Thursday, July 31, 2014

Hiding the truth on Gaza

Powerline shows the difference between journalists staying in Gaza, and one able to leave.
Consider the case of Italian journalist Gabriele Barbati. On Tuesday, he tweeted that the deaths of Palestinian children on a playground caused by rocket fire were the result of a misfired Hamas rocket. “Misfired rocket killed children in Shati. Witness: militants rushed and cleared debris,” Barbati wrote.
Significantly, Barbati tweeted this only after he had left Gaza. In the same tweet he wrote, “Out of Gaza far from Hamas retaliation.”

Losing the twitter war

PJ Tatler shows what Russians think on President Obama.
At least he's not wearing his mom jeans.

Will there be Sharknado 3?

The heroes survived New York.
Will there be another Sharknado in our future?
The commenters at Ace are hopeful.

Watching the Atlantic

It's the middle of vacation season - so it's wise to watch for tropical weather threats.
This tropical wave isn't much yet, but it seems poised to head toward the mid-Atlantic coast by mid-week.
Stay away, Bertha.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Fight for fracking

Bearing Drift highlights a Daily Press story on potential fracking in and around Virginia.
The poll on the sidebar is close now.
Let the studies rule, not the fear.

Happy Sharknado Day

It's here.
The second one.
Watch the sharks take a bite out of New York.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Truth on subsidies

Over at Ace, the defense of subsidies for purchasing through the Obamacare federal exchange gets shredded.
Sargent just helpfully informed us that an earlier version of the ACA -- not a draft, mind you, but one that was actually passed out of committee -- included explicit language granting subsidies to people on federal exchanges, language that was later dropped from the final bill.
If Sargent had been an attorney rather than a layman, this is the point where he would have hit "delete" on his draft post and forgotten all about it.
One of most fundamental rules of statutory interpretation used by courts when they are asked to discern legislative intent from ambiguous statutory language is this: if explicit language was in an earlier version of a bill but dropped from the final version, the court will treat that as proof it was removed on purpose.
It was there.
It was removed.
Take that.

Kerry ought to inspect tunnels

John Kerry's efforts at peacemaking have brought anger from the Israelis.
Maybe he could get on their good sides by offering the inspect the tunnels built by Hamas.
He has the suit already.

Can't tell the real story

DaTech Guy examines the slow trickle of truth coming out of Gaza - and why journalists aren't shouting the news.
From Gatestone Institute:
One foreign journalist explained that asking such a question would have “endangered my life.” Another admitted over coffee that he and his colleagues were too scared to report news that would anger Hamas and other radical groups.
“We know that Hamas uses Palestinians as human shields,” the reporter, who asked not to be identified, said. “But why would you report this when you are sitting in the middle of the Gaza Strip, surrounded by Hamas gunmen?”

Monday, July 28, 2014

Rather avoid this project

Megan McArdle isn't impressed by the Dan Rather movie project.
The story of how Rather and Mapes and their CBS team were snookered by fake memos purporting to show that President George W. Bush had been absent without leave is a fascinating case study in how we can overlook the obvious and become wedded to dubious narratives.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound as if you’re making a movie about the fallibility of human nature. Instead, it sounds as if you’re making a movie based on Mapes’s book about it -- an upside-down version in which Mapes is upholding the highest standards of journalism while everyone else caves in to the vast right-wing conspiracy to suppress the truth.
Maybe one day they'll do a story about bloggers taking Rather down.

How to spend the summer

Pat in Shreveport gives some good ideas for the remaining summer days.
We turned the TV off a week ago and as a result, Mr. SIGIS has read two and a half books so far, and I have read the nearly eight-hundred page Pulitzer Prize winning The Goldfinch which I fished out of our Little Free Library on the corner.
It's been a worthwhile experiment and we will likely just leave the blasted thing off for a while.  We really haven't missed it.  And there is so much to be read!

Feel the wave building

Powerline highlights the latest polls on Senate races - more good news for Republicans.
There may be questions about the polling methods, but the message is clear.
Many of the margins are razor thin and, of course, much can happen in the next three months. But burdened by their unpopular president, the Democrats are running uphill, and there is good reason for Republicans to be optimistic about their Senate prospects.

Rebates and rate hikes

Via Dustbury, the celebration of cash received and reality of more cash going out.
Yeah, I got my $36 check with a letter mandated by law to remind me that Obama’s got my back.
Strangely, the letter from my insurer that said my health insurance was going up $200 a month did not mention the ACA.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

30 years ago today

Remember what you were doing July 27, 1984?
It was the day before the Summer Olympics began in Los Angeles, so you might have watched the preview show.
That night, I attended a meeting that led to Grace Community Church.
But I didn't make it to the first service a few weeks later in September.
Because the attendees included a younger brother of the editor of the Georgetown Times in South Carolina. When the first service took place, I was already a professional sportswriter 500 miles from my home.
The church grew and multiplied over the years without me. But I got to see the beginning.

Standing with IDF

For a few days, Israeli women were able to show their support for IDF soldiers on Facebook.
Now it's gone.
Support for the IDF and its mission won't be so easily removed.

Boring is best

Althouse has found a crusade - vote for the boring politician.
I mean hooray for boredom in politics.
It's healthy. These people who are incessantly trying to excite us about politics should feel horribly frustrated by our boredom. Our nonresponsiveness to their proddings and ticklings is the best thing we've got. No amount of money spent on advertising can move us. We've seen it all, and we've got lives to live.

Truth about Gaza

Powerline highlights President Obama and John Kerry's bumbling in dealing with Israel on the Gaza Strip.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Cause it's crappy

Nice to hear the simple explanation why the underwear bomber's bomb didn't explode.
He wore his special pants for two weeks.
So he was dumb and smelled bad too.

Great expectations and failed actions

Mickey Kaus wonders if President Obama has himself in a box on immigration.
The problem is that Obama’s I’m-pissed-off theatrics“today, I’m beginning a new effort to fix as much of our immigration system as I can on my own, without Congress”– and the euphoric reactions of Latino activists have raised expectations to such a high level that if Obama now goes “small” he might actually offend, disappoint and discourage some Latino voters in the midterms instead of mobilizing them.
Obama keeps betting Republicans will crack. But he faces few good options heading into the elections.

Recycling update

Our local Fishersville recycling site continues to offer 55 cents a pound for aluminum cans.
Collected cans, got some cash, and bought some bagels for breakfast.

Saturday song

Billy Joel will be up in town Saturday - Nationals Park.

Facebook quote of the week

I know who will be getting first dibs at the Internet when it comes back up and it won't be a boy.

Friday, July 25, 2014

"An underground terrorist city"

Via Powerline, we find where the concrete went - tunnels into Israel for potential attacks in September.
Israel has reportedly discovered at least 30 tunnels, and has destroyed several of them by employing bulldozers. IDF excavation of the tunnels has resulted in the seizure of tons of Hamas supplies, as well as the discovery of plans for future operations. Clearly, the network of tunnels -- using hundreds of tons of concrete that might otherwise have been used by the Palestinians for building homes, shopping malls, parks, schools, hospitals and libraries -- indicates that Hamas had been preparing for an ongoing conflict for at least a year. According to the reports, each tunnel has arteries, veins, offshoots, and offshoots of the offshoots in intricate and complex arrangements.

Compelling didn't compel

There's a very simple explanation to the convoluted reasons the Obamacare architect now gives - state exchanges were supposed to compel states to join.
Virginia's debate over Medicaid expansion has taken the same tone - you must do this or you'll lose out on the money.
No matter they're no real money coming from the federal government - just more debt.
Obamacare's compelling just isn't that compelling to many states.

Weekend watchdog

For one last time, the ESPN crew will bring you the final part of the NASCAR season.
The Brickyard 400 Sunday at 1 p.m. starts ESPN's part of its final contract year. In 2015, Fox and NBC will split TV duties.
It's been 20 years since Jeff Gordon won the first Brickyard. He leads the points race going into Indianapolis, with several drivers seeking that first win that might nab a spot in the final 10-race playoff.
Qualifying will be Saturday at 2 p.m. on ESPN, followed by the Nationwide race Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
On two wheels, the cyclists head for the finish in Paris this weekend. NBC Sports network has stages of the Tour de France Friday and Saturday at 8 a.m., with the final race to Paris Sunday at 9 a.m.
The Nationals host the Reds on MASN starting Friday, with the Orioles in Seattle on MASN2.
FoxSports1 has the Reds and Nationals Saturday at 4 p.m., followed by Indians-Royals. The Yankees host the Blue Jays on TBS Sunday at 1 p.m., and it's Dodgers against Giants on ESPN Sunday at 8 p.m.
CBS has the Canadian Open Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. The Senior Open will be on ESPN2 starting Friday at noon. Coverage continues Saturday at noon, with the final round Sunday at noon.
Toronto battles Saskatchewan in CFL action Saturday at 10 p.m. on ESPN2. The road to the U.S. Open begins in Atlanta, with quarterfinal play Friday at 4 and 7 p.m. on ESPN2. The semifinals are Saturday at 3 p.m., with the final Sunday at 4 p.m.
The Mystics host Tulsa Friday at 7 p.m. on Comcast and Atlanta Sunday at 4 p.m.
NBC Sports network has Motorcycle racing from Washougal Saturday at 6 p.m.
The World Series of beach volleyball will be on NBC Sports network Friday at 3 p.m.

Riding to Senate majority

Will 2014 be another wave election for Republicans?
Since they have the House already, some political scientists are not putting it in that category.
Doesn't mean Republicans won't win enough to gain the Senate majority.
Which means Democrats can wave their hopes goodbye.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Big and rich

American Glob looks into Michael Moore's housing stock.
According to the Detroit News, anti-capitalism “everyman” filmmaker Michael Moore owns 9 homes. On top of a $2 million, 10,000 square foot lakefront mansion in Torch Lake, Michigan, there is a Manhattan condo that was once 3 condos, and 7 other properties. Moore’s secret role as a land baron was revealed in divorce papers.
Guess he's been bowling for lots of dollars.

Back to kindergarten

NRO's Charles Cooke schools the writer who finds bad messages in "Thomas the Tank Engine."
This is not adult literature, and nor is it a lecture at Berkeley. It is a series of stories aimed at young children, who need to rebel and to play, but who also need – indeed, who crave – rules. Hatt is not capricious or mean or violent. He doesn’t cheat or steal, or abuse his engines. He’s just in charge of the railway, as parents are in charge of their kids. If there is any lesson to be taken from his personality, it is that those in a position of responsibility can often be inadvertently amusing. Awdry himself considered the character to be something of a parody of “‘pompous railway officials” who “gave out plenty of orders, but never actually did anything.”

Sour Cupcakes

Instapundit captures the view of a Cupcake crew that offers a crummy opinion.

Get your gas flowing

The United States keeps finding and using more natural gas.
So there's need to transport that gas.
Will a new pipeline cross southern Augusta County?
Stay tuned.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Who's going to pay up

Tuesday's ruling on Obamacare subsidies raises the question - who's going to pay?
Will states pay to build their own exchanges for their residents to get money?
Or will those residents have to pay the full freight of their new insurance policies?
The big question is, first, how many states decide to create exchanges? I’ve heard from several people today who thought it was obvious that most of the 36 states now on federal exchanges would simply withdraw and build their own in order to keep the subsidies flowing. This seems quite possible, because voters hate losing stuff, and especially subsidies. And state legislators do love them some free money.
On the other hand, that outcome is hardly inevitable. Law professor Jonathan Adler pointed out in a conference call yesterday that Ohio would have to amend its constitution to allow the government to establish a state exchange, and barriers in some other states are high as well. State exchanges cost millions to build and to run. States can still apply for federal money to build exchanges, Adler said, but the annual operating costs have to come out of either user fees or tax revenue. In lower population states, or poor states, that might be enough to keep legislators on the sidelines.

Filling the coalfield airwaves

Bearing Drift has the latest on the attack ads in the 38th Senatorial District race.
Coal is a big part of the district. Telling voters the Democratic candidate is on the same side of anti-coal politicans doesn't make that side happy.
It’s also comical to see the BV crew get upset about an ad attacking Democrats for being anti-coal when they are the drum majors of the anti-coal parade.  The contempt for voters in Appalachia who keep voting for coal drips from the piece.  Talking down to the folks in Appalachia and telling them they just aren’t smart enough to know what’s good for them . . . well, that’s not exactly the best way to win hearts, minds or votes in coal country.  The last thing my people (my maternal family is all proudly in the 38th) want is being lectured to by Yankees.

Concerned now considered creepy

The Atlantic looks at criminal charges against parents - for not constantly supervising their kids.
What changed from when kids played outside from dawn to dusk?
My own childhood community in Bloomfield was then a well-established one composed of descendants of Irish and Italian immigrants, many of us going to the same church on Sunday. There were a few baseline expectations shared by the community about how children should behave in people's yards or in the streets. People could talk to each other from some shared moral premises.
But today those communities seem rarer, and so, too, those shared premises about how kids should behave. More than that, there's a fear of taking responsibility for kids in the neighborhood. Deliver a short report on a child's behavior and his parents may snap back, "Don't tell me how to parent my child." A neighbor's interest may seem invasive or even creepy.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

One month to the decision

Tony Dungy gave his opinion, and got jumped.
The reaction raises the next question - what if he's not good enough?
In a month, we will be into the second week of exhibition football. Right before the first round of cuts.
Will evaluations of his lack of talent bring the same backlash?
Can the Rams cut him if he's not among the 53 best players?

Her numbers were shot down

Michael Barone sees who else is sinking with President Obama in the polls - Hillary Clinton.
Voters evidently regard her as responsible for policies that have, in their view, left the world in disarray and things spinning out of control. Her fans will surely argue that things were better in the late 1990s when her husband was president. But the Politico poll results suggest voters are judging her on her own, more recent record.

The Saints come marching in

Almost time for NFL training camps.
Some teams stay close to home.
The New Orleans Saints picked up their camp and moved to West Virginia.
The Greenbrier is excited.
It's definitely cooler than in the Bayou.
Fans in New Orleans just want a successful season.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Starting the death watch

It's time to start thinking about ACC football.
Will it be Mike London's last season at Virginia?
Chris Graham has the action.

The science is settled

Slate raises a warning about science denier Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
When I read the Post story, I worried that some readers would see Kennedy as a heroic underdog. Kloor disagrees that the story depicts him in that way, and I hope he’s right. “I think he comes off as an obsessive, tone-deaf crusader on an issue that nearly everyone he respects in his professional sphere thinks he should drop immediately. … The fact that he’s been willing to keep at it, even while he’s alienating close friends and associates—truly pissing them off—astounds me. That level of stubbornness and self-righteousness is fascinating in a public figure like Kennedy, and it’s one of the elements that convinced me this was a legitimate story.”

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Missing the warning signs

What did the president know and when did he know it - about the surge of underage illegals?
Hard to tell, but aides were told the warning signs.
Warnings don't help if you don't follow through.

For-profit and for-prophet

Bloomberg View looks at the wording using by liberals to attack the Hobby Lobby decision.
So far, the number of e-mails accurately describing the decision is, as my physics professors used to say, arbitrarily close to zero. But there’s one underlying fact they all get right: the justices ruled in favor of a “for-profit” employer. This little hyphenated term appears in e-mail after e-mail, suggesting that it’s the for-profitness that creates the perniciousness.
Now, don’t worry. I’m not going to use this column to add to the flood of arguments about whether Hobby Lobby was rightly or wrongly decided. What interests me is why exactly fundraisers believe that including the term “for-profit” will raise the ire of their contributors.
A business can be for-profit and uphold the Old Testament prophets, right?

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Why slow down, you see them all the time

I made a trip through Washington D.C. today with two lengthy bouts of stop-and-go traffic.
The inside loop was sluggish between I-270 and Georgia Avenue - for an accident the other direction.
Enough of the rubber-necking, people.
Accidents happen all the time there. Why slow down for this one and mess up the whole commute?

Facebook quote of the week

Midnight madness sale at goodwill tonight. Place is packed. 50% off everything in the store. Got a great deal on underwear . You got to look close to see the stains.

Saturday song

Billy Joel isn't hanging out in Allentown anymore.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Death of a carbon tax

Powerline enjoys the end of the carbon tax in Australia.
But finds a coal company that doesn't like the news.
Philip Hutchings, writing over at WattsUpWithThat, brings our attention to a detail that reveals how corrupt these carbon management schemes come to be—even ones that are as supposedly simple and straightforward as a carbon tax.  Now, you’d think that energy companies, especially coal companies, in Australia would be ecstatic about throwing the carbon tax over the side.  And while they probably are, would be believe the repeal of the carbon tax may actually reduce profits for at least one coal company?
They will survive.
And consumers will be happier.

A pipeline to block

Could those opponents to the Keystone XL pipeline that a minute to protest this European pipeline?
A pipeline through the middle of the Black Sea.
Just so there's a route around Ukraine.
Protesting that might get Putin's attention.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming

Ed Driscoll notes how bad it looks for a paragraph on a plane crash to be added to President Obama's normal banter.
See, that’s the problem when the president is utterly dependent on his speech writers and teleprompter programmer that he’ll relentlessly stick to the script on such a grim news day, one in which 23 Americans were reported killed.
Meanwhile, with State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki also ignoring the disaster in the Ukraine while “briefing” the press today, Allahpundit speculates that goal by Mr. Obama and Psaki is to make the White House appear as if “They’re in control of the narrative, not the media — or at least they want to be. In reality, [Fox's Sheppard Smith] and Jennifer Griffin are laughing at them and going back to covering the crash. Baffling, but this is where we are with two and a half years to go.”

Weekend watchdog

open logoWe usually wonder if Tiger Woods is going to win at a major tournament. This week, we'll be wondering if he'll make the cut.
After a three-under round Thursday, Woods tries for his elusive 15th major championship at the British Open this weekend on ESPN. The second round begins Friday at 4 p.m., with the third round at 7 a.m. Saturday. The final round gets underway Sunday at 6 a.m.
One of Woods' Open championships came at Royal Liverpool, site of this week's tournament. He missed the cut in his only action since surgery in March.
If you can't get enough Woods on the regular coverage, ESPN3 will follow his trip around the course for each day's action.
The Nationals start the second half of the season at home against Milwaukee on MASN. The Orioles kick off a West Coast swing with three games in Oakland on MASN2.
FoxSports1 offers a pair of games Saturday, with the Dodgers against Cardinals at 4 p.m. followed by Indians-Tigers. The Red Sox host the Royals on TBS Sunday at 1:35 p.m., and ESPN closes the weekend when the Cardinals face the Dodgers at 8 p.m.
The Sprint Cup series has the weekend off, but the Nationwide racers visit Chicago Saturday at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
NBC Sports network carries the IndyCar races in Toronto Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. The German Grand Prix will be on NBC Sports network Sunday at noon.
On two wheels, the Tour de France continues on NBC Sports network. There's stages Friday at 8 p.m., with Saturday's race starting at 7 a.m. and Sunday at 8 a.m.
Hamilton faces Calgary in CFL action Friday at 10 p.m. on ESPN2.
Missing soccer with the World Cup over? There's MLS play this weekend as D.C. United hosts Chivas USA on Comcast Sunday at 8 p.m. Sporting Kansas City takes on the Galaxy Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN2 while Colorado meets Portland Friday at 11 p.m. on NBC Sports network.
In women's soccer, Portland plays Boston Sunday at 5 p.m. on ESPN2. Liverpool has a friendly match against Preston North End Saturday at 9 a.m. on Comcast, and Seattle meets Tottenham Hotspur Saturday at 4 p.m. on ESPN2.
The best of the WNBA meet Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Dogging Bieber

If you don't like Justin Bieber or Miley Cyrus, the Charleston River Dogs have an event for you.
The minor-league Charleston RiverDogs in Charleston, S.C., will try to recapture the magic with "Disco Demolition 2: You Better Belieb It." The event, to be held on Saturday, will feature the destruction of Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus music and paraphernalia. The RiverDogs will play the Augusta GreenJackets, and the destruction will take place after the game, so there will be no Game 2 to forfeit.
UPDATE: Linked by Dustbury.

Lowe's delivers

The New York Post has a feel-good story - employees fixing a wheelchair for a disabled vet.
Maybe the VA can learn a lesson.

Jet shot down; Palestinians hardest hit

Israel launched a land invasion of Gaza to destroy the tunnels that bring missiles closer to them.
Will anybody notice?
It will likely be all jet shootdown, all the time.

It's great to be an American

The problem with the invasion of illegal immigrants heading into the southern United States is they are smart - they know it's great to be in the United States.
It should be great to be in Mexico, Honduras or other countries in Latin America.
If you think you can stay here, you come.
If following the rules is the only way to get here, you follow those rules.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Stop hitting yourself

It's almost sad to watch Hamas hurt their own people in Gaza.
More than 200 Palestinians have been killed so far in the current round of fighting while the number of dead Israelis amounts to a grand total of one.
That’s almost certainly the reason Hamas rejected the Egypt-proposed cease-fire agreement. So far it has accomplished practically nothing. A small band of serial killers on the West Bank managed to murder more Israelis a couple of weeks ago than Hamas can manage with its entire missile arsenal now.
They have to give up soon. They must be running out of missiles for Israel to shoot down.

Not in my backyard

Maryland governor Martin O'Malley has been busted on housing the wave of young illegals.
Why is the federal government looking at conservative parts of Maryland?
Can't they find some room closer to their liberal friends?

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

The way to upset Hilary

Know the best way to upset Hillary Clinton and her team?
How?
Talk up Elizabeth Warren's chances.

Me, myself and irate

Ron Fournier joins the word counters - how many times can President Obama use first-person singular in a speech.
Obama responded with finger-pointing and a blast of first-person pronouns. "So when folks say they're frustrated with Congress, let's be clear about what the problem is. I'm just telling the truth now. I don't have to run for office again." He added, "The best thing you can say about this Congress—the Republicans in Congress, and particularly the House of Representatives—the best you can say for them this year is that so far they have not shut down the government."
Even Democrats are starting to tire of their president sounding less like a leader than a kindergartener—whiny ("They don't do anything except block me and call me names"); petulant ("So sue me"); and self-absorbed ("I ... me … my").

I love rocky road

Work continues on the new connector road from U.S. 250 to Augusta Health and Mary Baldwin College's new health campus.
Staunton residents will have a quicker way to those facilities.
My left turns on Mule Academy Road going toward I-81 will be easier with that traffic going on the new road.
















Cause I'm tacky

Good to see Weird Al has a new parody.
Wear sunglasses before you see his outfits.

Tell us more about Benghazi

Information from the hearing on military action surrounding Benghazi has come out.
Lots of confusion in the fog of war.
And we still don't know where "blaming the video" came from.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Hobby Lobby fix

Democrats are touting support for a "Hobby Lobby fix."
I didn't know they had store-brand birth control.

Will you watch the MLS?

All of you who watched World Cup 2014 - are you keeping up the soccer habit?
The Major League Soccer season continues - will that catch your eye?
or will you wait for World Cup 2018?
Maybe the women's World Cup next year.
Before you answer, remember NFL training camps open next week.
Yes, you are ready for some football.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Living the beach life

During my beach vacation in June, someone else visited the Outer Banks - Scotty McCreery.
Looks like he had fun while there.

How Bill Gates got rich

Althouse linked to an interview with Bill Gates about his favorite business book.
It's one he borrowed from Warren Buffett in 1991.
And never returned.
Obviously, Bill Gates keeps a tight rein on his money - would it hurt to return the book and buy your own?

Throw me the ball - I'm the owner

The San Francisco 49ers closed Candlestick Park Saturday with a flag football game.
Joe Montana threw the final TD pass - to owner Eddie DeBartolo.
Joe could get a better contract - if it wasn't 20 years after he left the team and retired.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Fishing for trouble

Don Surber comes to the defense of Rosie O'Donnell - against someone upset she went fishing for hammerhead shark.
I stood up for Rosie because this is another baldfaced attempt to silence people into submission and abeyance of whatever is the popular liberal whim of the day. Nothing will stop them. They have no decency. Step out of line and they will ruin you. We thought it was rhetoric until they went after Brenden Eich and cost him his job as CEO of Mozilla for a donation to Prop 8 -- which passed in the liberal land of Oz we call California.
You can defend an endangered species.
But having an opinion shouldn't be endangered.

Give us your hard workers

Ace of Spades offers a pair of stories of hard-working immigrants who have done well in the United States.
There's no problem with that.
I'll leave you with one final thought, from one racist hater to another. America is an ideal, not a location, not a people and certainly not a race. Fill my America with 320 million Osmas, chattering away in Spanish, and I'll be one happy gringo. Give me an America filled with 320 million blacks from Africa who eagerly chase the dream, and I'll live a long and full life, a speck of salt in a sea of pepper.
Give me Chinese folks with their godawful music, Indians dancing rings around my lame left footed ass or pale Scandinavians eating the soap. Give me people who see the unbelievably precious gift that is rule of law, who understand that they are responsible for their outcomes and who know hard work is not only it's own reward, but will reward them financially as well. In other words, give my racist, hating ass......Americans.

Saturday song

For All-Star weekend, put me in coach.
Thanks for bringing back the memories, John Fogerty.

Facebook quote of the week

Can't help but feel bad for Brazil fans. Picture of a young boy just sobbing uncontrollably at about the third goal was heart-wrenching

Friday, July 11, 2014

Learn from LeBron

All of these youngsters flooding the southern border need to learn from the example of LeBron James.
Home is the best place for you.

Weekend watchdog

Brazil will be playing this weekend.
Just not the game they expected.
world cupFresh off the 7-1 loss to Germany, the host country has been relegated to the third place game against Netherlands Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN.
In Sunday's final at 2 p.m. from Rio on ABC, Argentina has the home hemisphere advantage after its penalty kick win on Wednesday. They beat the West Germans in the 1986 final played in Mexico, then lost to the Germans in 1990 in Italy.
Stateside, D. C. United travels to San Jose Friday at 11 p.m. on NBC Sports network. Seattle meets Portland Sunday at 10 p.m. on ESPN2.
The Orioles host the Yankees for the weekend - Friday and Saturday on MASN and Sunday night on ESPN - while the Nationals visit the Phillies on MASN2 Friday, Fox Saturday and MASN Sunday.
Fox also offers Pirates-Reds and Angels against the Rangers Saturday night. The Cardinals and Brewers will be on FoxSports1 Saturday afternoon and TBS Sunday at 2 p.m.
TNT closes its coverage of NASCAR from New Hampshire Sunday at 1 p.m. ESPN2 has the Nationwide race Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and FoxSports1 offers the Truck Series Friday at 8:30 p.m.
The Indy Cars visit Iowa Saturday at 8 p.m. on NBC Sports network.
On two wheels, NBC carries Saturday's stage of the Tour de France starting at 8 a.m. NBC Sports network brings the action Friday and Sunday at 8 a.m.
The PGA tour visits Illinois for the John Deere Classic Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. on CBS. ESPN2 has thesecond round of the U.S. Senior Open Friday at 4 p.m. NBC carries the final two rounds, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
Across the pond, the British Women's Open will be on ESPN2 Friday at 9 a.m. Play in the third round starts Saturday at 8 a.m. and the final round Sunday at 8 a.m.
NBC brings the Scottish Open Saturday and Sunday at noon.
Comcast offers NBA Summer League action, with the Wizards against the Hawks Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and Timberwolves Sunday at 10:30 p.m.
In WNBA play, Seattle visits Minnesota Sunday at 3 p.m. on ESPN2.
In the World Cup of softball, the United States faces Japan Friday at 9 p.m. on ESPN. It's the United States against Mexico Saturday at 1 p.m. and Taiwan at 8 p.m. before the final Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

For the cleanup hitter

Watching the Orioles' contest, they discussed Spic 'n Span.
It's a long season.
Hard to find new topics to fill the time.


Fundraise for South Texas

Instead of raising funds for Democrats, shouldn't President Obama be asking his friends for money to help areas dealing with the immigrant flood?
They need the money more than Democratic consultants.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Unbearable

Paco has the perfect picture for the latest nickname for President Obama.

Blame the Obama economy

Cosmo tries to explain the Hobby Lobby decision to its readers.
Get to the last reason, and the problem becomes clear - it's Obama's fault.

13. If you don't like it, find another job.

If only it were so easy to find full-time gainful employment with benefits. The unemployment rate currently sits at 6.3 percent, but that doesn't count the people who are underemployed or just so discouraged they stopped looking for work. A more comprehensive evaluation of unemployed and underemployed Americans puts the rate at almost 13 percent. "Just get a different job" is a tall order for many Americans.

The Hobby Lobby decision wouldn't be a burden if the economy was better.
Sorry ladies, but the Obama economy has burdened you.

Welcome to the party, pal

Powerline features a letter to President Obama - from journalists waking up to his antics.
Finally.
You recently expressed concern that frustration in the country is breeding cynicism about democratic government. You need look no further than your own administration for a major source of that frustration – politically driven suppression of news and information about federal agencies. We call on you to take a stand to stop the spin and let the sunshine in.
Spin? It's their only game.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Making music

Taylor Swift took to the pages of the Wall Street Journal Monday to express hope in the future of the music industry.
If only there were more Taylor Swifts.

George Allen understands

Ben Tribbett gave up his job with the Redskins as the Twitter storm got too hot.
Think he's learned something about the 2006 campaign against George Allen from this?

Ready for the big game

Powerline previews today's Brazil-Germany match in the World Cup.
Will playing at home help Brazil overcome Neymar's injury?
We'll find out in a few hours.

Monday, July 7, 2014

I have a right to your money

Megan McArdle explores positive and negative rights - and how they clash with the Hobby Lobby decision.
In this context, “Do what you want, as long as you don’t try to force me to do it, too” works very well, which is why this verbal formula has had such a long life. But when you introduce positive rights into the picture, this abruptly stops working. You have a negative right not to have your religious practice interfered with, and say your church forbids the purchase or use of certain forms of birth control. If I have a negative right not to have my purchase of birth control interfered with, we can reach a perhaps uneasy truce where you don’t buy it and I do. But if I have a positive right to have birth control purchased for me, then suddenly our rights are directly opposed: You have a right not to buy birth control, and I have a right to have it bought for me, by you.
In other words, your rights don't force me to abandon my rights.
That's right.

Saints by the interstate

I've made trips to West Virginia in May and July, and wondered about the new construction just off I-64 near the Welcome Center.
It's where The Greenbrier will be welcoming the Saints for training camp this month.
Slow down during training camp and your passengers might see Drew Brees.
Driver, you keep your eye on the road.

NOW, that's not very bright

How nice of the National Organization for Women to tell us the Little Sisters of the Poor are a bad group.
Helping people isn't good enough if you're not dishing out contraception to all your employees.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Message for Central America

Here's hoping people in Central America get the message not to head to the United States.
Maybe this song will help.


Messing with Hillary

President Obama could mess with Hillary Clinton's chances for the Democratic nomination.
How?
By encouraging Elizabeth Warren to run.
That will put Team Clinton on the warpath.

Not Macaca

An interesting story on Ben Tribbett's hire by the Washington Redskins.
Macaca was bad in 2006.
But Redskins in 2014?
The enemy of my enemy gets to be my friend, I guess.

It will be a good thing

Dana Milbank tries to give Democrats hope - Republicans winning the Senate will help Hillary in 2016.
Just like that worked for Republicans in 2007 and 2008.
Right?

Saturday, July 5, 2014

His memory was restored

A former Bush administration official remembers his instructions on email safety and computer backups.
Lois Lerner can't hide behind the blue screen of death.

Keeping up with the times

Ancestry.com has a free weekend to search census data.
I viewed a page from West Virginia in 1880.
The woman's occupation was "keeping house."
Several on a page in that district.
You've got a long way, baby.
But it wasn't that long ago "keeping house" was a primary occupation.

Talk is cheap, and so is government

Recent Supreme Court decisions have the Obama team in a box.
They want to give free contraception.
They need somebody to pay for the free contraception.
People don't want to pay.
You can fuss about conservative objections to paying for contraceptive methods they don't believe in.
Or you can open your own wallet.

Facebook quote of the week

All alone. Sent boys away and the first time I am alone and I get the remote, there isn't anything on tv I want to see!

Saturday song

Arthur did what he pleased on the East Coast this weekend.
Reminded me of Dudley Moore's Arthur.

Friday, July 4, 2014

Not paying attention

So nice to see the Democratic idea to deal with the Hobby Lobby decision - an executive order.
Guess they didn't see the actions of the Supreme Court a few days ago.
The best way for Obama and Democrats to get smacked again is another executive order.

Weekend watchdog

It's the final weekend for strawberries and cream. But it won't be as sweet as last year for English tennis fans.
wimbledonWimbledon closes its fortnight, but 2013 men's champion Andy Murray will not return to Centre Court Sunday with a chance to repeat. Murray lost in Wednesday's quarterfinals, leaving Roger Federer and top-seeded Novak Djokovic as top contender to meet Sunday at 9 a.m. on ESPN. The men's semifinals are Friday at 8 a.m.
The women's final Saturday at 9 a.m. on ESPN will feature 2011 champion Petra Kvitova against Eugenie Bouchard.
It's down to the World Cup's quarterfinal round in Brazil. The host nation takes on Colombia Friday at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN, after Germany meets France at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN2.
Belgium faces Argentina Saturday at 11:30 a.m. on ABC, and Costa Rica tangles with Netherlands at 4 p.m. on ESPN.
Stateside, D.C. United travels to Toronto Saturday at 7 p.m. on Comcast. NBC Sports network has a pair of contests Friday, with the Red Bulls facing Houston at 8 p.m. followed by Portland at the Galaxy.
The Orioles visit Boston for the weekend. Friday's game is on MASN2 and Sunday's on MASN, with Saturday on Fox. Other games on Fox include Giants-Padres and Rangers against the Mets.
The Nationals meet the Cubs Friday at 11 a.m. on MASN, Saturday afternoon on MASN and Sunday on MASN2.
Baseball on the Fourth of July includes Yankees visiting the Twins on ESPN2 at 3 p.m. and Rays at Tigers at 7 p.m. The Diamondbacks battle the Braves on FoxSports1 Saturday at 4 p.m., then the Twins host the Yankees on TBS Sunday at 2 p.m. The Rays and Tigers close out the weekend Sunday at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
NASCAR returns to Daytona to mark the halfway point of the season. TNT has the Coke Zero 400 Saturday at 7:30 p.m., after the Nationwide racers go in the Firecracker 250 Friday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
NBC Sports network has the Indy Car race from Pocono Sunday at 1 p.m. There's practice for the British Grand Prix Friday at 8 a.m. on NBC Sports network.
On two wheels, the Tour de France starts on NBC Sports network Saturday at 6 a.m. The second stage starts Sunday at 6 a.m.
The PGA tour visits the Greenbrier this weekend, with coverage Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. on CBS.
Toronto hosts Saskatchewan in CFL play Saturday at 3 p.m. on ESPN.
They're off the running at the Belmont Derby and Belmont Oaks Saturday at 5 p.m. on NBC Sports network.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Arthur of the Fourth

Has Hurricane Arthur ruined your holiday plans?
Remember the real Arthur of the Fourth of July - Fiedler and the Boston Pops.

Let freedom ring

Wheaton College really gets to celebrate Independence Day - which an injunction against Obamacare paperwork.
Fill out your own complaint forms, liberals.

How to serve school lunches

What good are new, more nutritious school lunches if kids don't eat them?
One Wisconsin district really has things figured out.
Under the school lunch program regulations, Petfalski said, the district's food service was projected to be headed toward a $54,000 deficit. By opting out — and presumably selling more food — he expects about a $7,100 surplus.
Food belongs in kids, not the garbage cans.

Saving the past

Popular Mechanics tells of the hard work needed to preserve our past - especially if the medium has left the marketplace.
Even recent stuff may not last long.
The Library of Congress subjected identical copies of Paul Winter's Earthbeat to extreme conditions and had wildly different results: One of them turned entirely transparent, while the other seemed relatively intact. But many early CDs (the format was first released in 1982) are already starting to go, meaning the format could have only a 30-year shelf life if professionally produced, and less than that if burned, because of the organic dyes used in the process.
Let keep those memories alive.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Not right about rights

Pat in Shreveport tried to talk logic to liberal upset with the Hobby Lobby decision.
She just wanted an answer to a simple question.
What rights were taken from women?
Definitely not the right to illogical ramblings on the internet.

Thin skin vs. thin guy

Adam Richman is proud he's lost a bunch of weight since his days on Man vs. Food.
Not everybody can be happy for him.
They may not be thin, but they definitely have thin skins.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Wait 'til 2018

Time to forget about United States soccer until 2018.
Maybe KFC can use this sign.
What looks like the World Cup trophy reminds me of a chicken leg.

They survived without you

It's amusing on Facebook to see people upset with Hobby Lobby.
They will never shop there.
Organize a boycott.
Have these people ever shopped there before?
Doubtful.
Hobby Lobby grew into a big company without their patronage.
They will survive without their patronage.

I'll take a real victory

Slate claims the Christian Right is losing the PR battle over the Hobby Lobby decision.
So?
If the decision had been different, could the Christian Right have won anything in Slate's mind?
Doubtful.