Right, I know, he just died so we have to pretend we did not loath him for a least two weeks. But I have the sense that William Buckley would not give me that courtesy, so forget that.I am reminded that Buckley is often quoted as having said words to these effect:

I would rather be governed by the first 2000 people in the Boston telephone directory than by the 2000 people on the faculty at Harvard University.

What a dummy.The most recent instance in which I’ve seen the man with my own eyes, and heard him with my own ears, saying this (on TV, not in real life … because he’s dead and all) was moments ago on Meet the Press. Tim was replaying an old MTP tape from October 17th, 1965. In that tape, Buckley says what I quoted above, but he precedes it with the phrase “I’m often quoted as having said.” … so, since he was quoting himself, I suppose we cannot be sure of the exact phrasing, but you get the point. Continue reading The World’s Smartest Conservative Was a Dope →

Holy crap, where did this come from?

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is sending thousands of troops and tanks to the border with Colombia, marking a sharp escalation in regional tensions.Speaking on his weekly television show, President Chavez also said Venezuela’s embassy in Colombia would close.Mr Chavez said he was reacting to the “cowardly murder” of a leading Farc rebel by Colombian forces in a raid just inside Ecuador on Saturday.Later, Ecuador recalled its ambassador to Bogota in protest at the incursion.Raul Reyes and at least 16 other rebels were killed in the operation, which took place about 1.8km (one mile) inside Ecuadorean territory.[SOURCE]