tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62287722011-12-13T20:53:36.927-07:00My personal musings about anything that gets on my radar screen--heavily dominated by politics.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comBlogger22271100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-28578379571264437822010-10-25T00:19:00.002-06:002010-10-25T00:27:24.835-06:00

Hey Ken Buck: you should be winning this race by 10 points. In fact, you were winning this race by 10 points just 2 weeks ago. So what happened?Oh, yeah. You let yourself get sucked into a debate on social issues. THEY WON the battleground because you didn't innoculate yourself against their attacks and then you let David Gregory suck you in on his goofy question and then you still aren't

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-35196706171502025832010-10-19T00:00:00.003-06:002010-10-19T00:34:13.729-06:00

The "professional journalist" class is making great hay out of Ken Buck saying that being gay is a choice . . . or something like that. That is not, however, what Ken Buck did wrong.The correct answer to David Gregory's stupid question would have gone something like this:Well, David, that's an interesting question. At a time of 9.6% unemployment, 17% underemployment, rapidly approaching fiscal

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-72162552943200643962010-10-03T23:05:00.002-06:002010-10-03T23:19:26.761-06:00

Like that's a short subject, right?But, really, I've started to think that media bias is fas less in the questions that they ask than it is in the questions they either selectively ask or don't ask at all. For example:The Denver Post/9News have a new poll out today done by Survey USA. Among other things, it shows that John Hickenlooper still holds a commanding lead, with 46% to Tom Tancredo's

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-9178131861703381302010-10-02T22:44:00.002-06:002010-10-02T22:59:22.624-06:00

Who is Paul Loscocco? He is a former Republican who was running as the Independant Lieutenant Gubernatorial candidate in Massachussetts. Friday morning he made an extraordinary statement (hat tip Hot Air):“I cannot sit idly by as my friends and supporters cast their votes for my ticket, knowing that the best chance to defeat Governor Patrick is with Charlie Baker,” Loscocco will say at a press

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-52154654034385778672010-10-02T22:18:00.003-06:002010-10-02T22:43:10.400-06:00

Yeah, Gloria Allred is a media-hungry Democrat shill who has proven before that she's willing to do anything to take down a Republican front-runner.But that's the point.If Republican front-runners (like Ken Buck, Ryan Frazier and Cory Gardner) aren't prepared for the mud that's headed their way in the next two weeks, they're just naive.There's a tidal wave comin', but it's not the electoral one

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-4028227340954611202010-09-30T00:19:00.002-06:002010-09-30T00:46:20.744-06:00

[Bring Ken Buck in to minimalist stage]You've seen the ads--Michael Bennett and his out-of-state friends with very deep pockets attacking me in ways that local media have described as "misleading" and "deceptive."And that's okay--I'm a big boy and I can take their smears. And you have to understand why they've taken that tactic: because they'll do anything to distract you from Michael Bennett's

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-84295238955170726612010-09-24T18:25:00.002-06:002010-09-24T18:40:40.524-06:00

Hey, guess who spent the most money to get Dan Maes as the gubernatorial nominee? That's right! The far Left:Small businessman Dan Maes won the GOP nomination after Colorado Freedom Fund ran television ads in the two weeks before the Aug. 10 primary slamming former congressman Scott McInnis for plagiarizing a series of papers on water policy. McInnis ended up losing to Maes by 5,150 votes out

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-52305634074992608052010-09-21T00:23:00.002-06:002010-09-21T00:40:10.942-06:00

[visual of blue and yellow Ed Perlmutter sign, voice over] "Congressman Ed Perlmutter's campaign slogan this year is "Our Neighbor, Our Voice." Let's look at the record."When Congress contemplated the so-called Stimulus Bill, it was promised that unemployment would remain below 8 percent. Even so, you opposed the $787 boondoggle [visual of series of polls]. In spite of that, Ed Perlmutter voted

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-5677343606291280492010-09-19T07:56:00.001-06:002010-09-19T08:01:50.077-06:00

Yeah, that's me in the Letters to the Editor of the Denver Post this morning. The Post had to edit out quite a bit, and quite a bit of what got edited was what I considered to be pretty important, so here is the full text:On September 10, as Ed notes in his curmudgeonly fashion, unemployment was low, the economy appeared strong, and our military posture around the world was, shall we say,

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-15912774582229419912010-09-05T18:16:00.003-06:002010-09-05T21:30:50.443-06:00

Is it not clear by now that Coloradans are getting the short end of the stick in this year's gubernatorial election?Sure, the Tea Party may have flexed their muscle and caused all of us to tear a hamstring in the process (the occassional problem with "grass roots" is that they don't get their head up enough to see the big picture).And sure, we probably deserve it if the best people we can find to

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-62277532361216981232010-07-20T07:20:00.002-06:002010-07-20T07:40:19.909-06:00

There is a lot of speculation about Scott McInnis' future. It would seem it's mostly propogated on the Caplis and Silverman Show, and the speculation goes something like this: McInnis will stay in the race through the primary, which he will likely win, and the "for the good of the party" step down and let the "committee" pick a more viable candidate.I'm not sure that he's so damaged that he

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-92163560672381386782010-07-13T22:44:00.002-06:002010-07-13T22:55:45.627-06:00

Despite the spate of recent polls showing that the Democrats are in trouble around the country, I'm not buying it. There is still plenty of time for Republicans to blow this one! Exhibit A: Scott McInnis. Exhibit B: Dan Maes. The folks over at Hot Air had a link today to an article which contained an analysis that said as many as 20 current Democrat-controlled state legislatures could be in

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-10935622112023110712010-06-27T23:45:00.002-06:002010-06-29T23:03:39.510-06:00

Liberal Progressives--and, for that matter, Conservative Progressives--love to feel. To emote. To be able to sympathize/empathize is the strongest of character traits for a Progressive.Sadly, this is contrary to our best traditions. Thomas Jefferson was a great thinker, as was Abe Lincoln. The men who created our great institutions--the Declaration, the Constitution--were men of unparalleled

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-29444142675088002532010-06-16T22:35:00.001-06:002010-06-19T09:25:20.869-06:00

We should all take a lesson from Jim Joyce. Jim is an umpire in major league baseball, and one of the really good ones. But a few weeks ago, Jim missed a call--and not just a small one. It was the last out of what would have been a perfect game, which is one of the rarest feats in all of sport. And, in a close play, Jim made the wrong call--he called "safe" when he should have called an "out,"

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-22180879471678780382010-05-31T22:01:00.002-06:002010-05-31T23:15:10.719-06:00

The process of ending the "Helicopter State" is similar to the sort of thing that should be done in schools to put an end to helicopter parenting. Of course, in the schools they can never implement these things because the public schools work for the parents (there's another topic we'll need to jump in on at some point) and should never be in the position to tell the parents how to raise their

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-36506432944095601272010-05-14T21:44:00.002-06:002010-05-14T22:47:10.696-06:00

We in education have seen the rise, in the past twenty years, of a new phenomenon. This spectacle is the parent who, desperate to make sure that their child does not ever have to suffer the consequences of their terrible choices, will intervene in discipline issues, will argue with teachers over grades, will edit, correct, and sometimes even DO their child's homework, even to the point that when

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-73643178443307765562010-05-08T02:21:00.003-06:002010-05-08T02:31:56.116-06:00

Part of my monitoring things political is being on a number of email lists, including some that I would not normally care to read. But every once in a while something useful comes of it. Like today. Today I learned that Rep. Ed Perlmutter is holding a "Government in the Grocery" townhall meeting this morning, May 8th, at the Sprouts Farmers Market at Havana and Mississippi from 10 til noon. If

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-46892895665498572892010-05-05T00:36:00.002-06:002010-05-05T01:03:08.786-06:00

Aisne-Marne, 2,289; Ardennes, 5,329; Brittany, 4,410; Cambridge, 3,812; Epinal, 5,525; Florence, 4,402; Henri-Chapelle, 7,992; Lorraine, 10,489; Meuse-Argonne, 14,246.Strasbourg, France; Prague, Czeckoslavakia; London; Trinidad and Tobago; Ankara, Turkey; Cairo, Egypt.The first list is a partial list of the locations and the numbers of Americans buried on foreign soil, fighting a war not

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-60234017600808633922010-05-03T22:24:00.002-06:002010-05-03T22:39:49.048-06:00

The most recent polling has the President's approval at 48-45, Congress' approval at 22%, and the Generic Ballot in favor of Republicans by 7.The Democrats have A LOT of money in the pipeline, an endless supply of union thugs and workers to do the grassroots stuff, and a media in their pocket. But the people are not buying what they're selling, and 11 months of Democrat leadership have proven to

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-9582814704560449982010-05-03T00:52:00.004-06:002010-05-03T22:23:57.644-06:00

It would seem the President has three major pieces of legislation left on his docket for this year. Three things he has now urged Congress to act on before the end of the term. He has already bought the economy with a wildly unpopular and very partisan stimulus plan, he has taken over 17% of the U.S. economy by taking over the Health Care industry. Now he wants Congress to give him financial

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-50465969816232808452010-04-29T00:38:00.003-06:002010-04-29T01:20:18.938-06:00

scene: hypothetical press conferenceenter Conservative candidatePress: Are you concerned that this extremely divisive law passed by a neanderthal legislature in Arizona will lead to lynchings and a Nazi-like policing regime that forces Hispanics to live in constant fear?Candidate: I must admit, this new law in Arizona, which enjoys the "divided" support of better than 60% of Arizonans, does

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-16503501084616988052010-04-26T00:52:00.002-06:002010-04-26T01:45:03.887-06:00

It's about time I wade in to this debate. For those of you who are new to this blog, I am a public school teacher in my 19th year who has bought all the proper pay raises (by getting advanced degrees), but I am not a member of the union.Before I go in to the merits, did you notice who is lined up for this and who is lined up against this? In Sunday's Post, the front page picture of a teacher in

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-48584008172216066942010-04-20T01:06:00.003-06:002010-04-20T01:19:36.306-06:00

Remember not so long ago, in a country very much like how ours used to be, there was a political party that was up in arms about its opposition calling it "un-American." Never mind that not a single person in the leadership of the opposition ever actually said "un-American," that's entirely beside the point because the media never told you that part. No, it was special for reasons other than

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-34130358116501944372010-04-15T23:54:00.002-06:002010-04-16T00:11:08.992-06:00

Maybe we should all start the conversation by reading this article in the current edition of Time Magazine (courtesy Hot Air).No, I don't think genuine school reform starts with paying students to do well in school. And that really isn't what the study this article reports on says. If I can distill it down as best I can, what the article really says (with a few caveats) is that when students are

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-7210642807143117502010-04-11T22:46:00.002-06:002010-04-11T23:36:43.892-06:00

Three stories have been running together in my mind for the last several days, and I think my thoughts on them have finally congealed to the point that I can write something lucid.I know--nice change, huh?First, it would seem that about half of all Americans pay no income taxes any more. If you haven't seen Mark Steyn's take on this, it is a must-read. And generally you would think that I would

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-7662608923925165852010-04-06T01:03:00.002-06:002010-04-06T01:17:23.269-06:00

Completely random::Go Rockies!! Still in first place!!: I had a friend once who threw terribly. I think it was because he was a naturally right-handed thrower but his dad made him throw lefty to be different or "special." Problem was it was so unnatural that he never did figure out all the mechanics. Oh, he could look good to a point, but there was always something not quite right, and the

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-80208459535546588792010-04-01T00:51:00.001-06:002010-04-01T00:53:49.573-06:00

The 2006 and 2008 elections and the Health Care debate tell us that the American character has aged—we are no longer the brash, vibrant, and reckless people who dominated the latter half of the 20th century; we are much more akin to our older brothers and cousins in Europe who prefer a governmental infrastructure to manage risks and make sure that nobody has to face hardships alone. England just

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-38912919447542910822010-03-31T00:01:00.002-06:002010-03-31T00:08:21.014-06:00

Nowadays, we value safety, we value security, and we want to mitigate our risks. We don’t want to enter into dangerous commitments which we have a tough time seeing the end of, and we certainly don’t want to seem like we’re hasty or rash. We label some as “cowboys” and it’s a pejorative (John Wayne, have mercy . . .), and we’re so afraid of someone getting hurt that we don’t let our children

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-31526349163665402672010-03-30T01:33:00.002-06:002010-03-30T01:39:36.436-06:00

It's called "middle-age crisis."The American character had an inspiring start in the nature of its founding. Whether it was the free peoples who roamed the country for millennia, or the courageous explorers who crossed oceans to find greater liberty, there has always been a streak of independence and freedom in the American character. The Founding Fathers pledged their lives, their fortunes and

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-16218357615237403532010-03-29T22:47:00.002-06:002010-03-30T01:33:09.318-06:00

Then why does the SEIU feel it's necessary to spend millions of dollars to defend Betsy Markey?Likewise, the gents have an interesting discussion going on about the fact that the health care bill contains absolutely no enforcement provisions for the individual mandate in the health care bill. In fact, the I.R.S. is expressly forbidden from enforcing the individual mandate. Which brings up many

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-4090050789691816892010-03-29T01:12:00.002-06:002010-03-29T01:15:16.523-06:00

I used to love exploring: going new places, seeing new things, wandering off the beaten path . . . I look at these as opportunities for growth: every adventure into some unknown is also an exploration of my will and character. I used to prefer the challenge of the unknown, at whatever risk. In fact, last summer I had the chance to take the family on a “safe” version of exploring: five days

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-32266029407288233642010-03-28T01:57:00.002-06:002010-03-28T02:03:21.372-06:00

The immediate aftermath of ObamaCare passing: :AT&T is needing to add a one-time $1 BILLION expense to its first quarter ledgers :Deere and CO is similarly adding a $150 million expense :Caterpillar will have at least $100 mil more in expenses in the first year alone:Medtronic may be forced to lay of 1000s of workers:Verizon will likely have to cut healthcare benefits for its employeesNow, let's

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-58177964318917901942010-03-21T00:37:00.002-06:002010-03-21T01:06:21.328-06:00

I've been following The Corner really closely today--probably closer than any normal person should. And the maneuvering is fast and furious on Capitol Hill today. It looks like the Stupak block has splintered, but maybe as many as seven are still on board. Then the Dems abandon the Slaughter Strategy (too late--they've still grabbed the mantle of coward with Friday's votes). Now it looks like

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-63320812059298543782010-03-19T22:42:00.003-06:002010-03-19T23:04:33.090-06:00

Against Betsy Markey:Betsy Markey claims to be a moderate; she claims to be pro-business; and in the Fall she voted against the House version of Obamacare on the grounds that it would be bad for jobs and bad for business in Colorado.This week she announced that she was going to vote for the Senate version of Obamacare--which is more expensive, would be even worse for jobs in Colorado and even

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-16524895796125995282010-03-11T22:51:00.002-07:002010-03-11T23:24:21.664-07:00

"This is the day the waters began to recede . . . " or some such crap. Problem is, the public is not really buying it any more. A new Gallup poll shows that the number of Americans who think global warming is as Al Gore says it is is shrinking dramatically."We will have the most transparent and ethical government . . . " or something. Except, I suppose, when they really need something like a

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-5481404922420758512010-03-08T00:59:00.002-07:002010-03-08T01:09:46.279-07:00

I had to run several errands this afternoon, and I couldn't help but notice in the process that the price of a gallon of gasoline is ticking upwards pretty sharply right now. That is going to hit people pretty hard this summer. In the meantime, Congress is close to ready to enact a law that would make energy prices go up. Brilliant!The unemployment rate will take a temporary tick downward as

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-76610846714650687662010-03-04T11:08:00.002-07:002010-03-04T11:11:23.663-07:00

that the Post was referring to as "Michael Acorn" in its "My Turn" reference in today's Editorial pages. Every once in a while somebody writes something so stupid that I just have to respond. Maybe the solution is that I shouldn't read the dead tree version of the paper.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-76989902170289753422010-03-03T00:38:00.003-07:002010-03-03T01:03:25.432-07:00

The Left has been very very smart for the last 50 years at feeding us Socialism in very small pieces until it has added up to a meal. Think about it: from very small Court cases (like completely re-defining the Establishment Clause) to small, harmless legislation (like the Endangered Species Act) to little social movements (like bilingual everything) to slowly changing history (by controlling

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-57320880033822694342010-03-01T22:52:00.002-07:002010-03-02T00:55:31.451-07:00

This is, of course, a sort of homage to Churchill's famous line that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the other forms of government.Well, having watched the Republicans govern from 2001-2007, I can now say confidently that Republicans are the worst type of leadership . . .except for the other types. Namely, Democrats.My buddy sent me a text yesterday, and I could

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-84753450626583017942010-02-24T15:51:00.002-07:002010-02-24T16:11:37.297-07:00

Step up, en masse, to the bank of microphones, and address the press thus:"Whereas the President promised to bring people together and to listen to ideas from both sides of the political aisle, and:Whereas the President proposed just two days ago his own version of health care reform, before having this opportunity to listen to ideas from our side of the aisle, and while not incorporating a

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-38689951456387212572010-02-19T22:45:00.002-07:002010-02-19T22:55:02.628-07:00

wouldn't you be headed for the lifeboats, too?Imagine that scene in Titanic where the ship's architect reassures Rose that nothing can sink his boat; now imagine instead that he was rushing for an exit with a life vest in hand (come to think of it, that probably would have made the movie much better!).Well, now comes word that George Soros has doubled his gold investments over the past few weeks.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-29072066671150874212010-02-14T23:18:00.001-07:002010-02-15T15:12:16.905-07:00

Let me just say this once again: if the science is crap, then the conlusions are crap!First, Phil Jones, the head of climate science at East Anglia University in England (yes, that East Anglia--the one with the emails) gives an interview in which he basically admits that the warming we've seen in the last several years is, essentially, no different from warming observed in the late 1800s and

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-31168149306784800252010-02-08T23:10:00.002-07:002010-02-08T23:44:25.393-07:00

I started a discussion a week ago about the sorry fiscal state my employer is in right now. I've spent a little time looking around for alternatives since then, and, frankly, the options are few. However, there are some pretty smart ideas that would help school districts maximize taxpayer dollars out there.:build schools using a municipal/capital lease--have a private company build the school,

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-49805392386617751612010-02-07T14:36:00.002-07:002010-02-07T14:52:06.779-07:00

Sorry if that's unseemly to call names, but that's simply the case. He said he wants Republicans to put their specific ideas on the table--they've been doing that for two years. Job creation is his first job and was last year?--then why did he backload so much of the "stimulus" for two and three and five years down the road? Eliminating lobbyists--other than the twenty that he appointed to

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-91592806575287577112010-02-07T00:51:00.002-07:002010-02-07T01:06:33.920-07:00

By now the "professional journalists" have all reported that, according to the administration, Abdulmutallab (the Christmas Bomber) has been talking to authorities. The administration seems to think that this should be the end of the conversation about the brilliance of giving this guy his Miranda after 50 minutes in custody.EVERY single Republican of standing should be on the Sunday chats

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-56450228079378905792010-02-02T01:26:00.003-07:002010-02-02T07:12:26.401-07:00

The school district that I work for has announced recently that it is, based on different legislative actions that are shaping up right now, facing a budget deficit somewhere in the vicinity of $50 million this year.$50 million. Just consider that for a moment. In a school district of roughly 84,000 students, that's a funding deficit of around $594 PER STUDENT.The causes for this are multiple and

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-86488979260140270752010-01-27T19:03:00.004-07:002010-01-27T20:15:30.468-07:00

on President Obama saying "my predecessor" or "that we inherited" or some variant of that at 4-1/2. Because the buck stopped at the last guy.--seriously?!? How does he say this with a straight face?!? "Do our work openly?" "excluded lobbyists from policy-making jobs?" I'm waiting for a "Yeah . . .that's the ticket!"--"powerful interests?" "foreign entities?" like, oh, I don't know . . .the AARP,

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-78681950156169569302010-01-24T15:32:00.002-07:002010-01-24T16:18:30.176-07:00

Oh, yeah. I forgot. What's the President's second highest domestic priority? Climate change.And the bad week continues: . . . when it comes to unsubstantiated research it's hard to beat the IPCC, whose 2007 report insisted that the glaciers--which feed the rivers that in turn feed most of South Asia--were very likely to nearly disappear by the year 2035. "The receding and thinning of

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-71619094231010672812010-01-22T22:32:00.002-07:002010-01-22T23:14:16.069-07:00

Yes, I'm doing this one day later than the rest of the world because this was a day whose realities were but emanations of the rest of the week. All the same, you don't really need to look to me for a grade (though I'm going to give one at the end, anyway); all you have to do is look at how his week has gone.All in one week, the President has::travelled to Massachusetts for an improbable

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-30638986600674066222010-01-17T09:22:00.002-07:002010-01-17T10:33:03.865-07:00

I have written before that the beginning of the end for George W. Bush's presidency was Hurricane Katrina. This is nothing earth-shattering--I'm one of only about 40 million pundits who shared that opinion. But I thought it was about more than just failure to protect Americans, which was the dominant opinion. I thought there was a lot of it that could be attributed to the overall sense of

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-70833913384724324122010-01-12T01:12:00.002-07:002010-01-12T01:27:26.038-07:00

The Republicans in power tend to make the same mistakes over and over again. I'm really afraid that they're in the midst of that at this moment with the whole Harry Reid/negro thing.The main point has been made: there is a double standard that applies to issues of race and political party. Time to leave it alone. The longer GOPers try to dwell on the issue, the more it's going to (rightly)

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-72246473565295251312010-01-06T01:08:00.002-07:002010-01-06T01:24:54.296-07:00

The big news of the day is the run for the exits of the Democratic Party. Dorgan, Dodd, and Bill Ritter all announcing in one day that they will not seek re-election.Should be a day to celebrate, right?I wouldn't go there just yet. Something Denis Miller said this morning struck me as wise, as Miller often does. He was drawing a comparison between this year's Indianapolis Colts and the New

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-40958209208966277962010-01-04T01:51:00.003-07:002010-01-04T01:59:57.304-07:00

A bumper sticker: "How the Democratic Party has changed:Truman: The Buck Stops HereObama: The Buck Stops at the last guy . . . until, I suppose, the massive federal debts and deficits I'm running up devalue the "buck" so much that it collapses completely.But seriously, I keep wondering when the people who support this President are going to get fed up with him continually referencing President

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-18398886740607181272010-01-03T01:13:00.002-07:002010-01-03T01:23:37.767-07:00

That the deep pockets on the conservative side of the aisle dig deep and create institutions and organizations to rival MoveOn.org, the Bighorn Center, and other groups like ACORN.I believe that there is a growing tide that the Democrats are going to underestimate at their peril, but I have no faith that it will end up carrying the day. How many races in the last 3 years have we seen bounce

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-44875746461445802022010-01-02T02:11:00.002-07:002010-01-02T02:18:54.498-07:00

Not that I'm expecting it, but the next few posts will be about what I think is needed by this country in 2010.First and foremost is a choice: the "Professional Journalists" can either remember their duty and the their craft and honesly cover the debates in this country, OR the country can finally and totally reject them and bring about the end of many daily newspapers and the major broadcast

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-19236753790967312612009-12-30T01:53:00.002-07:002009-12-30T01:58:02.563-07:00

Last week, at the height of the Health Care Reform Firesale, I tried on many occasions to call Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska. My basic message was this: Once I've done some work for the Republican trying to end Michael Bennett's Senate career, I'm going to spend weekends in the car driving to Nebraska to work to defeat Nebraska Democrats and ultimately you, Senator. Unfortunately, nobody was

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-62953686379637411242009-12-29T00:41:00.002-07:002009-12-29T00:48:57.391-07:00

My first take when I heard about a terrorist who failed in his attempt to light his underwear on fire was that this guy must just be a low-level flunkie of al-Qaeda who was sent off as almost a practical joke.Turns out the joke was American security, and by extension, the Obama administration (who has NOT been helped by Janet Napolitano!)This guy had enough explosives to do serious damage to the

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-31166883410155672472009-11-08T00:09:00.003-07:002009-11-08T21:56:32.874-07:00

Dear Senator McCain:I am writing you today to encourage you to oppose ANY health care reform package that comes to the floor of the U.S. Senate.Why am I, a resident of Colorado, writing to you, the senior Senator from Arizona? For two reasons: one, as the most recent nominee of the Republican Party for President, you are in many respects the de facto leader of the Republican Party; and two,

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-74140831904754276522009-10-09T23:29:00.003-06:002009-10-09T23:44:33.897-06:00

President Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I really think this is important . . . because the world can't possibly do more to express its value of style and intent over actual accomplishment. It could be transformational.Think about all the Hope this award gives to people all over the world who have no Hope right now of actually accomplishing anything in their lives!I think next year

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-40868952527888861712009-09-28T22:35:00.002-06:002009-09-28T23:24:41.814-06:00

When I use the word "system," as I have in several recent posts, I mean an organizational or philosophical structure that cannot be easily undone by one election, or two elections--no matter how "revolutionary" they may be (see "Republican Revolution, 1994").To illustrate, National Review's The Corner had three consecutive posts this afternoon.One, from Thomas Ricks:American insiders in Baghdad

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-62627518096351701262009-09-27T01:09:00.002-06:002009-09-27T02:31:52.222-06:00

Having divorced myself from the day-to-day snark that is so prevalent in the 'sphere, I try to keep an eye on patterns and the big picture.(Like how I make that sound like it was part of some plan? Really, that's all I can do because I'm just too tired to keep blogging at 2 in the morning all the time! But I digress . . .)And the big picture is not pretty. Let me just enter a few things into

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-41420319918728988792009-09-10T23:06:00.002-06:002009-09-11T00:10:23.333-06:00

There's an axiom of war, either military or political: when your enemy is destroying itself, stay out of the way. There's a corrolary of that that goes "give him enough rope to hang himself."If I were America's enemies, I think I might be inclined, at this moment, to just stay out of the way.Tomorrow is 9/11. Will you be able to tell this from going to any public school tomorrow morning? Not

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-42487125259919918882009-09-06T23:52:00.000-06:002009-09-06T23:52:38.621-06:00

NO, I am not saying he's an abusive husband.Besides, have you seen Michelle's arms? Did you see him throw out the first pitch? My guess is she could kick his ass.No, I'm talking about the relationship between President Obama and the American people.Patience--slipping into "metaphor mode" here.The campaign was like the dating period. He seems really nice, he's charming, he has a great way with

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-12102844993013615212009-09-04T00:34:00.002-06:002009-09-04T00:58:38.973-06:00

So, as amusing as its been the last couple days to watch the various schools I'm involved with try to figure out a way to do what they really want to do, but to do it in a way that doesn't completely tick off the community, I think there's a bigger lesson to be learned here.First of all, the President's decision to speak to schoolchildren directly is just wierd. If he wants to do a big PR thing

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-34351917313998526742009-08-24T01:13:00.002-06:002009-08-24T01:31:23.000-06:00

Up to now, the decided advantage in the health care debate has gone to the side that DOES NOT want Barack Obama's appointed panel of "experts" to decide behind closed doors who gets treatment and who does not.There. I think I framed that fairly balanced. Almost as good as a "professional journalist" would do it.Seriously though, the general mood of the public is against the federal government

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-80766746679083305692009-08-15T14:30:00.003-06:002009-08-15T14:48:48.359-06:00

First, before you watch any other coverage of today's town hall in Grand Junction, read this page of the Grand Junction Sentinel. Note not a single--not ONE--story about counterprotests or supporters of the President or anything remotely complimentary to the health care reform--excuse me. . . health insurance reform . . . --in the whole town of Grand Junction on the day leading up to the

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-18869788574179784002009-08-09T23:24:00.002-06:002009-08-10T00:02:01.418-06:00

Sun Tzu wrote about the importance of picking where you want to fight, if you have to. The Left has learned that lesson well.Learning that they have no control over town hall-style meetings (even when it's not intended as a town hall but a series of one-on-ones, as Reps. Perlmutter and Polis tried in the past couple days), the Left has decided to change the parameters of the debate. [by the way,

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-28739530501181998702009-08-08T01:13:00.002-06:002009-08-08T01:19:13.102-06:00

Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) is holding a town hall meeting tomorrow at 8 am at a grocery store in Brighton. I cannot attend, but if somebody out there is planning on going, could you please try to slip in this question:The last bill that was rushed through so fast that the Congress didn't have time to read it was supposed to prevent unemployment from reaching 9 percent--we've now spent two months with

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-56630974890115931422009-08-08T00:05:00.002-06:002009-08-08T01:12:58.535-06:00

Before I dive into the meat of this post, do a little thought experiment for yourself. What would the reaction have been if, in 2002, the Bush administration had asked American citizens to log on to a White House website to report any activity by anybody appearing Muslim that seemed "fishy"? Just think about that for a moment.Now . . .Remember, oh, about six years ago, when everybody on the

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-36063979700385784342009-07-23T07:44:00.002-06:002009-07-23T08:06:14.871-06:00

I watched the President's press conference last night. Color me unimpressed.First, and most troubling, is that the President does not actually have a plan. He doesn't. He has some ideas, and he has a few guidelines (won't raise the deficit, will reduce costs . . . ) but none of those are actually his plan. He knows there's a few different things working their way through Congress right now,

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-70062343912390483182009-07-14T22:53:00.002-06:002009-07-14T23:59:01.806-06:00

(not, I suppose, to be confused with hiatal hernia. If, that is, "hiatal" is even a word.)Much of the commentary I've heard and read from my last post is along the lines of preferring to re-make or rescue the GOP, rather than outright kill it. And I respect that: there is a certain pragmatic realism associated with that position. But I think it's possible that reality may be changing. And

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-78641538984605703542009-07-08T01:03:00.002-06:002009-07-08T02:03:33.242-06:00

. . . and the landscape is a little grimmer.It's not just that the Republican brand is damaged. The Republican brand may be SO damaged as to be unrecoverable. And it's not just the Bush/Cheney/Iraq angle, like I think too many GOPers are comforting themselves with. It's that from top to bottom there is a dearth of ideas, there is a lack of leadership, and there is almost no understanding that

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-2825122239514146012009-05-22T01:38:00.004-06:002009-05-22T02:14:27.061-06:00

The President says he will keep his campaign promise and close down Gitmo.Congressional Democrats balk, and refuse to fund the move until there's a "plan" for the terrorists there.The President gets to look "progressive," and like he's keeping his promises no matter how goofy, while a Congress that has looked anything but serious gets to appear reasonable, measured and nearly hawkish.What a

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-45268417807166751892009-05-22T01:38:00.001-06:002009-05-22T01:38:45.176-06:00

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-81328884584326041742009-05-16T01:33:00.002-06:002009-05-16T02:08:27.441-06:00

"If I may be so bold, it was a mistake for you to accept promotion. Commanding a starship is your first, best destiny. Anything else is a waste of material." --Spock, Star Trek II: The Wrath of KhanWhat a brilliant sentiment, from a movie series not really famous for its flights of wisdom! The very idea that limiting yourself or altering the logical trajectory of your life for the purpose of

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-60759201578830940312009-05-16T01:16:00.004-06:002009-05-16T01:33:53.803-06:00

at the news that more Americans are pro-Life than are pro-abortion. This is one of those dirty little lies that the Left has relied on for years and years to manipulate the political debate. The tiny little facoid that only 22 percent think abortion should be completely unrestricted flies in the face of the whole tenor of the argument for the last 25 years.Which begs a question: whyhas the

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-24248592908933646242009-05-12T00:26:00.002-06:002009-05-12T01:01:19.419-06:00

to have no need for internal consistencies.Otherwise applying the same formula as "Once more, with no sense of irony."Obama: "We need to resist the temptation to fall back on the same bitter partisanship of the past; we need to avoid the same immature extreme partisan responses . . . " blah blah blahWanda Sykes: "I think Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker but he was just so strung out on

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-12181836061529923732009-05-03T22:24:00.002-06:002009-05-03T22:35:59.489-06:00

Aristotle: The Law is reason, free from passion.Obama: I will seek someone who understands that justice isn't about some abstract legal theory or footnote in a case book. It is also about how our laws affect the daily realities of people's lives. I view that quality of empathy, of understanding and identifying with people's hopes and struggles as an essential ingredient for arriving at just

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-69660280959222225112009-05-02T01:30:00.002-06:002009-05-02T02:21:52.353-06:00

Yeah, so it's two days late. What of it?I normally don't put a lot of stock in "benchmark" moments like 100 days. But the President himself is making a big deal out of it by stealing another $20 million from his entertainment/propoganda operation in Hollywood (that, according to estimates from Glenn Beck). And, frankly, it's hard to avoid the story, since it has given the "professional

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-23364091228136112552009-04-29T17:11:00.002-06:002009-04-29T17:18:17.229-06:00

I wonder if the glow--or is it the afterglow--is starting to come off of the press adulation of the President.I only ask because I read this article a few minutes ago, and was stunned by the naked skepticism dripping from the page. Just a sample:His assertion that his proposed budget "will cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term" is an eyeball-roller among many economists, given the

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-86631059693435035402009-04-24T13:49:00.002-06:002009-04-24T14:15:29.737-06:00

No, don't cry me a river.Last night's post should BY NO MEANS be construed to be a pity party or anything like it. This is the life I made for myself, and it's generally pretty good. Besides, as my friend the Captain is fond of pointing out, this is what I get for living life on the public dole (as a teacher). Make no mistake: it was still a shameless plug for a job. Just not one that

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-80727501559866722962009-04-24T02:01:00.003-06:002009-04-24T02:36:38.546-06:00

life has a way of intruding.I would like to say that I've taken the last couple weeks off from blogging because I was stepping back to survey the big board. Or that I was doing some pressing investigation that would bear fruit in this space in the near future.That would have been great. But that hasn't been the case.Some of my long time readers may have noticed over the years that the hours at

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-82854548449962157292009-04-07T01:30:00.002-06:002009-04-07T01:35:08.637-06:00

Huh. I wonder why I didn't see this story in the A-block of the news.A Bee examination of regulatory records shows that Buffett, the world's second-wealthiest person, also quietly has become a top beneficiary of the banking bailout he so vigorously advocated. . . Buffett's holding company, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., did not directly receive any of that aid. But Berkshire is the largest shareholder

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-51409439309672328702009-04-06T00:13:00.002-06:002009-04-06T00:54:57.523-06:00

When Americans hear that the President and his underlings tell that world that something is "our fault" or that we've been "arrogant," I think we tend to hear that "the other guy" or that "Bush" has been arrogant or wrong. and, thus, we tend to assume that the rest of the world hears the same thing.But I think we're wrong in that assumption. I think what the rest of world hears is exactly what

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-39644710301213979322009-04-05T22:57:00.003-06:002009-04-05T23:20:36.911-06:00

Monday: Opening Day for baseball.Monday: the culmination of the NCAA basketball tournament, the greatest sports tournament out there.Thursday-Sunday: The MastersAnd, for all intents and purposes, the NBA season comes to a close this week and the playoff spots are all but decided already. A lot of fun for guys who have absolute authority over their remote controls. Like me.SHYEAH!!

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-52046165288607428152009-04-05T22:48:00.002-06:002009-04-05T22:57:13.338-06:00

And, finally, the movie that in my opinion romanticizes the mythology of baseball, that drifts happily between cold reality ("You're a pacifist!" "Sh!#") and wild fantasy ("If you build it, he will come"), and that gives every boy hope that they can somehow undo some of the stupid things they said to their parents.Of course, this is Field of Dreams. This is one of those rare movies that is ALL

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-83008742955606781052009-04-04T23:55:00.002-06:002009-04-05T00:06:48.458-06:00

The top two are really completely interchangeable in my mind. It just depends on what sort of a mood you're in. Tonight, I'm more in the mood for the sort of innocent, pure vision of an American pasttime that has the power to overcome corruption and heal old wounds. More of a choice between "the ideal" of baseball and "the mythology" of baseball; tonight, I go with "the ideal."Of course,

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-16794378770626729662009-04-04T07:46:00.003-06:002009-04-04T07:55:36.835-06:00

And, the Great Apology Tour continues.Biden: "The time when America talks and does not listen is over . . ."Hillary: "America is 50% to blame for Mexico's drug violence . . . "Obama: "America has been arrogant . . . "The top three people in the American government have spent an awful lot of time an rhetoric telling the world "my bad." Or, to be more precise "Bush bad." But it occurs to me that

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-40379137036825597362009-04-04T07:36:00.003-06:002009-04-04T07:46:19.411-06:00

And we're finally into the top three movies on my baseball list. I know there are going to be those out there that disagree with one or more of them, but . . .so what. It's my list.This next one is for every middle-aged person who loved the game but didn't make it. For all of us who had that dream from a very early age but, for whatever reason, it never took off. There's a very "Damn Yankees"

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-60010815237642807502009-04-03T02:37:00.002-06:002009-04-03T02:56:16.679-06:00

Let's see . . . what did the administration do at the summit?:There was Michelle Obama inexplicably not being told to avoid initiating physical contact with the Queen during their meeting--HELLO? State Department?: There was Tim Geithner being trotted out to present to the G-20 the American position and plan for the global economic crisis. I guess the President just couldn't be bothered . . . or

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-80815441943781568652009-04-03T02:31:00.002-06:002009-04-03T02:37:24.076-06:00

Because I am assuming (forgive me) that most of my readers are men, and I also assume that most of them have significant others, and I also assume that said significant others are not quite as happy to sit through a baseball movie marathon as their men are, I provide a little break tonight.Watch For Love Of The Game with your S.O. Kevin Costner does his usual credible pass as a baseball player,

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-24429852308668047582009-04-02T01:12:00.002-06:002009-04-02T01:24:01.932-06:00

Today's offering is the most adult of the offerings--not necessarily appropriate for children. However, it does have some of the funniest stuff of all the baseball movies, and Kevin Costner looks the part very well. Of course, I'm talking about "Bull Durham."Favorite line: "From what I hear, you couldn't hit the water if you fell out of a #*!@ing boat." Followed closely by many others.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-62905479936787068942009-04-01T02:08:00.002-06:002009-04-01T02:24:18.248-06:00

(courtesy Powerline)Spain, it turns out, has had a "Green" economy for a few years now. Here are a few of the things they have learned::Only 1 in 10 of the jobs actually created through green investment is permanent.:Since 2000, Spain has spent €571,138 ($753,778) to create each "green job," including subsidies of more than €1 million ($1,319,783) per wind industry job.Those programs resulted in

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-21089668821901699292009-04-01T02:01:00.002-06:002009-04-01T02:08:26.360-06:00

Tonight's suggestion is from the lighter side of the ledger.Major League. No, the baseball isn't great. And, no the story line is only slightly better than average. But the cast is outstanding--Wesley Snipes, Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Corbin Bernsen and Renee Russo--and, in 1989 when this movie was made, the long futility of the Cleveland Indians made for compelling storytelling.And the

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-88214176031470452902009-03-31T01:01:00.003-06:002009-03-31T02:25:36.279-06:00

Several stories from the past week jump out at me tonight.1. The White House has fired the head of a private U.S. company. Sure, GM was a bit less "private" after taking $16 billion from the federal government back in September, but this is still remarkably dangerous precedent to set. And, in particular, when you consider that both GM AND Chrysler's restructuring plans were rejected, it seems

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-85056859177413403102009-03-31T00:47:00.002-06:002009-03-31T01:00:58.173-06:00

A viewing recommendation.Yeah, sure, Opening Day is seven days away--for some reason I just can't credit the Sunday night game--so what better time to start to psyche up for the season than by watching the best baseball movies ever made?Start with the HBO production of 61*. If you haven't seen it, I'm not surprised--it never got quite the same hoopla as some of HBO's other big shows, but it is

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-78492966044953913602009-03-26T01:48:00.004-06:002009-03-26T01:51:15.731-06:00

Mine's looking good right now. I have 15 of my 16 "Sweet 16s" in the round, and the missing one is not supposed to get past the 16, so I'm looking pretty good.That will probably all change tomorrow, but I wanted to make a note of it while it still looked good for me.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-21032029797096644492009-03-26T01:48:00.001-06:002009-03-26T01:48:57.209-06:00

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-7838513696134491222009-03-26T01:34:00.002-06:002009-03-26T01:48:28.578-06:00

The lead is interesting enough:The president of the European Union on Wednesday ripped the Obama administration's economic policies, calling its deficit spending and bank bailouts "a road to hell." That's a little--no, it's a LOT--like having Jake Cutler criticize you for a public relations screw-up based on your own arrogance and overestimation of your standing in a community.Oh, did I let my

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6228772.post-82879207958800400502009-03-24T17:31:00.002-06:002009-03-24T17:36:48.228-06:00

First, a study in contrasts. Follow this link to see one of the funnier videos I've seen in a while.And second, be sure to catch the guys talking all things social/political/cultural, with a few references thrown in (I'm just guessing here) to the hapless Detroit Tigers' prospects for this season on Blog Talk Radio RMA, tonight at 8:30.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03266535146478363279noreply@blogger.com