Story

An 11-year-old boy from Britain, who was partially deaf for nearly 10 years, was suddenly cured when a thick piece of cotton popped out of his ear, according to a report in the Daily Mail.

Jerome Bartens was diagnosed as deaf in his right ear when he was just two-years-old.

Over the next nine years, he struggled to live a normal life as a young boy — but everything changed when he felt a sudden pop in his right ear while playing a game of pool with friends.

He put his finger in his ear and pulled out a tip of a cotton wool bud that had been wedged in his ear since he was a toddler.

"It was just incredible — his hearing returned to normal in an instant," Barten's dad said.

"I had always suspected Jerome had stuck something in his ear when he was little and that was causing the problem. But the doctors and hearing specialists said it was wax and he would probably grow out of it."

"I am amazed they didn't spot something as obvious as a cotton wool bud."

Jerome is due to be examined by hearing experts later this week — and his dad is taking along the cotton wool bud as proof of his "miracle cure".

"It was very strange at first to be able to hear everything," said Barten.

"But now I'm getting used to it — it's great that people don't have to shout to me or that I don't have to turn my head all the time."


Sign Me Up!!!

Story

A reporter asked Mike Huckabee, who famously lost 110 pounds after being diagnosed with diabetes, how he he takes his fried chicken as both a Southerner and health junkie. The question had been inspired by reports that Mitt Romney, in front of his amused media entourage, pulled the skin off his Kentucky Fried Chicken before eating yesterday.

"Going through the weight loss program I try to eat it more broiled and baked," Huckabee said. "But I can tell you this: any Southerner knows that if you're not gonna eat the skin, don't bother with calling it fried chicken."

In jest, Huckabee said, "I'm glad to hear that [Romney] did that because that means I'm going to win Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma -- all these great Southern states that understand that the best part of fried chicken is the skin."

Huckabee compared Romney's skinless fried chicken eating to Gerald Ford eating a tamale with a shuck on it. Recalling hearing about it as a grad school student in 1976, Huckabee said, "That weekend every newscast in Texas led with 'President Ford doesn't know how to eat a tamale."

"He lost Texas," Huckabee continued. "And many believe he lost the presidency, and there are a lot of people who will believe forever that it was the shuck on the tamale -- not Jimmy Carter -- that beat Gerald Ford in 1976. So who knows?"


I found this story interesting for two reasons.

1. It exemplifies the vacuosness of teh Huckabee campaign.  Huckabee isn't about genuine conservative idea's he is about image and style. Huckabee has always been selling his personality more than record (mainly because his record is pathetic). So that he would decide that mocking someones eating habits is more important that talking abotu issues really isnt surprising.

2. Despite how ludicrous and pathetic such an attack is Romney should take note. Looking stupid is the WORST thing any presidential candidate can do. I know alot of people credit the Willie Horton add for sinking Dukakis back in 88. I personally think the picture of Dukakis in the tank with the helment on did more to damage him. How many people remember Johnm Kerry's picture in that stupid silver suit climbing out of the space capsul?  Being open for mockery can be a big problem for a candidate. People don't like to identify with peopel who look goofy or wierd and for Romney refusing to eat the skin on Fried Chicken just advertises that you are different than the rest of us. So as a bit of advice..next time leave the skin on.

Story

Senator John McCain of Arizona is the only Republican who promises to end the George Bush style of governing from and on behalf of a small, angry fringe. With a record of working across the aisle to develop sound bipartisan legislation, he would offer a choice to a broader range of Americans than the rest of the Republican field.

We have shuddered at Mr. McCain’s occasional, tactical pander to the right because he has demonstrated that he has the character to stand on principle. He was an early advocate for battling global warming and risked his presidential bid to uphold fundamental American values in the immigration debate. A genuine war hero among Republicans who proclaim their zeal to be commander in chief, Mr. McCain argues passionately that a country’s treatment of prisoners in the worst of times says a great deal about its character

WOW...just wow.

I mean I don't know if I could think of a worse endorsement.

All you McCain heads take a good long look. They are basically saying McCain should be the GOP nominee because he is the least republican of the pack. Well. they certainly have him pegged to a tee.

Sad to see an icon fall.

All through this primary season I was of the opinion that Duncan Hunter was the most conservative candidate and the closets to my own political opinions.

He never got off the ground thoguh with his campaign and I thought that was too bad...

Now Duncan Hunter has endorsed Mike Huckabee and completely undermined and notion that he was principled in his poltical ideology. Mike Huckabee is the antithesis of everything Duncan Hunter claimed he stood for...now he is out there trying to sell a snow job that Huckabee this lightweight lying huckster from Arkansas is the conservatives choice.

I tell you with a tin ear like that no wonder Hunter's campaign never took off.

Newflash for you Duncan...Huckabee is toast. His campaign is broke and he is on his way out.

Even worse however is the pathetic assault  on Mit Romney over his old company Bane Captial's dealings with China.

Mit hasnt been connected to this company in a decade and has no say in what they do now as a business so to bring this up is frankly low, cheap and rotten. I would have expected better of Duncan but it seems I held him in too high of an esteem.

How about this for an argument...

That John McCain...you know I undertsand that Arizona has people in prison..actual criminals in Arizona...How can we elect someone from a state that has CRIMINALS...

The argument is about as rational and has about as much merit as Duncans sleazy attack.

How about this Mr Hunter. Go sit in the Huckabee corner and when Huckabee goes the way of the dodo bird in this race hopefully that will be the last of you as well.

This story was interesting.

Not to put words into Rush's mouth..but as someone who listens to him about 3 times a week it sounds to me like Rush is basically saying he won't support Mike Huckabee or John MCCain because they ARE NOT CONSERVATIVE.  Actually it sounds like he hasnt ben very enthusiastic about the "movement conservative" credentials of any of the nominees but I think in particular his complaint is against primarily McCain and Huckabee. 

I have to say thats where I am at.  If HUckabee were to be the nominee (no danger of that I don't think) then I would not have voted. I used to say I would vote for McCain but frankly the more I think about it the more inclined I am to say that I probably would stay home with him too.

To recap my argument with McCain

1. 1. He would almost certainly reverse the Bush tax cuts…certainly things like the death tax would come back...so count on your taxes going up.
2. 2.  His claim that he will reduce spending is irrelevant...presidents don’t spend money congress does and no matter what he says he wont veto spending bills forever and a democrats congress is GOING TO SPEND MONEY.
3. 3. In spite of a looming energy crisis he is a global warming true believer and he WILL imposes carbon caps on energy (which amounts to energy taxes and higher energy costs with less energy available).
4. 4. Despite his claims to the contrary one of the first things he is going to do is cram the McCain Kennedy Immigration bill down our throats.
5. 5 "He is good on the life issue" Horse crap and a pile of it. The ONLY place where a president is going to influence this is on the courts and if you think you can rely on John McCain to put strict constructionists on the supreme court you are crazy. This is the guy who through good conservative judges under the bus for the sake of political amity. Remember that when you think he is going to fight for conservative judges.
6. 6. Despite his support for the war in Iraq he is apposed to water boarding and wants to close Guantanimo.

Ya know I just don't think I can be persuaded to vote for someone who is so antithetical to everything I think need to happen in Washington. Folks like Hugh Hewitt say well at least he gets the war right.  But frankly he destroys so much else that I don't think that is enough.

His campaign was a joke from the get go. Had Fred Thompson gotten into the race two months earlier and gone full bore after Iowa instead of waiting for South Carolina then he never would have gotten a foot hold. No this lying liberal will finally exit the stage he never should have been allowed on in the first place.

This story is a huge indicator.

Key statement

The former Arkansas governor promised to remain in the race through next Tuesday's Florida primary,

Bottom line is Huckabee has no money which means he really doesn't have any support..oh sure some folks will go and vote for him out of identity politics but noone will give him money. Mike Medved once predicted after Huckabee's Iowa win that he was gonna get this surge of money now which would propel him onward possibly to victory.

This never happened. Now Huckabee's campaign is broke he has no momentum having spent it all losing  and then losing and then losing. His cmapaign has been exposed as the narrow support built on lies about his liberal record and he never did and never will translate his position outside his narrow support base.

My guess is a disappointing fourth place finish in Florida will finally put a close to this fellow.

Such an exit will help Romney and hurt McCain.