One More Favre Thought

Brett Favre, who at his Viking introduction presser displayed a poor understanding of what legacy means, stands to become a sort of reverse John Elway. Over his career, Elway's reputation was that he couldn't win the big one. It wasn't all Elway's fault that his teams lost four Super Bowls, but as the leader of the team, it fell on his shoulders. Late in his career, when Elway's teams began carrying him to a certain extent, he won two Super Bowls and completely rehabilitated his image.

Favre, on the other hand, stands to completely destroy his reputation in just over two short years. Favre, of course, won a Super Bowl in his first attempt. Since that time, Favre's teams were notorious for coming up short in big games. Not all of that was Brett's fault, but some was. Yet he avoided the fate of have a reputation similar to Elway's because he did win that one championship early on and it over shadowed everything else. Had he retired after losing in the NFC Championship game at age 37, his reputation would have remained intact and his one last hurrah would have been celebrated.

He came back, though. He carried the Jets early in that come back year, but it was fully on his shoulders that they slumped and missed the play offs. People began to question his role in the NFC Championship loss the year before. Still, had he stayed retired after the Jets, it all would have faded out of the colelctive memory. He's put himself back in the limelight with another potential contender, though, and perhaps nothing short of a Super Bowl victory will prevent him from being known as the guy who didn't win the games that really mattered.

If the Vikings do not win the Super Bowl and he is viewed as at all culpable, his career will be thoroughly reviewed by football fans. Doubt will be cast upon the 1996 season and whether that team won primarily because of him or because of the extraordinary defense and special teams and the sheer number of offensive weapons on that team. And if his role on that team is revised, it will shed an all new light on the rest of his career. At that moment, Favre will learn that his legacy isn't about what he thinks of his playing days, but what others in the future look back and think of his playing days.

The Lefties Not In The Infield

The New York Times recently published a piece which pondered the extreme rarity of left handed catchers in Major League Baseball. In the course of the piece, they also take a look at the dearth of left handed third basemen, shortstops, and second basemen. Being an issue I've actually given a lot of thought to, I wanted to share a few thoughts on the matter.

As sought after as left handed pitchers, first basemen, and hitters are, baseball is not a terribly left hand friendly game, especially in the infield. It has been said that the measurements of a baseball diamond are as close to perfection as possible, with the number of bang-bang plays, particularly at first, being held up as proof. It is those bang-bang plays that make the infield an unfriendly place for lefties. Infielders, particularly on the left side of the infield, must get their throws off as quickly as possible. Good throwing mechanics dictate that the best throws will be made when you lead in some fashion with the shoulder of your glove hand. For right handed infielders, that is the left shoulder, which is naturally positioned in the general direction of first base. Left handers, meanwhile, must turn their body more to make good, strong throws. It doesn't seem like much, but over the course of 162 games, that turn might make the difference between a dozen, maybe two dozen runners being safe or out. That may not seem like much, but if it changes the outcomes of three games, it can make all the difference in the world.

Catchers are more difficult to explain. The entire game transpires before a catcher and as such, the angles of the game are not as detrimental. It seems clear that there could be successful left handed catchers, but why aren't there any? The scarcity of the left handed arm probably has a lot to with it. A good catcher is probably going to have one of the top two arms outside of the pitcher in your lineup. As valuable as left handed pitching is, if given the choice between using a power left handed arm on the mound or behind the plate, you are almost always going to choose the mound.

Now, what about that incredible left handed offensive talent with an average arm but solid defense? That player is probably going to end up at first base for a couple of reasons. Catcher is a brutal position. Most moms figure that out in Little League. Coaches at all levels will usually want to preserve the offensive production of a big time hitter by moving him out from behind the plate. Second, that hypothetical offensive talent with an average arm is probably going to be bested by a stronger armed right hander who can throw out base runners by high school. The safe place to put that player to accentuate his positives is first base, a position where it is advantageous to have a lefty and where the lessor arm strength can be hidden.

There are a lot of myths about left handed catchers and the Times looks at a number of them but never really gets to the nut of the problem. The fact is that the opportunity cost of playing a scarce, talented left handed thrower behind the plate is just too high. Whatever their mix of skills, there are better positions for them on the field. That is why you don't see left handed catchers in professional baseball.

I, For One, Welcome the New Vikings' Overlord

I feel a little like the proverbial kid in a candy store right now. If they stay healthy, I think the Packers will be good on both sides of the ball. But the return of Brett Favre to the Vikings is what really has me excited. Does anyone out there remember how Favre gets when he is personally jacked about a game? How poorly, even later in his career, he could play early in those games? How desperate his play became when teams would take advantage of his over-anxious unforced errors? He is going to give the Packers opportunities to beat him. All they are going to have to do is capitalize on them.

More "Obama as Nixon"

This time from Althouse.

No They Aren't

What the hell?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada -- also known as "the three amigos" -- begin a summit on Sunday in Mexico to talk about simmering trade issues and the threat of drug gangs.

Whomever "knows" them as that is an idiot, as is Mr. Holland for writing it.

President Obama Channels His Inner Nixon

I must admit that I was wrong. I saw President Obama as a Jimmy Carter type. Who knew that he was more of a Nixon?

Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.

How does this make you feel, America? At least Nixon's enemies list was born of his own paranoia. This administration, perhaps appropriately, wants to develop a wider ranging enemies list by have you all spy on each other and tattle, much like they used to do in the Soviet Union.

Don't Call It A Value Add Tax!

I implore bloggers, blog readers, and everyone interested to not indulge the Obama administration in their 1984-esque double speak. Do not refer to their newest pet money-suck as a value add tax. Please, please refer to it for what it is: A sales tax. Every time you discuss this idea, do not let the administration win the rhetorical battle. Call it the sales tax that it is, and explain it to those that may not understand that. It is unacceptable that, on top of all of the other ways that the federal government taxes us from the bassonet to the coffin, that they now start grabbing from the everyday action of the economy.

Now Where Near Ready foe Prime Time Leadership

Today's Democrats are starting to make Carter era Dems look sage and wise:

With thousands of "cash for clunkers" deals pending, auto dealers in Wisconsin and across the nation were working through a worry-filled night Thursday amid the startling news that the program is being suspended because it has likely run out of money.

Members of Congress confirmed late Thursday that the program is being suspended. It remained unclear whether the program had indeed run out of money or whether it was only close to running out.

Who couldn't see this cluster coming?

Quick Q to the P-folk

Parents, I need to know something. If your child starts shooting flames from his/her bum, is there the chance he or she is really a dragon?

A Post Racial Era?

One of the goals of this society, at least as it proclaims, is to move into a post-racial era. The road to that era is a two way street, though. While the majority is not yet perfect in relation to the minority(ies), it has made large strides. Unfortunately, until such time that the minority can allow their blisters to callous, we will continue to experience open racial sores that are much the problem of the aggrieved picking as the "oppressor" causing.

Where is MADD?

Where are the modern day temperancists? Where are our nannies?

President Obama sat down for a beer at the White House Thursday night with a top African-American professor and the police officer who arrested him earlier this month.

They were joined by a previously unannounced guest, Vice President Joe Biden.

I'm not the first to say this, but where are the expected shrieks that this sends the irresponsible message that we can solve our problems with booze? I for one think that a moderate amount of social lubrication can help people find common ground, but I'm listening for our criers of "booze is the root of all evil" and all I hear is crickets.

A 100% True Parable

Back in my college years, I'd spend most of the year off at school, 3 1/2 hours away from home. But in the summer, I'd move back in with my parents. It was always good to come back and reconnect with my family and my friends. I worked hard in the summers, once finagling a way to work 27 straight days at my summer employer. When you combined those long hours with the fact that I spent all of my free time with friends and family, I'm a little surprised my parents' neighbors even recognized me.

The last summer I lived at home I was finally of legal drinking age. One Sunday, my long time best friend and I decided to partake in two of our favorite pastimes-drinking and a home run derby (think the 1960's TV show, only on a rustic softball diamond). I don't recall who won the nine inning affair, but I do remember that we finished our six pack on that humid, 85 degree day and decided that we wanted to head to a bar to get some grub and another ice cold beverage.

We headed back to my parents' place. The 'cool' athletic shorts of the day didn't have pockets, so I'd left my wallet and keys there. Much to my surprise, they had a life. I tried the doors, only to find that they were all locked. Here I was, hungry and thirsty with no money or ID, and I had no keys with which to enter the house. But much like today, I was a problem solver. So I found the only way into the house without a key.

My solution had two significant problems, though. One, it was neither particularly quiet nor quick. Two, it was quite visible to the entire neighborhood and the very busy road in front of the house. Of course I was 21, so I was going to do what I wanted to do (eat and drink), consequences be damned. I'll tell you the truth, though, I was scared out of my mind that someone new to the neighborhood might call the cops on me. After all, here I was breaking into my own house. How was I going to explain that to the police? And they'd be right to be skeptical of my story. Who breaks into their own house for God's sake? Most people have a spare stored someplace or they call the locksmith, right?

I knew that if someone in the neighborhood didn't recognize me and called 911, I was going to have to be on my absolute best behavior because no good cop was going to believe my story without proof. With exceptional behavior, I might get enough patience from an officer to find a person or persons to vouch for me. But with obstinate behavior, I knew that the day was ultimately going to end with my parents vouching for me down at the local jail. The fact that I am 1/4 Chippewa never even entered into the equation for me. What I was doing was highly suspicious behavior for anyone, and I knew the police had the duty, if called, to get to the bottom of the story. Thankfully for me, my neighbors still did recognize me and did not call the police.

I think that my approach to breaking into my own house was enveloped with a lot of common sense (if disregard) as to the potential consequences. In fact, if the police found anyone, even my dad, trying to break into the house, I hope they'd treat the situation with extreme caution. But for some people, victimhood is their self identity, and common sense can't prevail. Their entire worldview is wrapped up in the belief that others are out to get them and they lose the ability to decipher between "protective" and "abusive".

What Socialized Medicine Gets You

This post could also be titled, "And They'll Wonder Why Swine Flu Became Tamiflu Resistant." What follows is a message board post by a wedding photographer in a Flickr Group (I've highlighted a few things):

We were due to shoot a wedding this Saturday for a lovely couple who's cousin's wedding we shot last year. Unfortunately the last few days I have been starting (and continuing!) to feel ill with cold symptoms.

Because swine flu is so all over the place now in the UK, doctors are no longer actually seeing/testing patients, you go online or phone a helpine, answer some questions on symptoms and if you r symptoms match up to those for swine flu, you phone a dr and they arrange for you to get some tamiflu.

In short, I could have a cold, or bad hayfever (although I know it's not hayfever as antihistamines haven't worked), but I have cancelled the wedding as I don't want to risk infecting a whole wedding group with swine flu especially as there will be children there. Luckily for me, I have a friend who is a local photographer who is very good, and he is miraculously free and will be shooting for me.

The thing is though, with the rubbish non diagnosis we're having over here, what if this is only a summer cold and in two weeks time I actually DO get swine flu and have no option but to take it to a wedding?

There you have it. In order to "remove unnecessary costs" from the system, you may not even get to see a doctor or receive tests many would deem "necessary." And the worst part is even if Obamacare ultimately dies the death it deserves to die, this will likely still negatively affect us as this willy-nilly approach to Swine Flu diagnosis in countries with socialized medicine will greatly increase the likelihood of a Swine Flu that is resistant to medications that normally could reduce the virus's severity.

40 Years Since the First Moon Walk

I wish I could say that I was in as celebratory mood as the media is over the 40th anniversary of an American being the first human to step foot on the moon. The unfortunate fact is that it will be all too soon when the the 40th anniversary of the last human to walk on the moon will quietly come and go unnoticed (for the record, December 17, 2012 will be that sad date). The unimaginative ponder the waste of money that is exploring worlds beyond Earth. The visionaries wonder how this species will survive the day when nature (not man) makes this rock uninhabitable. Yes, that time is probably a long time away; there is no guarantee that man will continue this trajectory of technological growth that has occurred over the past 100 years, however. As it stands, we've not even scratched the surface of the knowledge we'll one day need for our descendants to survive beyond this lonely rock.

A Thought For The 2009 Green Bay Packers

Viking (?) QB Brett Favre will only beat you if you're afraid of Viking QB Brett Favre beating you. In reality, even with a 39 year old Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson is that team's difference maker. If they stop Peterson, they beat the Vikings twice.

An Always Popular Not-News News Story

Some variation on this story pops up every few weeks to months. It is 'news' to people. I'm not sure why.

First World War veteran Henry Allingham, who became the world's oldest man last month, has died at the age of 113.

As tributes poured in, Lord's cricket ground fell silent at the start of play in the Ashes match between England and Australia as a mark of respect for Mr Allingham, who died in his sleep early yesterday morning.

Emphasis mine. This is not a record most people get to hold onto for very long. Each year typically see several oldest living men/women. Yet everytime one passes on, two stories rocket it up the popularity charts: 'World's Oldest Man/Woman Dies' and 'New World's Oldest Man/Woman (Fill in Background Story). That these stories are always popular even though they are typically neither newsworthy nor particularly interesting is kind of a quirk of humanity.

Walter Cronkite, 1916-2009

Walter Cronkite, the iconic American TV news anchor, passed away yesterday. There have been and will be a number of fine tributes to Cronkite. I would rather look at his legacy from a, while not critical, certainly less adoring way.

When people talk Cronkite, they talk trust. Part of the reason Cronkite came to engender trust in the American public is because he was the leading edge of the modern news anchor-he was emotive and had opinions. By today's standard, we'd consider him buttoned down in both regards, by the standards of his era, that made him different and a lot of Americans felt like they knew Cronkite, and that helped engender that trust.

This has left a mixed legacy in news reporting and journalism, however. Cronkite was the man who opened the door for journalists (so-called hard journalists, not opinion journalists) to let more of their political colors show through in their work. It is human nature to have opinions and beliefs, so it is impossible for any "objective" news report to be completely free of the subjective without the news becoming so dry as to be unconsumable. But there was a time where newsmen and journalists tried to keep that human influence on the reporting of the news deeply buried.

In one sense, this is good because it has made the reporting of the news much more transparent. Bloggers have shown over the years that you can now easily identify the spin that you are getting from any particular anchor or journalist. Unfortunately, it has also made it acceptable for some journalists to further their personal agendas through the way they present the news. In fact, Cronkite coming out against the Vietnam war may have done more to create the agenda driven reporter/journalist than any other single act.

When we remember Cronkite, we remember him as what he was during his era. For that, he deserves all of the accolades that he is receiving in his passing. Cronkite leaves a legacy that has been and will continue to be built upon by others, and we do need to strip away the misty feelings to examine that legacy because all of the consequences have not been positive.

Reuters Panic Mongering on H1N1 Swine Flu

I was originally going to blame WHO for panic mongering, but I actually think Reuters is to blame.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that the H1N1 flu pandemic was the fastest-moving pandemic ever and that it was now pointless to count every case.

The United Nations agency, which declared an influenza pandemic on June 11, revised its requirements so that national health authorities need only report clusters of severe cases or deaths caused by the new virus or unusual clinical patterns.

Normal flus can move too fast to count, too. The difference is a lot of people never report or go to the doctor. This ancestor of the Spanish flu is worth keeping an eye on, don't get me wrong, but we've seen nothing from it to this point that makes it panic worthy.

Congratulations, Minnesota

You've elected a clown to the United States Senate.

Sonia Sotomayor, under questioning by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee at her confirmation hearing on Wednesday, had to admit she could not recall a key point of law: what was the one case that TV defense lawyer Perry Mason actually lost?

"I wish I could remember the name of the episode but I don't," Sotomayor said after Democratic Senator Al Franken -- himself a former TV star -- pressed her on Perry Mason trivia.

Wow, Minnesota. Maybe next time you could just upgrade your cable subscription if you want a comedian. Having grown up in the Twin Cities media market, I can say that gravitas is a tough word for Minnesotans, what with the three syllables and all.

Top Ten Things I've Learned From 3 Days of Fatherhood

I'm not sure anyone can appreciate this except perhaps someone who is going through it.

10. Newborns can be stronger and inherently smarter than you give them credit for.
9. There is personality there right from the start.
8. Your brain conspires with the baby against your body from the start. Falling asleep? You hear his cry, even if he isn't crying.
7. It is possible to fart and burp multiple times simultaneously.
6. A good poop can be as exciting as an 99 yard touchdown pass.
5. Oddly, your own baby's gas smells sweet after the first few.
4. Just when you think you've got the little bugger figured out, he changes things up on you.
3. Early parenthood is like boot camp, and baby is your drill sergeant.
2. Poo on your fingers becomes less repulsive than it normally would be.
1. You can never prepare for how much that first one is going to change you and your life, no matter how much you know before hand.

Welcome My Little Co-Blogger

We shall call him Jiblette. His was a peaceful gestation, but his journey into this world was a long and painful one for his mom. He officially joined Jiblog at 6:54 on July 5th.

A Short History of Chippewa Falls Baseball

I know that this article is going to have a niche audience, but given the fact that Chippewa Falls was a small, post lumber mill town at the time, I found this little nugget amazing:

Now referred to as “Captain,” Porter returned to Chippewa Falls as a player-manager in 1902, and within a few years was fielding one of the top independent teams in the Midwest.

Led by African-American pitcher George Wilson, regarded to be one of the best pitchers in the country, the Chippewa Gotzians were crowned the 1904 Northwestern Champions. The deciding game was a 10-2 defeat of Renville, Minn. at Lexington Park in St. Paul that saw Wilson strikeout 17 batters.

Not too bad for a small lumber town in Northwestern Wisconsin in 1902.

Practice Makes Perfect?

I wonder how many clippings and print offs of this article made it onto refrigerators around the world today?

Having sex every day improves sperm quality and could boost the chances of getting pregnant, research suggests.

In a study of men with fertility problems, daily ejaculation for a week cut the amount of DNA damage seen in sperm samples.

Of course, I suspect many woman will recommend self medication to their men.

Brazil Calls Off Search For AF 447 Victims

Sad.

Brazil's Air Force and Navy on Friday called off the search for additional victims and wreckage from Air France Flight 447, which crashed over the Atlantic on June 1 carrying 228 people.

I'm a simple man with what I think is a realistic view of death. As such, if I were to be buried in a cardboard box with a wood cross bearing my name, I'm cool with that. After all, what will I care at that point? But I realize that my absence would be felt in some peoples' lives, and I do want that postage stamp of land where they can find some peace. Every time I fly over the Great Lakes, I shudder at the thought that I could end up at the bottom of one of them, never allowing my loved ones that little bit of peace of mind. There are a lot of loved ones of Air France Flight 447 victims who will never have that place to mourn over their loved one.

The H1N1 Solution

Okay, so the CDC says that the H1N1 swine flu isn't going away. Yet we also know that, as currently constituted, it is virulent but not a particularly deadly flu. So I say we pucker up and take our medicine, chicken pox style. Everyone who doesn't have it right now has to go to a birthday party for someone who does have it. Spin the bottle will be encouraged. This way, the 299 million Americans who haven't gotten it will come down with it and build up immunities before the virus starts to change itself. Also, we'll save billions on vaccinations. Kiss a Swine Flu victim today!

And So The Seventies Begin to Die

This week, three household names from the 1970's died in a two day period: Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson. It was a stunning death triumvirate of the most well known from that ugliest of decades. For many of us who pontificate in the electronic realm, the seventies don't seem all that long ago; then again, most of us also ignore those rapidly reproducing gray hairs. The fact is the seventies is getting to be "a long time ago," and this week was a pretty sobering reminder for those of us who got our start in that decade that we aren't getting any younger.

If You Snicker At Subway, Then Give BK A Break

Lots of idle chit chat in the blogosphere about Burger King's ad for their new "Super Seven Incher." The opinions are running largely against Burger King's overt oral sex reference. If crassness was truly the measuring stick, then I say, hey, give 'em hell. But most people I know snicker at Subway's "Five Dollar Footlong" promotion. Everyone knows the connotations made by Subway's commercials (ever see the commercial where the construction workers hold their hands about a foot apart in front of their groins?), yet nobody gives Subway hell for it. Why? Because most people are self congratulatory when they get a subtle connotation, but feel free to preach at the obvious. When everyone starts taking aim at Subway, then I'll over look the rage aimed at Burger King. Until then, shaddup.

Obama Gives Fatherhood Advice

Read about it if you'd like. It isn't bad advice per se. Just the same, I don't think men out there should consider any politician a fatherhood role model. The sacrifices that must be made to attain great power always affect the family.

Jiblog Turned 5...5 Days Ago

Oops. Hopefully this is an indicator that my priorities are in the right place and not just a sign that I'm getting forgetful.

The Sex Scandal That Mildly Shook Milwaukee

So, this broke yesterday.

I've thought long & hard about it, and I guess I ultimately don't have much to say. I've no interest in defending either Flynn or McBride in any way, shape, or form. I've also no interest in raking Bice over the coals for his scandal sheet piece. The fact is, Flynn is a public official and McBride has made herself a public person. News coverage of their actions come with the territory, for good or for bad.

It is most unfortunate for the friends and families of these two that they must deal with not only the pain this has caused, but the very public dissection of it. My empathy is with them.

Any comment on my part beyond the issues above and possibly the status of their jobs would be little more than gossip mongering, something else I have little interest in partaking in given the difficulty this already presents to a lot of people who did nothing wrong.

Define 'Proof'

Tom McMahon claims to have photographic proof that Michael Leon peed on the grave of Joseph McCarthy in violation of Appleton, Wisconsin ordinances. Unfortunately, like Mr. Leon, I'm afraid Mr. McMahon's evidence falls short. First, there is no way of telling from the photo if there is a urine stream. Second, it would appear that Mr. Leon is not a big man as we have no evidence of his unit actually being public. If the evidence can't measure up to reasonable doubt about it's true existence, it is tough to convict. And that should be of greater embarrassment to Mr. Leon than an actual record for doing this.

Palin Ain't the Future of Conservatism

While I'm on the topic, I'd like to address the ongoing adoration in some circles for Sarah Palin. I like Sarah Palin, and I think that politically, she was the best that the DOA McCain campaign could hope for. She could not carry the ticket for him, though, and she is not the future of conservatism. She is a excellent voice to have as part of the leadership, but she isn't a realistic candidate for the presidency. The public gave her type a chance in 2000 and 2004. They aren't going to give that type of candidate a chance again for a while.

By all means, be supportive of Governor Palin. But if you are excited about Palin's prospects in 2012, you really are wasting your time. The ass kicking that the right has faced will continue unabated unless we all take a good, hard look at reality, and reality does not include Palin as a viable presidential candidate.

Time to Concentrate the Fire Power

I have a word of advice for some of my fellow conservatives. It will no doubt go unheeded, but what the hell.

Stop firing your bullets at useless targets like David Letterman.

You aren't the majority anymore. In fact, you're getting your asses kicked. We don't have the luxury of fighting these stupid battles. Concentrate your fire on the men and women that you can beat in Washington and your state capitals. There is ample material there. Focusing instead on David Letterman and his ilk only makes your cause look asinine to those who vote but don't follow the issues all that closely. In other words, the people that unfortunately decide a lot of elections.

May The Good Lord Help Us

My wife and I are watching Joe Buck Live and the intro to the Favre interview. I commented that he was the Paris Hilton of the NFL. The lovely Mrs. Jib said that the sex tape won't come out until nobody wants the media whore anymore.

May the Good Lord help us.

Odd Journalistic Paragraphs

This inaugural edition of "Odd Journalistic Paragraphs" comes from the Telegraph:

But Mr Kildee, who has lived there nearly all his life, said he had first to overcome a deeply ingrained American cultural mindset that "big is good" and that cities should sprawl – Flint covers 34 square miles.

By London or Manhattan standards, maybe. 34 square miles, for a town of once over 200,000 people, is not that large. That's a town that, if perfectly square, would be less than 6 miles from one end to the other.

A Quick Thought

When looking at companies to buy, only a government buys the crappy ones.

Only In Madison, Wisconsin

So, the city of Madison is thinking about how it is going to grow and develop over the years. They've already told developers that the city can't grow towards the sky because it might block the pretty view of the capitol. Now they're telling them they can't grow outward, either, because they don't want people driving.

The suburbs must be loving their neurotic urban neighbor.

Arab World Lectures Obama About Lecturing

Heh.

"Obama is just a prettier face. I'm sure his intentions are in the right place but I don't expect much from the man," a Cairo electrician said on Wednesday as US President Barack Obama began his much-anticipated Middle East trip.

Newspapers, analysts and ordinary Arabs warned Obama -- whose election was hailed across the region -- against emulating the policies of Bush by lecturing Muslims on democracy, and also urged him to be tough with Israel.

Democrat Presidents have this obsession with feelings for some reason, and all of them have to come to the hard realization that the only way this part of the world is going to send America glad tidings is if we do their bidding for them. Their naivete is touching, but hopefully this president learns quickly that doing so would be an odious and futile effort.

Conan is Outstanding!

He has a new skit on the Tonight Show called the Twitter Tracker. It is like taking "If They Made It" and translating it to the fad of the day. It's Miley! "Don't Crap On the Ap."

Quick Question

How do people blog, tweet, Facebook, and participate in other various social media like Myspace (spit) and Flickr while still maintaining a real life?

How Do You View Spending?

After work tonight, I stopped at a local watering hole to meet my former co-blogger Col. Ollie. While I waited for him with an ice cold Leinie's Honey Weiss in front of me, a corporate event of some sort came in. A well dressed older gentleman bellied up to the bar, tossed down a credit card, and said, "I'm opening a tab, and it is going to be a big one." As I watched on as the bar filled up, I figured I had two ways of looking at the situation:

1. I could think, "What a waste of damn money. How much better off would corporate America be if they weren't running up tabs like these to essentially buy a party for people? Heads should roll for this excess in these times." (I suspect that 80% of the public would fall in line with some variation of this critique).

2. I could think, "Wow, it is quite the crowd in here tonight. I know the owner, and I'm glad he's getting this boost in business. And I see that he's tossing a few free appetizers their way. I hope these people come back, because this is a net good for the community. If it buys the company some goodwill with these individuals they are trying to woo, good for them, too."

I chose the second, but I think that I'm uncommon in that regard. Too many people right now are quick to judge the spenders without considering how essential this type of spending is to both the establishments receiving the sales and the businesses trying to make their own sales, as well as the employees at both. And that kind of judging will only stand to slow the pace at which we try to get back to some sort of economic normalcy.

The Althouse Fallacy

At least, that's what I'm naming this statement:

When a white man gets onto the Supreme Court, it's because of his legal credentials, because he got no points for diversity, but when a woman or a member of a minority group makes it onto the Court, she (or he) will be forever marginalized as an embodiment of the quality or qualities that clinched the appointment, even though excellent legal credentials were required for her to make it into the pool of finalists. Don't you see how unfair this marginalization is?

What makes it a fallacy, you say? Well, there is no reason to marginalize a woman or a minority when they are considered amongst a diverse group of the finest legal minds around, regardless of gender, race, or creed. However, when a President chooses to only consider one demographic for his nomination, it is perfectly fair to wonder if that person was the best of the best, or merely the best of the best of a very small select sliver of the available options. Unfortunately, racial and gender politicization have thrived on misconceptions like those of Ms. Althouse.

Why does the universe exist at all?

That headline is part of what Stephen Hawking wants to understand in his scientific efforts.

Until science has discovered and proven the answer to that question, it cannot say that it has either proven or disproven anything about religion.

Q: How Bad is Republican Leadership?

A: A former Vice President who should be enjoying retirement and a talk radio show host are forced to lead the opposition against the majority Democrats. Both are quite capable in their roles, but neither should have to be leading the charge. Pathetic.

Dems Lay Down Cover Fire for Obama

Guess what? President Obama was wrong about Guantanamo Bay. Not that it mattered-he got to milk the issue for all it was popularly worth during the election. But the Democrats are coordinated right now, and congress is laying down covering fire for him. In what is being portrayed as a setback for the President, congressional Dems are refusing to authorize the funds to shut down the detention facility at Gitmo. It is not a setback at all. It is clear that Gitmo must continue to operate, but Obama cannot leave himself vulnerable in 2012 to charges that he reneged on one of his most popular campaign promises. So congressional Dems play the part of sober and responsible leaders, co-opt the Republican position on the matter, and deliver "setback" that is nothing of the sort.

The way Republicans are being politically out maneuvered right now is stunning.

Disappoinment

I am very dispirited with the right at the current time. There are lots of reasons for it, but a number of those reasons come back to the leadership. The Republican party needs to start building a narrative around President Obama. A lot of people out there are bothered, disturbed, or angered by at least one decision he's made. These things need to be jumped on, they need to be repeated, and they need to be tied back to his campaign to show what false promise he sold the American people. I'm not seeing very damn much of that. Until it happens, the right is going to continue to get trounced, and the right will remain powerless against everything we revile about Obama's far leftism.

With New CAFE, Time to Invest in Horse Power

So, with the Obama nanny state requiring CAFE standards that exceed the current and near future technological/performance capabilities, what does this mean for those of you who own a boat, or a trailer, or any other heavy item commonly towed behind a vehicle? What does it mean to you small contractors whose livelihood depends on that powerful, low gas mileage vehicle? I'll tell you what it means. It means you'd better look at investing in a team of horses to move your gear. Don't forget to thank your President for the Hope he's given you.

Noah: Out of Power Republicans Bigger Babies than Dems

This is amusing:

As a Democrat and longtime resident of Washington, D.C., I've always found the capital more congenial when my party was out of power. Partly that's because I make my living as a journalist. Republican presidents tend to create a more target-rich environment, not just for liberals but (I think) for everybody. Mostly, though, it's because Republicans out of power go out of their way to make life unpleasant for the rest of us. When Democrats lose, they're pathetic. When Republicans lose, they're bitter and mean.

Heh. I clearly made some poor choices in life by trying to make good choices. Had I chosen to be vapid and ignorant, I too could've landed a gig writing for Slate. Mr. Noah is clearly blocking out how big of babies his side (and he himself) were during the 8 years of the Bush administration.

The Photo that Made New York Soil Itself

I really, really hope that this is one of the throw-aways from the administration's photo shoot of Air Force One. Because if this is one of the "good shots," then they are going to need to do some serious Photoshopping on it. And if they are going to need to do a lot of manipulating, then they may as well have taken the photo someplace else rather than keeping New Yorkers in the dark and scaring the living bejeebers out of them.

Because this photo sucks.

Will Griffey Jr. Skate Past the Scandal of His Era?

He just might, and part of the reason is that people really, really want to believe that he's innocent.

Yet that would be a clichéd reaction, naive to the fact that in a game tainted by lies atop lies, Junior is bidding farewell as an honest-to-goodness ambassador; as a man who -- Please, dear God, let this be true. Please -- became a legend without the assistance of a needle or an under-the-radar bag of pills and creams.

All I have to say is this: Don't get your hopes up. Anecdotal evidence leans against Griffey being clean. First, look at that guy early in his career. He was a very lean ball player who thickened up considerably as his power numbers grew. Still, we could look at his father and say that was natural growth. But then look at the types of injuries that held him back during his years in Cincinnati. They were the pulled/torn muscle type of injuries that can inflict a person that becomes to strong for his skeletal structure-the types of injuries than afflict steroid users.

Until there is evidence otherwise, we have to assume that Grif is clean. But don't let that assumption make an ass out of you.

An Early Post-Mortem on the Mexican Swine Flu

I've done quite a bit of reading on the recent swine flu, and I've come to some educated but unscientific conclusions. I share them with you because I think they run counter to the general coverage right now but I also think they are accurate.

First, the way this story evolved, this particular flu strain looked terrifying. We were getting reports of deaths from Mexico that were growing at a high rate to the number of confirmed cases that were being reported. It has seemed terrifying at times. Almost too terrifying to be believable. The death rate appeared to be incredibly high compared to even the 1918 influenza. But what we were probably seeing was an anomaly in the data collection. This flu has probably been spreading for over a month, possibly well over a month, but it wasn't being identified as anything other than a typical flu virus.

At some point, deaths in Mexico lead to the actual virus being identified. The new and unique nature of the virus led to a natural alarm, and attention immediately went to the cases where death occurred. Because of that increased attention to the cases where flu deaths occurred, those numbers began to rise at a faster rate than reported cases where recovery happened. As the focus shifted to containment because of the fear generated by the increases in deaths, we naturally began identifying more and more cases of this flu. Most of these cases appeared to be serious, so as this number has expanded, it has seemed to confirm suspicions that we were facing a deadly pandemic. But that may have neglected another part of this picture, and that is that many, many more people have probably been infected but the infection has been so mild that they A) Never sought treatment, B) May not have even thought it was the flu, perhaps even confusing their symptoms for that of a bad cold, and C) May have even been asymptomatic.

Two important pieces of information have appeared in the past couple of days, and as the tidal wave of this story has rolled on, I think they have been under reported. The first is reports that the confirmed death toll in Mexico may actually be lower than what we've been hearing. The second is reports from the scientific field that this virus appears to be no more deadly than the typical seasonal flu virus. If true, both of these pieces of data would indicate this panic was created by data collection that started with the most serious instance, cases that resulted in death, and worked backwards to the least serious, which would be cases so mild as to go unreported.

In all likelihood, this flu virus will be out of the news loop in two weeks. Many of us will be asking the question "how the hell did this virus become a panic," and I think it is going to be some variation of the above.

One other thing on the news coverage of this. I've been seeing more and more reporting that holds up the example of the 1918 flu that started mild in the spring and became deadly that fall as what we have to look forward to. This is lazy, fear mongering journalism that relies on the false belief that history repeats itself exactly. Could this flu come back more deadly in the fall? Perhaps, but it will likely be worked into next winter's flu shots. Unless it makes a radical genetic change, that vaccine will likely go a long way to tempering any increase in lethality. And remember, in 1918, we did not have the benefit of a vaccination routine. Additionally, the 'history repeats itself' model is incredibly irresponsible as the likelihood that this virus would follow the exact route of the 1918 virus is more remote than you buying a Powerball ticket and winning this weekend.

So, long story short, you can probably direct your worries in other directions. This flu is going to be looked back upon as much ado about nothing.

Absurdity Reaches New Levels

Yeah, ya know that ugly recession that's restricting our spending power? It's making y'all fat:

The recession that is shrinking workers' paychecks may also be expanding their waistlines, a survey showed on Wednesday.

One in 10 U.S. workers said they are snacking more during the day due to concerns over the economic situation, and nearly half complained of gaining weight in their jobs, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.com, an online jobs site.

It said 43 percent of employees surveyed reported they have gained weight while in their present jobs. A quarter said they gained more than 10 pounds and a sixth gained more than 20 pounds.

C'mon now. This defies all logic. If this survey is at all accurate, then this is the first time in history that dire economic straits has led to increased obesity. And if that's the case, then we really aren't in that dire of economic straits.

Having a Child in Uncertain Times

I think having your first child is nerve wracking for any responsible father-to-be, but when was the last time it was this nerve wracking? The economic sky is falling and there is a flu nobody can predict erupting all around us. As a soon-to-be-dad, there is this giant protective bubble I want to put over my family, but there are so many things that I can't control for. It's maddening.

Choking the Golden Goose

Oh my.

The United Auto Workers union’s retiree health-care fund will own 55 percent of Chrysler LLC in exchange for cutting in half the automaker’s $10.6 billion cash obligation to the trust, people familiar with the matter said.

Under the terms of the contract, the trust would get representation on the company’s board of directors, said two people briefed on the deal, who asked not to be named because the matter is private.

One of two things will result from this. The 'new' Chrysler will be bled dry, or a certain union is going to get an up close and personal look at how unrealistic their demands on business are. I'm putting a larger wager on the former.

Pandemic Thought

We are currently in a situation where we have a flu virus that is rapidly spreading through the population and we have no clue what so ever about how serious the illness is. Is it a very deadly strain, as the initial Mexico evidence would indicate, or is that Mexican evidence somehow bad, giving us a skewed view of the lethality of this virus? Either way, we don't know, so shouldn't we be looking at taking some common sense precautions like shutting down sporting events and closing schools en masse while we figure it out? Because once we figure it out, it is going to be too late to do anything.

Or are we already past the point where any of that matters?

No Mas, Brett, No Mas!

Ugh.

Brett Favre was released from the reserve-retired list by the New York Jets on Tuesday night, making the quarterback a free agent if he decides to again come out of retirement.
[...]
The 39-year-old Favre, who spent one disappointing season with New York, had requested the move several weeks ago through agent Bus Cook, but insisted he has no plans to come out of retirement for a 19th season.

No plans to come back? Co-bullshit-ugh. Yeah, I'm sure he has no plans to come back, especially not with the only team in the division without a QB, the Vikings. Because most guys ask to be released after they retire.

An Auto Thought

If I were Toyota or Honda, and I could find a way to swing it in this economy, I'd buy Pontiac, or at least the brand. Keep the brands but re-engineer the models from scratch and re-introduce them in about five years. They've both already made huge inroads into the American market, but this just might buy them the goodwill of more loyal customers of the formerly Big Three.

Arlen Specter Turns Democrat

Interesting. I didn't know he was still a Republican.

Never Waste A Good Crisis

As we look at a potentially deadly flu pandemic, am I the only one filtering everything the Obama administration does through that quote by Rahm Emanuel?

The Tone Deaf Obama Administration

I know that the nation is still mostly in worship stage, but how insensitive and tone deaf is this administration that it decided it was Kosher to fly a commercial jet and an F-16 low over lower Manhattan with out giving the public a warning? This administration is looking frighteningly lightweight.

And speaking of lightweight, I know that Democrats are pointing out that Republicans fought pandemic funding in the stimulus, but what kind of an administration drags its feet on appointing people to the Treasury during a financial crisis and faces a potential flu pandemic without a Secretary of Health & Human Services or even a Surgeon General?

Now is the time to get concerned

I've been a huge critic of the new and old media for their panic mongering over the avian flu. It did nobody any good to be excessively worried about that potential threat to global health. This flu in Mexico, a bizarre swine, avian, and human flu combo, is something to be legitimately concerned about. Panicked, no, but concerned, yes.

At this point, it looks like this flu responds well to treatment with Tamiflu. There are also indications, based off of limited U.S. cases, that it may not be as lethal as some past flu pandemics. But it pays to take precautions. Now is probably a good time to swear off hand shakes and/or greeting kisses, to step up basic sanitization, and maybe even to stock up on some masks and gloves. It certainly would pay to have emergency stocks of basics. I don't think we'll need them, but this is a time where it is better to be safe than sorry.

Braden Looper for Cy Young

Seriously. The only other bright spot on this Brewers roster so far is Todd Coffey.

Happy Earth Day

The title to this post makes me giggle, because when was the last time you met a happy environmentalist? But anyway, do have a happy Earth Day. If you are celebrating Gaia by forsaking electricity or water for the day, I'll know by your slightly rank scent or mismatched clothes, so please don't be offended if I give you a wide berth for the day. As for me, I'm going to celebrate a little differently. I'm going to celebrate the bounties of this planet by taking an extra long, extra hot shower in the morning. Hell, I may sleep with the lights on tonight just to honor the powers we've discovered on this spinning ball of mud.

California Cows Must Not Be Happy

Remember those commercials about California's happy cows? They must be as neurotic as their state's citizens can be, because they apparently aren't happy now:

California, the nation’s top milk producer, had a 3.8 percent drop in its March output.

The Golden State’s dairy herd dropped by about 20,000 cows, while Wisconsin added 5,000 cows in March.

The production per cow also grew in Wisconsin by about 25 pounds, while it dropped 55 pounds in California.

Maybe if those Cali dairy farmers get their cows some counseling and a good prescription, they'll start making happy milk again.

Huge Fraud Potential in Bailout

Huh. Thank goodness government let us know about that. I don't who would have ever predicted that.

Oh wait, that's right. I did. And I'm no seer. It should have been painfully obvious to all of us.

They Said if We Elected George W. Bush...

...political opponents would be castigated as terrorists. I guess they were right. It just took President Obama to realize the "hope" of the Bush administration. (Apologies to Glen Reynolds and his now defunct "They Said" series).

Mythbusters Wisconsin

Pay attention Badger Kari Byron geeks. Mythbusters was in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, the geek club couldn't form a Byron worship service because, the best to my knowledge, their presence wasn't announced in advance. However, if you want to see Kari Byron et al in Wisconsin, look for the "Alaska Special 2." Bonus points to anyone that can name where they did the snow plow test.

Oh, by the way, if I didn't say so already, Kari Byron.

New Detroit Lions Logo

Not surprisingly, it is even lamer than the old one. I see that and think Detroit Cowardly Lions.

Wisconsin Prediction

To my Wisconsin reader: Do you remember 2006? At the beginning of that year, there was a real question as to who would be the best Republican candidate for governor. If you were within Southeastern Wisconsin proper, you were most likely a Scott Walker supporter. If you were outside of that region of the state, you were most likely a Mark Green supporter. Scott Walker removed himself from the race, but Green never really stirred the passions of former Walker supporters, nor did he garner outsized support "outstate".

Well, I see a similar scenario on our horizon. There is early support crystallizing around former U.S. Congressman Mark Neumann. Now, if you've read this blog or the Badger Blog Alliance at all, you know that I am a Scott Walker supporter, but this isn't about who I think is the better candidate. What this is about is what I see as a continued schism in this state's Republican party. While both Neumann and Walker are SE Wisconsin Republicans, I can see a similar split developing in the party where supporters of the loser never fully get on board with the winner. And if that happens, this state will concede another election to Jim "Ponzi Scheme" Doyle.

Go DOW Go!

Go DOW Go!
Originally uploaded by Jibby7

I was in Madison on Saturday when I saw this license plate. Someone is apparently long in the market, or damn close to retirement.

And Fuel Economy Will Continue to Deteriorate

The gas mileage your car gets will probably drop in the future. Is it that dastardly American auto industry's fault for making shoddy cars? Nope, it'll be your government's fault:

The U.S. government will eventually allow higher levels of ethanol to be blended into gasoline, Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen said on Tuesday.

Ethanol is currently approved to make up 10 percent of gasoline, but producers have lobbied the government to increase the blend level.

The science is pretty clear on what ethanol does to gas mileage. I can only shake my head at the stupidity.

John Madden, NFL Broadcaster, Retires at 73

Am I the only one who saw headlines like that today and initially thought he'd died?

No More Czars. No Mas!

Ugh.

A former Justice Department official has been picked to be the Southwest border czar — a new position created by the Obama administration to handle illegal immigration and border issues, according to an administration official.

The new Homeland Security post will be responsible for issues related to drug-cartel violence along the U.S.-Mexico border and the hundreds of thousands of people there who try to enter the U.S. illegally.

If there ever was a term that needed be taken out back, have its legs broken, and dropped into the Hudson River, it was 'Czar'. It was cool for 45 minutes in the 1980's, but it is about one of the most un-American terms imaginable. And when was the last time you remember an American "czar" accomplishing jack?

Wherein I Agree With Fidel Castro (But For Different Reasons)

Fidel:

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro on Tuesday praised the Obama administration for lifting U.S. restrictions on family travel to Cuba, but said more changes were needed in U.S. policy toward the island.

"The measure of easing the restrictions on trips is positive although minimal. Many others are needed," Castro wrote in a column published on a Cuban government website.

The surest way to end the Castro & Castro regime is to throw the doors open to Cuba and flood the island with capitalism. I'd go so far as to say that we are 20-25 years overdue on this change. The Cuban American community, particularly the older generation, still has some heft in American politics, so any changes along this line will come incrementally.

Happy Tea Partying

I feel deficient for not being able to attend tomorrow's tea party in Madison, especially considering the fact that I do not work all that far away. But that's kind of the point...I have to work. Take pictures for me, everyone.

The Cult Lives On

Sigh. I saw several examples this weekend of Obamessiah syndrome. I was hoping that more people had come to their senses, but it seems that many still think that he can walk on the water he turns into wine.

Volcano on Galpagos Islands Erupts, Threatens Exotic Species

Nature at its finest.

Ecuador officials say a volcano is erupting in the Galapagos Islands and could harm unique wildlife.

The Galapagos National Park says La Cumbre volcano began spewing lava, gas and smoke on uninhabited Fernandina Island on Saturday after four years of inactivity.

Word is the the UN will convene to condemn the environment for the environmental damage it is doing to the environment.

Blogger, Commentor Engaged. So Fracking What?

I've only been casually following da blogs in recent week, but I did notice the kerfuffle over UW law prof & blogger Ann Althouse's pending nuptials with a man she met through her comment section. I'm not understanding what the big deal is here. Who gives a rat's patoot? People meet the ones they love in any number of places, and the comment section of a blog seems much more sane than one of the most common places, the tavern.

A New Career?

I was in Borders the other night and I saw a book on the Chicago Cubs. I began to think about how boys and their fathers are about sports. Most times, the boy will cheer along with his father for the same teams, but some boys will intentionally choose the rivals to their dad's favorite team, if only to spice things up. My boy's grandfather is like that, as are more than one of his great-uncles to be.

So I started to mull over ways to encourage my boy to cheer on my favorite teams, besides the obvious immersion technique of swamping him with Packers, Brewers, Badgers, and Bucks. I think I hit on something that would work. I'm going to write a series of children's books. The first book in the series is going to be called "Why the Chicago Cubs...Eat Children." I plan to follow that up with "Why the Chicago Bears...Hate Your Mommy" (Or maybe "The Monsters of the Midway Under Your Bed") and "The Lost Kids and The Purple People Eaters."

I know, the titles sound horrible, and they will give kids bad dreams. But remember, nightmares fade, but the indignity of being a Cubs, Bears, or Vikings fan lives on forever.

Geithner Plays the Fool, Again

I declare shenanigans against the Obama administration:

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner denied on Sunday the Obama administration was crafting bailout initiatives to allow companies to evade limits on executive pay and other restrictions imposed by Congress.

"No, that's not true," Geithner said when asked about a report in Saturday's Washington Post that the White House was trying to allow some exceptions.

They tread a fine line. They want power and control over over the financial and other industries, but they also know that those individuals will fund their re-election effort in three years. Look for the loopholes to abound. Geithner doesn't realize it yet, but he'll be the fall guy when the public figures out that these executives have work-arounds that allow them to still make their money. And Obama will get his donations in '11-'12. In a way, I feel sorry for the dumb bastard.

I say let's be honest and transparent about this. Don't limit their pay. If they fail and make huge money, then they will be open to the judgement of their stockholders. All this administration is doing right now is making executive compensation more difficult to track.

Earning the Digits

If she didn't give this guy her phone number after this, a crime occurred.

It doesn't look like he tried to capitalize on the opportunity, though.

Update
I showed the lovely Mrs. Jib this video. She had two thoughts. #1: Digits would have been called for if he gave her the ball. #2: In the interest of Darwinism, he should have let the ball hit her for being oblivious to a Major League game while sunbathing beyond the left-center field wall.

Dumb Headlines

Today's edition of Dumb Headlines features Time via Yahoo:

Unemployment Rise Shows Recession Far from Over

Perhaps the recession is far from over, but the unemployment rise isn't what shows it. Unemployment is a lagging economic indicator. It shows what employers were facing, not what they are facing. Yes, last month's increase in unemployment could mean less consumer spending for this month. Employers tend to cut jobs beyond the point at which an economy starts to turn around, though, so deciphering where we are right now from it is a foggy art at best.

Bonus Classic TV Intro

I'm not sure how many out there remember this one, but I used to watch Grizzly Adams re-runs on weekend mornings all the time. Fortunately, I had enough common sense to realize that bears aren't any man's best friend.

The Weekend's Classic TV Intro

I've been AWOL, but I haven't forgotten my new feature. Enjoy one that always makes me feel better, the intro to Cheers.

A Thought on this Economy

We are in a deep recession, no doubt about it. And it has been a long time since we've experienced something like this. It used to be that recessions were deep, painful, and relatively frequent. Because they were frequent, people knew what to expect, and they didn't panic. But now we've gone 25 plus years since our last deep recession, and even those amongst who were productive members of the economy at that time have been partially numbed to the pain.

So here we are, terrified that we are looking at the abyss, standing on the ledge of a new Great Depression. I won't lie-we could very well be in that position. Something is nagging at me, though. Yes, leveraged (homes, cars, luxury goods) spending is way off. Yes, business spending is down as companies batten down the hatches. Yes, consumer spending is taking a beating because of unemployment and over-indebtedness. Yet I still see a lot of people, as nervous and as stressed as they are about the economy, spending money like they always have. For instance, I know of 7 people who have (or will be) taken expensive trips outside of this country in the period between December and this coming May. None of them are filthy rich-they are in the lower to upper middle class range.

A contraction in this economy is necessary. We got ourselves into an over-leveraged, over-priced situation across the board, and that has to be corrected. And if we just get out of the way, we'd find that the pain, while bad, doesn't hurt as much as we'd feared. Yet for the last 6 months, our government has acted out of that fear, and just as we start to claw our way out of this, we may very well get slapped in the face by worse problems that we've allowed our government to create.

RIP, General Motors

I've cringed listening to some defend Rick Wagoner today. I think that his leadership at GM was marked by desperate attempts to pull demand forward with unsustainable incentive schemes and desperate attempts to push losses back through accounting tricks. There is plenty of blame to go around for GM's current state, and he owns his fair share.

Just the same, today's the day GM died. It is now the government's car company, President Obama's car company. Technically, it is still alive, but the day the federal government shunted aside share owners to depose the head of the company and possibly the board of directors will be remembered as the day the company went brain dead. I don't think Wagoner deserved to remain as the head of that company, but that decision wasn't rightfully mine and it wasn't the government's. But this government feels that there are no limits on its power. Unless the American people come to their senses and pull back the reigns on this government, it is only going to get much, much worse.

If I Were Black...

...it would really piss me off to hear so many white liberals complimenting Barack Obama for being articulate, as though that skill was a foreign concept.

But since I'm not, I'll just say that it would be a better compliment, regardless of race, to be called competent rather than articulate.

The Weekend's Classic TV Intro

Everything is too depressing right now. Your 401K is crashing, you're worrying about your job, there is no hope on the horizon. In times like these, it is best to gravitate to warm memories of old. As such, I'm beginning "Classic TV Intro" here at Jiblog. Hopefully everyone will be able to bask in the warmth of a memory from their younger, happier days. Today's classic intro comes from my young 'un years, when I was blissfully unaware of "stagflation". I present the intro to CHiPs:

Why Not Just a Best Buy Gift Card, Barack?

This should be a national embarrassment:

As he headed back home from Washington, Gordon Brown must have rummaged through his party bag with disappointment.

Because all he got was a set of DVDs. Barack Obama, the leader of the world's richest country, gave the Prime Minister a box set of 25 classic American films - a gift about as exciting as a pair of socks.

[...]

The Prime Minister gave Mr Obama an ornamental pen holder made from the timbers of the Victorian anti-slave ship HMS Gannet.

The unique present delighted Mr Obama because oak from the Gannet's sister ship, HMS Resolute, was carved to make a desk that has sat in the Oval Office in the White House since 1880.

Meh. It's the thought that counts, right? I hear President Sarkozy in France is jacked for his first visit from President Obama because our state gift is expected to be sixteen slices of Kraft singles. (If you notice my sarcasm, it is because I'm laying it on pretty thick.)

D-list stars in Hollywood get better bling bags than the leader of the nation with which we've had the tightest relationship for years. Maybe I'm just too dumb to undestand dear leader's method of repairing those foreign relationships destroyed by Bush et al.

But maybe I'm too hard on the President. Perhaps after all of our recent spending, 25 DVD's is all we could afford to give.

A Stunning 45 Days

Stunning may not even do the first days of the Obama administration justice. Numbing might be an even more appropriate term. Certainly not in my lifetime has there been such a naked grab by the left for both socialism and power through dollars in this country. In the thirties, people feared that Roosevelt was tempted by the idea of dictatorship. Obama, via Rahm Emmanuel's policy of never letting a good crisis go to waste, has made a balls-out grab at total control. While we get poorer as private industry becomes more and more terrified, he and his party spend more and more money that doesn't exist. These are indeed frightening times, and Obama still has 55 days until the first 100 have passed. His campaign got the change part right, but they completely struck out on hope.

An Unpopular Thought

The Libertarian party is a great place for a person to land when they want to explore the intellectual concepts of theories without ever having to confront the punch in the face reality tends to give to theory. But then again, it is nice to take the high ground that comes with never having to defend policies in practice.

I think libertarians are a necessary part of the Republican party and a complimentary, inter-meshed partner to conservatism. But the condescension that comes from some Libertarians who never have to face the full frontal assault of the political system in this country is quite tiring at times. I'd love to see pure Libertarians try to govern while eschewing pragmatism if it wouldn't ultimately end up being such a mess.

(To understand this post is to understand the difference between Big-L and little-l libertarianism.)

Breaking! NY Times: Obama Going Gray!

On the one hand, I'm sympathetic to arguments that we are all worse off without the reporting done by newspapers. Then I see what passes as a story at the Gray Lady: For Young President, Flecks of Gray. If I need to point out the absurdity of a story about a man in his 40's in a stressful job going gray, please just go back to the hard hitting journalism in the paper of record.

If the Times was writing stories about whose fingerprints were on the various stimulous/bailout/bankrupt ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren plans, then I'd mourn the death of papers more. Unfortunately, stories like this just go to show that the papers are doing it to themselves. They've long since abdicated their self-appointed role as the watchdogs of democracy.

Enjoy the Strength of the Dollar While it Lasts

Because with the Obama administration treating hundreds of billions of dollars like chump change, the dollar will be on par with the peso soon enough:

President Barack Obama's budget outline for the 2010 fiscal year includes a 10-year, $634-billion reserve fund to help pay for his proposed healthcare reforms, a White House official said on Wednesday.

When I started to see the economy deteriorate grossly in September/October in my own profession, I knew that neither presidential candidate would be the right person to handle the crisis. I actually worried a bit more about McCain because he was a self-admitted economic dunce. Little did I realize that Obama was even worse. If this guy continues to spew money by the hundreds of billions, we will eventually look at Confederate and Monopoly money with warm regard.

Andy Richter to be Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show Sidekick

This pleases me:

Mr. Richter, who served as Mr. O’Brien’s sidekick during the first eight years of “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” on NBC, is returning as the announcer for “Tonight” when Mr. O’Brien takes over in June. Mr. Richter, who will also perform in sketches on “Tonight,” left “Late Night” in 2000 to pursue acting and starred in several network comedy series, including “Andy Barker, P.I.,” which was produced by Mr. O’Brien’s company.

Richter played a big role in righting O'Brien's ship on Late Night, and it seems right that he'll be joining Conan on the Tonight Show.

Biden: Stimulus to "Drop Kick" Economy

Ol' Joe Biden says that the stimulus is going to "Drop Kick" the economy.

But the press isn't reporting all that Joe said. Luckily, you have this intrepid blogger to tell you the rest of what ol' Joe said.

As the discussion progressed, Biden also said that:

-He and Obama were going to body slam the unemployment rate.
-The Obama administration would lock Iran up in a figure-four leg lock.
-He asked Afghanistan if they smelled what Barack was cookin'.
-He also indicated that the U.S. would gladly take China on in a Lumberjack match.
-Declared that Biden 3:16 says that he (Biden) just kicked Sarah Palin's ass.

In all seriousness, I just saw video of Biden talking. Is that a bruise on his forehead, or did he go after himself with a Sharpie?

California's Marijuana Plan Won't Work

California is currently considering a bill that would legalize and tax marijuana. It is being hailed as the source of, according to some sources, up to $1 billion in new revenues for the state. It seems like a plan with little or no downside and, knowing the state of California's proclivity for shallow depths of thought, it'll probably pass. But it will fail, and here's why.

The plan can only be successful under one perfect scenario: The black market for pot instantly dies and several companies quickly move in with a ready-for-market marijuana supply and distribution network. You'd have to be stoned out of your gourd to think that will be the case.

Instead, here's what will happen. The law will pass, and the black market will continue while producers set up their supply and distribution channels. Some big companies will get into this because they will already have the distribution channels but not the product. Some well positioned black market suppliers will get involved because they will have the product, but not the distribution channels. Marijuana of unpredictable qualities will begin to hit California stores but, because of the state's desire for pot to be a cash cow, it will be damned expensive.

So consumers will be faced with a choice. They can buy over the counter pot at an extreme premium at no harm to themselves because, by state law, possession will be legal. Or, they can buy from their same old supplier at lower prices and trustworthy quality at no harm to themselves because, by state law, possession will be legal. If you think consumers will choose the former en masse, I have some highly taxed, high quality orega...er, marijuana you may be interested in.

Bill Clinton is Right

You aren't going to see that headline very often around here, but former President Clinton is right. President Obama does need to switch off his apocalyptic rhetoric on the economy:

Now, former President Clinton says he thinks President Barack Obama should talk more optimistically about the prospects that the nation will recover from its current deep economic woes.

Clinton said he wants Obama to assure the people that America will surmount this problem. But at the same time, the former president said in an interview broadcast Friday on ABC's "Good Morning America" that "I like the fact that he didn't come in and give us a bunch of happy talk."

A president who blows smoke on the economy isn't very useful, either, mind you, but there is a mass psychology component to any deep economic recession. A president needs to be able to strike a cautious tone on the topic of the bad economy while conveying long term optimism. What happened to the hope, President Obama?

A Tonight Show Prediction

NBC is about to go through one of their rare transition of Tonight Show hosts. Because of the rarity, this is a story in and of itself. This transition has added intrigue, which seems to be the pattern with NBC and Jay Leno endeavors. There is much being written about Conan O'Brien taking over the Tonight Show with Jay Leno still, in effect, leading him in with a new show at 9 central. Can O'Brien book guests when his biggest competitor will be his pre-local news lead in? Will his style work with the Tonight Show?

I think the answer to both questions is yes. When it comes to booking guests, things will be difficult for O'Brien in the beginning, but that isn't anything he hasn't already dealt with in his career. Leno's prime time spot will be much more appealing to booking agents-at first. The problem Leno is going to face is that his show is going to be a radical change for prime time viewers. Currently, he is the host of a talk/comedy show that is nice to go to bed to. At his earlier position, he is going to be viewed as a variety show, and variety shows have a very poor record over the past 30 years. I expect that we'll see high initial ratings for Leno's new show that drop off very fast as the novelty wears off and viewers migrate to other channels.

I enjoy Leno's Tonight Show and I watch it over Letterman most nights. But Leno's Tonight Show isn't even a shadow of Carson's. While nobody will ever reach Carson levels with the Tonight Show again, O'Brien might actually have a shot of being mentioned in the same breath as Carson. If you ever watched Johnny's shows, you know that the skits and the spontaneity were huge components of Carson's command of the show. But in his later years, the skits became less frequent, less amusing, and the show less spontaneous. That was probably a component of Carson's aging and mellowing. Yet Leno has stripped all of that fun out of the Tonight Show. His skits generally aren't all that funny, and spontaneity is an infrequent component of his shows. He found a way to take back late night after the Hugh Grant affair, but his show is staid and somewhat boring.

O'Brien has not displayed as much spontaneity as Carson, but his shows have been decidedly less conservative than those of Leno's. While some components of that will be toned down, I expect O'Brien to bring some of the Carson fun back to the show. It will take some people a while to adjust, and his ratings will probably suffer in the first one to two years. But as some of that Carson fun comes back to the show, so will the ratings.

What will history call the current economic mess?

A: They'll call it a debt crisis, and they will bemoan the fact that it took us so long to figure out that it was the debt side of our ledger that was the real problem, not the credit. They'll also look askance at our choice to debt ourselves out of a debt crisis.

Equailty Gone Wild

Women can now have a place in honest to goodness pissing contests. Introducing the Go Girl:

There are a lot of Twin Cities businesses, but this one is kind of delicate. Minnetonka's Go-Girl.com sells a device that lets women to go to the bathroom standing up -- or, as they would say, just "Go Girl."

Sarah Dillon draws plenty of attention when she drives around town. It's hard to miss the pink car and its Go Girl logos.

"I'll have people yell out to me, 'What's a Go Girl?" she said. "And in a nutshell, it's a product that allows a woman to stand up and go to the bathroom."

There is something so wrong about that product. You just don't expect to see "Cindy" with a heart-dotted i written in the snow.

Sidebar: Actually, after writing the story as, ahem, delicately as I could, I've decided this sidebar is best told in a loud bar after many beers. Let's just say, some women have been known to "Go Girl" without the aid of a Go Girl.