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Let's Say Thanks

Musing Minds found a great way to say thanks to the troops at a site sponsored by Xerox called Let's Say Thanks.com. I just love this idea and my kids are going to love it too. What a great way to celebrate the 4th.

This Week's Political Blogging Links

Please check out my political blogging at Wizbang! and Wizbang Politics.  Below are some links to posts from this week.

June 30, 2006  I Totally Robbed Jay
June 29, 2006  A New Bin Laden Tape
June 29, 2006  All Grown Up
June 29, 2006  All Politics, All the Time
June 29, 2006  Milbloggers Pick Up Where the Media Fails
June 29, 2006  Cindy Sheehan Is Starving for Attention -- Literally
June 29, 2006  Americans Deserve Better Than Keller's Open Letter
June 29, 2006  The President and the King
June 28, 2006  Making Good On A Promise
June 28, 2006  A Trip To Iraq -- In Pictures
June 28, 2006  President Bush Sings U2
June 27, 2006  An Interview With Mort Kondracke
June 27, 2006  More Dots To Connect Between Saddam and Al-Qaeda
June 27, 2006  When Rush Says That He Loves "24"...
June 26, 2006  In Defense of the Religious Right
June 26, 2006  Ann Coulter -- The Deadhead Interview
June 26, 2006  L.A.Times' Attempt To Explain Why They Published Classified Information
June 26, 2006  Perception Versus Reality
June 26, 2006  Time To Plant The Goalposts
June 26, 2006  Life Is Precious
June 25, 2006  A Conservative "Daily Show"?
June 25, 2006  The Latest Jihadist Butchery, Desperation And the Media
June 25, 2006  Planned Troop Reductions Leaked

He Is A Uniter

There are some on the right who engage in over-the-top rhetoric and attacks on the left, but the President is not one of them.

Putin Tummy Kissing

This is just strange, especially assuming the child is a stranger. 

The President and the King

I know there are some extremely serious stories in the news this week, but Kim, Jay, Paul and Kevin already have them covered, so I couldn't resist the story of the first Presidential visit to Graceland.

My mom was (and still is) a big Elvis fan. She took me to an Elvis concert when I a little kid in Charlotte and I knew all the words to every Elvis album she owned. She didn't stop at making me an Elvis fan, though. If you ask my five year old who Elvis is she will tell you that "Elvis is the king." I am not sure whether or not my daughter knows he is no longer living, but she knows his songs from watching Disney's Lilo and Stitch. Anyway, considering all that, how could anyone expect me to resist?

Evidently the visiting Japanese Prime Minister is a huge Elvis fan and will be treated to a guided tour:

The Memphis, Tenn., home of the King of Rock and Roll will host a summit of sorts Friday when President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi travel to Graceland for a personal tour of one of America's wackiest -- and some may argue tackiest -- tourist attractions.

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When Bush and Koizumi enter Graceland's musically noted gates, they will be at the mercy of the King's court. Elvis' ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, and his daughter, Lisa Marie, will give a personal tour of the house, Morgan said.

There's no word yet on whether they'll get to see the very private inner sanctum -- the second-floor bedrooms -- or if they'll linger at the display case of law-enforcement badges, including the one given to Elvis in 1970 when he met Nixon at the White House.

And Graceland is gearing up for Koizumi's trip as if it were a visit, well, from the King himself. "We're really looking forward to getting to thank him in person for all the wonderful things he's said about Elvis over the years," Morgan said.

President Bush, not Clinton, will be the first president to visit Graceland. Who would've guessed that?

Cross-posted at Wizbang!

Star Is Gone

After much speculation and gossip it is now official that Star Jones is no longer on The View. 

Betsy Newmark posts a link to a story about how the bruhaha over Star has hurt Barbara Walters' credibility.  I caught a bit of The View today because the show about The Devil Wears Prada and being the movie lover that I am, I wanted to get a sneak peek.  Star was on the show -- the words "previously recorded" were flashed on the screen over and over again.  The opening of the show was spent discussing the theme of the movie and talking about tough female bosses.  Star was not smiling one bit.  She talked about how sneaky women bosses can be.  At one point there was a reference to Barbara, who was seated next to Star, being the boss.  Someone said something about Barbara not really being the boss because she was one of them on the set. Star said ( I am paraphrasing here), "Oh, no.  Barbara is the boss.  Don't fool yourselves.  She is the boss."  It was really strange seeing those exchanges, with Star, who was obviously not happy, knowing what we all know now.   

A Trip To Iraq -- In Pictures

This slideshow was linked at Lucianne.com, where the staff noted they received more mail on this post than any other this year.

Cross-posted at Wizbang!

Ann Coulter -- The Deadhead Interview

This is fun. (Link via Lucianne).

Texas Environmentalists

I love this story.

The Dead Zone Is Back

I was really disappointed when USA Network's show, The 4400, which started out really good, left their formula of following the individuals that returned to Earth with special powers, to focus on some grand conspiracy crap.  I mean, there were 4400 potiential stories and they couldn't even get through one full season of good episodes.  I decided to give them a second chance and started watching when the show returned last week, but I couldn't even make it through the entire episode.

What is back and better than ever, though, is The Dead Zone.  Although it also periodically leaves the individual mysteries to delve into an Armageddon plotline, the show is consistently good.  This week's episode reminded me of one of those Final Destination movies (I think it was the second one).  Johnny got caught in traffic brought to a standstill on an interstate due to an escaped convict.  He keeps seeing images of doom and has to figure out how it can be averted.  This is the general formula of most episodes of the show, but the script and the acting is good enough that it doesn't matter.  It is a puzzle and you get to spend an hour trying to figure out how the pieces fit together.  What was especially good about this episode was that even those who had never seen the show before could sit down and watch it and be at no disadvantage whatsoever.  It was a self-contained story.  Maybe one day The 4400 will return to that formula.  I am not holding my breath though.