I Don't Get It

It doesn't particularly bother me or anything.  I just don't understand it.  Why does it matter to a professional athlete which team he retires from.  Why does it mean something to come back to a city and sign a phony contract so you can say "I retired as a ___________."

I especially don't get doing it when you haven't played in several years.  Again, it doesn't particularly bother me.  I just don't understand it.

Seven Years Later, Kordell Retires as a Steeler

It's Always About Him, Part 2

President Obama may yet apologize for his statement about "Polish death camps".  The reason it's taking so long, though, is that he simply cannot admit that he's ever been wrong about anything.  The president simply is incapable of believing that he could possibly be less than perfect.

Being Barack Obama means never having to say you're sorry.  Because after all, if you're Barack Obama, what could you possibly have to be sorry about?

Poland Not Satisfied with White House "Regret" over "Death Camp" Comment

It's Always About Him

President Obama had a meeting with some Jewish leaders.  He could've talked about the contributions Judaism has made to culture.  He could've talked about the historic relationship between Israel and the United States.  He could've talked about all the things he's done as president to strengthen that relationship (granted, that would've been tough, but I'm sure he could've thought of something).  Instead, he chose to talk about--himself.

Has this man ever given a speech in which he didn't make it about himself?

Obama...Stressed He Probably Knows About Judaism More Than Any Other President

It's His Own Fault

The only one who can make a president irrelevant is the president.  After all, he's the president.  He has all kinds of people and power at his disposal.  The only way he can become irrelevant is if he refuses to deal with the problems facing the country in a serious way.

Obama's 'to do' List Finds Few Takers

Incentives and Subsidies

The first is good, the second not so much.  The first makes you more efficient, the second makes you less so.  You see, as long as someone else, especially a someone else with a seemingly unlimited supply of money, is willing to pay your bills for you, you have no incentive to save or make money.  You can just do whatever you feel like doing, without worrying about whether it actually makes sense.  When you have to pay the bills yourself, you have to figure out a way to make money, or you'll go out of business.

Without subsidies, the so-called green energy industry will figure out a way to be more efficient and make money.  Or it won't.  In which case it will be an idea whose time has not yet come, if it ever does.

Spain Ejects Clean Power Industry with Europe Precedent: Energy

This Makes Me Nervous

I'm a Minnesota Twins fan.  I really hope they get a good player in the draft this year.  The thing is, when you try to hard to hit a home run, you can end up striking out.  A lot.

Twins' Scouting Director Johnson Swinging for the Fences

One Quibble With This Article

The college-for-all crusade has not "outlived its usefulness".  It never had any usefulness to begin with.

It was never a good idea to try to get everyone to go to college.  Some people don't belong in college.  Some people prefer to do things for which they don't need college.  And some people simply have no desire to go.

That's fine.  We're all different.  We all have the right to make our choices, and we all have to live with the consequences of them.  Trying to get everyone into college just because someone else thinks they should go was always a dumb idea.

It's Time to Drop the College-for-All Crusade

Oh, Come On

Am I really supposed to believe that President Obama is personally overseeing the details of the war on terror?  There's no way.  Not only is he not doing that, he shouldn't be.  He doesn't have the knowledge to do it (neither would a President Romney, by the way).  There may be some things he needs to sign off on, but all he can do is rely on the people he considers to be experts.  The most President Obama can contribute is knowledge of the political ramifications.  Which is at least as likely to mess things up as it is to actually help.

Secret 'Kill List' Proves a Test of Obama's Leadership and Will

It Sounds Better in Theory

In theory, this "Flame" thing sounds great for spying on the bad guys in other countries.  The thing is, you know it's only a matter of time before the government starts using it to spy on U. S. citizens, too.  Which is cool when you see the government use it on NCIS to spy on bad guys.  It's not so cool when the government uses it to spy on you.

Shorter version:  Never assume you're keeping anything private.

Meet 'Flame', the Massive Spy Malware Infiltrating Iranian Computers

A Strange Distinction

Look, I'm for whatever works.  If publicizing abortions that are based on gender selection will turn people against abortion and result in fewer abortions, then by all means publicize it.  I'm for using any non-violent means of saving all the unborn children we can.

Still, it seems like a strange place to make the distinction.  "I'm fine with killing unborn children of both sexes, but don't just kill children of one sex" seems like a really odd position to have.  Again, though whatever works.

New Live Action Video Shows Planned Parenthood Encouraging Gender Selective Abortion, Medicaid Fraud

Sore Loser

See, the way it works is, if a Tea Party candidate loses in a primary and refuses to support the winner, it's because tea partiers are radical right-wingers who refuse to compromise.  If a Tea Party candidate wins and the moderate candidate refuse to support the winner, it's because tea partiers are radical right[wingers who refuse to compromise.  Heads I win, tails you lose.

All Richard Lugar is doing now is proving why Indiana Republicans were right to defeat him.

Sen. Lugar Not Planning Active Campaign for Mourdock

Is the NFL In Trouble?

We are hearing this more and more, and sometimes from NFL players themselves.  It won't affect the NFL this year or next, but if kids don't grow up playing football, not only will the NFL not get the best athletes, but there will be fewer kids growing up loving football.  That will have an effect don't the road.

Should Parents Let Their Kids Play Football?

What is a Hero?

When I first read about this, I thought, well, maybe he has a point.  After all, everybody who serves in the military is not a saint, and if you're not a saint, you don't become one just by being killed.

Then, I read the definition of a hero.  It's "a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities."  Yes, those people who have died for our country are heroes.  They may not all be perfect, but they have shown much more courage and bravery than I ever have.  Whatever faults they may have had, they also have noble qualities.  They are heroes.  No one should say otherwise.

MSNBC Host 'Uncomfortable' Calling Fallen Troops Heroes

Choose to Believe

I am choosing to believe in what this article says.  It may or may not be true.  The thing is, if enough of us believe it to be true, it will be.

America: Her Finest Hour is Yet to Come

Sounds Squirrely to Me

We have occasional power outages where I live for no apparent reason.  I'm told it's because of squirrels who somehow mess up the power lines.  Seriously?  We live in an age of technology unparalleled in the course of human history, and we can't protect power lines from squirrels (or squirrels from power lines, for that matter)?

Apparently not.  Because apparently, the place I live is not the only place this happens.

Aberdeen Power Outage Due to Squirrel

A Timely Reminder

Yes, we're reading a lot of criticism of President Obama in the mainstream press lately.  What we need to remember is that this is friendly criticism.  It's like the coach telling the star player what he's doing wrong.  As soon as something goes right, or as soon as something just doesn't go wrong, we'll be told that the president has righted the ship and has things going his way again.

Is the Obama Campaign Really Incompetent?

Patience

I'll have some links this afternoon, but life is going to get in the way this morning.  Which is not entirely a bad thing.

Online Privacy Is Like Bigfoot

It doesn't exist.  We'll all be better off when we recognize that.

REVEALED: Hundreds of words to Avoid Using Online if You Don't Want the Government Spying on You

It'll Never Be the Same

I've said I think there may be a Romney landslide in November, and I believe that.  Remember, though, that November is still over five months away, and a lot of things can happen between now and then.  It's still quite possible that President Obama will be re-elected.

Even if he is, though, it won't be the same for him, and it never will be.  His aura of untouchable invincibility is gone forever.  Once people discover that the emperor has no clothes, they never look at him the same way, even if he manages to put some clothes on again.

Obama Stumbles Out of the Gate

That's the Sound of the Men Working on the Choom Gang

Really, I only linked to this so I could use that title.  I really don't care that President Obama smoked marijuana when he was young.  Most of us did stupid things when we were teenagers.  In fact, most of us did stupid things in our twenties.  That's why the Constitution says you can't be president until you're thirty-five.

Obama and His Pot Smoking 'Choom Gang'

It's Easy to Say

As with the supposed pro-life tilt of the country a few days ago, I'm just not impressed with polls like this.  It's easy to say you're an economic conservative, and it sounds good.  Unless you're actually willing to do something about it, though, it's just words.  It's easy to say, in the abstract, that you want the budget cut.  I'll take you seriously when you start telling me specific programs you're willing to eliminate.

In U. S., Nearly Half Identify as Economically Conservative

Being Taken For Granted

See, here's the deal.  Politicians, with rare exceptions, aren't interested in doing things for you.  They're interested in what you'll do for them.  If they have to do things for you to get you to do things for them, they will, but if they don't, they won't.

Labor unions have demonstrated by their actions that they'll support Democrats no matter what.  Therefore, Democrats have no incentive to do anything for them.  This will continue until the unions demonstrate that they won't automatically support Democrats no matter what.  Which doesn't look like it's going to happen any time soon.

Unions Angry With Democrats Over Lack of Help in Wisconsin Governor's Recall

Unwritten Rules

I have no dog in the fight, but I think the NFLPA has a good argument here.  How can you fine a team for violating a salary cap unless there actually was a salary cap?

Redskins, Cowboys Are Among Defendants in NLFPA's Collusion Lawsuit

The First Rule of Holes

As you know, it's that when you're in one, you should stop digging.  Elizabeth Warren steadfastly refuses to do so.

It may well be that her grandmother told her she was part Cherokee.  We all have family stories that have been handed down that are of dubious authenticity.  But that she used it to advance her career says something about her, and that she refuses to back down from it despite proof that there's no evidence to support it shows nothing but stubbornness.

It also may well be that this won't make a difference in the election.  We'll probably never know--no one's going to say "I voted for Brown because Warren claimed to be a Cherokee."  Still, it's one part of the puzzle, and it could have an impact.

Elizabeth Warren Won't Answer "Why Did You Claim You Were a Minority and then Stop

Nothing to See Here

I'm pro-life.  I'd love to believe the pendulum of public opinion is swinging in my direction.  The thing is, though, that while lots of people will say they're pro-life, not that many actually want to do anything about their alleged pro-life stance.  When I start to see majorities say they're actually willing to do something about what they claim to believe, then I'll get excited.  Not before.

"Pro Choice" Americans at Record-Low 41%

More Evidence of the Coming Romney Landslide

Make all the excuses you want about conservative states.  Point me to even one other instance of an unchallenged incumbent losing forty percent of his own party's vote in a primary, any primary.  You may not be hearing much about it, but this is a really bad sign for President Obama.

Obama Loses 40% of the Vote In Two Democratic Primaries

He'd Better Deliver

If Romney doesn't get elected, of course, it won't matter.  If he does, though, the unemployment rate had better come down to six percent in his first term.  A Democrat might be able to get away with saying this and having it ignored when re-election time comes.  A Republican can't.

Romney: How Does Six Percent Unemployment by the End of My First Term Sound?

What Were You Thinking?

That's the question I'd ask, except that in a situation like this, it's clear that "thinking" is not what was going on.

Assistant South Dakota Attorney General Faces Drunken Driving Charge, Workplace Discipline

News Flash: The Romneys Are Rich

Again, I see this as evidence of a coming Mitt Romney landslide.  If this is the best the left can do, and if they're reduced to it this early, things must be worse for President Obama than we've been told.

Ann Romney and Dressage: A Pricey Private World

Memory Lane

Within hours of the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords, the left rushed to blame the "hate speech" of the right.  I wrote on facebook that perhaps we should wait until the facts were in before jumping to conclusions and was instantly pilloried by "friends" who claimed I was supporting hate speech.

Well, that was then, this is now.

Old Tone: South Carolina AFL-CIO President Beats Pinata With Nikki Haley's Face on It

Playing with Fire

I've said before that Steven Strasburg is an injury waiting to happen (again).  So, knowing that his arm is bothering him, the Nationals are not even going to have him miss a start.  Dumb.  You've already said you're going to limit his innings.  Why not give him a little rest now?

Stephen Strasburg Will Make His Next Start on Schedule After Arm Fatigue Sunday

It's Going to Be a Romney Landslide

At least, that's what I assume from this story.  This is the sort of hysterical (both in the psychological and in the comedic sense) story you put out there when you're so desperate that you'll throw anything out there in the hope that something might stick.  And the election is still five and a half months away.

Mitt Romney's Mormon Faith Tangles With a Quirk of Arkansas History

Denying Reality

Some of us have been wondering what the reaction will be in this country when the reality that we simply cannot forever spend more than we have actually hits us.  If Greece is any indication, the reaction will be to continue to ignore reality, and to say that nothing actually hit us even though it did.

I don't pretend to know what will happen in the future.  It is my observation, though, that once dominoes start falling, they tend to continue to fall.

Insight: Greece Party Talks Framed by Unreality, Punctuated by Insults

Fighting the Wrong War

Remember, that's what Barack Obama and the Democrats said we were doing in Iraq.  Where we should be, where we really needed to accomplish something, was in Afghanistan.

So, now we're getting ready to leave Afghanistan.  What, really, did we accomplish there?  Yes, we killed Osama bin Laden, and while I'm not being critical of that, what did that really change?  What goals did we achieve?

Obama: Afghan War As We Understood It Is Over

I Got Nothin'

Sorry, nothing has struck me as particularly interesting today.  Check back later.  In the mean time, watch a ball game or something.  I'm only posting this so you'll know I haven't abandoned this blog again.

Now That's Just Embarrasing

The National Organization for Women held a protest of Rush Limbaugh yesterday.  The protest was a month in the making.  Know how many people showed up?  Seven.

You could get more than seven people to show and protest that today is Sunday.
Seven Women Protest Rush for NOW's Big Day of Protest

Ben Franklin Was Wrong

Not about the taxes part--those remain certain.  However, according to this headline, death may not be.  I've never been a coffee drinker, but if this headline is true, sign me up!

Coffee Lovers Less Likely to Die Study Finds

Finally, Something to Do

Because, you know, nothing in sports ever happens in New York.

Citi Field to be Named Site of 2013 All-Star Game

Of Course It Is

And so are the automobile, the airplane, radio, television, computers, and the internet.  Just fads, that's all.

Poll: Half of Americans Call Facebook a Fad

New York Times and CBS Biased In Favor Of Right-Wing Extremists

At least, that's what the Obama campaign wants us to believe.  After telling us what an extremist Mitt Romney is, they're now telling us that a poll taken by the New York Times and CBS that shows Romney leading was biased in Romney's favor.

Yep, the New York Times and CBS.  Bastions of right-wing extremism.

Obama Campaign: New York Times Poll Is 'Biased'

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

If you did, nobody would believe it.  In fact, like the author of this piece, my first instinct was that this must be a joke, but apparently it's not.

Now, I'll concede that President Obama most likely did not make the decision to do this.  He may not even have known about it.  Still, whoever did make the decision obviously thought it would please President Obama.    I have little doubt that this person was right.

Obama Drops His Name Into The Other Presidential Biographies

It's Not My Money

If it was, I'd be upset about taxpayer dollars going to a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.  Since it's not, I think it's darned nice of the people of Minnesota to put up the money for a stadium in which my favorite NFL team can play.

Hartman: Vikings Glad to Leave Metrodome Behind

Priorities

As the president says, let me be clear.  I don't doubt that there are some African-American pastors who are sincerely and truly struggling with President Obama's statement in support of same sex marriage.  The thing is, though, that this struggle only really matters if they're willing to drop their support of him over it.  As long as they support the President anyway, their struggles and even their disagreement with him on this issue won't matter a bit.

After Obama's Decision on Marriage, a Call to Pastors

Good News, Bad News

There's an old story about a church that's raising money for a project.  The pastor gets up on Sunday and says, "The good news is we have all the money we need.  The bad news is it's still in your pockets."

This relates to the supply of oil.  The good news is we have all the oil we need.  The bad news is it's still in the ground.

We have the technology to get it out.  Will we use it?

GAO: Recoverable Oil in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming 'About Equal to Entire World's Proven Oil Reserves'

New York City Police Chief Opposes Catching Criminals

At least, that's the only thing I can get out of this story.  Note, this is not something that would throw people in jail for being illegal immigrants.  This is something that would apply to people who are already in jail for committing crimes.  It would put their fingerprints into a database, the kind of database they use on CSI and NCIS to catch criminals.  It seems like the kind of thing we'd want law enforcement agencies to share.  However, the Police Chief of New York City doesn't seem to agree.

Opposition Grows to Fingerprinting Illegals

Jay Rockefeller is Feeling Bullet-proof

And maybe he is.  After all, he's been one of West Virginia's senators ever since the earth cooled.  Still, a senator from West Virginia opposing the imposition of more regulations on coal might at least give some of his constituents a bit of pause for thought.

Jay Rockefeller On Rocky Ground With Coal

Jim Abdnor, Giant Killer

For those too young to remember.

Revisiting the Senator Who Toppled S. D. Giants

Half Right, Half Wrong

And what's aggravating about this Joe Posnanski piece is that he goes back and forth between the two.  Each time I start to think "how can he say that" he goes and gets it right.  And each time I start to think, "man, he's nailed it" he goes and gets it wrong.

Days Off and Josh Beckett

Noted Golfer Pitches Poorly

Look, if Josh Beckett does well the rest of the year, it won't matter that he played golf the other day.  If he does poorly the rest of the year, it still really won't matter, because he'll be getting booed anyway.

Beckett Defends Golf Outing

Enjoy It While It Lasts

When I watch Steven Strasburg pitch and see how much movement he gets on the ball, I have to think he's an injury waiting to happen, much like Kerry Wood was at the beginning of his career.  Until he blows up, though, he's a lot of fun to watch.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/nationals-vs-pirates-stephen-strasburg-strikes-out-13-to-snap-washington-out-of-slump/2012/05/10/gIQA0A7uGU_story.html

Raise Your Hand...

...if you never did something stupid in high school.

If you just raised your hand, you're lying.

Seriously, if this is the best the Democrats can do now, with almost six months to go until the election, what are they going to be talking about in September?  Romney misbehaving in preschool?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romneys-prep-school-classmates-recall-pranks-but-also-troubling-incidents/2012/05/10/gIQA3WOKFU_story.html

Where You Stand...

...depends on where you sit.  It's an old saying, but it's certainly true in this case.

http://hotair.com/archives/2012/05/10/here-we-go-reid-calls-for-senate-to-revamp-filibuster/

The Deck Chairs Are In Need Of Rearrangement

This probably won't hurt the Twins, but it probably won't help them, either.

http://www.twincities.com/twins/ci_20588896/twins-send-francisco-liriano-bullpen-danny-valencia-minors

It's About Politics

Does anyone think President Obama gives two hoots about gay marriage one way or the other?  Does anyone think he even gives one hoot about it?  This is about politics, that's all.

http://www.mediaite.com/online/prez-and-the-evolution-president-obama-comes-out-for-gay-marriage-to-robin-roberts/