Happy 5th Blogiversary to Sister Toldjah.

Today would also have been the 5th Blogiversary for Captain’s Quarters if Ed hadn’t pulled up anchor and moved over to Hot Air.

Take time to wish them both a great day!

We’ve had fun with photoshopping the poor seal that joins all the other debris under Obama’s bus. So, what is Barry O. thinking about. Enter your captions today.

Captain’s Quarters has been a daily reading destination for as long as I’ve been reading blogs. I have always appreciated the insight and the classy style that “Captain Ed”, Ed Morrissey, has brought to what can be a sometimes undisciplined media. I am very thankful for the traffic he has sent my way and for the invitation to be a part of the crew at Heading Right. In every instance where I’ve communicated with Ed, by email, phone, or calling in to his numerous radio shows, it has been a great pleasure.

Ed announced this morning that he is sailing on to new waters.

Beginning on March 1, I will begin working for Michelle Malkin, a friend, mentor, and writer I have long admired. She has offered me a position as writer at Hot Air, and my blogging will appear exclusively there.

That means that I will close out Captain’s Quarters sometime in March. This saddens me, as it has become my ever-ready home and because of the terrific community it has generated. I hope that the CapQ community comes with me to Hot Air, and Hot Air will have open registration today for 12 hours in order to allow CapQ commenters to join me at my new digs.

In the announcement at Hot Air Michelle writes:

Ed began blogging at Captain’s Quarters in 2003. During the past five years, his work has been published in the Washington Post, New York Post, New York Times, Weekly Standard, and other national publications. In 2007, Ed made the leap to full-time employment in New Media when he became political director for Blog Talk Radio.

[...]

Ed has been a friend and kindred spirit since I entered the blogosphere. He brings keen political insights, boundless energy and optimism, and invaluable investigative skills/enterprise reporting to the team.

Congratulations Ed. I wish you Fair Winds and Following Seas.

Who could have ever imagined that Ed Morrissey of Captain’s Quarters would be guilty of kicking up a ruckus? Well, that’s what he will be doing.

Newsweek has launched a new feature at its website called The Ruckus, in conjunction with the Media Bloggers Association. The Ruckus will track the postings of nine bloggers on the presidential race from now until Election Day in November — including Captain’s Quarters:

Should be interesting. I’ve already added the RSS Feed to my reader.

A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems. ~ Alfred Renyi

Happy 2nd Blogiversary to:
Uh, ME!

As I mentioned yesterday, today marks the two year blogiversary of bRight&Early. It was my great pleasure to start off the day with a special edition of First Cup Radio with my guest Ed Morrissey. I would also like to thank Fausta and The Florida Masochist for stopping by.

I had a great time talking with Ed about blogs, blogging, and the state of the conservative blogosphere. You can listen to the show by starting the radio bar under today’s Day by Day strip, or by following this link.

Thanks also to Brian at Iowa Voice, Steveegg at No Runny Eggs, and The Florida Masochist for their kind good wishes.

Now on with year three!

Or maybe it’s not that new. Few, if any, of you know that my first post-college career was in broadcasting. Not talk radio to be sure, but I was a broadcast major and worked at several stations in the first few years after college. Inspired by Captain Ed, I’m going to give Blog Talk Radio a shot.

NEWS ITEM: When I clicked over to Captain’s Quarters to find the link to Ed’s BTR page I found this exciting news: When The Hobby Becomes The Profession

Just a little over three and a half years ago, I began this blog as a creative writing outlet and a chance to hone my skills. When I launched Captain’s Quarters, I had no idea how it would grow, that it would attract this wonderful community of readers and commenters across the political spectrum, or that it would change my life.

Today, with the support of family and friends, I made the transition from hobbyist to full-time worker in the New Media. I have accepted a position as Political Director of Blog Talk Radio, an exciting new venture known to the CQ community but one which I hope to help expand exponentially. It’s a chance to work full time in the field which I have grown to love, and an opportunity to help others literally discover their voices.

That is some exciting news! Captain’s Quarters was one of my very first daily reads, as it continues to be. I’ve always been impressed by his fairness, his grasp of the issues, his determination, and his volume of output. Congratulations Ed!

I seem to have drifted from the topic at hand just a bit.

My foray into blog radio takes place tomorrow morning at 7:00 am. It is mostly a test run, but you’re welcome to listen in and to call. The number to reach the show is (718) 664-9725. I’ll still be getting familiar with the controls, so some interesting moments are anticipated.

I plan on talking about the plans I have for the show, and (if anyone else is up that early on a Saturday morning) take some calls. Tune in, join the conversation. HELP ME OUT!

Click on the button to find the live broadcast. And now I’m off to bed. I’ve gotta get up bRight & Early to finish up some show prep.

. . . a party at the Captain’s!

Let me play bird dog this morning and point out some really good stuff.

Jay Tea — Wizbang Speaking truth to pinheads

With the anniversary of the war in Iraq (or, as I like to call it when I’m feeling formal, the Iraq Campaign of the War on Terror), I think it’s long overdue time to actually LOOK at some of the anti-war crowd’s charges and give them the slightest shred of credence, for at least long enough to rip them to pieces.

Which he does.

Mark Noonan — Blogs for Bush The Anti-Liberation Demonstrations Really Did Fizzle

One of the biggest protests was only 6,000 strong? In San Francisco!?!?! Geesh! And by the report it seems just a bunch of ageing hippies…people who showed up for the Summer of Love back in ‘67 and never grew up and got jobs.

Ed Morrissey — Captain’s Quarters American Death Rate In Iraq Lowest In Two Years

Handwringers in the press have turned Iraq into Viet Nam, calling it a quagmire so often that the repetition has become numbing. However, according to a study done by USA Today of military data, the casualty rate for US troops has dropped to its lowest level in two years, while the Iraqi forces show increasing engagement against the terrorists:

And

More Connections Between Saddam And Al-Qaeda

At the same time that leftists would have us believe that Saddam was safely in a “box” and contained by UN sanctions, he had corrupted the UN’s aid program and plundered his own nation for billions of dollars.

Howie — The Jawa Report Christian Man on Trial, Facing Death for Converting from Islam.

I thought Islam teaches Jesus is cool? They are always talking up how much they respect Jesus Christ. Yeah right, they respect him so much they execute Christians!

John Hawkins — Right Wing News Does The GOP Deserve To Retain Control In The Senate?

For — I don’t know — at least, a good, solid three years now, conservatives have been yapping, complaining, and kvetching non-stop about two issues on the domestic front: out-of-control spending and our government’s refusal to take a tough stand against illegal immigration.

Yet, here we are, in an election year and what are we seeing from Republicans in the Senate on these two crucial issues?

Well, that should be enough to get you started on this first day of spring. Go get another cup of coffee and jump in.

Stupid Statements, no apologies, no apology apologies, no condemnation of the remarks from the left, and hardly a mention in the MSM. That’s the short version of Dick Durbin, future former Senator from Illinois. In spite of all of that insightful news can still be found. Here’s some of the best coverage I’ve found this morning.

Senator Dick Durbin has finally attempted to calm the waters with a statement of “regret” . . . This, of course, is the classic example of the non-apology apology. Read “Durbin: I’m Sorry You Didn’t Comprehend My Genius at Captain’s Quarters”

The Balance Sheet says, “Senator Durbin must resign his leadership position and, if he has any honor, resign from the Senate. The United States Senate must censure and condemn the senior senator from Illinois.” Read “Senator Durbin’s ‘Regrets’ ”

“I believe Comrade Durbin should step down, actually better yet he should be recalled. The people from Illinois should demand a recall of this piece of trash.” At least that’s what was said over at FloppingAces. Read “Durbin Must Go”

Michelle Malkin has wrapped the whole package up with her usual flair and detail. (She also added over 100 visits to this new undertaking with her link Thursday night. Thanks! And a cup of coffee for you, Michelle). She doesn’t miss the humor that is out there, either. My favorits spoof is “An ongoing series featuring the correspondence of Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), America’s most dynamic metaphorist” called “From the Desk of Senator Dick” at Iowahawk

Hugh Hewitt covers the story in depth as well, particularly what the press is (or isn’t) saying about the whole thing. He also mentions a new blog, Bloggers For Censure: Dick Durbin Held Accountable that makes the statement “Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois has made some outrageous statements about the character of our very nation. Such statements from a sitting U.S. Senator are unacceptable. We the people have the right to hold him responsible by censure or resignation as a representative of this greatest nation on Earth.” Add your thoughts there.

Enjoy your Saturday folks. As for me? Well, the lawn isn’t going to mow itself, I guess.

Just a few short comments and a few loose ends to wrap up.

First, I wanted to let you all know that the second part of Stan Guthrie’s interview with David Limbaugh is posted. In it Limbaugh lays out his thoughts on different components that make up conservatives.

Ankle Biting Pundits has several great posts (as always), including ones on the Boston Longshoremans Union story, the Senate GOP and Social Security, and the always popular Judge Elihu Smails “Buffoon Of the Week” Award.

Captain Ed over at Captain’s Quarters (another daily read) helps shine the light on a little discussed portion of the Amnesty International press release accompanying their annual report. No, not the ridiculous “gulag” comment, but what is in my opinion an even more outrageous statement. Read “Did Amnesty International Call For Kidnapping Of American Leaders?”

Michelle Malkin consistently finds links to the best stories on the net. Read the stories linked in “A Chance Reunion” and “The Eternal Vigilance Society” as well as any of the others on her site. Great stuff there always.

The three “uncontested” judges (Owens, Brown, and Pryor) from the “Memorandum of (Mis)Understanding” have been confirmed along with Griffin and McKeague. Confirm Them has links to the vote tallies for all five.

Finally, I received my first negative comment on my “Voices from the left” post. I found two things about the comment a bit ironic. First, she started out with the word “Typically”. Now, if she is referring to this blog, that’s a little hard to understand as I only started blogging here two weeks ago. I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she was talking about us “racist, bigot, homophobes” in the general sense . What I found really laughable is her statement that “you don’t say that quotes are wrong, just that they’re shrill.” What? You can read my response by clicking on the comments link on that post. What do you think? Have a great weekend. I’ll see you Monday if not before.