Part-Time Pundit

The Truth about the Filibuster

PoliBlogger is a Political Science professor that goes through each of the objections of getting rid of the filibuster and eviscerates them. Checks and balances means between the branches, not within them. The filibuster appears to have come in 1806, not at the founding, and the Democrats are impeding debate, not encouraging it by refusing to actually let the votes get on the calendar, not filibustering the actual floor vote.

I still think the GOP should make them actually do a filibuster, but this information helps get to the truth of so much garbage being spewed by the left on this issue.

April 27th, 2005 Posted by John Bambenek | National | one comment

CPAs Gone Wild: State Auditor audits CMS… Hillarity Ensues

I haven’t gotten anything out on this because I’ve been either working on COTV or my paper, but this is absolutely hillarious…

The State Auditor issued his audit of CMS (the central purchasing and contracting agency for the state of Illinois) and ranked the agency at “slightly above sinister”. Massive corruption, fraud, missing paperwork, conflict of interest, money grabbing, and other tomfoolery was found, pointing straight up to Rod.

Capitol Fax (articles all over the place), Peoria Pundit, ArchPundit, ILPundit and others are all over it.

The hillarity includes CMS trying to audit the auditor, trying to impugn the integrity of the auditors office and accuse them of being partisan (note: the auditor is a Democrat, the same party as the Governor. The auditor is about the only Illinois politician that has an integrity and is KNOWN for it, and CMS went after him anyway), making claims that aren’t true because the people involved weren’t there.

For best quote in an audit (Runman is the Director of CMS):

We’re puzzled as to how Director Rumman could have had a discussion with the auditors at the entrance conference about unsubstantiated media allegations when, in fact, Director Rumman did not attend the entrance conference. Furthermore, no auditor in attendance could have been “slightly embarrassed” by a point that was not made by a person who was not there.

April 27th, 2005 Posted by John Bambenek | Illinois | no comments

Carnival of the Vanities #136 - Blogger Refugee Edition

Welcome to the #136 Edition of the Carnival of the Vanities. This weeks edition is brought to you by your local coffeehouse, because nothing says misanthropy better than a local coffee house (particularly if it only brews fair-trade coffee). Next week will be hosted at Fresh Politics. If you’d like to join the COTV mailing list, send an e-mail to cotvanities-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

To being the show, we’ll start with a piece of trivia from Radio Yerevan because while I should be working on fixing the medical malpractice system in 18 to 20 pages, I’d rather delve into obscure jokes from Armenian radio.

* Q: Why is the symbol of the Republicans in the US an elephant, but that of the Democrats an ass?
* A: Because no ass can symbolize two political parties at the same time.

Blogging and fisking The MSM

The Conservative Edge takes great exception to the Executive Editor of the WashPost claiming newspapers own the news.

The World According to Nick writes in as long as the conclusion is good about the tendency of news agencies, government agencies, and others to report the conclusion without actually providing any proof or sources.

Blog Business World writes about how Not for Profits can profit from blogs

Galen’s Log writes in on the downside of the obesity blitz that turned out not to be so bad. Moral of the story is better rethink that gastric bypass surgery.

TFS Magnum brings us more in the biased partisan media objective journlists treatment of Sandra Froman while being honored as ABC News Person of the weak. Only the MSM will get in digs on the NRA while honoring her for being elected as president.

CorruptionPolitics

From the Loonatic Left comments on Activist Judges acting less like judges and more like independent legislatures.

Chad Hamilton at PlaidBerry has declared emancipation from the echo chamber to encourage others to step out of their comfort zone to listen and engage other ideologies. A sincere good luck to you.

The Moderate Voice writes in that the Republicans may have the votes to nuke the filibuster

Wicked Thoughts brings us how a father converts his daughter from liberalism to libertarianism

Dissecting Leftism brings us a Roundup on the Left of the past being Righter than it is today as well as other leftist tomfoolery.

Technogypsy brings us the latest on stupid gun laws in Texas.

One of the few things that can bring people together regardless of political affiliation is mutual contempt for the TSA. The Idiom gives us another reason, profiling penguins.

You Big Mouth, You shows us that 2.7 million jobs has been gained since Bush has been President

War and Wishes of a Happy Abu Ghraib Day

Rightwing Nuthouse hails the recent report clearing top brass of criminal responsibility for Abu Ghraib.

The Tomo Report writes in about the recently downed helicopter in Iraq and the face of evil with the videos of the shooting

Tales from Other Countries Who Wish They Were the United States

Watcher of Weasels discusses the ongoing conflict over Taiwan and France surrendering coming down on the side of China.

Boxing Alcibiades brings more on China with the recent anti-communist rally which included one million public renunciations of communist party membership.

I’d rather be picking on France, but apparently most people would rather pick on China. The Glittering Eye has a series of significant challanges and problems for China’s banking system

Riding Sun shows us that Japan is paying the Kyoto price after realizing that “saving the world” comes with a pricetag.

Interested-Participant has found out that it is apparently ok to look at porn at work because the courts say you can’t fire people for porn on the job. (Insert witty innuendo here).

Humor

The Smallest Minority writes in with It’s a Cartoon Meme! with recent comics supporting defensive handgun use.

Generic Confusion shows us why spring is here with his humorous lists of signs.

Koranteng’s Toli brings us a list of proverbial zingers

Who’s Your Pater?

(Ok, I stole that from the Daily Show, lay off me).

Wordlab writes in with Stations of the Cross on the naming of a train station after the late Pope John Paul II. Faithful will wait to see if his intercession will cause the trains to run on time.

Discriminations writes in on the Left Wing Holy Rollers that don’t seek to pit Democrats against believers as much as it pits one groups of Christians against another.

Blog d’Elisson writes on some Passover memories

At Better Living, Mark Daniels seeks to make the case for ultimate truth

The Nose On Your Face speculated that Pope Benedict and Lute Olsen are really the same person.

Medicine, Science, and Faith Healing

Classical Values gives us another example of when science lies millions die with the fake science of DDT

Dr. Andy brings together a 4-part analysis by the AMA suggesting being overweight was not as big of a crisis as it was made out to be.

Carpe Bonum writes on some interesting findings on Leukemia out of the UK.

ShrinkWrapped brings us the latest on science’s quest for the unconscious mind

Blogborygmi writes in abuot the death of Todd Krampitz, who went outside the organ donation system to get a liver

Gidgets, Gadgets, and Other Things To Waste Money on

BPWrap believes the acquisition of MacroMedia by Adobe will leave a company that just grows bigger, not better.

Musings of Brian J. Noogle ponders an updgrade to his PDA

Wirtual Scratchpad brings us an interesting Blackberry tidbit. Did you know typing on those small keys can give you tendonitis?

The Bailiwick writes in with what’s playing on the iPod

Men, Women, and Other Biped Issues

The Cliffs of Insanity brings us thoughts on how sex and society makes it difficult for men to be responsible fathers.

Willisms brings us a new perspective on the gender gap showing Republicans have less of a woman problem but Democrats certainly do have a man problem.

Do women want more feminine men? Taken in Hand has the answer.

Multiple Mentality takes a critical look at bogus feminine hygeine commercials

Annals of Animals

The World According to Pete brings us what would be the online diary of a cat if cats could blog

RoguePundit writes in with Horse Meat on the continuing difficulty the US has with managing wild horses.

This Blog is Full of Crap asks cats about the latest JibJab video, Matzah. I agree, no joke is complete without poking fun at the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion.

Skrool

Coyote Blog brings us stories of pirate raiding of the student government at NC State

Teens Tell the Truth points out that school vouchers are good for all

Et Tu Bloge writes in that nurture, not nature is what determines success of minorities in school.

The Big Picture writes in with Saudi Funding of US Universities and ponders why they don’t invest some of that money in their own educational system.

Entertainment and Music

Reflections in D Minor presents a lifetime as a Star Trek fan

The SmartCop writes on Cameron Diaz and Draw Barrymore finding tripping over human bodies seductive.

The Conservative Cat shows us how the most deceptive phrase in the English language is “Based on a True Story” before movies begin.

The People’s Republic of Seabrook ponders the dangers in legislating decency with Once We Start Down This Road, There’s No Turning Back

Growing Old Disgracefully discusses his weekend spent in the recording studio.

INCITE brings us the latest in poker blogging in manipulating your opponent to dance your tune. (Apparently you CAN dance to the theme song from Jeopardy).

Grabbag

Oh-Dark Thirty is Throwing a comment party as the owner is shipping out for the Army.

The Neo-Neocon brings us an essay on spring, New York, the World Trade Center, and the Statue of Liberty

The Zero Boss celebrates his 200,000th visitor and ponders tellins his publisher to cram it. I say down with “the Man” (but then again, I’ve only made $12 with my blog in 4 months).

Truth is stranger than fiction, and the Skwib uses this in his tale of Exploding Fairy tales, frankenfoods, and German Toads

Baboon Pirates talks about his 19th Year Reunion on the 40th Anniversary of the High School he graduated from.

True Ancestor writes in about having to be on the road during Passover and away from his family

Richard Lawrence Cohen writes in with an autobiographical sketch about his teenage years where the course of his life could have going in one direction or another in Sliding Door Moments - The Dead on the Corner

Ligical Meme writes in with a discussion between him and another on the enduring influence of Thomas Kuhn

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The Carnival’s Next Stops:

May 4th - Fresh Politics
May 11th - Cynical Nation
May 18th - Commonwealth Conservative
May 25th - Alarming News
June 1st - Blog Business World

June 8th - The Conservative Edge
June 15th - Mister Snitch
June 22nd - This Blog Is Full Of Crap
June 29th - SophistPundit
July 6th - Conservative Friends
July 13th - Wallo World

July 20th - New World Man
July 27th - Pratie Place
August 3rd - Riding Sun
August 10th - Generic Confusion
August 17th - Willisms
August 24th - Analysis & Wit

August 31st - Incite
September 7th - Sorta Pundit
September 14th - Silflay Hraka - The Three Year Anniversary
September 21st - the skwib
December 21st - Ravenwood’s Universe

April 27th, 2005 Posted by John Bambenek | Carnivals | 25 comments