision regarding campaign financing.
“The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court — according the requirements of protocol — has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling.”
I didn’t realize that the justices are required to remain seated and without emotion. I just thought they were being courtly.
“I’m not sure why we’re there,” said Roberts
I have to agree with the Chief Justice. I didn’t think much of the mugging when it happened and now that I know the justices were prohibited from any kind of response I find it very un-presidential.
Aimless apologies are just one of the incidental symptoms of an increasing loss of a sense of personal responsibility — without which a whole society is in jeopardy.
GM CEO Ed Whitacre will receive a compensation package worth some $9 million this year. Whitacre was originally appointed by the Obama administration (is that even legal?) on a temporary basis after the $60 billion bailout. Your tax dollars hard at work, change we can believe in, etc. etc.
Yesterday Joseph Stack set his house on fire, drove to the airport, departed in his Piper Cherokee and flew it into the side of an office building that housed the local IRS staff in Austin, TX. Initial reports erroneously stated that he stole the plane because it was registered in CA to a company that later was identified as his. The ignorant reporter I was listening to was interviewing an “aviation expert” and trying to pin the kamikaze attack on easy access to general aviation aircraft. The interviewee saw where the reporter was headed with her line of questioning and headed her off by telling her that putting private aircraft under some sort of government lock-down was not the answer. He added that the 1995 attack on the federal building in Oklahoma City using a truck loaded with explosives was far more devastating. Old Joe left plenty of warning signs, including a web site where he ranted at length against the IRS, in the months and weeks leading up to yesterday when he apparently snapped. Somebody missed an opportunity for an intervention. Thankfully the attack resulted in only two deaths – it could have been far worse.
Canada finally scores a gold medal at home with the top run in the men’s moguls competition. I love winter sports, skiing and boarding in particular, but moguls were always something to be avoided even in my younger days when speed was life. Watching Alexandre Bilodeau hit the bumps on the very edge of control made my legs burn – I think I have a stress fracture in my left ankle just from watching! Skiing a mountain that requires a mouth guard for your teeth tells me I need to find a different line down the hill. These kids are insane. Catch an edge and you’ll slam into a wall of ice and snow or bounce off a couple of bumps before planting into one. Either way it’s going to hurt.
Well done Alex – and a hearty congratulations to the host country of the 2010 winter games. Just be sure to send Al Gore home once you’re done – we need to straighten out this global warming climate change thing. Trucking snow to the mountains of Canada and watching it rain while it snows (twice!) in Alabama is just wrong.
The snow that fell across the south yesterday was an appropriate prelude to last night’s opening ceremonies in Vancouver. Every couple of years we get to ignore the bad in our world and celebrate the fellowship of competition. Despite the terrible tragedy on the luge track yesterday where a Georgian athlete died on a training run that went horribly wrong, last night’s ceremonies were inspiring. Some of the video used as a lead-in to the official ceremony was equally impressive. A tip of the hat to my northern cousins – my maternal grandparents emigrated just far enough (Maine) to become naturalized US citizens. I’ve always been proud of my ties to Canada and last night was certainly no exception.
A couple of days ago I set about stretching the canvas on the Old Town. I knew I didn’t have the room required to cover the 18′ boat in the garage so I moved everything out in the driveway. Typically the upside down method involves a fixed anchor on one end and a come-along on the other. Well, I couldn’t resist the temptation to put the Jeeps to work, each equipped with a Warn M-8000. Overkill to be sure and anything more than bumping the control switches could have resulted in disaster but it worked out fine. Click to enlarge.
Moose: Why does the old guy get to go? Last day of the season and you’re taking him to the woodie hole!
Boss: He has the nose and he’ll sit still. Plus it’s a nice sunny day, warm enough for his old bones. You’re still my all-weather, ice busting, goose tackling go-t0 guy but you need to be a good sport and let the old guy get a few.
Moose: You mean like that “honor” crap you tried on me where I have to honor the working dog? I am the working dog!
Boss: So you were actually paying attention? No matter, he’s going and you’re staying.
Moose: But look at all that white! He’ll flare the ducks!
