Beware of Dog

Presented without comment.

SEC Coaches Interviewed by ESPN (Spurrier Emphasis and Translation)

ESPN's Page 2 has a great interview with all 12 SEC head coaches. It's more of a "get to know you" style interview, rather than a wonkish "break down the Tampa Two" with us. Of course, Spurrier is great. Read the whole article, but for those of you just interested in Spurrier, I've got his answers (any my translation of Spurrier-speak) below the jump.

Friday Happy Hour

You may be familiar with Columbia's new marketing line "Famously Hot". I heard someone proposed changing just the first word - but still having the first word start with the letter "F".

Since it's Famously hot today, here's a happy hour drink to beat the heat (below the jump)

"We're trying to save life on this planet as we know it today".

So says Nancy Pelosi. What could this be in response to? Alien invasion? Zombie apocalypse? Global warming? You would be wrong on all three. The threat to "life on this planet as we know it today"? The House Republican Budget Control Act.

Run for your life! It's a budget! It's going to eat us all!

(Permanent Press has obtained an artist's rendering.) Below the jump:

US Navy Looking for John Paul Jones' Old Ship

This is pretty cool. Hopefully, they find some interesting artifacts down there (even if they are seriously aged). I'm a little surprised if this is the first search, though. You would think that someone would have already done this.

OL Joe Harris commits to USC Football

Adam over at Life of a Gamecock has the latest on USC's most recent commit. For all your Gamecock related info, he's the man to see.

South Carolina Jury Trial to Decide if "Truck Nuts" are "Obscene"

I was not aware we had a law about this. So, I learned something today. Much more below the jump. Yes, you can have a picture; safe for work. (Or is it?)

Being Sexually Assaulted? Don't Worry There's an App for That.

I wish that was not a serious plan. Sadly, it is. Yes, that's right, all college co-eds are now going to be much safer from sexual assault because the White House is coming up with a smartphone app to fight back. Yes, that's a serious plan. My favorite part (also Breda's):

However, she added, an app that calls on female students to take preventative measures has its shortcomings. It relies on women recognizing when they are at risk and does not change the attitude that the burden to avoid assault is on women. 

“Maybe people could add more components to it to ask people to confront their beliefs,” about what causes sexual assault, she said—like building an app that resembles Angry Birds. “Is there some kind of bird you can fling against misogynistic attitudes?”

Breda: "Isn't there some sort of device that would fling heavy metal projectiles at high rates of speed directly at, and hopefully through the vital organs of, your attacker?" 

Zing! Her blog just made my list of "Required Reading".

Gun Quote of the Day: Expecting Trouble?

"Why would you bring a pistol into the [library, fast food joint, park, mall etc.]? Are you expecting trouble?"

"Of course not! If I were expecting trouble I'd bring my rifle!" 

[H/T: The Breda Fallacy via Say Uncle]

Barking at a Police Dog is Not Constitutionally Protected

According to a trial court judge in Ohio [Via Volokh].

This seems pretty common-sense to me on a couple of levels. First, getting your face up close to a police dog and barking is both stupid and mean. Second, harassment isn't protected speech.

USC Selects Site for New $75 Million Law School

Anything is better than where it is now.

Pimento Cheese... (Updated)

finally gets some respect.

For years, pimento cheese was the Rodney Dangerfield of cheeses in most of America. However, in Columbia, pimento cheese is king of the cheeses. Glad to see that it's finally getting some nationwide respect.

P.S. If you want a serious pimento cheeseburger, go to The Kingsman in Cayce (yes, it's across the river) and order their famous pimento cheeseburger. It will change your life.

 _______________________________________________________

UPDATE: After being scooped by Permanent Press with the above post on 7/12, The State runs their own Pimento Cheese "Gets Respect" article. Clearly, when you want to hear it first, you come to PP.

PP: 1
The State: 0 

Pirates/Braves Game Ends With Blown Call

I really don't know how the umpire missed this call. It wasn't even close, and the umpire was right on top of it. As much as I like the Braves, this is just the wrong call:

Notice that even Lugo thought he was out until the umpire called him safe. I don't know what the procedure is for officially protesting a game, but the Pirates need to look into it - they're in the thick of a pennant race in the NL Central.

New Gunleather

I've been using plastic holsters for awhile. In about the middle of May, I figured my Hi-Power deserved a nice holster to ride in. After lots of looking I ordered a custom holster from D.M. Bullard Leather. The projected wait time (since he's a one-man outfit with very high demand) was October. Ahead of schedule, my holster arrived. Pictures and review below the jump.

The Walking Dead Season Two Trailer

The Walking Dead resumes it's second season on October 16. Here's the trailer:

[H/T Ben at Ace's Site]

How to Read a Legal Opinion

This article is pretty good. I wish someone had given this to me before I started law school. It's nicely broken down into sections and has practical advice for the new students.

Gamecocks QB Coach G.A. Mangus Arrested

G.A. Mangus suspended indefinitely. File this under "bad decision-making" I just wonder what Garcia is thinking...

New Poll: President's Approval Numbers Solid

Wait...upon further review, conclusive polling evidence shows the numbers going the other way.

Right now the President's numbers are about as solid as a Chic-fil-A milkshake. And before you get mad at me, that's not my opinion; the LA Times is saying it. Don't shoot the messenger, bro. The money quote:

Strong support among liberal Democrats for Obama's jobs record has plummeted 22 points from 53% down below a third. African Americans who believe the president's measures helped the economy have plunged from 77% to barely half. Obama's overall job approval on the economy has slid below 40% for the first time, with 57% disapproving. And strong disapprovers outnumber approvers by better than two-to-one.

I'm no expert, but that sounds bad.

[H/T Drudge]

US Post Offices Closing in Small Towns

The Wall Street Journal has an article about the USPS closing post offices in small towns. Ok, so people aren't using the mail as much anymore. Seems reasonable to close up some offices that aren't getting the use. I wouldn't even really call this a tough decision - it's more like common sense. If people are using the service 28% less in the last four years, isn't it stupid not to cut back on the service? Ok, wait. I must be missing something. Ruth Goldway, chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission will enlighten me as to the big downside to closing post offices. Ok, Ruth, I'm ready. Drop some knowledge on me:

Some closures might not be worth the savings, Ruth Goldway, chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission, said in an interview Monday. While there are probably many post offices that are unnecessary and duplicative, "I feel that the postal service, even if it closes all of these post offices, is not going to save all that much money and there are risks to reducing your network," like alienating customers, she said.

So you're admitting that closing down some post offices, or even just sharing space in a gas station will save money. Great. Saving money is what the USPS needs to do. What's the downside again? Oh, customers might be "alienated"? What the heck does that even mean? It sounds like 28% of the customers have alienated themselves already, Ruth. Are you saying that people will be so upset that the post office closed that they'll boycott the mail? They won't mail stuff because they're upset?

Even if Miss Postal-bureaucrat is right, and the USPS doesn't save a ton of money (it's projected to save only $200 million), saving $200 million is still a good thing when the USPS is in $8 Billion in debt. But Miss Sensitive-Pants doesn't care - it's not her money. She's more worried about people getting teary-eyed if the local post office closes in a town of about 400 people. That's a town the size of Nichols, SC.

I detest the argument "Oh, that's not a big expense; cutting that won't do much." When you're $8 Billion in the hole, you can't afford to be so magnanimous with your budget. No wonder the Federal Government has finance issues. When did "Is this a good thing to spend money on?" get replaced with "Yeah, that's not really a good expense, but cutting it won't make up our entire budget gap, so leave it in." You know what they say: $200 million here, $200 million there, pretty soon you're talking real money.

P.S. Nichols, SC doesn't have a post office - and life goes on.

To Kill a Mockingbird

How well do you know it?

Obama to Address Nation at 9:00PM Tonight

The President will address the nation on television tonight to present a major, breaking news update reiterate the same old stuff he's been saying for weeks. Apparently, the beatings TV speeches will continue until morale improves a deal is reached.

At this point, I'm hoping for a debt ceiling deal just so the President doesn't feel the need to go on TV every day. Therefore, to spice it up a little, drink if when you hear the following:

corporate jets/corporate jet owners

millionaires and billionaires

fair share

shared sacrifice

false choice

balanced approach

let me be clear

Add any others you feel appropriate.

Organic Water? Surely, you can't be serious.

He is serious, and don't call him Shirley. Apparently, someone who has not taken Chemistry 101 (or assumes that you haven't) is selling "Organic" water. This is lunacy. Even NPR, the fortress of granola eating, Birkenstock wearing, spotted-owl saving folk everywhere can't help but send out the snark:

Remember the properties of water? H2O means each molecule of water contains two atoms of hydrogen (H) joined to one atom of oxygen (O). In order for something to be organic — as in alive — it needs carbon. So water, by definition is inorganic.

Hey bro, here's a hint. When NPR is making fun of you, you've gone too far.

[H/T: Donna B at Opining Online]

Old South Carolina Courthouses: Marion County

One of the best parts of being a lawyer is that my work takes me all over South Carolina, and I get to places that I wouldn't otherwise normally go. Recently, I went to Marion, SC. The Courthouse in Marion is a landmark. Built in 1853, it is the oldest Courthouse in the United States that is still in use as a functioning Courthouse. Pictures and an aside about architecture below the jump.

It's Monday: What Would Don Draper Do?

You'll need to consult this flowchart to find out.

Stop Whining about the Heat and Start Grilling: BBQ Ribs

Ok, so it's hot outside these days. Quit complaining about it, man up, and start grilling. You'll feel much better drinking a cold brewski and grilling some ribs no matter how hot it is. Oh, and the woman in your life will be impressed with your mastery of the grill.

Everything is better with BBQ. This 4th of July, I cooked two racks of ribs the right way - low and slow - with some nice mesquite wood chips to give it a little bit of a southwestern smoke. It went well with the ancho chili rub and sauce. Here is what it looked like early on:

You can see the smoke coming up from the wood chips already starting to make the smoke. This picture is about 45 minutes into the hours of cooking that went on during the day. You know the saying "You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning."? I think that was coined by a BBQ man. If you want BBQ for dinner, you need to start the grill around breakfast. The final product looks somewhat different, with the rib meat shrinking up to expose the bones just a little, and the sauce is mopped on at the end. If you put the sauce on too early, you'll burn the sugars up that are in the sauce and it's not going to be good.

So when everyone's whining about the heat these days, grab some beer, fire up the grill, and make some BBQ so good that you'll forget about the mind-melting heat.

Saturday Gun Show (THOR M408)

If you happen to have a spare $12k burning a hole in your pocket, and you want to start hitting tin cans 2,200 yards away, this is what you need to get.

Better pictures here.

A Visualization of the USA Debt

This is a great link if you're more of a visual person, rather than a numbers person.
The USA Debt in Pictures
[H/T SayUncle]

Friday Happy Hour

PP is dreaming of lying in a hammock, drinking a Mambo Taxi from Mi Cocina in Dallas, Texas. A drink accessible through a bendy straw is essential; you wouldn't want to accidentally do a sit up in this Torrid Triple Digit Heat. 

Worst Picture of USC Football Players Ever?

[Left to Right]: Alshon Jeffery; Devin Taylor, Marcus Lattimore, Melvin Ingram

This looks really weird to me. Maybe it's because they're being posed in the locker room, and I'm used to seeing them out on the field running around. What in the world is going on with Jeffery wearing the tightest jersey possible? Also, Lattimore looks tiny next to Taylor, but that's just because Devin Taylor is ten feet tall. Ingram looks like he's thinking about bench pressing the whoever is taking the picture. Oh, and all garnet uniforms are the worst.

Not all Softball Players look like Kagan

Victoria Burkett from Gilbert, SC

[h/t to Vic at Ace's Site]

Columbia SC Bus System Making Tons of Money

Oh wait - my bad. It's actually still losing money. Pull quotes, my thoughts, and a movie reference quiz below the jump.

How hot is it in Columbia, SC?

It's so hot that it broke my car's digital thermometer.

Or maybe it's just not built to measure above 109.

Rosso Wants Your Figs

If you have a some figs this summer, take them to Rosso Trattoria Italia because they're giving away gift certificates to people who bring them locally-grown figs. 

This is a great way for a local restaurant to get fresh, locally-grown produce and encourage business at the same time. If you haven't been to Rosso yet, you should go. They come with the Permanent Press seal of approval. I love their red wine selection.

This Man is About to Be Audited by the IRS

He has some pretty tough talk about the President's "understanding" of business and government.

I'm not sure that I would be quite that open if I were a top executive of a major corporation. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. Or maybe he just figures "It can't get any worse".

[H/T: Instapundit]

150th Anniversary of The Battle of Manassas

You may be more familiar with this battle as the "Battle of Bull Run". The reason for the different names is that during the war, the North generally named a battle after the closest river, stream or creek and the South tended to name battles after towns or railroad junctions. Hence the Confederate named this battle after Manassas Junction and the Union named this battle after the nearby stream of Bull Run.

Additionally, this battle was the famous moment when General Thomas J. Jackson's brigade arrived late in the afternoon and reinforced the Confederate flank just at the right instant. As the Third Brigade of the Confederates (led by South Carolinian General Bee) was falling back, General Bee famously shouted to his men:

Here is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer. Rally behind the Virginians!

The Confederate forces then regrouped, and routed the Union forces from the field. Thereafter, General Jackson was known by his famous nom de guerre of "Stonewall" Jackson.

One Hundred and Fifty years ago, today.

South Carolina 2011 Football Media Guide

Life of a Gamecock has a picture of the four horsemen of the SEC apocalypse. All apologies to Notre Dame, but these four are going to be great this year. Hopefully, "he who must not be mentioned" doesn't hijack an airplane and get suspended again. Barring that, USC looks primed for a season for the ages.

If you're one of those people that constantly craves updates on all things USC sports, http://www.lifeofagamecock.com/ is a site worth bookmarking.

Obviously Contessa Brewer Doesn't Have a Law Degree...

...or she would know Rule #1 when you're cross-examining someone: "Don't ask a question if you don't already know the answer."


Doh!

Full biography of Rep. Mo Brooks here. Big shout out to Rep. Brooks, a son of Charleston, keeping it classy.

iPhone vs. Android

The Ultimate Test

So the author thinks this a great "test" for his iPhone. I think he's just kind of dumb for dropping his phone. I have an Android and I like it fine. I'll just plan on not dropping it out of an airplane from13,500 feet. The battle between the iPhone and the Droid rages on. Which do you prefer?

[h/t Understanding]

Fan Catches Foul Ball at Cardinals/Mets Game

Normally, we here at PP are not concerned with the goings-on in New York City. However, the fan in question happens to be one of my very good law school pals. Nice catch!

Note the two seemingly unimpressed New Yorkers behind him.

A Twelve Gauge Shotgun Can be Useful...

...when an armed intruder shows up.

While the two scuffled, Boswell's grandson Mitchell grabbed a loaded .12-gauge shotgun from a nearby room and confronted the intruder, who then fled into the surrounding field and reportedly was still on the run.

Note to MSNBC.com staff writers: It's not a ".12" gauge. There's no decimal.
 
[H/T Alphecca.]

Jesus in a SC Couple's Receipt?

You be the Judge

[h/t to Sebastian at Snowflakes in Hell]

The State Newspaper is Really Pushing the Voter ID Issue

Fourth Article in Two Weeks

For those of you not paying attention, South Carolina just enacted a law that requires an individual to show a photo ID in order to vote. I know, insanity. Those evil Republicans know that black people don't have photo IDs! All that photo ID stuff is for rich honkeys. Politicians in SC are just keeping the black man down.

In this seemingly never-ending series of articles, The State has been highlighting the plight of the poor folks who won't be able to vote because of the new law. The story (my favorite so far) of the most recent victim of this evil law, Mr. Everett Garlington, below the fold.

Are You Working Too Late?

How to leave the Office at 5PM
"Realize you can leave before everything is done" is a good suggestion for some people I know.

The Red Cross Needs Blood

Brad Warthen's post on donating blood reminded me that I've got a scheduled donation on Wednesday. If you can, try and find an hour to get down to the Red Cross and donate blood. It's one of the easiest ways to help people.

Also, check out Brad's blog. He's an old-school newspaperman who's become a new-school ad man.

Rep. Ryan on The President's Leadership

Not exactly thrilled.

“[Obama] has made it harder to establish trust, which will make it harder to find compromise,” Ryan says. “As much as he wants to come off as a leader, every time he talks about Republicans holding out to save fat-cat corporate-jet loopholes — which he knows is false — or leaks alleged spending cuts to the press, he reduces his leadership. He knows how that damages his credibility up here. Yet he continues to spin.”

[HT: Drew M. at Ace's site]

I'm not hopeful about much of anything happening. Both sides seem to feel that compromising on their core principles is more of a loss than not. When my legal cases end up in this position, we have a trial. When DC ends up in this position, we get a bunch of noise - but we don't get anything done.

Gold Star Kids

Find Heaven


Via Blackfive, it's always powerful to see images of the families left behind. If this doesn't choke you up, I don't know what will.

Debt Ceiling Update: Math Always Beats up on Words (Dirty Harry Edition)

Ever since Obama couldn't guarantee that Social Security checks would go out, the Washington Examiner has done the unthinkable; they've obtained the hard numbers and done the math.

Actual math below the jump. For those of you who avoid math at all costs, just move along. Nothing to see here.

Loopholes

The Kitchen Cabinet has an excellent post on "Loopholes" in the Tax Code.


Words mean things. It's always best practices to use them correctly.

The Boys of Summer

The NCAA National Champs play ball with some kids. (h/t The State Newspaper)

Sunday Book Review: The Lords of Discipline

I was talking with some friends of mine yesterday evening about how we are old enough to have read books so long ago that even though we remember actually reading the book, we don't really remember all the details. Maybe that's just part of getting old - you know - forgetting stuff. In any event, although for the most part the book reviews here at PP will be newer books (to me), this one will be a golden oldie.

Review below the jump:

Martin Burgers

Does Carrying a Gun...

...make you more polite?

In my experience, this holds true.

Friday Happy Hour Drink Post

Every Friday afternoon I'm going to try and put up a drink post. Depending on the situation it could be anything from a simple cold beer to a serious cocktail. Today, it's hot. It's summer. You're tired of working, and you're ready for happy hour. We'll start with a classic drink today:

 The Permanent Press Gin and Tonic

Start with 3-4 large ice cubes in a rocks glass.

Pour 1.75 oz. (No, I'm not converting to the metric system) of Bombay Sapphire Gin into the glass.

Squeeze a freshly cut lime wedge into glass and drop the lime in.

Top with tonic water and DO NOT STIR. The bubbles of the tonic water will mix everything sufficiently. Stirring the drink will simply flatten the tonic water.

Enjoy. Repeat as needed.

Economic Analysis of the Designated Hitter

Apparently we're stuck with it.

I've never approved of the DH, and I really dislike that the NCAA has the DH in college baseball. I don't see the National League ever adopting it, but I don't see the American League ever dropping it, either. I would propose a compromise, but there really isn't a middle ground. You're either against the DH, or you're a crazy person.

LA Times sportswriter has high expectations for Southern California Football in 2011

Oh, wait. They meant South Carolina?

My favorite quotes below the fold.

White House refers to Compromise as "Holy Grail"...

...and Professor Reynolds immediately thinks of this.

On the other hand, if we don't reach a compromise, the Administration says this will happen:

I'm skeptical. In any event, choose wisely!

Firearm Terminolgy (As Understood by Leftists)

Assault Rifle: Any long-arm that “looks scary”. These should be banned.
Assault Clip: Any device used to feed ammunition to a firearm with a capacity of greater than one round. These should be banned.
Automatic Weapon: Anything that uses an assault clip, these should be banned.
Semi-Automatic Weapon: Scary-sounding because it is probably the equivalent of "Automatic Weapon" since it also contains the word "automatic". Use this word as much as possible with no explanation in order to scare people.
Common Sense: Any law or regulation that will infringe on the Second Amendment.
Cop-Killer Bullet: Any bullet.
Extreme: Any position on gun laws that is to the right of Fidel Castro.
Gun: An inanimate object that nonetheless has free will and moral agency.
Gun Show: A small, sovereign area wherein the laws of the United States do not apply.
Handgun: The cause of all violent crime; this gun has no legitimate purpose and should be banned.
High Powered: Any cartridge of any caliber that can be fired by an assault rifle.
Machine Gun: Guns meant to be shot full auto from the hip to kill lots of people.
Sniper Rifle: Any long-arm that is not an assault rifle. These should be banned.

 (h/t The Truth About Guns)

For bonus points, identify the model of this rifle:

If you're going to watch Harry Potter tomorrow...

...Verum Serum has a good refresher.

P.S. Don't dress up. It's not Halloween.

Debt Ceiling Deadline

So, you know how our President has kept telling everyone that August 2 is the "big deadline" to get the debt ceiling done? The investigative journalists over at Legal Insurrection have figured out why, and it has nothing to do with the Treasury.

Happy Bastille Day, France! We got you a present!

It's a loss! How French!

Have a nice day, mon ami.

Yankee fan who returned ball to Jeter...

...may owe taxes in the amount of between $5k and $15k.

We're from the Government, and we're here to help. 

The guy sounds nonchalant about it now, which is good, because the IRS is probably going to bill him. Can't a guy just go to a baseball game anymore without it being a taxable event?

Donald Trump Says the GOP is folding their hand.

Rounders.



Listen, here's the thing. If you can't spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you ARE the sucker. 

The Ultimate Shotgun..

...just what you need when the zombies attack.
Over the top, or just right?

Obama Walks Out...

like a little girl.

Ok, so Obama walks out of the meetings on the debt ceiling. Fine. But if you're going to walk out of a negotiation, do you really say "See you tommorow."? This is not good optics for the President. If he really was going to walk out like a real man, he should have said "See you in HELL." and said, "Get the &%#! out of my White House".

However, our president isn't Mr. Tough Negotiator; we're dealing with Miss Passive Aggressive.

Father and son watch the shuttle launch (Twice)

Watching the Space Shuttle (Thirty Years Apart)


As a father to be (my son's due date is 10/15) this is a wonderful pair of images.

South Carolina has new uniforms...

...from Under Armour.

It's July, so we're in the "dead period" where there's not even football practice and baseball still has eons to go until the post-season. So! Time for a uniform post!


Actually, these uniforms look pretty good. If you're not a Gamecock fan, you don't know about the tradition of constantly changing our uniforms. In short, South Carolina is the polar-opposite of Penn State. We change uniforms like a woman changes shoes. Fortunately, Under Armour doesn't fool around.

SEC East Impact Game

According to ESPN, it's the USC/UGA game.

As usual, ESPN has no idea what they are talking about. The biggest game in the SEC East this year is the UGA/UF game. (Shhhhh! You can't say "Cocktail Party") Some college students might hear you and start drinking.

The hottest seat in the SEC coaching world belongs to Mr. Mark Richt. If UGA loses to USC in Athens this year, the  dawgs fan base will get unruly. However, even with a loss to USC, if Richt can beat the Gators in Jacksonville, he'll be OK. Lose both and he's got almost no margin for error in other games. Keep in mind that some of those other games are pretty tough.

You want to play Boise State when you give the Broncos a whole year to prepare? Didn't think so. UT in Knoxville? No thanks. Yeah, the Vols are young, but they're going to surprise a team or two. Richt is a great coach, but for some reason the natives are restless in Athens. If UGA fires Richt, the Georgia program goes backwards in a big way.

Blowing thing up...

...is what this married couple does for a living.

And they're pretty good at it, too. The money quote from the article: 

"A lot of our competitors focus on doing things less expensively. They cut down on the amount of gasoline and the amount of explosives."

How cool is that job? I'd love to hear them talk to a prospective client; Yeah, you could go with those other guys, but they don't use as much as much gasoline or explosives as we do. Pure awesome. This couple is definitely living the "Permanent Press Lifestyle".

Debt Ceiling Update: McConnell Pushes Back Hard...

No "Real Solution" is possible with Obama in the White House

Apparently, McConnell doesn't just want to "eat his peas". This doesn't strike me as the rhetoric of someone still looking to negotiate and just gain a tactical advantage. This sounds like someone who had declared an impasse and is now assigning blame. Regardless of what side you come down on here, did you think that the ol' boy from Kentucky had this much moxy? I didn't.


I've always thought that McConnell looks like "Cecil the Turtle" from the old Bugs Bunny cartoons. Don't mess with that turtle too much though...he'll throw down. Your move, Obama.


                                                   Cecil the Turtle

Mitch McConnell

Pimento Cheese...

finally gets some respect.

For years, pimento cheese was the Rodney Dangerfield of cheeses in most of America. However, in Columbia, pimento cheese is king of the cheeses. Glad to see that it's finally getting some nationwide respect.

P.S. If you want a serious pimento cheeseburger, go to The Kingsman in Cayce (yes, it's across the river) and order their famous pimento cheeseburger. It will change your life.

Yes, this is the actual 2011 Florida Gators Football Poster

For the uninitiated, one thing we take seriously in the South is our football. Even when there aren't any games to watch, one-upping and ridiculing your rivals (or anyone worthy of ridicule) is pretty much a full-time deal. Usually, there isn't much material to work with when talking trash about the Florida Gators. They have been a dominant program for a long time and gaffes are few and far between. However, with this...

...the University of Florida is just asking for it. Seriously, whoever approved this poster is probably already fired.

This poster is really weird laughable on several levels. First, and most obviously, the Gator looks like he's either from "The Muppet Show" and is about to sing a song or he's been hit with about a hundred tranquilizer darts. I lean towards Muppet. In any event, it looks silly. Just the gator logo from the helmets would be better. Heck, just a blank space would be better. Maybe Gator fans are just glad it's not a crocodile of previous media guides past.

Second, Muschamp looks....scared, confused, about to cry? That's up to you. To me, he looks like the photographer told him that the picture would be on "3" and he took it on "2", so Muschamp didn't have time to fully form his war face. Or maybe he's on the same drugs as the gator perched above him.

Finally, let's leave the photo-shopping of the "speed swooshes" (or whatever the heck that is) to the professionals. Actually, just don't do that ever. Thoughts?

SC Democratic Party Chair Harpootlian says Jon Huntsman is disloyal for...

...deciding to run for President.

So let me get this straight...Jon Huntsman (who worked for Reagan in 1982, was the Utah state director for the Reagan-Bush 1984 campaign, named to be a U.S. Trade Ambassador by George W. Bush in 2001, elected Governor of his home-state of Utah in 2004, re-elected Governor in 2008) owes Obama some kind of personal loyalty not to run for President because Obama named him ambassador to China in in 2009?

Really? First of all, I'm not saying I'm for Huntsman, but calling him "disloyal" is just ridiculous. Now, if he's setting up Jihadi terror camps, that's another thing.

 

Brilliant New Idea!

The Democrats want to take $2 Trillion from the Private Sector

Genius! If you're looking for fresh ideas...well....you're looking in the wrong place. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Chief Justice John Roberts Isn't Impressed...

...with your law review articles either.

Since I wasn't on law review, no hard feelings. It's not surprising that law review articles are heavy into theory. They're written by professors who don't actually practice law. Having them write an article that is helpful to a litigator would be like asking George Will to write an article about how to hit a curveball.

Playing Chicken on the Debt Ceiling

Obama's Rose Garden Position

Is Obama pulling a "crazy Ivan" and signaling a veto of a deal on the debt ceiling that does not include higher taxes? Is this bluffing, or is he committed to this position now? Will the GOP leadership cave and agree to a tax hike? Even if they do, will the GOP rank and file go along with it? There doesn't appear to be much room for middle ground here. Just remember, every statement from Obama comes with an expiration date and the GOP isn't as tough as everyone thinks it is.

As Capt. Bart Mancuso said: "The hard part about playing chicken is knowin' when to flinch."

Sunday Book Review

Every Sunday here at Permanent Press we'll be reviewing a book that embodies, relates, or captures the "Permanent Press Lifestyle". Today, it's With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa by E. B. Sledge.

There have been countless pages written about WWII, and I've read some of them. For the most part, my interest was initially with the European theater. All the larger than life characters strode across Europe in this time: Churchill, Hitler, Stalin, Eisenhower, Patton, Rommel, Montgomery, and so on. The battles were famous, and they were in familiar places to us. However, I have recently turned my eye to the Pacific Theater.

E.B. Sledge was born in 1923 in Mobile, Alabama, as the son of a country doctor. He grew up in an idyllic Southern life, learning to hunt and fish in the surrounding countryside. Following the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, Sledge volunteered with the United States Marine Corps. This book covers his time in the Marines and his tour through the Pacific.

The most striking part of With the Old Breed is the point of view. You're not getting an objective, detached, and dry review of battles. These aren't lines on a map, or the bird's eye view of grand strategy. With Sledge, you get the "foxhole" point of view. You feel the cramped quarters on the ship, the foul air of hundreds of men in a confined space, the intense tropical heat, and you shudder at the fanatical desperation of the Japanese army resisting the Marines to the very last man.

Sledge describes the two battles of Peleliu and Okinawa, which were some of the most brutal and bloodiest battles of the entire war. Written from his notes, Sledge is a master of bringing the reader into the slaughter of the battle on the front lines. Although he was not a trained or professional writer, his account is haunting.

This book should be required reading for a great many people. First and foremost, anyone who believes that dropping the atomic bomb on Japan was a morally questionable decision should read this book. It will change your mind. After seeing the entire 1st Marine Division essentially shatter itself in taking Peleliu and Okinawa, the ghastly prospect of invading the Japanese home islands (and the resultant casualties our leaders expected) is clear.

Overall, Sledge shows the reader the tragedy of war, the unimaginable conditions, its dehumanization of the young men who are thrown into it, the terrible cost paid by so many, and the personal courage Sledge discovers. There is no great glory attained in the battles; there are only those who survive what Sledge calls the "meat grinder". In the end, Sledge is proud of his service, but it wasn't something he reveled in. I wouldn't say he was the "reluctant warrior" because he volunteered, but he certainly wasn't the "happy warrior".  He viewed service in the USMC as his duty. Many people could benefit from his point of view, especially every politician who calls himself a "public servant". I think Sledge would get a wry chuckle from that phrase coming from a politician. He concludes with a statement that is iconic of the generation who served in WWII:

"If the country is good enough to live in, it's good enough to fight for. With privilege goes responsibility".

Corporal E. B. Sledge

3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division

Late Night Photo Post

Here's a look at my first handgun. It's a 9mm FN Hi-Power. If you've heard of a Browning Hi-Power, this is exactly the same thing, but this one was made in Belgium and imported through my hometown of Columbia, SC. I thought this would be a good first picture to take you through the night.

South Carolina Voter ID Law

Critics Challenge Voter ID Law

Here in South Carolina, you now need a photo ID to vote. This is not unreasonable. You need an photo ID to do a great many things, some of which are constitutionally enshrined. Why are we even debating this?

First Post

So...another blog. Hopefully, readers will find this an interesting look into the topics that I enjoy discussing and debating. For the most part, this blog will be my thoughts on politics, firearms, cooking, sports, and the law (not necessarily in that order of importance).