I usually avoid Instapundit, due to envy and a general sense of inadequacy. But this is awfully hard to resist.

I like Condi, even though I know next to nothing about her that I haven't read in New York Post. But still, I think a losing Rice candicacy in 2008 will be the one thing to finally put a nail in the coffin of the American Democratic party, and free up the left side of the aisle for a viable liberal party. There's no way the powers-that-be on the right or the left will let a black woman get elected to the Presidency, no matter how qualified she is.

The powers-that-be on both sides are going to have to expose themselves for what they are, and give up their positions to the ideologies that drive the parties. The Democrats will die by the light of day, and the Republicans will take a hit. But what's left over will be a truly conservative party for people of that persuasion, and the solution to the paradox of the left: namely, the guilt-based crypto-socialist nexus that they aspire to today will be replaced by the more libertarian version of an unregulated, merit-based identity hierarchy where the government plays no role.

It's win-win, Condi, at least for everybody but you. Take one for the team. Whatever Dimmer gets elected in 2008 will have a Republican VP, and will probably both be impeached before the end of 2009.

I mean, how hard would it've been to do the following?

1. Press Print-Screen (BMP Saved to desktop)

Nowadays, it's the following:

1. Press Print-Screen
2. Open graphics program (Photoshop, etc)
3. Make "New Document"
4. Paste clipboard contents (the 'Print-Screen')
5. Save as...
6. Choose filename
7. Save

Of course, I've left out a couple of steps, such as, 'Figure out what the hell to do with a .BMP file'. Why does Windows default to BMP's? Does Windows use DisplayBMP(tm)? I know that if you make screenshots in KDE, with KSnapShot (an excellent application, BTW), you get PNG's on your desktop. In OS X, you get PDF's, which is understandable considering PDF is the native Mac graphic format.

In all fairness, I think you can press Alt-Print-Screen and it copies just the active window, but I gave up trying to memorize the difference between the two years ago. I mean, there's a key that says 'PrintScreen' right there on the keyboard, and it doesn't work, actually.

Go read a beautiful thought.

Being away for a long time is something everyone should do at some point, or at least have done to them. There's nothing like being rotated back, and that moment, after a year overseas, when you put your arms around your baby, your mama, or your brother. I think the only bad part is how much longer it is for you than it is for the people back home. I remember when I came back to the States after being out of the country for two years, and so many people said, 'what? I didn't realize you were out of the country!' And I was like, fucker! I just been to every goddamn corner of the world, wanting every minute to get back home in case something happened without me, and you fuckers didn't notice I was gone?! Fucker!

Well, anyway, Sandy writes it better.