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 thought today would be a great blogging day. He was wrong. Allow him to explain…

The Wee Villain isn’t feeling well. Stomach virus… So your Maximum Leader was tending to him… Your Maximum Leader has been thrown up on twice today. Once last night. The time last night was the worst. It was the two-hours-after-drinking-milk vomit. Ack. Imagine cottage cheese that has sat out in the sun for a day or so. Then douse the festering cottage cheese in stomach acid. Throw in some half digested peaches and chicken nuggets. That is what was covering your Maximum Leader last night.

Former milk vomit is the worst.

Anyhoo… Your Maximum Leader thought he’d be able to wax philosophic today once the Wee Villain fell asleep. Alas… The Wee Villain would only sleep while cradled in your Maximum Leader’s arms. Can’t blog like that.

So your Maximum Leader started watching the Firefly marathon on SciFi.

Your Maximum Leader likes it. Likes it very much. Firefly that is…

That is about all he has to blog about now. He’s going to try and write something decent next week… Or maybe later today… Most likely not tonight…

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 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 wanted to let you all know that he wasn’t just abandoning you all without warning today. That thing called “real life” - you know the one. All that stuff you do when you’re not blogging? Anyhoo… Real life was sorta busy and your Maximum Leader just had to pass on early blogging today and most of yesterday.

So… You may be wondering what is this “real life” stuff that is so time consuming? Well… It is actually nothing interesting. Just Maximum Leaderly stuff…

In the good news department however… Your Maximum Leader’s dear sister called him yesterday. She had great and miraculous news. She is pregnant. This is very exciting and unexpected news. It is unexpected because for many many years we’ve all been told that getting pregnant would be nearly impossible for her. Of course this is also why this news is extra exciting. If you are inclinded to prayer your Maximum Leader would ask that you keep his sister and her child in your prayers. It is possible that past problems could complicate her pregnancy. (Although there is no evidence of complications up to this point.) So prayer is always helpful in these situations.

In the good news of a much more frivolous nature department… Your Maximum Leader finally decided to bite the bullet and upgrade his cable TV subscription. He now has HD/Digital cable and all the various channels filled with anti-culture that come with an expanded subscription. So that is cool. But it also might mean less blogging…

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader, until a few moments ago, completely forgot that he will be in Dee Cee for business tomorrow and Friday. This means two possible things to you all.

First, there will likely not be much blogging tomorrow or Friday.

Second, if you are a loyal reader and in Dee Cee and would like to meet up with your Maximum Leader tomorrow after 4pm you should give him a call. By call he means shoot him an e-mail.

BTW, if you a really nice your Maximum Leader might buy a drink…

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader would like to share a random thought with you.

Your Maximum Leader is convinced that all those little houses along the sides of various roads around the country with small hand-painted signs advertising psychics, palm readers, and tarot card readings are all just fronts for laundering money from the illegal drug trade.

Just a random thought there…

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader returned to his physician today. He’s still not completely over his recent bout. Indeed, he has fluid in his ear so badly that he can hardly hear out of his right ear. He now has a few more scripts at the pharmacy that should help out and beat this thing once and for all.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader is beginning to feel better. He was going to write that he is “feeling human” again, but as we all know being a conservative negates one’s humanity… Or so it would seem after listening to the various speakers at Coretta Scott King’s funeral. Your Maximum Leader would link some of the commentary about the funeral remarks but… Okay, He’ll link to Dan. Because Dan’s post amused your Maximum Leader. Oh… He’ll also link to James Joyner too.

Anyhoo…

Your Maximum Leader was up and around a little bit yesterday. More so today. His iPod has been a blessing. Why? Well, because he couldn’t look at a computer screen without throwing up he only logged on for long enough to download a bunch of audio podcasts. So, he got lots of listening done. Listening to the iPod and watching TV was fun.

As far as the illness goes, your Maximum Leader hopes that he has turned a corner. Blogging may still be light for another day or two. But if he feels up to it, and computer monitors don’t induce vomiting, he’s got a few ideas for posts.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader is still rife with pestilence. He doesn’t appear to be making much progress towards recovery. Of course his recovery may be complicated by the fact that now both of the Villainettes have been home from school with some nasty stomach flu. Which your Maximum Leader believes he’s caught.

In addition to everything else, your Maximum Leader has discovered that one of his medications is making it hard for him to focus on objects close to him. This is to say close is within about 24 inches of his face. Thus, he can’t read a book, nor can he use the computer for very long. After about 25 mins of reading (computer or book) he starts to get sick to his stomach. Yesterday he threw up after reading for a while. Not fun.

Expect blogging to be light for a few more days.

PS - To all the DC area bloggers who got together this weekend… Your Maximum Leader is very sorry for missing the festivities. He really wanted to met up with you all. We’ll try it again sometime.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader isn’t well. Indeed, it seems something short of a miracle that he is even with you now. He’s had a hacking cough for about three weeks. It hasn’t gotten worse, or better. Today he went to see his physician.

The diagnosis wasn’t fun. Your Maximum Leader is suffering from an ear infection, a sinus infection, and acute bronchitis. He left the doctor with 8 presciptions. He’s never EVER left with more than two before. They cost your Maximum Leader precisely $186.54.

It was not a good day.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. You Maximum Leader hopes that February 2006 is good for you. This morning the Villainettes and Mrs Villain, each individually, approached your Maximum Leader and proclaimed (loudly) “Rabbit.” It seems this is a tradition in Mrs Villain’s family. On the first of every month they rush around calling all their relatives to be the first one to say “Rabbit.” It seems like an odd custom, but rather harmless…

So for all of you out there your Maximum Leader says, “Rabbit.”

Carry on.

Chevrolet Corvette
William Overcompensates
Ain’t foolin’ no one

Skippy on Hewitt:
Humungous head Mongoloid
Ha ha ha ha ha.

Hot chick arbitration
Pressly or Moss or Hewitt
Let Skippy decide

Sonnet for Ally
Creepy is my middle name
Poetry pending

Here’s a new song for Daddy to sing you:

Tom Lehrer’s “The Irish Ballad”

About a maid I’ll sing a song
Sing rickety tickety tin
About a maid I’ll sing a song
Who didn’t have her family long
Not only did she do them wrong
She did every one of them in, them in
She did every one of them in.

One morning in a fit of pique
Sing rickety tickety tin
One morning in a fit of pique
She drowned her father in the creek
The water tasted bad for a week
And we had to make do with gin, with gin
We had to make do with gin

Her mother she could never stand
Sing rickety tickety tin
Her mother she could never stand
And so a cyanide soup she planned
The mother died with the spoon in her hand
And her face in a hideous grin, a grin
He face in a hideous grin.

She weighted her brother down with stones
Sing rickety tickety tin
She weighted her brother down with stones
And sent him off to Davey Jones
All they ever found were some bones
And occasional pieces of skin, of skin
Occasional pieces of skin.

She set her sister’s hair on fire
Sing rickety tickety tin
She set her sister’s hair on fire
And as the smoke and flame rose higher
Danced around the funeral pyre
Playing a violin, olin
Playing a violin.

One day she had nothing to do
Sing rickety tickety tin
One day she had nothing to do
She cut her baby brother in two
And served him up as an Irish stew
And invited the neighbors in, bors in
Invited the neighbors in.

And when at last the police came by
Sing rickety tickety tin
And when at last the police came by
Her little pranks she did not deny
To do so she would have had to lie
And lying she knew was a sin, a sin
And lying she knew was a sin.

And just one thing before I go
Sing rickety tickety tin
And just one thing before I go
There’s something I think that you ought to know
They had no proof, so they let her go
And they say that she’s tall and thin, and thin
They say that she’s tall and thin.

My tragic tale I won’t prolong
Sing rickety tickety tin
My tragic tale I won’t prolong
I hope you like my little song
You’ve yourself to blame if it’s too long
You should never have let me begin, begin
You should never have let me begin.

The obstreperous Smallholder has been giving quite the ribbing to “Prancing Pony” Bill over at Bill’s Comments.

Friends tend to rib each other.

Believe me, Bill, you are getting off easy; you should have heard what I said when the Maximum Leader inadvertently confessed to “feeling pretty” in pantyhose the Maximum Leader said that time I showed up at his place in a french maid outfit and confessed to “needing a good swipe” with a feather duster…