Keeping That Special Relationship Special

Nothing promotes the special relationship between Britain and the US quite like fluffing the celebration of the Queen's birthday:

An official statement from the US foreign policy chief [link] paid tribute to the "Queen’s life and legacy,” despite the fact that the Monarch does not celebrate her official birthday until next weekend.

The diplomatic faux pas, sent on behalf of President Barack Obama and the American people on Friday, also celebrated the "special relationship" between the British and US governments.

Better early than late, as the State Department press flack explained.  I, of course, deplore these false choices - why can't we get the time right?

Fortunately, we have the smartest woman in the world as Secretary of State.  Unfortunately, no one called her at 3 AM to ask about the Queen's birthday observance.

SINCE YOU ASK:  I can't find any State Department press release noting the observance in June 2009.  Nor does a search of the State Dept. site show any from the Bush era.  One might infer this was a new, well-intentioned bit of outreach that went sadly awry.  Odd, given the many geniuses involved.

Comments

[And about to be abandoned by both.]

The poor Brit Big Blonde is in a mess, beaten by her husband in Brussels and cheated on by her lover, climate.
===============

[BobDenver]

Here's something I didn't know: British monarchs celebrate their real birthdays privately, and have an official birthday in June when the weather is better for parades.

[OK, vasty deep, get busy.]

So she's only officially a Gemini?
=================

[Porchlight]

Idiots.

I just watched The Queen last night. Is Elizabeth the anti-Obama or what? A dignified, reserved, dedicated, no-nonsense, God-fearing woman who understands service and sacrifice. Imagine becoming monarch at age 25 upon the death of one's beloved father and having absolutely zero choice in the matter until the day one dies.

[Sally]

Why are we wishing the British Queen Happy Birthday anyway? If we're going to do it, it should be sent on the Fourth of July. At least that way it would be easy to remember.

Just kidding, I think the Queen's a pretty cool old bird. And as Mr. Jefferson wrote, Enemies In War, In Peace Friends. Although now that Obama's president, maybe more like In Peace Casual Acquaintances.

[laura]

The longer I watch the Obama clan the more I find they epitomize crass nouveau riches behavior with a particularly obnoxious sanctimonious twist. They now have the office, fame, and the US treasury at their disposal and are damn sure they will use it for every petty vice and whim that floats into consciousness.
Porchlight, you are absolutely correct when you talk about service and sacrifice. Obama doesn't have any idea what that would entail.

[Danube of Thought]

Minus 17 at Raz today.

Obama held hostage, Day 47.

[jimmyk]

Is Elizabeth the anti-Obama or what?

Agreed she's a classy and dignified lady, but I can't get too worked up about the "sacrifice" part.

[Rick Ballard]

jimmyk,

At what point, in your opinion, is it going to be undeniable that the pseudo-Keynesian policies pursued by the credentialed moron corps of the Herbert Hussein Maladministration have failed? IOW - if Barro wished to do an "I told you so piece." should he be polishing up the final draft today?

[Soylent Obamacare]

Somehow this is Bush's fault.

[You watch.]

Worse, capitalism's fault.
===========

[glasater]

Kim's right.

[jimmyk]

[My earlier response seems to have disappeared, so I'll apologize in advance if this shows up twice.]

Rick, can we say yesterday? Or three months ago? It's been obvious to most of us all along. Just look at Japan. But the true believers will simply say how much worse it would have been without it, and how much better it will be if we do more. That's "science" for you.

But the whole Keynesian house of cards is showing signs of coming crashing down. Even the left-leaning New Republic is questioning the great Krugman (see the LUN).

I actually attempted to ride my AT success and sent a letter to the NY T****s, but needless to say they didn't deign to publish it. Here's what I wrote:

Suddenly Paul Krugman (“The Pain Caucus,” May 31, 2010) has decided that we should place great confidence in the financial markets’ assessments of inflation and sovereign default risk. As he decries the calls for fiscal austerity (a.k.a. responsibility) he notes that “investors don’t seem at all worried about the solvency of the U.S. government; the interest rates on federal bonds are near historic lows.” Aren’t these the same financial markets that Professor Krugman has been excoriating for being overly complacent about risk? That had historically low risk premiums on debt as late as March 2007?

Even if the markets do have it right this time, it could well be because they are already factoring in the very move toward fiscal austerity that Krugman is telling us is unnecessary. Another bout of stimulus and debt creation could easily burst that bubble and send rates on treasury bonds sky high.

[Gmax]

What they are factoring in is the expectation that the American people are going to vote in legion to throw the bums out and the message will be so undeniable that it will even penetrate the thick skulls of our Washington criminal class. The tap on the brake will be with both feet and a yank on the emergency brake at the exact same time. How long to heal the gashes created by these nincompoops in 18 months? Years.

[jimmyk]

Exactly, gmax, but this was to the NY Times, after all.

[Soylent Obamacare]

Worse, capitalism's fault.

Also, those hateful Zionist Jews. Just ask Helen Thomas.

[Clarice]

Soylent-Did you see this?
http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=162377

I'm told there's more coming.

[Soylent Obamacare]

Oh man Clarice...the knucklehead 52% has successfully put into office an entire petting zoo of scoundrels, bastards and f*ckers.

We still have two years to go and the hits just keep on coming.

[Ralph L]

I sure hope Tom Maguire can't be held legally liable for a certain person's gross and frequent violations of copyright law.

[SilverFox]

I agree with the above: It's all the fault of Bush. Let's see, is there anything else we can blame Bush for after nearly 2 years of his departure. (Believe me, I was no fan of Bush nor Obama).

[Clarice]

Soylent--Assuming the report is correct--(a) Brennan is so naive he was flummoxed into thinking this was going to a be peaceful exercise , or (b) He was for this deliberate provocation--

And it was deliberate and the usuals (UN, Turkey, Media) were pre-lined up and coordinated their response..

Either way, if the story is true and can be established (and some of it already is), this will be explosive with far reaching impact on the Dems, Congress and the WH

[matt]

The Queen is one of those symbols of "the good", as was her father. Duty, honor, country.

That our president and his minions have repeatedly done their best to insult such a symbol is itself symbolic. These are the tear down the walls radicals of the 60's.

I have had the privilege of being in London for the Queen's birthday a couple of times just by chance and from the parade to the artillery salute, it is an incredible symbol of those values we used to admire. Now, even the British government considers it simply pomp and circumstance and a tourist attraction.

[Soylent Obamacare]

Clarice:

Brennan is many things, but naive is not one of them. Bet on (b).

Or more likely, (c) He was told that if he wished to remain in his current job, he would support the Administration's position of (b).

He was an acting director of the NCTC for God's sake. If anyone should have a handle on the nature of IHH, and their relationship to Saudi terror financing through the Union of Good, he should.

These are truly strange and disquieting times we live in.

[Clarice]

Yes, that's what I think, too.

[Gmax]

Brennan should be nowhere near Homeland Security and counter terrorism.

The only thing holding me back from believing this is WND does goes off the deep end occasionally. Its an unnamed Israeli source, and I truly hate unnamed source stories as they allow liars to get a message out that otherwise they could not.

[Gmax]

Any chance that Brennan has ties to the VIPS? This guy has views quite simpatico to those assclowns, and given his background and theirs, its almost glove and hand for a match.

[Clarice]

GMax, I share your concerns about WND which is so often off the deep end, but as i said I;m reliably informed there's a lot more coming and some of the details about Code Pink's visits to the WH and Ayers and Dohrn's roles have been reported elsewhere.

[Clarice]

There's another possibility, Soylent: Brennan was bought off by the big Saudi funders of Hamas.

In any event this diversion has taken our eyes off the big story:It appears Iran has two nukes,

[Clarice]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/world/middleeast/01nuke.html?src=mv>Two nukes has Iran

How easy it is to divert the world's attention with shiny playthings.

[Gmax]

Connect the dots:

The imam behind a proposed mosque near Ground Zero is a prominent member of a group that helped sponsor the pro-Palestinian activists who clashed violently with Israeli commandos at sea this week.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is a key figure in Malaysian-based Perdana Global Peace Organization, according to its Website.

Perdana is the single biggest donor ($366,000) so far to the Free Gaza Movement, a key organizer of the six-ship flotilla that tried to break Israel’s blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip Monday.

[Soylent Obamacare]

...Code Pink's visits to the WH and Ayers and Dohrn's roles have been reported elsewhere.

Again, we have an Administration rife with villains. Despite WND's sometimes breathless hyperbole, the story itself would not surprise me at all with this cast. Brennan either getting a payoff, or facilitating one for his masters wouldn't surprise me either.

Isn't it sad that the possibility of treasonous activity has become such ho hum non-news with these creeps?

It appears Iran has two nukes,

Well, they at least appear to have what it takes to construct two nukes, which is in practice not exactly the same as actually having them.

But that argument is like saying that a first and ten on the one yard line is not exactly the same as a touchdown. But for some sort of extreme intervention on the part of someone (and I'm guessing it won't be us), they will, IMO, be a nuke state by the end of the year.

I've said it before here and it warrants repeating: Inaction and mixed signals are more dangerous than violent decisive action. We are dealing with people who make decisions based on how hard they think you will hit them back. And I think most the the tinpot despots of the world have taken a full and accurate measure of Barry and Hillary's inclination to hit back.

I may get my tank ride into Tehran and Persian war-bride yet...

[jimmyk]

I may get my tank ride into Tehran and Persian war-bride yet...

I wouldn't hold my breath. The current C-I-C is going to continue to get snookered into thinking diplomacy, accommodation, and apologies (by us to them), plus a few deep bows, will lead to world peace. At least he's willing to risk a mushroom cloud over Tel Aviv.

[narciso]

From his bio, in the LUN, he seems to have been an analyst most of the time, except when
when he was in Jiddah, in the late 70s, and
then COS in the mid 90s, right around the time
AQ was really getting under way

[Clarice]

And among his duties--besides counter terrorism--He's supposed to work n protecting us fom "batural disasters".

I'm feeling quite unsettled by this story.

[JM Hanes]

Clarice:

Per WND:

A top adviser to President Obama is the contact person within the White House for communications with the Free Gaza Movement over plans to challenge Israel's blockade of the terrorist Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, according to a reputable source close to the Netanyahu government.

There would have to be a whole lot more coming than that, before you get to aiding and abetting! This Administration's sympathies are clear enough, but it would be far more disturbing to discover that the White House was not talking to any of these people.

[JM Hanes]

Soylent! Have you been released from PowerPoint duty? It's great to see you!

[Clarice]

Yes, true,JMH. The account I'm getting is that this was not just communicating but coordinating and abetting... a deliberate community organizing type op... plan to force a change in policy re Gaza.

I really hope this isn't true, but my source who is a very reliable and sensible person thinks this is the case and believes more information will be soon forthcoming..

[Soylent Obamacare]

JMH:

I am about to move on to a new assignment preparing bigger and better slides.

Because as you know, no intelligence is finished intelligence until the slide deck and briefings have been prepared.

[Impeachment is too good for him.]

Is there no end to his duplicity? At least he's becoming more obvious.
======

[narciso]

AS long as they are no presentations like that Dilbert like affair on Afghanistan, Soylent

[Pagar]

I see we have a very low key announcement of our new DNI, and the easiest way to get the info is from the British.

[Ann]

RUSH is getting married today!

I posted the article on the "Obama Cancels Trip" thread.

[Gmax]

it would be far more disturbing to discover that the White House was not talking to any of these people.

Perhaps I am being dense, but exactly why should the WH be talking to Dohrn and Ayers, Code Pinko and Sheik urbooty, plus Hamas which is on the terrorist list?

[centralcal]

Ann - thanks for the Rush info. I love it that Elton John is performing! Talk about lefty heads exploding!

[Jane says obamasucks]

Either way, if the story is true and can be established (and some of it already is), this will be explosive with far reaching impact on the Dems, Congress and the WH

I'm clearly reading too much Vince Flynn, but hell the whole manchurian thing keeps raising its ugly head.

[Ann]

Me, too! CC :)

Speaking of weddings, JMH, got any news?

[Soylent Obamacare]

Oh c'mon narciso...you're not making fun of my masterpiece are you? Powerpoint in the style of Rube Goldberg.

I'll have you know it came complete with a soundtrack.

[Pagar]

I second Gmax's question. I think the entire affair is designed to destroy Israel and I do not see why we should have that effort being coordinated from the White House.

[At least by their lights. What clowns, and so dangerous, too.]

Where better Pagar?
========

[Clarice]

A little more Brennan sucking up to jihadis.
http://michellemalkin.com/2010/02/17/national-security-nightmare-john-brennan-and-the-notorious-flying-imam/>Dummy or sell out?

[anduril]

Special relationship? Gimme a break!

[anduril]

Two nukes has Iran

..

Posted by: Clarice | June 05, 2010 at 01:49 PM

What a liar you are, Clarice--and you had to mutilate the story's title (rather than the easier copy & paste procedure) to accommodate your lie: U.N. Says Iran Has Fuel for 2 Nuclear Weapons.

There's a helluva difference between having the fuel and having the bomb. Not only that, they don't even actually have the fuel:

Iran has now produced over 5,300 pounds of low-enriched uranium, all of which would have to undergo further enrichment before it could be converted to bomb fuel.

This is, in fact, not news and has been known for some time.

[daddy]

I think the more important question is have we paid enough attention to ">http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=queen+elizabeth%27s+hats&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai="> Queen Elizabeth's hats?

[RichatUF]

Soylent-

We still have two years to go and the hits just keep on coming.

I'm waiting for Obama's "malaise spedch" moment. But it would be nice if he got into a fight with an oily pelican. Hope all is well.

[RichatUF]

I meant "malaise speech"

[Clarice]

Hope all is well with you, too, Ricch.

[RichatUF]

Clarice-

Things are improving somewhat. And I'm still in a holding pattern on some good news. If nothing else, I'd like to get some breathing space.

[Old Lurker]

Good to see you Rich.

[centralcal]

A little humor for a hot, boring Saturday afternoon . . .

Apparently, Moochelle hosted a hundred or so chefs at the WH and followed up by harvesting who knows what in the garden.

One of the chefs helping with the harvest was Rachel Ray. As MOTUS notes, she looks like she is starting to channel Oprah - size wise. Scroll down to find her photo.

Wonder how long before she will be the new celebrity touting Jenny Craig on TV?

[De Bonne Chance.]

Breaks come for those with your talents, Rich. They just don't say when.
========

[Clarice]

Rich is certainly talented so I hope the waited for break follows.

CC--Fighting obesity was an unfortunate choice of First Lady projects.

[RichatUF]

Thanks OL. I'm in the NOVA area and Clarice has my email and phone#.

Noticed that Rick and jimmyk (and great article at AT) are holding down the economic commentary. Did want to ask Mel a question too?

And for daddy-not sure how this link will turn out, but if you have an unobstructed view of the Southern Horizon around 8:30pm, you should be able to see Venus SSW just below Castor and Pollux, Mars, due south, close to Regulus, and Saturn below Mars and to the Southeast. For those on the east coast, Venus sets in the western horizon around 8PM.

[RichatUF]

Thanks kim and Clarice.

[daddy]

When the Military Junta successfully completes its">http://atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/LF05Ae01.html"> purchase of nukes from North Korea, should we call it the "Burma Bomb", or the "Myanmar Bomb?"

I'm for "Burma Bomb" myself. "Myanmar" I know is much more politically correct, but it's an awkward mouthful, whereas "Burma Bomb" rolls off the tongue much easier, and as a catchy verbal meme would almost certainly proliferate as fast as rogue nukes seem to proliferate during the Obama Administration.

[daddy]

Rich,

Cool about Venus, but currently what with all our summer daylight I haven't seen any stars whatever in over a month.

Matt's up this weekend and he'll verify, but I doubt we'll see more celestial stuff until September. Its funny, because Santa gave my youngest a very nice telescope a few years back, but we only get to use it when we're out in the snow freezing our buns off.

And your space comment gives me an opportunity to OT post this amazing photo from my LUN site of ">http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100519.html"> The Milky Way over Ancient Petroglyphs in the Utah Desert.

[Thomas Collins]

Daddy, I vote for "The Myanmar Mauler." Let's save Burma for the shave! See LUN.

[Janet]

I may get my tank ride into Tehran and Persian war-bride yet...

"Or like you said awhile ago Soylent...I sure hope Obamacare covers massive third degree burns, and radiation sickness."

[Janet]

**Or like you said awhile ago Soylent..."I sure hope Obamacare covers massive third degree burns, and radiation sickness."**

[RichatUF]

I knew that I should have asked about how much daylight you get;( Never have had an opportunity to travel to Alaska.

[Janet]

We just got back from a family road trip to Madison, Virginia to eat barbecue. 3 hrs. round trip to visit Pork 'N Steak and have fried pickles!
My daughter's friend texted her and said...you guys are so Republican - driving a SUV 3 hrs. to eat barbecue. Heh!...
We filled up at a BP station in Madison because gas was about 40cents cheaper a gallon.
Followed a small car back into Arlington with the license plate - DMB FRK.
Why would someone pick a license plate that said dumb freak?

[Soylent Obamacare]

Myanmar?
Well, who'da thought it?
Not Barry O,
Who should'a caught it.

Burma Bomb

[daddy]

Time for another redone Paul McCartney tune? I think this one was from the Whitewater Album.

Our Majesty's a pretty dumb girl, and she doesn't
know the Queen's Birthday,
Our Hillary's a very dim bulb
and she dicks up from day to day,
I want to tell her
that I hate her a lot But I'd prob'ly be convicted of a crime
Our Hillary's a mighty big crook
And someday I hope she's doing hard time, oh yeah,
Someday I hope she's doing hard time.

[Soylent Obamacare]

Dammit Janet. You were literally a twenty minute drive from my house. You should have hollered.

[Ann]

The Anchoress has a devastating piece on Obama and the oil spill: Obama Knew Spill Scope From Day 1

She also has great links. Check out the one for Moe Lane.

[daddy]

"Followed a small car back into Arlington with the license plate - DMB FRK.
Why would someone pick a license plate that said dumb freak?"

Because they wouldn't let him use letter U in the 5th position:)

[PD]

Obama Knew Spill Scope From Day 1

Cutting back on the inspection schedule looking ever more like the genius move it was.

[Janet]

Soylent, What a beautiful part of Virginia! I'm jealous. As we pass gun shops and "Get out of the U.N." signs I say to my kids...these are my people!

[Jane says obamasucks]

Geez, we are haaving tornedoes in MA. How bizarre.

[LouP]

The GOM oil spill sort of gives new meaning to "spreading the wealth," doesn't it? I mean now anyone can go down to the beach and collect all the oil they want...

And it is, too, George Bush's fault! You know damned well he's responsible for the missing chapters in "The Complete Idiot's Guide for Community Organizers."

[SilverFox]

Good Lord!! You cannot impeach Obama.....they couldn't do it to Nixon or Clinton....they take care of each other.

He was voted in so it's time to vote him out in 2012 and cut him off at the knees by voting in November 2010....Let's make some 'change'

[Ann]

As we pass gun shops and "Get out of the U.N." signs I say to my kids...these are my people!

LOL, Janet. I do the same thing in Richmond,Va.

[daddy]

"Geez, we are haaving tornedoes in MA. How bizarre"

Jane, If you're looking for bizarre, how about ">http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/archives/15276"> this.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Soylent-

Next time I'm in the New River valley, I'll shout on the way to Zenith.

[narciso]

actually we did impeach both, conviction was a harder thing thanks to the likes of Arlen.

Speaking of unusual places where Alaska shows up, it is referred as a rallying point for the
survivors in the last Resident Evil, no one told them about the vampires in Barrow though,
from 30 Days and Nights

[Ann]

Especially for you, Janet:

Tea Party Member Stuns Crowd!

(Tissues required if your eyes well up with tears when you hear something moving?)

[jimmyk]

Technically Nixon wasn't impeached, he resigned just before the vote.

Rich, good luck with everything, we hope to see you back here.

[Janet]

Thanks as usual Ann...really good. From a Georgia Tea Party.
We really need to keep the momentum going. With all the bad news, a peaceful outlet like the Tea Parties keeps me focused until the election. Surrounded by citizens that love America.

[Ralph L]

I hope TM meant "flubbing", not "fluffing", which now has unsavory connotations, thanks to the porn industry.

I got an expensive speeding ticket in Madison on the way to my uncle's funeral in 2004. They were all very pleasant, but they use the 55 speed limit on route 29 as a cash cow.

[centralcal]

Wow, Ann - I don't know where you find these wonderful Americans, but PLEASE keep sharing them with us!

God Bless the USA!

[Melinda Romanoff]

RalphL-

Just don't detour through Summersville, West Virgina on Rte. 19.

That is some eeexpeeensive asphalt.

Not that I would know.

[Janet]

LUN Thousands rally in Arizona in favor of immigration law.

Photo #3 is a "America the beautiful. Thy liberty in law. Texas is with you." sign!

[Melinda Romanoff]

Who's got the Kleenex? I know somebody had it last...

Sheesh, Ann, can you warn us a little.

[RichatUF]

Thanks jimmyk. I'm hoping too. It's been a hell of a couple of months.

[Old Lurker]

Ah Summersville. On the road, pre-interstates, from home in Charleston to D.C. when Dad was a young lawyer with the IRS. Summersville is/was, anyway, a popular location for summer cottages.

Sorry about the revenue source that stung you, Mel, but they only stop out of state cars...so thanks.

[RichatUF]

Mel-

Have a question regarding the flash crash and not sure where to look.

I was wondering when Euro-zone markets settlement was and if the dollar funding shortage (? viz. the BIS paper on the Federal Reserve opening up swap lines globally, and agressively with the ECB and non-Euro Europe) might be partly to blame for it? I recall that there was a previous flash crash a few years back that was about the same time of day.

[narciso]

Is this a touch too informal, for a outdoor event, in the LUN

[Melinda Romanoff]

I don't often ask everyone to click through to something, but I would encourage you to do so in this instance. For two reasons, firstly, you will enjoy it, and secondly, you can see just how close the young are to figuring out that free will is by far the fairer choice.

The Tea Party is this close to making the the full generation jump.

The post by Glenn, naturally, is modest. The update is uplifting, by a 22 year old, who reports on his friends "getting "it"".

I'm starting to feel a bit better.

And just in time for dinner.

Go.

Read.

You will not be disappointed.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Rich-

I'll be back, I hope you are...

Patience. Chow.

[laura]

Except Mel they don't really get it. They still want socialism just socialism that is better for them rather than some old geezer they don't know. The basic principle still escapes the self-absorbed twenty-something.
I don't see a whole lot hopeful in that.

[RichatUF]

laura-

Maybe seizing 401k's and student loan debt forgivness will make them happy.

Mel-

I'll check back.