To the New York Bretts Fans

The Packers got their butts handed to them last night by the Saints. It was a disappointing performance, and I'll be the first to admit that Aaron Rodgers did not have a great game. Today, however, the New York Bretts fans came out of the woodwork, claiming that if the Packers had kept Favre, not only would the team have a better record today, they somehow would have won last night. I have three things to say about their chances last night with Brett under center.

1. Think back on how many shootouts the Packers won with Brett over the years. Having trouble coming up with more than a few, aren't you? That's because the ultimate gunslinger wasn't actually all that good in shootouts. He was undisciplined and made a ton of errors when games seemed to be spinning out of control. Like you, I was hoping for Favre-like big plays in the second half from Rodgers. Unfortunately, even Favre did not make those plays very often in games like last night. He was more prone to toss 5 interceptions in games like last night.

2. You all are right. The Packers do miss the pass rush that Brett brought last year. And he was a stout run stopper, too.

3. You all are right. The Packers do miss the blanket-like pass coverage Brett brought to the secondary of this team.

And as a bonus, Brett was a hell of a lot better punter than that new guy. Hell, he is the difference between 5-6 and 11-0 after all.

Santa Claus Requests Bailout

North Pole- In a press conference today, jolly gift giver Santa Claus told the press that without a bailout from U.S. Federal government, dire consequences would follow for Christmas.

"Ho ho hum. Times are hard here at the North Pole. I've had to take on considerable debts to acquire the electronic gifts that today's children desire. With the tight credit markets, this Christmas might not happen.

"I also face the prospect of laying off half my elves, quite literally throwing them out in the cold on their tiny little asses.

"I implore the U.S. Government to save Christmas."

Critics are already on record against the Claus bailout. Citing the exorbitant wages and benefits the Elven Toy Workers Union have extracted from the North Pole, they say Claus would be better served filing for bankruptcy.

Critics also point out Claus's failure to modernize his shops. The North Pole still largely produces wooden toys and simple dolls, toys that today's market of children find passe and old fashioned. Claus's booming debt has in part been occurred by purchasing modern toys at retail. Compounding matters is the fact that much of that debt has been compiled on a weary, high interest Citi Card.

Some in Congress are already questioning the cost effectiveness of Claus's use of a private sleigh on Christmas Eve. They want Claus to switch his package delivery to the U.S. Postal Service. But some on the Hill are quickly lining up on Claus's behalf. Stating the rolling effect a Claus bankruptcy would have on the rest of the economy, they have called Claus, "Too big to fail." And after all, this one would be for the children.

Problems With NASA's Urine Recycler

I'd hate to be the guy to discover it wasn't working right.

NASA is having problems with a $250 million system it just delivered to the International Space Station to recycle urine and other wastewater into drinking water for astronauts.

On the plus side, they probably thought they were being treated to Busch Light.

Conservatism Has a Long Way to Go

So here we are, weeks removed from another electoral drubbing, and the soul searching has begun in earnest. Eventually, good ideas will come from this process, and those good ideas will be put into action. But right now, the ideas, the thoughts, the brainstorming just isn't all that good yet. I don't mean to pick on another blog for going through the process, but in reading Commentariat's piece "The real future of conservatism: five ideas," I was able to pick holes in some lines of thought that I think are common but weak right now. So think not of this as a fisking, but rather an attempt to strengthen our thoughts.

#1 Oppose Liberalism
Con-I don't have much complaint with this one given the current circumstances. My only complaint is that opposing is what minority parties do. The surest way to stay in the minority is to be little more than the opposition. The art in politics is have such compelling ideas that the majority opposes and then co-opts you.

#2 Don't give up on social conservatism. But don't emphasize it, either.
Con-I am baffled as to why so many are pointing their fingers at social conservatives right now. But first, I'd like to directly address the author's point. Social conservatives, contrary to what some other conservatives think, aren't stupid. The policy being advocated here is much the same as what a lot of conservatives have already been doing for years. Social conservatives know this, and that's why they were a bubbling cauldron of discontent that made the Huckabee campaign go. As a whole, Republicans have used social wedge issues to their benefit since at least 1980, but most social conservatives feel like their has been scant little in the way of accomplishments. This policy would at best alienate more social conservatives, and at worst would turn some of them back into Carter Democrats (if the Democrats can ever figure out how to accept them).

Now, as to the larger idea that social conservatives somehow shoulder a significant share of the blame here. I'm just not seeing it. 2006 wasn't about social issues. It was about the failure of Republicans to be what they promised to be. And 2008 was one of the least social issue oriented presidential campaigns in my memory. I know that Sarah Palin chafed some conservatives out there, and there is a desire to blame some of the loss on her and her values. But her values had no resonance this campaign. This campaign was about the economy, a desire to move on from the Bush years, and somehow making amends for our history. Still, some want to throw social conservatives overboard, while others want to marginalize them. Both ideas would be mistakes for the long term viability of conservatism and the Republican party.

#3 Dump the drug war
Con-Pointless. It is a worthwhile debate to have, but not right now. This barely registers as an idea for the party and conservatism's future. It just doesn't resonate well with the larger electorate. It is also a wedge issue internally for the party because there is not consensus on this.

#4 Run David Petraus [sic] for President in 2012
Con-Yeah, he has done a hell of a job in Iraq. That's not enough to take this flight of fancy, however. First, we know nothing about his political philosophies, and we probably wouldn't until it was too late. Second, the American public has always had a healthy skepticism against mixing their military and their politics. I'm sure some have visions of Eisenhower dancing in their heads, but I'd like to remind them that Ike was pursued by both parties, and he was hardly a conservative. Bush's brand of conservatism wasn't all that conservative at times, and that has contributed to the splintering of the coalition. You could possibly get even worse in Petraeus. You just don't know.

#5 Found an opinion journal other than National Review and the Weekly Standard
Con-Go ahead. It'll fail unless you can absorb the losses year after year. Start something intelligent on the web, and maybe you'll get a toe hold. But those two publications will still have their place. There is a danger in driving for ideological purity in that it can get pretty exclusive very quickly. Both of those publications have displayed a degree of pragmatism because sometimes, what is good for the Republican party is good for conservatism, even if it doesn't seem like it would be on the surface.


Right now, it feels like we are having a collective brainstorm on the right. The ideas just aren't great yet, though. We have to progress these thoughts and do it quickly. The political world moves quickly. It was just four years ago that the Democrats seemed to be on life support. They righted their ship quickly, but their ideas are no stronger. They will be ripe for defeats if we get this hashed out, and soon.

From Where He Sits

I'd like to take a moment to introduce you to a friend of mine. Elliot Stearns writes the blog From Where I Sit, and while I have only met him once (that I can remember...cause I drinks a bit), I can say he is a hell of a guy, and let me tell you why.

One Tuesday night, I ventured out to Milwaukee, a fifty minute drive for me, to meet with some fellow bloggers at a bar. Most of the night is still bleary, but I clearly remember getting up to leave. I shouldn't have been driving. Elliot came up to me like he was going to give me a big, friendly goodbye, but instead of shaking my hand, he rolled his wheel chair onto my foot. He gave me a choice: He could break my foot or I could give him my keys.

I, of course, gave him my keys. I was a little sloppy, but I wasn't stupid. I was in a fix, though, as I was the only person heading back to Jefferson County. Quick thinker that he is, Elliot told me he had just the solution. I followed him out to his oversized van and there in the back was an extra motorized wheelchair. He offered to let me take it home as long as he got to hold onto my keys. It was a deal I couldn't pass up.

So I got into the chair, we said out goodbyes, and I took off. The chair itself was nice, but the voice synthesizer and the mouth control were a little odd, especially considering Elliot can use his arms. Plus the mouthpiece tasted like stale Twinkies and Pall Mall's. But still, I was appreciative and the chair was pretty fun...until the battery died.

So here I am, about a block from Mayfair Mall, drunk with a dead motorized wheelchair and working legs. I figured my night was going to get very awkward. It was then I heard a honking horn. Who was coming to my rescue again that night but Elliot!

Sharp guy that he is, he figured out what was wrong at the sight of me. Generous soul that he is, he offered to give me a hitch and head to Jefferson County. I thanked him profusely, got back in the chair, and squealed with terrified joy as he pushed me with the van. The ride was a blast. Only twice did he lose me. I feel terrible to this day that I prolonged his evening by an hour the second time when I veered off the interstate and lost consciousness.

But that's the kind soul that Elliot is. He could have just left me there, but he waited. When we got back to my place, I loaded his chair back into the van, shook his hand, and off he went. I am eternally grateful that he was looking out for me that night, but I do have just one question. Elliot, when am I going to get my keys back?

A Great American Myth

Unions in America derive a portion of their power from the fact that blue collar works are the under dog in an under dog loving nation. While it is a fact that the blue collar worker is an underdog, that does not mean that their unions are always the underdog. In fact, it isn't unusual for unions to rival and exceed corporations for power.

I believe I've written about this before, but I also think it is timely to bring it up again. In the spring of 2007, I attended a conference where a former steel executive talked about raw material costs. In that speech, he got onto a side topic about how the steel industry let the unions become too strong, and how he saw the auto industry allowing the exact same thing to happen. He was right, but we too often confuse the worker for the union. We want the worker to have the best that is possible; that is, after all, the American Dream. Unfortunately, we fail to recognize that sometimes unions gain so much power over their respective industry that the workers' excellent compensation actually serves to undermine the entire industry. That is what the auto industry is confronting today.

Nature loves a balance, and so does labor relations. In the 19th century, we saw too often industry's power outstrip that of labor. We recognized that inequity, and unions did an admirable job of bringing things back into balance. Unfortunately, in numerous industries, the balance of power has shifted to the unions, and much like the corporate powers before them, they've abused it. What has resulted is a blue collar work force that is facing a much bleaker future than it would if a balance had been maintained. Power is a stronger motivation than even wealth, though, and as a result some unions have done a disservice to their members. Until the balance is restored, industries like the auto industry are un-fixable.

It hasn't bottomed out

One month ago, I thought he market was approaching a value point. I no longer think so. After talking with a lot of people, I've come to find that October was brutal in numerous segments of the economy. As a result, a significant minority of business people are scared and hoarding their first quarter cash. Thus, I expect a self fulfilling prophecy of a rough first quarter. Some of that money will come back in the second quarter, but only some of it. If enough comes back that quarter, I think things will stabilize by quarter 3. But as panicky as everyone is right now, it won't take much to force this instability into quarter 3 and 4 of next year.

The Big 3, A Bailout, and 'Green' Cars

Something about the stories on the potential auto industry bailout has really been bothering me. Time after time, I see it asserted that Detroit needs the money in order to re-tool their plants to make electric or hybrid cars. Really? If so, that may be the argument that kills the little bit of doubt I have about opposing the bailout.

It isn't as though I oppose those types of cars. If people want them, I say sell 'em. But here's the problem-they don't solve any of the big three's problems. They still won't be able to make high quality, profitable, traditional cars, a product for which there would still be a large volume potential. Instead, they'd be betting their futures on something which is still a niche vehicle that sells at a premium.

Four months ago, that might have made sense. Today, when gas is under $2 and people are cutting back their spending, it makes no sense what so ever. Those vehicles work for Toyota because they have a strong, profitable passenger car program and they can absorb the wild swings in demand that are possible with their high margin hybrids. Detroit doesn't have that luxury. They would need to rely on those vehicles to replace their lost truck and SUV sales, and that just isn't going to happen for a while.

Former Senator Ted Stevens

Despite the strategic consequences, this is a net good:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican in Senate history, narrowly lost his re-election bid Tuesday, marking the downfall of a Washington political power and Alaska icon who couldn't survive a conviction on federal corruption charges. His defeat by Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich moves Senate Democrats within two seats of a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority.

People like Ted Stevens did much to put the Republican party in the bind that it now finds itself. This is a big short term set back, but it will be better for the party over the long term.

Jay Walk All-Stars or Real Poltical Point?

There is a YouTube video blazing around the blogosphere that shows Obama voters getting elementary questions incorrect. I'm very disappointed to see so many on the right indulging in this video. That exact same video could very easily be made of McCain voters. In fact, the idea for this isn't even new-Jay Leno has been doing a similar skit for years. In this incarnation, it is little more than a lazy 'gotcha' moment, and I thought the right was better than this.

A Thought on Life

The pro-choice supporters base their entire argument on a woman's right to choose for their own body by blurring the line at which life begins, and they do so quite successfully. So why doesn't the pro-life movement wage a battle on the point at which a body begins to form? If a body begins to form at the splitting of cells after conception, then we clearly have two bodies within one, and the host body clearly would not have the right to choose death for the developing body it hosts. I think that is what bothers me most about the current political debate. Of course you can make decisions for your own body, and your own body alone. You aren't, however, allowed to make negative decisions for someone else's body, and a child's body begins shortly after conception.

A Brief Gas Thought

The price of gas will likely drop below $2 a gallon. But how low of a price can we really afford?

(If you don't get it, stop and think really hard why a plunging gas price might make it more difficult to afford for some-to-many.)

Electricity Thieves

I just saw a commercial on the news about a special report that particular channel will have on energy thieves. I'm sure they'll make their study look like hard work, but I'd like to share the lazy man's way to look for electricity thieves. First, look for that one or two incredible Christmas light displays in your local area. Start there. Most are honest people who pay their bills, but my experience over the years says that those who put on extravagant light displays stand a higher likelihood of tapping into their electricity line before the meter. So enjoy those lights-you just might be paying for them.

Free Money!

I'd like to start this post off by saying (in a very Cher Horowitz manner), "my bad!"

Why am I making this mea culpa? Well, because I supported the original $700 billion bailout. I supported that bailout because the credit markets were frozen by fear, and that stood to seize up the entire economy faster than running your engine without oil. Little did I know that the bailout would become the biggest Matthew Lesko scheme since, well, Matthew Lesko.

Don't get me wrong. I knew that companies outside the financial industry would be lining up with their hands palm-up. But I was naive on three counts. First, I thought that the Fed and the the Treasury would use the funds specifically as outlined in the bill. Second, I didn't think that other companies would stampede the trough as they have-I expected more of a subdued rush. Third, I didn't think that even congress was so stupid as to hand the cash out in wheel barrows to all takers.

Skeptic though I am, even I did not anticipate the way this would become a Lesko book. The latest absurdity is Detroit. If any three companies ever needed bankruptcy, it was these three. They are getting their tails kicked by foreign competition for two reasons: The UAW's power over them has saddled them with uncompetitive labor costs, and the way CAFE regulations are structured, their profitability became tied to vehicles they can no longer sell in great volume. Bankruptcy can solve one of those problems and alleviate the other.

I write this as the son of a man who has been a damn hard working, blue collar worker his entire life. Yet for many years of his adult life, he made a wage that gave him a comfortable living, and he did it without a union. I don't want to begrudge autoworkers a nice life. But then again, neither have Toyota and Honda. The UAW moved beyond that though. They got greedy, all the while saying that they were doing it to protect future autoworkers. As my barber said recently, what about those future autoworkers now?

Until the U.S. auto industry solves the problem of their unions and move into line with Toyota and Honda on the labor front, they are screwed. That $25-$50 billion will be gone in a heartbeat, and we'll either need to ante up more to prop the "Big Three" up, or they'll eventually fold, leaving the remainder of their employees in a lurch-or employed by Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen, and others, where their wages will be in line with their peers. And still better than most others, I might add, including numerous white collar workers. The line on the bail out should have been drawn weeks ago, but without a doubt it needs to be drawn now.

Deep Breaths, Everyone

To my friends on the right: The world is not coming to an end. Yes, some unpleasant legislation will become law. Yes, conservatism needs to get the house in order. Barack Obama is not the anti-Christ, nor will he be above scrutiny. Even 'progressive' Democrats will have to respond to constituent pressure...at least they will if they have any sense of professional self-preservation. And conservatism is not dead.

To my friends on the left: Enjoy this heady feeling. Enjoy your ascendancy. Enjoy imagining a generation of 'progressive' ideals. For the next two months, your side is the cat's ass. Just realize that reality has a funny way of slapping you in the face quickly once your candidate takes the oath office. We on the right witnessed this first hand about four years ago. To make matters worse for you, you have no foil, no strong opposition, no fall guy for anything that goes wrong on your watch. Your overwhelming victory means the buck will stop with the Democratic party. That means that you'll have very little maneuverability when things don't work, and the fingers of the American voter will be pointed straight at you. Have fun with that.

Why Republicans Have Lost Big in Two Straight Elections

It would take a book for me to explore all of the reasons Republicans have lost big in two straight elections, but I think it boils down to one key issue. A sizeable portion of Americans had put their faith in conservative ideals over the past 25 years, and as recently as four years ago, we thought that number was growing. But a funny thing happened. Too many so-called conservatives turned out to not be very conservative at all once the voters put them into office. The Republican majorities, most of whom ran on conservative ideals, did not live up to those ideals. That broken faith sent 'Reagan Democrats' back across the aisle, splintered the several strains of conservatism, and left some dispirited conservatives to sit on their hands. In essence, the public woke up and said, "if I'm going to elect someone who is going to act like a Democrat, I may as well go with the real thing." It is going to be very, very difficult to make amends for the broken faith.

This is Weird

It has been a long time since I've gone to bed on election night knowing who the next president would be. I believe the exact year was 1996, and that year I knew who the next president would be for many nights before election day. That might be the best thing to come of this particular election. We needed a decisive election to help tamp down the fear of electoral shenanigans coming from both sides of the aisle.

Having said that, good night all. Democrats, enjoy your night of celebration. Conservatives, the sun will rise tomorrow. I promise.

Hope

Tonight, many of you are swelled with hope. Despite our political differences, I hope that your hope is well founded. I see no need to put political persuasion above good of country, and thus, I do not hope for the abject failure of President Elect Barack Obama. despite my opposition to much of his proposed policies. But hope does at times fade. I hope that many of you enjoy, nay, relish tonight. The next four years will be highlighted by many peaks and valleys, and those valleys will test the strength of the hope you feel tonight.

Defining Obama's Presidency

I'm sure many a reader will slide their eyes across that headline and think, "Defining his Presidency? He just got elected!" Well, hear me out on this. He will have a choice once in office. He can be the conduit for pent up liberal/progessive momentum, or he can be his own man, a leader. If chooses the former, and I fear that he will, his presidency will be a disaster. If he chooses the latter, however, he may just have a chance at a second term and a positive presidency.

Love him or hate him, Bill Clinton was more "his own man" than "conduit," and because of that, history will neither relegate him to the dustbin nor label his presidency a net negative, despite his flaws and errors. Obama has a much tougher road ahead of him than Clinton did during our vacation from history. Thus, he needs to be his own man, a leader, and a significantly better one than Clinton.

This isn't to say that it would be a presidency that conservatives would at all be pleased with. It is just to say that he can find a way to avoid being the next Jimmy Carter, and that way is by leading without giving away too much of his influence to the netroots.

Fox News Projects Barack Obama the next POTUS

Congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama. I hold no ill will toward the man, and I hope that my conservative friends and colleagues also separate the man from his policies. Now, as for those policies...the fight against them begins now.

A Brief Look Forward

Things are by no means over on this election night, but it certainly doesn't look very good. The right is about to be cast into a very dark place. This doesn't mean the right has been condemned to 40 years in the wilderness; after all, fighting against the majority has seemed to be the strongest glue to hold the coalition's various parts together over the years. Unfortunately, that's no way to lead a country. The right's house is in disarray, and we cannot just rely on being an out gunned minority party to bring order back. There is a lot of hard work ahead.

And I should add one thing: This hard work needs to be done quickly. 2010 will be an important bounce back opportunity. No majorities will be possible, but the right needs to move closer to equilibrium with the left if it wants to have a chance in 2012.

John Murtha Wins. Really, Western PA?

I'm at a loss on this one. John Murtha wins re-election despite calling his constituents racists and rednecks. That tells me something about his district, although I'm not sure which of the following that is:

1. They heard Murtha call them rednecks and racists and thought, "Hey, he really does understand us."
2. That while their status as rednecks and racists may be up in the air, their status as kind of thick is confirmed.
3. That they are so beholden to the Democratic party that they can have abuse heaped on them by a Democrat because "he's one of us."
4. They don't take Murtha all that seriously, which is disturbing considering he is their representative.

Maybe it is all of the above.

If Obama Wins Tonight...

...and it is looking favorable for him, let's just hope that retirement communities in Florida don't riot over the results. Nobody wants that. Nobody.

In and Out Voter

I was in and out of my voting locale in near record time, and I voted in the ever busy "after work" hour. I saw no signs of hijinks or shenanigans in my little burgh. Of course, I didn't partake in the candy on the ballot table, so I'll never know if it was spiked.

Will Obama be Good for Businesses?

Probably not, especially if you are in the coal or energy business, which in an interview last January with the San Francisco Chronicle he said he'd bankrupt for building new coal plants. And this leads me to a question about this election. There have been a lot of substantive evidence that a Barack Obama presidency would not be good for America, much like there was ample evidence 4 years ago that John Kerry would not be good for America. The difference is, everything stuck to John Kerry, and something like this would have been a bombshell. When it comes to Obama, however, it seems like every piece of evidence hits a brick wall before it even gets to him. I get the feeling that a large part of the American public has invested an unrealistic expectation of what they would be getting with this man as President, evidence to the contrary be damned. And if they elect him on Tuesday, they aren't going to get what they expect.

Sweet Jesus, McCain Appears on SNL

I've often ripped Bob Dole for not letting his sense of humor show through in 1996. Unfortunately, John McCain did so in 2008, and in doing so, he turned McCain-Palin into the K-Mart-Dollar Store of political brands. Tonight, McCain was on the opening segment of Saturday Night Live, and he undercut the credibility of his campaign with the skit that he did. I am so disappointed in his choice right now. "McCain-Fine Gold" was funny, but it did not augment his case to be president whatsoever. What the hell was he thinking?

The Bird Flu is Falling! The Bird Flu is Falling!

Nice to see that Glenn Reynolds is still paranoid about the bird flu. Logical advice, but sharing it on his stage seems awfully alarmist.

Programming Note

On election night next Tuesday, I will not be live blogging. I will be drinking, and drinking heavily. Carry on.

The Brewers Lost to the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies

I can live with that at this point in the franchise's progression.

Fisking A Reuters Reporter

I haven't been big on fisking (point by point rebuttals) over the year, but this Reuters reporter who has spent more time in Germany than the U.S. recently has my dander up, so here I go.

There may be no better place in the world to witness the shift in sentiment toward the United States than Berlin.

It was hard to imagine a more pro-American city when I first moved here in 1993, yet the wind has changed and the love affair is over.

America was at its peak in Europe in 1993. The Wall had fallen, but nobody was sure that communism and the USSR were completely dead yet. Yeah, I can imagine it was hard to find a more pro-American place at that point. We'd already saved it, but the lingering threat still hovered, and Europe was not yet ascendant. Europe, specifically Germany, and more specifically West Berlin, still felt vulnerable.

The infatuation with all things American has all but disappeared.

It was bound to disappear. For the entirety of the Cold War, Western Europe was essentially a ward of the United States. They were independent, yet they were entirely dependent upon the United State's military guarantee of their sovereignty. As Europe rose as an international competitor of the United States, it was natural that any infatuation that might have been would fade away. It is ignorant to think otherwise.

Perhaps it will change after the November 4 U.S. presidential election -- even though things will never be the same no matter who wins.

As in other countries, America's image has suffered. A June PEW survey found 31 percent of Germans had a favorable view of the United States, down from 78 percent in 2000.

Europe had yet to really feel its oats in 2000. I don't care who was President of the United States the last 8 years, that number was destined to plunge as the Euro, and as a result, the European Union, strengthened. And don't think that the Obamessiah is going to change that significantly unless Russian tanks begin to roll across the European plains.

Being an American in Berlin was once special. Not any more.

A city saved and protected by the Americans during the Cold War, Berlin was an island of overwhelming admiration for America, its presidents and above all the American way of life -- at least its altruistic, kind-hearted, justice-seeking side.

America was once special in Berlin because Berlin's very freedom was entirely dependent on the United States. It isn't all that uncommon for the dependent to chafe against those they are dependent upon as they become more able to fend for themselves. See teenagers.

Avenues were named after U.S. generals, schools after U.S. leaders and squares named after U.S. cities. American disc jockeys speaking mangled German were radio stars.

The U.S. ambassador's Fourth of July gathering was once the most coveted ticket on the garden party calendar. Not any more.

"Ways" and "Passes" were once named after triumphant Packers in Green Bay, Wisconsin. But as time moved on, so did the public.

Berlin mayors spoke American-accented English and everyone from children to the elderly had a twinkle in their eye when recalling the 1940s Berlin airlift, Checkpoint Charlie tank standoffs or John F. Kennedy's 1963 speech in the city proclaiming "Ich bin ein Berliner" ("I am a Berliner").

It isn't hard to be a big fan of the people that are currently pulling your fat out of the fire. That fandom is not destined to last when your own team has it's own strength, tough.

Probably the most moving assignment of my 18 years as a correspondent abroad was in 1994, when a district that hosted 6,000 U.S. soldiers who protected them from 90,000 Soviet forces stationed outside the Berlin Wall held a parade for the departing GIs.

Steglitz is a low-rise district with a small-town feel, and I had expected perhaps a few thousand to interrupt their Saturday shopping for a quick wave goodbye -- or good riddance.

Instead, more than 250,000 packed the streets on that sunny summer morning. As the soldiers marched, the Berliners cheered, and cheered, and cheered. They threw tons of confetti from windows and gave their departing heroes a thunderous send-off.

The reporter in question should not confuse a "thank you" with a "we love you so much that we want you to be here forever." Sometimes thank yous are synonymous with "good bye."

I was born 11 years after the airlift ended in 1949, was toddler in 1963 when Kennedy came, never served in the army and, frankly, never learned in school about the U.S. role in Berlin.

Obviously.

Even in a big city with its stressed and grumpy residents, Berliners always seemed eager to help when I opened my mouth and American-accented German came out.

While I have no doubt that Mr. Kirschbaum is thoroughly Deutsch-ified, I don't think, after all this time, he understands the long love-loathe relationship that Germans have for the United States.

At first, I wondered why I kept running into so many retired GIs in Berlin who stayed. There are thousands of teachers, mechanics, cooks, DJs, bakers, and many in other professions.

It did not take long to figure out why. And I stayed too, one of almost 13,000 Americans who live permanently in the city.

When I first arrived in 1982 as a student, I had the naive goal of losing my American accent. I feared a "foreign accent" would bring disadvantages -- as it might in the United States.

Fortunately, my language abilities are limited and the bad accent actually opened many doors. Years after I married a Berliner, my wife admitted the only thing she remembered about our first meeting was my accent.

I'm not really seeing the point of these paragraphs. Any time you bring new people into a new area, a certain number of them will fall in love with their new home. I did with an area that I still think is inferior to my hometown. Some people even fall in love with Detroit. The fact that a number of Americans fell in love with Berlin (and Berliners) means nothing.

I used to hitch-hike across Germany when I was a student and often felt a surprising warmth toward the United States. Strangers wanted to buy me lunch; for many it was a personal recompense for a piece of chocolate a GI had given them decades earlier.

During the 1990s pro-American sentiment was still high.

They appreciated George Bush's support for reunification in 1990 that overcame British and French reticence. And Bill Clinton got rock star treatment every time he came here.

Even in the wake of September 11 attacks, Berlin's support for the United States was special. More than 200,000 attended a pro-America rally in Berlin on September 14, 2001 to hear German President Johannes Rau say:

"No one knows better than the people here in Berlin what America has done for freedom and democracy in Germany. So, we say to all Americans from Berlin: America does not stand alone."

The author mistakes the transition from dependent to competitor for some nefarious shift of opinion from pro-'good America' to con-'competitor America'.

It was, of course, the dispute over the invasion of Iraq.

Before that, U.S. presidents had always been welcomed in Berlin. However, in May 2002 George W. Bush needed 10,000 German police to shield him from 10,000 anti-war protesters.

While Iraq played a role, Europe, Germany included, began a reflexive resistance against the U.S. this decade because it was no longer fully reliant upon the United States for its security because there really wasn't much in the way of threats. Instead of defender-defended, the relationship became that of more adversarial competitors.

It was difficult to believe that a U.S. president seemed to be avoiding the city that owed its very survival to America. There was a brief ray of hope a month later when Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama gave a speech in Berlin -- and 200,000 people showed up.

The response to Obama was not to Barack Obama. It was Europe's response against America. While I hold no doubt that Obama's yellow bellied ways will appeal to Europeans, he'll never be Jack Kennedy. And because of that, any hope that the author has of Obama reinvigorating the Cold War era relationship is grossly misplaced.

In case things don't change after November 4, perhaps it's time to try finally to get rid of the American accent.

Better get working on that, bud, because the days of the U.S. acting as benevolent host while Europe acted as the symbiotic parasite are long gone.

A Quick Question

If the half-Caucasian Barack Obama loses next week, am I, as a 3/4 Caucasian, supposed to go into a rage over the fact that my fellow mixed racial American was denied the presidency? Or am I an oppressor simply because that extra 25% of white genetics left my skin significantly paler than his? Can someone please tell me what makes us one race or another anymore, because I'm a little lost.

Where are the Obama Press Conferences?

Jay Leno brought up an excellent point in an interview with the raging lefty David Gregory tonight. He asked Gregory why it was that Obama had not held a press conference in a month and a half. They press has been obsessed with VP candidate Palin's accessibility to the press, but only Jay Leno, an obviously left-leaning guy, has bothered to ask why presidential candidate Obama is dodging direct press accessibility. Given how favorable the press has been to him, one has to wonder why he is restricting their access.

What does this mean, Senator Obama?

I encourage everyone to ask that of Senator Obama, multiple times if necessary, in the next 5 days. I'd like an answer to this prior to election day.

"There's a lot of change going on outside of the court. The judges have to essentially take judicial notice up, I mean you've got WW II, the doctrines of Nazism that we are fighting against that started looking uncomfortably similar to what's going on back here at home."

Details, Senator. Quickly, please.

Elizabeth Edwards: You Make Stupid Decisions

Elizabeth Edwards thinks you are too stupid to make your own decisions:

However, Edwards’ critique of Obama’s plan doesn’t mean that she’s saving any love for McCain’s health care proposals. Edwards – who has battled breast cancer since 2004 – said McCain’s plan fails in all important areas by leaving the decision-making process up to individuals, who can frequently “make stupid economics decisions.”

She isn't the only one. It is a hallmark of the left to think that the government makes smarter choices than you do. And by giving Democrats a historic victory with your vote next week, you'll be agreeing with them that you are too dumb to make choices for your own life (but somehow not too dumb to make a critical choice for the impending life of others).

Bud Selig Needs to Punch Back

Baseball has been the media's chew toy for longer than Bud Selig has been commissioner. Just the same, they seem to reserve a special, perverse pleasure in ripping any and every decision that he makes. Often, the man is in a no win situation. Take the World Series last night. The decision had already been made that no game would be rain shortened. It was exactly the right decision. As a result, Game 5 was suspended and would have been suspended no matter the score. Bud Selig cannot control the weather, and unbelievably, for the first time in World Series history, a game was threatened by weather after it already started. And the sports media jumped on the suspension. But had the game been called and a decision enforced with the Phillies up 2-1, the media would have compared it to the All Star game in Milwaukee.

Bud needs to start standing up to the sports media. Cut off access to idiots. Throw his weight around the way NFL and NBA commissioners do. Selig has helped enable this caustic sports media, and they know that there are no repercussions for continually lambasting baseball. While I think Bud Selig has been an excellent commissioner, he is notoriously poor at managing the press. While playing hard ball with them now will not help his cause, it will make the next commissioner and baseball in general stronger.

And just as a side note, suspended, tied games are not without precedent in baseball history. In fact, in 1984 during the regular season, a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago White Sox was suspended in the 17th inning because of a curfew. The game was picked up the next day, with the White Sox winning in the 25th.

Dean Barnett, 1967-2008

I first started reading Dean Barnett via Hugh Hewitt. It wasn't long before I looked more forward to Barnett's posts than even Hewitt's. He was an intelligent, principled, conservative read, and the right is reduced by his loss. I never had the chance to meet him, but my condolences to his family and loved ones. He will be missed.

Yet Another Observation on the 2008 Election

In sales, you should always ask for the sale. Likewise, in politics you should always ask for someone's vote. This year, I've been asked for my vote for Obama so often that it is actually starting to piss me off. I haven't been asked to vote for McCain once. Now there could be any number of reasons for this. For example, I live in territory the McCain camp may have already conceded. Additionally, it isn't like I'm unknown to the local Republican party, so perhaps they have just moved past me, better using their resources on individuals they are less certain about. Still, it is disappointing, and I hope the McCain campaign is doing a better job of asking for voters' votes elsewhere.

Where Do We Go Now

As I examine this election, I've decided that there will be one of two results:

1. There is a Dewey Defeats Truman moment. In other words, my few colleagues who target their fire at the polls are right, and McCain pulls out a most unlikely victory. And I am humbled as a commentator.

2. Obama wins with some varying but convincing margin.

I am of the opinion that #2 is most likely at this point. And if that does occur, we are at a 1964 moment. If we are lucky, this bottoming out will trampoline the right to new heights. Unfortunately, I fear that we are not in a 1964 moment when it comes to ideas. The right is not transcendent right now. Our ideas are in disarray, not at the verge of ascendancy. There are few natural leaders of any movement. There is nothing cementing the conservative-libertarian-evangelical alliance. The right is facing a reckoning. It is up to leaders at all levels to make sure that conservative/libertarian values come out the other side of this strong.

Reason has left the arena

John McCain's only hope this election was a strong, reasoned public. Then he began co-opting Obama rhetoric. In doing so, he ceded reason, and as a result, reason has left the arena. Emotion and rhetoric will rule this election, and that is going to leave John McCain wondering what could have been. If you think he is bitter now, imagine how bitter he'll be after Jimmy Carter the Second (history will determine if Obama is Jimmy Carter the Lessor, and may God help us if he is).

At What Point Does the SUV Become Cool Again?

Apparently, that point is when gas hits $2.50.

Face it, as good as it is to go green by buying a hybrid or gas-saving small car, there are just some things those cars can't do. Plus, because of their popularity, small car and hybrid buyers are now paying an extra premium for the honor of driving a little econobox that may not suit their needs. Before you fork over a lot of green to go green, check out five reasons why buying a large truck or SUV may still make sense.

All five are great reasons-and politically incorrect one month ago. If the economy continues to tank and oil prices follow, I project articles singing the praises of 1970's muscle cars by January.

Observations on Trick or Treating 2008

We have completed our annual exercise in keeping hoodlums off the street by giving all kids candy. I have a few observations from this year's event, and the observations come with advice for parents.

1. I had many kids tell me the pieces of candy they wanted from my bowl. Parents, that's rude of your kids, and I'm likely to deny their request and give them the crappiest pieces I have. If they ask with a 'please', I may be of a different mind.

2. I have a rule. If you are old enough to dress slutty, you are too old to trick or treat. If you are young enough to trick or treat, you are too young to dress slutty. In previous years, the offenders were older girls who were well past their trick or treating years. This year, it was the reverse. Don't let your little girls dress like that, moms and dads. There are a lot of sick SOBs out there, and while you may be allowing your little one their wants, you aren't protecting them at all.

3. Don't send your 4 year old to my door with two bags because you have a six month old in the stroller. I know that six month old won't be eating candy.

4. If your child has a cumbersome mask or is still working on his or her fine motor skills, don't send them up the stairs to my porch without any help. If they fall, I'll feel bad, but I'll fight your lawsuit with much ferocity because you were too stupid to know your kid needed help.

5. Don't walk the kids down the street with a beer in your hand. I have enough respect for your kids not to drink on a football Sunday, so you need to have enough respect for them not to get a snootful while taking them out. (Exception: Houses that offer parents a quick drink. Everything in moderation).

6. Do not drive your kids house to house in a dense residential area. They can make the walk just fine, and given the volume of candy that will be given them, they probably should. And yes, your little prince or princess can handle wind and cold. The only exception to this rule that I can think of came in the very first year I handled the candy doling duties. That year, we got over 20 inches of snow between October 31 and November 1.

7. If you are two houses down and I shut off my light, you have my apologies, but I've run out of candy. Don't send your kids up to the door, please.

The Right is a Mess

What a cluster. The Presidential and VP candidate are diverging. Fiscal, social, national security, and Reagan conservatives, along with Libertarians, are barely tolerating each other. Some are jumping ship for what they perceive to be the 'stronger horse'. Most conservatives can barely stomach the Republican label. A standard bearer of conservatism is awash in controversy created by its founder's son endorsing the socialist-liberal candidate for the presidency. We are a long way from the conservative ascendancy most of us foresaw 4 years ago.

No More Brett

But Days of Our Brett may never end:

Butler also said there are “other stories that are going to come out” about Favre.

“This is just the beginning,” (LeRoy) Butler said. “This is only the smallest one.”

Butler did not elaborate.

If there is a cascade of Brett Favre scandals, Wisconsinites may end up just as jaded as New Yorkers.

Two Years

I realize that I have been an electoral pessimist lately, and because of that I've decided to pocket a post I'd handwritten a couple of days ago. Instead, if the worst comes to pass on election day, I will re-write it with a more positive outlook. All I will say right now is this: My fellow conservatives, if this election gets ugly, we will have to fight like starving, wounded, cornered badgers for two years just to survive. But at the 2010 midterms, the momentum will swing back our way.

If this presidential thing doesn't work...

...Barack Obama may just have a place in the WWE as The Rock's replacement:

On Brett the Jet

The big news around Packerland is that Brett Favre spent an hour and a half discussing the Packer offense with the Lions prior to their game earlier this season. This brings two thoughts to mind.

1. What Brett did was not against NFL rules. That does not clear him, though. Many of us out here in fan land have jobs that are subject to confidentiality agreements and non-competes. If I were to do something analogous to what Brett did (and I have no doubt he did it), it would cost me in damages and legal fees. Brett should be grateful he doesn't work here in the real world, because that sort of activity is not taken as lightly as it is in the NFL.

2. Note to current GMs and future GMs: Never hire Brett as a coach. If that's the best he could do scouting his own old offense for the Lions, then he'd be a disaster as an actual coach.

RIP Zima

If I could find you, I'd pour a little of your clear, whatever-the-hell-it-was-you-were, liquidy, alcoholic somethingness on the ground in your honor. Actually, I'd pour all of you in your honor. I didn't drink you before, so no sense in starting now.

Now I Get It

Somebody had to spell it out for me, but now I understand why the Teamsters were burning up my phone line:

kf hears from a trustworthy non-Republican source (with access to actual insider information) that the Dems are getting set to pass "card check" legislation fast next year, right out of the box, assuming Obama wins and the Democrats get their expected big Senate majority. The legislation--which would eliminate the secret ballot in union organizing elections, allowing union organizers to gather signed cards person-to-person--is cheap, in budgetary terms. And it's very, very important to organized labor.

Nice to see the unions are using their members' money to buy a piece of the Presidency.

Anecdotal Observation

In 2000 and 2004, I found that when I ended up in political conversations (to put it politely) about the presidential election, I would either end up with people chiming in on my side or quietly telling me afterwards that they agreed with me. This year? Not at all. I've largely been arguing solo. I don't necessarily think that this has national consequences for McCain, but I definitely think it has consequences for him here in Wisconsin.

On the one hand, I want to be part of the optimistic McCain camp. Every vote he gets will be important, even if he loses. On the other hand, I'm becoming more and more sure that he's toast. In my everyday life, I see no evidence that McCain isn't trailing Obama by a significant amount here in Wisconsin, and I suspect that this is playing out to differing degrees in states across the country.

Wars Aren't Fought on a Clock...

...but political campaigns are. You can survive in war when fighting on your own turf if you can buy enough time. In a political campaign, if you are fighting on your own turf with the clock ticking down, you are in big, big trouble. And this Presidential campaign has moved fully onto Republican turf. It ain't looking good if you, like me, are dreading a Carter administration for a new generation.

Hell is a Jilted Comedian

I can't believe the McCain campaign is going through with this.

David Letterman and Sen. John McCain will get a chance to make up.

The Republican presidential candidate is scheduled to appear on Letterman's Late Show on Thursday.

It will be McCain's 13th visit to the CBS program but his first since he angered Letterman by canceling last month.

Letterman was unhappy when McCain sat for an interview with Katie Couric instead of him on Sept. 24.

Letterman may very well let bygones be bygones. Unfortunately for the McCain camp, angry comedians are more cunning and vicious than a cornered, wounded animal. Letterman could very well make John McCain look like an ass and a fool with just weeks to go until the election. Frankly, I can't believe they are willing to take that risk.

Rectum? Damn Near...

Some see hope in this logo. Some see propaganda. I see a bloodied bung. (I'm so going to regret the traffic this post brings.) I think the symbolism I see is more apt.

Cat Colds

I woke up at an unholy early hour today-3:30 am. Between then and when I left for work at 6:45, our cat sneezed no less than 10 times. When I got home from work, I was informed that she slept nearly all day. She clearly has a kitty cold. But what makes this post-worthy is that over the last 24 hours, we estimate that she has slept for approximately 21 hours. I want that ability the next time I get sick.

The Answer is No

The question is, "Wind turbine blades are heavy and huge. Could manufacturing them closer to the nation’s wind belt save transport costs and create much-needed jobs?"

I can see why an eco-unrealist could get excited, but let's be realistic here. Even if wind energy takes off, it will be no match for higher ticket, mass market products like cars. Secondly, wind energy is second only to nuclear energy when it comes to NIMBY-ism. The cap on this is going to be much lower than some people wish.

Fall Colors

Minnesota Foliage 003
Originally uploaded by Jibby7

When life gives you a crappy portfolio, take a little time off and enjoy nature's beauty.

McCain's Wandering

I just watched some late night television, and the shows are making John McCain look terrible for his on stage wandering at last night's debate. I am reminded of 1996 when Bob Dole leaned on the railing-that-wasn't-really-a-railing and fell off the stage. Fair or not, it made Dole look very, very old. In my mind, that moment was the beginning of the end for the Dole campaign. Hopefully McCain's wandering isn't a similar moment.

Best Blog Headline of the Year

No contest. Give the man his award.

Damn it Feels Good to be a Banksta

Brett Favre Just May Be a Serial Killer

That's what they say, isn't? That this kind of behavior is a sign? It would explain that streak-he obviously harvests ankles and thumbs and knees for his own personal use.

(Relax, Favre phanatics. I'm just kidding).

Human Psychology Enters the Economic Realm

Unfortunately, markets do not always act rationally. Human psychology occasionally kicks in and overwhelms logic. Greed can do that, and it creates bubbles. Fear can do it, too, and it can wipe out wealth in a heart beat. The fear has kicked in. If you have some extra cash, start considering when to buy in at the low ebb. If your cash is already tied up, all you can do is ride it out at this point. The herd has begun running toward the cliff, and if you join them in the sell off, enjoy your free fall, because the bottom is going to hurt.

Sigh

I really loathe this presidential election. I loathe the nominees. I loathe the campaigns being run. I loathe the brand muddling ads. I loathe the pandering. Make it end. Please. I'm going to be unhappy no matter who wins, so it really is a matter of whether I'm most unhappy or just unhappy.

How long until 2012?

Thoughts on a Wisconsin Sports Weekend

The one silver lining to this sports weekend was Saturday's Brewer victory, their first playoff win since 1982. Other than that, it was a big, steaming pile. Some thoughts:

Packers

This is turning into an ugly season, and it has nothing to do with Brett Favre not being in town anymore. A big part of the Packers' success last season was the defense. The play of the corners and Cullen Jenkins in the interior made the entire defense a better unit. We saw glimpses of how big a part of this team Jenkins in particular was. When he went down last season, the entire defense began a slide. The injuries on the defensive side of the ball this year have deteriorated the quality of that unit. They aren't terrible, but they aren't good enough.

As for the offense, we are seeing an undisciplined offensive line. They are not executing well, and they are committing a lot of foolish penalties. Their performance is a big part of the reason this running game is not getting on track, and that's holding back the entire offense. As for the receivers, they are still a formidable group that fights for the catch better than any group in the league. Their dropped passes is a concern, but not a major concern. It all comes back to the line play.

Brewers

It was a hell of a year with a lot of ups and a lot of downs. Their flaws were exposed in September and October, though. This is a team with poor plate discipline. And it isn't just about being more picky at the plate. If you watched enough games, you could see what the book was on some of these hitters. With Prince Fielder, the book was to get him to chase up and out of the strike zone. With Corey Hart, it was to get him to flail at low, outside breaking stuff. The point is, the Brewer hitters were well scouted and they did not make adjustments to what pitchers were doing. They just kept flailing. They gave defenses a lot of free outs over the last month.

Dale Sveum did a good job of managing the bullpen, but it is really impossible to say whether that would carry forward into next year. He had the luxury of a bullpen enlarged with September call ups and a post season pen augmented by starters. Still, the pen that Yost had for most of the year just wasn't good enough. This will never be a team that can afford to stack the pen with talent, but Melvin is going to have to find a way to reconstitute it for next year. The team is facing other holes, but that's another post for another day.

Badgers

What's there to say? This team just isn't as talented as we thought. Clay stands to be a star in the future, and that future may get kick started yet this season.

Prediction: An Obama Presidency Will Be Scandal Ridden

Why? Well, typically the presidential election process does a pretty good job of getting scandalous news out into the open before a person is elected. A candidate who seems scandal prone is a bit less likely to win than one who is not. And if the electorate is confidant that a candidate's scandals are confined to the past, they are generally pretty forgiving.

In Obama's case, the media does not seem to be digging all that hard. Most of the Obama scandals have been forced on the media, frankly. Don't be surprised if, in an Obama presidency, you hear casual voters saying, "why didn't I hear about that during the election?"

Bailout Passes

Blah. A necessary evil if there ever was one. Here's to hoping that entire thing results in us breaking even on the deal. No losses because we're all on the hook for those. No profits because government can't be trusted to do the right things with them.

The Juice No Longer Loose

13 is an unlucky number for OJ Simpson.

Thirteen years to the day after being acquitted of killing his wife and her friend in Los Angeles, O.J. Simpson was found guilty of robbing two sports-memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel room.

The 61-year-old former football star was convicted of all 12 counts late Friday after jurors deliberated for more than 13 hours. He released a heavy sigh as the charges were read and was immediately taken into custody.

Simpson, who went from American sports idol to celebrity-in-exile after his murder acquittal, could spend the rest of his life in prison.

There will be no tears shed here.

A Waste of Pixels

Sharon Theimer is way too literal, and because of this she writes and article on the non-existant Joe Six-Pack that is a complete waste of pixels.

And just for the record, Ms. Theimer, I consider myself and a lot of my friends to be Joe Six-Packs, whatever the color of our collars or persuasion of our politics. I will give you this-Joe SP's are in no way a cohesive voting block. But that doesn't mean they don't exist.

Misc. Thoughts

*I think Paul Ryan has been dead on throughout this financial mess. I was nervous of his opposition at first, but he has had a keen sense of the situation.

*I am soooo sick of both Presidential candidates. I don't think either of them are the best candidates for the job they face right now. Are they the right people for the job as it appeared to be 6 months ago? Probably. That world is no longer, though.

*Face it, the House has acted exactly as it was designed to act. The two year terms were designed to make the House more receptive to popular opinion. Unfortunately for our current mess, I don't think popular opinion understands how significant this problem is to Joe Sixpack, and it won't until somebody misses a paycheck.

*If somebody misses a paycheck, I'm sure the blame will be shifted from those greedy bastards on Wall Street to those worthless bums in Washington. Some fingers will need to be pointed inward, too, though.

*I am terribly excited about playoff baseball in Milwaukee, but I also approach it with trepidation. The Brewers are in a weak state, although some components seemed to be reviving near the very end of the season. I am playing all of my superstitions for an NLDS victory.

*I've seen and heard a lot of people marvel over Brett Favre's 6 TD's on Sunday, and with that some finger pointing at Ted Thompson. Sorry, folks, but you might have been able to throw 6 TD's against that Cardinal team on Sunday. And you're no Brett Favre.

*Can you believe those ugly assed wild card hats the Brewers wore on the field Sunday sold out so quickly? I guess I'm not the only one who saw some beauty amongst all that ugly.

*I stayed at a resort on Monday night, and I was more than a little stunned that there was no wi-fi (or even hard wired) internet access in the room.

A Dubious Number One

You are reading Jiblog, Google's number one search result for "German Kink". I knew I never should have married into a German family.

Brewers' in the Playoffs

That's the first time anyone could say that...since the internet came into existence. I was in a local watering hole when the Mets lost to clinch it for the Brewers, and I enjoyed the small roar that went up. I can barely remember 1982, which is more than a lot of Brewers fans can say. Tonight, I only want two things: One of those ugly assed hats the Crew wore on the field after the game, and a piece of confetti from the stadium.

The Risk of Protecting the Taxpayer

As distasteful as the pending bailout is, I'm hoping that House Republicans understand one thing, and one thing only. Right now they are trying to force a better bill and correctly saying that they are trying to protect the taxpayers. But if they are the reason a plan doesn't get done and things go to hell in a hand basket next week, they will have hurt the taxpayer more than they could have ever imagined.

2006 Wasn't as Fun as I'd Thought It Would Be

I wrote this in 2004:

2006 is going to be a fun year for historians and possibly for the rest of us, as well. Why? 20 million emails from the Clinton years will become available to researchers.

Remember anything from those emails? Nope, me either.

Okay, Maybe One More Political Thought

I was in my car on Wednesday and I was listening to WTMJ. I heard two political ads. In one, it was claimed that John McCain opposed stem cell research. In the other, John McCain's support of stem cell research was trumpeted. I follow politics closely enough to know the back stories. Most people who will vote in November do not, and I honestly wonder what they will be basing their decisions off of with all of this muddled, murky information out there.

Just one Political Thought

And with a big Brewers, Badgers, and Packers weekend on the docket, this may be my only political thought of the weekend: Neither of these Presidential candidates is ready for the America they are going to inherit. Can we have a do over and nominate Romney?

What debate?

I'm beginning to understand how sports like baseball were such a popular diversion in the 1930's. What debate? What economic problems? The Milwaukee Brewers are up a game in the Wild Card chase with two games to go!

Sometimes, it is good to be wrong

And right now, I very much am wrong.

When there are no experts

You know you have a mess on your hands when the number of 'experts' offering their opinion on a topic drops to nearly nil because nobody really understands what the hell is going on for sure.

Uh Oh

This isn't good.

Urgent efforts to lash together a $700 billion rescue plan for the national economy broke apart Thursday night, hours after key lawmakers had declared they had reached a deal.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke sped to Capitol Hill to try to revive or rework the proposal that the administration says must be quickly approved by Congress to stave off economic disaster.

Congressional leaders were to meet with the economic chiefs into the night.

This bail out not being done yet wouldn't have been a big deal if not for a cascading series of screw ups. The markets have been very panicky for several weeks now. This week, in an effort to force the bailout through, the rhetoric heated up with calls of pending economic doom, culminating with the President's speech to the nation. If this deal gets done smoothly, the rhetoric isn't a problem. But now that the deal has collapsed, the panic is due to hit a feverish pitch when the markets open tomorrow. And the worst part about it is the panic will be a self fulfilled prophecy from Washington. They have no choice but to find a way to salvage this overnight because they made this deal appear to be the only way to save the economy.

Update
I decided that this post needed one more thought to be more complete. I hope that I'm wrong about how I think the markets will react in the morning. Things like financial panics only require a speck of dust around which to begin quickly crystallizing, though, and this looks like a ripe speck of dust.

Eric Gagne a Good Guy

This is a hell of a nice thing for him to do:

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Eric Gagne bought 5,000 tickets to tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates and plans to give them away.

"Tonight we'll be playing one of the most important games in franchise history, and I can think of no better way to thank the fans than giving families an opportunity to pack Miller Park," Gagne said in a statement released by the team. "No matter what happens over these next four games, I want everyone to know that I think the world of Brewers fans. Three million times they have walked through the gates this year and none of us on the field takes their support for granted. We're going to have some fun out here, and I know that the atmosphere will be electric."

Brewer fans have booed Gagne with a passion this season. He didn't have to do that, and if I had been him, I don't think I would have.

If I had no other reason to not vote for Obama...

...this one reason would still be enough. The %&$#*@^ Teamsters are wearing my %&$#*@^ phone out with all their %&$#*@^ calls on behalf of Barack Obama. At first, it was live calls. After 3 calls, I started hanging up on them immediately. That seemed to make them call more often. We then told them to stop calling. They didn't, so we just stopped answering when the caller ID read 000-000-0000. Then we started getting recorded calls. And surveys. I will say, I stopped the surveys (they had horribly slanted questions) by answering with the most right wing answers I could. They are worse than any telemarketer I experienced before the no call list. They are on my last nerve. And finally, this is the most dogged they've been over the last three elections, and I don't trust the reasons why they are pestering for Obama.

I have no words for this accident

This is an unbelievable accident.

A 6-year-old girl is recovering after surgeons reattached her left hand, severed when it was caught in a loop of jump rope that had snagged on the axle of her mother's car.

Erica Rix underwent 10 hours of surgery after the accident in early September and spent nine days in intensive care before returning home.

Bravo to the surgeons. And as someone who hopes to be a parental type in the next year or two, I now understand even better why my parents were hard asses about the dumb things I did as a kid.

How I helped save the music industry

Hyperbole? I think not. Here is what I wrote on October 13th of last year:

Digital music is certainly a growth sector. People love buying music online. But there is an old school segment of the market that still isn't all that big on the internet. So for them, and for some who are internet savvy but love shopping at bricks and mortar stores, set up kiosks in record stores and big boxes. Partner with flash drive manufacturers, and at these kiosks sell flash drives filled with music that the user can sample and select from on the computer screen.

I had a more primitive version of this concept on May 4, 2006. So what's on the horizon? This.

SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK) today announced "slotMusic," an initiative that aims to position its microSD memory cards as a new music medium. The vendor has partnered with the major music labels EMI Music, Sony BMG, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group to produce microSD cards preloaded with music free of digital rights management (DRM) copy protection.

The cards will be available from both online and retail stores including Best Buy and Wal-Mart, SanDisk said.

You're welcome, music industry (and memory card industry). If you'd have listened to me earlier, you'd be all the richer right now. You may deposit, out of goodwill, a small fee in my checking account at any time.

What is in that waterfall?

This just ain't right.

Nicole Kidman has credited a waterfall with bringing about a flurry of pregnancies - including her own - on the set of one of her films, Australia.

The actress said seven babies had been conceived during production of the film in a small town in Australia's outback.

"There is something up there in the Kununurra water", in which she and six other woman swam, she told The Australian Women's Weekly.

Strangely, all of the babies looked like Michael Phelps.

Rest in Peace, Bill Leinenkugel

Former President of the Leinenkugel Brewing Company, Bill Leinenkugel, passed away at his home Monday at age 87. I heard about this yesterday but did not have the time to put into the post I wanted to write. I never had the opportunity to get to know Bill, but I did get to know one of his sons and a couple of his grandsons. It is no exaggeration to say that his leadership of the company carried it through what was a very tough time for regional breweries and set it up to be what is now a quite strong subsidiary of SABMiller. What won't get mentioned as often over the next several days is the class act family that he helped raise. On behalf of the Ojibway family, I offer my condolences to the Leinenkugel family on their loss.

Wiseacre

I've decided to drop the word 'wiseacre' from my vocabulary. As I wrote it in the post below, I felt myself age 75 years-no mean feat for a 32 year old. And the scary part? Afterwards I went to the outhouse with a copy of the Saturday Evening Post. The lovely Mrs. Jib is going to be pissed in the morning.

Just the same, I wish I had those crazy moving picture skills of kids today, because I'd be the wiseacre posting a parcel to the intertubes. Dagnabbit!

Biden's Spaghetti Bowl History

Maybe this is a just condemnation of the quality of our U.S Senators.

Vice presidential candidate Joe Biden says today's leaders should take a lesson from the history books and follow fellow Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt's response to a financial crisis.

"When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened,'" Barack Obama's running mate recently told the "CBS Evening News."

Except, Republican Herbert Hoover was in office when the stock market crashed in October 1929. There also was no television at the time; TV wasn't introduced to the public until a decade later, at the 1939 World's Fair.

I'm not a huge fan of jumping on gaffes because we all make them, but only politicians have the camera on them all of the time. This one is particularly absurd, though. I'm not sure Biden controls his mouth...I think it controls him.

I'm betting some wiseacre has a video of Roosevelt on TV in 1929 on YouTube in 5...4...3...

Advanced Notice on Talk Like A Yooper Day

A commenter on an old post asked me when Talk Like a Yooper Day will be this year. Set your calendars for November 30, 2008. That will be this year's Talk Like a Yooper Day as it is the date of the first home Packer game during the Wisconsin gun deer hunt.

And the there is the Milwaukee Brewers...

I remember how desperate I was for Packers' success in the late 1980's and early 1990's. I am nearly as desperate today for Brewers' success. Only with the Brewers, there is no "glory days" to fall back on. And that's why this month is so painful and so damn depressing. It looks like they are going to collapse on themselves to again miss the playoffs. If they do, I'm not sure that it is entirely a bad thing because the way they are playing, a first round sweep is a strong possibility. Unlike the Packers, there is no Ron Wolf, no Mike Holmgren, and no Reggie White for the Brewers. They may yet surprise me this year, but I'm prepared to have a season's worth of hope crushed yet again.

Man Candles? Really?

May God help us.

My foray into the world of "man candles" began almost accidentally. As the smell of fresh, black coffee wafted around my office one morning, I thought to myself, "Someone should make a coffee-scented candle."

Not a cappuccino or hazelnut or mocha candle. Just something that smelled like hot, strong, black coffee. You know, a candle that a dude could be proud to burn.

A quick Google search led me to two eCommerce sites that sell all sorts of man-themed scents -- like campfire, sawdust, pigskin, bacon, stripper and beer.

I just hope they don't come out with "jock strap" or "gym socks."

Hagel Said...Yawn

Chuck Hagel is doing everything in his power to marginalize himself. To wit:

Senior Republican Senator Chuck Hagel has voiced doubts about Sarah Palin's qualifications for the vice-presidency.

John McCain's running mate "doesn't have any foreign policy credentials", Mr Hagel told the Omaha World-Herald.

Mr Hagel was a prominent supporter of Mr McCain during his 2000 bid for the US presidency, but has declined to endorse either candidate this year.

He was opposed to the Iraq War, and recently joined Mr McCain's rival Barack Obama on a Middle East trip.

Hagel might have been a real force for the Democrats if not for the fact that he is canceled out by former Democratic Veep candidate Joe Lieberman.

Who Won't Be Voting for John McCain?

Well, Christopher Cox won't be:

Republican presidential candidate John McCain said on Thursday he would, if elected, fire U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox for failing in his oversight of Wall Street.

"The Chairman of the SEC serves at the appointment of the president and in my view has betrayed the public's trust," McCain told a rally in the electoral battleground state of Iowa. "If I were president today, I would fire him."

The comments by McCain, who portrays himself as a maverick in his bid for the White House, contrasted with the view of fellow Republican President George W. Bush, who appointed Cox to the SEC post in 2005.

Apparently, McCain also decided that there was at least one vote that he didn't need.

RSS Feeds Killed the Blogging Star

First, Let me make this clear. Calling myself a blogging star is a gross exaggeration but it was necessary to make the headline fit the song. Still, in all seriousness, RSS feeds have really contributed to my backslide as a blogger. It used to be I was a blogger first. I read media sources and opinion columns and commented from there.

Then I set up my RSS feed reader.

I began reading other blogs fanatically. At first, this barely made a dent in my blogging. Over time, though, I'd begin seeing posts that were similar to my thoughts on particular topics. I'd tweak my thoughts so they were a bit more unique. Then I started to get lazy. I'd start to Instapundit posts-you know, saying "heh" or "hmm" and then link to other things without any commentary. But that disgusted me, so I began to just let hundreds of topics go by without comment. After a short period of that, I realized that it was pointless for a blog of this size to blog like Glenn Reynolds, so I just withdrew from posting.

Of course, there have been other things that have contributed to my decline as a blogger. The more I devoted my brain to my profession, the harder I found it to switch gears to commentary. I also found that the more involved I got with my hobby of photography, the less creative capacity I had for writing. It has been difficult to shift the brain gears between the three very different mental tasks, but the RSS feeds remain the biggest challenge. RSS feeds have turned me from a blogger to a blog reader.

Given that, do I intend to give up blogging? Hardly. Just the same, I know that my place in the pecking order of blogs has significantly declined, and deservedly so.

Pragmatist

Pragmatist (noun)- 1) A free market capitalist who stands idly by as government gets ass deep in the financial markets knowing that without said intervention, the credit markets would freeze up like the pistons on a 1962 Dodge Lancer. 2) An individual who'd prefer to see an economy slowly float to its bottom like a feather on the wind to one that plunges to the ground like Michael Moore without a parachute.

I must admit, since I enjoy being employed and paying my bills, I'm standing idly by with my mouth firmly shut as the Feds muck around in the economy. Do I think it is a good thing? No, not really. Do I think it prolongs the pain? Certainly. Do I think that there are plenty of unforeseen circumstances to come because of the intervention? Without a doubt. Do I think I'm personally better off if this mess unfolds slowly rather than in a quick, violent seizing up of the economy? I do, and that's why I've yet to complain.

The McCain-Palin Courtship

This is pretty funny.

Great Speech By Sarah Palin

But I'm almost embarrassed to admit to what part relieved me the most. Can you guess just what that was?

Answer? No pants suit.

Airline to charge extra for butts in seats

(JNN) Welter Air today announced a revolutionary new plan to help it cope with high fuel prices. Starting on November 26, 2008, the airline will remove passengers from its flights to reduce the weight of planes, saving untold billions.

In a statement to reporters, Welter CEO Walter Flounder said that this lean operation plan should also reduce crowding on planes and help the airline return to profitability by 2012.

"Many of our loyal customers may see this as a negative, but in reality we are offering an incredible customer service.

"No longer will our customers have to worry about long lines, delays, cancellations, or unpleasant, crowded flights."

The company is assuring customers that pre-paid, checked baggage will make it to their final destination most of the time. Those customers who must actually fly to their destinations will have the option of paying a $300 butt-in-seat fee to be transported to the flight's destination.

Other airlines are closely watching Welter's plan and most are expected to eventually follow suit. Industry experts are hailing the move as a customer service and profitability model that will forever change the airline business for the better.

(This post is satire)

No identity politics here

The lovely Mrs. Jib is peacefully dosing through the Palin speech.

Update
I see Trig Palin is listening with the same rapt attention.

Thank you so much means...

Shhh! I'm ready to talk.

Watching Giuliani...

...and I'm beginning to think that he is a more valuable weapon in this role than he would have been as the Presidential nominee. They never could have turned him loose this way as the nominee.

Wisconsin Factoid

There is an Athens and a Marathon in Wisconsin. Distance, by road, between the two? Only 18.7 miles.

Also, Athens, Wisconsin has never been at war with Sparta, Wisconsin.

Future Lefty Political Attacks

Since the great 'Desperate Housewives political attack of 2008' on Sarah Palin has been snuffed out, I've decided to take a gander at some possible future attacks from those on the left with a very loose grasp on reality. Here are two attacks that I think very well may be forthcoming.

1. A double whammy strikes the Republican ticket. Sarah Palin has actually been possessed by demons, explaining how a woman could possibly be a Republican. At the top of the ticket, we find out that the man that returned from Vietnam isn't the real John McCain. Instead, we learn his real name is John Black when the real John McCain shows up. Interestingly, the real John McCain is a Kerry Democrat. (Days of Our Lives)

2. John McCain is really an alien from a another world who has hit his head so hard that he thinks that he is a U.S. Senator running for President. It is up to Al and Tipper Gore to bring back his memories so he remembers who he is and gives up on the U.S. Senator persona. (Alf)

3.

Palin to be a Grandmother

Guess what? Sarah Palin's 17 year old daughter is five months pregnant:

John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin said Monday that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter is five months pregnant, an announcement aimed at rebutting Internet rumors that Palin's youngest son, born in April, was actually her daughter's.

A statement released by the campaign said that Bristol Palin will keep her baby and marry the child's father. Bristol Palin is five months pregnant, and the baby is due in late December.

Makes that lefty, Depserate Housewives-esque smear look really stupid, doesn't it? Unfortunately for Bristol Palin, she's going to have to grow up in a hurry, because her teenage pregnancy will be the next thing the sewer dogs on the left will be attacking.

Update
Elliot makes an excellent point.