LA Times Says Obamacare is Unfair to Young Middle Class

Looks like the urban, youngish, middle-class folks who were singing Obama's praises have found out that they are the rubes.

Lot of that going around now. If you're under 40 and you voted for Obama because of Obamacare, thinking it was going to help you out in some way...you're in for a little surprise. Here's how the Animal White House is explaining the fact that they lied to you:

President Otter. Trick or treat, indeed. Happy Halloween.

SEC East Race Explained

This is from ESPN.

Eastern Division

• Even though it lost on Saturday to South Carolina, No. 9 Missouri (7-1, 3-1) still controls its destiny in the SEC East. If the Tigers win their remaining games, they're the SEC East champions. Their strong start is serving them well since they built a two-game cushion over the a few others, but now that lead is down to one with three teams being only a game back in the loss column. Missouri has Tennessee, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Texas A&M remaining on the schedule.

• South Carolina (6-2, 4-2) is in the mix for the title after beating Missouri on Saturday but would need to win out and for Missouri to lose one more time. South Carolina has only two conference games left: home games against Mississippi State and Florida. If it's only a two-way tie at the top at the end of the year, South Carolina's head-to-head win last week would be the tiebreaker.

• Georgia (4-3, 3-2) has a head-to-head win over South Carolina, but that only becomes a factor if Georgia wins out and finds itself in a three-way tie with South Carolina and Missouri at 6-2. That would mean Georgia would have to close out the season with conference wins over Florida, Auburn and Kentucky, with the Auburn game being on the road. If that happened and Missouri, South Carolina and Georgia were tied atop the division, the tiebreaker would go to the team with the best divisional record, since all three would be 1-1 against each other. Currently, Georgia is 2-2 in SEC East play, Missouri is 3-1 in the division and South Carolina is 3-2.

• Florida (4-3, 3-2) has a loss to Missouri but has games against Georgia and South Carolina coming up, as well as a game against Vanderbilt sandwiched in between. The Gators need to win out and have Missouri lose twice, since Missouri holds a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Gators. That scenario also works for Georgia if Georgia wins out, because it has a loss to Missouri but has beaten South Carolina.

Everyone got that?

Bird Dog Open Thread

It's been a long day, and I feel horrible. I think I'm getting sick, but I don't have time to be sick.

In any event, here's an open thread. Happy hunting.

Why Accountability is Important

Warning. This is a long post. I've put most of it below the jump.

As a private practice lawyer with a litigation practice, I have a staff. It's not large, but I have a paralegal and a legal assistant. They follow my directions and take care of things that don't necessarily need a lawyer to handle. They help with filing documents, scheduling hearings, and coming up with first drafts of documents for my review.

However, if a deadline is missed or a document isn't filed correctly, that's my fault. I'm the one who signs the pleadings, and I'm the one who is in charge. The buck stops with me. As a hypothetical: even if the mistake is that my legal assistant forgot to call the court reporter for the deposition, I would take the responsibility when I talk to either the client or opposing counsel. I don't say: My assistant forgot to arrange for the court reporter. Instead, I tell the client: I didn't arrange for the court reporter; that's my fault.

No one likes a leader who blames their subordinates for mistakes. It looks weasel-y, and I think that my staff works well to know that I have their back. Now, even though I take responsibility to the client or the opposing counsel, I'm still going to have a serious conversation with my assistant. I'm going to let him/her know that they screwed up, and they should have called the court reporter. However, I handle that privately; in house.

That's how accountability works in my office. It works well for me. Clients and opposing counsel know that I am ultimately responsible for what goes on. It ensures that when I delegate, I make sure that things are getting done. My staff knows that I'll go to bat for them outside the office, but they also know that I am there to make sure they are doing things correctly.

Now, that's contrasted with what I see going on in the government. In the parade of problems that we see with government, the one common denominator is a lack of accountability. Let's go through some specific examples:

Monday Morning News and Open Thread - Ford TriMotor

Happy Monday.

Sorry for the fact that my blog didn't have any posts for the last couple days. I was dealing with my sister's wedding, and I left Kathleen Sebelius in charge of my website here. Can't trust her to run anything, amirite?

In local news around Columbia, my Gamecocks won a 2OT thriller over previously undefeated Missouri, which has now made the SEC East race a bit of a mess. College football is best when there's chaos, though. Could the Sugar Bowl be a possibility? Gene Sapakoff seems to think so...

Also, on a more somber note Columbia attorney Steve Morrison passed away over the weekend. I didn't know him personally, but he was a tireless advocate for better public education.

Finally, if you were outside this weekend around Columbia, you might have noticed a old looking airplane. You probably heard it before you saw it, with that classic low hum of a raidal engine. It was a Ford TriMotor, which was a treat for the aviation minded community here in the midlands. It headed out of town this morning, so if you didn't see it buzzing around Columbia, you'll have to just enjoy this photo.

The 1926 Ford TriMotor

 Enjoy your day.

July 2013 SC Bar Results

Results will be posted on Friday, if that's important to you. An early congrats to the new members of the SC Bar. Time to go get some actual experience.

Welcome to the show.

Feds Ask Blue Cross Blue Shield To Suppress Enrollee Numbers

Hey, it's just the biggest domestic legislation in the last thirty years that affects one-sixth of our economy. It's not like the public has a right to know this kind of stuff, right?

I guess we wouldn't want the public to get hard information that shows the government in an unfavorable light. Just shut up, pay your taxes, and don't ask questions.

Most Transparent Administration Ever.

What the Hell Is Wrong With People?

I have a two year old son. He's pretty much the most important thing I have going on right now. Most of my time at home centers around him. I'm not saying that I'm Dad of The Year, but I'm doing OK. However, I just don't understand how people can have children and live like animals.

The story in The State throws in the splashy stuff about the loaded guns, which is certainly an issue, but what I just don't understand is how people can live in such horrible conditions.

The deputy found a 12-gauge shotgun and .22-caliber rifle, loaded and with the safety mechanisms off within reach of the children, ages 2 and 4, in the master bedroom, the report states. The deputy found more dirty clothes, rotting food and soiled linens on the children's beds. The deputy confiscated the weapons, the report states.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/10/22/3052587/dss-loaded-weapons-filthy-conditions.html#storylink=cpy

The loaded weapons are obviously an accident waiting to happen. If you've read my blog at all, you know I'm a gun guy, so I don't have problems with having guns in a house, but you've got to be smart about it. You can't just have loaded weapons around with kids in the house. Especially at that age. They're old enough to get into things, but not old enough to know how dangerous things are. There's no excuse. It's monumentally stupid to the point of being criminally negligent.

However, what really gets me is the rotting food in the children's bed. What the hell is wrong with these people? That's not just an accidental thing. You've got to really be neglectful to allow food to rot. And in your child's bed? Are you kidding me? Heck, animals don't even live in conditions that bad. I apologize to the animals I offended with my earlier comparison.

I see stuff like this, and I realize how far our problems go. In my last post, I was discussing what books we should be reading to be good citizens. These people need to be reading fundamentals on how to clean up after your children before we start in on The Federalist Papers.

I just don't get it. What do you do with people like this?

What Books Should You Be Reading?

Happy Monday, y'all.

I was looking at my bookshelves this weekend and trying to decide how to best organize them. My house doesn't really have a great amount of bookshelves relative to the amount of books I've accumulated, so space is at a premium.

I'm pretty heavy into non-fiction, while Mrs. Permanent Press enjoys novels. You can pretty much go through our bookshelves with that in mind and figure out which books belong to whom. On Sunday, she and I were discussing which books that should be read in order to be a well-informed citizen to participate in our little constitutional republic as a reasonably informed person. We tried to come up with a top 5 list.

Obviously, there's the Constitution. That's kind of a gimme, like naming The Beatles in a list of top five bands. Barry from High-Fidelity wouldn't like it.

After some thought, here's what I came up with:

Top 5 Books You Should Read to be an Informed American

1. Democracy in America
2. The Federalist Papers
3. Capitalism and Freedom
4.  The Guns of August
5. American Rifle

Democracy in America made the list as it is an outsider's view of America shortly after the revolution. The Federalist Papers made the list because they are probably the best "companion" to the Constitution that you could have. On economic matters, I wanted to include a work from Milton Friedman, hence Capitalism and Freedom. I liked it, but your mileage may vary. The Guns of August is in the list as a cautionary tale of how countries plunge into war. I thought about including a book on the Civil War and/or WWII, but I wanted to stick with my limit of five. Finally, I put American Rifle in on the list because the development of the rifle through our history had a profound impact on our country. Again, your mileage may vary.

Anyway, it's impossible to come up with a perfect list if you're held to only five books, but it's fun to try. Anybody think they can come up with a better list?

Pumpkin Carving With a Desert Eagle

Have you carved your pumpkin yet? If not, here's a fun way to get that perfect jack-o-lantern.

 Happy Halloween.

Life of a Gamecock Fan

South Carolina lost to Tennessee today. Here's how I feel about college football for awhile now:

I ain't even mad. Such is the life of a Gamecock fan.

Do You Even Know A Tea Partier?

A Yale professor learned something about people who identify with the tea party: Tea Partiers are more scientifically literate than non Tea Partiers.

 Here's my favorite part though:

“I’ve got to confess, though, I found this result surprising. As I pushed the button to run the analysis on my computer, I fully expected I’d be shown a modest negative correlation between identifying with the Tea Party and science comprehension,” Kahan wrote. “But then again, I don’t know a single person who identifies with the tea party,” he continued.

So, this Yale professor has a negative preconception of a group of people, but he's never gotten to know anyone in that group. Guess who sounds kind of stupid to me?

Over at Brad's place, he's got a post/comment in which he compares them to "backwoodsmen who came to Jackson's inaugural and trashed the White House".

Much like the Yale professor, I don't think Brad actually knows any people who identify with the Tea Party. If he did, he would know that they're actually pretty polite and courteous people, and he probably wouldn't call them nihilists and arsonists.

It annoys me that my being in favor of smaller, more limited government and more personal liberty somehow brands me as a nihilistic, anarchist/arsonist.

Friday Open Thread

Good morning.

I may or may not have a post later. We'll see.

Whiskey Reminder

The Great American Whiskey Fair is tonight!

This is your two-minute warning. Make sure you hydrate.

Every Lawyer Ever

Passed along to me from another lawyer.

Pretty funny.

Politics Palate Cleanser: Game of Thrones

Ok, new rule here. Every time I do a political post (like the one directly below this one) I'm going to post a palate cleanser-type post because, let's face it....all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Today's palate cleanser will only be really appreciated by those of you who have watched Game of Thrones at least a little. Accordingly, if you don't even know what Game of Thrones is, then please exit the blog here.

Still with me? Good. You're going to like this.

You have now been cleansed of politics. Go and sin no more, my child.

John Boehner and Lane Kiffin

This whole debacle over the government shutdown and the debt ceiling has been an unmitigated disaster for Republicans. They started out with the primary objective of repealing the Affordable Care Act. When that didn't happen, they moved to defunding it. When that didn't happen, they moved to trying to delay it. When that didn't happen, they tried to go with the strategy of getting rid of Congressional staffer subsidies. Guess what. That didn't work either.

In short, nothing was achieved. The Republicans lost every single time on every single issue, and it was fairly predictable. Nothing was accomplished. So what's the way forward for the Republicans? I don't know. But I do know this:

Southern California fired their coach this year because they went 7-6 last year and were 3-2 this year. When football teams have a really bad few seasons, they fire the coach. That's not to say it's totally the coach's fault that the team is doing badly. It wasn't Lane Kiffin who threw three interceptions, but you can't fire the whole team when they're playing poorly. Accordingly, you make a change of leadership and start fresh with someone else running the team. That's all you can do. That's what Southern Cal did. And although they'll continue to struggle this season, they're taking steps to address the problems they have.

The former coach of Southern California's football team.

That's what needs to happen with the Republicans in the United States House of Representatives. It isn't necessarily John Boehner's fault that this strategy didn't work, but you can't get rid of the entire GOP House. They're going to be there. However, the Speaker is like the coach. He needs to be fired or resign. I don't have any idea who should lead the GOP in the House (and I don't really care) but I know that the current leadership isn't getting the job done on any level. The players don't trust the coach.

I would like to see Boehner, Cantor, and the rest of the House leadership simply resign their posts.

The current GOP leadership that needs to be fired.

Going forward may be tough, but a different strategy and different leadership needs to be put in place. Maybe the House GOP is too conservative for Boehner, but maybe that's the problem. When you have players on a team who aren't "buying in" to what the Coach is trying to do, you're not going to have a good team, and you're not going to win games. Right now, a large part of the team isn't buying in to the leadership. And the problem is, you can't fire the team. You have to change leadership.

This is one of those good for the party, good for the country type deals. Getting rid of the current House GOP leadership will also have the benefit of clearing the board of all the old animus that has built up between Boehner and all the Democratic leadership.

Deal for the Palmetto Compress Warehouse?

Maybe.

It looks like the City of Columbia is pretty close to a deal on selling the old warehouse.

I was against the City buying the real estate, and I still am. However, if the deal goes through, it's a good outcome.

Doesn't mean I'm wrong, though. Just because something works out doesn't mean that the process was correct.

This Day in Aviation History - Chuck Yeager Breaks the Sound Barrier

On this day in 1947, Chuck Yeager became the first man to break the sound barrier. However, because the project was secret, this achievement was not released to the general public until 1948.

Chuck Yeager in the late 1940s

In the years leading up to Yeager's flight, many had speculated that supersonic flight was impossible to achieve without tearing the aircraft apart. Men had died trying to reach "Mach 1". When Yeager went up  that day, he was doing something that many people considered to be extremely dangerous. Here's the scene from The Right Stuff, dramatizing the moment.

He broke the sound barrier, and he did it with broken ribs that he concealed from the Army, because he didn't want to get grounded by the doctors. Pretty amazing if you ask me.

Sunday Open Thread - Smoked Wings

After enjoying the complete destruction of Arkansas yesterday, I thought I would fire up the Weber Smoky Mountain Cooker today and enjoy some spicy-rubbed, applewood smoked, BBQ glazed wings.

If you've got the time (2 hours on the smoker) this is the absolute best way to cook wings. The rub gives it a spicy base (I'm heavy with the cayenne), the smoke gives it a little flavor, and the BBQ glaze gives it a little sweetness.

I love the wings at Publick House, but mine are better. Don't worry, Publick House, I still love you!

Overall, a pretty good weekend.

Come Celebrate Oktoberfest on Devine Street!

Happy Friday.

After work today, check out the Oktoberfest at Incarnation Lutheran Church, which will run all weekend. If you're into local beer, you should definitely come on out, as they'll have local Columbia beers on tap from Conquest Brewing, among others. Yes, even though it's hosted by a church, there will be beer. Food will be traditional German fare.

Opening ceremony is at 4:30PM today. See you there!

Gear for Guys: Allen Edmonds Dalton Boots from Granger Owings

Gentlemen: Fall is here. That means it's time to put the flip-flops up. I'm looking at you, Charleston. Just for a few months, anyway. The weather is cooling down, but that doesn't mean everyone is running inside.

On the contrary, the fall brings people outdoors. There's Oktoberfest events, oyster roasts, outdoor fires with friends, shooting events, football tailgates, etc. Just because Columbia stops being "Famously Hot" doesn't mean it cools off.

Accordingly, you're going to need some footwear. Now, if you're a guy like me, you hate something that  you can only use for only one thing, but nothing else (single use items). That's where I'm here to show you the best thing for your fall closet. It's comfortable enough to go with jeans and a sweater by the fire, it's tough enough to go with your shooting jacket in the brush, and it's classy enough to go with your suit on Monday morning. Also, as an added bonus for you single guys, it's going to wow the ladies.

Intrigued? Even better, you can get it right here in Columbia. Click below to see the rest below the jump and be amazed.

The Great American Whiskey Fair is Coming to Columbia

Do you like whiskey? Stop. That was a trick question. Of course you like whiskey.

The good news for midlands residents is that Columbia is starting to be a great place for those of us who like distilled corn. We've got Bourbon Columbia opening up soon on Main Street, and as kind of a warm-up for that, the Great American Whiskey Fair will be hosting a tasting party of sorts at 701 Whaley on October 17, 2013, from 6:00PM - 10:00PM.

On the evening of October 17th, a host of distilling luminaries, small producers, bartenders and enthusiasts will descend on the Grand Hall at 701 Whaley St. for an evening of festive appreciation dedicated to America’s native spirit and its culture, from cask to glass.

Their website isn't big on details, but here are a few things I can tell you, from what is available:

Firstly, Bourbon Columbia is a sponsor, and it's owned/run by the same person responsible for Mr. Friendly's, Gervais & Vine, Solstice, and Rosso. Obviously, those are some of the best restaurants here in Columbia, so having Bourbon Columbia as a sponsor gives the event instant credibility, in my opinion. I would go based on this factor alone.

Secondly, Belle Meade bourbon will be available. It's not as well known as some of the larger brands, but it's good. I was fortunate enough to sample some Belle Meade at a Garden & Gun sponsored event earlier this summer.

Thirdly, it's brown liquor and a party specifically to celebrate brown liquor. By definition, it's going to be good. I mean, really.

It already looks like the VIP tickets are sold out, so if you're looking to go, the only thing left is the standard admission tickets, which run $75/each.

AP Poll Has Obama at 37% Approval Rating

If you like your polling numbers, you can keep your polling numbers.

I'm not sure if this is an outlier or a solid number. Either way, it's not good for the President. Yes, Congress is polling at 5%. No, that doesn't really matter, because we kind of expect our Congressmen to behave like morons. As long as they can hook us up with a tour of the Capitol and avoid getting into a scandal where they're caught doing cocaine off an underage Chilean prostitute's backside, we're pretty happy.

I mean, at this point, getting hit in the head with a brick probably has a higher approval rating than Congress. I'm not absolving our Congressional folks, but let's face it, they don't really have anything to lose at this point.

But we kind of expect more from the President that we do from Congress. We expect him to be a leader. We expect him to get things done, even when there is opposition. He's supposed to be in charge. We expect him to be, you know, Presidential.

If this 37% number is correct, and I'm not sure it is, this has to be close to rock bottom for him. There has to be at least 30-something percent of people out there who will support him no matter what. The next big movement is going to be on or just before October 17. The Democrats are predicting Armageddon, global depression, and and mass chaos if the debt ceiling isn't raised by then.

If that day comes and goes (and nothing happens) I think we'll see the Democrats do some talking. Now, I'm not saying that nothing will happen, but based on all the dire predictions from the Democrats about sequestration (now proven false) let's just say I'm skeptical that it's going to be the end of the world.

Government Shutdown Now Affecting SC Breweries

The ATF isn't approving any new licenses for breweries during the shutdown.

“Our permits are just sitting on someone’s desk right now,” said Mike Tourville as he watched his tall, conical stainless steel fermenting tanks being installed in the new River Rat brewery at 1231 Shop Road. “Every week it stays shut down, we lose a week. We can’t even do test runs. Until the feds say so, you can’t brew alcohol.”

Yes, that's right folks. The government shutdown is now preventing local Columbia breweries from opening up, because the federal government has to stamp a piece of paper. I wonder if the enforcement side of the ATF is still working.

Maybe the fact that the the federal government has anything to do with a local South Carolina brewery needs to be re-examined.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/10/08/3027852/government-shutdown-puts-stopper.html#storylink=cpy

Six Driving Tips From Racing School

File this under News You Can Use (Carefully).

By comparison, the classic piece from P.J. O'Rourke titled "How to Drive Fast on Drugs While Getting your Wing-Wang Squeezed and Not Spill Your Drink" is educational, in a different way. Also funnier.

A taste of O'Rourke's piece:

When it comes to taking chances, some people like to play poker or shoot dice; other people prefer to parachute-jump, go rhino hunting, or climb ice floes, while still others engage in crime or marriage. But I like to get drunk and drive like a fool. Name me, if you can, a better feeling than the one you get when you're half a bottle of Chivas in the bag with a gram of coke up your nose and a teenage lovely pulling off her tube top in the next seat over while you're going a hundred miles an hour down a suburban side street. You'd have to watch the entire Mexican air force crash-land in a liquid petroleum gas storage facility to match this kind of thrill. If you ever have much more fun than that, you'll die of pure sensory overload, I'm here to tell you. 

If you didn't like that intro, don't bother reading the rest. If you're intrigued, I encourage you to read the whole thing.

(Warning: It's safe for work, but your mother would not approve.)

[h/t Ace's Place]

California Liberals Get Hit With a Clue Bat

This has to be my favorite story so far about the ACA rollout. It's priceless. If you don't want to go read the whole thing, I'll give you the highlights. However, you should go read the whole thing.

Cindy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.

They're just two Californians living the liberal dream. They're really excited about Obamacare being active, because they buy their health insurance on the private market. Accordingly, they were interested to see how that might affect their existing policies. It's all sunshine and puppy dogs, right?

Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.

Whoa! I'm pretty sure that Vinson and Waschura thought that someone else would be paying for all this great coverage. You know, the rich!

"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare. "I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."

Hey, now! Look who's starting to talk like a Republican, talking about his family's money and the local economy. That's just crazy, winger-talk. To quote John McClane: Welcome to the party, pal.

Now, as good as that quote is, here's the best one. Seriously, hold on to your butt. Ready? Ok. Here's where he gets hit with the Clue Bat:

"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."

I love it. Love it. He wants people to have free stuff. He just doesn't want to be the one who pays for it. This probably sums up every liberal program ever thought up. I love the thought of this liberal Californian finally having the reality of math hit him in the head. When you give free stuff to one person, you don't just magic it up out of thin air - someone has to pay for it.

You can almost use this quote like a template and put anything in. "Of course, I want people to have _________," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally." See? Works for whatever you want.

Welcome to the real word, y'all. I wonder if they can relate to some folks who think they are Taxed Enough Already. Maybe? It always cracks me up that liberals like these folks think that they are the smartest people ever, but can't figure out that 2 + 2 = 4. I would like to conclude this post with a direct letter to these two Californian liberals.

Dear Waschura and Vinson: 

Remember how funny it was when Pelosi said they had to pass the bill (in the middle of the night on Christmas eve with only Democrat Votes and parliamentary tricks and payoffs) so you could find out what was in it? Remember how you screamed that anyone opposed was a racist teabagger? Remember how you giggled every time you said teabagger? Remember how happy you were when it was signed by the President? Remember how many times you've said "It's the law!" Remember all that? 

I do. 

Not so funny now, is it?

Sincerely,
Permanent Press

Truckers to Descend on DC Beltway

If you thought the current beltway traffic was bad, think again. A group of truck drivers are going to be engaging in a sort of "rolling roadblock" of the DC Beltway.

Earl Conlon, a Georgia trucker who is handling logistics for the protest, told U.S. News tractor-trailer drivers will circle the beltway "three lanes deep" as he rides with other participants to Congress to seek the arrest of congressmen for allegedly disregarding the Constitution. The truckers circling I-495 will keep the left lane open for emergency vehicles, Conlon said, but "everybody that doesn't have a supporter sticker on their window, good luck: Nobody in, nobody out." The trucks will be going the 55 mile-per-hour speed limit.

The name "Truckers to Shutdown America" isn't exactly the best branding idea. I'm on the fence about this, but I'm certainly not in favor of "shutting down America". Maybe DC, but not America. Eh, truckers aren't known for their subtleties.

I have no idea why they're upset, but, messing with ordinary people who are just on their way to work isn't the best way to win friends and influence people.

I'm not sure that you can arrest someone for doing 55 MPH, but I'm guessing there's some kind of law about intentionally obstructing traffic. Maybe that's why they're keeping the far left lane open. If they go forward with this, I  guess I better brush up on my CB lingo.

I wonder if they'll have a "bear in the air".

Sea Island's Hunt Club Returns

Back in 1942, the 50,000 acre Sea Island Shooting Preserve was sold to paper companies. Since the mid 1990s, Sea Island has been working to buy back the land.

It looks like they've finally gotten back to having a mighty fine hunting preserve.

Broadfield is a hunting compound straight from Jones’s fantasies. It includes a five-stand, a rifle and pistol range, and two lakes stocked with bass and bream. There is a walk-in cooler for keeping game and a smokehouse for cooking it. Chef Jordan Poteat, pulled from the main resort, oversees beehives, a chicken coop, and a substantial organic garden—all of which supply the kitchens at Broadfield and Sea Island’s seven restaurants.

In case that's not enough for you, there is also the option to participate in the falconry program.

If you're into sporting clays and/or skeet, Sea Island does it right. They have a beautiful sporting clays course along the intracoastal waterway that is comparable to Kiawah's Ocean Course in the way the wind off the water can change the difficulty of the course. Here's what the skeet field looks like:

Not bad, eh?

That reminds me. I need to get out and start breaking some clays.

SC Councilman in Jail Over Child Support

Bryan's Suggested Rules: If you are in violation of a court order, you should not continue serving as an elected official.

Come on, Batesburg-Leesville. You've got to have somebody better than this who wants to serve on the town council.

Service Academy Football Games Will Be Played

Happy Thursday.

Apparently, the government knuckle-heads who wanted to cancel service academy football games for purely theatrical reasons have been taken out back and shot.

Football will be played.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled governmental incompetence.

Tea Party Cat

Yeah, I'm stealing things from Ace, because that's what the internet is for:

TEA PARTY CAT

I can laugh because there isn't much else to do.

The Executive Branch Strikes Back

Yeah, the Executive Branch noticed the WWII vets brushing aside the barriers to the WWII monument yesterday.

So now they're bringing in the heavy equipment.

Via Twitter

More Honor Flight veterans are on their way, but they've been told they'll be arrested if they try to go to their memorial.

Just in case you don't know, the WWII memorial is an open air landmark. It's not a building or a museum. It's a concrete circular/oval area that's open 24/7.

It doesn't have an "entrance" that you can close, anymore than Central Park has an "entrance". The Executive Branch is having to bring in artificial barriers to close it down.

Somehow, I don't think some plastic tape and wooden/metal sawhorse-parade barricades are going to be enough to stop men who stormed the beaches of Normandy and survived enemy artillery barrages. Call me crazy.

The Vets Have Control of the Memorial!

As part of the government shutdown, the government apparently is required to perform more work than normal, and erect barricades and have Capitol Police keep Americans from visiting memorials and parks. That may work for some of the more peaceful nature-lovers visiting Yosemite, but it certainly ain't working on the WWII vets who showed up to visit the WWII memorial and found it closed.

They went right past the barricades, like they were trained to do, so long ago.

Via @LeoShane

Everyone knows that "shutting down" memorials and monuments is just theater. No one works there, and it actually takes more work to keep people out. It's like the sequester. Certain people want to make this shutdown as painful as possible to prove a point. I don't get this kind of theater anyway.

I tell you what, this government shutdown is hitting me hard. I forgot to fill up my gas tank yesterday and with the Dept of Energy shut down there may not be another chance. Maybe I can find a mule or something to pull my car around. I also drove to work despite forgetting that the Department of Transportation was closed. I guess I'll be walking back home.

It's all a big joke.

First Images of ACA Going Live!

I have breaking footage from the first exchanges opening up below the jump.