Uncommon Insight, As Usual

Get your daily Steyn here. Read it all. He is SO on the mark.

Beautiful, Just Beautiful

Abbott and Costello Math

Funny Keeps Keepin' On

Another Amy Song

(Because I had a request for another.)

Amy Winehouse - Monkey Man (I hadn't heard this one before. I think it was the "B" side of another release. Of course, I think it's better than most "A" sides. But I'm partial. As I've said a million times, I wish she'd clean-up her personal life, it would be such a waste if she doesn't.)

This One Caught Me By Surprise

John Kerry Snubs Old Running Mate

Not that I particularly care one way or another who/whom? John Kerry thinks should be the next President, I guess I thought he'd endorse Hillary. Probably ticked-off John Edwards, too. Maybe I'm just surprised he didn't wait until to sign-off on the Democrat nominee.

Kettle Math

The Internet Isn't The Only Way To Travel?

1000 Places To See Before You Die

Oh, That's Why She's Not Blogging

Gingerbread House Disney Magic

Robert D Novak Only Missed Calling It By One

Iowa Caucus Results
Republicans
1st Place: Mike Huckabee
2nd Place: Mitt Romney (Novak got First and Second backwards in his predictions.)
3rd Place: Fred Thompson
4th Place: John McCain

Democrats: (Novak nailed this one.)
1st Place: Barack Obama
2nd Place: John Edwards
3rd Place: Hillary Clinton
4th Place: Bill Richardson

Woo Hoo! It Snowed, But Not In St Cloud

Flurries Reported Along Volusia Coast

Cold weather and strong winds combined to produce ocean-effect snow flurries along the Volusia County coastline on Thursday. Forecasters at the National Weather Service said flurries were reported near Holly Hill and Ormond Beach.

Citrus Crops Escape Serious Freeze Damage

Florida's citrus growers are reporting only minor damage as the state thaws out from a cold snap on Thursday. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures dropped into the 20s across north Florida, including parts of the Panhandle. The lowest temperature recorded was 20 degrees in Cross City, about 90 miles southeast of Tallahassee.
A serious freeze would have been devastating to the state's citrus industry, already struggling from years of diseases and hurricanes. But most citrus growers are based in Central and South Florida, where temperatures hovered in the 30s.

Iowa Stars

January 3:
Iowa caucuses
January 5:
Wyoming caucuses (R)
January 8:

New Hampshire primary
January 15:
Michigan primary
January 19:
Nevada caucuses
South Carolina primary (R)
January 26:
South Carolina primary (D)
January 29:
Florida primary
February 1:
Maine caucuses (R)
February 5:
Super Tuesday
Alabama primary
Alaska caucuses
Am. Samoa caucuses
Arizona primary
Arkansas primary
California primary
Colorado caucuses
Connecticut primary
Delaware primary
Georgia primary
Idaho caucuses (D)
Illinois primary
Kansas caucuses (D)
Minnesota caucuses
Missouri primary
Montana caucuses
New Jersey primary
New Mexico primary (D)
New York primary
North Dakota caucuses
Oklahoma primary
Tennessee primary
Utah primary
W. Virginia convention
February 5-12:
Democrats Abroad
February 9:
Kansas caucuses (R)
Louisiana primary
Nebraska caucuses
Virgin Islands caucuses
Washington caucuses
February 10:
Maine caucuses (D)
February 12:
D.C. primary
Maryland primary
Virginia primary
February 19:
Hawaii caucuses (D)
Washington primary
Wisconsin primary
February 24:
Puerto Rico primary
March 4:
Massachusetts primary
Ohio primary
Rhode Island primary
Texas primary
Vermont primary
March 8:
Wyoming caucuses (D)
March 11:
Mississippi primary
April 22:
Pennsylvania primary
May 3:
Guam caucuses
May 6:
Indiana primary
North Carolina primary
May 13:
Nebraska primary
West Virginia primary
May 17:
Hawaii convention
May 20:
Kentucky primary
Oregon primary
May 27:
Idaho primary (R)
June 3:
Montana primary
New Mexico primary (R)
South Dakota primary
June 28:
Nebraska convention

The Other Limbaugh

From January 1st, 2008, David Limbaugh makes his case against the other GOP candidates and for Fred Thompson. He says "It's time to step up, Fred."

(David nails my concerns with Huckabee, Rudy and McCain. He's mildly supportive of Romney, but finds Thompsons's lack of "fire in the belly" refreshing. I think Thompson (with a few exceptions) doesn't pander; not feeling obligated to say what we want him to say--but I wish he'd get enthusiastic and prove "HE" thinks he can win.)

Coldest Temps In Five Years

Very cold temperatures and brisk winds will produce dangerously low wind chill

readings late tonight through Thursday morning.

Wind chill warning remains in effect until 9 am EST Thursday.

Temperatures in the mid 30s to lower 40s early this evening willfall below freezing across nearly all of east central Florida andwill remain below freezing until shortly after sunrise Thursday.Minimum temperatures will reach the mid to upper 20s across theinterior and Volusia County. Temperatures along the coast fromBrevard County southward will fall to near freezing aroundmidnight then will remain steady or may even rise a few degreesthrough sunrise as clouds begin to move onshore from the Atlanticand act to insulate the atmosphere.

All of Florida, from Miami to the Panhandle, is under a freeze warning Wednesday night, and record lows in the teens and 20s were expected in some areas. At potential risk is a broad variety of plants and produce, from broccoli and cabbage in north Florida to strawberries, tomatoes, corn and citrus toward the south.

It's 10:20pm and still dropping. Updates tomorrow.

Walt Got It Right

“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We KEEP MOVING FORWARD, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
Walt Disney

I Told You She Could Sing

Patricia Routledge (of Hyacinth Bucket fame) - Not On Your Nellie

Old For The New Year

Isao Tomita - Arabesque No.1

Learning A New Language Was Your Resolution

Another Townhall.com Columnist

Why The Left Hates Democracy

"Bush's attempt to introduce democracy to Iraq, and to expand the role of democracy in Egypt, Lebanon and Pakistan, is a brave and noble experiment. It might fail, and past historical experience is not promising. But if Bush succeeds we could see the beginning of an historical transformation no less significant than the transformation of the old Soviet Union.

No wonder the left, not usually given to supplication, is praying very ardently this Christmas season that Bush does not succeed.

If democracy fails, in Iraq and elsewhere, there is the added benefit that Democrats will have a better chance to take the White House in 2008."

Dinesh D'Souza is the Rishwain Fellow at the Hoover Institution

Remembering Ansel Adams

The Tetons and Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

Robert D Novak Predicts Iowa

For the Repulicans the most likely outcome appears to be:

1st Place: Mitt Romney

2nd Place: Mike Huckabee

3rd Place: Fred Thompson

4th Place: John McCain

The Democratic field looks to shake out this way:

1st Place: Barack Obama

2nd Place: John Edwards

3rd Place: Hillary Clinton

4th Place: Bill Richardson

We'll be watching tomorrow to see what happens and check Novak's predictions.

As Brooke and I Were Saying

And the stark fact is that Iowa is not representative of the rest of the country.

With a population of 3 million, Iowa ranks 30th among the states.

The population is 94.9 percent white,

2.3 percent black,

1.4 percent Asian

and 3.7 percent claim Hispanic origin.

Stolen From "The List of the Day"

The Purvis family made several stops along the Oregon Trail to document their six-month journey. This photo was taken just two weeks before the dysentery took Momma to Jesus.

(Brooke made me steal this for Uncle Donnie.)

Winter At Last

No, this isn't Florida. We're getting a cold front, but I don't think we have anything to worry about. Tommy Arner carries a snow shovel in Albany, N.Y., Monday, Dec. 31, 2007. A winter storm dropped 10 inches of snow in the Albany area.(AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Their Parents Must Be So Proud

Men and women bleeding and dying for our right to be this stupid.

From Daddy

A SPECIAL GROCERY LIST

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her an d requested that she leave his store at once. Visualizing the family needs, she said: "Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can." John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store.

Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family.

The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?" Louise replied, "Yes sir." "O.K" he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries." Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down. The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it." The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.

The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said: "Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands." The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store.

The other customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said: "It was worth every penny of it .. Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs."

THE POWER OF PRAYER

So dear heart, trust God to heal the sick, provide food for the hungry, clothes and shelter for those that don't have as we do. Amen & Amen

Happy New Year!

Raw Video: A Disney New Year's celebration