Finally. Alito has been confirmed. 58 in favor, 42 against. Here’s the breakdown from C-SPAN.
One Republican, Chafee of Rhode Island, voted against Alito. Four Democrats voted for him.
In celebration, I bought a new lens for my camera. I was trying to decide between the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 and the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8. The Canon lens [...]

The world that Orwell warned against grows in Chicago. Mayor Daley has embraced a plan that would require every licensed Chicago business that are open for more than twelve hours a day to install cameras both inside and outside of the business.

Another Bredesen official resigns.
This time it’s over an attempted smearing campaign of Rep. Judd Matheny after Matheny called for a Federal investigation into the allegations of top Highway Patrol officials faking a punishment of one of their own over Deputy Governor Dave Cooley’s fixed speeding ticket.
Well…I guess it has gotten to the point now that [...]

I was nowhere near Fesslers Lane today.

How much is too much? At what point does the public just get tired of public corruption? Will too much corruption lead to anger or apathy?
Here in Tennessee, we are yet again one scandal closer to finding the answers to those questions.
Just as I got a press release yesterday regarding “Operation Crooked Highway,” I received [...]

In regards to a Federal Judge’s injunction against the state Senate’s actions in the Ophelia Ford fiasco, Bill Hobbs asks (commenting at Bob Krumm’s site), “Can a federal judge do that? Order a state legislative body not to vote on legislation that has moved properly through the legislative process?” Krumm provides a good response to [...]

Bill Hobbs, Sharon Cobb, and now Roger Abramson have exited from the political blogosphere. All three have backgrounds in some type of “mainstream” journalism. All three bowed out within a seven day period.
Coincidence?
More: On a similar (but at the same time unrelated) note, does this mean that someone else may be coming back to blogging? [...]

Ophelia Ford got an injunction today from a Federal judge in Memphis to block the state Senate from voting to overturn her election.
A federal judge today blocked the state Senate from voiding the disputed special election that Senator Ophelia Ford of Memphis won by 13 votes to succeed her indicted brother.Ford’s attorney filed a motion [...]

Maybe I should run for Governor since no one else is. It would obviously be a front porch…er front blog campaign.
But hey, if William McKinley and James Garfield can do it, so can I.
I just…um…probably wouldn’t win. But I would promise to not brandish any new Walthers. heh
Update: Well…I don’t qualify anyway. (links to pdf) [...]

No video blog today. The next one is in the works though

Just when we thought all of the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s dirty laundry had been aired, more information comes to light…
Top officials of the Tennessee Highway Patrol concocted a fake punishment for the trooper who fixed a speeding ticket for Deputy Gov. Dave Cooley, according to notes taken by another high-ranking officer.The notes say the idea [...]

To keep up with what’s going on in the Alito hearings, you can scoot on over to the SCOTUSblog for up-to-the-minute live-blogging of the entire spectacle.
Just keep hitting refresh.

George Will has an excellent column today (via Instapundit). It’s actually required reading for all Republicans…especially if you missed my wake-up call back in September.

Just when politics in Tennessee is about to get back into full swing again, Bill Hobbs hangs up his blogging hat.
I’m sure it wasn’t an easy decision, but sometimes you’ve just got to do what you got to do. He will be missed, but I’m sure he’ll still be around…just not on BillHobbs.com. After all, [...]

I’m sure that this story somehow ties into this other story. I’m just not sure how…except that it probably falls under Bush’s ultimate goal to start an intergalactic war.

Today, Samuel Alito’s confirmation hearings begin. First, we get the pleasure of listening to all 18 members of the Senate Judiciary Committee give ten minute opening statements. Tomorrow the “questioning” begins.
Political grandstanding at its finest. On the other hand, it does always provide for some interesting humour when listening to liberals that have an open [...]

Egailia at TN Guerilla Women links to a CNN video showing Howard Dean say that no Democrats took from the convicted lobyist Jack Abramoff.
Really? I guess the voice of Howard Dean is the equivalent to the voice of God to most Democrats…but I digress.
I don’t normally post campaign press releases, but I received one* this [...]

Just in via a CBS News Alert (at 3am): U.S., Iraq, Say Terror Leader al-Zarqawi - Linked To Numerous Kidnappings, Beheadings - Has Been Killed In An Air Raid In Iraq.

I enjoy creative protestors. It’s much better and entertaining than some group creating a disturbance in order to make their point (I’m not referring to anything specific here…just in general).
It looks like Bredesen has a guy in a bear suit following him around at his campaign stops with a sign that says, “Return the Money” [...]

DocB is back!

Ben Cunningham, blogging over at BillHobbs.com, posted a link to the National Wildlife Federation’s photo contest winners.
Great pictures. I also like the fact that they tell what kind of lens was used in taking each picture (although, I do wish it would have given a little more detail).
Most surprising…a picture of a grizzly taken with [...]

I love it!

Remember the list of Chuck Norris facts I posted back in November (which still seems to be my biggest traffic draw)?
Well, the Washington Post has taken notice of the legend that is…Chuck Norris.
(via: Marginal Revolution)

created a Flickr set of my favourite pictures from 2005. They aren’t necessarily the best…they were just my favourites. They are mostly in order starting from about March until December.
Enjoy them here.
And for Brittney: I was able to get only (the first) 36 picture into this collage, but here it is nontheless.

For some reason I’ve had the song “June in January” running around in my head (as performed by Dean Martin, of course). And it’s not “because I’m in love.”
The weather might have something to do with it though.