Ask Caroline to consider these candidates for profiles in courage awards

They may have a head start; they're Democrats.

Bravo for Obama for recognizing the democratic impulse

In Iraq.

Less government is better?

Richard Rahn over at Cato sizes up the the Optimum Government.

Good work if you can get it!

The federal work force is growing.

R.I.P John Updike

John Updike, has died. Here's a Chris Lydon interview with Updike on the art of taking a walk though a museum.

A little avant jazz in the morning

Keith & Julie Tippett.

Well this isn't exactly news is it?

Obamapalooza is not a loser for the media.

Meanwhile this cartoon sums it up perfectly. Hat tip to Pundit Review.

Bravo Barack Obama!

One of my favorite lines from President Obama's inaugural speech: "We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."

Barney Frank doing what he does best: running his mouth

Caught in a lie, the very glib and very over-rated Barney Frank

Warren did not, however, compare "same sex relationships to incest" or say they are similar. He only said they all fall outside his definition of marriage. That's an important distinction.

Just desserts

They really do want to go back to the Middle Ages. So maybe they should really love the Plague.

On Skank Patrol: Courtney Love is a self-hating Jew

Courtney Hole runs here mouth and removes all doubt that she's unfit for many things.

COURTNEY Love claims she's not taking drugs anymore, but you wouldn't know it from comments she made in the Jewish magazine Heeb. Love, whose mother is Jewish but who describes herself as Buddhist, says of ex-husband Kurt Cobain's legacy: "Every time you buy a Nirvana record, part of that money is not going to Kurt's child, or to me, it's going to a handful of Jew loan officers, Jew private banks, it's going to lawyers who are also bankers . . ." The former Hole singer also mused on why she's given up playing in an all-girl band: "Like, there are [bleep]ing riot grrls sitting there banging on pots and pans and talking about their vaginas, and that's all really lovely, but the music blows." On why she won't date actors: "They're [bleep]. They're women." And on being a parent: "I'm more like, 'You're not going to do that, so [bleep] off, or I'm taking your computer, and your [bleep]ing, you know, BlackBerry.' "

Nominally Jewish, CL says she's a Buddhist! Oh really? I don't think smearing stereotypes is very Buddhist. It's been some time since small-minded Courtney Love has coursened the culture. Apparently quite a few people pay attention.

Thought for a day

Football great Jim Brown in the January Esquire:

"A liberal is arrogant enough to think he can do you a half-assed favor. He is superior enough to think he can give you something that you don't deserve. A liberal will cut off your leg so he can hand you a crutch."

An American Hero, welcome to the world of Sully

Uplifting our spirits in a time of despair. A miracle on the Hudson finessed by Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III, former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot.

"You look at his training, you look at his experience. It was just the right pilot at the right time in charge of that plane that saved so many lives," Anderson said. "He is a man who is calm, cool, collected, just as he was today."

A real find at four in the morning

Impressive performance.

The new friendly fascism, express and local

College town mentality; economic nonsense.

Call this a case of liberalism via central planning gone wild.

In one of the most politically left-of-center cities east of Berkeley, Calif., ideas put forth at city hall in Madison, Wis. would dramatically limit free enterprise and personal liberty, all in the name of environmental sustainability.

According to the “Broad Strategies” section of a meeting agenda recently posted on the City of Madison Web site, an ordinance being considered would force city zoning to account for and mitigate climate change:

10. Zoning should adapt to meet the demands of climate change; use zoning to address or mitigate effects, or adapt to climate change; remove any barriers to mitigating the effects, adapting to climate change (trees, green space, mobility, renewable energy, land use).

Bono on Old Blue Eyes

Bono's very rich and rewarding interpretation of the Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra.

Destroying what is not seen

A little lesson in economics.

Let us all praise a great human being: Tony Dungy

Tony Dungy is calling it quits. He will remain one of the most decent men in and out of football:

"While the city of Tampa reveres Dungy for turning a moribund franchise into a perennial playoff team, Indy's bond with Dungy was just as strong.

The city applauded Dungy's achievement when he finally won the Super Bowl and rallied around Dungy's family when he endured his greatest tragedy - his son's suicide in 2005.

'His biggest legacy will be all the people around the country who he's inspired to be better and to deal with some of life's tragedies in a manner that gives people a lot of strength,' Edwards said. 'What he went through with his son and how he handled it, was something that says a lot about Tony, his faith and what he stands for.'

What's next for Dungy is unclear. He has been involved for years in prison ministries, with Family First and as part of All-Pro Dads.

'Where my heart is, is really with our young men right now,' Dungy said. 'We have so many guys that didn't grow up like me, didn't have their dad there and that's something I'm very, very interested in.'"

The grabbing hand of government goes virtual

The IRS enters another dimension -- all in the name of revenue enhancement.

The Internal Revenue Service should start taxing the fledgling virtual economy in Second Life, World of Warcraft, and other virtual worlds according to Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson. In her annual report published on the IRS website, Olsen said that there are still a number of issues that the IRS should "proactively address" before they get out of control. And now that it's on the IRS' radar, it's likely only a matter of time before Uncle Sam tries to figure out some way to get a cut of your gold.

As most of our readers know, a number of virtual worlds involve the trade of real money for various virtual products and services inside of the game(s). And wherever people are spending money, someone is making it. Entrepreneurs are making fat cash off the sale of virtual land, clothing, sex toys, and everything in between in Second Life and other games, and now Olson wants the IRS to go after them.

Next stop for the IRS is the afterlife.

It's about time! Rice enters Baseball's HOF

Better late than never. Jim Rice enters the Hall of Fame. He was one of the greatest hitters to put on a Red Sox uniform.