HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

May this nation always adhere to the ideals set forth in the Declaration signed 233 years ago today. God bless America!

THIS JUST IN: Watch this "Gnooze" video regarding typical TV MEDIA COVERAGE in the past few days: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCdXtEA3Yy8 It's a satire, of course. But pretty accurate.

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS: PALIN

ANNOUNCING HER DECISION TO LEAVE OFFICE: Good for Gov. Palin, choosing to make a major change that could be very beneficial for her family. Bad for media coverage of Michael Jackson's endless saga (ok, that's GOOD for TV viewers who have been OD'ing on MJ). Not so good a move for Palin as the left will now parse every word and go psycho in analysis of every nuance (hey, it drives me crazy how she says "Alaska" too). I hope she's not getting out of public life entirely and want her to make a killing on the speaking circuit. Loved how she was focused in her remarks without the usual political props (cue cards, tele prompters). Bad news, though, if she now intends to leave the public stage.

Bonus: Her new book (co-written by my friend Lynn Vincent) should be even more interesting and popular.

WATCHING NORTH KOREA

They're ready for a missile launch toward Hawaii. And... how will the White House respond?

JULY 4TH UPDATE: At last count, seven missles (Scuds) lobbed from North Korea. This is on top of four launched yesterday. The US State Department's response: It's "not helpful" to relations in the region. No kidding. Well, that's a variation from White House standard blurb of "we're concerned". The burning question: What technology (such as it is) is Kim Jong Il selling... and to whom?

GOV. SCHWARZENEGGER IS RIGHT

This time around, anyway.

Here's his excellent Op/Ed on the budget battles in today's LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-schwarzenegger3-2009jul03,0,6857410.story BTW: Conservatives need to thank him and encourage more of this tougher, clearer stance in Sacramento.

THE SPIRIT OF JULY 4th

Something to ponder this Independence Day weekend... as Edmund Burke (1729-1797)said:

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE...

...will come from the White House regarding the capture of a US soldier by militants?
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ijSi9m3h-DBGg4Cv6E4XiAYH6YcwD9968L1O0 I can hear it now... "we're DEEPLY concerned".

MICHAEL JACKSON'S FAITH

Actually this part of the non-stop MJ story is interesting. Did he convert to Islam in recent months? Here's the latest: www.boston.com/news/local/articles_of_faith/2009/07/michael_

DISTORTING THE GUN ISSUE

There they go again, making it seem like all the guns used in Mexico's drug wars come from the USA: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/warner-todd-huston/2009/07/01/now-its-sf-chron-using-false-90-mexican-guns-us-line

HELL FREEZES OVER

The Minnesota Supreme Court says Al Franken is the new U.S. Senator, beating Norm Coleman: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/court-rules-franken-has-won-senate-seat/?hp

SUPREMES WITHOUT MICHAEL JACKSON

Today's Court decisions, including a set-back for the likely in-coming Justice:
http://news.myway.com/index/id/supremeap.html But not a Michael Jackson story in the bunch.

TREE HUGGING

Cap & Trade (aka TAX) must be fought today.. call your elected officials and oppose this economic killer. It's more bureaucratic lunancy based on flawed "global warming" theory.

Speaking of tree hugging, I'm not this man: http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/chi-talk-tree-climbjun25,0,1107419.story
It's some guy with my name, charging people $20 to climb his 300 year old tree. Gotta hand it to him for being creative.

THE HAPPIEST MAN IN AMERICA

Gov. Sanford of South Carolina. The Michael Jackson story has deep-sixed his saga for the next few days.