On the roadside

Weekends bring people to the local interstate exits, seeking money from travelers coming off the road.
Today, I saw a man with his dog at the intersection, seeking help.
Would it be okay to give him dog treats?

Ready for Hillary

When Democrats say Hillary, they think of Clinton.
Ravens fans like another Hillary.

Bacon day

Paco reminds us of the important holiday this weekend - International Bacon Day.
I've celebrated the day in the past.

Facebook quote of the week

I have been overwhelmed by all of the "back to school" pictures today. I am also overwhelmed by the Miley Cyrus pictures that have taken over FB tonight. I am very sad and very concerned about this. She needs some help as do her parents?

Saturday song

Begin Saturday with a surprise from Chicago.

The power of Limbaugh

While President Obama bumbles his way into Syria, it's only a few days since he blamed his bumbling in Washington on Rush Limbaugh.
He sounds like a villain at the end of a Scooby Doo cartoon.
"I'd have gotten away with it, if it weren't for the meddling Limbaugh."

Weekend watchdog

Some college teams open the season against creampuffs. Virginia Tech takes on the best.
The Hokies battle top-ranked Alabama - the two-time national champions - Saturday in the Chick-fil-A Classic on ESPN at 5 p.m.
The teams met to open the 2009 in Atlanta, and the Crimson Tide won by 10 en route to the first of three national titles in the past four years.
What does 2013 hold for both teams? We'll start seeing this weekend.
ESPN continues the college football slate Friday with Texas Tech-SMU at 8 p.m. while North Dakota State meets Kansas State on FoxSports1 at 8:30 p.m.
Notre Dame football starts its season against Temple Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on NBC.
ABC's primetime schedule opens with Georgia-Clemson. In the afternoon, new ACC member Syracuse plays Penn State while other areas will see Mississippi State battle Oklahoma State. ESPN2 will air the contest you won't have on ABC.
ESPN2 starts its day at noon when Buffalo faces Ohio State, and closes the night showing Northwestern-California at 10:30 p.m. Texas A&M meets Rice at 1 p.m. on ESPN (you'll have to wait until around 3 p.m. to see Johnny Football), and in primetime LSU takes on TCU at 9 p.m. at Cowboys Stadium.
West Virginia hosts William & Mary at noon on FoxSports1. Oregon meets Nicholls State at 4 p.m. and Boise State travels to Washington at 10 p.m.
Maryland opens its final ACC season Saturday at 12:30 p.m., taking on Florida International on Comcast.
MASN2 offers Wofford-Baylor Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Mississippi Valley State plays Florida A&M at 11:45 a.m. before Louisville takes on Ohio at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN.
The Orioles visit the Yankees on the weekend on MASN. TBS offers coverage of Sunday's game nationally.
The Nationals take on the Mets - Friday on MASN2, Saturday at 7 p.m. on MASN and Sunday on ESPN2 at 8 p.m.
NASCAR heads to Atlanta Sunday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN for the next-to-last contest before the Chase for the Cup. The Nationwide drivers run on ESPN2 Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The Indy Car circuit takes on the streets of Baltimore Sunday at 2 p.m. on NBC Sports network.
It's the middle weekend of the U.S. Open. ESPN2 covers the action Friday at 1 and 7 p.m. CBS has third round play Saturday at 11 a.m., and action continues Sunday and Monday at 11 a.m.
The Fed Ex playoffs continue on NBC Sunday and Monday with the Deutsche Bank championship.
NBC carries the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Sunderland Saturday at 12:30 p.m. NBC Sports network has a pair of games Saturday - Manchester City-Hull at 7:45 a.m. followed by Cardiff City-Everton - and two more Sunday morning. Liverpool faces Manchester United at 8:30 a.m. and Arsenal takes on Tottenham Hotspur at 11 a.m.
In the MLS, Portland visits Real Salt Lake Friday at 10 p.m. on NBC Sports network and D.C. United takes on the Red Bulls Saturday at 8 p.m.
NBC Sports network carries the Woodward Stakes Saturday at 4 p.m.

Not quite Current

Have you watched Al Jazeera America yet?
No?
Join the club. Along with most of America.

What's worse?

It's been tough being an Orioles fan the last decade.
Then in 2012, the breaks went their way.
They won one-run games and made the playoffs.
Expectations were raised.
But 2013 hasn't gone as last year did.
They are losing close games that they won in 2012.
They have now lost two straight in Boston.
Wednesday, they had a two-run lead. The Red Sox got a single through the left side of the infield - past a pair of diving infielders - to tie the game.
A bloop hit to left in the eighth brought in the winning run.
It's hard to watch - but better than knowing your team has been out of the running since June.

Allen West's dream

Former representative Allen West shares his thoughts on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington.
Dr. King advocated we evaluate the content of one's character. However, in 2008 Americans voted for someone as president based upon the color of his skin. In 2012, Americans used the same criteria and made the same choice.
Perhaps that is the lesson learned from the legacy of Dr. King's speech, character matters.

Remembering Calvin and Hobbes

A great remembrance of Calvin and Hobbes, based on the hard work and inspiration of Bill Watterson.
To me, Calvin and Hobbes is cartooning perfection – that rare strip that has both exquisite writing AND gorgeous artwork. A strip that managed to convey the joy of childhood, absurdity of humanity and power of imagination all through the relationship between a boy and his stuffed tiger. And most importantly, a strip that was consistently laugh-out-loud funny. I flick through my Calvin and Hobbes books a few times a year, not to read them cover to cover anymore, but just to get lost in Calvin’s world for awhile and to remind myself what comics are capable of.
Time to play a game of Calvinball. And avoid Susie.

Chillin'

Has this August been cooler than usual?
The data says yes.

Dream and Syria

While President Obama tries to ride the coattails of Dr. Martin Luther King today, the news of possible attacks on Syria fill the airwaves.
Reality continues to intrude on Obama's dreams.

Higher education bubble update

It's back to school time.
Proud parents posting pictures of their kids heading off in the K-12 world.
College freshmen finding out their dorms have both HBO and Showtime.
You may be crushed by student debt, but the movie channels got their money.

AARP promo idea

A year after turning 50, I keep getting membership offers from AARP.
Sign up now and get a free bag.
Big whoop.
Give me a waiver on the Obamacare individual mandate, and I'll consider AARP's offer.

Send Miley to Syria

How to solve two problems at one time.
I'm sure President Assad would love a visit from Miley and the dancing bears.

Today's Tied with me

Technorati has this blog ranked among green blogs this week.
Human Resources using technology is green, right?

He would like to go away

Salon has tired of all the attention given George Zimmerman.
He's way ahead of you.
He was tired of the attention as soon as it started.
But he got attention and celebrity.
He can continue to remind you he's a free man.

They had to pass the bill to cash out

Legal Insurrection highlights the Democrats planning on getting rich from their knowledge of Obamacare.

Puerile piece of progressive hackery

Donald Douglas at American Power gets the better of Brian Beutler's lack of thought on crime.
The Other McCain recommends it highly.

Men of Duck

Like Duck Dynasty?
There's several good reasons.
Let it rip.

Bumper crops of pot

Legal Insurrection highlights what happens when marijuana growing gets legalized - environmental rules get ignored.
This news is especially troubling, because California’s eco-activists have targeted farms in the state’s famous Central Valley in an effort to protect an invasive fish species. So, our states’ bureaucrats are selectively reinforcing regulations, leaving our almond fields bare but ensuring bumper crops of pot.

Back in two and two

Back in the day, Chuck Woolery hosted "Love Connection."
Looks like some members of NSA wished they could be Chuck.

I'm ready for Hillary (to be gone)

Driving through Staunton Saturday, stopped just ahead of me was a car with an "I'm ready for Hillary" bumper sticker.
It's going to be a long three years until 2016.

Saturday song

Power your morning with a little Huey Lewis.

Facebook quote of the week

Chick-fil-A has gone upscale: complimentary mouthwash dispenser in the relief rooms!

Auditing your hernia

Mark Steyn does the heavy lifting on the latest opt-outs and customer dumping that is Obamacare.
The U.S. economy can never recover until more of its real “human resources” are engaged in genuine wealth creation. Yet Obamacare instead incentivizes the diversion of more and more manpower into the Republic of Paperwork.

And many more

Rush Limbaugh isn't going anywhere.
The bottom line is, no change for you. Wherever you're listening to this radio show today, you're gonna be able to hear it on January 2nd, 3rd, whenever I get back from the traditional Christmas break. There will be no interruption to you. There will be no change. The radio program is as strong or stronger than ever.
Media Matters is hardest hit.

Outgunned

The gun control crew came to Richmond Thursday.
And attracted only 15 local residents.
If you want to stay safe, keep away from crowds.
Go to gun control rallies instead.

Weekend watchdog

For racers battling for the last positions in the Chase for the Cup, they're going to have to do it after dark.
The final three races before the Chase for the Cup happen in primetime, starting with Saturday's at Bristol. ABC has coverage at 8 p.m.
Jimmie Johnson holds the top spot for the 12-member Chase for the Cup field, and Joey Logano stands just a few points out of the last wild card slot. FoxSports1 has practice Friday at noon.
The Nationwide racers hit the track Friday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN after qualifying on FoxSports1 Friday at 3:30 p.m. NBC Sports network has the Belgian Grand Prix Sunday at 8 a.m. after showing practice Friday at 8 a.m.
The IndyCar circuit visits Sonoma Sunday at 4 p.m. on NBC Sports network.
The Little League World Series crowns its champion this weekend. Thursday's rain pushed the contest between Washington and Connecticut to 3 p.m. Friday on ESPN. The winner faces California in the United States championship on ABC at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, after Japan and Mexico battle in the International final on ABC at 12:30 p.m.
ESPN has the third place game Sunday at 11 a.m., and Saturday's winners meet Sunday at 3 p.m. on ABC in the title game.
The Orioles continue their quest for a postseason spot against Oakland this weekend. Games Friday and Sunday will be on MASN, with Saturday's game part of the Fox coverage. Other parts of the country will get Red Sox at Dodgers or Tigers-Mets.
ESPN shows Boston facing the Dodgers Sunday night, while TBS has the Braves taking on the Cardinals Sunday at 2:15 p.m. The Nationals visit Kansas City (Friday and Sunday on MASN2, Saturday on MASN).
The third week of NFL preseason contests continues Saturday at 4:30 p.m. when the Redskins host the Bills on Comcast.
CBS brings a pair of contests this weekend - Seahawks at Packers Friday at 8 p.m. followed by Rams-Broncos Saturday at 8 p.m. The Saints meet the Texans Sunday at 4 p.m. on Fox, and NBC shows Vikings-49ers Sunday at 8 p.m.
FoxSports1 goes to the high school gridiron Friday at 10 p.m. with Mountain Pointe against Bishop Gorman of Nevada.
High school football kicks off on ESPN Saturday with three contests, starting with Apopka against Byrnes at noon. Florida against Georgia battles follow, with Lincoln against South Gwinnett at 3:30 p.m. and Booker T Washington taking on Norcross at 7 p.m. ESPN2 closes the day at 10 p.m. with Central of California against Colorado's Valor Christian.
Sunday at 3 p.m., American Heritage plays Cypress Bay on ESPN after ESPN2 brings a Tennessee clash between Beech and Station Camp at noon.
The PGA tour begins its FedEx Cup playoffs Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. with the Barclays from New Jersey.
The final stop of the U.S. Open series take place this weekend in New Haven and Winston-Salem. The semifinals are on ESPN2 Friday at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. from New Haven and 3 p.m. from Winston-Salem. CBS has the final from Winston-Salem Saturday at 12:30 p.m., and the New Haven final begins at 3 p.m. on ESPN2.
NBC has Premier League action matching Aston Villa and Liverpool Saturday at noon. There's a pair of games on NBC Sports network Saturday - Fulham against Arsenal at 7:45 a.m. followed by Sunderland-Southampton. Swansea City meets Tottenham Hotspur Sunday at 10:55 a.m.
Kansas City meets Chicago in MLS play Friday at 8:30 p.m. on NBC Sports network, while ESPN2 brings Seattle-Portland Sunday at 10 p.m.
In the WNBA, Chicago plays Atlanta Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
Major League Lacrosse crowns its champion Sunday at 3 p.m. on ESPN2, after Charlotte takes on Denver Saturday at 1 p.m. in one semifinal.
NBC continues the Summer at Saratoga series with the Travers Stakes Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
The U.S.A. Pro Cycle Challenge airs on NBC Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. NBC Sports network has stages Friday at 4 p.m.
ESPN2 has the National Pro Fastpitch softball championship Saturday and Sunday at 5 p.m.
The motorcycle racing heads to Lake Elsinore Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on NBC Sports network.

Open up

Time for a busy two weeks at Flushing Meadows.
Sloane Stephens hopes to play well into the second week.

Flood of bull

Best of the Web watches Al Gore float interesting comments about global warming.
Gore uses the interview to claim vindication for his 2006 "documentary," "An Inconvenient Truth": "You mentioned my movie back in the day. The single most common criticism from skeptics when the film came out focused on the animation showing ocean water flowing into the World Trade Center memorial site. Skeptics called that demagogic and absurd and irresponsible. It happened last October 29th, years ahead of schedule, and the impact of that and many, many other similar events here and around the world has really begun to create a profound shift."
The reference is to Hurricane Sandy, a Category 2 storm when it struck the Northeastern U.S., flooding parts of New York and New Jersey, including downtown Manhattan. (Sandy peaked in the Caribbean as a Category 3 storm. By comparison, 2005's Hurricane Katrina went as high as Category 5 and made landfall at Category 3.)
But if we roll the film--which is less than scintillating, but the clip lasts less than 2½ minutes--we find that what Gore predicted in "An Inconvenient Truth" was something far direr than a storm and a flood. He predicted that lower Manhattan--along with vast and heavily populated swaths of Florida, California, the Netherlands, China, India and Bangladesh--would be permanently submerged owing to higher sea levels.
Whatever floats his boat.

Trolling for polling

Public Policy Polling asks a silly question
Who do you think was more responsible for thepoor response to Hurricane Katrina: George W.Bush or Barack Obama?
- and gets silly answers.
That silly liberals take seriously.
In trying to make every criticism of President Obama irrational, you've got to go deep into the mud.

Welcome to Obamacare

The University of Virginia announced its health insurance plan changes thanks to Obamacare.
Is your spouse on your plan?
Maybe they would be better off quitting their job - if their employer doesn't offer good insurance.
Starting Jan. 1, spouses who have access to coverage through their own employer will no longer be eligible for coverage under U.Va.’s plan. Spouses who do not have coverage elsewhere can remain on the employee’s plan, and coverage of children is not affected.
Why the changes?
Provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act are projected to add $7.3 million to the cost of the University health plan in 2014 alone. Federal health care reform will create new costs related to the “individual mandate” that requires all Americans to have health care coverage (or pay a penalty).
In future years, U.Va. could face millions more in taxes through the act if the cost of its plans passes certain thresholds.
We passed the bill, Nancy Pelosi.
Now we're finding out the problems.
UPDATE: Part of Paco's assortment.

Find new blood

Camille Paglia has some words for Hillary Clinton.
It remains baffling how anyone would think that Hillary Clinton (born the same year as me) is our party’s best chance. She has more sooty baggage than a 90-car freight train.
And Anthony Weiner - "pathetic dork" works.

Time to get cracking

A new poll shows Ken Cuccinelli six points behind Terry McAuliffe in the governor's race.
Doesn't seem possible if you've seen McAuliffe in action.
Doesn't seem like a likely electorate to the people at Bearing Drift.
Even Blue Virginia has questions.
INDEED, if you presume that the 2009 turnout model will prevail again, then the Q-Poll would have Cuccinelli up by 4 percentage points with the same numbers.
INDEED # 2, IF YOU STUDY THE Q-Poll, the normal markers of a VA GUV race make it a DEAD EVEN RACE. Why?
The normative turnout on election day would not be either +7 Democrat or + 4 Republican. It would be closer to +2 give or take depending on what happens in the last month of the campaign.
Whatever the numbers, time to get on the Cuccinelli bandwagon.

Why Cuccinelli wins

It's a close race for governor in Virginia.
So many ads - mostly against Ken Cuccinelli - already.
But I think Cuccinelli will win easily.
Why?
Terry McAuliffe will get a better offer from China or Mississippi before Election Day.

Check out the Mr. Moms

After you get your fix of Duck Dynasty Wednesday, there's a new show about stay-at-home dads.
The commercial looks interesting.
We'll see if it's worth more than a look.

Today's Tied with Me

Technorati has this blog tied with Digitally Downloaded, which looks at a pacifist cat video cartoon.
There are four different endings and these tackle different controversial aspects that violence in video games produce: desensitization, conflict, morality, principle, etc. As you make different decisions, not only does it change the final outcome of the game, but the other characters’ moods are altered as well: objecting to increasing the violence in the game will find their mood darkening and their desires to continually add more and more violence to the game spike even higher, while going along with the violence makes it a smoother journey overall.

Forever 21 - your new work week

Rush had this story from Policymic on Forever 21 busting down its employees to part-time status.
They had to pass the bill to find out what's in it.
Forever 21 employees just found out.

Tracking the idiot

Thanks to Facebook friends in Illinois and Florida, I found my local newspaper made a mistake today.
A big mistake.
How did it happen?
They blame the vendor, which provides the weather package.
Load the picture and half the back page is done.
It's really hard to check all of that copy, especially on a Sunday night.
When the newsroom is running on the smallest staff of the week.
It should be easy to track how it got on the page. If it came from Accu-Weather, who worked on the page there?
The editor in Staunton would leave a mark on the page if they made a change. You can check the page as it was sent to the printing press for something unusual.
I bought my copy of Monday's paper.
Wonder what I can get for it on Ebay?

Who's going to vote?

Chris Saxman looks at the numbers for Virginia gubernatorial elections in recent years.
Each Terry McAuliffe commercial probably scares at least one voter away.

Understanding the Middle East war

Michael Ledeen tries to simplify the many fights in the Middle East.
The good news is that they’re divided, and slaughtering each other. And it’s not always possible for us to sort out what “each other” even means. But one thing is quite clear, and I know it’s an unpopular idea, but it’s a true fact: they’re not an awesome force. The radical left has failed everywhere, and so have the radical Islamists. Both claim to have history (and/or the Almighty) on their side, but they go right on failing. The left is now pretty much in the garbage bin of history (you can hire Gorbachev for your next annual meeting if you can afford his speaking fee), and the “Muslim world”–sorry to be so blunt–is a fossilized remnant of a failed civilization. Look at the shambles in Iran, look at the colossal mess the Brothers unleashed on a once-great nation.

Happy Back to School Day

School starts in Augusta County in the morning.
The celebrations begin when the school bus pulls away.

Fine with Steyn

Thanks to Hugh Hewitt's suggestion, there is a Mark Steyn for Senate website up.
A real man for the real New Hampshire.

Who lost Egypt?

Mark Steyn checks the options in Egypt - getting worse as Washington loses influence with all parties.
The "Arab spring" meant Washington getting bounced.

How long until he's fired

Keith Olbermann returns to ESPN soon.
Will he last six months?
And who will watch?
I don't plan to put a biscuit in his basket.

Building for the future

A good post on the good things that come from having children.
Although having children changes one's career options, they teach parents to become better crisis managers, multi-taskers and effective leaders. Parents not only impact their children's lives, but bring a different perspective to the workforce.
I understand that childrearing may not be for everyone. However, if I had not taken the risk of having children, I would have missed out on the greatest, most unexpected experience that has transformed my life and defines who I am today.

As you wish

Viral Read brings 10 highlights from "Princess Bride."

Facebook quote of the week

so nice paying bills on line.....click...done...broke....hahahahaha

Saturday song

It's almost the end of beach season. Keep it alive with this song by First Class from 1974.

Goodlatte's coming to town

Rep. Bob Goodlatte will be hosting a town hall Monday at the Augusta County government center in Verona.
Bet there will be a crowd.

Weekend watchdog

Do you have a need for Speed Channel? Fox Sports doesn't anymore.
Speed will be rebranded as Fox Sports1 on Saturday, and sister channel Fuel TV will become Fox Sports2.
UFC gets primetime coverage Saturday, after some practices before the NASCAR race in Michigan. There will be new studio shows as the new network gets ready for football season.
ESPN has the NASCAR race from Michigan Sunday at noon. The Nationwide racers are in mid-Ohio Saturday at 3 p.m. on ESPN.
The second full week of NFL preseason games concludes Monday on ESPN when the Redskins face the Steelers at Monday night.
Fox brings two contests, with Tampa Bay at New England Friday at 8 p.m. and the Colts facing the Giants Sunday at 7 p.m.
The Arena Football season ends Saturday with Philadelphia facing Arizona on CBS at 1 p.m.
The Nationals travel to division-leading Atlanta for the weekend on MASN. The Orioles finish a two-week stretch against the NL West, facing Colorado on MASN2.
It's another weekend of Yankees-Red Sox - Saturday afternoon on Fox and Sunday night on ESPN. Fox also features Diamondbacks-Pirates and Cardinals taking on the Cubs. TBS shows the Dodgers in Philadelphia Sunday afternoon.
Action continues in the Little League World Series Friday with an international game on ESPN at 1 p.m. before California takes on Michigan at 3 p.m. ESPN2 shows the Czechs against Japan at 5 p.m., and it's back to the big stadium at 8 p.m. for Delaware-Iowa.
Second contests will be on ESPN Saturday at noon, 6 and 8 p.m. (ABC has coverage at 3 p.m.), and action continues Sunday at 2 p.m. on ABC, 5 p.m. on ESPN, noon and 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
Junior League softball crowns its champion Saturday at 5 p.m. on ESPN2, and the Junior League baseball final will be Sunday at 10 a.m. The top Senior League teams meet Sunday at 2 p.m.
The English Premier League starts a new season this weekend, with three games on NBC Sports network and Swansea City vs. Manchester Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on NBC. NBC Sports network starts Saturday with Liverpool against Stoke City at 7:45 a.m., and Sunday there's Crystal Palace-Tottenham at 8:30 a.m. before Chelsea faces Hull City at 10:55 a.m.
D.C. United travels to Montreal Satuday at 7 p.m. on Comcast, and NBC Sports network has Philadelphia against the Red Bulls Saturday at 8 p.m.
CBS has the Wyndham Championships PGA event Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. The top amateurs battle for the U.S. title Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m. on NBC.
The tennis tour heads to Cincinnati ahead of the U.S. Open. ESPN2 has quarterfinal play Friday at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. The semifinals are Saturday at 1 and 7 p.m., then CBS has the men's final Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ESPN2 brings the women's final at 4 p.m.
The U.S. Gymnastics championships will be Friday at 8 p.m. on NBC Sports network. Competition continues Saturday at 8 p.m. on NBC, with the final events Sunday at 1 p.m.
NBC Sports network offers the Alabama and Sword Dancer Invitational Saturday at 5 p.m.
Motorcycle racers rev up the action from Utah Saturday at 3 p.m. on NBC Sports network.

Ready for football season

Fox Sports 1 debuts Saturday.
Erin Andrews has been around for a while, and takes the lead role in the college football studio show.

Power of privilege

George Will takes power-hungry President Obama to task.
Obama should be embarrassed that, by ignoring the legal requirement concerning the employer mandate, he has validated critics who say the ACA cannot be implemented as written. What does not embarrass him is his complicity in effectively rewriting the ACA for the financial advantage of self-dealing members of Congress and their staffs.
The ACA says members of Congress (annual salaries: $174,000) and their staffs (thousands making more than $100,000) must participate in the law’s insurance exchanges. It does not say that when this change goes into effect, the current federal subsidy for this affluent cohort — up to 75 percent of the premium’s cost, perhaps $10,000 for families — should be unchanged.
When Congress awakened to what it enacted, it panicked: This could cause a flight of talent, making Congress less wonderful. So Obama directed the Office of Personnel Management, which has no power to do this, to authorize for the political class special subsidies unavailable for less privileged and less affluent citizens.

Where do subsidies come from?

Slate ignores the major reason for conservative concerns about Obamacare.
We don't have the money.
Subsidies are nice. But there aren't enough rich people to provide all the benefits people are supposed to love.
Perhaps the healthy and liberal young voters will pay for health insurance now.
If they have the money.

We're really sorry

Matt Walsh has an apology letter to President Obama that many conservative writers wish they had written.

It's simple - we dislike Obama's policies

Why is it so hard for liberals to understand that it's the policies that fuel dislike for Obama?
Our reasoning is pretty simple. We don't think the policies are what's best for the country now.
Making things racial is more complicated.
Perhaps they know there's no defense for Obama's policies.
Except throwing smoke into the argument.

Monkey from Illinois

PJ Tatler reminds us how http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2013/08/13/shock-satirist-depicts-the-president-as-a-monkey/ts were treated - including Abraham Lincoln.

If you like your insurance

When President Obama said "if you like your insurance, you can keep it," maybe he was telling the truth. He was just talking to federal employees.

Check those attachments

In Detroit, the police sent out an email about bullet-proof vests.
With an Excel spreadsheet attached.
Which no one checked until it got to the officers.
Who found bra sizes of female officers in the attachment.
Back to chalkboards for them.

Give Virginia an education

Ken Cuccinelli provided some new ideas for improving education Tuesday.
To go along with his other proposals he's already brought out.
His agenda is an agenda to get behind.

Hey, Slate

Can Slate Magazine run this picture?
I'm glad a Facebook friend liked this.

Trust but verify

The story of a Spanish skyscraper without elevators?
It was too good to be true.
Maybe a news crew can head to Benghazi since they are in the neighborhood.

Today's Tied with me

Technorati has this blog tied with Support Your Local Gunfighter.
I support this caption contest.

Back to school work

The good news - it's back to school time. The bad news - all the paperwork you fill out at the start of each year.

Give me room, lots of room

While government and some academics push "densification," people continue to vote for suburbs - especially if they are planning families.
This flight from density among families is not merely an American phenomena. There are far higher percentages of families with children in the suburbs of Tokyo, London and Toronto than within the inner rings. The ultra dense cities of East Asia — Hong Kong, Singapore and Seoul — have among the lowest fertility rates on the planet. Tokyo and Seoul now have fertility rates around 1 while Shanghai’s has fallen to 0.7, among the lowest of any city ever recorded, well below China’s “one child” mandate and barely one-third the number required simply to replace the current population.
A future of densification might just last one generation.

And so supplies come to Shreveport

It's back to school season.
Pat in Shreveport knew some of her students needed help with getting school supplies.
And requirement changes meant her school needed copies of the novels for her class assignments.
From far and wide, money for books, flash drives and other needed supplies arrived.
With social media spreading the word, it's been a good start of the school year.

Use your time wisely

Instapundit likes this list of 20 things to learn as a 20-something.
He saves one of the best of the end.
Spend 25% Less Than You Make – When your material needs meet or exceed your income, you’re sabotaging your ability to really make it big. Don’t shackle yourself with golden handcuffs (a fancy car or an expensive apartment). Be willing and able to take 20% less in the short term, if it could mean 200% more earning potential. You’re nothing more than penny wise and pound-foolish if you pass up an amazing new career opportunity to keep an extra little bit of income. No matter how much money you make, spend 25% less to support your life. It’s a guaranteed formula to be less stressed and to always have the flexibility to pursue your dreams.

Mandate problems

Megan McArdle complains the problems setting the 30-hour standard for full-time work - and the new problems that created.
This is related to a regulatory phenomenon that I think of as “building a fence around the law.” I stole this concept from what people who keep kosher call “building a fence around the Torah.” There are a lot of ideas wrapped up in this concept, but one of them is that you take steps to ensure that you can’t break a commandment -- you enact rules that are stricter than the ones found in the commandments, so that you can’t break a rule accidentally, or accidentally-on-purpose.

Gone fishing

Paco features a great cartoon.

Recycling update

Our local recycling center still offers 45 cents a pound for aluminum cans.
And they've built a new building. Looks like I'll have a close recycling center for years to come.

Facebook quote of the week

Thanks to my awesome third graders and their parents, I am about to get my hair "did!" It was time- one of my summer school kids asked me why the top of my hair was purple! It was gray! Uggghhhhh

Saturday song

James Brown celebrates "Living in America."

Watch the scoreboard

After a hiatus of over a year, Don Surber has returned with his scoreboard at a new home.
The banner states he'll be the Official Scoreboard of the 2016 Election.
Sounds like he's ready for the long haul.
Good.

Eat at Mika's

DaTech Guy offers a business idea for those thinking fast food workers should get $15 an hour - open your own restaurant.
I’m sure a bunch of high-powered and well-connected people like Mika can come up with the franchise fees and an experienced marketing man like Donny Deutsch can make it profitable no matter how many other McDonalds, Burger Kings or Wendy’s paying $9 or less near by.
If this can be done and at a profit then these folks shouldn’t just be doing it to prove a point, they should be JUMPING at the chance to get themselves the easy money from a profitable franchise and help people at the same time.
Of course it might be much harder for Mika , Donnie, Mike Barnicle et/al after all the easiest business to run is somebody else’s.

Weekend watchdog

Time for the final major championship of 2013.
Will Tiger Woods win his 15th major this weekend?
The PGA championship continues Friday at 1 p.m. on TNT, and the third round begins on TNT at 11 a.m. Saturday before CBS takes over at 2 p.m. Sunday's final round starts on TNT at 11 a.m., and moves to CBS from 2 p.m. until the trophy presentation.
Woods' 61 in the second round at the World Golf championship last Friday heightened expectations as the best golfers gather at Oak Hill. Jack Nicklaus' 18 career majors stands just beyond the horizon, but a Woods win to close out the 2013 season revs up the chase.
The Orioles continue their west coast swing in San Francisco, with games on MASN2 Friday and Sunday. Saturday's game is on Fox, along with Rays-Dodgers and Twins against White Sox.
ESPN features Tampa Bay at Los Angeles Sunday night, while TBS offers Tigers-Yankees Sunday afternoon. Washington hosts the Phillies for the weekend on MASN.
Little League baseball's Road to Williamsport continues Friday with five games on ESPN. The action starts at 11 a.m. with a Mid-Atlantic semifinal, and the Midwest crowns its champion at 1 p.m. before the second Mid-Atlantic semifinal at 3 p.m. At 7 p.m., it's the Southeast championship and the West semifinals are 5 p.m. on ESPN2 and 9 p.m. on ESPN.
Four tickets punched for Williamsport on ESPN Saturday - Great Lakes at 1 p.m., Northwest at 5 p.m., New England at 7 p.m. and West at 9 p.m.
ESPN2 has the Mid-Atlantic final Sunday at 6 p.m.
Other leagues hold their championships Saturday on ESPN - the Big League softball at 11 a.m. and Senior League softball at 3 p.m. NASCAR visits Watkins Glen Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN, and the Nationwide racers will be on ABC Saturday at 2 p.m.
There's motorcycle racing on NBC Sports network Saturday at 3 p.m.
NBC Sports network has CFL action between Saskatchewan and Calgary Friday at 9 p.m.
D.C. United travels to Philadelphia Saturday at 8 p.m. on NBC Sports network, and ESPN2 shows Dallas against Los Angeles Sunday at 8 p.m.
The U.S. Open tennis series continues with the Rogers Cup on ESPN2. The quarterfinals are Friday at noon and 8 p.m. The women's semifinal will be Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by the men at 3 and 8 p.m. The championship matches are Sunday at 1 and 3 p.m. NBC has another race from Saratoga Saturday at 3 p.m. Coverage continues on NBC Sports network Sunday at 5 p.m.
In Major League Lacrosse, Chesapeake hosts Charlotte Saturday at 7 p.m. on Comcast.

Hail to the liberal magazine

Some liberal magazine doesn't want to use the word "Redskins" anymore.
In related news, Fred Flintstone's boss has changed his name to Mr. Redskins.

What a voice

Comcast took CMT off the regular lineup a few years ago.
I was bummed. Music videos were good background music for a Saturday morning.
Besides, I missed seeing new talents like Cassadee Pope.
UPDATE: Part of Rule 5 Sunday.

Rush still matters

Almost time for the Rush Limbaugh show - three hours of broadcast excellence.
Media Matters still tries to http://legalinsurrection.com/2013/08/media-matters-to-declare-victory-over-limbaugh-regardless-of-reality//#moreto push away from the show.
But it looks like they really pushed away advertisers from all talk radio, as Legal Insurrection finds.
Most of the much-ballyhooed list of advertisers who have “dropped” Limbaugh in reality consist of advertisers who never advertised with him to begin with or who have policies against advertising on politically controversial programs of any nature. Hyping long lists of advertisers who “refuse” to advertise on Limbaugh is meaningless.
In a very predictable irony, Media Matters’ efforts did damage to liberal talk radio as well. Advertisers who “refused” to advertise on Limbaugh generally have walked away from all talk radio — conservative and liberal alike. So says liberal radio talk show host Tom Hartmann (via Hot Air):
THOM HARTMANN: David Brock and Media Matters were leading the boycott Limbaugh crusade, which did presumably some damage to Limbaugh’s show. I can tell you it did a lot of damage to progressive talk radio, because a lot of advertisers, right across the board, said just pull me out of all talk radio. I don’t know Limbaugh’s numbers, but I do know that, on our side, progressive talk radio took a hit as a consequence.
Media Matters doesn't have talent on loan from anyone.

Thank God for the atomic bomb

Instapundit, among others, remembers an article from August 1981 about the dropping of the atomic bomb.
We're so many years removed from the dropping of the bomb.
But those who likely would have died invading Japan were glad to be part of the future.

Pay up or shut up

Wal-Mart gave the Nation a good whack Wednesday - asking how much they pay their interns?
Interns are different.
They are young and learning a job.
Like most minimum wage workers.
Oops.

Why whack Weiner?

Anthony Weiner is still around.
No matter how badly we talk about him.
I wonder if Spitzer, who broke the law he swore to uphold to get sexual satisfaction, has ever had someone get in his face like that. What is it about Weiner? Is it just that he’s especially bad at feigning shame? Is it that he has no record to run on, so voters feel less compunction in treating him like the sleazy careerist pol that he is? Is it just the name? Clinton’s sex scandals would have had more traction if he’d been “Bill Scrotum,” I suppose. (President Scrotum?) Exit question: What makes Weiner such an irresistible target?

There she is

Weekly Standard reports on a former Miss America planning a run for Congress.

We did build it

The Wall Street Journal remembers how the canals and railroads were built - by the private sector seeking to serve needs from economic growth.
In all of these examples, building infrastructure was never the engine of growth, but rather a lagging indicator of growth that had already occurred in the private sector. And when the infrastructure was built, it was often best done privately, at least until the market grew so large as to demand a wider public role, as with the need for an interstate-highway system in the mid 1950s.
There is a lesson here for President Obama: Government "investment" in infrastructure is often wasteful and tends to support decaying or stagnant technologies. Let the entrepreneurs decide what infrastructure the country needs, and most of the time they will build it themselves.

Jesus wept

Best of the Web looks at a government blog post focused on a woman who cried.
He missed a chance to mention a famous man who cried.
Jesus.
It's the most well-known verse of the Bible.
If you want to memorize a Bible verse, you start with the shortest - John 11:35. Jesus wept.
Only nine letters.
Nobody thinks poorly of Jesus because he wept.
More people know he cried then know about the New York Times, or its editor.

Today's Tied with me

Technorati has this blog tied with WealthDaily, which tries to make sense of investing in precious metals.

Dependent senior against Cuccinelli

The latest Democratic ad features a nice lady who, after working 60 years, doesn't like Ken Cuccinelli's talk about Social Security and Medicare.
We always see Democratic commercials with current seniors fussing about anyone who looks at those programs.
A few more years of our spending and there won't be much money left in Social Security and Medicare.

Leave the party pathway

Instapundit reminds us of another problem with higher education - debt.
You go to college for the toga parties.
And you're lucky to have a clean sheet to wear when you leave.

Dog days of summer

We have two dogs. We use retractable leashes so they can do their business and sniff where they want on their walks. In the last three days, both leashes broke. New presents for the dogs tonight.

Remembering Fatso

Growing up with the Baltimore Colts in the 1970s, I would listen to a Monday night radio highlight show featuring Artie Donovan.
David Letterman introduced the former Colts great to a national TV audience.
Donovan died Sunday at 89.
His stories will live on.

Shutting down Costco, Trader Joe's

Megan McArdle looks at the arguments about the minimum wage.
Why can't companies be more like Costco and Trader Joe's?
If they were, there'd be no need for either.
Paying a high wage can reduce turnover, get you better quality workers, and induce those workers to work harder, smarter, better. But there’s a catch: This only works if your wage is higher than the wage for other, similar jobs. If your job is unusually well paid for the type of work, people are going to be keenly interested in keeping that job. They’ll be extra nice to the customers, extra nice to their co-workers, and extra diligent about making sure the bathrooms are clean. If everyone raises the minimum wage, however, there’s no incentive to work extra-hard to keep your job.

Among the Gore-bots

One of the regular visitors to Watts Up With That joined a session at Al Gore's Climate Leadership Training.
Cults have more freedom of expression.
We skeptics ain’t liked much with them folks. The “d” word (denier) was used liberally, and I queried several participants, some of who were very cool folks, about it. Al Gore and his speakers used “Denier,” “Denial Industry” and other terms I found objectionable. Lousy salesmen, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'

Obamacare is supposed to give health insurance to those who can't now afford it.
And it also gives moral dilemmas - do I fudge income numbers to get benefits?
Will they catch you?
If millions cheat, how many do they catch?
For some, it will be worth a try.

Saturday song

Exploding a Saturday morning with Paul McCartney and Wings.

Facebook quote of the week

Had to take that llllooonnngggg, slooooooooow walk back from the beach today. What a great day and week--it went too quickly!

Hot dog, what a promotion

Richmond's Flying Squirrels offered $1 hot dogs the other night - in honor of a dishonorable Democrat in New York.
Doubt he'll make it to World Series time.

Joining Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses

Who may be knocking on your door this fall?
People trying to sign you up for Obamacare.
Does Obamacare cover injuries from having doors slammed in your face?

Whole officer corps made up of McClellans

Paco has a great take on the Republican leadership.
“Yes, yes”, the elite seem to say, “all in good time. Mustn’t do anything rash, however; we need to wait until we have overwhelming numbers. Then you’ll see some action.” Swell. A whole officer corps made up of McClellans.
Can we have a few Grants?

Weekend watchdog

The long drought since Super Bowl XLVII is over. The NFL returns this weekend.
After the newest class joins the NFL Hall of Fame (Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2 and NFL network) in Canton, the Dolphins and Cowboys will meet on NBC Sunday at 8 p.m.
The Dolphins have new logos on their helmets. The Cowboys still have Tony Romo - playing for a series or two Sunday night before the rookies and others finish the night.
But it's live football. And we'll have it on TV - either NFL or college - every weekend until two teams reach the Super Bowl in New York February 2.
The Orioles host the Mariners on MASN, while the Nationals head to Milwaukee for three games on MASN2.
The Braves and Phillies get coverage on Fox Saturday afternoon and ESPN Sunday night. Other Fox contests are Dodgers at Cubs and Rangers-A's, while TBS carries the Red Sox against Arizona Sunday afternoon.
NASCAR heads to Pocono Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN. The Nationwide drivers will be in Iowa Saturday at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.
The Indy Car drivers visit Mid-Ohio Sunday at 3 p.m. on NBC Sports network, with qualifying Saturday at 5 p.m. CBS has the World Golf championships Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
The British Women's Open will be on ESPN2, continuing Friday at 9 a.m., with the last two rounds beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
D.C. United hosts Montreal Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on Comcast, and NBC Sports network brings the Red Bulls against Kansas City Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Hamilton heads to Edmonton in CFL action Friday at 9 p.m. on NBC Sports network.
The road to the U.S. Open continues on ESPN2 with the Citi Open and Southern California Open out west. The quarterfinals of the Citi Open will be Friday at 4 and 7 p.m., with semifinals Saturday at 5 p.m. and final Sunday at 3 p.m. The action from California will be on Friday at 11 p.m., then Saturday and Sunday at 7 p.m.
ESPN has its final X Games weekend of the year, hosted by Los Angeles. ESPN has coverage Friday at 9 p.m., then Saturday action will be at 2 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Coverage concludes Sunday on ABC at 3 p.m. and at 5 p.m. on ESPN.
NBC visits Saratoga for the Whitney Invitational Handicap Saturday at 5 p.m.

How about those Cowboys (cheerleaders)

The NFL preseason starts Sunday, with the Dallas Cowboys playing Miami.
The returning starters will probably play just a series or two.
Doesn't matter.
As long as cheerleaders like Brittany show up in Canton.

Job offers coming in 3..2..1

The Chattanooga Times Free Press fired its editorial writer for his headline.
How long before someone, like Fox news, offers him a new gig?

A rod

Sounds like Alex Rodriguez has been following the advise of Anthony Weiner.
He doesn't want to quit.
Maybe taking "a rod" to A-Rod will bring him to his senses.