Who Knew the Grim Reaper Had a Sense of Irony?

Let's chat a bit about Clayton Lockett.

You know -- the late Clayton Lockett who's reaping all kinds of misguided (and misplaced) sympathy because the drugs used to execute him didn't kill him quickly enough to satisfy death penalty opponents.

The late Clayton Lockett, career criminal.

The late Clayton Lockett who was convicted and sentenced to death by a jury for the torture, beating, rape, sodomy, burying alive, and murder of a 19 year-old young woman in Oklahoma -- a young victim who was selected at random during a crime spree Lockett launched shortly after he was released from prison.

The late Clayton Lockett who died of a heart attack some 43 minutes after he was sedated, and after writhing, twitching, and convulsing for quite some time while the Grim Reaper took a coffee break.

The Clayton Lockett whom doctors contemplated taking to the hospital shortly before he breathed his last. (Taking to the hospital?!?!)

The Clayton Lockett whom many claim suffered a "botched" execution.

That execution wasn't botched. Clayton Lockett died. In agony, as did his victim. Man may err, but God doesn't make mistakes.

And I believe it was probably the vengeful, Old Testament God who had a hand in Clayton Lockett's demise.

So, shall we chat about Clayton Lockett?

No. Let the trash in the landfill stay undisturbed.

I'm not a good enough Christian to feel any pity toward that animal. Nor to speak his name ever again.

It Could Get Worse

With all the death and destruction and gruesome images we've been exposed to recently, over the next few days let us cling to one fervent hope:

That, during the Obamas' upcoming visit to Brazil, Michelle doesn't opt to go all native on us and trot around in a string bikini!

Federal Health Care Land: And We're Going to Pay For This, How Exactly?

In honor of the Young President's next teleprompter-a-thon this evening, I'd like to share this little chart prepared by Congressional Republican staffers. It analyzes the House proposal for reform and flows health care from the citizen to the provider, pointing out all new and existing bureaus and agencies that will meet our every important health need. Like the Office of Minority Health. Or the Advisory Committee on Health Workforce and Evaluation. Or the Comparative Effectiveness Research Commission (courtesy of the Stimulus). Or -- this one has such potential -- the Health Choices Administration. Do you wonder who's going to be doing the choosing?

And remember -- it all begins with mandatory insurance coverage! Buy it -- or provide it, if you're an employer, no matter your size -- or pay a rather substantial penalty!

Study the chart at your leisure, but be warned: it can give you a serious headache. And aspirin ain't gonna be cheap.

(You can see a full-size version here.)

The View of Trying Terrorists Isn't Quite as Clear-Cut Off the Campaign Trail

Yesterday's Wall Street Journal reports that the Young President's Administration may reverse itself on trying Gitmo detainees via military tribunal, and unleash the military prosecutors after all. Adhering to the Obama administration S.O.P., this tidbit was, of course, leaked on a Friday afternoon, without attribution:

But in recent days a variety of officials involved in the deliberations say
that after administration lawyers examined many of the cases, the mood shifted
toward using military commissions to prosecute some detainees, perhaps including
those charged with coordinating the Sept. 11 attacks.

“The more they look at it,” said one official, “the more commissions don’t
look as bad as they did on Jan. 20.”

Several officials insisted on anonymity because the administration has
directed that no one publicly discuss the deliberations.

Administration officials said Friday that some detainees would be
prosecuted in federal courts and noted that Mr. Obama had always left open the
possibility of using military commissions.

Still, during the presidential campaign Mr. Obama criticized the
commissions, saying that “by any measure our system of trying detainees has been
an enormous failure,” and declaring that as president he would “reject the
Military Commissions Act.”

Are we moving a little steeper up the terrorism learning curve, Mr. Y.P.?

The view from the Oval Office isn't quite as clear-cut as it was from the campaign trail, now, is it.

Invader!

Meet Mr. Buckmoth Caterpillar who managed to get INSIDE our house (probably on Bouie. There were some Bouie hairs in its spines); I spotted him on the dining room floor. This kind hasn't popped me -- the Io moth is the kind that taught me about stinging caterpillars.

Maybe we should send some to the C.I.A. These guys ain't, as Ann Coulter says, "adorable."

Ah, the joys of living in S.E. Louisiana -- soon the termites will be swarming!