Randomly speaking

This that and (some of) the other:

-- Sorry (somewhat) to see IlliniPundit hanging up his present form of a blog. Although it was often entertaining, it also was usually a one-trick pony politically: Conservative = good, Liberal = bad. Nevertheless, it often sparked some interesting discussions. And, since the blog will continue with a long list of conservative Republicans listed as authors (including the pre-existing illinipundit???) there may not be as much change as people think.

-- I've seen bad before, but Saturday's Illini game against Iowa (IOWA for Chrissake!) was pathetic. Hate to say it, but it seems that as Dee does so do the Illini. Augie must stay out of foul trouble, even if they're ticky-tacky little fouls, At the same time, he's gotta play strong every time out; Randall must learn to go to the basket hard and strong; so must Arnold, who should be a strength inside. And the whole darned team's gotta remember that the Big 10, top to bottom, is NOT Pan American. It's a muscle conference.

-- An awful lot of Americans are being murdered in Iraq to create what, a Sunni-Shiite theocracy?

-- Can someone explain to me why asking tough questions of a Supreme Court candidate would be considered somehow obstructionist? Are not members of the minority party allowed to hold opinions and ask questions? From the loyal opposition, according to the AP:

"Your record raises troubling questions about whether you appreciate the checks and balances in our Constitution — the careful efforts of our Founding Fathers to protect us from a government or a president determined to seize too much power over our lives," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

"In an era when the White House is abusing power, is excusing and authorizing torture and is spying on American citizens, I find Judge Alito's support for an all-powerful executive branch to be genuinely troubling," said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.

Said Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis.: "We need judges who see themselves as custodians of the rights and freedoms that the Constitution guarantees, even when the president of the United States is telling the country that he should be able to decide unilaterally how far those freedoms go."

That's not obstructionist. That's raising legimate concerns, concerns every American should seek answers to.

-- So sorry to see Tom DeLay will be replaced as House Majority Leader. He was such an easy target, given his long record of ethical lapses. Not to worry, there's a whole GOP cut from the same cloth from which to pick

-- Interesting that the NG publisher thinks that public officials should not be paid for serving. Guess he thinks salaried employees will be allowed by their employeers to take 3-4 months off with pay every year to serve. Bet that wouldn't be allowed at the NG. Only the moneyed class would serve in his perfect world. Or is that his point?

And so it goes.