House Republican: Palin Lied To US

House Republicans invited Sarah Palin to their winter retreat this past weekend in Virginia to give a morale-boosting speech, but were told she had pressing state business and couldn’t leave Alaska.  But Palin wasn’t in Alaska at that time, she was, guess where? In Washington, DC, at the exclusive Alfalfa dinner.  And it seems that her reasoning was that she would be breathing the same air as President Obama.

“The Alfalfa dinner, yes, in fact that’s because President Obama is scheduled to be there,” Palin said. “And how often will I have an opportunity to have dinner with the president? …

Changes to Alan.com

After a trial period of allowing people to comment without registration, we have opted to switch to requiring all users to register on this site.  (You can still read as much as you’d like anonymously.)  This will permit us to ease up on our SPAM filtering, allowing more legitimate posts to go through.

The exciting news is if you have a Facebook account, you will already be registered.  New software has been installed so you can use your Facebook log-in to join the site.  (We won’t have access to your personal information or Facebook password.)

The timeframe for …

Six More Weeks Of Winter

But how do we really know that Punxsutawney Phil actaully saw his shadow?

According to German superstition, if a hibernating animal casts a shadow on Feb. 2 – the Christian holiday of Candlemas – winter will last another six weeks. If no shadow was seen, legend said spring would come early.

Since 1887, Phil has seen his shadow 97 times, hasn’t seen it 15 times, and there are no records for nine years, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

And let’s not forget one of the great movies starring Bill Murray:

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So What If Michael Phelps Does A Bong Hit?

The first thing we have to do is stop thinking that just because someone is fantastic at sports that he or she is some kind of role model for children. Physical prowess and scoring ability does not a role model make.  It doesn’t mean you’re a good person, either, any more than doing a bong hit makes you a bad person.

Phelps apologized, of course, the minute this picture became public.  But is he truly repentant about enjoying a moment of pleasure, or is he concerned that endorsements will dry up now that his extra-curricular activity has been discovered?…

The Anti-Super Bowl Thread

Am I the only person in America who could care less about the Super Bowl?  (Who’s playing, by the way?)  I’m not a sports fan, certainly not into football, and have to fight off those who try to sweep me up in Super Sunday mania.…

“War On Terror” No Longer The Phrase That Pays

With a new mindset in DC, and an attempt to mend fences with our fellow earthlings, it is becoming less accepted to use “War on Terror” as a catchphrase.  President Obama uses phrases such as “the enduring struggle against terrorism and extremism” and the “ongoing struggle.”  The goal is to lose the implication that or struggles are against a particular religion or culture.

Ultimately and perhaps inadvertently, however, the phrase “became associated in the minds of many people outside the Unites States and particularly in places where the countries are largely Islamic and Arab, as being anti-Islam and anti-Arab,” …

Upcoming TV: Geraldo 10PM Sunday And Fox And Friends 8:15AM Monday

I’ll be on Geraldo At Large Sunday night,  guest-hosted by Kimberly Guilfoyle.  The topics are Tom Daschle’s issues as a potential HHS Secretary, and the stimulus plan which passed the House and is now headed for the Senate.

Monday morning on Fox and Friends, we’ll cover those topics, and also Judd Gregg as a potential Commerce Secretary.  The panel will include former NY Senator Al D’Amato and John Avalon, one-time Rudy Giuliani speech writer.

Where do you stand on these issues?…

Does This Send The Right Message to Kids?

Today, millions of Americans will enjoy the nationwide party known as the Super Bowl. But after the football festivities end, we’ll wake up tomorrow to once again face life’s responsibilities.

But the students and teachers of Pittsburgh Public Schools won’t have to face those responsibilities quite as early as the rest of us. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports:

The Pittsburgh Public Schools will operate on a two-hour delay Monday because of the Super Bowl, Superintendent Mark Roosevelt said today.

Noting that Sunday’s big game means a “late night,” Mr. Roosevelt said the delay should cut down on student …

Is Televangelism Dead?

We’ve seen the demise of Jimmy Swaggert, Jim Bakker, and Oral Roberts.  Pat Robertson still has the 700 club, but the Christian Coalition has seen better days.  Joel Osteen notwithstanding (and maybe someone can explain why he’s the exception), it appears as though television ministries may be a thing of the past. Now, word comes of the potential demise of the Crystal Cathedral, the once-hugely-successful television ministry built by Robert H. Schuller, who seems to have some differences with his son, Robert, A. Schuller, who had taken over the ministry from his father.

The church is in financial turmoil: …