Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Worst thing for women's soccer

The United States advanced to the final of the Women's World Cup with a win over Germany Tuesday.
Big whoop.
The imperial power, with all the resources and plenty of available playing talent, dominates the rest.
Bad for the rest of the world.
Can you have compelling matchup that excite the fan base with the United States always does well?
A United States loss on Sunday will probably benefit the sport more than a win.

The family business

Rush mentioned this on his show today - how much Hillary Clinton wanted to speak at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
They had to settle for Chelsea instead.
The school nickname is Kangaroos. But their pockets aren't that deep.

Everything turn, turn, turn

Mark Steyn liked a post by Kathy Shaidle on the swiftly changing rules of the world.
The same people who said “Hey, if you don’t like it, change the channel” now run #StopRush and try to ban Ann Coulter et al from campuses.
The same people who used to tell us to “lighten up” and “learn to take a joke” now fire people who make them.
LITERALLY the same people.
If we’re “crazy,” they made us that way.

Beginning of chaos or end of days

Roger L. Simon moves his focus off the Supreme Court and onto the looming Iran nuclear deal.
Obama is about to hand nuclear weapons to the Iranians who are well on their way to building ICBMs that can reach Chicago, if they haven’t already.  A nuclear-armed Iran is ultimately more dangerous than the Soviet Union because some of its leaders, at least, believe in a fanatical religious system that has no fear of armageddon.  Good-bye mutually assured destructions.
At the same time,  that new caliphate (and that’s what it is) the Islamic State, aka the jayvee team, is celebrating its first anniversary, raping, throwing homosexuals off towers,  lopping the heads off Christians and performing acts of unspeakable barbarity we haven’t head since the days of Dr. Mengele.  They control a territory the size of New Jersey.  Obama has no strategy.  (Other than the other side wins.) Are we going to wait until they blow up the Mall of America?

You are not alone

Red State's Erick Erickson looks ahead, giving advise to prepare.
The left has worked very hard to control information. They will now work extra hard to push conservatives forcibly into a ghetto of thought. The overarching goal will be to convince you that no one agrees with you and there are no voices echoing you.
Just remember, you are not alone.

Monday, June 29, 2015

Look to the skies

Venus and Jupiter light up the evening sky this week, appearing extremely close the next two nights.
The planets have been high in the sky in recent weeks, but their time in the evening sky is growing short.
After July 1st, both planets will appear to quickly separate and sink closer to the horizon. They'll be lost in the glare of the sunset by the end of the month. Both will reappear in late August as bright morning stars visible before dawn.
But before that, Venus and Jupiter will offer one last opportunity for an amazing photo at dusk. As a grand finale, the planets will be joined by the razor-thin crescent moon on July 18th. The tight celestial grouping will span no more than 4 degrees—less than the width of the three middle fingers held at arm's length.

Why Biden likes Amtrak

Once again, Delaware has no commercial airline flights. Being too close to Philadelphia and Baltimore doomed the market.
All Delaware has is Amtrak.
And Joe Biden.
What a sad state.

Whiff

A comic that perfectly sums up the latest Supreme Court decision on Obamacare.














I intended to be a millionaire. Will Justice Roberts help me with my quest?

Recycling update

Last month, the local recycling center gave 55 cents per pound for aluminum cans.
Today, it was 40 cents per pound.
What does that mean for the economy, and recycling costs?

What show to hate next?

The Dukes of Hazzard is now on the crosshairs.
What about M*A*S*H?
Klinger has to offend somebody.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

The greatest blasphemy

A Facebook friend posted a chart that tries to show you can't oppose homosexuality if you like bacon.
Such blasphemy.
They try to say all the things against homosexuality are in Leviticus.
They forget the writings of Paul, but that's another story.
In Acts 10, Peter dreams of God telling him to kill and eat animals considered unclean.
God wanted Peter to preach to a Roman centurion named Cornelius, and used the vision to show it was okay to bring those outside the Jewish dietary laws into the new church.
If Peter could eat with Gentiles, surely I can eat bacon.
Back to the drawing board, gay marriage supporters.

I only want to see you there

The events of Friday brought to mind the opening lyrics of a song by Keith Green, a Christian artist who died in 1982.
It's hard being called someone who hates when it's the love of Christ that compels you to tell others the reality of heaven.

I need to say these things 'cause
I love you so
And I'm sorry you get angry when I say that
You just don't know
That there's a heaven waiting
For you and me
I know it seems every time we talk
I'm only tryin' to just make you see
And it's only that I care
I really only want
Just to see you there


Read more: Keith Green - Song To My Parents Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Better than Scott Walker

A few months, Politifact had to check if Scott Walker could have paid only $1 for a new sweater at Kohl's.
Yes, thanks to Kohl's cash promotion from a prior purchase.
I beat him today.
We bought a few things for the oldest son as he prepares for college, and paid nothing. Kohl's cash covered the three items.

Watch out for the trap

DaTech Guy realizes the trap for religious people interested in politics - the political side pushing out the compassion.
And the next time you feel tempted to play parry and reposte with someone onlnie remember that screwtape’s words and Fr. MacDonald’s words are both directed at us. Never forget the very first soul we are called upon to bring to salvation is our own.
#prayernotpride that is the hastag we should answer with.

Plessy v Ferguson for our generation

While gay rights supporters celebrate, Christians are left to wonder how their long-held beliefs became labeled bigots.
And what happens next?
With lots of uncertainty, it's easy to lash out.
With knowledge that God is the ultimate Judge, there's long-term security.
But how do we then live now?
The 1896 Plessy v Ferguson led to blacks being considered second-class citizens for generations. Separate but equal wasn't equal.
Now, does someone demanding new rights mean other must give up their long-held rights.
And can be taken to court - and legally punished - for doing something they had done for years?
History tells us people survived.
Life was tough and some suffered and even died.
But the tide turned.
Lets look for some lessons to learn and live by.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Financial discipline? It's Greek to me

The Other McCain updates the bad news coming out of Greece.
In addition to Margaret Thatcher’s famous maxim about socialists eventually running out of other people’s money, there is also Stein’s Law. This was coined by Herb Stein, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers during Richard Nixon’s presidency: “If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.” And the problem of the Eurozone’s weaker nations expecting bailouts from their rich neighbors obviously cannot go on forever. So what happens when it stops? We don’t know.
Portugal, Spain, Italy and Ireland — the other fiscal weak sisters in the Eurozone — may manage to avoid default, and the richer EU nations may be able to stabilize the overall regional economy. If so, the Greek problem is just a Greek problem. On the other hand, who knows?

What if Kennedy voted differently?

The Facebook feed is full of rainbows - and angry gay marriage supporters who are blocking or complaining about the other side.
If you're unhappy with your side winning, what would life have been like if Kennedy joined the four conservatives?
It's hard to imagine - and likely hard to stomach.
It surely wouldn't have been very loving.
One man shaped the emotional life of millions of Americans this weekend.
One man.

A great column. Period

Via Instapundit, a column about tampon awareness.
What kind of picture should be taken?
I ought to add that this is a campaign led by women and about women and men shouldn’t muscle in and take it over — but a little bit of support would not go amiss. The eminent broadcaster Jon Snow has already posted his tampon selfie — looking very serious and holding the thing with its tail drooping down. It would not surprise me if other famous men, such as Stephen Fry and Baldrick and that actor who is married to Emma Thompson, are soon posting their tampon selfies on line. For my part, I put a liberated tampon up each of my nostrils with the strings hanging down over my top lip: a touch of whimsy which I think will appeal to the feminists who run this campaign. Feminists are notoriously good-humoured and ‘game for a laugh’, perhaps especially in those few days leading up to their monthly cycles.

How to lose friends on Facebook

I think I've come up with a sentence to yourself unfriended on Facebook after this week's events.

I got sick going to a same-sex marriage ceremony in the Dukes of Hazzard car.

Facebook quote of the week

Life is too short.
Always take the time to stop and take a pic of the roses and post to social media.

Saturday song

Does the purge of Rebel things include Billy Idol's song from the 80s?


Only the lonely

The most mockable part of Justice Kennedy's opinion on same-sex marriage - "Marriage responds to the universal fear that a lonely person might call out only to find no one there."
Guess he never heard of C.S. Lewis' book The Great Divorce.
Loneliness is the way of life in the grey town he sees.

"It seems the deuce of a town," I volunteered, "and that's what I can't understand. The parts of it

that I saw were so empty. Was there once a much larger population?"

"Not at all," said my neighbour. "The trouble is that they're so quarrelsome. As soon as anyone

arrives he settles in some street. Before he's been there twenty-four hours he quarrels with his

neighbour. Before the week is over he's quarrelled so badly that he decides to move. Very like he

finds the next street empty because all the people there have quarrelled with their neighbours-and

moved. So he settles in. If by any chance the street is full, he goes further. But even if he stays, it

makes no odds. He's sure to have another quarrel pretty soon and then he'll move on again. Finally

he'll move right out to the edge of the town and build a new house. You see, it's easy here. You've

only got to think a house and there it is. That's how the town keeps on growing." "Leaving more

and more empty streets?" "That's right.
There's loneliness all around. Created by those who claim to want to avoid it.

Friday, June 26, 2015

This is our temporary home

Where does the Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage leave us?
Thousands of years of human history tossed aside by a 5-4 vote.
Could anything have stopped this day?
Could Christians does something different to keep their view of marriage from being pushed around?
Or it is a reminder of where our priorities should be?
I was reminded of Carrie Underwood's song.
"This is my temporary home
It's not where I belong
Windows in rooms that I'm passin' through
This is just a stop, on the way to where I'm going
I'm not afraid because I know this is my
Temporary home."

It's just a poor beer, nobody loves it

Dustbury notes a new beer in honor of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.

Weekend watchdog

Einfaches CMYKThe Women's World Cup started with 24 teams.
Then 16 advanced, and now eight winners of the second stage meet this weekend in the quarterfinals.
Fox has a pair of contests Friday, with Germany against France at 4 p.m. from Montreal before the United States battles China in Ottawa at 7:30 p.m.
Australia tangles with Japan Saturday at 4 p.m. from Edmonton, with England and host Canada meeting in Vancouver at 7:30 p.m. on FoxSports1.
The winners head to the semifinals next week.
In Major League Soccer, D.C. United takes on Toronto Saturday at 5 p.m. on Comcast. New York FC meets the Red Bulls on ESPN2 Sunday at 5 p.m. with Portland against Seattle at 7 p.m. on FoxSports1.
Mexico meets Costa Rica in an international friendly Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.
The Nationals visit Philadelphia for the weekend on MASN. The Orioles host the Indians, with games Friday and Sunday on MASN2, and Saturday's game on Fox.
Fox features Angels-Mariners and Cubs against Cardinals along with the Orioles Saturday at 7 p.m., and ESPN has Cubs clashing with the Cardinals Sunday at 8 p.m.
The NHL selects its future stars Friday at 7 p.m. on NBC Sports network.
The "Boogity, Boogity, Boogity" crew does their final NASCAR race of the season, with FoxSports1 coverage from Sonoma Sunday at 3 p.m. There's qualifying Saturday at 2:15 p.m.
The IndyCar circuit visits Fontana Saturday at 4 p.m. on NBC Sports network.
North of the border, Hamilton takes on Calgary Friday at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.
Santa Anita hosts the Gold Cup on NBC Sports network Saturday at 8 p.m.
Grab your red umbrella for CBS coverage of the Travelers Championship Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m.
The best Senior golfers gather for the U.S. Senior Open. FoxSports1 has coverage Thursday and Friday at 2 p.m.
NBC carries the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m. There's action on NBC Sports network Friday at 10 p.m.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Wah-hoowa

Virginia had one of the best college basketball teams all season.
The baseball team just won the national championship.
Next, is football.
Wake me when basketball practice starts.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

To belt or not to belt

Legal Insurrection looks at the leaked information on the Freddie Gray autopsy, focusing on usage of seat belts in the van.
It is very common for officers to avoid standard operating procedures when dealing with a non-compliant suspect, when those ordinary procedures become unreasonably dangerous due to the suspect’s non-compliance.  Seat belting a suspect is perhaps among the first of these SOPs to fall by the wayside when dealing with a non-compliant suspect, because it places the officer at risk of the suspect biting them or spitting on them.  The officer is permitted to prioritize his own safety over the SOP to seat belt a suspect.

We shall overcome

Jonah Goldberg writes of how Charleston overcomes the stereotypes in the media.
Not being a Christian, I can only marvel at the dignity and courage of the victims’ relatives who forgave the shooter. If I could ever manage such a thing, it would probably take me decades. It took them little more than a day. Less shocking, but almost as uplifting, was the conduct of the broader Charleston community, which has been unified and dignified, despite the expectations of some in the media — and the accused gunman, who had singled out Charleston because of its success at racial integration.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Pretty in pink

Sad news from Massachusetts - the death of the man who designed the plastic pink flamingo.
His friends visited my house for my 40th birthday.



Buttoned down

My time with the College Republicans included the run-up to the 1984 election.
My friend had some buttons made for the primaries "Glenn is Spaced out" and some for when we went to the Maryland Republican convention.
We had "Reagan '84, Falwell '88" buttons among our supply, and the local TV affiliate in Salisbury interviewed me while we sold our wares. Unfortunately, I never saw that clip on TV.
The Clinton/Gore 1992 buttons with the confederate flag have the feel of our homemade buttons. Unlikely part of the official campaign, but someone who liked the candidates made them to show their support.
The same with Hillary buttons found from 2008.
What can designers think up this election cycle?

The Kurd's way

Want some good news from the Middle East?
Kurdish fighters are taking the fight to ISIS.
Raqqa is the de facto capital of the caliphate whose creation IS announced a year ago after it captured large swathes of northern and western Iraq.
As well as cutting an IS supply line, the YPG's capture of Tal Abyad allowed the Kurds to link up other pockets they control along the Turkish border, from Iraq in the east to Kobane in the west.

To do list

It's summer vacation time.
Can kids still do these things?
Or do they just watch Phineas and Ferb's summer adventures on the TV?

Monday, June 22, 2015

What stops the Sanders surge?

How strong does the Bernie Sanders candidacy need to get before Democrats worry?
I think Democratic elites will panic very fast if Hillary loses Iowa and New Hampshire, just as they did in 1988 when Jesse Jackson briefly became the front-runner. If was a betting man, I might throw down some cash on Joe Biden being the Democratic nominee next year. Because there’s no chance the Democratic establishment will let Sanders win the nomination.

My eyes

I started to watch the College World Series - Vanderbilt vs. Virginia.
Then I saw the Vanderbilt uniforms.
Whoa.

A gathering place for loners

Jane the Actuary notes the parallels between ISIS and the Charleston shooter.
There are superficial, or maybe even substantial, similarities between teens running off to join ISIS after being enticed by recruiting materials online, and this kid deciding, after reading the news online through the lens of racist groups, to start a “race war” (though there’s a certain “small bit of good news” that he felt as if he didn’t have anyone with whom he could make common cause).  The shooter, from all reports, wasn’t raised by an openly-racist family, any more than, at least as reported, ISIS-joining teens weren’t raised in radical jihadist families.
The web spreads good news, and also bad.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Watch what you say

Instapundit uses his weekly USA Today column to examine the feds' subpoena of commenter information at Reason.
In today's world, protecting speech has increased importance.
The frothings of Internet commenters, of course, are apt to be regarded as low-value speech. Even so, in a world where, increasingly, people are hounded out of their jobs or subjected to legal harassment for things that they say, the ability to speak anonymously is of growing importance.

Shout it from the Roof tops

Do all white people share blame due to the actions of Dylann Roof?
Do all Muslims share blame due to the actions of their fellow religionists?
Can you answer yes to one and no to the other?
Or does every group have their evil actors who act violently under their thoughts on their religion?
As we seek answers to why a terrible tragedy happened, we want easy answers that will make the problem go away.
Easy answers aren't there.
Definitely not the easy answers - removal of the Confederate battle flag - being sought now.

Leaning on the court

While we await the verdict on King v. Burwell, the White House wants things to go their way.
In a matter of days, we will know what the court has decided and whether the president's strategy has worked a second time. However the court ultimately rules, the politics of division — which affect America's institutions as well as its people, and of which this president is and continues to be an avid and reckless practitioner — will have lasting effects that will take years of serious and concerted effort by a less partisan president to correct.

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Multicultural update

Visiting Rush Limbaugh's site, I found a link to a book in Spanish.
Would you believe Rush would put that there.
Yes.

Jive talking

Powerline's weekly cartoon roundup gives us a combination of Rachel Dolezal and Airplane!, which has its 35th anniversary in a few weeks.

Saturday song

It's the time of year to catch a summer breeze.

Facebook quote of the week

Oh, Walking Taco, who would have thought that a bag of Doritoes, taco meat, cheese and salsa would be so heavenly?

Cost of hearing Hillary

I love the graphic going around, comparing Hillary Clinton and Condoleeza Rice at fundraisers.
Condi raised money for the children.
Hillary raised money off the children.
Nuff said.

Friday, June 19, 2015

Not a happy warrior

Ace relates a story from the 1990s of Hillary Clinton's wonderful demeanor.
It's a third-hand story, but it matches what you see today.
So that's the woman we're talking about here: A paranoid, venom-hearted, nasty, unkind-to-"Everyday-Americans," entitled borderline depressive, sexually embittered and sexually vengeful, with a chip on her shoulder the size of Carrie Nation's emotional emptiness and bearing a dark grudge against the American people in general.

Gun control is not the answer

The tragedy in Charleston brought out more calls for gun control.
A few days after stories where millions of Americans had their federal personnel records taken by hackers.
Calling for gun control may make you feel good.
Gives you a way to vent at the senseless tragedy.
But when the emotion cools, you're asking the government that can't protect your private records to protect your life.
Unfortunately, there are bad and evil people.
Good people don't want to surrender their futures to them.

Weekend watchdog

Usually, Father's Day weekend gives dads all the sports they want.
Not if there are NASCAR fans this year.
NASCAR uses one of its rare weekends off Sunday, giving the Sprint Cup teams time at home with their dads as midseason nears. Other sports take up the slack, with Fox taking the lead.
The U.S. Open begins a 12-year run on the Fox network, with the second round starting Friday at noon on FoxSports1, moving to Fox at 8 p.m. Fox carries the final two rounds starting at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Virginia continues its quest for the College World Series championship against Florida Friday at 3 p.m. on ESPN2. A win moves the Cavaliers into the best-of-three finale on Monday.
Vanderbilt leads its pool, and faces TCU Friday at 8 p.m. If Virginia or Vanderbilt lose Friday, there will be final games in the pool Saturday.
The Orioles head to Toronto on MASN for the weekend, while the Nationals host the Pirates on MASN2.
ESPN offers the battle between the Dodgers and Giants Sunday at 8 p.m.
The Women's World Cup opens its second tage with a pair of games Saturday on FoxSports1. Germany meets Sweden at 4 p.m., followed by China against Cameroon. Sunday's contests start at 1 p.m. with Brazil against Australia then it's France against South Korea at 4 p.m. and host Canada battling Switzerland at 7:30 p.m.
D.C. United meets New England Sunday at 5 p.m. on ESPN2 and Real Salt Lake hosts Kansas City Sunday at 10 p.m. on FoxSports1.
The Xfinity Series rides Saturday at 9:30 p.m., while the Truck Series goes Friday at 8:30 p.m.
NBC Sports network brings the Austrian Grand Prix Sunday at 7:30 a.m. There's practice Friday at 8 a.m. and qualifying Saturday at 8 a.m.
 Philadelphia meets the Kiss in Arena Football Saturday at 11 p.m. and Spokane battles Portland Sunday at 10 p.m.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

How much will you pay to keep Obamacare

The media worries about people who might lose subsidies when the Supreme Court rules on King v. Burwell.
Instead of worrying about those who pay more in taxes because of the law - and its implementation by the Obama administration.
For example, an estimated 15 million Americans are paying more for coverage on the individual market under Obamacare and not getting subsidies. That’s far more than the 6.4 million now receiving taxpayer help on the federal exchanges. Insurance regulations imposed by the healthcare law—age-rating rules, actuarial-value restrictions, and benefit mandates—have made insurance more expensive, and repealing them would dramatically lower the cost of coverage for everyone, subsidized and unsubsidized alike. Likely, millions of Americans now getting subsidized coverage could afford it on their own if these regulations were repealed.

Save the environment - stop abortion

The Pope's letter on the environment is out.
How do we save the environment? Not by abortion.
While the 184-page encyclical wades into controversial topics such as climate change, it also aggressively argues that it is not possible to effectively care for the environment without first working to defend human life.
It is “clearly inconsistent” to combat the trafficking of endangered species while remaining indifferent toward the trafficking of persons, to the poor and to the decision of many “to destroy another human being deemed unwanted,” the Pope stated.
To have this attitude, he said, “compromises the very meaning of our struggle for the sake of the environment.”

Did you hear that, lefty cheerleaders?

Kale no

McDonald's is looking at ways to add kale to its menu.
I'm not lovin' it.
That's not trending.

Cafeteria Catholics

Can you pick and choose items in religion that you follow?
DaTech Guy sees the media highlighting Pope Francis when the want to - and ignoring his statements on other important issues.
They want to be Catholic without the hard work.

I hear banjos

Runners in a half-marathon in Tennessee came across the banjo band on the course.
Lots of personal best records were set in that segment.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Talking Trump and friends

William Jacobson spoke on Charlottesville's WCHV about the coming campaign.
“Donald Trump entering the race is pretty much like somebody throwing a hand grenade into the room. He is going to get attention, he’s probably going to cause some casualties, and he is going to absorb a lot of the oxygen in the room.”
Let the fun continue.

Is insulting Rush Limbaugh a microaggression?

All of this talk about microaggression confuses me.
Officials bring up phrases you shouldn't say.
They might offend someone.
I'm offended when people insult Rush Limbaugh.
Are they guilty of microaggressions?
If not, why not?
Aren't my feelings important too?

The threat of Bernie Sanders

Best of the Web highlighted the term, after checking out a poll showing Bernie Sanders with more support from white males than Hillary Clinton.
If Democrats prefer Sanders to Clinton, how poorly will she perform in the general election?

Offending nerds

Salon thinks Hillary Clinton should embrace her inner nerd.
Nerds across the country ought to be offended.
It's tough enough to be a nerd without adding all of Hillary's baggage.

How much does money talk?

DaTech Guy looks at Donald Trump's money and twitter following as a warning to the Republican field.
1.  It means his campaign  can get an unfiltered message out to nearly 3 million people instantly, without worrying about what the media will say.  In one tweet his words will reach almost as many people as CNN, MSNBC & Fox draw in primetime COMBINED. 
2.  It means that he is reaching a lot of people who will not normally vote in a GOP primary if he can draw or persuade even a fraction of those people to the polls it will change a lot.
3. As you might have noted from his base speech Trump is not shy about hitting the other people in the GOP race, what do you think will happen if he spends months defining various GOP candidates to millions of people at once?
4.  Even if he tweets out something that is complete BS more people will read it than the number of people that will read any person disputing it

Let's play

PJ Media's Stephen Green reminds us of the hazards - and joys - of raising boys.
It’s summer vacation and I’m a work-at-home dad in charge of two boys, ages Nine and Nearly Five. They’re good kids, provided you remember — and develop the patience for — the Four Stages of Play.
They are:
• Every idea becomes a game
• Every game becomes a contest
• Every contest becomes a bloodsport
• Every bloodsport ends in bloodshed
The only exception to these Four Stages is when boys spend too long in close proximity to one another, and skip directly from Stage One to Stage Four.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Doing it Trump's way

DaTech Guy analyzes how Donald Trump's announcement ran counter to expectations.
His goal had nothing to do the reporters or networks covering him.  He wasn’t playing the game by the rules they expected, he made his own rules and made them play along. He accomplished exactly what he wanted to do in the way he wanted to do it.

It's all about the name

Jeb Jones could be the Republican nominee.
Jeb Smith could be the Republican nominee.
Jeb Clampett could be the Republican nominee.
Jeb Bush can't, because of his last name.
He can blame the Florida voters of 1994. If he had won that year, he could have run instead of his older brother.
The time just isn't right either.
The Mitt Romney path to the nomination is not available to him. Bush can’t show up with a fundraising advantage, a professional operation and a resume, then expect to inexorably grind down all the other candidates. Romney could do that in 2012 against an unprepared Rick Perry, an undisciplined Newt Gingrich and an unfunded Rick Santorum. Bush is running against a field that has about a half-dozen candidates who would have been in the top tier last time around.
I will support his son, George P. Bush, when he runs in a few years.
The grandson and nephew of a president has a better chance to reach the Oval House than his father.

Feel the heat

It sure is hot this week in North Carolina.
Is it global warming, or just weather?
The Pope appears to be adding fuel to the global warming side.
Guess he doesn't remember how cold it was just a few months ago.
Just like it's supposed to be.

Reliving memories and building new ones

I'm fortunate to have a family that has a house on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
We've been in the house since I was in college, and now my oldest is getting ready for college.
By returning to the same place yearly, we can relive memories of the past.
The boys love the drawbridge on I-64 outside of Norfolk, with how the car shimmies across the steel grates.
The past few years, they have been able to bring friends down.
The friends have better memories of what we did in those years, and I enjoy giving them those.
And I'm looking forward to the future, when the boys can bring future wives and families down as well.
My grandmother spent plenty of time here when we first got the house.
It will be great to have her great-great grandchildren enjoying the same place.

Monday, June 15, 2015

Da right decision

DaTech Guy lives close enough to New Hampshire to visit when candidates are touring the state.
But no need to head there when Hillary Clinton's in town.
Let’s face it if a member of the media pool can’t get in to her events no amount of credentials are going to get a blogger inside, particularly not a conservative one.
And it goes without saying if she won’t answer their questions from friends in the press I suspect she’s not going to give me a shot.

Let's go Jeb

It took just a few minutes for a great internet meme to be born.
 
 
Pat in Shreveport remains us why Jeb won't be her candidate.

Finally hanging up the whistle?

John McKissick thought he might coach high school football 30 years.
He was in his 34th season in 1985 when his Summerville team played Georgetown, the team I was covering in my second season as a sports reporter.
Thirty years later, he might be ready to retire.
Then again, maybe not.
"Some people think I have been around too long. I have a house at the beach and I go there. But after a couple of days, I get bored. I’m ready to get back to Summerville and coach football.”

Not sweet tweets

Joe Buck describes his troubles using twitter.
"I found that I was spending an inordinate amount of time either engaging people that were giving me crap, sparring with somebody that was being funny back, or engaging someone positive. It was really everything. I think Twitter kind of breeds a lot of the negatively and I know that when you write articles about me there is kind of an apology to the Twitter haters that you start with that always catches my attention . So it’s kind of like a 'Hey, I’m going to praise Joe, but I get it Twitter, I know a lot of you on Twitter don’t like him.'
Some games are harder to work with the Twitter feed running.
I was in Philadelphia from what I remember and I had the feed open and I think it was Boston-Philly game and if you want harsh comments, do a Boston-Philly game and have your Twitter feed open. I started reading the comments and I found myself almost reacting to it and it was curtailing what I was saying or an opinion I was giving. I found myself saying, 'What am I doing? This is a dead end and moronic.' So I thought I’m just going to take this off my phone and it will eliminate a lot of the headache.”

Sunday, June 14, 2015

A little sun is always helpful

The probe that landed on a comet sent back data recently - thanks to riding the comet closer to the sun.
Scientists had lost contact with the solar-powered probe after it was dropped on the icy comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko by its mothership Rosetta on Nov. 15. Philae's battery ran out at about 60 hours after it landed next to a cliff that largely blocked sunlight from reaching the lander's solar panels.
Scientists had hoped the probe would wake up again as the comet approached the sun, enabling Philae's solar panels to soak up enough light to charge the craft's main battery. But there were fears its mission would be cut short.
Any such fears ended late Saturday, when the European Space Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany, received signals from the lander.
As the start of summer looms, remember getting sun can be good for you.

Be nice to your parents

The Rachel Dolezal situation gets more weird, but there may be a partial resolution Monday night when the NAACP chapter in Spokane meets.
Looks like we've been brought into a family feud.
I'm reminded of a line from the first season of the Cosby Show.
Cosby tells his son - "I am your father. I brought you in this world, and I'll take you out."

Fly the flag high

Beach time means flying the flag.












Flag Day means time to hear the story of Betsy Ross.

Booor-rrring

Roger L. Simon wasn't impressed by Hillary Clinton's campaign relaunch.
It was problem after problem, cliché after cliché until you couldn’t listen anymore.  Needless to say, there wasn’t a fresh idea. No new solutions to these problems on offer, only generalities. (In case you didn’t know it, she’s for equal pay for women and supports people with disabilities.)  This was a generic speech out of the last twenty years.  I kept wondering who were these automatons waving their flags in the audience.  Maybe they were worried about the high cost of Ambien. Elect Hillary and we won’t need a sleeping pill ever again.

Saturday, June 13, 2015

On the road again

The youngest has visited the Outer Banks of North Carolina every one of his 14 years.
But this year, his older brother drove down with a friend while I took him and his friends.
So he sat in the front seat for his first trip.
Driving around I-295 in Richmond, he asked if this was a new road we were on.
Nope, you just have a different view this time.

Facebook quote of the week

I think the government unfriended all of us.

Saturday song

I'm heading to the Outer Banks for the week, so here's a video shot there - Brad Paisley's "Waitin' on a Woman."

Delusion or deception

Powerline finds agreement with Salon on Rachel Dolezal.
Interesting how this story has spread.
Life in Spokane will remain interesting as questions are answered - and more questions pop up.

Friday, June 12, 2015

We aim to please. Please aim

The Daily Progress story on someone suing for the lack of a transgender bathroom brought a great comment on Facebook.
i was just in the ladies' restroom in the library where someone peed all over the seat and the floor. If males dressed as females are going to use female restrooms, they need to pee sitting down instead of hosing the whole toilet area.
Just remember.
He'd probably sue for the right to pee standing up in the women's restroom.

Weekend watchdog

A few weeks ago, the University of Virginia baseball team was struggling to make the top 10 in the ACC.
Now, they are among the final eight teams playing for the national title.
Virginia, the 2014 runner-up, returns to Omaha this weekend for the College World Series. The Cavaliers meet Arkansas Saturday at 3 p.m. to start their double-elimination pool. ESPN has coverage of the action.
Miami meets Florida in Saturday's nightcap at 8 p.m.
Vanderbilt begins the defense of its title at 8 p.m. Sunday against Cal-State Fullerton on ESPN2, after LSU and TCU tangle at 3 p.m. on ESPN.
Play continues in the two pools throughout the week, getting down to the final two for the best-of-three finale starting June 22.
The Orioles host the Yankees for the weekend, with games on MASN Friday and Sunday and Saturday's game part of the Fox Saturday package.
The Nationals continue their visit to Milwaukee, with games on MASN2 Friday and Sunday and MASN Saturday afternoon.
The Giants host Arizona Saturday on Fox, and the Cubs and Reds meet Saturday on Fox and Sunday on ESPN.
The Stanley Cup Final continues Saturday on NBC, with Game 5 between the Lightning and Blackhawks at 8 p.m.
The NBA Finals shift to Golden State Sunday at 8 p.m. for Game 5.
The WNBA season starts with a pair of games on ESPN2 Sunday - Chicago against Indiana at 1 p.m. before Minnesota takes on Phoenix at 3 p.m.
The United States women face Sweden in their second match of the World Cup Friday at 8 p.m. on Fox.
Australia goes against Nigeria Friday at 5 p.m. on FoxSports1. Switzerland faces Ecuador at 7 p.m. while Japan-Cameroon finishes the night at 10.
Fox brings a pair of games Saturday - France against Colombia at 1 p.m. and England meeting Mexico at 4 p.m. It's Brazil-Spain Saturday at 4 p.m. on FoxSports1.
Croatia meets Italy in a Euro 2016 qualifier Friday at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2 and it's Armenia-Portugal on ESPN Saturday at 11:55 a.m. before England plays Slovenia Sunday at 11:55 a.m.
D.C. United tangles with Orlando City Sunday at 7 p.m. on FoxSports1.
Memphis hosts the PGA Tour this weekend, with the St. Jude Classic on CBS Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m.
NBC carries the Women's PGA championship Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m.
NASCAR travels to Michigan this weekend, with the Sprint Cup series Sunday at 1 p.m. on FoxSports1. The Xfinity drivers ride Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and the Truck Series goes Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
The IndyCar circuit visits Toronto Sunday at 3 p.m. on NBC Sports network. There's qualifying Saturday at 5 p.m.
Jacksonville visits Tampa Bay in Arena Football Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
The NCAA's best track and field athletes meet on ESPN2 Saturday at 2:30 p.m. There's are men's finals Friday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.
NBC brings the Adidas Grand Prix from New York Saturday at 1 p.m.
Horses hit the track for the Stephen Foster and Fleur de Lis Saturday at 8 p.m. on NBC Sports network.

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Cashing in

The New York Times has been pretty good to Marco Rubio lately - since he was prepared for the attacks.
Rubio has already incorporated a line about it into his stump speech. “The latest one that I’m starting to hear rumblings about,” he told a crowd in Ames, Iowa, on Saturday, “is that Marco Rubio’s not rich enough to be president.” The senator used the unwanted attention to attack the likely Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton: “Well, it’s true, I don’t make $11 million a year giving speeches to special-interest groups, and it’s true that my family’s foundation hasn’t raised $2 billion, a lot of it from foreign entities with business before the State Department.”
Which candidate sounds like the member of the top one percent - Clinton or Rubio?

People of microaggression

The college campus seems full of people angry about racism, sexism and another thing that offends them.
How many check out People of Wal-Mart?
Do they laugh at these people while whining about supposed hateful meanings in words used for years without problems?
If there's a group being targeted for discrimination, the people of the People of Wal-Mart have a great case.
But nobody's going to the mattress for them.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Not funny "ha-ha," funny strange

More on the humorlessness of the hyper PC crowd at Ricohet.
Progressive conferences instruct their attendees about all the jokes that are off-limits. At last year’s Netroots Nation, professional “humorists” offered to review jokes to ensure they didn’t harm disenfranchised communities. At the three-day event, I rarely saw an attendee crack a smile, let alone laugh.
More and more, comedians are realizing that their progressive allies are the ones trying to silence them, not those unsophisticated conservatives comics love to mock. Perhaps comics should seize this opportunity to joke about humorless liberals before it’s too late.

A column about nothing

If you think Jerry Seinfeld doesn't know comedy, the Huffington Post will let you write a column.
Seinfeld's show was "a show about nothing."
The column shows he knows nothing.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Rubio Vice

The New York Times is doing its best to make me like Marco Rubio.
Speeding tickets.
A fishing boat.
Struggling to make ends meet.
What's the next big scoop?
Checking for his mattress tags?
Has he recorded a baseball game without the express written consent of Major League Baseball?

Crabby Patties

The primary election is over in Augusta County.
Senator Emmett Hanger won big over two opponents.
Marshall Pattie finished third with just 12 percent of the vote.
I guess he's now a Crabby Pattie.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Catching her from the left

What does it say that Wisconsin Democrats made it a close race between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders?
Maybe Wisconsin Democrats are getting used to supporting losing causes.
Will Hillary answer this wakeup call?

Where not to spend senior week

Some high school graduates head to ocean beaches after the ceremonies.
I don't think there's a beach at Middle River Regional Jail.
Graduation at Wilson Memorial brought force charges that six people - including several graduates - about a Friday abduction of another graduate.
Glick said the victim told authorities he was lifted over a fence by his assailants, and said at one point the bag on his head was removed. Glick said the teen told investigators he witnessed a satanic ritual being performed that involved a circle of candles.
The teen was eventually driven near his home and released, Glick said.
During the Wilson Memorial High School graduation on Saturday, the teen reported the alleged abduction to a school resource officer.
Glick said some of the suspects were rounded up at post-graduation parties. She said a fake gun — an AirSoft handgun that shoots non-lethal plastic pellets — was recovered by investigators.
Some graduates get a quick lesson in real life.

Key information

Via Ace, how to find keys to open some important locks.
Check the media.

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Bring on the microaggression

Is it micoaggression to continue using the name Bruce Jenner?
I'm sorry if you think it is.
He doesn't look like any 65-year-old woman I know.
He's only two years younger than Hillary Clinton. Can you imagine her doing the things Jenner is doing on TV and magazines now?

We're still standing

William Jacobson at Legal Insurrection provides lessons from a recent visit to Israel.
The biggest is how to survive the constant threat of terror.
Despite several decades of terrorism, particularly intense during the Second Intifada, and a world campaign against it, the People of Israel are still there.
The will to resist is underestimated.  Israel has a longer-term view, and a history.  It will not give in to boycotts, or Obama, or outside pressure that puts its security at risk.

Riding high on the hog

Scott Walker rides a Harley.
Saturday, the press saw him ride through Iowa.
It was a moment that the governor, making his fifth visit to Iowa as a likely 2016 candidate, clearly relished. Waiting for the program to start, he posed for pictures with fellow bikers, showed off his Harley-Davidson rewards card to the throngs of supporters gathered around him, and entertained questions from reporters about how fast he planned to go.
“Whatever speed Joni’s going,” he said, as he strapped on a helmet and a pair of goggles.

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Dog of the day

The minor league baseball team in Wilmington, Del. offers a "sweenie dog."
You take a Krispy Kreme dog, and fill it with a hot dog and bacon. And raspberry jam.
My brother had one tonight.
Michelle Obama felt a disturbance in the food force.

Hail to the Class of 2015

The Wilson Memorial High School class of 2015 officially graduated Saturday.

Facebook quote of the week

Last day for this school year. It went so fast, they grew so much and Grandad will need to be training to keep up with them next year. Incredibly blessed.

Saturday song

It's Graduation Day in Fishersville.
Celebrate, Class of 2015.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Happy Graduation Eve

The cap and gown sit the closet, ready for the oldest son to wear at his high school graduation.
Good job, Class of 2015.

Weekend watchdog

Twice in the past three years, a horse went to the Belmont Stakes with a chance to win the Triple Crown.
And failed.
American Pharoah tries to end the 37-year drought at Saturday's Belmont Stakes. NBC has coverage at 4:30 p.m.
An eight-horse field will tackle the longest race of the Triple Crown, and American Pharoah drew the fifth slot Wednesday. A first place finish after that will make major history.
NBC Sports network has earlier races in the day at 2:30 p.m.
Can LeBron James bring a championship to Cleveland? He gets another chance has NBA Finals continue on ABC with Game 2 Sunday at 8 p.m.
It's game 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs between Chicago and Tampa Bay Saturday at 7:15 p.m. on NBC.
The women's World Cup gets underway Saturday in Canada, with the host squad meeting China on FoxSports1 at 6 p.m.
D.C. United hosts Toronto Saturday at 7 p.m. on Comcast and Dallas takes on San Jose Sunday at 7 p.m. on FoxSports1.
The United States faces the Netherlands in an international friendly Friday at 2:20 p.m. on ESPN and Ireland meets England Sunday at 7:55 a.m. on ESPN2.
The Orioles head to Cleveland for the weekend, with games Friday and Saturday are on MASN2, with Sunday afternoon on MASN.
The Nationals continue a series with the Cubs on MASN Friday and Saturday, with Sunday's game at 4 p.m. on MASN2.
Fox Saturday baseball offers Braves-Pirates, White Sox against Tigers and Yankees battling the Angels at 7 p.m. The Royals meet the Rangers on FoxSports1 Saturday at 2 p.m., and ESPN closes the weekend with Cardinals-Dodgers Sunday at 8 p.m.
The NCAA Super Regionals get underway Friday at 4 p.m., with Arkansas-Missouri State followed by Florida-Florida State on ESPN2.
ESPN has a pair of games Saturday, with Miami meeting VCU at 2 p.m. and Texas A&M starting its best-of-three with TCU at 5 p.m. There's four games on ESPN2, starting at 11 a.m. when Louisville faces Cal State Fullerton. Missouri State meets Arkansas at 2 p.m., then it's Florida-Florida State and LSU battles Louisiana-Lafayette at 8 p.m.
Sunday brings three games on ESPN2, starting at noon, while Texas A&M-TCU tangle at 2:15 p.m.
The French Open ends its run, with the women's final Saturday at 9 a.m. and the men's final Sunday at 9 a.m. on NBC. NBC brings the men's semifinals Friday at 11 a.m.
CBS offers the Memorial Tournament Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m.
NASCAR heads to Pocono Sunday at 1 p.m. on FoxSports1, while the Truck Series races at Texas Friday at 9 p.m.
NBC Sports network brings the IndyCar Firestone 600 Saturday at 8 p.m. There's qualifying Friday at 6 p.m.
Formula One visit Canada, with race coverage on NBC Sunday at 2 p.m. NBC Sports network has qualifying Saturday at 1 p.m. after practice Friday at 2 p.m.
The X Games continues their run Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at noon and 8 p.m. (2 p.m. on ABC) and closes Sunday at noon on ESPN and at 2 p.m. on ABC.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

American snippers

The friends behind Rick Perry during his presidential announcement confused several liberal media members.
It's only Iraq war hero Marcus Luttrell and his twin brother.
Guess they don't get out of their liberal enclaves much.

A great day

When the first day of your vacation is part of the 10-day forecast, it's a great day.

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

A shark in Lincoln's lap

A pair of NASCAR drivers have short appearances in the latest Sharknado trailer.
Think you'll be watching July 22?
I'll bite.

Don't fear being intolerant

DaTech Guy has the latest on Bruce Jenner, including a Wikipedia update claiming he has run the fastest 400 meters by a woman.
Fear is the tactic the left used to keep GOP candidates from critiquing candidate Barack Obama, fear is the tactic that was used to critique those who would day suggest Michael Brown was not a “gentle giant”, fear was the tactic used against those who passed religious freedom laws, stood up for the reality of marriage and noted that the cities falling apart have been governed by Democrats for decades.
No fear.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

He's still an ugly woman

People say Bruce Jenner is brave for telling the world he considers himself a woman.
Sorry, not an attractive woman.
And the supermarket tabloids will be showing that picture all over the place by the weekend.
Guess I'll be limiting my visits this weekend.

He gets the boot

Bye-bye to FIFA president Shep Blatter.
Let the commentary go into extra time.

Monday, June 1, 2015

Disaster in the making

Martin O'Malley wants the Democratic nomination for president.
Can he run on his record in Baltimore, or run from it?