More Bweefing? More Bweefing.

I do this every now and then: ask a few rhetorical questions that have been bugging me, and see if anyone out there has an answer. Since no one reads my blog, I never get answers. But asking the questions is fun anyway.

1. Marxism is a 19th century idea, which the 20th century pretty much proved to be so much simple-minded snake oil. And yet now, in the 21st century, we're being told that those who still cling to this 19th century idea should be called "progressives." Why? What's so "progressive" about an outdated bunch of apocalyptic nonsense cooked up by some woolgathering German picking his nose in the British Museum while Queen Victoria was still on her throne?

2. Why is it that the same people who can't wait to get us out of Iraq can't wait to get us into Darfur?

3. Why did the media tar-and-feather Dan Quayle for misspelling "potato," then turn around and give Barack Obama a complete pass for saying there are 57 states and that they speak Arabic in Afghanistan? (My old friend Charlie Berigan thinks "media bias" is nothing but a Republican bogeyman. I'll let him explain this one.)

4. While we're on the subject, why did the media, which exploded into a chorus of hallelujahs and hosannahs over the idea that we could have a female or black presidential candidate, not utter so much as a peep when, for the first time, we got a Secretary of State who was both black and female? (Hint: both she and the president who appointed her were Republicans.)

5. In golf, the player with the lowest score wins. In the Foreign Service wing of the U.S. Department of State, the lower your grade number, the higher your rank. Anyone out there still doubt that the diplomatic corps is essentially a country club?

6. I don't listen to talk radio, but I do wonder: why are the same people whose favorite buzzwords are "diversity" and "tolerance" trying to get Congress to silence conservative talk radio? (Hint: left-wing talk radio can't find an audience bigger than a quilting bee.)

7. Why does Alec Baldwin still live in the United States? In 2000, he told one and all that if Bush were elected he would leave the country. Thousands offered to help him pack. But he didn't go. Now Susan Sarandon is saying that if Obama isn't elected in November, she'll pack up and leave. I've also offered to help her pack. If John McCain happens to be president next January, I'll be asking this question again. (Hey, Susan! I subscribe to a magazine called International Living. They're pitching some great real-estate bargains in Panama!)

8. Why does anybody still pay any attention to Al Franken? If Rush Limbaugh is "a big fat idiot," Al Franken is a disgustingly ugly, simple-minded, trash-mouthed abortion who for some reason gets called a "comedian" although he has never been funny one day in his entire worthless life. Now he's running for Congress. They say people vote for the best-looking candidate. On that basis, a boiled lobster could run against Al Franken and win.

9. Just as I wonder why Marxists get away with calling themselves "progressives," I also wonder why the new crop of atheists gets away with calling itself "bright." What's so "bright" about lacking the imagination to conceive of anything greater or smarter than yourself?

10. And finally, like most conservatives I'm not really all that crazy about John McCain. My position on McCain is, I'll probably vote for him, but I won't put his bumper sticker on my car. Still, I wonder why the media keep telling us about his supposed bad temper, while throughout the entire primary season we didn't hear one word from the media about Hillary Clinton's legendary temper -- McCain got press coverage for snapping at a reporter, while Hillary, who according to those in the know throws furniture when she doesn't get her way, got the same kind of pass Obama got saying he'd visited 57 states.