After a long, hot day

After another day of high temperatures - this one with no power - it's a good thing to see a bucket truck in the neighborhood.
It's a bad thing to see lightning in the distance.
The movie "Day After Tomorrow" seems like a pleasant dream.

Learning a new weather word

What did we learn Friday?
Derecho.
Wild winds across so much of the country.

It's two things in one

Wyblog inspired me to find this Saturday Night Live bit about the combination of two things that don't go together.

Facebook quote of the week

Wondering if you can buy a big cup of motivation, or if I should just have a lazy day....

Saturday song

Remember the weirdly creative videos of the 80s? Phil Collins and Genesis blow you mind in a "Land of Confusion."

Still playing at Wimbledon

Through Friday, there were only two American women left playing at Wimbledon. You've heard of Serena Williams.
The second one?
Varvara Lepchenko. From Allentown, via Uzbekistan.

Take a break

So much interesting commentary on the Obamatax decision.
It's almost as overpowering as the temperatures outside.
You see celebrations, demonstration and recriminations about the decision. How's it going to shake out between now and November.
It's great to have easy access to so many great conservative thinkers.
And great that their thoughts will be available to digest as time goes on.

Don't trust the feds

Now under Obamacare and Obamatax, we're supposed to trust the federal government's decisions about our health care.
But what about those state exchanges? Virginia put off working on its exchange, pending the decision.
Is that good?
McDonnell and the General Assembly decided earlier this year to delay action on creating an exchange, partly because of uncertainty over how the Supreme Court would rule. Some legislators and insurance providers have warned that Virginia could risk having the federal government design an exchange for Virginia if the state fails to act.
Don't you trust the government to do a good job on exchanges, if you trust them with other things?

Weekend watchdog

For soccer fans, the big event happens every four years - the World Cup. In between, the best of Europe battle.
The Euro 2012 final will be Sunday at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN, matching Spain against either Italy. Spain defeated Germany 1-0 in the 2008 final, and has looked strong on the path to a repeat title.
We'll be halfway through the fortnight of Wimbledon Sunday. ESPN has action Friday at 7 a.m. and Saturday at 8 a.m.
The riding starts in the Tour de France Saturday. NBC Sports network shows the Prologue Saturday at 8 a.m. and the first stage Sunday at 8 a.m.
The Orioles face Cleveland on MASN2 this weekend, while the Nationals face the Braves on MASN.
The Dodgers host the Mets on ESPN's Sunday night game, and join five other contests on Fox's Saturday night offerings. Other games are Padres at Rockies and Diamondbacks-Brewers, while American League featured contests include Royals-Twins, Oakland against Texas and the Tigers' visit to Tampa Bay. TBS has the White Sox at Yankees Sunday at 2:05 p.m.
NASCAR's Sprint Cup series makes its stop at Kentucky this weekend, with coverage on TNT Saturday at 6:30 p.m. The Nationwide drivers race Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
Washington hosts the PGA tour stars this weekend, with the AT&T National on CBS Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m.
It's X Games time on ESPN, with events from Los Angeles. ESPN starts the coverage Friday at 9 p.m. There's action throughout the day Saturday on ESPN, starting at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. ESPN2 has the main coverage Sunday at 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.
NBC's road to the London Olympics continues this weekend, with swimming trials Friday through Sunday at 8 p.m. Women's gymnastics take the stage Friday and Sunday at 9 p.m., with the men's competition Saturday at 4 p.m. There's track and field Saturday at 9 p.m and Sunday at 7 p.m., while the women's soccer team prepares against Canada Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Over on NBC Sports network, track and field takes the air Friday at 6 p.m.
D.C. United takes on Montreal Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on Comcast, while NBC Sports network offers Seattle-Kansas City Friday at 8 p.m. ESPN2 has MLS action on Saturday at 10 p.m., with San Jose meeting the Galaxy.
The Mystics host Connecticut Friday at 7 p.m. on Comcast.
The best players of the Major League Lacrosse gather for the all-star game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
The United States competes in the World Cup of Softball this weekend, facing Australia Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPN. There's two games Saturday - against the Netherlands at 1 p.m. and Canada at 7 p.m. - and the weekend closes with a game against Brazil on ESPN Sunday at 1 p.m.

It's a tax!

Here's some of the taxes due to increase with Obama's Health Care tax plan.
I wondered why my employer trumpeted its contribution to my health insurance this year.
Now I know.

Fired up, ready to go

Should the health care reform battle continue?
Would it have continued if Roberts' vote were different?
Yuuup.
All through the initial debate, Democrats avoided saying they are pushing a new tax on the people.
Now, they celebrate the tax.
Democrats lied, taxes rise.

The battle continues

What does the Obamacare decision mean?
Democrats raised your taxes - and didn't want to tell you.
Or themselves.

How to donate to Warren

Elizabeth Warren is hoping to people donate to her campaign before the quarterly deadline Saturday.
How many will donate an Indian-head nickel?

Happy Obamacare Decision Eve

Are you ready to celebrate?
If the combination of "DaTech Guy" and "I'm waxing my legs" doesn't get you in the mood for Thursday's ugliness, I don't know what will.

Finally under $3.00

The price for a gallon of gas around Fishersville has finally dipped under $3.00 a gallon.
This week, I made my first purchase at that price since February 2011.
How low will it go?
As low as Obama's performance ratings?

Today's Tied with me

Have you seen The Avengers yet?
Almost everybody has. The movie has earned over $600 million in the United States so far.
DisneyBlog has more Avenger related news.

We ask, you decide

WeAskAmerica has Mitt Romney up by five points in Virginia.
Is it a good poll?
Maybe they just reached people who are sick and tired of Obama's ads filling the TV airwaves already.

Throw alarm clock out the window

Teresa Sullivan is back as president at University of Virginia. Will any lessons be learned from this?
Did the people rise up, or are they ignoring the wakeup call that all higher education will face in the next few years?
The structural problem our universities face is this: confronted with the need for sweeping, rapid changes, administrators and boards have two options — and they are both bad. One option is to press ahead to make rapid changes. This risks — and in many (perhaps most) cases will cause — enormous upheavals; star professors will flounce off. Alumni will be offended. Waves of horrible publicity will besmirch the university’s name.
Option two: you can try to make your reforms consensual — watering down, delaying, carefully respecting existing interests and pecking orders. If you do this, you will have a peaceful, happy campus . . . until the money runs out.
The alarm clock went through the open window at the Rotunda.
But the sun's still going to rise.

He will be outspent

President Obama tries to rally the troops by talking about how much he'll be outspent this election cycle.
So please send your good money to us.
Right.

Time to be cocky

Two days until the Obamacare decision.
Instapundit reminds you "Don't be cocky."
South Carolina fans disagree.

"I'm melting, I'm melting."

Thanks to technology and our friends the seals, we find Antarctic ice shelves are stable.
Normally, getting sea temperature readings along the shelf in winter would be dangerous if not impossible due to shifting pack ice - but the seals were perfectly at home among the grinding floes.
Overall, according to the team, their field data shows "steady state mass balance" on the eastern Antarctic coasts - ie, that no ice is being lost from the massive shelves there. The research is published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
Global warming?
Never mind.

Ground zero for change

Instapundit links a Washington Post column on the University of Virginia battle of the budget.
Across the country, administrative expenditures have been growing at a far faster rate than instructional expenditures. The data also indicate that, for research universities such as U-Va., the number of classes the average professor teaches has fallen from 2.9 per term in 1988 to 1.8 in 2004. If faculty simply returned to the 1988 standard, a university could enroll many additional students per professor, resulting in thousands more students.
But that kind of rethinking is apparently asking too much. The 2012-13 U-Va. operating budget, released a month before Sullivan’s removal, continues to rely on student tuition and fees and patient revenues from the university’s hospital.

Paranoia will destroy ya

If Obamacare is overturned, it's all George W. Bush's fault.

Undo it week

Looks like Monday or Thursday, the Supreme Court will overturn all or parts of Obamacare.
Tuesday, the University of Virginia Board of Visitors may undo the forced departure of Teresa Sullivan.
How many people will be happy if both things are undone?
Just a few more than will be happy if neither is undone.
I'd rather listen to Carrie Underwood "Undo it."

Instead of giving to Obama

My brother passes along a better idea than a gift for the Obama campaign on your special occasion.
The Human Fund.
They need the money more than Obama.

Obama's donut hole

Looks like Obamacare may fall through the hole.
Individuals are worried.
Obama should have done a better job making sure they didn't fall into his donut hole - his knowledge of the Constitution.

Hey Europe, where are the cheerleaders?

Watching a bit of Euro 2012, there's something missing from TV coverage Americans are used to - shots of cheerleaders among the crowd shots.
Guess I'll just have to wait for NFL season to see more of the Ravens' cheerleaders.

How about a pow-wow?

Staffer: Don't you think you look bad for not meeting with those Cherokee women?
Warren: How?

Can the price drop?

It's a new location for my Staunton recycling.
The price for aluminum cans dropped to 45 cents a pound from 50 cents in April.
Is it due to the new location, or a bad trend for the economy.

Facebook quote of the week

I might be one of the more hilarious people I know.

Saturday song

One of the interesting songs from the 1970s, by one-hit wonder Dean Friedman.

Next Obama fundraising idea

Is the Obama team running out of ideas to raise money for the campaign?
A chance to meet DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz?
A gift registry?
I hear President Obama asked for a gig as bus monitor for some bratty middle schoolers.

If you have no friends

If there's no one special in your life.
No one you can help.
No one you care for.
You can give that extra money to President Obama.
Or give to me to tick off people you don't want to give anything to.
You'll be as popular as President Obama.

Weekend watchdog

It's the last weekend of interleague play.
Could we have a preview of the 2012 Fall Classic?
Could that series be in Baltimore?
The Nationals hold first place in the National League East, and the Orioles remain in the race for one of the two wild-card berths in the American League. They gather at Camden Yards for the weekend.
MASN and MASN2 have the coverage of the Battle of the Beltways Friday and Sunday, while Saturday's game is part of the Fox Saturday night package. Fox has cross-town battles between the Yankees and Mets, Giants-A's and Angels vs. Dodgers along with the Braves' trip to Boston and the Brewers facing the White Sox.
TBS shows the finale of Atlanta-Boston Sunday afternoon, and ESPN caps the night with Mets-Yankees at 8 p.m.
The College World Series starts its final best-of-three series Sunday at 8 p.m. on ESPN2. Arizona swept its bracket to earn one spot, and the second will be decided Friday at 9 p.m. when South Carolina and Arkansas battle for their bracket championship.
NASCAR heads west to the California wine country, with TNT coverage from Sonoma starting at 2 p.m.
The Nationwide racers are on a road course in Wisconsin, going Saturday at 3 p.m. on ESPN. The Indy Car drivers head over to Iowa, with the flag dropping on NBC Sports network Saturday at 9:15 p.m.
Euro2012 moved into the Final Eight Thursday, with Portugal beating the Czech Republic 1-0 to reach Wednesday's semifinal. Friday, Germany meets Greece on ESPN2, while Saturday brings Spain and France together at 2:30 p.m. The last member of the final four will be decided Sunday, when England faces Italy on ESPN.
D.C. United takes on the Red Bulls Sunday at 7 p.m. on NBC Sports network. Portland meets Seattle Sunday at 5 p.m. on ESPN.
The PGA tour heads to Connecticut this weekend, with the Travelers Championship on CBS Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m.
The future stars of the NHL find their first pro organizations Friday, when the NHL draft starts at 7 p.m. on NBC Sports network.
ESPN offers a pair of WNBA games Saturday. Chicago meets Minnesota at 12:30 p.m., while the Sparks play the Mercury at 9 p.m.
The Bayhawks host the Cannons in Major League Lacrosse Saturday at 7 p.m. on Comcast.
NBC Sports network helps you gear up for the Summer Olympics this week. The U.S. trials in diving are Friday at 11 p.m., while the track and field competitors go Friday at 9 p.m. The field hockey trials are Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

Romney economics

The Obama campaign says Romney economics didn't work in Massachusetts.
They said it won't work now.
If there's a group that knows about things not working, it's the Obama team.

A reason for the Thunder to win

The NBA season could end Thursday night.
If Oklahoma City wins, there's a Game 6 Sunday.
And another chance for a celebrity to bury a 3-point shot on the Jimmy Kimmel pre-pre-game show.


Tracy Morgan made it, and Matthew McConaughey banked his Thursday night.

June swoon

Contentions sees bad news coming to the Obama administration.
It's like the bad news is coming Fast and Furious.
If Eric Holder had to leave temporarily as Attorney General, who would take his spot?
A Place Holder.

So it sweats in Shreveport

Thunderstorm are trying to make their way across Augusta County tonight.
A cool front is fighting to come through, and Fishersville might only have highs in the 70s next Tuesday.
But there's no relief from the heat for Pat in Shreveport - all 90s all week coming up.
Now we know why there's air conditioning.

Obama campaign - we got nothing

A year ago, I realized a great way to determine Obama's chances of winning - the Lilly Ledbetter index.
The more they mentioned that law, the less likely he is to win.
If they need to highlight something Democrats pushed for years - just needing a warm Democratic body in the White House - then they have very few accomplishments to talk about.
What came out today? A Lilly Ledbetter ad.



Is that all you got?

Sorry lawyers, you do not compute

Via Instapundit, the Atlantic looks how much law firm work is now being done by computer program instead of human eyes.
An amazing discovery.

Nine reasons to laugh

Instapundit featured a list Wednesday from Nickmom.
Now I'm hooked on these funny looks at family life.

The revenue stream is dry

Blue Virginia highlights the opinions of a George Washington University professor upset with the Board of Visitors - and dreaming of days that are long gone.
The Visitors shouldn't be looking at online learning. Just get their friends in government to kick in more with the revenue stream.
Revenue problems for public universities are not originating in competition from online learning programs. They're coming through systematic defunding by state legislatures. Higher education in America faces its share of problems, to be sure. Tuition soars and students are racking up mountains of debt. But the underlying revenue model faces no direct threat. A modern-day Good Will Hunting might gain his education through MIT's online lectures rather than a Boston public library card, but the great mass of privileged 18-year-olds will keep heading off to college.
For those who haven't been watching, the state revenue stream has been drying up.
Other mandates - Medicaid, pensions, local education - have drained the stream.
Colleges can't depend on that stream building up again.
If you can't get more money from the state, you've got to cut costs. Or bring in more money from more students.

Rising above the Phoenix

After the dismissal of Teresa Sullivan, the worries started - the University of Virginia is turning itself into the University of Phoenix.
How about the other way around?
How about the University of Virginia leading the way into online learning, taking a centuries old way of doing things and improving on it? Put the special UVa stamp on it.
That seems to be the way the Board of Visitors wanted to go.
Why not?
We can't bring everyone who wants to come to Charlottesville here, but we can take some University of Virginia to them.
It's time to lead, follow or get out of the way.
What do the emails show Sullivan doing?

Sullivan is not quoted at length in the e-mail files that were released, but one from an alumnus/donor to Kington says that Sullivan provided a "pedestrian" answer to a question about how UVa was embracing the online education revolution. Sullivan is not responding to press inquiries at this time, but sources familiar with discussions she has had on distance education said that she viewed it as an important trend, but had expressed skepticism about the idea that it was a quick fix to solving financial problems, and that she viewed distance education as having the potential to cost a lot of money without delivering financial gains. Sources also said she viewed distance education as an issue on which faculty input was crucial.

College education is going to change. Maybe before this year's incoming class earns their degrees. Online may be the way to go - get the best lectures no matter where you are.
Let the University of Virginia be great for all those who come here - not how many want to come but can't.

Save the dinosaurs

Via Instapundit, the Virginian looks at the news media's support of Teresa Sullivan - dinosaurs stick together.
One of the reasons that Big Media doesn’t recognize the problem is because they don’t recognize their own problem. They are lost in a technological time warp. Newspapers are losing readers and TV is losing eyes because information and entertainment delivery doesn’t mean newsprint and TV shows any more. Technology has made them obsolete; they’re dying and they are either in denial or don’t know what to do about it. The old education model is literally hundreds of years old. The idea that to get an education today requires moving to a campus for four or more years at a cost of a couple of hundred thousand dollars is ending.

It's cooler in the basement

For a hot day in New York, Mark Steyn tells where the air conditioners are - boxed up in the basement.
Can we open them please?
No.

I like the Education Department’s rationale:

The school has 18 classrooms. If the 10 units in storage are used, that would leave the children and teachers in the other 8 rooms uncomfortable on hot days.

Better a thousand kids fry than that a privileged few chill. As Alfred the Butler observed to Batman a movie or two back, “Some men just want to watch the world burn.”

Latest from the Warren campaign

Staffer: Do you think you look desperate trying to avoid those Cherokee women questioning your heritage?
Warren: How?

He knows how Sullivan feels

Teresa Sullivan wasn't the only executive blindsided this month.
West Virginia Conference commissioner Barry Blizzard, on the job just shy of 25 years, found out Saturday that nine of the 15 teams in his conference were considering leaving.
Nine schools play football.
Nine are thinking about taking their ball and moving on.

Fight or flight

An interesting post over at Blue Virginia on the Sullivan saga.
Who won Monday?
Maybe Helen Dragas was hounded on the way to her car in the early hours, but her decision stands. The University of Virginia has a new interim president.
Lots of talk, but who's still walking in power?

Today's Tied with me

Checking on the Technorati rankings, this blog is tied with Jazjaz.net.
May this recreation of the Star Trek intro Live Long and Prosper.

East bound and down

Powerline delves into the mighty Occupy roadtrip - nine people driving across country.
The highlight - protesting at Koch Industries on a Saturday.

More insurrection

Legal Insurrection will be joining the charge against Obama this fall, and raising up the next generation of conservatives with a new College Insurrection website.
We will aggregate interesting and newsworthy articles and news reports from college conservative and libertarian publications around the country, and focus on the challenges conservative/libertarian students face on campus.
College Insurrection will be the place where conservative/libertarian students can find out what is going on with like-minded students on other campuses, and understand that they are the many, not the few, no matter what they are told.
The Insurrections are coming.

Trip too far

The Daily Caller reports on three West Virginia politicians who don't plan to head to Charlotte for the Democratic National Convention.
Why?
It can't be because of the trip. It's less than three hours from the West Virginia border to Charlotte on I-77.
The Belk Bowl in December gets extremely excited when West Virginia University might be available for its game. The fans love the short trip to Charlotte.
Most of the state drives through Charlotte on the way to Myrtle Beach.
Might be fun for a reporter to drive north on I-77 during the convention and see what these West Virginia Democrats are doing instead of hanging with Obama, Biden, Pelosi and the rest of the crew.

Folly of Obamacare

Robert Samuelson sums up the arguments against Obamacare.
One more week, and case closed.

Darden, part 2

The more I read about the Teresa Sullivan ouster, the more sense it makes.
Times are changing, and Jeff Shapiro buries the theme in his story Sunday.
Read to the end, and hear the experience of Colgate Darden.
Darden became president of U.Va. in 1947, a year after leaving the governorship. When he arrived at his alma mater, he found a public school in name only, a cushy, red-brick, hunt-country oasis for the privately educated sons of privilege.
Recognizing that World War II had opened the state to a bigger, more diverse populace, the patrician Darden used his contacts in business and politics to harvest the millions of dollars necessary to modernize the university. It was not an easy task. It's not any easier more than half a century later for the U.Va. board, Sullivan and McDonnell.
The GI Bill meant it was time for the University of Virginia to change.
The online revolution means it's time for the University of Virginia to change.
We'll have a bigger, more diverse populace with the online world.
Things will have to change, and the current academic leadership will not like to give up their cushy lives.
But change will come.
The University of Virginia can lead.
Or fall behind.

UVa cat fight

The Washington Post has an interesting take on the Teresa Sullivan termination.
Nearly everyone at the Charlottesville campus thought Sullivan was off to a promising start. She spent her first year in office installing an estimable team of top administrators and her second year strengthening the university’s academic model, just as she had been tasked by the board that hired her.
But at least one key player did not agree: Helen Dragas, a savvy, fiscally conservative developer from Virginia Beach appointed to the board in 2008 by then-Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) and promoted to rector of the 16-person board last summer. Her misgivings about Sullivan would pit the university’s first female rector against its first female president.
First female vs. first female.
Cat fight.
Do we look at the issues, or just personalities?

Unhelpful search

A co-worker wasn't sure how to spell integral, so she spelled it as she thought it sounded - intrical.
She went to Google and searched.
UrbanDictionary wasn't very nice with her request.

Hough rocks

Julianna Hough stars in the movie Rock of Ages, opening this weekend. She was born in 1988, after the period setting of the movie. How many of us were older than 24 in 1988?

MBA vs. PhD

The Teresa Sullivan saga at the University of Virginia reveals the looming rift at universities - MBAs vs. PhDs.
The MBAs from Darden School seem to have led the charge against Sullivan. The academic side is up in arms over the move.
The future won't be so friendly to the PhD side. The money will not be there.
The MBA side knows it, and is trying to plan for that.
I like the thought of this being a battle between short term thinking (the MBAs) and longer term thinking (PhDs).
But in the long term, we'll all be dead.
And in debt.

Time for the boys of summer

The Appalachian League baseball season gets underway this week. I got to cover the league for seven years, watching players begin their professional careers under the watchful eyes of former big league players.
In 1989, I got to meet Chet Nichols - the 1951 National League ERA champion. His career didn't sparkle much after that rookie season, but he returned to baseball to teach the younger generation after a career in banking.
Cool photo of his baseball card from Wikipedia.

Men, men, men, manly men men

On Facebook, Don Surber noted that Oklahoma City is the manliest city.
We await comment from Dustbury.
UPDATE: The Dustbury comments are up.

Facebook quote of the week

House full of kids Rule #4080 - Don't ever pick anything up by its lid or cap, there is only a 27.3% chance it is secured.

Saturday song

Is this the week when the love leaves the Obama campaign?
Let's listen to Earth, Wind and Fire from the Jimmy Carter era.

More Sullivan fun

Looks like it won't be a quick and easy transition at the University of Virginia.
First, try fitting this media scholar's name in a headline.
And see the fight among the establishment figures atop the leadership.
"The philosophical difference is the difference between how an MBA thinks and how a Ph.D. thinks," says Vaidhyanathan. "It looks like a cabal of MBAs have decided that we need creative destruction or some sort of high energy, bold visionary re-engineering of the University."
MBAs vs. PhDs. Ought to be a fun summer.

Weekend watchdog

It's Father's Day weekend. Time for some big events for dad to watch on his TV.
The U.S. Open got going Thursday with a super pairing - Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Masters' champion Bubba Watson. Will all three make the cut? We'll find out Friday, when ESPN has coverage at noon and 5 p.m., while NBC takes the air from 3-5.
Weekend action on NBC begins at 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, going through primetime.
The Olympic Club has hosted the Open five times, the last one in 1987. The field better be ready for what Tiger Woods calls the "hardest six holes to start a tournament."
The NBA Finals continue Sunday, with the scene shifting to Miami to Game 3.
Some big underdogs made the eight-team field of the College World Series. ESPN2 starts the action Friday at 5 p.m. with the America East champion - Stony Brook - taking on UCLA. Arizona plays Florida State.
Another underdog goes Saturday at 5 p.m. - Kent State of the MAC - facing Arkansas. The night concludes with an SEC battle between South Carolina and Florida. Friday's losers meet Sunday at 5 p.m. on ESPN2, and the winners play at 9 p.m.
The Yankees come to Washington this weekend, meeting the Nationals on MASN. Sunday afternoon's contest will be shown nationally on TBS.
The Orioles head to Atlanta for the weekend, with games on MASN2 Friday and Sunday. Saturday's game is on Fox, along with Rays-Marlins, Astros against Rangers, Red Sox facing the Cubs and the Reds vs. Mets. ESPN's Sunday night game features the Red Sox at Cubs.
NASCAR heads to Michigan for the weekend, starting at noon Sunday on TNT. The Nationwide racers hit the track Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
The Indy car racers are on the other side of Lake Michigan, racing in Milwaukee Saturday at 1 p.m. on ABC.
If you like soccer, Euro 2012 continues on ESPN2. Ukraine plays France Friday at 11:45 a.m. before England takes on Sweden. Group A has its third game Saturday at 2:30 p.m., with Poland-Czech Republic on ESPN and Greece vs. Russia on ESPN2. Sunday offers Portugal against the Netherlands on ESPN at 2:30 p.m., while ESPN2 shows Denmark meeting Germany.
D.C. United takes on Philadelphia Saturday at 7 p.m. on Comcast, while ESPN shows Houston vs. Dallas Saturday at 7:30 p.m. NBC Sports network has Chicago vs. the Red Bulls Sunday at 5 p.m.
The Mystics host Indiana Friday at 7 p.m. on Comcast.

Bor-rrrring

How did President Obama do Thursday?
The press hated it.
How long will his acceptance speech be?
Is it too late to move the NFL opener back to Thursday night so people can ignore it?

Romney campaign "doing fine"

Over at Ace, they highlight the new Romney ad.

Joy of a new book

Want to learn about the life of a pastor's wife?
Joy Gulick knows, and has a book out.
It is a story that will not only encourage pastor's wives, who are not perfect, but will be an eye opener for everyone who has wondered what goes on behind the scenes in a pastor's home.

Europocalypse now

President Obama can talk about the economy in Ohio if he wants today.
The voice of the Greek voter on Sunday may be louder.
And messier.
The upshot is that regardless of the election's outcome, Greece and its European partners are in for an almost unimaginable set of politically unpalatable choices. The likelihood of an election that definitively ensures that Greece remains in the eurozone is very low.

Who was 46th?

The big new Obama ad tells us how lousy Massachusetts was under Mitt Romney.
Watch it carefully.
When they mention Massachusetts being 47th in the nation in job creation, which state was 46th?
A hint.
From 2005-2008, Barack Obama represented it in the U.S. Senate.
When he wasn't running for president.
So you can blame Romney for Massachusetts' struggles, which Illinois barely beat. Does Obama's time in the Illinois state senate get any blame for that state's stats?

Running on empty

What matters to Democrats this election season?
In D.C., it's 2008 all over again.
In Virginia, let's play the "Macaca" video again.

It's a perfect time to panic

Should Democrats begin to panic about November?
Of course.
As Woody said to Buzz, "it's a perfect time to panic."
Just keep reminding people of the Reagan expansion and George W. Bush's run of low unemployment.
Thursday, Obama will remind us again.
Don't want to go back to those days, do you?
Obama just wishes he could go back to 2008.

Bring on the main event

George Allen vs. Tim Kaine.
It's been the plan for a while, and now it's set.
Allen beat three other foes and expectations Tuesday.
Looking forward to him beating Kaine in the fall.

Today's Tied with me

A blog tied with me in Technorati gears up for Father's Day.
Beware of the pink background.

War on Sullivan

I didn't realize that ousted University of Virginia president Teresa Sullivan co-authored several books with Elizabeth Warren.
Together, they looked at bankruptcy.
How did they work together?
Sullivan, Warren, and Westbrook deployed a research methodology that was apparently contrary to the methodology they stated they would use in their National Science Foundation (NSF) grant proposal, which financed their research. After they received their funding, they chose to apply “human subject safeguards” by removing identifying information (case number, petitioner name, and a subsequent “identifier” they added) from the raw data files used in the study--over 1,500 bankruptcy records, each one containing over 200 fields of information (such as assets, liabilities, homeownership, marital status, etc.) That change in methodology made their research data, in effect, unverifiable.
They rose high in their fields.
But 2012 isn't looking very good for either.

What Obama meant

Bubble hits Charlottesville

The University of Virginia ousted its president of two years Sunday.
Let the questions begin.
Is the "higher education bubble" hitting Charlottesville.
"We like and respect Terry, and she has done many things well," (rector Helen E.) Dragas told the university's vice presidents and deans Sunday.
But she said the university faces financial pressures, hard decisions on resource allocation and a higher education environment "on the brink of a transformation now that online delivery has been legitimized by some of the elite institutions."

How does it feel?

The private sector is doing fine, President Obama said.
I don't care about your numbers, the American people said.
How does it feel?
It doesn't feel fine.
Remember 20 years ago?
George H.W. Bush had the numbers showing a rebound had started.
The people didn't feel it.
And we got Bill Clinton instead of four more years of the elder Bush.
Obama got elected on a wave of emotion from hopeful voters. Emotion will be his undoing this time.

Warren and Netroots Nation

Netroots Nation: We're counting on you to beat Scott Brown in November. We'll be giving you plenty of support.
Elizabeth Warren: How?

Headline of the morning

American Thinker brings a great headline to the latest Obama blunder.
Wintour of our Discontent.
Who is this woman and why should we care?
Enough of the chances to meet celebrities for a small donation to the Obama crew.

Let there be more hockey

There's at least one more NHL game this season.
New Jersey won Saturday to keep the series alive. Game 6 is Monday in Los Angeles.
There's no more ice hockey in the American Hockey League, thanks to this fluke goal Thursday.


Norfolk closed out the series Saturday.

Facebook quote of the week

Yahoo!! I'm on summer vacation:)

Saturday song

Air Supply polished this version up before reaching the top of the United States charts.

Weekend watchdog

Over the past 33 years, several horses have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown.
They all faltered at the Belmont Stakes.
I'll Have Another takes his shot at the Triple Crown Saturday on NBC. Coverage starts at 4:30 p.m., and a few hours later we'll know if we have another legendary horse.
There's another night of NHL play, as the Devils forced Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final Saturday at 8 p.m. on NBC. If they win, the teams head west to Los Angeles Monday for Game 6.
NBC also brings the finals from the French Open. The women crown their champion Saturday at 9 a.m., and the men's final is Sunday at 9 a.m. The men's semifinals air Friday at 11 a.m. on NBC.
ESPN offers Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals between Miami and Boston Saturday at 8:30 p.m. The winner plays Oklahoma City in the finals starting Tuesday.
Baseball heads back to interleague play this weekend. The Orioles host the Phillies for the weekend on MASN2 while the Nationals head to Boston on MASN.
The Mets make their visit to Yankee Stadium, appearing on Fox Saturday at 7:15 p.m. and TBS Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Other games Saturday on Fox are Royals-Pirates, Rays at Marlins, Dodgers against Mariners and Indians traveling to St. Louis. ESPN goes with Detroit at Cincinnati Sunday at 8 p.m.
The NCAA super-regionals get going Friday, with UCLA taking on TCU at 9 p.m. on ESPN. ESPN2 offers three games, beginning at noon with Stony Brook-LSU. St. John's-Arizona follows at 3:30 p.m., and Stanford battles Florida State at 7 p.m.
Saturday, it's Game 2 of those series on ESPN2 starting at noon. ESPN2 has more from the Super Regionals Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m.
TNT drops the flag on its part of the NASCAR schedule, starting at Pocono Sunday at noon. The Indy car circuit heads to Texas, with coverage Saturday at 8 p.m. on NBC Sports network.
Euro 2012 starts Friday on ESPN, with host Poland meeting Greece at 11:30 a.m. Russia plays the Czech Republic at 2:30 p.m. Group B play begins Saturday at 11:45 a.m. with Netherlands-Denmark and Germany against Portugal. Spain faces Italy Sunday at 11:45 a.m., followed by Ireland-Croatia.
Across the pond, we're gearing up for the 2014 World Cup. The United States plays Antigua and Barbuda at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
Comcast offers WNBA play Friday at 7 p.m., as the Mystics take on the Liberty.
It's off to Memphis to the PGA tour, as CBS shows the St. Jude Classic Saturday and Sunday starting at 3 p.m.
The Bayhawks have a Major League Lacrosse contest with Charlotte Saturday at 7 p.m. on Comcast.

Impersonation

The latest 40 year information on Mitt Romney?
He had a Michigan trooper's uniform and would impersonate police officers.
For the past 40 months, Barack Obama has been impersonating a president.

Once more from the Warren campaign

Staffer: We haven't been in the news recently with the Wisconsin recall. Do you think we can keep it going?
Warren: How?

Life is a Caret

The president from my college - Towson University - moved up to University of Massachusetts. And into conflict over fee increases with the governor.
The fees are going up.
Democrats' hopes are going down.

Pay the lady

After last week's photo of Brandi from Storage Wars, I wondered who to feature next.
I started thinking of the other main lady from the show, Laura.
Bob considers her a good choice.

Pay the lady and post the photo.

We'll stop dancing...

....when they stop crying in the streets.

Wasn't Lilly enough?

Paycheck Fairness Act? Why is it needed?
I thought the Lilly Ledbetter law solved the problem?
It was the first big bill President Obama signed in 2009 - when Democrats ruled the House and Senate.
Why didn't they go as far as they should then?
Why bring up this law now?
Democrats keep thinking this solves their electoral problems.
Except their problem is so many people without paychecks.

A better way

Election Night 1988, I spent the night in the backroom of the Mercer County, West Virginia courthouse.
My newspaper colleague - the great Leskie Pinson - brought voting numbers from each precinct and I fed the information over the phone to our newsroom.
It's how AP has collection election results for years.
Tonight starts a better way in Wisconsin.
Ace of Spades has its election headquarters - bringing the results faster than before. Because they aren't depending on newspapers who need to work on their own stories before moving the information along.
The key to their success?
JohnE, our photoshop extraordinaire, was just such a guy, and has developed the page you will soon be refreshing like a pack of rabid dogs.

Louie Anderson and Mayor Bloomberg

All the fuss over Mayor Bloomberg trying to limit the size of sugary drinks reminds me of an old Louie Anderson bit from the 1980s.
He walked into a store and asked about buying a drink.
"We have this big gulp, and a 55-gallon drum," the clerk says.
"What's the difference in price?"
"A nickel."
So Louie walks out the door with a 55-gallon drum of soda. It's a great deal.
Drinks are where stores make their money. They don't cost as much as they can sell them for. That's why they are sold.
Reduce taxes and regulation, and owners won't have to inflate prices to make a buck.

Today's Tied with me

Technorati has this blog tied with Connecticut Employment Law Blog today, which looks at PDA user by employees after hours.
What about on vacations?

Wisconsin day

Ace of Spades should be the place to be for election results later tonight.
The latest controversy - where there robocalls telling people who signed the recall petition that they don't need to vote?
Mickey Mouse could not be reached for comment.

Swamp 'em in the wave

Don't get cocky, kid.
Instapundit loves that phrase in the runup to the Scott Walker recall vote.
Those in Wisconsin must be aware, and make sure the vote lead holds at the polls.
Then it will be time to dance.
Bury the downcast opposition.
Swamp them in the wave of realization - they blew it.
Their day is done.
The Walker wave will sweep the nation - and their decisions made it more powerful.

Ground game

Democrats keep citing their ground game as reason for hope in Wisconsin and November.
Republicans are keeping an eye on the "underground game" - how many dead people will vote.

Happy Walker Eve

One more day until the unions starting really crying in Wisconsin.

Ben against the blank slate

Virginia Democrats had such fun this weekend.
They showed what democracy is by voting for four members of the Democratic National Committee.
There were slots for two women and two men.
There were only two women on the ballot - no need to think about that.
There were six men on the ballot - and things were different from the past.
Ben Tribbett tells the tale.
At every other state convention I've ever attended (back to 1996) ballots are counted by putting them into 2 piles- slate and no slate. Every time the slate pile is bigger and the ballots are never even counted, the slate is declared the winner. This time, together with Del. Lionell Spruill we forced the slate to almost exactly 20% (297 of 1480) of the vote. That meant the ballots had to be counted, and if Frank or George came in under 50% then we would force a runoff for the first time. And when the votes were counted our incumbent DNC member Frank only got 55% of Virginia Democrats to re-elect him, and his ticket mate fell short, meaning we had forced the run off! 
The slate crew drew a blank - it took hours to count the first ballot. There was actual democracy at the Democratic convention.
And they weren't prepared for it.
There was no time for a true runoff for the second slot.
The other competitors withdrew for the unity, but is it true unity?
Republicans are happy to see Democrats fighting each other - makes winning a bit easier.
The Tribbett's crew shares the contempt of the establishment that the Tea Party has.
Looking for the day when the establishment on both sides goes home crying, leaving people in charge who want what's best for the country instead of just themselves.

Like a prayer

The News Leader has a lengthy article on prayer in high school sports.
The question is always posed - do those who don't believe feel uncomfortable during a prayer at a game.
Wilson Memorial football coach Jeremiah Major asks the question from the other side.
"Why do those that do not believe get to choose when and where and how my kids pray?" Major said. "We are punishing one belief, but rewarding another belief."

There's other Democrats?

The Washington Examiner tries to find Democrats that President Obama will be campaigning for in the fall?

“Obama will not be asked [to campaign for Democrats] in a lot of places,” said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. “He will only be asked in heavily blue districts and states.”

 Democrats would need to win an additional 25 seats to take control of the House, and they need to hold on to all of their current Senate seats to maintain their four-vote majority in the upper chamber.

 Missouri and Montana, which both lean Republican, are among the states where Democrats don’t plan to campaign with Obama, Sabato said.

“Claire McCaskill cannot afford to be seen with Barack Obama; Jon Tester cannot afford to be seen with Barack Obama,” Sabato said, referring to Democratic incumbent senators up for election in Missouri and Montana, respectively.

Looks like the Obama campaign is going to be "I'm going to talk about me."

Suits Romney just fine.

Democratic planning

Blue Virginia has a lengthy post on Saturday's Democratic convention.
But you have to get to the comments for the good part.
They scheduled a convention for a room that had to leave at 2 p.m.
And spent an hour and a half counting ballots for Democratic National Committee party member.
And still don't have that election settled.
Just five hours for a convention?
Did they run out of money?
Think politicians would talk only a little?
If you come to do a job - elect candidates - you need to finish the job.

Walker Ranger and Democrats stranger

A few more days until the Scott Walker recall vote.
Grandpa John knows who is his hero.
Althouse shares the creepy "we're watching you" news.

At the Massachusetts Democratic Convention

Elizabeth Warren: I can beat Scott Brown.
Audience: How?

Saturday song

At my first newspaper job, one of my coworker loved to sing this song - The Manhattans' "Kiss and Say Goodbye" - in the breakroom or anywhere.

Facebook quote of the week

Just calculated how much money I "lost" on Wall Street today -- and laughed. I remember when that was all I had in the 401 k.

No more need for this blog

A Mets fan had a blog called nonohitters.com, following the team's lack of a no-hitter over its 50 seasons.
I had trouble reaching the blog Friday night after Johan Santana completed his no-hitter.

Case closed

Via Ace, John Podhoretz looks at Obama's lousy campaign.
Soon, lots of members of Obama's circle will find themselves on the unemployment line.

Obama: I need a mulligan

The Obama campaign keeps searching for a slogan for the re-election.
It's right there on the golf course.
He needs a mulligan.
A do-over.
Don't think he deserves it.

Weekend watchdog

One team finished fourth in their five-team division.
The other was the last team to earn a postseason berth in their conference. In the next week or so, one will be crowned NHL champions.
The L.A. Kings, eighth seed out west, take on New Jersey in Game 2 of their series Saturday at 8 p.m. on NBC.
The teams head west Monday on NBC Sports network.
The Kings, winners of Wednesday's Game 1, are seeking their first Stanley Cup title. The Devils have won three previous times.
The NBA Conference finals reach games 3 and 4 this weekend. The Eastern series shifts to Boston for Game 3 Friday on ESPN. TNT gets back in the action Saturday from Oklahoma City with Game 4 between the Thunder and Spurs, and Game 4 of Celtics-Heat will be Sunday at 8:30 p.m.
NASCAR concludes its Fox portion of the schedule Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at Dover. DW, go and pull those belts tight one more time - boogity, boogity, boogity, let's go racing boys.
The Nationwide racers hit the track Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN. If you like the open-wheel kind of racing, ABC has the Indy Car race at Detroit Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
The top teams in the American League East - the Orioles and Rays - battle for the weekend on MASN2.
The Nationals host the Braves on MASN. It's another weekend of Saturday night baseball on Fox. The Yankees visit the Tigers at 7:15 p.m., along with Twins-Indians, Reds against Astros, Diamondbacks vs. Padres and Cubs meeting the Giants. TBS offers Yankees at Tigers Sunday at 1:05 p.m., while ESPN2's Sunday night game features the Cardinals and Mets.
The PGA tour has the Memorial Tournament this weekend, with coverage on CBS Saturday at 3 p.m. and starting 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
ESPN2's coverage of the French Open continues Friday at 5 a.m.
The college softball World Series continues Friday with a pair of games on ESPN2 starting at 7 p.m. Play in the loser's bracket gets going Saturday at noon on ESPN2, and ESPN has a twinbill Saturday starting at 7 p.m. The finals of the two brackets will be Sunday starting at 1 p.m.
There's a few weeks until the college baseball World Series, but the regionals will be on ESPN2 Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at noon.
NBC Sports network has the college rugby Sevens championship Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.