Oliver Willis

Just say it plainly.

You should check out this New Yorker story on Cameron Todd Willingham. Especially if, like me, you are a death penalty supporter. The story didn’t change my mind on the issue – I think some crimes are just so heinous we must have the ultimate penalty.
That said, it should be really hard to execute someone. [...]

She was a dachshund.
Chanel celebrated her 21st birthday in May, according to Guinness. That’s 147 years old in human years.
Earlier this year, the dog’s owners, Karl and Denice Shaughnessy of Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., said Chanel was still feisty and in good health despite her advanced age. She did, however, wear sunglasses for her cataracts.

Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
August 26, 2009
Statement from President Obama:
Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy.
For five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well being of the American people bore his name [...]

NBC Reporting.
ABC:
Sen. Ted Kennedy died shortly before midnight Tuesday at his home in Hyannis Port, Mass., at age 77.
The man known as the “liberal lion of the Senate” had fought a more than year-long battle with brain cancer, and according to his son had lived longer with the disease than his doctors expected him to.
“We’ve [...]

Corzine will win re-election in New Jersey, barring any live boy/dead girl type revelations. New Jersey is that shiny thing out there for the GOP but they can’t catch it.

People shouldn’t bring guns to presidential rallies. I don’t care if they’re Obama supporters, though I’m doubtful, but people shouldn’t be bringing guns to presidential rallies.
This should be pretty obvious, and I don’t know what the secret service is doing letting this get out of hand.

Anyone else get the sense that the constant, always pro-Republican polling from Rasmussen is the pollster equivalent of the sort of non-story Drudge linkbait from Politico? Because I do.

Cafepress isn’t responsible for the designs being shown, but clearly someone knows there’s an audience for this and someone wants to buy something like this. (via Jon)

Quality folks
The Secret Service is investigating a man who authorities said held a sign reading ‘Death to Obama’ outside a town hall meeting on health-care reform in western Maryland.
The sign also read, ‘Death to Michelle and her two stupid kids,’ referring to the first name of President Barack Obama’s wife, said Washington County Sheriff’s Capt. [...]

Black President, Latina Justice: GET OVER IT
More here.

(via, and Todd)

A study finds that some dogs are as smart as 2yr old humans…
The finding is based on a language development test, revealing average dogs can learn 165 words (similar to a 2-year-old child), including signals and gestures, and dogs in the top 20 percent in intelligence can learn 250 words.
And the smartest?
Border collies, poodles, and [...]

Ironically, the GOP may have jumped the shark in Florida, again…

It’s good to see that the next generation of Republicans have elected a leader with the same traditional values the party has supported for so long. The states rights crowd that fled the Democratic party after LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act later found a home in the formerly racially progressive GOP and never looked [...]

Until recently a top presidential prospect for the Republican party.
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford used a team of state employees and U.S. Embassy officials to set up trade-related meetings for him in Buenos Aires in June 2008, but he repeatedly emphasized his desire to keep a ‘low-key’ and light schedule during his three days there.
Sanford [...]