Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader sees that Scottish actor Ross McCall is one lucky man. He is now engaged to marry the dreamy Jennifer Love Hewitt.

It seems that the photos (mentioned below) were of McCall and Miss Hewitt on vacation in Hawaii. In one of the photos you can see a big ole ring on the appropriate finger…

Your Maximum Leader will issue a statement on this news as time allows.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader believes that many of you will read this post and think that he must not be terribly sympathetic to the “plight of working people.” Well… On some counts you would likely be correct. But actually, your Maximum Leader is quite ambivalent about the Writers strike. He doesn’t stay up late enough to watch the late night shows that have gone into re-runs because the writers are striking. None of the (very few) programs he watches on TV have yet to be affected (and frankly even the ones that he cares a little about have been mediocre at best this season - so perhaps the time off will refresh the mind, spirit and wit of the striking writers so that upon their return they will be sharper).

Anyhoo…

Your Maximum Leader reads that an upcoming Democratic presidential candidates debate has been cancelled because the candidates refuse to cross the writers picket lines. Here is part of the piece:

The decision by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) came after several candidates said they would not cross picket lines of the Writers Guild of America, which has been on strike against major film and television studios since November 5.

All eight Democrats running for the White House originally had agreed to take part in a debate scheduled for December 10 at the CBS Television City studio in Los Angeles, where striking writers have been picketing.

The canceled event would have been the last DNC-sanctioned debate before the January 3 Iowa caucuses, the first of the state-by-state contests to determine which Republican and Democrat will face off in the November 4, 2008, general election.

To this your Maximum Leader sticks his thumb to his nose and makes funny noises towards the Democratic presidential hopefuls. What exactly should informed people in this country think by this? Here are some thoughts of your Maximum Leader… 1) The Dem’s witty repartee writers are now striking and the candidates will not have enough new material for the debate; 2) The majority of the prospective audience for this debate will be out picketting - so there is no purpose to holding the debate; 3) The campaigns are using the absence of new shows to catch up on all their favorite re-runs of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;” 4)The candidates believe that political speech should be sublimated to the will of the Writers Guild of America; 5)The candidates were afraid that Katie Couric would be writing her own questions at the debate; 6)The candidates really want to spend ANOTHER night in some musty barn in Iowa talking about corn subsidies with a bunch of hayseeds.

Your Maximum Leader isn’t surprised by this turn of events. And in all honesty, he believes that the candidates are happy to be done with this debate. They probably don’t relish the opportunity to put themselves on the line so close to the Iowa caucuses.

It is sorta sad though… Your Maximum Leader is just begining to pay attention to the campaigns now. (He refused to do so earlier. It is unseemly to start campaigning so early…)

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader was distracted yesterday. Very distracted. He found it hard to concentrate on just about anything. He found himself thinking of the warm southern California sun and the beaches of Malibu as he remembers them from his last visit out to the west coast…

(Excursus: Has your Maximum Leader ever told you all that he had a recurring dream for a number of years about walking on a the beach at Santa Monica with an attractive (and scantilly clad) latina girl? We were eating Wahoo Fish Tacos on the beach and discussing Burke’s “Reflections”. Some might call that odd… It seemed perfectly normal to your Maximum Leader…)

Anyhoo…

Your Maximum Leader was distracting and dreaming of California thanks to Mike of Curmudgeonry. You see, Mike is good about sending his (and your) Maximum Leader linky-links related to the dreamy Jennifer Love Hewitt. Yesterday, he sent his Maximum Leader this link. While your Maximum Leader could overlook the few photos of that included both the dreamy Jennifer Love Hewitt and her (Scottish) boyfriend - he was a little distracted by the images of the dreamy Miss Hewitt in a bikini.

Now… Your Maximum Leader chanced to be caught glancing at these photos by one of his acquaintances while sipping a drink at the local coffee house. The acquaintance noted that the dreamy Miss Hewitt seemed a bit “hippy.” This is “hippy” as in “having hips” and not the sort of dirty scoundrel we all love to hate (that is “hippie”). Your Maximum Leader happens to like hips. Women have hips you know. They accentuate the curves. That is their purpose. The curve of the hip allures and draws the eye of the man. (Of course, they also facilitate childbirth - but that is another post.) Your Maximum Leader likes his women to look like women and not waifs.

Anyhoo…

Your Maximum Leader was distracted yesterday… And by the way… Thanks Mike for the post-fodder. Your Maximum Leader tips his bejeweled floppy (mylan) cap in your direction.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader is always pleased when he gets feedback (via e-mail or comment or trackback*) on something he writes. It seems as though some want to take to task your Maximum Leader’s conservative credentials after reading his recent post about the upcoming Virginia Senate race.

In that earlier post, your Maximum Leader expressed his preference for Mark Warner, the Democrat, over Jim Gilmore, the Republican. The major point of contention seems to be the issue of cutting or raising taxes. Mark Warner being seen (rightfully) as a tax raiser and Gilmore being seen (rightfully) as a tax cutter.

For those of you not familiar with Virginia politics, Jim Gilmore won the Governorship of our Commonwealth on a pledge to eliminate the most hated of all taxes, the personal property tax on cars. During Gilmore’s administration a plan for phasing out the car tax (as it is known) was enacted into law.

Mark Warner succeeded Jim Gilmore as Governor, and was faced about halfway through his term with a significant budget shortfall. This shortfall was the result of a slowing economy and bad revenue projections. Local governments were hit harder than anticipated by this slowdown in part because they no longer got as much car tax money. (Local governments still got car tax money, because the phased elimination of that tax was halted. It remains halted to this day. Indeed, your Maximum Leader recently received his car tax bill…)

The budget crisis (such as it was) was ended when a tax increase was enacted and the budget balanced. Mark Warner has been able to take most of the credit for this move. It was seen by many Virginians as a smart move that kept the Commonwealth’s coveted AAA bond rating intact, as well as a deal that kept many programs from being cut.

Of course, the key figure in the budget deal wasn’t Mark Warner. Well… That might be a bit of hyperbole on your Maximum Leader’s part. Mark Warner was the key figure for taking all the credit and glory for the good parts of the deal. Warner deserved much credit; but he was able to duck all the “bad credit” from the deal. The negative fallout from the deal fell on the shoulders of the real architect of the tax increase. That person was State Senator John Chichester. Chichester was the President Pro Tempore of the Virginia Senate at the time. Chichester was your Maximum Leader’s Senator. Chichester is a Republican. (He has since retired from the Senate and has been replaced by Richard Stuart – a Republican your Maximum Leader endorsed in this space a while ago – and for whom he subsequently voted in the general election.)

Senator Chichester was able to get a small block of “moderate” Republicans in both the State Senate and the House of Delegates to break ranks with the “conservative” Republicans led by House Speaker William Howell. (Howell is both a Republican and your Maximum Leader’s delegate. Speaker Howell has received your Maximum Leader’s vote as well.) Chichester’s maneuvering facilitated the tax increase and the end of the budget crisis.

Now… One can debate if the size of the tax increase was too great, and your Maximum Leader understands the arguments put forth by those who believe it was too large an increase. But the deal was what was needed at the time to solve the fiscal problems faced by the state.

Here is the part of the post that some “conservatives” might not like…

Your Maximum Leader is not a Libertarian. He believes that government has a role and purpose in our lives. He believes that government should be limited in its scope. He firmly believes that his state government provides – and should continue to provide – an array of services. These services range from police functions, to roads, to education. Now, in most cases the services provided by one’s state should not be interfered with by the Federal government. (But we’re only talking about state government here.)

Now one can debate all you like about how many and what type of services a state government should supply. Indeed, your Maximum Leader is happy to debate you if you like. But at the time of the budget crunch, there weren’t many solutions on the table that were workable. The Warner (Chichester) plan was the soundest plan at the time and was enacted. And for the sake of full disclosure, your Maximum Leader was more in line with Speaker Howell than Senator Chichester and Governor Warner at the time of the tax increase.

So… Your Maximum Leader now must have you really confused.

To recap. Your Maximum Leader is a conservative. He’s voted for Gilmore and against Warner. He is generally against raising taxes, and didn’t think increasing taxes were the way to go at the time; but he is now thinking of supporting the man who raised taxes on him once and for whom he has never voted. That is about it.

You see, loyal reader, your Maximum Leader believes that Mark Warner is a better man in general. While Mark Warner and your Maximum Leader probably don’t see eye to eye on many issues we both (apparently) believe in being fiscally responsible. At this stage of the game in national politics, fiscal responsibility is something that your Maximum Leader seeks. He is more inclined to respect a man who can look at the current state of our national finances and seek to find a reasoned solution – and look for help from across the aisle to make something happen. On the issue of our national finances, your Maximum Leader would like to see real work accomplished – and not gridlock (which he otherwise prefers in most cases). Alas, gridlock will not pay down the national debt, or balance the budget. Both of which must be done.

Your Maximum Leader thinks it is highly improbable that Republicans can win the Senate back next year. He also thinks that it is improbably that Republicans can win the House of Representatives next year. He would rather vote for a Democrat who might work with fiscally responsible Republicans (if any remain in DC) and really try and sort out our financial mess. (It is better to have a Democrat who will work with Republicans because try as they might, the Dems will not get 60 seats in the Senate. Republicans in the minority have no incentive to work with Democrats as long as they can obstruct.)

Your Maximum Leader knows fully well that Mark Warner (should he win the Senate seat) will likely cast many (too many) votes in the Senate with which he will disagree. And if Mark Warner does get to the US Senate and turn into a typical Democrat, then he’ll not get a second vote for your Maximum Leader. But, your Maximum Leader is willing – perhaps naively willing – to give Mark Warner a go.

One more thing… For the sake of full disclosure… Mark Warner seems like a good man (on the very few occasions your Maximum Leader has met him). Jim Gilmore, on the other hand, seemed like a complete and total arse.

That said… November 2008 is a long way off. And who knows what will happen between now and then. Warner could say something that just sets your Maximum Leader off. Warner could have a “Howard Dean” moment and implode. Who knows? Your Maximum Leader hopes that some other Republican will enter the race. That is, however, unlikely.

Carry on.

* - in a comment on the “Not Larry Sabato” site a commenter muses on why conservatives stay with the Republican party. Your Maximum Leader will suggest that it is because they have nowhere else to go.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader was out and about today socializing a little. In the course of conversation one of your Maximum Leader’s friends mentioned that they would have to “read the riot act” to some of their co-workers. Upon hearing this, your Maximum Leader asked if anyone had actually read the Riot Act.

Your Maximum Leader has, of course. And for your edification, he reproduced it here:

An Act for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies, and for the more speedy and effectual punishing the rioters.

I. Whereas of late many rebellious riots and tumults have been in divers parts of this kingdom, to the disturbance of the publick peace, and the endangering of his Majesty’s person and government, and the same are yet continued and fomented by persons disaffected to his Majesty, presuming so to do, for that the punishments provided by the laws now in being are not adequate to such heinous offences; and by such rioters his Majesty and his administration have been most maliciously and falsly traduced, with an intent to raise divisions, and to alienate the affections of the people from his Majesty therefore for the preventing and suppressing of such riots and tumults, and for the more speedy and effectual punishing the offenders therein; be it enacted by the King’s most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal and of the commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That if any persons to the number of twelve or more, being unlawfully, riotously, and tumultuously assembled together, to the disturbance of the publick peace, at any time after the last day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifteen, and being required or commanded by any one or more justice or justices of the peace, or by the sheriff of the county, or his under-sheriff, or by the mayor, bailiff or bailiffs, or other head-officer, or justice of the peace of any city or town corporate, where such assembly shall be, by proclamation to be made in the King’s name, in the form herin after directed, to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, shall, to the number of twelve or more (notwithstanding such proclamation made) unlawfully, riotously, and tumultuously remain or continue together by the space of one hour after such command or request made by proclamation, that then such continuing together to the number of twelve or more, after such command or request made by proclamation, shall be adjudged felony without benefit of clergy, and the offenders therein shall be adjudged felons, and shall suffer death as in a case of felony without benefit of clergy.

II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the order and form of the proclamation that shall be made by the authority of this act, shall be as hereafter followeth (that is to say) the justice of the peace, or other person authorized by this act to make the said proclamation shall, among the said rioters, or as near to them as he can safely come, with a loud voice command, or cause to be commanded silence to be, while proclamation is making, and after that, shall openly and with loud voice make or cause to be made proclamation in these words, or like in effect:
Our sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the act made in the first year of King George, for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God save the King.
And every such justice and justices of the peace, sheriff, under-sheriff, mayor, bailiff, and other head-officer aforesaid, within the limits of their respective jurisdictions, are hereby authorized, impowered and required, on notice or knowledge of any such unlawful, riotous and tumultuous assembly, to resort to the place where such unlawful, riotous, and tumultuous assemblies shall be, of persons to the number of twelve or more, and there to make or cause to be made proclamation in manner aforesaid.
And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if such persons so unlawfully, riotously, and tumultuously assembled, or twelve or more of them, after proclamation made in manner aforesaid, shall continue together and not disperse themselves within one hour, That then it shall and may be lawful to and for every justice of the peace, sheriff, or under-sheriff of the county where such assembly shall be, and also to and for every high or petty constable, and other peace-officer within such county, and also to and for every mayor, justice of the peace, sheriff, bailiff, and other head-officer, high or petty constable, and other peace-officer of any city or town corporate where such assembly shall be, and to and for such other person and persons as shall be commanded to be assisting unto any such justice of the peace, sheriff or under-sheriff, mayor, bailiff, or other head-officer aforesaid (who are hereby authorized and impowered to command all his Majesty’s subjects of age and ability to be assisting to them therein) to seize and apprehend, and they are hereby required to seize and apprehend such persons so unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously continuing together after proclamation made, as aforesaid, and forthwith to carry the persons so apprehended before one or more of his Majesty’s justices of the peace of the county or place where such persons shall be so apprehended, in order to their being proceeded against for such their offences according to law; and that if the persons so unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously assembled, or any of them, shall happen to be killed, maimed or hurt, in the dispersing, seizing or apprehending, or endeavouring to disperse, seize or apprehend them, that then every such justice of the peace, sheriff, under-sheriff, mayor, bailiff, head-officer, high or petty constable, or other peace-officer, and all and singular persons, being aiding and assisting to them, or any of them, shall be free, discharged and indemnified, as well against the King’s Majesty, his heirs and successors, as against all and every other person and persons, of, for, or concerning the killing, maiming, or hurting of any such person or persons so unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously assembled, that shall happen to be so killed, maimed or hurt, as aforesaid.

III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any persons unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously assembled together, to the disturbance of the publick peace, shall unlawfully, and with force demolish or pull down, or begin to demolish or pull down any church or chapel, or any building for religious worship certified and registred according to the statute made in the first year of the reign of the late King William and Queen Mary, intituled, An act for exempting their Majesty’s protestant subjects dissenting from the church of England from the penalties of certain laws, or any dwelling-house, barn, stable, or other out-house, that then every such demolishing, or pulling down, or beginning to demolish, or pull down, shall be adjudged felony without benefit of clergy, and the offenders therein shall be adjudged felons, and shall suffer death as in case of felony, without benefit of clergy.

IV. Provided always, and be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person or persons do, or shall, with force and arms, wilfully and knowingly oppose, obstruct, or in any manner wilfully and knowingly lett, hinder, or hurt any person or persons that shall begin to proclaim, or go to proclaim according to the proclamation hereby directed to be made, whereby such proclamation shall not be made, that then every such apposing, obstructing, letting, hindering or hurting such person or persons, so beginning or going to make such proclamation, as aforesaid, shall be adjudged felony without benefit of clergy, and the offenders therein shall be adjudged felons, and shall suffer death as in case of felony, without benefit of clergy; and that also every such person or persons so being unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously assembled, to the number of twelve, as aforesaid, or more, to whom proclamation should or ought to have been made if the same had not been hindred, as aforesaid, shall likewise, in case they or any of them, to the number of twelve or more, shall continue together, and not disperse themselves within one hour after such lett or hindrance so made, having knowledge of such lett or hindrance so made, shall be adjudged felons, and shall suffer death as in case of felony, without benefit of clergy.

V. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if after the said last day of July one thousand seven hundred and fifteen, any such church or chapel, or any such building for religious worship, or any such dwelling-house, barn, stable, or other out-house, shall be demolished or pulled down wholly, or in part, by any persons so unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously assembled, that then, in case such church, chapel, building for religious worship, dwelling-house, barn, stable, or out-house, shall be out of any city or town, that is either a county of itself, or is not within any hundred, that then the inhabitants of the hundred in which such damage shall be done, shall be liable to yield damages to the person or persons injured and damnified by such demolishing or pulling down wholly or in part; and such damages shall and may be recovered by action to be brought in any of his Majesty’s courts of record at Westminster, (wherein no effoin, protection or wager of law, or any imparlance shall be allowed) by the person or persons damnified thereby, against any two or more of the inhabitants of such hundred, such action for damages to any church or chapel to be brought in the name of the rector, vicar or curate of such church or chapel that shall be so damnified, in trust for applying the damages to be recovered in rebuilding or repairing such church or chapel; and that judgment being given for the plaintiff or plaintiffs in such action, the damages so to be recovered shall, at the request of such plaintiff or plaintiffs, his or their executors or administrators, be raised and levied on the inhabitants of such hundred, and paid to such plaintiff or plaintiffs, in such manner and form, and by such ways and means, as are provided by the statute made in the seven and twentieth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, for reimbursing the person or persons on whom any money recovered against any hundred by any party robbed, shall be levied: and in case any such church, chapel, building for religious worship, dwelling-house, barn, stable, or out-house so damnified, shall be in any city or town that is either a county of itself, or is not within any hundred, that then such damages shall and may be recovered by action to be brought in manner aforesaid (where no effoin, protection or wager of law, or any imparlance shall be allowed) against two or more inhabitants of such city or town; and judgment being given for the plaintiff or plaintiffs in such action, the damages so to be recovered shall, at the request of such plaintiff or plaintiffs, his or their executors or administrators, made to the justices of the peace of such city or town at any quarter-sessions to be holden for the said city or town, be raised and levied on the inhabitants of such city or town, and paid to such plaintiff or plaintiffs, in such manner and form, and by such ways and means, as are provided by the said statute made in the seven and twentieth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, for reimbursing the person or persons on whom any money recovered against any hundred by any party robbed, shall be levied.

VI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That this act shall be openly read at every quarter-session, and at every leet or law-day.
Provided always, That no person or persons shall be prosecuted by virtue of this act, for any offence or offences committed contrary to the same, unless such prosecution be commenced within twelve months after the offence committed.
And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the sheriffs and their deputies, stewards and their deputies, bailies of regalities and their deputies, magistrates of royal boroughs, and all other inferior judges and magistrates, and also all high and petty constables, or other peace-officers of any county, stewartry, city or town, within that part of Great Britain called Scotland, shall have the same powers and authority for putting this present act in execution within Scotland, as the justices of the peace and other magistrates aforesaid, respectively have by virtue of this act, within and for the other parts of this kingdom; and that all and every person and persons who shall at any time be convicted of any the offences aforementioned, within that part of Great Britain called Scotland, shall for every such offence incur and suffer the pain of death, and confiscation of moveables: and also that all prosecutions for repairing the damages of any church or chapel, or any building for religious worship, or any dwelling-house, barn, stable or out-house, which shall be demolished or pulled down in whole or in part, within Scotland, by any persons unlawfully, riotously or tumultuously assembled, shall and may be recovered by summar action, at the instance of the party aggrieved, his or her heirs or executors, against the county, stewartry, city or borough respectively, where such disorders shall happen, the magistrates being summoned in the ordinary form, and the several counties and stewartries called by edictal citation at the market-cross of the head borough of such county or stewartry respectively, and that in general, without mentioning their names and designations.

Provided, and it is hereby declared, That this act shall extend to all places for religious worship, in that part of Great Britain called Scotland, which are tolerated by law, and where his majesty King George, the prince and princess of Wales, and their issue, are prayed for in express words.

Your Maximum Leader isn’t sure that the part breaks are all correct, but the text is there for you.

Now you have read the Riot Act. Feel free to read it to others as you will.

Carry on.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon quaked. He was on the most important negotiation ever. The alien attack killed at least 1 billion people. The aliens announced that earthlings should appoint an ambassador to hear their demands.

Ban waited in the alien spacecraft. A wall opened and an alien entered. The alien walked up to Ban and said, “You have 10 days to provide us with 10,000,000 tons of chocolate, Lindsay Lohan, and the head of James Gandolfini on a stick. If you do not it will be your doom.”

Clearly, these were not the demands Ban expected.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader is outraged (again) by the state of property rights in our great nation. This time the news comes from Colorado (a western state that your Maximum Leader usually associates with having a strong tradition of property rights). Apparently a local judge in Boulder took a shine to an empty lot next to his home. The lot was owned by neighbors across the street. The local judge walked on the land from time to time and might have thrown some parties on the land… Next thing you know… He is taking it for himself.

Read the whole story here.

Your Maximum Leader thanks Bluto over at the Jawa Report for the link.

Remember folks… You can donate to the Castle Coalition (sponsored by the Institute for Justice) to help in the legal battles against eminent domain abuse.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader wishes you all a very happy Thanksgiving. He hopes that you have a good one and enjoy the time you have with family and friends.

And your Maximum Leader exhorts you all to pull for the Green Bay Packers in their contest against the Detroit Lions tomorrow.

It is unlikely that there will be further posting here until next week… But if the moment strikes your Maximum Leader he’ll blog.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader has long extolled the virtues and taste of the animals raised for consumption by his good friend Smallholder. Well, Smallholder’s neighbor and friend (and your Maximum Leader’s friend too - lest there be confusion), Polymath is making an offering to the Gods of charcuterie.

Check it out.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader would identify his politics as “Conservative.” But since there is no “Conservative” party in the United States he generally tends to vote “Republican” and the “Republicans” have in the modern period been more “conservative.” So, when your Maximum Leader asks in the subject line of this post “The best we can do?” the we in that statement does refer to “Republicans” in general and “conservatives” specifically.

So what the hell is your Maximum Leader talking about? Who is the “best” we can do? Well… Officially Former Governor (and Former Presidential candidate) Jim Gilmore (R) has announced that he is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Senator (and former Liz Taylor luve muffin) John Warner (R). The big Washington Post piece on the announcement is here.

There are two announced candidates. Jim Gilmore (R) and Mark Warner (D). Both former Governors. Both were initially popular, then less-so when they left the Governor’s mansion. (Although, Gilmore was more unpopular than Warner. Warner suffered a little downturn in his popularity but quickly rebounded.) Both flirted with the idea of running for President in next year’s election.

Now they seek to get a job in the Senate of the United States.

Let your Maximum Leader state that many years after voting for Jim Gilmore, your Maximum Leader has soured on him. And many years after voting against Mark Warner, your Maximum Leader sees a lot to like. If the election were held today, your Maximum Leader would vote for Mark Warner. It is likely that if it is a Gilmore/Warner race; then Mark Warner will get your Maximum Leader’s vote.

Of course, you may be wondering “Why would my Maximum Leader vote in such a way?” Well… Let your Maximum Leader assure you that Jim Gilmore is a posturing blow-hard who isn’t really capable of adding to the political discourse in Washington. That might sound like Gilmore is a “grid-lock” guy. And as you know, your Maximum Leader is all for grid-lock. But Gilmore is too annoying for your Maximum Leader to vote for. Warner is a much more reasonable type of fellow. He doesn’t seem as strident. He also doesn’t seem as partisan. This might sound like he is a man who can get things done in Washington, but your Maximum Leader thinks that Mark Warner will be bored of Washington in six years and want to get out. Warner is a businessman and executive. He doesn’t strike me as the endless debating type. Lucky for us, most of the men and women in the US Senate are the endless debating types. It is also possible that Warner will be more partisan on the national stage, but we will not know until he gets there. Your Maximum Leader will give him the benefit of the doubt.

Of course, it is possible that something will happen that will change your Maximum Leader’s mind… November 2008 is a long way off.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader is a sucker for political quizes. Thanks to Rachel he’s learned that:

Lucky for your Maximum Leader that the little elf has no chance of winning the Democratic nomination…

And while we are thanking Rachel for the quiz link… Here is a George W Bush conspiracy your Maximum Leader created using the little conspiracy generator in the same post…

It all makes sense you know… Welfare recipients vote Democrat… And Rosie was using her platform on The View to protect the hapless welfare recipients…

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader directs your attention to Miceage.com for an interesting little piece about a new craze at Disneyworld/Disneyland. (Your Maximum Leader has Tommy to thank for that link.)

The story… People are dumping the cremated remains of (presumed) loved ones in Disney rides. Here is more:

Speaking of vandalism, there’s been a growing list of incidents perpetrated on attractions at Disneyland that are not only illegal but that are increasingly, well… let’s just say disturbing.

The big problem isn’t graffiti or hot-to-trot teens in a back row, it’s park visitors smuggling in the cremated remains of their loved ones and then spreading the ashes inside a favorite attraction. The Haunted Mansion is by far the most popular location for this, but you’d be surprised where else people are dumping cremated remains at Disneyland.

[…]

Sometimes however the cremated ashes aren’t found until the end of the night when the Cast Members close down the rides and walk the tracks looking for lost and found. Just last month that situation occurred when a Cast Member at the Haunted Mansion found several piles and a trail of ashes alongside the ride track. The Anaheim Police and Disneyland Security were summoned, and judging by the large amount of ashes this deposit was likely a small group of deceased people, or perhaps a very large married couple. The police identified the substance as human remains, and the custodial crew came in for the clean up.

To respond to this growing problem, Disneyland’s custodial department recently had to purchase special vacuums with very sophisticated HEPA filters that can capture the gritty ash of human remains while also capturing the small bone fragments that can also be present after cremation. The Cast Members who work in Attractions know the code words when calling the custodial hotline, and they tell the custodial dispatcher that they need a “HEPA Cleanup” as soon as possible.

[…]

The residue is often found at the end of the night however, and most of the people who carry out a last request by spreading a loved one’s remains at The Happiest Place On Earth likely don’t know the less-than-reverential end they meet at the hands of the ultra-efficient Disneyland Custodial Department.

Eeeeewwww. Your Maximum Leader doesn’t know what to make of this other than this is yet another sign of people growing more rude and coarse as our civilization slowly declines. Of course, in addition to being rude, this is downright unsanitary. Your Maximum Leader isn’t exactly what one would call a germaphobe; but tossing around Auntie Ruthies remains while sitting through a Disney ride is just disgusting…

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader, when the vapor lock has him, finds himself going to an ole standby for a post… Something about the dreamy Jennifer Love Hewitt…

Yes… Some website has names the dreamy Miss Hewitt the Number 5 most attrative woman to watch in HDTV. As you all know, your Maximum Leader gives the dreamy Jennifer Love Hewitt the solid number One position in analog AND HD; but it is nice to see others are thinking about her. (Excursus: Perhaps too many people are thinking about her… If you catch your Maximum Leader’s meaning…)

Also on the list… Okay… Not the whole list but only those who your Maximum Leader has heard of/seen/can comment upon:

10) Angie Harmon. Grrr Baby. That Jason Seahorn is one lucky guy. Your Maximum Leader misses her on Law and Order. We’ll always have re-runs on A&E.

8 ) Hayden Panettiere. Your Maximum Leader has never seen Heros, but this little girl is cute.

6 ) Rebecca Romijn. Once again, your Maximum Leader has never seen “Ugly Betty” - but if he knew that Rebecca Romijn was starring in it, he might try to catch an episode.

1) Giada De Laurentiis. Whew… Todd (Mr Giada De Laurentiis) is one lucky guy. Landing Giada. Not only does he have all those film producers in the family, but Giada to cook for him.

Your Maximum Leader notices that a certain someone from “My Name is Earl” is not anywhere to be found on the list… Hummm… One suspects that the writer of the list had a modicum of taste and discernment…

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader is still “vapor locked” as Joan mentioned in a comment on the last post. That is a very a propos way of phrasing it. Your Maximum Leader is just locked up and can’t seem to focus enough on a subject to write anything pithy. Somehow this condition doesn’t seem to have stopped him over the past few months when he was still able to write, although he was unable to be pithy. Perhaps your Maximum Leader’s conscience (such as it is) was bothering him. Bothering him to stop writing crap and start writing some good stuff…

Alas, this post will not be full of good stuff…

Last night your Maximum Leader didn’t think of anything to write, but he did do something fun. To wit this photo:

That is Gilbert Arenas (aka: Agent Zero) after passing the ball to Caron Butler late in the second quarter of the Washington Bullets’ eventual 103-90 win over the lackluster Indiana Pacers.

Yes. Your Maximum Leader is sitting on the floor. He was in the third row to be exact. Very close to the action. If your Maximum Leader does say so, those seats are the bomb. You have attendants coming to bring you drinks and food throughout the game (still at overpriced stadia rates plus tip - but you don’t have to mingle if you don’t want to). You have access to the VIP lounge under the stands and just off the floor for cocktails and snacks before, during, and after the game if you like. It is quite nice. You are so close that you can interact with the players (alas your Maximum Leader is not a big smack-talker so his comments were mostly encouraging his team on to victory). You are also close enough to see the cameltoe, boob-job scars, and caked makeup on the dance team. Sadly the dance team for the Bullets leaves much to be desired. Your Maximum Leader found precisely two of the roughly 15 girls on the team attractive - and one of those two was sorta marginal.

Before the game your Maximum Leader had a fine dinner at Matchbox. He recommends it to you all. Sadly, your Maximum Leader’s photo of another eating establishment didn’t turn out. It was a photo of the “New Big Wong” restaurant. “NBW” is right around the corner from the Verizon Center in what passes for Chinatown in Washington DC. This particular restaurant is the successor to “Big Wong” restaurant. As your Maximum Leader understands it, “BW” was the victim of a grease fire. “NBW” is the veritable phoenix rising from the spicy szechuan ashes of the old restaurant. It is a dive of an eatery - but with a name like “New Big Wong” it just has to be good…

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader is in the midst of a very long brain fart (so to speak). He finds that he occasionally has had an idea about which he might write a post, but it flies from his mind very quickly. He will try and focus on something and write.

Of course, the fact that a squadron of Marine Osprey’s has been buzzing over him for two days now doesn’t help his concentration. When your Maximum Leader was out yesterday he was able to catch one of the Ospreys on his cell phone.

He figures this one was about 250 feet up when the photo was clicked. They seemed to be flying all around at that altitude most of the day. They were a little noisier than he thought they would be… But then again… Your Maximum Leader used to live a few miles away from Oceana Naval Air Station. The Osprey is nuthin’ compared to a Navy F-18 taking off with afterburners. So it is all relative.

Carry on.