Well, I had looked forward to commuting to the tourist sector yesterday for the next round of panel discussions and socializing, but my gut wouldn’t let me. Must’ve been something I ate. 
From what read and heard during the day, a good time was had by many who attended. Locally, BlogWorld received favorable coverage in the R-J, along with reports from other MSM sources.
Regrettably, I missed the opportunity to meet other blogging community members, including Michael Totten, N.Z. Bear, Stephen Green, Jim Rose (a fellow Vegas local), and cartoonist Chris Muir. Fortunately, BlogWorld will be back in town come September 2008 — and I plan to be there.
See you next September, if not sooner!
Technorati Tags: blogworld expoI got off to a late start, but I didn’t miss a thing here.
While waiting for the next sessions I signed up for to begin, I walked around the exhibit floor and got to match faces with the weblogs. So far, I pressed the flesh with Glenn Reynolds, Roger L. Simon, Ed Driscoll, Dawn Olsen, La Shawn Barber, Jeralyn Merritt, Pam Johnson, and Markos Moulitsas (no, I didn’t get into a political argument with him, as he’s here for the sports blogging track — and he was very cordial).
Dawn encouraged me to consider contributing to Blogcritics Magazine, headed up by Eric Olsen. I’ve been following BC since its inception, and I might consider it. I’ll keep you, the reader, posted.
I was quite surprised to run into readers of the blog on the exhibit floor, including another local blogger who’s been following me for quite a while.
Update (4:00 pm): Right now, I’m sitting in on “Raising The Level Of Discourse In The Political Blogosphere”, featuring panelists Michael Medved, Merritt, Simon, Jim Hoff, and Ed Morrissey.
I might stick around for the pajama party tonight — albeit in street clothes though, as it’s a long drive back to Suburblin.
Technorati Tags: bloggers, Blogosphere, blogworld expo, las vegasI know I’m late, but I’m on my way. Fortunately, BlogWorld Expo is in my neck of the woods — just a freeway trek to the Strip.
Albeit short notice, I hope to run into run into plenty of bloggers I know and read often, as well as learn a new thing or two.
I’ll have lots to blog about later!
I’m so damn angry that words fail me. Read Duane Patterson’s account of Dingy Harry’s recent case of verbal diarrhea — complete with audio.
Now, excuse me while I fight the urge to throw my laptop across the room…
Technorati Tags: creep, global warming, harry reid, witless opportunistThe Booker Rising editor joined News & Notes’ blogger roundtable with Brandon Whitney and Lauren Williams. Audio is online.
Technorati Tags: booker rising, news & notes, nprThis time, Move America Forward stepped up — and didn’t back down.
Technorati Tags: codepink, marines, move america forwardCathy Forsythe, sister of Day by Day cartoonist Chris Muir, passed away Saturday.
Thoughts, prayers, and condolences are with Chris and his family.
(via Sister Toldjah)
A slew of the loud take on The Few and The Proud — on a Sunday, when the officer selection office is closed.
Thanks to Zombie for his continued covert ops.
Bonus Reading: Marine Capt. Richard Lund responds to the Code Pinkos following a protest in front of the very same office last September.
Technorati Tags: codepink, marines, protest, zombieMy apologies for the posting shortage, folks. Due to increased responsibilities at the day job, I haven’t had the opportunity to add my two cents to the world. Moving on:
Debate Redux: Last Thursday’s GOP primary debate moderated by Tavis Smiley turned out to be a mixed bag. Check out the commentary from La Shawn Barber, Eric Scheie, and Peg Kaplan.
Protest in D.C.: Didn’t know, didn’t really care. Pay a visit to Age of Hooper for details.
Goodbye, Miss Moneypenny: Actress Lois Maxwell, best known for her role as secretary to M in 14 James Bond films, has died at the age of 80.
No More ‘Toons: Cox & Forkum bow out of the political cartooning game. Pay them a visit and wish them godspeed in their future endeavors. And while you’re there, buy their books. They’re the best.
Finally, I received messages regarging access to the blog in general. If you’re experencing problems posting to comments or viewing entries, please contact me.
The Morgan State debate is in two days. Still, Thompson, Romney, Giuliani, and McCain still won’t change their minds to appear. In short, to quote J.C. Watts, it is “a stupid decision” on their part.
“I think the best that comes out of stupid decisions like this,” said former Oklahoma Rep. J.C. Watts, is “that African-Americans might say, ‘Was it because of my skin color?’ Now, maybe it wasn’t, but African-Americans do say, ‘It crossed my mind.’”
All four GOP presidential front-runners — former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson — have said they will not attend a PBS debate at a historically black college in Baltimore hosted by Tavis Smiley. […]
Watts pointed out that some of the candidates with more liberal histories on issues such as guns and abortion have reached out to conservative groups that don’t share their views.
It’s not just black conservatives complaining. White conservatives are shaking their heads in disappointment. Commentary from Redstate:
The fact that our major Republican candidates have decided to skip out on a debate hosted by NPR’s Tavis Smiley at an historically Black university is a travesty. I’ve never been so disappointed in this Republican field as a group as I am about this issue. Even the CEO of Wal-Mart has appeared on the Tavis Smiley show to talk about his company, address concerns and objections, answer tough questions, and present himself and his company to Smiley’s audience and let them make up their own minds. It’s a real pity so many of our prospective Presidents aren’t willing to do the same. Don’t tell me the CEO of Wal-Mart isn’t as busy as any of these guys.
We have scolded the African-American community for its lock-step support for Democrats. However, as the avoidance of this debate demonstrates, Republicans haven’t exactly beaten down doors in an attempt to engage these voters, either. Given that these invitations went out in March, the campaigns had plenty of time to schedule one debate to address one of the largest voting blocs in the country, and one whose loyalties could help the GOP turn national elections. […]
Because Republicans don’t engage, we allow the Jacksons and Sharptons and Wests to define the GOP rather than define ourselves. We have to get aggressive in engaging black voters so that we don’t leave a vacuum. And if we ever want to gain their votes, we have to answer the barbs tossed at Republicans and get past the self-appointed gatekeepers with our answers.
Knowing that about nine out of 10 black voters have cast their ballots for the Democratic presidential candidate over the past two decades, the candidates can have little doubt that the audience at the All-American Forum is not likely to be receptive to Republican candidates or Republican policies.
But how can Republican supporters, many of whom labeled Democrats “cowards” for refusing to debate on the Fox News Channel, remain silent while their candidates run and hide from Tavis Smiley, one of the most congenial black talk show hosts on TV today?
It’s not too late. There are still two more days until the debate.
Yes, two more days. I already voiced my opinion on the subject, and it still stands.
It’s time for the frontrunners to step up or step off.
Related: Jim Geraghty offers up “reasons” why the Fearful Four won’t debate this Thursday. Frankly, I’m not buying their excuses.
Related #2: Shorter Bob Herbert: “Go away! I’m race baitin’!” (via Sister Toldjah)
Technorati Tags: debate, Giuliani, McCain, Morgan State, Romney, Tavis Smiley, ThompsonI was at work and couldn’t catch the “speech” in its entirety, but Michelle Malkin, Atlas Shrugs, The Invisible Hand, and a host of other anti-Sharia warriors kept the floodlights on the happenings at Columbia U. and Ground Zero.
Some highlights though: CU president Leo Bollinger appeared to have chutzpah when he introduced Ahmadinejad to the audience. It was a face-saving act, folks. Expect a massive alumni backlash and a decrease in grants and donations. College admins who can’t raise the green are usually ejected from their ivory towers.
Idontneedtowearatie sez that there are no gays in his country. Here’s why.
Ahmadiwantshismahdi also wants to research “the root causes of 9/11″. Maybe he should have went on the Alex Jones show instead.
I could go on, but Mr. Beady Eyes already does such a good job of exposing himself for the crazed psycho he is.
Please pay a visit to Michael D. Cobb Bowen’s blog. He has an open letter for you regarding the Morgan State debate.
Rather than quote it, I think you (as well as other interested individuals) ought to read it in its entirety.
Technorati Tags: debate, Fred Thompson, Morgan StateI prefer to think of the Democrats as a starter party. You try out its philosophy of corporations evil, government good and you feel good about yourself. Then you get a job outside the academia, media or government and you discover FICA, regulations and the incompetence of the government. That’s when you trade up.
Juliette Ochieng of baldilocks will be part of today’s bloggers roundtable on NPR’s News & Notes today at 10 am PT. Additional panelists include Lynne Johnson and Baratunde Thurston.
Update: Audio clip now available.
Instead of nominating Ted Olson for Attorney General — and telling Sen. Harry Reid (D-MoveOn.org) to stick it, he chose a benchwarmer for the position instead:
If reports are correct, President Bush will nominate retired federal judge Michael Mukasey as the new Attorney General, today. This is a mistake.
It’s not that Judge Mukasey isn’t a fine man or a good judge — most reports indicate he is both.
But the impression is that President Bush avoided picking conservative favorite — former solicitor general Theodore Olson — because Sen. Harry Reid vowed to block his nomination.
What Bush fails to realize is that when you are right, picking a fight with an unpopular enemy can actually make you more popular with your base. […]
So if Olson is clearly a respectable nominee, why not use this as an opportunity to pick a fight with the liberals who are blocking him for political purposes? I can’t help but think that presidents like Clinton and Reagan would see this sort of thing as an opportunity to score political points — not as a crisis.
Quite frankly, the President’s constant efforts to appease the nutjobs in Congress disappoint me beyond civil description.
Update: Mukasey might not get a speedy confirmation hearing if Chucky Schumer has something to say about it:
Mr. Schumer, one of the Senate’s fiercest critics of Mr. Gonzales, has long touted Judge Mukasey for a position higher than the district court judgeship he held for 19 years. In 2003, the senator recommended the judge as an eventual successor to Chief Justice Rehnquist on the Supreme Court. Earlier this year, he floated Judge Mukasey’s name for the attorney general position.
In a statement issued last night, the senator was somewhat guarded. “For sure we’d want to ascertain his approach on such important and sensitive issues as wiretapping and the appointment of US attorneys, but he’s a lot better than some of the other names mentioned and he has the potential to become a consensus nominee,” the statement said.
Translation: If you’re down with G-Dub, you gets no love.