Irish Trojan in Tennessee

More peachy economic news

By Brendan Loy

This is bad, no?

P.S. And this...

Obama-Biden '08!

By Brendan Loy

I know it's a bit early to be talking about potential vice presidents in an Obama Administration, considering Barack the Builder currently has just 78 of the 2,025 delegates he needs to win the nomination, and is presently, at best, a co-front-runner with Hillary Clinton. Nevertheless, I was delighted to hear this from CNN's Gloria Borger yesterday, on the topic of a possible Hillary & Barack (in whatever order) ticket:

I think it's more likely that Clinton could choose someone like Barack Obama than Barack Obama would pick someone like Hillary Clinton. I think if he were the nominee, he would be more likely to go to somebody like a Joe Biden, with a lot of foreign policy experience.

Yes! Let's get an Obama-Biden boomlet going! Maybe I should start a Facebook group or something. :)

P.S. Here's the video:

P.P.S. Ezra Klein is on the bandwagon. Kevin Drum, too. And Transplanted Texan at MyDD. The groundswell is growing! Joe-mentum!

Clintons face nonsensical allegations of racism

By Brendan Loy

Y'all know that I'm tentatively supporting Obama over Clinton in the Democratic primary race... but... can someone please explain to me how Bill Clinton calling Barack Obama's characterization of his position on Iraq a "fairy tale" is somehow "racial"?

I'm honestly baffled. Do black people tell their children lots of fairy tales? Is "fairy" not just an anti-gay slur, but an anti-black one? I just don't understand how this is remotely related to race at all, even arguably.

A good year to be a bubble team?

By Brendan Loy

Seth Davis writes:

If you look at how down the Big Ten and SEC are, plus the fact that the Missouri Valley and the CAA are probably only going to send one team to the NCAA tournament, then it seems to me there could be a lot of at-large bids floating around out there heading into March.

That could be good news for USC, which is already flirting with disaster by starting its Pac-10 season 0-3. Heck, it could be good news for the whole Pac-10; there was preseason talk of a record seven or eight at-large bids for the nation's best basketball conference, and that seems like a more realistic possibility than ever with so many other leagues having "down" years. (I read speculation in ESPN The Magazine about the Big Ten potentially getting only two bids, three "at most" -- though frankly, I'll believe that when I see it.)

He's not cowering under his afghan

By Brendan Loy

Glenn Reynolds wants a robot.

Don't do it, Glenn! Remember: when they grab you with those metal claws, you can't break free, because they're made of metal, and robots are strong.

P.S. There are Old Glory Robot Insurance t-shirts. Heh.

CNN Breaking News

By CNN

-- The pregnant Marine missing from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, is dead, according to local officials.

About that solid economic foundation...

By Brendan Loy

Biglaw layoffs -- oh, good.

(I know, I know. Weep for the poor lawyers.)

But the economy is strong, right, Mr. President?

(Hat tip: InstaPundit.)

Houston, we have a new car!

By Brendan Loy

Or rather, a new minivan/SUV type thing: the Mazda 5.

It's pretty sweet. And it'll fit two adults, a baby, three cats and a dog way better than the Camry can. :)

Billikens held to 20 points

By Brendan Loy

George Washington 49, Saint Louis 20, final.

Hold on, I thought bowl season was over. And I didn't realize GW and SLU played Division I football.

Wait -- you mean that's a basketball score?

Sir Edmund Hillary: 1919-2008

By David K.

Renowned explorer and perhaps the world's most famous New Zealander, Sir Edmund Hillary, has passed away after suffering a heart attack. He was 88 years old.

Hillary -- along with his Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay -- were the first two men known to have reached the summit of Mt. Everest, the highest peak on Earth. They achieved this feat on May 29, 1953. Hillary was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II shortly after completing the climb and continued to explore, climbing a number of other mountains as well as traveling to both the North and South poles.

He continued to have a strong friendship with the Sherpa people throughout his life, at one point being given an honorary Nepalese citizenship. He participated in philanthropic work in the region as well helping raise money to build hospitals and schools.

Flags in New Zealand are being flown at half staff in his honor, as well as at Scott Base, a New Zealand-operated Antarctic research station Hillary was involved in. A state funeral is being planned in his honor as well.