Thomas Sowell for President!

I would extend the opt-out concept to include: schools- private, charter and home schools do an phenomenal job compared to public (government) schools; the mail system- United States Postal Service can't even compete with UPS and FedEx in efficiency and fiscal policies); airport security (I'll take ANY private-owned company over the perverted TSA); also social security,  health care, energy companies, car companies, radio, television, banks, and I dare say, libraries, and just about anything else you could think of works cheaper, better and more efficiently if privatized. Capitalism creates competition which creates quality. Statism suppresses liberty which creates dependency and decline. 

Wow, I just put two and two together - you're that author! I'm employed at a library and wondered about your books, whether they were worth reading (so many modern fiction writers are quite liberal- Cussler, Baldacci, Grisham) so I don't waste my time reading socialist manifestos disguised as literature (now that's just mean and probably oversimplified but I stand by it). I do try to seek out and promote conservative fiction writers (Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Andrew Klavan, et al) donating (if we don't have them) and prominently displaying their books on the shelves where, now that I know who you are, your books will receive that honor. I say Amen to everything you wrote about opting-out and a triple Amen to having Steyn/Goldberg back as regulars (the two most compelling reasons I had for joining in the first place). Speaking of Wyoming, I recently donated the book, Molon Labe! by Boston T. Party to the library and it's the only copy in the Mid-Hudson library system, which includes towns such as Woodstock and New Paltz- anyone surprised? However, it does circulate, so there are rebels lurking about even here!

You all are probably too young to remember the original Superman series back in the 50's and 60's but the beginning of each episode starts with the whole Superman introduction: "Look up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane, no, it's Superman..." Well it finishes with..."and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way." Well, that's Andrew (except for the mild-mannered part, of course).

Thank you for sharing your precious memory with us. I propose an award named in Andrew's honor be given to all true patriots, the Breitbart Award.  The yearly recipient would be a fearless, unrelenting champion and defender of conservatism, someone whom Andrew would be proud to call a co-combatant. Rest in peace, Andrew, our beloved country will not be the same without you!

Troy sums up last night's debate quite accurately except that he forgot to insert a yawn and a sigh. 

My absolute favorite is the Ultimate Dog Tease video. I laugh every time!

Good for you, Peter: Never too busy to smell the roses or shoot the marbles.

The first start of production hobbit movie video

Got it, thanks Claire!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150554790416807&set=vb.141884481557&type=2&theater

Interesting! Directors from a generation or two ago really had to rely on their own artistic imaginations and limited technological devices to produce a great movie (and there were several). Today many directors count on sensory overload hoping to distract audiences from the movie's lack of creativity and originality (and there are several of those)!

This post is great! I'm jotting down many of these movies after just lamenting to my husband that Hollywood rarely ever produces anything worth watching these days. So here's my contribution: 

Horror Hotel with a very young Christopher Lee (one of the best actors of all time in MHO). It is the quintessential B&W horror movie complete with creepy people walking around a obscure foggy Massachusetts town, a coven of witches engaging in satanic rituals, and the ultimate defeat of them by the Cross of Christ. The first time I saw it I was a mere child and it left quite an impression on me. 

The Rope with Jimmy Stewart. An Alfred Hitchcock movie with the strongest pro-life message I've ever witnessed in a drama film (and of course anything with Stewart HAS to be good).

Clash by Night with Barbara Stanwyck (and a very young Marilyn Monroe) about the consequences of adultery.

Bright Eyes: I absolutely love this Shirley Temple movie. It's like a Goofus (Jane Withers) and Gallant (Shirley Temple) dramatization. And she sings the classic: Good Ship Lollipop song. Adorable!!

Wow, what a great discussion, worth the price of joining Ricochet alone! And the best comment comes when James asks, referring to the GOP presidential candidates: "Who is going to rescue America?" Douglas brilliantly, and rightly answers: "I will tell you who will rescue America, America will rescue America." Amen, brother! The answer to our dilemma is not found in politicians. It begins and ends with the people, the American people. For within all people there is the innate desire to be free, to be free to provide for one's family, to be free to own property, and to be free to enjoy the rights given to us, not by government, but by God: The right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. What will it take for Americans to wake up and rekindle these values? I don't know, but I do have faith in that indomitable American spirit that made our country great. 

One writer I KNOW is conservative and darn good: Andrew Klavan.