Greetings, loyal minions. Yur Maximum Leader apologizes to you for the generally lackluster quality of his work here since the beginning of the year. There are issues in his personal life that have been taking center stage in his mind. Those issues seem to be coming to a head now. How those issues play out here is hard to gauge. It could mean a complete renaissance in quality writing from your Maximum Leader - who will use the blog for fun & relaxation. Or it will mean that he does a lot more playing of video games.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader is so pleased to commemorate the second blogaversary of the Hatemongers Quarterly. Indeed, he’s already hit the sauce this morning in celebration. (Expect your Maximum Leader’s ramblings today to become less and less cogent as the affects of the scotch whisky takes firmer and firmer hold…) Of all of the accolades that one could receive in the whole vast ethereal expanse of Al Gore’s Internet the greatest, your Maximum Leader feels, is to be an official honorary member of the crack young staff of The Hatemongers Quarterly. That your Maximum Leader is an official honorary member of the Crack Young Staff of the HMQ means so very much to him.

One hopes that the big ball tonight will be as cool as last year’s affair. Last year, your Maximum Leader was lucky enough to be escorted (ahem) by Dead Sexy Sadie. He hopes to be that fortunate tonight. He might have to run a little interference for Dead Sexy Sadie as he’s heard that Steve-o might want to have a few words with her about some pictures.

To the Crack Young Staff your Maximum Leader doffs his bejeweled floppy hat and wishes them many hateful returns.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader has a little egg on his face. But just a little.

It seems as though Ben Domenech has resigned from his new blog at the Washington Post. He has resigned because of accusations of plagiarism which appear to be true. This is a sad turn for Ben, but a sad turn of his own making. Your Maximum Leader agrees with how this has shaken out.

Your Maximum Leader stands by his original post’s contention that one shouldn’t be forced to resign from an op/ed position because one’s views are regarded by many as undesireable. But one should be fired or forced to resign for plagiarizing the work of others.

The best coverage of this has been over on Dan Riehl’s site. Start here. Then move to here, here and here.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader knows that if you have a drop of sense in you then Beautiful Atrocities is part of your daily reading. If this is the case you likely know already that our friend Jeff is asking for a little help to keep him going.

Go. Now. Help. He is very worth it.

If you don’t… No more Hot Neo-Fascist of the Day posts.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader sees that Howard Kurtz is out defending the Washington Post’s decision to hire Ben Domenech to opine on the WaPo’s new blog “Red America.” As many of you will no doubt know Ben Domenech is a founder of RedState.

Ben is a social conservative. Most of what he has written is pretty standard stuff from a social conservative’s viewpoint. Your Maximum Leader understands that particularly strident liberals might be offended by what Ben writes. But he is writing opinion. Last time your Maximum Leader checked, unless it was an editorial opinion, the opinion pieces published by a newspaper (or a newspaper’s on-line affliate) did not reflect the “official” opinion of the paper or its owners. It represented the opinion of the editorialist. So what is the big deal here?

Kurtz’s article makes note that Domenech was not hired to “balance” the staff in any particular way. Domenench’s voice on the editorial page provides an opinion from a social conservative that is not widely available from many newspapers. What is wrong with that? The many liberals and Democrats who are deriding the Post or attacking the decision to hire Domenech seem to be making arguments that can be boiled down to “I don’t like his opinion so don’t publish it.”

My! What an awfully open-minded position to take.

Your Maximum Leader has been annoyed for decades by the likes of Molly Irvins, EJ Dionne, Richard Cohen, and their fellow travellers. But you know, never once has it ever occured to your Maximum Leader to complain to the Washington Post for running their columns. Never. Indeed, some mornings your Maximum Leader jumps right to the liberal columnists first-thing just to get his heart racing for another day of villainy.

Your Maximum Leader thinks that those calling for Ben Domenech’s (proverbial) head should just take a deep deep cleansing breath. Then go to their local Starbucks and get a cup of whatever you like - decaf. Then remind themselves that if they don’t like what Domenech is writing they are free to write a letter to the editor expressing their displeasure and why their opinions might be superior - or start their own blog - or something. Trying to silence a man with an opinion is not going to benefit our republic.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leaders says you should check out two sites that have changed their templates recently. One for St. Paddy’s day celebrations, and the other because she can…

Brian makes some morphs into Mement O’Moron.

Dawn changes Caterwauling. (NB to Dawn: Hope the new digs are all you hope them to be.)

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader has a good old fashioned link dumping post to throw your way right now. First off… To those of you of Irish extraction - or those of you pretending for this one day to have Irish roots - Happy St. Patrick’s day. Your Maximum Leader’s heritage is an amalgamation of various strains of ethnicity from the British Isles. Lots of Scottish. Lots of English. Some Welsh. But, surprisingly little Irish. Regardless of that fact he has cooked up a corned beef, some cabbage and taters. He has a six pack of Guiness with his name on it in the fridge. He has even gone so far as to wear green today - mostly to make the Villainettes happy…

So… Happy St. Patrick’s Day. If you are cute, female, and Irish, let your Maximum Leader know and he will be glad to bestow upon you a kiss…

Moving along…

Who’da thunk that the Crack Young Staff will soon be celebrating a big anniversary? Your Maximum Leader hopes that he can come to the party. Doilies or no, he will do what he can to make the e-soiree classy. (Although he can’t imagine the CYS doing anything that isn’t classy…)

Your Maximum Leader sees that (Dead Sexy) Sadie (aka: Agent Bedhead) has a new friend blogging on her site. Mr Atoz, from his maiden post, appears to be cut from the same cloth as our friend Sadie. Go over and give a warm welcome to him.

(NB to all readers: This is possibly the most sucky segue your Maximum Leader has ever attempted.)

Speaking of being cut from the same cloth…

Did you all know that your Maximum Leader (like so many others his age) had something of a crush on Pat Benatar at some point between the years of 1981 and 1984? He knew that he could run with the shadows of the night and everything would be alright. Your Maximum Leader was aware that he was young, from heartache to heartache he would stand, making no promises or demands in is quiet hormonal lust for Pat Benatar. Well now Pat is 53. She is still rocking in the free world. But who knew that she had such a hottie daughter? Really. HOT-TIE! Seriously. Lookie here. (Or here if you like.) Like mother, like daughter…

Moving along…

You know your Maximum Leader sort of presumes that you all read the Wall Street Journal’s Opinion Journal daily. Well, he feels compelled to mention to you today that they have a whole battery of great essays. Check out this fine essay on blacks in the Catholic Church. You might also check out the essay on anarchy.

The best essay on Opinion Journal today is the one by Daniel Henninger on the slipping away of the American moral compass. As political discussion becomes more charged due to differing positions on sex it becomes harder to keep cultural morality operant in other areas. Some food for thought there.

Do you know what your Maximum Leader is looking forward to reading? The post that Robbo will craft using the comments appended to this post. Heh. Perhaps even double “heh.”

In closing… Have you noticed the strange path of this post? From corned beef, to hotties, to sex in politics - and how that can be bad - to composite posting… Interesting. But not interesting in the same way that your Maximum Leader feels every day when he reads WWTD and then clicks on to Charmaine Yoest. Humm…

By the way… Cookery blogging on tap for later…

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader doffs his bejeweled floppy hat and wishes hearty congratulations to Phin and Mrs. Phin on the arrival of their wee little boy Phinlet! What great news! Congratulations. Swim on over to Phin’s blog and wish him the best.

NB to Phin: This means no pudding wrestling in the house for quite a while now…

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader, for the most part, ignores Cindy Sheehan and all reporting of Cindy Sheehan. But for some reason Jeff’s latest on Mother Peace (or however she is styling herself nowadays - Hugo Chavez’s American Ho, Fidel’s Kinky American Beeyatch, or whatever…) just struck your Maximum Leader as really really funny.

Go, see what Jeff recommends.

As your Maximum Leader was reading over the post he thought to himself, “You know, Jeff could become a fashion consultant for some high profile California criminal defense attorney. You know, like Gloria Allred or something…” Gloria did a good job on Amber Frey from that whole Scott Pterson thingie. (Is Scott Peterson dead yet? Is he suffering in prison as some Crip’s beeyatch or something? He ought to be…)

Anyhoo… Your Maximum Leader should also thank Jeff for the links in that post. He had no idea what Chenille was. Indeed, he’s still not sure that he does, but the picture helped.

You know your Maximum Leader still has a print out of the tutorial that the lovely Annika gave him about shoes. With three women in the Villainschloss it comes in handy when they start to get dressed up…

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader has had a rough day. He can’t explain why, but it was a bear of a day. Indeed, your Maximum Leader has looked forward to the time (now by the way) that he can relax in the Villainschloss with his computer, his iPod, and peace.

So… Your Maximum Leader has settled down and is relaxing and is catching up on some reading. NB to Sadie concerning your comment - No, your Maximum Leader was not wearing a Maximum Leader shirt. But if you were watching the Pacers v. Wizards game last night you would have seen your Maximum Leader walking along the side of the court about 2 minutes into the 3 quarter. At one point he was about a foot from Antwan Jaimison before said Mr. Jaimison inbounded the ball. Your Maximum Leader was the tall man with glasses, wearing the Tommy Hillfiger sweatshirt, jeans, and carring a fresh beer. (He was just leaving the VIP suite and returning to his seat…)

Anyhoo…

Your Maximum Leader decided to start reading his favourite blogs. You know, catch up on everything he missed today…

As is your Maximum Leader’s habit, he begins his blog reading at the top of his blogroll in the Loyal Minions category. He made it down 6 positions.

Now after reading Skippy’s lastest he sees no reason to continue reading further. Your Maximum Leader will finish this post and likely re-read Skippy’s latest (because it is so damn good it deserves a second reading) and then turn off the computer and go read a book. Nothing he could possibly read tonight on the whole friggin internet will be a good as Skippy’s latest. So he will call it quits.

NB to Brian: Your Maximum Leader was going to write more about summits and President Bush. But it will have to wait until the morrow.

G’night minions. Catch you later.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader apologizes to you if you’ve tried to comment on the blog over the past 11 or so hours. There is some hiccup going on at Superb (your Maximum Leader’s web host) that is causing some SQL connectivitiy problems. The good techs at Superb inform your Maximum Leader that these problems are under control and soon resolved - if not already resolved.
The Wee Villain is not feeling well today. Thus your Maximum Leader is playing Mr. Mom. This occurence must have been fated to be. Because you see the Wee Villain and your Maximum Leader spent the morning watching a movie. But not just any film… We watched a film with BOTH the dreamy Jennifer Love Hewitt AND Jaime Pressly. Insipid film actually. But the eye candy made it all worth while. Can you name that film? No prize for you if you do. Just bragging rights… For what that is worth.

Your Maximum Leader was contacted out of the blue by an old college friend. She says that she blogged for a while, but gave it up. She is being very coy about her old blog site… Your Maximum Leader will have to push harder for info… Your Maximum Leader and his friend chatted via Yahoo Messenger for a while last night. It was fun.

Do you want to know what the definition of “love” is minionly readers? It is copying “Yanni’s” album “Live from the Acropolis” onto your computer so that you can load it into your wife’s iPod Shuffle. Your Maximum Leader’s fingers still are numb from having to handle that offense to one’s ears…

Your Maximum Leader sees on the news that the President made a brief stop in Afghanistan today. Indeed by the time you read this Mr Bush is likely already in India for a brief visit. What happened to the week-long summits of yesteryear? One wonders if a little more effort would yeild more benefits?

Your Maximum Leader also sees that Anna Nicole Smith’s case was heard by the Supreme Court yesterday. That would be an oral argument that your Maximum Leader would like to hear. Frankly your Maximum Leader hasn’t followed the case. But now reading over the news wires it would seem that there are lots of twists, turns, and lies all involved. Document tampering. Shredding. Lies. Deception. Private investigators. Strippers. Billions in oil money. One hopes that Anna Nicole hasn’t sold the movie rights. This story could, in the right hands, be more compelling than “The People Vs. Larry Flynt.”

Your Maximum Leader is, in case you are interested, listening to two Cowboy Junkies albums on his iPod now. They are “21st Century Blues” and “In the time before Llamas.” They are both quite good.

And in case you were wondering… As best your Maximum Leader can tell, anything prior to November 2003 is the time before Llamas.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader knows he is not the greatest speller in the world. But what the hell? His loyal readers let him go nearly 24 hours and not point out that he misspelled “obsession” about 5 billion times in a recent post…

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader has been busy the past few days. Why is it that one goes through periods of quiet followed by periods of furious intensity? Humm… Rhetorical question really… No need to give that one any thought…

Anyhoo…

Your Maximum Leader visited with the Air Marshal over the weekend. Long-time readers will remember the Air Marshal as a sometimes commenter on this blog. Your Maximum Leader doesn’t believe he’s posted anything in a few months. The Air Marshal is really a busy rocket scientist. He is busy making our air traffic control system more modern and safe. So if you are flying, thank him (and the many others who do similar or related work) for getting you to and from where you are going.

In other news… Your Maximum Leader sees (via Dead Sexy Sadie) that the Confederate Yankee was interviewed by the Washington Post. Very cool. (Excursus: What does it take to get interviewed by the WaPo? Is there a bribe involved? Payola?)

Has your Maximum Leader mentioned to you all that he has been drinking more bourbon of late? That is sort of a strange thing really. Your Maximum Leader is a scotch man. He’s always loved his scotch. Single malts. Blends. Highland. Lowland. Islays. Islands. He just loves his scotch. If you try you can always find a scotch that will match your mood and desires. But lately he’s been drinking lots of bourbon. It is sweeter. It has a completely different texture and character. But it is brown… He can’t quite tell you why he’s been drinking bourbon. Is it some sort of alcoholic patriotism? (You know… It’s made in the USA.) Is it that good bourbon tends to be a little cheaper than good scotch and thus he can indulge himself more for the same cost? He doesn’t know. But he does know that he will try to get his hands on a dram of this stuff that is being bottled at the Bruichladdich distillery on the Isle of Islay. It will not be ready for 10 years… But hell… 184 proof Scotch? Gotta try some of that.

In case any of you reading this are looking for a recommendation when it comes to bourbon… Allow your Maximum Leader to commend to you Pappy Van Winkles 20 year old reserve. The Air Marshal and your Maximum Leader shared a bottle over the weekend. It was great for sipping. Your Maximum Leader is told that all the Van Winkle bourbons are good. But this 20 year old bourbon was truely outstanding. And it was quite reasonable. The bottle cost your Maximum Leader about $36. You don’t find many outstanding liquors for that price. Go get yourself a bottle if you are so inclined.

Moving from alcohol to economics… Did you all see Pete DuPont’s peice in Opinion Journal today? No. Go read it. Very good. Give thanks for Ronald Reagan and his economic policies. Of course, the nitwits in Congress seem to be hell-bent-for-leather to continue their ruinous spending policies. Your Maximum Leader is open to considering voting against his Congressman (Joanne Davi R-Va) as a reaction to profligate spending by the House. Then again… Your Maximum Leader doesn’t believe that the Democrats are running anyone against Ms. Davis. Your Maximum Leader might have to write in someone… Perhaps Bill the Cat?

And finally… Do you ever have dreams of winning the lottery? Just read this quick piece and remember that it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader has been more or less pretty reticent about the whole “Muslims in uproar about Danish cartoons” story. He hopes that most of you would be able to guess what his comments might be on this subject. If you can’t guess… He’ll just leave you with a link to Ted’s site for a great analogy.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader before going to bed last night tried to catch up on some of his favourite Moo-Knew blogs. But it seems as though they were not available from about 22:30 EST until yor Maximum Leader turned in at about 23:30 EST last night.

Did Dr Rusty’s batch of Abu Garib photos crash the benevolent Pixy’s servers?

They all seem to be okay now.

As for the title of this post… Aren’t the MuNuvians sorta like a fun cult of bloggers? Your Maximum Leader doesn’t mean that in a bad way. They are, after all, a community of opinionated people living in the commune set up by the benevolent leader - the aforementioned Pixy Misa.

Perhaps MuNuvians are more like a 21st Century version of the Our Gang/Little Rascals. Pixy would be Spanky. Dr. Rusty could be Alfalfa. Robbo could be Waldo. Steve could be Butch. Kathy could be Darla. But who would be Buckwheat?

Humm…

Carry on.