Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Thorn in their side

The visit of Pope Francis excited liberals.
He seemed to be voicing their ideas in ways that made it uncomfortable.
Until news of his meeting with Kim Davis came out.
How dare he visit with someone thrown into prison, mocked around the country for her beliefs.

Trouble's a brewin'

Have you watched the weather forecast for the weekend today?
Yikes.
Looks like time to get ready now.
Wilson Memorial has already moved its football game from Friday to Thursday, hoping to avoid worse weather.

Terror from 40 years ago

Five Feet of Fury reminds us of all the problems from the 1970s.
We survived that.

Watch the weather

It rained hard Tuesday.
Forecasters are looking south for more trouble this weekend.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Trump in Hampton Roads

Donald Trump has planned a rally in Virginia Beach Friday.
Bring on the fun.

Old-time hockey

To gear up for the NHL season, Johnstown, Pa. is hosting an exhibition game Tuesday.
The Hanson brothers are in attendance.


This was before Obamacare

I know Nancy Pelosi didn't read Obamacare before it was passed, but did she have parts of "The Incredibles" put into the bill?
Today, you really need Mr. Incredible to get help with your insurance bills.


Undefeated teams watch

After three weeks, seven NFL teams remain undefeated.
The Patriots will remain unbeaten through next week - it's their bye. The Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, Cardinals, Packers and Bengals will be trying for a fourth straight win this weekend.
There's no matchup between undefeated teams to catch our attention next week.
But the 1972 Miami Dolphins are watching.

Monday, September 28, 2015

Parting gift from Pope Francis

DaTech Guy notices the media choking on Pope Francis' opinion on Kentucky clerk Kim Davis.
While this is not a surprise to me at all, I honestly don’t know who is in more distress over this. The Kim Davis hating media that spent the last week fawning over the Pope or some of the Conservatives who absolutely positively insist the Pope isn’t a real Catholic and has a secret plan to redefine sin completely and hand it over to the devil.
Either way I’m enjoying it, and as I’ve already said, conservatives need to learn the words: The Same Position as Pope Francis and be prepared to repeat them, and do your best not to smile and laugh at the look on their faces while you say it.

Let the debate begin

For those who say Donald Trump is all talk and no specifics, he brings forth a tax plan.
Check it out.
View the reviews.
He has a plan to discuss and debate.20162016

Feel the Carson momentum

Angry voter Roger L. Simon has good things to say about Ben Carson.
Now wise friends of mine still tell me that the former pediatric neurosurgeon cannot be president, even though he has done such pioneering things in the operating room and even though he is arguably the most extraordinary individual to run for president since Lincoln and Washington.  And I understand what they’re saying.  It would be something very different.  But those same people were telling me that Trump could not be president months ago, until Trump showed he had staying power in the polls.  We don’t know anything anymore.  But what is clear is that Ben Carson is formidable.  I would suggest that in this instance (as in many instances actually) the quiet man may emerge to be stronger than the loud man.  Maybe he already he is.
And here’s something else for Republican voters to think about.  Wouldn’t a Carson-Rubio ticket, or vice-versa, someone from the inside and someone from the outside, do more to destroy the despicable identity politics the Democratic Party has been exploiting to everyone’s detriment for generations than just about anything you could think of?  It would upend all the reactionary nonsense Obama has stood for on symbolism alone. Worth pondering, no?

Bush whacked

Powerline offers thoughts on the Washington Post report on troubles in the Jeb Bush camp.
Beyond the gaffes, the dynamic of the campaign does not favor Bush. As Haley Barbour complained to the Post, “[people] don’t know him yet, and you’ve got a right wing of the party that is almost determined not to get to know him.”
This leaves the center-right, which was sufficient to nominate Romney. But unlike Romney, Bush faces real competition for those votes. A little to the right of him is Marco Rubio, who has been a strong candidate so far. A little to the left is John Kasich, who has campaigned decently. Chris Christie, who does well in debates, is also in that mix.
Each of these competitors has been largely gaffe free. Each is unburdened by the Bush name.
Time to step aside.
His son, George P. Bush, stands a better chance in the future.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Playing catchup

Has Joe Biden waited too long?
Probably not.
Has Hillary Clinton slowed her slide?
Probably not.
In a normal year, Biden has waited too long.
This is not a normal year.

Walking for a cause

The NBC Nightly News ended Sunday with a story of a group from Baltimore walking to Philadelphia for Pope Francis' final mass in the United States.
The priest leading the group has done several hikes like this before.
And I knew him in college.
Pretty cool to see in on the national news.

Signs of a poor manager

Some defenses of John Boehner's time as the Speaker of the House provide a poor excuse for his departure.
They say some in Congress has expectations of Boehner that were impossible to meet.
With a Democratic president and Senate maneuvering, the items on the conservative wish list weren't going to be passed this term.
That is understood.
The conservative members wanted an attempt to change.
They wanted votes to make current Democrats nervous about their fate in a post-Obama United States.
Instead, frustration built.
A good manager would have found ways to relieve a bit of the pressure.
And provide hope for the future.
Boehner didn't provide the hope, and the frustration boiled over.
When the boss blames those he works with for failure, the people know where the blame belongs.
Even if his supporters don't.

Hillary the murder suspect

Listening to Hillary Clinton talk about her home email server, she continually talks about the things she did right after the initial decision - have email outside the government system.
She's like a murder suspect talking about how they obeyed the traffic laws after leaving the scene.
Her lawyers are talking to the police like they are supposed to.
But why, oh why, did you make the initial illegal decision?

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Why's everybody always picking on me

Here's something to look forward to Sunday morning - Bill Clinton's take on Hillary's email trouble.
Just ignore the email stuff, people.
Hillary wants to help you.
You can trust her - even though she made the mistake that continues to hobble her campaign.

Needing new ideas for a new era

John Boehner came to the House in 1991, near the end of 40 years of Democratic control.
The elbows have gotten sharper since then.
The times changed and Boehner didn’t. When he first arrived in Washington in 1990, there was still a lingering sense of bipartisanship on some issues. And the personality of the House was different. Hardened ideologues were few and far between. If not friendliness, there was comity in the House and pragmatism ruled the day.
Boehner tried to be pragmatic. He tried to be reasonable. But these are alien concepts to many right wingers who saw insufficient fire in Boehner’s gut to go after Obama and a suspicious lack of animus directed toward Democrats. Add to the mix the fact that Boehner could never decide how hard to come down on the right-wing revolutionaries who bedeviled his speakership. He ended up earning neither their fear nor respect.

Just another pundit

John Podertz isn't impressed with Pope Francis' pronouncements at the U.N.
We’re told we must not view the pope’s expression of views on contemporary subjects through the lens of day-to-day issues — that we belittle him and ourselves by examining his words through an ideological filter.
Because of the awesome position he holds, and by dint of his own teachings and his life and teachings before he rose to service as the Vicar of Christ, Francis is said to be deeper and loftier than mere politics.
Sorry: When the pontiff sounds less like a theological leader and more like the
8 p.m. host on MSNBC or the editor of Mother Jones, what’s a guy to do?

DaTech Guy reminds us that the media's impression of the pope's visit doesn't change church beliefs.
While Andrew Cuomo’s “Companion” been prayed for & many people with all kinds of relationships greeted with smiles and waves, he has not changed the rules concerning adultery or fornication both remain mortal sins and a danger to the soul. In fact it’s worth noting that the Catholic he emphasized, Dorothy Day was adamant about sex belonging to marriage and furthermore
She urged her readers to follow the entirely of the Church’s teachings on abortion, birth control, and divorce in a column published in the early 1970s—when the modern feminist movement was in full swing.
The pope will head home.
The media will remain confused at home.

You'll miss the lousy job he did

There was celebration in the coming departure of John Boehner.
And signs of warning.
The main obstacle to getting what they want is not the lack of leaders who are willing to fight; the main obstacle to getting what they want is that what they want is well outside the ZOPA. I’m not saying this to taunt my conservative friends; I agree with many of the things they want. But I recognize that there is a wide gap between what I (we) want, and what can be foisted upon the American public by its elected representatives. If I want outcomes closer to my preferences, then the primary problem is not the folks in office, but the preferences of the average American voter. Focusing your attention on politicians, instead of the hearts and minds of your fellow citizens, is like attempting to fix a faulty car engine by swapping out the dashboard gauges.
We'll see what zone the new speaker works in.

Saturday song

Time for some older guys singing a song from their youth - Young Blood.


Facebook quote of the week

The Holy Spirit truly works within Pope Francis. He comes to Washington for the first time and, voila, the FBI finds Hillary's deleted e-mails. A MIRACLE! Now that's what I call, "The Francis Effect"!

Friday, September 25, 2015

Hope in change

Ace notes the important next step for House Republicans - real change at the top.
One of the things that political movements offer its adherents, similar to religious movements, is hope.
The fecklessness, failures, and flat-out betrayals of the current GOP leadership has destroyed all hope in the GOP. And a political movement without hope is not a political movement at all; it is simply an advocacy organization for getting a very small number of people cush jobs in the federal government.
If there is to be any hope permitted to the rank and file of the Republican Party, then we need big changes that permit us the illusion and fantasy of hope, without which we are nothing at all, just dejected former Republican voters.

Bye Bye Boehner

Legal Insurrection has some tweets with reaction to John Boehner's resignation as Speaker of the House.
Individual members change but the institution rolls on.
The people are speaking.
It's the people's house, not the house for people who hang around for many, many years.

Weekend watchdog

The 30 best golfers in the country want to end the season on a high note - at the Tour Championship this weekend.
Jason Day leads the chase for the $10 million first prize for the season-long title, with Justin Speith close behind.
NBC has coverage Saturday at noon and Sunday starting at 1:30 p.m.
With postseason hopes shrinking but not totally gone yet, the Orioles visit Boston for the weekend on MASN, while the Nationals take on the Phillies on MASN2.
ESPN2 has a Friday night baseball special with the Astros taking on the Rangers at 8 p.m.
The Cubs and Pirates appear headed for a NL wild-card matchup, and meet Saturday at 1 p.m. on Fox and Sunday night on ESPN. Fox also shows the AL West battle between the Astros and Rangers, with Sunday's finale on TBS at 2 p.m.
The Cardinals clinched a postseason spot last week, and host the Brewers Saturday at 7 p.m. on FoxSports1.
The Ravens head home Sunday at 1 p.m., looking to knock off the Bengals on CBS. The Bears visit Seattle in the second part of the doubleheader. Fox has the battle of unbeaten - Falcons and Cowboys - at 1 p.m.
AFC West meets NFC North in primetime, with Broncos-Lions on NBC Sunday and the Chiefs taking on the Packers Monday on ESPN.
The college football weekend continues Friday as Virginia hosts Boise State Friday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN and FoxSports1 offers the Pac-12 battle between Stanford and Oregon State at 10 p.m.
Michigan faces BYU at noon Saturday on ABC. Virginia Tech travels to East Carolina at 3:30 p.m., with other areas catching Ohio State-Western Michigan. In primetime, UCLA heads to Arizona.
CBS visits the Swamp for Florida-Tennessee at 3:30 p.m., while NBC offers Notre Dame against Massachusetts. Texas Tech takes on TCU on Fox at 4:45 p.m.
Indiana heads to Wake Forest at 12:30 p.m. for the ACC game of the week.
ESPN starts its day at noon with LSU-Syracuse. Texas tangles with Oklahoma State at 3:30 p.m., then it's Texas A&M-Arkansas at 7 p.m. Southern Cal-Arizona State caps the night at 10:30 p.m.
Duke takes on Georgia Tech at noon on ESPN2, and at 3:30 p.m. it's the game not shown on ABC. Auburn battles Mississippi State at 7:30 p.m.
Delaware travels to North Carolina at noon on Comcast, and Stony Brook faces William & Mary at 7:30 p.m.
MASN2 offers Rice against Baylor at 9 p.m.
Maryland meets West Virginia on FoxSports1 at 3 p.m.
NASCAR heads to New Hampshire Sunday at 2 p.m. on NBC Sports network, with qualifying Friday at 4:30 p.m. The Xfinity series will be in Kentucky Saturday at 8 p.m. after qualifying at 4:30 p.m. The Truck race will be on FoxSports1 Saturday at 1 p.m.
NBC Sports network has the Japanese Grand Prix Sunday at 12:30 a.m. There's qualifying Saturday at 2 a.m.
D.C. United takes on Montreal at 5 p.m. Saturday on Comcast. Sporting Kansas City takes on Seattle on ESPN Sunday at 5 p.m. followed by a pair of matches on FoxSports1 - Real Salt Lake-San Jose at 7 p.m. and Dallas taking on the Galaxy at 9:30 p.m.
Phoenix faces Minnesota in the second game of the WNBA Western Conference finals Sunday at 3 p.m. on ESPN. New York and Indiana have the second game of their series Sunday at 1 p.m.
Tottenham Hotspur takes on Manchester City Saturday at 7:30 a.m. on NBC Sports network. It's Newcastle United-Chelsea at 12:30 p.m. and Watford clashes with Crystal Palace Sunday at 11 a.m.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Lightweight from Vermont

Don Surber looks at Bernie Sanders' political experience - and does not seem impressed.
So what is in the resume of Bernie Sanders that makes him qualified to be even White House butler. Oh sure, he's been in Congress for 24 years, but what has he ever done?
Nothing. There is no Sanders Act. His fellow senators know him well and have never entrusted him with any position of authority. Oh and he was mayor of Burlington, Vermont for eight years -- population 42,000.

Bill comes due

Hillary has been struggling.
Who can rescue her?
Bill?
Pass the popcorn.

By his fruit you will know him

DaTech Guy sorts through the noise about President Obama - Christian or something else.
Put simply, the media would not have to constantly proclaim the President’s Christianity if his action proclaimed it.
So, two points, every time the Media promotes the President’s christianity it highlights his lack of the fruits of christianity, but while this is true, rather than worrying about the president’s Christianity and he fruit he bears the first job of a Christian is to bear fruit of its own.

Who let the dogs out

Political Clown Parade enjoys the story about Hillary Clinton storming into the Oval Office.
Clinton requested a meeting with the president, against the advice of hubby Billy Jeff, believing “she was being persecuted for minor, meaningless violations,” Klein writes.
Clinton initially took a friendly approach during the meeting and Obama reacted as if he didn’t know what she was talking about. “He was almost being deliberately dense,” a Clinton source said. “It really angered her.”
Her team says it isn't true.
But it sounds so good to hear.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

The real debate

Powerline shares the real debate on the Democratic side - what do they do about Hillary?

Support the rebel Alliance

DaTech Guy thinks the end of Scott Walker's candidacy may help New Hampshire's 603 Alliance, which seeks to boost a true conservative for the first in the nation primary in 2016.
I don’t want a single one of those moderates going anywhere until we’re past the Florida primary to keep splitting that vote but I’d like to see that conservative list down to 2 or 3 at the most before the Iowa caucus.
The only way we are going to change the culture of Washington is to get strong conservative as our nominee and then as our president, So the less that vote is split the better I like it.

That's entertainment

The Huffington Post wants to post coverage of Donald Trump in entertainment instead of politics.
So the HuPo reporter didn't get a media credential for a Trump event in Iowa.
You have to buy a ticket to watch the entertainment.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Fall in

It's fall.
Time for football.
Almost time for ice hockey.
A new season of Big Bang Theory episodes to put in the rotation on TBS.

Next?

Rick Perry and Scott Walker have given up their presidential hopes.
Which Republican will drop out next?
Who will be the next to go in our game of “Republican Candidate Survivor?”  (Readers  are free to leave their guesses in the comments.) My wife thinks it’s going to be Bobby Jindal.  After all, he does have a day job, unlike Santorum or Pataki.  Graham and Paul also have day jobs (kind of, sort of).  Santorum has nothing much to do but run for office and appear on On the Record with Greta Van Susteren, so look for him to hang in for a bit. Actually, I would be sad to see Graham go because his perorations on foreign policy have been pretty good and probably edifying to some people who need to hear them.  But he’s going sooner or later.

Undefeated teams watch

With two weeks of play done, nine NFL teams remain undefeated.
In week 3, the 2-0 Cowboys play the 2-0 Falcons.
Will there be another matchup between undefeated teams in 2015?
The 1972 Miami Dolphins are watching.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Fear the soon-to-be-dead

Four of the first six episodes of "Fear the Walking Dead" have aired.
Do these people have a chance to be survivors?
We will see where FTWD goes – already the show is turning on the military characters, the only characters who seem capable of exercising common sense, for their lack of sensitivity and feelings. There are a lot of feelings in FTWD – we in the audience always know exactly what the characters are feeling because they can’t shut up about it. But it’s clear that the focus of the show remains on the characters’ maintaining their “humanity” in the face of chaos, but what the writers really mean is maintaining the characters’ urban liberal illusions.

Sad to see him go

Scott Walker decided to drop out of the presidential race today.
So sad.
He took such heat in Wisconsin, and showed the way to curtail the power of liberal state unions.
But in the summer of Trump, he didn't excite the money guys.
Hopefully, he has a future in national politics.
His ideas definitely do.

Just answer the question

Althouse reviewed Hillary Clinton's Sunday appearance and has straight forward advise.
I feel as though I should pick something specific out, but I mostly have a general observation, which is that it's exasperating to listen to her because she follows a pattern of beginning with a short, perhaps inadequate answer to the question asked, and then she dumps paragraphs of material as if the goal is to make you forget the question or at least lose interest in whether an answer will ever arrive. She'd be a lot more appealing to me if she gave a short, clear answer and then just stopped.

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Can we talk?

Republicans have already had two debates, and people can't wait for the next - "What will Trump say tonight."
Democrats have six planned for the season - the first October 13.
Looking at the publicity that Republicans have gained, some Democrats want more talk.
Terry McAuliffe doesn't join them.
I agree.
Why hear more of Hillary than you need to?

Let Biden call Trey Gowdy

Joe Biden continues to consider a bid for the presidency.
He's talking to Democratic insiders, to see if there's room for him in the field.
Can he undertake Hillary Clinton's early lead?
For the answer to that question, he needs to talk with Trey Gowdy.
He knows more about Hillary's future than any Democrat now.

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Enjoy the time

Something brought to mind this clip of Billy Crystal from "City Slickers."
And when did the music get so loud?


How dare someone say that?

Mark Steyn looks at the hissy fit thrown by the media over the member of Donald Trump's audience daring to questions the President's loyalty.
And frankly, whatever the President's personal faith, there is no dispute that his leadership of the western world has been an utter catastrophe for Christians around the planet. Some of the oldest Christian communities on earth have been entirely extinguished on Obama's watch: in Mosul, Iraq, which was an American protectorate on the day he took office, not a single Christian remains. Every single one of them is dead or fled. So, instead of jumping through your preposterous hoops and speaking up for the most powerful man in the world, I would rather speak up for the powerless - for the Nigerian schoolgirls, for the Yazidi, for the Copts in Egypt, and for all the other beleaguered Christian communities in the world this feckless president has set alight and watched burn.

Facebook quote of the week

I'm starting to see friends of friends change their profile pics to a "stand with PP" overlay graphic, and FB tells me that some of my friends like that. A question that runs through my mind (which I won't ask friends of friends, but I might ask my friends) is "Why not stand with PP by donating your own money, rather than demanding that the government give them mine?"

All I want for Christmas

Can I get one of these? Powerline gave me the idea.

Saturday song

For the day that features post number 10,000, why not a song by 10,000 Maniacs?


One zero, zero zero zero

We've reached a big milestone for the blog.
Post number 10,000.
It took just under seven years to get there.
So if it takes another seven to get to 20,000, we are talking about 2022.
Yikes.
Let's get started.

Friday, September 18, 2015

Who's to blame? Not me

Ace posts the latest denial by the Obama administration - problems in the world are not our fault.
They must have been reading Family Circus lately.




Enjoy your treat

For our recent hard work, the company offered a treat for employees today.
I wondered what it could be.
Maybe four of the bosses would dress like the Beatles and sing.
I'd worry if they sang "Eight Days a Week."
They might say it's our new work schedule.

What did you do that's going to last?

Powerline enjoyed the CNN interview with Hillary Clinton Thursday.
What exactly did you do in four years as Secretary of State?
With the sound up, you will endure a smidgen of condescension to discover that Madam Hillary “rambled about what she thought of the debate for 47 seconds until she finally provided a canned answer about her accomplishments that included a plug for her 2014 memoir Hard Choices.”
After completing her windup, Madam Hillary pitches her “negotiat[ing] a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas” and “the coalition that led to international sanctions against Iran.”
The sanctions against Iran?
The sanctions that couldn't hold, leading to current bad deal?

Weekend watchdog

Sixteen NASCAR drivers have three races to survive and advance.
The Chase of the Cup begins Sunday at 3 p.m. on NBC Sports network at Chicagoland Speedway. Matt Kenseth posted his fourth win of the season last Saturday at Richmond, putting him atop the leaderboard with Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch.
Jeff Gordon made the chase in his final competitive season, and hopes to still be in contention when the final flag drops at Homestead in November. Race qualifying will be Friday at 6:30 p.m., with final practice Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Xfinity series hits the track Saturday at 6 p.m., after qualifying Saturday at 2:45 p.m.
The Truck Series runs Friday at 8:30 p.m. on FoxSports1 with qualifying at 4:30 p.m.
NBC Sports network has the Singapore Grand Prix Sunday at 7 a.m. There's practice Friday at 9:30 a.m.
The Redskins host the Rams on Fox Sunday at 1 p.m., followed by Cowboys-Eagles. The Ravens try to bounce back in Oakland on CBS at 4 p.m.
Seattle visits Green Bay on NBC Sunday night, then the Jets take on the Colts Monday night on ESPN.
The college weekend continues in the ACC Friday as Florida State heads to Boston College at 8 p.m.
Michigan State meets Air Force on ABC Saturday at noon. Miami meets Nebraska at 3:30 p.m., with some parts of the nation watching Ohio State-Northern Illinois while ESPN2 carries the alternate game. In primetime, Stanford faces Southern California.
LSU tangles with Auburn on CBS at 3:30 p.m. and NBC carries Notre Dame's contest with Georgia Tech at 3:30 p.m. Fox brings Texas and California at 7:30 p.m.
ESPN starts its day at noon with Connecticut's visit to Missouri. South Carolina tangles with Georgia at 6 p.m. and it's Mississippi-Alabama at 9:15 p.m.
North Carolina heads to Illinois at noon on ESPN2, then Texas Tech takes on Arkansas at 7 p.m.
Oklahoma battles Tulsa on FoxSports1 at noon, with Texas-San Antonio facing Oklahoma State at 3:30 p.m. and it's BYU-UCLA at 10:30 p.m.
Comcast has action from the CAA Saturday, with Delaware-Villanova at noon followed by James Madison meeting Albany.
ESPN2 offers high school football between Mississippi's Wayne County and Archbishop Rummel of Louisiana Friday at 8 p.m.
The Orioles head to Tampa Bay on MASN2, while the Nationals have a series with the Marlins on MASN.
The Mets and Yankees battle Saturday at 1 p.m. on Fox and Sunday night on ESPN. Fox also offers Cubs-Cardinals Saturday, and the series closes Sunday at 2 p.m. on TBS. The Tigers and Royals meet on FoxSports1 Saturday at 7 p.m.
Chelsea clashes with Arsenal Saturday at 7:30 a.m. on NBC Sports network, and it's Manchester City against West Ham United at 12:30 p.m. Southampton faces Manchester United Sunday at 11 a.m.
D.C. United plays Columbus Saturday at 7 p.m. on Comcast. ESPN carries Portland against the Red Bulls Sunday at 5 p.m. and Houston plays Philadelphia at 7 p.m. on FoxSports1.
The United States women and Australia play an international friendly on ESPN2 Sunday at 3 p.m.
The PGA tour has its BMW Championship on NBC Saturday at noon and Sunday at 2 p.m.
It's conference semifinals time for the WNBA. The Mystics play game two of their series with the Liberty Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN, then it's Minnesota-Los Angeles at 3 p.m.
The FIBA Eurobasket final will be Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN2.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Documenting the disaster

Megan McArdle uses her tech background to remind us how the exchanges websites were designed for failure.
There was no other option.
This system had to be built in three years, and moreover, it could not be built the way Silicon Valley would do it: start small, roll something out, see what works and what doesn’t, then iterate, experiment, and scale until you finally arrive at the site you wanted to build. No, this site had to work on Day One, in every state in the nation that declined to build its own exchange. That was a very tall order, and no one seems to have given it much thought. Even when a manager in CMS tried to get the administration to scale things back, officials refused, and apparently simply failed to consider the possibility that trying to do too much would mean they ended up with nothing at all.

Belle of the ball

Carly Fiorina got her bounce from Wednesday debate.
And probably her comment that NBC Nightly News used Thursday.
They showed her talking about Planned Parenthood, and the latest video showing a live baby (fetus for you abortion supporters).
Then NBC mentioned how Planned Parenthood said it was selectively edited.
Which part?
The beating heart?
The kicking legs?
The people hovering around, waiting to extract parts?
The more people see the Planned Parenthood videos, the harder it should be to ignore.
Unless your heart is already hard.

Not mad about you

The debate was on the home turf of Roger L. Simon, so the Mad Voter went to event and offers his thoughts.
But someone, or ones, did win the debate and  since I’m supposed to be the Mad Voter, I guess I should reveal my picks.  But in this election most of all, that may prove to be irrelevant.  We all see everything simultaneously almost no matter where we are.  Why would any pundit or commentator know more than his or her readers or viewers?  I mean they (we) can pretend we do — it’s good business, after all — but we’re as clueless as anybody else.  Don’t believe me? Well, check the comments.
WINNERS:  Carly Fiorina and Marco Rubio. They both sounded smart and authoritative, assuming that matters.  (It should.) Carly got in some zingers and I think by the time the third debate comes along, she may have expectation problems, the bar will be so high.  (Cruz is supposed to be the hot-shot debater, but he looks fairly ineffectual by comparison.)  Rubio — although I know this freaks out some commenters — is likely the future of the Republican Party, either now or in 2020.  Fellas, get used to it.

First question of Democratic debate

When the Democrats finally gather in October for their first debate, what will be the first question?
"What do you think of Donald Trump?" is the even-money favorite.
Especially if it's a CNN debate.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Preparing for Trump's spin

If debate questioner Hugh Hewitt stumps Donald Trump with a foreign policy question, what can Trump say?
"Hugh Hewitt? He's a Cleveland Browns fan.
"How can you trust the judgment of a guy who likes such a bunch of losers?"

Get on the bus, Gus

Would you pay extra to ride to work in a luxury bus?
Not enough people in San Francisco did.
So you can buy one of the busses the company hoped to use - real cheap.

Sanders and the college crowd

Bernie Sanders has gained popularity for talking about making college free.
College students like the idea.
If it could happen, it would take a few years.
Today's college students wouldn't get the benefit.
They would be taxpayers watching their money go to others.
Are they still going to be supporting the idea then?

It will make your head spin

Are you ready for the best debate ever?
There will be so much winning.
It will make your head spin.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Battle stations

Donald Trump has a speech Tuesday on the U.S.S. Iowa.
He wants everybody to know he has the big guns.
Can't wait to hear the Morning Joe crew swoon Wednesday morning.

Ready to rumble

Less than 24 hours until the next Republican debate.
How will Donald Trump do?
How will the others go after him without getting in trouble themselves?
Since Trump spent plenty of time in Atlantic City, I'm sure he knows the example of Muhammad Ali.
He could slug it out with Joe Frazier in the "Thrilla in Manila" and do the rope-a-dope to beat George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle.
I think Trump will be ready for whatever comes out Wednesday.

Still standing

DaTech Guy sees Kim Davis standing strong through the turmoil over her beliefs and her job.
Kim Davis retains both her elected position and her freedom of conscience. She has been able to force the very compromise that the left was unwilling to consider less than two weeks ago and the precedent is now set for Christians to refuse to participate in mortal sin that risks their soul without costing them any elected office they hold.

Monday, September 14, 2015

Thinking about the Trump years

If you can imagine Donald Trump winning a Republican primary, then he can win the nomination.
If he wins the nomination, we can become President.
What would that be like?
Trump wouldn't be able to do much of anything without the assent of Congress. But that Congress would likely be tilted towards him, given the composition of the electorate that would have to turn out in order to elect him.
Also, he's rich. He is less likely to feel the tug of special interest politics than just about anyone in the race. He will always be more beholden to his image, and to his core message, than he'd be to any donor.
And that's why, if he's elected, he would probably slow down and moderate. The crucible of a presidential campaign changes candidates. It is humbling. It is hard. It is exhausting. Trump might seem like his expensive suit has a coating of Teflon on it now, but that's simply because his opponents haven't yet discovered what his political vulnerability is. It's there, because he's human.

Not a day at the beach

Finding this family photo, I remembered that not every day at the beach is a day at the beach.

So you're saying there's a chance?

There's three weeks left in the baseball season.
The Baltimore Orioles remain under .500, but won two games against the Kansas City Royals this weekend.
I'm not planning on postseason baseball this year, but they haven't given up hope yet.
Check back next week.

It will be a bumpy ride

This weekend's polls bring continuing news of high support for Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders.
It is the year in the western world of the “un-politician.” The establishment, or the elites, or whatever you want to call them have just about exhausted whatever influence and power they wielded over ordinary citizens due to a nauseating combination of incompetence, cronyism, and corruption. Alex Tsipras in Greece, Pablo Iglesias in Spain, Jeremy Corbyn in Great Britain, and Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump in America — these men are connected by their outsiderness, their disconnect from the power structures that have failed the masses so spectacularly.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Life on the Beltway

In politics, we talk about inside the Beltway and outside the Beltway life.
I think we can learn a lot about both while driving the actual Beltway.
My trips from Fishersville to Baltimore gives me the choice of driving the Capital Beltway or avoiding it to the west.
Saturday, I avoided it and found I made the smart decision.
There was an accident near the American Legion Bridge on the western side, which created a major traffic bottleneck.
Sunday, I headed south.
I figured Sunday afternoon should not be a big time to try, with the Redskins playing.
There was nothing major, but a few slowdowns that taught some lessons.
  1. People will make mistakes that cause you inconvenience.
  2. Looking at other's mistakes doesn't speed the process.
  3. Anticipate that there will be problems, and be relieved if there's not.
  4. You would think people would learn from past mistakes. But they find new ways to make mistakes.
Life may be a Sunday drive at times.
If only everyone tried to make it easier for others.

Understanding Kim Davis

DaTech Guy knocks down those comparing Kim Davis to George Wallace.
She's not seeking power like other Democrats.
When ordered to jail, she didn’t put on a show, she went to jail and when released during the middle of a rally in her support (a rally used by at least one presidential candidate to showboat a bit) rather than talking politics or anything of that nature she praised God while her lawyers, speaking to media stated that she would not be doing anything different to violate her conscience:
Doesn’t sound very Wallace. In fact, instead of political opportunism that’s a classic example of civil disobedience. Violate law, take penalty. That’s how it works.

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Saturday song

Donald Trump and Dee Snyder have agreed we'll be hearing more of this song.


Facebook quote of the week

$1.89 a gallon for gas at Sam's!

Internet inspiration

Tablet tells the story of Danny Lewin, likely the first victim on September 11.
And his idea kept the information flowing.
In America and all over the world, people desperate for accurate information turned to the Internet for news. Straining under the overwhelming demand of tens of millions of simultaneous requests, the web’s biggest news sites threatened to collapse. Very few did, thanks in large part to the technology that Lewin himself had developed years earlier: Although only 31 at the time of his murder, he was the co-founder of Akamai, a pioneering technology company whose content routing solutions enable the seamless flow of nearly 20 percent of the web’s traffic.

Friday, September 11, 2015

The art of Trump's deal

DaTech Guy sees how Donald Trump has tailored his campaign for the electorate we have.
I think Trump has watched the Obama years carefully, I think he saw the methods and has seen how the electorate has changed. He is using those very same methods today, both to “Trump” the media and to “Trump” his opponents.
That Trump, being a master salesman and dealmaker is approaching the presidential campaign as a deal & sale to be made makes perfect sense. He has studied the customer base he wants to sell and is acting accordingly.

Don't fence me in

Rich Lowry wonders how the current march of immigrants toward Germany is going to end.
Inevitably, Merkel’s policy will act as an enormous magnet to refugees and migrants. If the alternative is living anywhere outside the advanced West, even in those places not riven by civil war, who wouldn’t choose the wealthy colossus of Northern Europe and it’s generous welfare system?

Weekend watchdog

Will their be a Serena slam in 2015?
Serena Williams goes for another championship at the U.S. Open Friday at 11 a.m. in a rain-delayed semifinal on ESPN.
The men's semifinals will be Friday at 5 p.m.
ESPN has the finals of the U.S. Open, with the women's championship Saturday at 3 p.m. and men Sunday at 4 p.m.
Williams hopes to become the second person to win all four Grand Slam events in the calendar year, joining Steffi Graf. A win would be the 22nd Grand Slam title of her career, also tying Graf.
The NFL's opening weekend continues Sunday as CBS carries the Redskins' opener with Miami at 1 p.m., followed by the Ravens and Broncos at 4:25 p.m. Fox in Harrisonburg will offer the Packers and Bears at 1 p.m. while the D.C. affiliate will show the Saints and Cardinals at 4 p.m.
The Giants meet the Cowboys on NBC's Sunday night opener at 8:30 p.m.
ESPN has its opening weekend doubleheader Monday, with the Falcons facing the Eagles at 6:55 p.m. before the Vikings take on the 49ers at 10:15 p.m.
The college weekend continues Friday when Miami meets Florida Atlantic at 8 p.m. on FoxSports1 and it's Utah-Utah State on ESPN2 at 9 p.m.
Notre Dame comes to Charlottesville Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ABC, after Michigan meets Oregon State at noon. In primetime, Oregon tangles with Michigan State at 8 p.m.
Wake Forest takes on Syracuse in the ACC game of the week at 12:30 p.m.
Iowa and Iowa State meet on Fox at 4:45 p.m. while CBS offers Vanderbilt-Georgia at 3:30 p.m.
ESPN starts its day at noon with Florida State hosting South Florida. Oklahoma faces Tennessee at 6 p.m. and there's a big battle in the SEC West between LSU and Mississippi at 9:15 p.m.
Penn State battles Buffalo on ESPN2 at noon, then it's Rutgers-Washington State or Mississippi against Fresno State at 3:30 p.m. and East Carolina facing Florida at 7 p.m. Boise State and BYU match up in the nightcap at 10:15 p.m.
Texas San-Antonio takes on Kansas State at noon on FoxSports1, followed by TCU-Stephen F. Austin. Central Florida and Stanford try to bounce back from opening losses at 10:15 p.m.
MASN2 has UTEP-Texas Tech at 3 p.m. and Lamar against Baylor at 7:30 p.m.
The Orioles host the Royals Friday on MASN, Saturday at 1 p.m. on Fox and Sunday night on ESPN. The Nationals visit Miami Friday on MASN2, then Saturday and Sunday on MASN.
Fox also offers Reds-Cardinals and Blue Jays battling the Yankees Saturday. The Tigers take on the Indians Saturday at 7 p.m. on FoxSports1 and TBS brings Blue Jays-Yankees Sunday at 1 p.m.
NASCAR visits Richmond Saturday in the final race before the Chase for the Cup. NBC Sports network has race coverage at 7:30 p.m., after qualifying Friday at 5:30 p.m. and practice at 10 a.m. The Xfinity series takes the track Friday at 7:30 p.m., with qualifying at 3:30 p.m. and practice Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
Everton takes on Chelsea Saturday at 7:30 a.m. on NBC Sports network. Sunderland faces Tottenham Hotspur Sunday at 8:30 a.m., followed by Leicester City-Aston Villa.
Toronto tangles with New England Sunday at 5 p.m. on ESPN2 and FoxSports1 offers Kansas City at Orlando City at 7 p.m.
FoxSports1 has the semifinals in the women's soccer league, with Chicago-Kansas City at 1:30 p.m. and Seattle facing Washington at 9:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Are you ready?

Is it really football season without Hank Williams Jr. singing his song?


Tripped up by his mouth

Ace looks at the newest blast from Donald Trump's mouth - and whether that will slow his momentum.
And while Trump seems to either have a problem with women (how long did he spend attacking Megyn Kelly, versus how long did he spend attacking Chris Wallace?) or is simply unburdened by the Middle Class Respectability code of gallantry towards women, It is making a very large and influential block of people absolutely disgusted by him, repelled by him not a political level (which could always later be finessed or papered over) but on a personal level (which can never be repaired).
And.
He.
Won't.
Stop.

Living in zombie world

NRO explains how liberals would fare in a zombie world.
As I lay out in the latest edition of the print mag, Zombie World is a pretty darn conservative place. The government’s going to fail, you better grab your guns, and don’t even think about trying to build some kind of utopia out of the ruins – because utopias always die in fire and blood. Pajama Boy has to man up and learn to fight with an AK, a Katana, or a crossbow, or Pajama Boy is going to be breakfast.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Lots of questions, no good answers

Ron Fournier has the questions.
Does Hillary Clinton have any decent answers?

Her own worst enemy

The Morning Joe crew struggled this morning.
Why does Hillary Clinton's campaign keep making the same mistakes as 2007?
But wait, the campaign staff is different.
What's the same between 2007 and now?
The candidate.
They can't easily admit she is the problem.
The truth hurts.

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

For your sleeping needs

Donald Trump is so helpful.
If you're having trouble sleeping, he has a cure.
We know Jeb's crew is having trouble sleeping.

What to watch for - right now

Larry Sabato and friends look at the race right now.
What about the rumbling, bumbling, stumbling leader among Democrats?
Consider this: As long as the email mess doesn’t sink her, Clinton could lose both heavily white Iowa and New Hampshire, and still have a fairly unobstructed path to the nomination because of her mighty position with women and minorities. This is true even if Vice President Joe Biden enters the race.
This is not to say Hillary can’t find a way to blow it. Her inept early campaigning and bungled handling of the email controversy underline the inadequacies that helped Obama beat Clinton in 2008. But beating Hillary in 2016 would be much tougher than it was last time.

Guess he was hungry

Back at my former newspaper, word of an arrest after a guy stole over $2000 in meat.
You have to be pretty hungry to use that much meat.

Hillary, your time is up

DaTech Guy sees no way out for Hillary Clinton.
Hillary’s position is impossible and untenable if she stays and nearly impossible or untenable if she goes, the only thing she can definitely do, if she so chooses, is to try and take the Obama’s down with her. While that might have a certain appeal it’s not something her loyalists, whose true loyalty is to the money & power she provides, are likely to go for.
Normally there is always the wild card of republicans doing something stupid enough to save her but with Trump playing the shield for the entire GOP field the media can’t change the narrative in time to save her.

Monday, September 7, 2015

Help them settle in

Martin O'Malley has called for the United States to take in Syrian refugees.
He can also advise them on getting good deals on furniture.

Can any Democrat beat Trump?

Survey USA has a new poll with Donald Trump beating all the Democratic candidates.
It's now September.
The Republicans will have another debate soon, and Joe Biden will have to decide if he's in the race before the month ends.
It's going to be an interesting month.

Puppets or con-artists

Donald Trump has a major complaint about politicians - they ask for campaign donations, and thus must follow the wishes of donors.
Like he was a donor for many years.
Powerline questions the effectiveness of the strategy.
Trump has been unable to back up his slander of his opponents in the presidential field with specifics. About the best he’s done is to say that Scott Walker gave him a plaque in appreciation for his support for his gubernatorial campaign. In Trumpian terms, I think this makes Trump a sucker.
If politicians aren't puppets of the rich, are they con-artists?
Making nice to multiple people to get money for campaigns, then ignoring the donors when in office.
Will donors learn they are being taken?

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Why the rage continues

DaTech Guy looks to why vitriol continues to flow toward Kim Davis.
It wasn’t the licences for gay couples to wed that they wanted, it was her submission to the religion of liberalism on the altar of gay marriage in fear and terror, it was the willingness to toss away Christ for the comfort of her home. It was her declaration that resistance to the new order is futile.
The supporters of Gay Marriage have likened their movement to the civil rights movement, yet it’s Kim Davis, their opponent that has gone to jail for doing what many Black Pastors were unwilling to do in 2012, braved public scorn for Christ.
No wonder the left is so angry.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Oldie and a baddie

NRO examines Hillary Clinton's need for help with basic essentials for living.
Amidst the e-mail revelations, an alarming pattern is developing about Clinton’s personal dependency on those inside her inner bubble. She isn’t just delegating important tasks to underlings, as any executive might; these aren’t urgent matters of national security, such as aides’ fetching satellite intelligence or the latest reports relevant to a managing executive. Rather, it appears that Hillary is either helpless or unwilling to perform even the most menial and trivial of daily tasks.
She needs your vote.
And a drink.
And help finding her shows.

Advice for voting

Powerline reminds us of a key Democratic theme.

Saturday song

A long weekend is a time for Randy Newman's Short People.

Facebook quote of the week

I'm sitting in my recliner watching football ... This can only mean one thing... It's the most wonderful time of the year !!!

Friday, September 4, 2015

It's a gas

Filled up for the Labor Day weekend at the local Fishersville gas station, which featured gas for $1.95/gallon.
And the usual fall dip in prices may still be ahead.

Can Trump insult Rush?

I wondered if Donald Trump might be tripped up by Hugh Hewitt at the next debate.
Hewitt has a reputation for asking tough, intelligent questions to find out what candidates really know.
Trump went on Hewitt's show Thursday and came out calling him a third-rate host.
Why?
Hewitt asked specifics about the Middle East, not just generalities.
Hewitt is well-respected for his lines of questioning.
And when Trump is challenged, he offers putdowns.
When he finally decides to talk to Rush Limbaugh, will Trump offer insults to questions when he stumbles?
The Republican establishment wants to find a way to slow Trump's momentum.
Maybe Rush is their only hope.

Weekend watchdog

The opening weekend of the college football season includes many big contests - building to Monday night's battle in Blacksburg.
Virginia Tech hosts defending champion Ohio State Monday at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
The Buckeyes' run to the championship nearly ended in September, when the Hokies pulled the upset in Columbus. When Virginia Tech struggled through the ACC as the season wore on, the loss nearly kept Ohio State out of the four-team playoff.
A spot in this year's national semifinals on New Year's Eve might await Monday's winner.
The opening weekend continues Friday on ESPN, with Baylor-SMU at 7 p.m. followed by Washington against Boise State.
Virginia starts its season at UCLA Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on Fox.
Notre Dame takes on Texas on NBC at 7:30 p.m. and CBS carries Auburn's contest with Louisville at 3:30 p.m
ABC brings Nebraska-BYU at 3:30 p.m., then Cowboys Stadium hosts Wisconsin and Alabama at 8 p.m.
ESPN starts its day at noon with Stanford-Northwestern, then Penn State tackles Temple at 3:30 p.m. Texas A&M plays Arizona State in Houston at 7 p.m.
Clemson battles Wofford in the ACC game of the week Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
MASN2 has three games Saturday, starting at noon with South Dakota State-Kansas. Texas Tech takes on Sam Houston State at 3:30 p.m., with Georgia Southern against West Virginia at 7:30 p.m.
FoxSports1 has Mississippi State facing Southern Mississippi Saturday at 10 p.m. and Purdue-Marshall Sunday at 3 p.m.
South Carolina State plays Arkansas Pine Bluff on ESPN Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
The Nationals host Atlanta on MASN, while the Orioles visit Toronto on MASN2.
FoxSports1 offers Rays-Yankees at 1 p.m. Saturday, followed by Pirates taking on the Cardinals at 4 p.m. The series finale between the Rays and Yankees will be on TBS Sunday at 1:05 p.m. and ESPN has the Pirates and Cardinals Sunday night.
NASCAR returns Darlington to its traditional Labor Day weekend date, with the Southern 500 on NBC Sunday at 7 p.m. The Xfinity race will be Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on NBC, after qualifying at 11:30 a.m. on NBC Sports network. The Sprint Cup series has qualifying Saturday at 1:30 p.m., and there's practice Friday at 11 a.m.
NBC Sports network offers the Italian Grand Prix Sunday at 7:30 a.m. There's qualifying Saturday at 8 a.m. after practice Friday at 8 a.m.
Coverage of the U.S. Open continues Friday at 1 p.m. on ESPN and 7 p.m. on ESPN2 and Saturday on ESPN2 at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday starts the Round of 16 at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
The United States has an international friendly with Peru Friday at 7:30 p.m. on FoxSports1.
Dallas clashes with Columbus Friday at 7 p.m. on FoxSports1.
NBC carries the Deutsche Bank Championship Sunday at 3 p.m. and the final round Monday at 1:30 p.m.
The United States faces Australia in rugby on NBC Sports network Saturday at 7 p.m.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Getting ready for the next debate

At the next Republican presidential debate in two weeks, Hugh Hewitt will be one of the questioners.
He talked with Hugh Hewitt Thursday, and you can get a taste of how it will go then.

Enjoying the Carson surge

Rich Lowry finds Dr. Ben Carson's surge to the top refreshing.
Ben Carson stands for something different. His personal story shows how true class isn't about riches, but about character. Donald Trump has all the finest things and I'd hazard to guess barely as much class as Ben Carson's penniless mother struggling to raise her sons had in her pinky.
Carson may not ultimately have the political pull of Trump, who is more mediagenic and can potentially spend much more money. Yet, if conservatives want to flirt with an unconventional candidate, Carson provides the opportunity to do it without a guilty conscience.

Recycling update

Took aluminum cans to the recycling center this morning, and got 40 cents per pound.
Up from the last visit, but still down from the spring.
Kind of like the stock market.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Why are so many leaving Syria and Libya?

Europe is being overrun by desperate refugees trying to leave their war-torn areas.
Syria.
Libya.
Why are those two countries the biggest exporters of refugees?
What's gone on over there in the past six years?
Can we find answers in Hillary's email?
Might be worth a look.

Ruler of them all

Queen Elizabeth II has been queen for quite a long time.
Next week, her reign will pass the length of Queen Victoria's reign.
They did the math.

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Pointy-haired Secretary of State

You'd probably get in trouble with Dilbert's Scott Adams, but someone should draw Hillary Clinton with hair like Dilbert's boss.
The emails don't paint a portrait of a heavy thinker - just someone totally relying on her staff to get through the day.
Maybe the brilliant, omnicompetent Hillary Clinton of myth never existed. Maybe she is nothing but an empty pantsuit who rode her husband’s coattails to an utterly unmerited position of power. Certainly there is nothing in her official email traffic to suggest the contrary.

Get a bucket of chicken

Just got back from dinner at KFC with my KFC-loving 14-year-old.
Good timing for Don Surber's profile on the Colonel.

If Hillary likes private email so much

Hillary Clinton should not return to public office if she likes using private email so much.
How do you know she won't set up a separate system in the White House?
Are you absolutely sure?