Who will be Mr. October?

Less than two days until the Orioles open the postseason against Detroit.
Will they go far?
The experts say, looking good.
The Nationals can make the World Series - if they promise no President Obama throwing out a first pitch.

A post to read while walking

Dustbury found an idea for a cellphone app he'd like.
Here’s an idea for a Silicon Valley start-up: an app that will freeze your smartphone screen with “LOOK UP” if you are about to get hit by a car.

Happy end of the quarter

How many money appeals for political donations will I get before midnight?
Too many to count.
How many will I ignore?
All of them.

George Wallace was a Democrat

Ed Driscoll notes the trend of liberals trying to offload George Wallace's racism to the current Republican party.
Remember, racism built the Democratic party.
The current Democratic structure would not be there without the racists of the past.
Democrats, you own Wallace and his friends from that era.

R-e-s-p-e-c-t, doubt Joe's got it for me

Althouse received the same Joe Biden email that I did.
What's the theory behind "respect" for me? Am I supposed to feel like Joe Biden will withdraw his respect if I don't pony up? Is this email for women only or do they throw this "respect" business at men too? (I'm about to give you all of my money... Not.)

Only a keg to stand on

Pat from Shreveport lets DaTech Guy's readership learn more about Mary Landrieu's lame defense of her "keg-stand" photo.
Although her constituents don't appear to be bothered.
Indeed, in an informal poll by the Times-Picayune, 49% of those responding don’t have a problem with a U.S. Senator funneling beer into a dude’s mouth at a tailgate event as he holds himself aloft by his hands on a beer keg.  38% think this is poor behavior for a Senator.
It IS Louisiana, after all!
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
The keg-stand might be the best thing going for Landrieu.

Which wild card to root for?

Major League Baseball almost announced the game times for Thursday and Friday's start of the divisional series.
The Orioles will play Thursday at 5:37, or maybe 6:07. Depends if the Royals or A's win Tuesday.
What about the second game Friday? Either 12:07 if the Giants win the National League wild-card game, or 3:07 if the Pirates win.
The Nationals will have their opener Friday either 12:07 or 3:07, depending on the Orioles' time slot.
Hope fans like their plans being up in the air 36 hours before first pitch.
If you're planning on celebrating Yom Kippur Friday, you don't know for sure if your team's Friday game will be done by sundown.
At least now you know who to root for.

Who underestimated ISIS?

When President Obama blames "they" for underestimating the threat of ISIS, who are the "they?"
The State Department?
No, they couldn't blame Hillary.
The Defense Department?
They might have had a better handle on the situation if they kept troops in Iraq.
But who promised to remove the soldiers from Iraq?
Which campaign, in 2008 and 2012?
"They," and take away two letters, gets you "he."

Fear factor

The 2014 election will likely be decided by fear.
Democrats are trying to incite fear of Republicans.
Voter who fear for the world may put Republicans in charge.
Fear of diseases crossing a porous Southern border.
Fear of rising Islamic violence.
Basic fear of the future.
I fear we'll have more to fear in the next five weeks before Election Day.

Undefeated teams watch

Only one of the 3-0 teams hit the field Sunday.
The Eagles got close, but lost late against the 49ers.
The idle Bengals and Cardinals remain the final unbeaten teams in the NFL.
The only place they can play - Super Bowl 49 in the Cardinals' home stadium.

Good news for Ernst

Iowa produces good news this Sunday - Joni Ernst has a six-point lead in the Senate race.
Ernst leads 44 percent to 38 percent in a race that has for months been considered deadlocked. She leads nearly 4-1 with rural voters, and is up double digits with independents.
"Very interesting, and good news not just for Ernst but also for the GOP's chances of taking the U.S. Senate," said national political prognosticator Larry Sabato of "Sabato's Crystal Ball."
And there's more bad news for her opponent.
Some of the vulnerabilities for Braley, a lawyer and eight-year congressman: He isn't winning in his home district, in northeast Iowa. Two-thirds of likely voters think it's a problem that he missed a large percentage of Veterans Affairs Committee meetings in the U.S. House. Fifty-nine percent think his role in crafting the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare, is a problem.

By the dawn's early light

A visit to the Outer Banks of North Carolina is a great time to view the sunrise.

Maybe we have a race

Numbers like a 22-point lead for Mark Warner diminish enthusiasm in the Senate campaign.
Numbers like this keep hope alive.

Saturday song

Ride into the weekend with America's "Horse with no Name."

Facebook quote of the week

Never thought I'd be excited to hear that I've had food poisoning. Means I wasn't contagious. And I can hold my boy again!

Back in black

Megan McArdle isn't impressed with the black in kitchen.
Why black? I'm reading between the lines here, but the consensus of designers seems to be that “all the other colors were taken.”
It's pretty, as long as you don't use it.
The merest puddle of water will leave a ghostly cloud of minerals on your midnight granite counter, and every flat surface will quickly become a fingerprint collection facility that rivals the FBI's.

Weekend watchdog

Lots of excitement in Scotland the last week.
It continues this weekend with the Ryder Cup.
The 12-member United States team will try to claim the trophy on foreign soil for the first time in many years.
Saturday's competition begins on NBC at 3 a.m., and the final battle for the Cup starts Sunday at 7 a.m. with all 12 golfers competing in singles matches - all trying to reach enough points to claim the cup.
Europe retains it with 14 points, and the United States needs 14 1/2 to bring it home.
The Ravens host Carolina Sunday at 1 p.m. on CBS, while Fox starts its day at 1 p.m. with the Packers taking on the Bears. Undefeated Philadelphia faces the 49ers in the late afternoon game on Fox.
NBC offers the Cowboys and Saints Sunday night at 8:20 p.m., with the Chiefs battling the Patriots on ESPN Monday night.
The college weekend continues Friday as Old Dominion makes its C-USA home debut at 8 p.m. on FoxSports1, facing Middle Tennessee. New Mexico battles Fresno State on ESPN at 8 p.m.
Virginia Tech hosts Western Michigan on the ACC network Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Top-ranked Florida State visits North Carolina State on ABC at 3:30 p.m., with other areas seeing Minnesota-Michigan. ESPN2 has the game not seen over-the-air in your area. Syracuse battles Notre Dame in the Meadowlands at 8 p.m.
CBS brings Texas A&M against Arkansas at 3:30 p.m. while Fox has a pair of contests - Stanford against Washington at 4:15 p.m. before Baylor battles Iowa State at 8 p.m.
Georgia clashes with Tennessee on ESPN at noon, then it's Missouri playing South Carolina at 7 p.m. Southern Cal faces Oregon State at 10:30 p.m.
ESPN2 offers Michigan State-Wyoming at noon. It's off to the ACC at 7:30 p.m. with Duke meeting Miami.
Kansas takes on Texas at 4 p.m. on FoxSports1.
Boston College hosts Colorado State at 12:30 p.m. on Comcast, then it's a pair of CAA contests - Delaware against James Madison before Towson faces Maine at 7 p.m.
MASN2 offers UTEP at Kansas State at noon.
The Orioles head to Toronto for a regular season-ending set on MASN2. The Nationals host the Marlins for four games including a day/night doubleheader Friday on MASN.
Derek Jeter's career ends at Fenway Park, and Fox has Saturday's contest at 1 p.m. before TBS shows the season finale Sunday at 1:30 p.m. FoxSports1 has the Pirates against Reds Saturday at 1:05 p.m.
NASCAR visits Dover this weekend, with the bottom four in the 16-member Chase for the Cup seeing their dreams dashed. ESPN has the action Sunday at 2 p.m. The Nationwide drivers race Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN.
The Revolution visit Sporting Kansas City Friday at 8 p.m. on NBC Sports network, and D.C. United takes on Philadelphia Saturday at 3 p.m. The Galaxy take on the Red Bulls on ESPN2 Sunday at 8:30 p.m.
NBC Sports network has three Premier League contests Saturday, starting at Liverpool-Everton at 7:45 a.m. Manchester United clashes with West Ham United at 10 a.m. followed by Arsenal against Tottenham Hotspur. West Bromwich Albion battles Burnley Sunday at 11 a.m.
The Capitals have a preseason contest against the Bruins Friday at 7 p.m. on Comcast.
NBC Sports network offers the Jockey Cup Gold Cup Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Heading to Tillis country

My weekend plans are a trip to the North Carolina Outer Banks.
Good timing that the Ten Buck Friday crew has Thom Tillis as this week's candidate to support.
Tillis in the new Republican Senate would make beach life even more relaxing.
So thinks the crew.

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Wybloghttp://wyblog.us/blog

Phil Simms drinking game

Take a drink each time Phil Simms slips and says Redskins.
Or laugh.
Or sing the Redskins fight song.
Hail Victory.

Can we piggy back?

SWACgirl has a good idea - adding high-speed internet cables to the Dominion gas pipeline right-of-way.
The pipeline must go through rural areas, and they don't think they'll benefit from potential industrial uses of the natural gas.
But giving them easier access to internet - might be a good sweetener.

Raining on Jeter's parade

The Yankees lost Wednesday, ending their postseason hopes.
Thus, Thursday will be Derek Jeter's final home game.
Unless it rains.
Lots of people who spent lots of money on tickets will be singing "rain, rain, go away."

Smoke vs. pot smoke

Tony Stewart has now been cleared in the race track accident that killed Kevin Ward Jr.
Now we know the rest of the story.
"There is toxicology evidence in the case related to Kevin Ward, that actually indicated at the time of operation that he was under the influence of marijuana," Tantillo said. "There was no toxicology work performed on Tony Stewart, however a certified drug recognition expert had interviewed him on the night of the collision and determined that he found no basis to observe any alcohol consumption or impairment by drugs."
It's a sad day for race fans, but Stewart should be able to drive with a clear conscience the rest of the season.

Decide to visit here

The Ace of Spades Decision Desk has a new site, gearing up for November.
We aim to provide a one-stop-shop for polls, a cross-party compilation of election analysis along with our own, and, of course, a fast and accurate alternative source for election returns on the big night.
I'll be visiting.

ISIL see them advancing

Powerline sees the boots on the ground still advancing after airstrikes grabbed the headlines.
In Iraq, the army seems incapable of taking on ISIS. And, says Boot, the Kurdish peshmerga is in only marginally better shape. Accordingly, six weeks of U.S. air strikes have failed to dislodge ISIS from its strongholds in Iraq or to prevent ISIS’s recent success in Anbar Province described above.
Former Secretaries of Defense Leon Panetta and Robert Gates both insist that it will take U.S. “boots on the ground” to galvanize and train the potential anti-ISIS forces. As long as President Obama refuses to permit such participation, the bombing campaign probably will remain something of a sideshow.

It's a blast

India has a satellite now orbiting Mars.
Welcome to the neighborhood.

What a tangled Webb we weave

Could Hillary be hearing Jim Webb's footsteps on the 2016 campaign trail?
Good luck.
You'll need it.

Continuing the keg trend

You might remember the Colorado ad for Obamacare, featuring a guy doing a keg stand.

Guess he's in Louisiana now.
Both need help from Democratic senator Mary Landrieu.

Only hot air on climate change

John Fund sees desperation in the climate change crowd that hit New York Sunday.
There was a tone of fatalism in the comments of many with whom I spoke; they despair that the kind of radical change they advocate probably won’t result from the normal democratic process. It’s no surprise then that the rhetoric of climate-change activists has become increasingly hysterical.

Undefeated teams watch

The Bengals, Eagles and Cardinals advanced to 3-0.
The Bills, Texans, Broncos and Panthers did not.
After three weeks of the season, there's only one game left where undefeated teams can meet - Cardinals at Eagles in late October.
The 1972 Miami Dolphins continue watching.

If that's moving up, then I'm moving out

Blue Virginia gets more blue after seeing a story that 40 percent of Arlington County residents plan to leave in the next five years.
At least they learn basic supply and demand.
Places like Arlington have enacted the types of policies (and/or failed to enact the types of policies) that, both explicitly and implicitly, have constrained the supply curve for housing (e.g., kept that supply curve from shifting out sufficiently) while the demand curve (the overall number of people who "demand" housing in Arlington) has shifted out sharply, along with the region's population.
Lots of liberal ideas depend on increasing housing density, and more people wanting to live in compact, walkable neighborhoods.
Except they can't bridge their desires and the reality of how people want to live.

Remembering Hugo

Hurricane Hugo hit the South Carolina coast about two years after I moved to West Virginia.
I visited the following spring, and now 25 years later, stories about the storm are being shared again.
This house was on the south end of Pawleys Island, in the area northeast of where the eyewall struck.

How to celebrate Florida State's win

Florida State won without quarterback Jameis Winston Saturday.
Makes me what to jump up on a table and shout.

Poor judgment from top to bottom

Peggy Noonan sees the overarching problem with President Obama - poor judgment.
His essential problem is that he has very poor judgment.
And we don't say this because he's so famously bright—academically credentialed, smooth, facile with words, quick with concepts. (That's the sort of intelligence the press and popular historians most prize and celebrate, because it's exactly the sort they possess.) But brightness is not the same as judgment, which has to do with discernment, instinct, the ability to see the big picture, wisdom that is earned or natural.

Lost her cookies

So Blue Virginia dislikes natural gas and chocolate chip cookies.
Liberals need to think more about their examples when trying to persuade.
I can't wait for the comparison of natural gas and apple pie.

Already sick of them

If the sight of Hillary and Bill Clinton doesn't annoy you know, Powerline found a cartoon for you.

Facebook quote of the week

The chick that voiced my GPS might rank in the top 5 bossiest women I have known......lol

Saturday song

The weekend is a good time to hear "slow down, you move too fast."

Block that media

Roger Goodell's press conference left DaTech Guy impressed.
By holding a long press conference and answering many questions (even if many of those answers were vague) he appears to be open to critique.  By taking responsibility he deflects problems from their sponsors.  By announcing a series of programs he gives other people skin in the game for NFL money to continue to flow and finally by saying all will be done by the Super Bowl he makes it more likely that the story can fade for most of this season so everyone can make their bucks and enjoy their games.
The media cheerleaders are left why nobody is following their whine.

Hope I die before I get old

Remember Democrats fussing when Sarah Palin accused Obamacare of including "death panels."
Now read the words of Obamacare architect Ezekiel Emanuel.
Sounds like he'd like parents to get the bucket more quickly.
Our living too long places real emotional weights on our progeny.
Unless there has been terrible abuse, no child wants his or her parents to die. It is a huge loss at any age. It creates a tremendous, unfillable hole. But parents also cast a big shadow for most children. Whether estranged, disengaged, or deeply loving, they set expectations, render judgments, impose their opinions, interfere, and are generally a looming presence for even adult children. This can be wonderful. It can be annoying. It can be destructive. But it is inescapable as long as the parent is alive. Examples abound in life and literature: Lear, the quintessential Jewish mother, the Tiger Mom. And while children can never fully escape this weight even after a parent dies, there is much less pressure to conform to parental expectations and demands after they are gone.
Thanks for your input, but enough enjoy living that they will keep doing it.

Weekend watchdog

Last year's Super Bowl wasn't a treat for Peyton Manning.
But he gets a second chance at the Seahawks this week. The teams meet at 4:25 p.m. on CBS.
The Broncos bolted out to a 2-0 start, one of seven teams to begin the year perfect. The Seahawks fell to San Diego last week after their season opening victory over the Packers.
Kirk Cousin and the Redskins take on Philadelphia Sunday at 1 p.m. on Fox, while the Ravens visit Cleveland on CBS.
The Steelers and Panthers cap Sunday's action on NBC, and ESPN brings the Bears' visit to the New York Jets Monday.
On the college gridiron, Connecticut visits South Florida Friday at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
Top-ranked Florida State gets tested by Clemson on ABC Saturday at 8 p.m. In the afternoon, ABC offers Utah at Michigan or Texas A&M facing SMU. ESPN2 has the game not shown over the air in your area.
Third-ranked Alabama faces Florida at 3:30 p.m. on CBS, while Oklahoma and West Virginia clash on Fox at 7:30 p.m.
ESPN starts its day at noon with Virginia Tech hosting Georgia Tech, then Virginia heads to BYU at 3:30 p.m. In primetime, Mississippi State faces LSU before Oregon tangles with Washington State at 10:30 p.m.
Wisconsin battles Bowling Green on ESPN2 at noon. Miami faces Nebraska at 8 p.m.
Comcast carries a pair of games from the CAA, with James Madison visiting Villanova at 12:30 p.m. before New Hampshire plays Richmond.
Louisville tries to bounce back from its loss to Virginia, taking on Florida International on FoxSports1 at 3:30 p.m. San Diego State battles Oregon State at 10:30 p.m.
Maryland left the ACC, but they appear on the ACC network this week with a trip to Syracuse at 12:30 p.m.
Old Dominion takes on Rice on MASN2 at noon.
With division titles in hand, the Orioles and Nationals rest up and gear up for the postseason this weekend. Boston comes to Baltimore for the final regular season home series Friday through Sunday on MASN, while Washington heads to Miami on MASN2.
The Royals host the Tigers in a battle for the AL Central, with coverage on ESPN2 Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. on Fox and Sunday at 1:35 p.m. on TBS.
The Dodgers and Cubs also meet on Fox Saturday at 1 p.m. ESPN shows the Reds and Cardinals Sunday at 8 p.m.
NASCAR visits New Hampshire for the second race in the Chase for the Cup. ESPN has coverage Sunday at 2 p.m.
NBC Sports network carries the Singapore Grand Prix Sunday at 7:30 a.m. There's practice Friday at 9:30 a.m.
D.C. United visits Chicago Saturday at 8:30 p.m. on Comcast. Colorado takes on Real Salt Lake Friday at 10 p.m. on NBC Sports network, and there's a pair of games Saturday - Vancouver-Portland at 5 p.m. followed by the Red Bulls against Seattle.
West Ham takes on Liverpool Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on NBC. Queens Park Rangers face Stoke City Saturday at 7:45 a.m. on NBC Sports network, then Aston Villa meets Arsenal at 10 a.m. Chelsea clashes with Manchester City at 11 a.m.
The NHL preseason begins on Comcast Sunday at 5 p.m., with the Capitals hosting Buffalo.
NBC Sports network offers equestrian show jumping from Central Park Thursday at 7 p.m.

Living in high Cotton

Another Friday, another good Republican to support in November.
Arkansas' Tom Cotton gets the spotlight from the Ten Buck crew today.
The crew appreciates your support.

Adrienne's Corner
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Mind Numbed Robothttp://mindnumbedrobot.com/

Polinationhttp://polination.wordpress.com/

Political Clown Paradehttp://politicalclownparade.blogspot.com/

Proof Positivehttp://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/

Texas Conservative Newshttp://www.texasconservativenews.com/

Theo Sparkhttp://www.theospark.net/

Wybloghttp://wyblog.us/blog

Bridgegate? Never mind

Remember all the fuss liberals made about Chris Christie and the bridge closing?
Of course he knew.
He had to know.
After nine months, they found - nothing.
Nobody turned on him to save their hide.
"Turned up nothing."
Bet they can find more if they spend nine months looking into Benghazi, the IRS, Obamacare websites......

If you're easily offended, read this

Matt Walsh knows you're easily offended.
And he offends you anyway.

We get offended faster and more efficiently than anyone. And it’s not just our speed that separates us from the rest — it’s our endurance. We have a limitless capacity for offendedness. Every week there are dozens of new national outrages and boycott campaigns and social media crusades to raise awareness about some offensive thing, or to get someone fired for saying some offensive thing, or to teach people that some previously non-offensive thing has now become offensive.
Most of all, I find myself positively dazzled by the dexterity and athleticism with which we get offended. We can juggle six or seven outrages all at once, and then drop them and pick up new ones in the blink of an eye.

Another one under the bus

How does the 2014 campaign look for Democrats?
Politico has a lengthy story on the troubles between DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the Obama team.
Nuff said.

No security for Democrats

The Atlantic gives Democrats more cause for concern about the November election.
Fundamentally, the Democrats’ terrorism problem with women—especially married white women—isn’t about policy. It’s about trust. In 2002, at a time of heightened anxiety, women trusted a Republican president to keep them safe. In 2014, with that anxiety heightened again, they don’t trust a Democratic president to do the same.
This is likely the product of long-standing stereotypes about Democrats as weak on national defense and a generally sour mood about Obama and the direction of the country. In some voters’ minds, Ball notes, the chaos in the Middle East and the chaos in Ferguson have fused to create the picture of a frightening, unraveling world. That conflation was a staple of Republican politics in the 1970s and 1980s, when Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan accused liberals of failing to stand up to violent disorder both in the third world and on America’s streets. It proved toxic for Democrats back then, and it’s proving toxic again today.

Cal didn't sit

The Nationals and Orioles clinched their divisions last night.
I have several players from those teams on my fantasy team.
Thus, five of my top players are resting tonight.
Now we know why Cal Ripken played in so many games in a row - he rarely had to rest for the postseason.
At least these players gave me a pretty good regular season.

Does Jindal have what it takes?

Enough of this election cycle. What about 2016?
Any Bobby Jindal supporters out there? He might have a spot.
Jindal has fought the Obama administration on a wide range of energy issues. As befits a wonk, his mastery of these issues seems complete. You can read Jindal’s energy plan at the AmericaNext website.
If Jindal runs for president, he will need to impress both as a wonk and as a traditional politician. Today, he seemed capable of this. But the trick will be to know when to come across as the one and when to come across as the other.

Crush at the crash site

Orioles' Chris Davis has been known as Crush for his home runs.
Now on suspension for forgetting to get permission to use his Adderall, he was driving south of Baltimore Monday when Crush saw a car crash.
He and some other drivers jumped into action to help the injured.
"I pulled past the wreck and over to the right-hand pull-off and I saw that there were still two men in the truck and that one of them was trapped halfway out the window. He was pinned underneath the overturned truck. He was bleeding pretty badly and gasoline was dripping out of the truck. The first man waved me over, and he, and I, and a woman started trying to lift the truck off of the pinned man. It was too heavy for the three of us - it was an old, large model pick-up and was VERY heavy. However, within a half-a-minute, another five to six folks had jumped out and started helping. We were able to pick the truck back up onto its wheels - unpinning the man.
"When I turned to look at the first man, I instantly noticed a VERY strong resemblance to Chris Davis. He didn't have any Orioles gear on (so I wasn't sure .. there was no big "19" on him anywhere!), except his tennis shoes were black and orange. We glanced at each other with a "good job" look and I said, 'Chris?' He said, 'Yeah?' 'Chris Davis?' 'Yeah?' I said, 'One hell of a way to meet Chris Davis ... and by the way, I think they screwed you over big-time and I support you 100 percent.' He said 'Thanks, it really means a lot to hear that," and was very sincere about it. He also said he was RIGHT in back of the truck when it had a tire blow-out and swerved, hit the wall and rolled.
He did good on the road.
He'll be good on the diamond when he returns.

Undefeated teams watch

Two weeks of the NFL season are done, and seven teams remain undefeated.
Did you think the Bills and Texans would be among them?
There's no meetings between 2-0 teams next week.
How many will remain perfect - and give us another battle of undefeated teams?
The 1972 Miami Dolphins are watching.

All talk, no action

Ace wonders if President Obama has inspired his followers to help his fellow man - or just feel better about themselves.
Then answers his own question.
Here is my guess: No, they have not, because if they had, the increased social giving of Obama's minions would be a frequently-noted phenomenon in the media, frequently cited as one of the things Obama did to benefit us all.
And frankly, Obama needs some Wins like that.
So if he had this Win, I assume the media would have told us about it.
Given that the media has not told us about it, I assume the opposite: that it has not in fact happened.

Clinching time

The Nationals are in Atlanta, where wins in two of three games clinch the NL East.
The Orioles welcome Toronto, and can claim the AL East with two wins in three games - provided the Yankees lose once in Tampa.
It's almost celebration time.

Thus, the fantasy season ends

I joined a fantasy baseball league for the first time this year.
I think I enjoyed the season more with this, although the Orioles winning really helped.
Last week started our playoffs, and I had the higher seed (fourth of 14 squads) and a 5-5 tie Sunday afternoon.
I just needed Tampa Bay to win in nine innings, giving Chris Archer the win and clinching that category for me.
One out to go, and a 5-4 lead.
Until John Mayberry homered.
The Rays won in extra innings, but that did me no good. A tie in wins meant I finished 4-5-1, and there goes the championship hopes.
At least the Orioles and Nationals will live their postseason fantasies in a few weeks.

Not a fine whine

Powerline suffered through the New York Times' article on President Obama Sunday.
The principal impression one takes away from the story is of the president’s whininess. He seems to take it as a personal affront that Islamic terrorists have disrupted the torpor of his second term, and have even required him to make a decision to use military force. A recurring theme is Obama’s belief that he is unpopular because Americans just don’t appreciate how deliberate, how careful, how nuanced–how smart, in a word–he is.

How about thinking about ISIS?

The Sunday shows gave politicians a chance to discuss the Ray Rice situation.
Nice.
How about doing your job, and securing the country?
But if you did that, then we'd be shocked.

85 years to go

Two weeks ago, Dustbury mentioned preparations for viewing an eclipse in 2017.
The site listed the projected paths of future eclipses.
Looks like Fishersville will be in the middle of the eclipse on Sept. 14, 2099.
Starting the countdown to the big day.

Can we learn a lesson?

During the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky trial, you might have heard about Baltimore sportscaster Gerry Sandusky - what a difference one letter in your name can make.
His daughter worked with the Ravens as an intern before moving to work in relationship violence prevention.
She hopes to see more learning and less shouting from this episode.
I remember a time that I had made a character compromising decision and someone much wiser and empathetic told me that when you are young and you make a mistake, people react in two ways: some judge and some teach. In this world there are teachers and there are judgers.
I am not condoning Ray's actions. I'm not pretending to know what is going through his or his wife's mind. I'm suggesting that maybe instead of focusing all of our energy as a society on judging and analyzing and generating opinions, we should focus our energy on teaching.
Instead of bashing the Rice’s relationship, or criticizing how the Ravens handled the situation, or speculating that the NFL is comprised of a bunch of liars, or demanding statements and judgments from every member of the media; we should instead use this tragic incident as a reminder to treat our loved ones with care and kindness, educate our children about healthy relationships, reflect on our own priorities and ask ourselves if we are consistently making decisions we are proud of on a daily basis.

Bad things make some people feel good

Virginia Right sees the problems around the world boiling down to one point - those using circumstances to elevate themselves and their views.
A woman goes after her man, slapping and spitting and screaming. They trap themselves in an enclosed elevator, stare each other down in mutual resentment, and together embrace the insanity of a mutual tragedy. He slugs her. Her head slams into a railing. She loses consciousness.
Hooray! What excellent circumstance! For now as a nation we may, as individuals and as a mob, pass judgment upon this man and this woman, upon those who employed the man, those who wore his jerseys on Thursday night, those who stood for The State and failed to pass a sentence that pleased us, and announce to ourselves and to all the world that “We’re angry because violence is bad!”.
How do you stand against this mob?
Be remembering that you're not alone.
And it's likely those proclaiming their anger at other faults have major faults of their own.

Recycling update

Another run to the recycling center, and 55 cents per pound for aluminum cans.

Saturday song

The doctor told a man he had "Tom Jones" disease. Is it rare? It's not unusual.

Facebook quote of the week

Please stop asking me to play games - please!

Hawkeye star

National Review tells how Joni Ernst has given Iowa Democrats fits this year.
Despite an onslaught of negative ads — Democrats have poured over $13 million into the race, compared to $6 million from Republicans — two recent polls show that Ernst has closed a 13-point deficit; the race is now a dead heat. A USA Today/Suffolk University survey showed Braley leading 40.2 percent to 40 percent (a statistically meaningless difference), while Public Policy Polling — a Democratic-leaning pollster — gives Braley a 41–40 lead.
Democrats tried to strangle her candidacy in its infancy, but failed. They began running ads against Ernst as soon as the primary ended; for about 10 days, voters were hearing or seeing only the attack ads, as Ernst wasn’t on TV.
Looks like she'll be making Washington Democrats squeal in 2015.

Ten Buck Friday

Political Clown Parade continues the Ten Buck Friday campaign with support for Republicans trying to take Senate seats in states that Mitt Romney won in 2012.

The Real Clear Politics Average through September 10^th shows that Dan Sullivan is up 1.3 points over Mark Begich in the Alaska race.  Arkansas’s Mark Pryor is trailing his opponent Tom Cotton by 2.4 points.  Iowa is proving a little tougher with Bruce Braley continuing to lead opponent Joni Ernst by 1.2 points.  Bill Cassidy continues to hold a 1.3 point lead over a weakened Mary Landrieu in Louisiana and finally North Carolina has flipped again to Kay Hagan leading Thom Tillis by 1.8 points where earlier he held a negligible 0.8 point advantage.

Good Republican candidates who will be good Republican Senators.

Weekend watchdog

Two and a half more weeks left in Derek Jeter's last season - unless the Yankees can make the postseason.
The Yankees' hopes for one more playoff run may depend on this weekend's series in division-leading Baltimore - four games starting Friday at 1 p.m. on MASN.
Friday's day-night doubleheader is due to a rainout in August. Both Friday games will be on MASN, with Saturday afternoon's contest on Fox and Sunday night on ESPN.
Jeter played at Camden Yards in the postseason of 1996 and 2012. Winning this series may keep his postseason hopes alive a little while longer.
The Nationals visit the Mets, with games on MASN Saturday and Sunday while Friday's contest is on MASN2.
Fox also shows the Braves against the Rangers Saturday at 1 p.m. The Padres meet the Diamondbacks on FoxSports1 Saturday at 8 p.m., and TBS shows the AL Central battle between the Indians and Tigers.
The 49ers open their new stadium against the Bears Sunday at 8:30 p.m. on NBC while the Eagles visit the Colts on ESPN Monday night.
The Redskins head to Jacksonsville Sunday at 1 p.m. on CBS, with Broncos-Chiefs as the nightcap. Fox shows the Cardinals at Giants at 1 p.m. in the Harrisonsburg area.
ESPN continues the college football weekend Friday when Baylor visits Buffalo at 8 p.m.
Fresh off the big win over Ohio State, Virginia Tech hosts East Carolina Saturday at noon on ESPN. Virginia opens its ACC season, facing Louisville on the ACC network at 12:30 p.m.
The SEC on CBS kicks off at 3:30 p.m. when Georgia faces South Carolina.
Notre Dame hosts Purdue at 7:30 p.m. on NBC, while Fox has a pair of contests - Illinois-Washington at 4 p.m. followed by UCLA-Texas.
ABC starts its day at noon with either Kent State-Ohio State or Boise State against Connecticut, with the game not over the air in your area on ESPN2. Arkansas tangles with Texas Tech at 3:30 p.m. and the primetime matchup brings Tennessee against Oklahoma.
Iowa battles Iowa State on ESPN at 3:30 p.m., and Boston College hosts Southern Cal at 8 p.m.
Third-ranked Alabama faces Southern Miss at 6 p.m., and it's Rice against Texas A&M at 9 p.m.
FoxSports1 starts its day at noon with Pittsburgh traveling to Florida International. Minnesota travels to TCU at 4 p.m.
There's a pair of ACC teams on Comcast, with Georgia Tech hosting Georgia Southern at noon followed by Duke-Kansas.
Texas-San Antonio visits Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. on MASN2.
Comcast offers high school football between DeMatha and LaSalle Friday at 7:30 p.m.
It's Race for the Chase time, starting at Chicagoland Sunday at 2 p.m. on ESPN. The Nationwide racers will go fast Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
The PGA tour crowns its season-long champion in Atlanta this weekend. Coverage starts Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on NBC and Sunday at 3 p.m.
Liverpool faces Aston Villa in the Premier League Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on NBC. NBC Sports network has two games Saturday, with Arsenal-Manchester City at 7:45 a.m. followed by Chelsea meeting Swansea City. Manchester United meets Queens Park Rangers Sunday at 11 a.m.
Real Salt Lake visits Seattle on NBC Sports network Friday at 10:30 p.m. The Red Bulls take on Philadelphia Saturday at 3 p.m.
The United States has reached the final of the World Cup of basketball from Spain, playing Sunday at 3 p.m. on ESPN2. France and Serbia play in the second semifinal Friday at 4 p.m. on ESPN2 with the right to reach the final. The third place game is at 1 p.m.
Phoenix tries to clinch the WNBA championship Friday, taking on Chicago in Game 3 at 8 p.m. Game 4, if necessary, will be Sunday at 5:30 p.m.

Plan your October

Major League Baseball has released the playing schedule for the postseason.
Plan your viewing now.

Don't let a CR-ISIS go to waste

I loved Jim Geraghty's headline on this morning's Jolt.
Although he may have been topped by Jim Teacher.
"ISIL have no idea what to do about this $#!+."

Obama's role model

Wonder how President Obama learned to lead from behind?
Watching F Troop reruns.

The new Susie Chapstick

Fox News called Augusta County Wednesday - checking on Grace Karaffa's quest to use chapstick at school.
Hope the Chapstick people call next.
What a great promotional idea for them.

Schmookler's battle whine

Andy Schmookler has a failed thesis.
He thinks liberals aren't aggressive enough against conservatives.
Sarah Palin could not be reached for comment.
He intends to start a grand crusade against those he deems destructive to our political discourse.
The people who think we shouldn't spend more than we have.
The people who love our country and all it's stood for over 200 years.
Luckily, the battle whine will be unheeded.
Since he's so busy looking at his opponents that he doesn't see the aggression from liberals.

Call 'em ISIL

What should we call the bad guys in the Middle East?
ISIS or ISIL.
It's ISIL.
For Islamic State Including Losers.

Unnecessary roughness

Powerline looks at the Ray Rice situation - and sees piling on.
1) I hate these ritual shunnings where everyone, seemingly, is required to join in the condemnation–in this case, of Ray Rice. If you do anything but participate in the chorus of opprobrium, it sounds like you are coming out in favor of wife-beating. But my instinct is to rebel against the herd.

It's our pleasure to serve you

The Washington Post looks at the top fast-food chicken restraurant - and the secret of success from taking a day of rest.
The closed-on-Sundays policy has become a perennial business-trade target because of the potential billions of dollars in lost sales, but it also has been a rallying point for diners who see the policy as a rare big-business show of faith. Cathy stood firm, calling it “the best business decision I ever made.” (He shared other nuggets of wisdom in books like “How Did You Do It, Truett?”.)
The chicken chain’s U.S. sales soared to more than $5 billion last year, besting KFC’s $4.22 billion — a clear rout, considering Col. Sanders’s chicken is so much easier to find, according to data from QSR, a trade publication about the fast-food industry. There were 1,775 Chick-fil-A restaurants in the United States last year, mostly in the South, compared with 4,491 KFCs. The average Chick-fil-A earned $3.2 million last year, three times more than the average KFC, QSR said.

Don't you want a senator in the majority?

Ed Gillespie has struggled to gain traction against Senator Mark Warner in this year's race.
But maybe a rising tide of Republicans can lift his boat.
Polls are showing an increasing likelihood of Republicans winning the Senate majority for the final two years of the Obama administration.
What's Warner going to do in the minority?
Republicans will have the legislative momentum and Democrats will be left to cry no.
Gillespie will have more power than Warner in the next Senate.
Although Warner will probably give support to a few Republican ideas.
Remember that Democrats when you vote for him.

There are two I's in ISIS

When President Obama talks about ISIS Wednesday, what will be his focus.
Himself, of course.
According to Jonathan Karl of ABC News, President Obama's speech tomorrow will not focus on how he plans to defeat ISIS but to defend against his bad poll numbers. "The single-biggest factor in that, [his low poll nun is that a majority say the President has been too cautious in responding to this threat. That's why he's giving the speech. He's not going to order air strikes on Syria yet. He is going to make the case that he has a strong approach, a strategy for taking on this group."

Feel the wave building

Republicans need to net six Senate seats to take control for the final two years of the Obama administration.
New polls have good news for the GOP.
Big picture, Republicans appear favored — for now — to retain all of the seats they currently control; they’re also leading, at least nominally, in eight contests for Democrat-held seats.  Plus, they’re very competitive in at least three others.

Ray Rice and Bob McDonnell

Watching Sunday's Ravens game, I thought "they lost this game in New Jersey in the winter." The rushing game needed Ray Rice.
Today, we find out there's no more Ray Rice for the Ravens. Nevermore.
In the midst of the anger at Rice for what he did, there's disappointment that a guy we thought we knew and supporter.
How did he behave so badly?
We're Ravens fans. The guys come and go, but he's one of the guys who brought us excitement over the past six years.
Did Rice do anything worse than others have done in the past? In the 95-year history of the NFL?
Probably not.
But his actions were caught on video.
Seeing makes a difference.
It's the same disappointment Bob McDonnell fans felt after his guilty verdict.
You thought you knew him well.
He was your guy, and his political victories were your victories.
Then came the charges, indictment and trial.
Maybe other politicians have gained more financially for selling their office.
But he got caught.
You may want to defend your guy, but the tsunami of criticism for the bad behavior pours down.
Your guy messed up.
You didn't.
Tomorrow, the sun will come up and you'll be wiser.
Rice and McDonnell will be living with their mistakes.

Looking good

The Other McCain likes the news of Republican chances to take the Senate nearing 67 percent.
With the fall campaign season in full swing, the basic advantages belong to Republicans, and polls show that the Senate majority is within the GOP’s reach.

Look at the sun, at a minimum

While the global warming prophets wonder where the warmer temperatures are, maybe the sun has the answer.

Hail to the Redskins, unless you're playing my team

Over at DaTech Guy, MarathonPundit weighs in on the Redskins' controversy.
And gives the perfect NFL fan response.
Go Redskins! I wish you great success–unless you’re playing my Chicago Bears, who I hope “kick your collective posterior.”

Not OK, fine, fer sure, fer sure

Powerline isn't impressed by the Valley Girls at the State Department.
And how dare you notice this.
We are left, then, with a baseless, whiney complaint against O’Reilly, the real thrust of which is that it’s “not ok” to express the opinion that a woman is “out of her depth,” even if that’s what one believes. Since when is policing speech part of the job of an administration flack?

Health for Heath

Although he's a Pittsburgh Steeler, I root for tight end Heath Miller.
A star at the University of Virginia after playing high school football at a small southwest Virginia school, he looks to bounce back from an off 2013.
Recuperating from an injury meant last season was a struggle.
I hope he has 14 good games - and two losses to the Ravens.

30 years ago today

My professional newspaper career began on this day in 1984, starting work at the Georgetown Times in South Carolina and covering a high school volleyball match that evening.
I learned lots and had plenty of great experiences.

Advice for celebrities

I heard this advice several times today, so it must be good.

Saturday song

Lots of people seem to enjoy this Tom Jones' song.

Facebook quote of the week

I was in a restaurant last week and it didn't have WiFi. I actually had to talk to people. It was like being in the 1990's.

Foreign Legion for losers

Jonah Goldberg tells it like it is for ISIS supporters.
Many of the Westerners flocking to Syria and Iraq for “jihad tourism” don’t have any of the usual excuses one hears for terrorism. Just like the 9/11 hijackers, they are often middle-class, educated, and technologically adept.
What they are not is assimilated. They may have passports identifying them as American, French, or British, but they are not American, French, or British in their hearts. These labels do not give them the meaning and mission in life they crave. And Western democratic capitalism bores them. Often the children of immigrants, they are literally misfits; they don’t fit in with their parents’ native culture, but they also haven’t connected to the society in which they now live.

Nunn of the above

Political Clown Parade asked some bloggers to join in for Ten Buck Fridays.
The first candidate to support - David Perdue in Georgia as he faces Sam Nunn's daughter.
She got some friends to join her.
Wyblog
Mind Numbed Robot
Left Coast Rebel
Proof Positive
Adrienne's Corner
Theo Spark
Texas Conservative News
Gaining six Senate seats will give the Republicans a majority for the final two years of the Obama era.
And can help begin to reverse the error.

Start cooking

Megan McArdle reminds us of the real purpose of cooking - eating.
It doesn't have to be special all the time.
The odds of a picky husband or child dying of malnutrition or whining are really very low. I’m not saying that it never happens. In most cases, however, they will eat when they get hungry enough. You are, as my mother frequently noted, not running a restaurant. Your job is to put healthy food on the table, not to make sure they leave said table in paroxysms of delight. It’s disappointing if they don’t like everything you are cooking, but too many women let that disappointment drive them to unreasonable lengths.

Weekend watchdog

Peyton Manning and his Denver teammates failed to win last year's Super Bowl.
But they still get a primetime home game opening week.
The Colts visit the Mile High City to close out the first Sunday of the season. NBC has coverage at 8:30 p.m.
The Redskins open their season at Houston, looking to end a 14-game losing streak with top draft pick Jadeveon Clowney. Coverage is Sunday at 1 p.m. on FOX, followed by the 49ers at Cowboys. The Ravens start their season at home against Cincinnati on CBS at 1 p.m.
ESPN starts its opening Monday night doubleheader in Detroit, with the Lions battling the Giants at 7 p.m. The Chargers head to Arizona in the nightcap.
North of the border, Saskatchewan takes on Winnipeg Sunday at 4 p.m. on ESPN.
The college week ccontinues Friday with a doubleheader on ESPN, with Pittsburgh-Boston College at 7 p.m. followed by Washington State facing Nevada at 10:30 p.m.
Virginia Tech heads to the Horseshoe, meeting Ohio State Saturday at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
Notre Dame hosts Michigan at 7:30 p.m. on NBC while Michigan State heads west to battle Oregon on Fox at 6:30 p.m.
ABC has a pair of choices at noon - Akron against Penn State and Oklahoma taking on Tulsa. ESPN2 will have the game not shown over the air in your area. At 3:30 p.m., Stanford meets Southern Cal.
Missouri tackles Toledo at noon and Mississippi battles Vanderbilt at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN.
ESPN2 has Ball State against Iowa at 3:30 p.m. Auburn meets San Jose State at 7 p.m., and Colorado State travels to Boise State at 10:15 p.m.
FoxSports1 starts its day at noon with Kansas State-Iowa State from the Big 12. Texas hosts BYU at 7:30 p.m. and Texas Tech tackles UTEP at 11 p.m.
Clemson takes on South Carolina State at 12:30 p.m. on the ACC network.
Florida State hosts The Citadel Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on Comcast.
MASN2 brings SMU-North Texas Saturday at noon, followed by Missouri State facing Oklahoma State at 3:30 p.m.
NASCAR sets its 16-car Chase for the Cup after Saturday's race in Richmond. Thirteen racers have already clinched their spots, and the others can grab a place with a win Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on ABC. The Nationwide racers go Friday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
NBC Sports network has the Italian Grand Prix Sunday at 7:30 a.m. There's practice Friday at 8 a.m. and qualifying Saturday at 8 a.m.
The division-leading Orioles visit Tampa Bay for the weekend. Games Friday and Sunday are on MASN2, with Saturday afternoon's contest on Fox. The Nationals host the Phillies for the weekend on MASN.
FoxSports1 offers Yankees-Royals Saturday at 4 p.m., and the two teams battle on TBS Sunday at 1:05 p.m. The Giants visit the Tigers Saturday at 1 p.m. on Fox and Sunday night on ESPN.
The U.S. Open closes this weekend, with the women's final Sunday at 4:30 p.m. and men's championship Monday at 5 p.m.
ESPN has the men's doubles championship Sunday at 12:30 p.m. while CBS carries the women's semifinals Friday at 12:30 p.m. and men's semifinals Saturday at noon.
NBC carries the BMW championships from Denver Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
D.C. United takes on Vancouver Saturday at 11 p.m. on Comcast. Colorado clashes with the Galaxy Friday at 10:30 p.m. on NBC Sports network while Sporting Kansas City visits the Red Bulls Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ESPN2 has Portland against San Jose Sunday at 4:45 p.m.
The International World Cup of basketball has play in the round of 16 Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN.
Chicago and Phoenix battle for the WNBA title, starting Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.

Just like a prayer

Via Ace, a post about prayer that doesn't talk about God.
By emphasizing the humility inherent in prayer.
Being humble is very hard for many people because it makes them feel unimportant and helpless. To embrace our own smallness is not to say we're dumb or that we don't matter, but to realize how amazing it is that we exist at all in the midst of so much more. To be fully alive, we must realize how much else there is besides ourselves. We must accept how much we don't know — and how much we still have to learn — about ourselves and the whole world. Kneeling down and fully comprehending the incomprehensible is the physical act of displaying our respect for everything that isn't "us."
And remembering the concerns of others.
I want you to pray for your brother right now. As a gesture to your grandmother — who, if she didn't exist, neither would you. I want you to pray right now, just for the sake of challenging yourself. I want you to find a place alone, and kneel down — against all your stubborn tendencies telling you not to — and close your eyes and think of one concentrated thought: your brother.

"Crazy wife" strategy didn't work

Bob McDonnell told the jury he was guilty.
By the crazy wife defense.
Sure we took money.
But it didn't matter.
We acted like a happy family in the governor's mansion.
How do we know you're not just acting now?
It's a sad day for the McDonnells.
Hopefully, it means better days ahead for government. You can't appear to benefit in any way from your position.
If you can't buy a politician, what will the special interests do?
Work to convince the public that their projects are worthwhile.

Warren on ISIS

Staffer: We have to get ahead of this ISIS situation.
Warren: How?
Staffer: Be aggressive. Say we must destroy it now.

Understanding Rotherham

The Anchoress tries to make sense of the Rotherham situation.
I keep thinking of President Obama’s recent remarks about the world, upended:

“…the old order is having a tough time holding together and the new order has yet to be born, and in the interim, it’s scary.”

That’s certainly how things feel, right now. Old orders cast aside, new ones not quite in place. And not just in the Middle East.

Ready for an unhappy meal

Megan McArdle writes about the latest attempt to unionize fast food workers.
So fast food is, on the one hand, expensive to organize; on the other hand, the amount of value each worker creates is not high enough to deliver 1) fatter paychecks to 2) the same number of workers and 3) hefty union dues to cover the high cost of organizing these outlets.
Sounds like Thursday is a good day to visit your friendly fast food restaurant.

Poll dancing

Don Surber shares a poll that ought to scare Democrats.
The public trusts Republicans over Democrats on the economy, 49% to 42%.
Republicans win on federal budget and spending, 51%-38%.
Republicans win on foreign policy, 50% to 40%.
Republicans win on immigration, 48% to 41%. So much for the media’s message that Republicans have to go Democratic Lite on this issue.
That's before President Obama showed he doesn't know what ISIS is.

Pipe it in

Governor Terry McAuliffe shocked supporters by touting the new natural gas pipeline through Virginia.
It may be coming close to my neighborhood in Fishersville.
But another main gas pipeline flows through Lake Monticello.
No problems there.

"O say can you see" at 200

The Washington Post tells the story of Francis Scott Key's famous composition.
Through the morning mist, the Americans finally could make out a flag, towering over the grassy knoll of the ramparts. But the banner hung limply from the flagpole, and it was impossible to tell if it was American or British.
A slight breeze blew fitfully from the northeast, scattering the mist. The flag stirred with a tantalizing hint, but Key and Skinner remained unsure. Finally a beam of sun illuminated the flag, revealing it to be American.
While some people have struggled with the anthem, Key and his friends knew it well.

See you in October

Sports Illustrated ranks the competitiveness of playoff races.
AL East comes in last, just ahead of NL East.
Orioles and Nationals are looking good for October baseball.

Silly hillbillies

Powerline finds growing Democratic frustration with the ISIS situation flowing to Twitter.
If wanting answers is "hillbilly," then count me in.

Looking at the man looking in the mirror

Michael Barone examines President Obama's problems dealing with others.
The ability to read other people comes more easily if you’re interested in others, curious to learn what makes them tick. It comes harder or not at all if you’re transfixed with your image of yourself.
Which seems to be the case with Barack Obama. Not only is he not much interested in the details of public policy, as Jay Cost argues persuasively in a recent article for the Weekly Standard. He is also, as even his admirers concede, not much inclined to schmooze with other politicians, even his fellow Democrats.
After years of blaming Republicans for obstruction, shouldn't we look at the man admiring himself in the mirror?

This is getting old

The New York Times finds a group of people suffering - those baby boomers having trouble getting old.
JOHNATHAN RODGERS, who is 68, knew that it was time to step down as president and chief executive of the cable channel TV One when he looked around the conference table. “I had almost always been the youngest through most of my career,” says the former media executive. “Now I was the oldest, and it caused great discomfort.”
So tough, not being the youngest anymore.