SCOTUS Strikes Down Portion of the VRA

SCOTUS has just declared part of the VRA unconstitutional. Full text of the opinion is here (PDF). Here's the meat of the decision (in my humble opinion):

The Fifteenth Amendment commands that the right to vote shall not be denied or abridged on account of race or color, and it gives Congress the power to enforce that command. The Amendment is not designed to punish for the past; its purpose is to ensure a better future. See Rice v. Cayetano, 528 U. S. 495, 512 (2000) (“Consistent with the design of the Constitution, the [Fifteenth] Amendment is cast in fundamental terms, terms transcending the particular controversy which was the immediate impetus for its enactment.”). To serve that purpose, Congress—if it is to divide the States—must identify those jurisdictions to be singled out on a basis that makes sense in light of current conditions. It cannot rely simply on the past. We made that clear in Northwest Austin, and we make it clear again today.

Striking down an Act of Congress “is the gravest and most delicate duty that this Court is called on to perform.” Blodgett v. Holden, 275 U. S. 142, 148 (1927) (Holmes, J., concurring). We do not do so lightly. That is why, in 2009, we took care to avoid ruling on the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act when asked to do so, and instead resolved the case then before us on statutory grounds. But in issuing that decision, we expressed our broader concerns about the constitutionality of the Act. Congress could have updated the coverage formula at that time, but did not do so. Its failure to act leaves us today with no choice but to declare §4(b) unconstitutional. The formula in that section can no longer be used as a basis for subjecting jurisdictions to preclearance.

Just counting noses, Chief Justice Roberts, wrote this opinion, joined by Thomas, Alito, Scalia, and Kennedy. Justice Ginsburg wrote a dissent, which was joined by Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan. So Kennedy is the swing vote yet again. History doesn't always repeat itself, but I'm told that it rhymes.

I think this means that until Congress updates the coverage formula, the preclearance requirement is void. Accordingly, if Congress wants to have a functioning VRA, they're going to have to update their numbers. Don't hold your breath for that to happen.

On a practical level, if you are a state that would be subject to the preclearance requirement of the VRA (like South Carolina) now would be the time to pass laws about voting - you don't have to ask permission from the Federal government. For instance, SC could have waited a little bit on the Voter ID law, and we wouldn't have had to deal with the feds poking their nose into it.

Global Warming In a Few Graphs

President Obama is going to give a speech today in which he will announce his intention to sidestep Congress and start enacting policies to combat global warming, oops I mean climate change. These policies will include limiting carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants. Don't expect any specifics from the President though. He's just going to direct them to limit the carbon dioxide emissions.

Since our President is doing all this in an effort to combat global warming, oops I mean climate change, here are some graphs showing how the climate has been over the last few years. These aren't models with any assumptions - they're just factual graphs showing historical data. Check them all out, but here's my favorite graph:

 

The red line is the model that all this global warming hysteria is based on. That's what is being predicted. The green and blue lines reflect what is actually happening. Which would be nothing.

Which one of these is not like the other?

At some point the people who made the model need to look out the window and take note of what is actually going on around them in reality. I guess the environmentalists response to all this is: Shut up, they explained! The science is settled!

SC Supreme Court Race for Chief Justice

Chief Justice Jean Toal will have some competition for the top judicial post in South Carolina. The State newspaper is reporting that Associate Justice Costa Pleicones will toss his hat in the ring and run against Justice Toal.

I don't really have a dog in the race, since I'm just a humble little lawyer around these parts. I had heard that the Chief Justice was considering not running again, so I guess you can't believe everything you hear.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out, though.

EPA Sweeps Bogus Fracking Claims Under the Rug

In 2011, the EPA started making a big deal about a process called "fracking" which allowed gas and oil companies to extract more gas and oil from the ground than ever before. The claim was that fracking contaminated ground water, and should be immediately stopped.

Since 2011, the EPA has been unable to actually prove that claim because...well...it's a bogus claim. So, you would think that the EPA would issue a report saying that they have studied the issues and that they've found no connection.

You would be wrong.

At the time, Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead called the study "scientifically questionable," an opinion buttressed by the facts and the EPA's announcement on Thursday that it will not produce a final report or have outside experts review its claims of environmental harm. It told its story two years ago and is sticking to it. The story is bogus.

So instead of just admitting the facts and getting things cleared up, the EPA has decided to just end the investigation.

No final report, no peer-review, no nothing. The EPA is doing this because the report would directly and conclusively show that fracking has no effects on groundwater. And they can't have that kind of truth getting out there. They would have to admit being wrong. Our government can't admit facts.

Friday Happy Hour: 22 Reasons to Drink More Whiskey

Happy Friday. As if you needed a reason...

George Will Utterly Destroys Obama

You know George Will, right? He's that brainy little guy with the bow tie who really likes baseball. He seems like a harmless, geeky kind of guy who wouldn't be very dangerous, right?

Actually no. In his latest piece, he opens up a Costco-sized can of Whoopass on President Obama.

Obama’s vanity is a wonder of the world that never loses its power to astonish, but really: Is everyone in his orbit too lost in raptures of admiration to warn him against delivering a speech soggy with banalities and bromides in a city that remembers John Kennedy’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” and Ronald Reagan’s “Tear down this wall”? With German Chancellor Angela Merkel sitting nearby, Obama began his Berlin speech: “As I’ve said, Angela and I don’t exactly look like previous German and American leaders.” He has indeed said that, too, before, at least about himself. It was mildly amusing in Berlin in 2008, but hardly a Noel Coward-like witticism worth recycling.

Don't let the bow tie fool you, this man is armed and dangerous with his pen.

Dropping some knowledge on your ass

Stolen Valor: Cap'n Crunch

I don't know how many of you have been following the Cap'n Crunch story these days, but it's fairly controversial. Go read the whole thing, but here's what the US Navy has to say:

" 'You are correct that Cap'n Crunch appears to be wearing the rank of a U.S. Navy commander,' Lt. Cmdr. Sarah Flaherty, a U.S. Navy spokeswoman, tells Foreign Policy. 'Oddly, our personnel records do not show a "Cap'n Crunch" who currently serves or has served in the Navy.' "

Apparently, he's wearing the rank of a commander (the stripes on his sleeves) but is claiming the rank of Captain. Next thing we find out, Count Chocula will actually be a Baron.

Who is this guy really? And why are his eyebrows on his hat?

Being a Lawyer - How I Feel Today

I'm done for the day.

Columbia Fireman Accidentally Starts Fire

At a fire station, no less. The irony; it literally burns.

Anti-Gun Woman Buys Gun - Gets No Training

Here's an interesting piece from an anti-gun woman who is conducting a weird sort of protest. She's open carrying a Glock around and is willfully ignorant of how to use it. I'm not really sure what her point is.

I told him I just bought a gun, had no clue how to use it. I asked him to make sure there were no bullets in the magazine or chamber. He took the magazine out and cleared the chamber. He assured me it was empty and showed me how to look. Then he told me how great the gun was and how he had one just like it. The cop thought I was an idiot and suggested I take a class. But up to that point I’d done nothing wrong, nothing illegal.

 Hey, there's no law against being stupid.

PROTIP from Permanent Press: If you don't even know how to check and see if your firearm is loaded or not - you should not be handling a gun, much less carrying it around with you.

Saturday Gear: A Man's Pocketknife

In our modern, high-tech world of iPhones, you don't see too many guys carrying pocketknives anymore. One of my first pocket knives was the ol' Swiss Amy that carried me through many years of Cub and Boy Scouting, surviving trips to Scout camp and Philmont.

College at W&L often saw me without a knife, which was probably for the best from a public safety standpoint, but I did carry a cheap folding gerber knife during most of law school, which was most useful during a my 3L year for opening rejection letters to big law firms that I applied to. (Except for one large law firm that merely sent me a postcard with a rejection message that basically amounted to "LOL").

A few years ago, I upgraded from the folding Gerber to a folding Benchmade.

My current pocketknife

This knife goes most places with me (where I am allowed to carry it) and people are typically astounded when a situation calls for a knife (splicing some rope, peeling an apple, cutting a package open, etc.) and I produce a knife from my pocket as if by magic.

To me, a knife is an old, trusted friend that is always reliable and will be there when I need it. My knife isn't as pristine as the picture above, but (as with old books that you read over and over, or your favorite pants that have paint on them and a few rips) wear and tear is the evidence of love. It's still sharp, though.

Our grandfathers carried pocketknives and handkerchiefs almost everywhere, almost everyday. I know times are different, and your iPhone is now indispensable, but your iPhone can't open an oyster or slice a lime.

If you don't carry a pocketknife, I encourage you to try it.

Friday News Roundup 6-14-13

Happy Friday.

1. Howard's Rock has been vandalized. This is obviously an extremely juvenile act, and I hope whoever did this is caught and punished. It's fine to give opposing fans a good-natured taunt, but actually destroying property is stupid and cowardly. I put it in the same category as keying someone's car. It's not the act of a man.
2. Mick Jagger is a Margaret Thatcher Fan. Not terribly surprising, given that it's widely known that he moved the Stones income out of Britain long ago to avoid the high taxes. He also works pretty damn hard. It's news only because most big celebrities are super-leftists.
3. US Will Join Syrian War. I'm not sure about you, but arming the rebels who are linked with Al-Queda doesn't sound like a genius idea. The "No-Fly" zone is serious deal, and despite what anyone says, that's war. I'm not sure why we're doing this, as I don't see where our national interest is involved. Two groups who hate us are killing each other. I'm not really sure I even see a problem.
4. South Carolina Moms Still Demanding Action on Guns. One of the interesting lines is that the piece claims there is a "gender gap" in gun regulation. Do women support stricter gun control than men? If so, why?

That's pretty much all I have. Enjoy your Father's Day weekend. This post brought to you by Father's Day, circa 1946.

Guys: Upgrade Your Sandals to Boatshoes

With a little inspiration from The Shop Tart, I'm going to try and throw out some cool "guy stuff" in the world of clothing and equipment every once in awhile. Don't get your hopes up too much, as she sets a pretty high bar in the world of clothing and all things glamorous. I'm a simple man. But I'll give it a run anyway.

For my first installment, it's now June. That means summertime heat, and parties on boats and at the beach and lake. Even though most guys opt for sandals when they want to go casual, you can upgrade from the sandal to the boatshoe. There's nothing wrong with that old pair of Reefs that you have. However, sometimes you need to take it to the next level.

The boatshoe is a staple of the southern man's southern closet. You need at least one pair. First, the boatshoe has the advantage of actually being a shoe. People aren't going to actually see your feet, and some guys could probably benefit from not putting their feet on display. Also, being a shoe, you have a little added foot protection, which is kind of the point of footwear anyway. To that end, you can go with a classic Sperry Top-Sider, or you can upgrade to a Gold Cup A/O (that stands for "Authentic Original) Sperry, which brings a little swagger to your shoe.

All you single gentlemen listen up: If you roll up to your next outdoor/lake party in these, you're definitely going to get some "nice shoes" comments from the ladies. That's my tip for you.

Men's Gold Cup A/O Boat Shoe

Now, these Sperrys are $150.00, so we're talking about a pretty expensive casual shoe. But let's be honest here; this shoe is about a thousand time cooler than the Reefs that you have. Yes, even the ones with the bottle opener on the bottom. For you Clemson fans out there, this Sperry also comes in an orange version for you.

If you're not here for the southern men's clothing and gear, don't worry, the political commentary, guns, and sports aren't going away, this is just something new I'm adding to the mix.

Are You Born With a Tolerance for Spicy Food?

Interesting piece here. As a person who loves spicy food, I can definitely say that I've almost always had this predisposition. Even as a toddler, I liked A1 steak sauce on my baby food.

According to Bryant, Mexican parents give their children packets of sugar mixed with red chili powder, which they eat straight up, in order to build their spice tolerance. “We assume that continued exposure at a young age causes nerve endings to die off,” Bryant says.

I'm pretty sure that red chili powder is hotter than A1, but maybe it's not a bad idea to start Permanent Press, Jr. on some spicier food to get his tolerance up. We'll see what Mrs. Permanent Press has to say about that, though. Just a few weeks ago, he ate some salsa right out of a cup.

Win or Go Home (Battle of the Carolinas)

UPDATED: 6/10/13 AT 5:11PM 
As is becoming my tradition, I go to most of the regular season games for the Carolina Gamecock baseball team, and I end up taking my vacation the first week of June, which means I miss the Regional and Super-Regionals. Fortunately, college baseball is starting to get more airtime on ESPN, Satellite Radio, and other national media which means I don't have to miss the action.

If you're looking for dramatic, hard-fought baseball games, the NCAA Baseball Tournament a/k/a the College World Series is the place to go. Even the lead up games (the Regionals and Super-Regionals) are exciting. Case in point: Game 3 of the South Carolina vs. North Carolina. Both teams have great winning traditions, and both teams are in a position tonight where they win (and go to Omaha) or they lose - and go home.

You can catch the action tonight on ESPN 2 at 7:00PM. UPDATE: The game has now been postponed until Tuesday.

San Antonio Vacation

The loyal readers may have noticed that I haven't had a recent entry. That's because I've been traveling down to San Antonio, Texas for vacation. Coincidentally, San Antonio is where I was born. Specifically, at Brooke Army Medical Center.

Yeah, there's a Lone Star on my birth certificate, and I was raised in South Carolina. So that kind of explains me. Basically, I hate to be to be told what to do, but I don't give up on things - especially if it's a lost cause. Not a bad trait in a lawyer.

Anyway, I've been taking time seeing the Alamo in detail and enjoying the plethora of breweries in the San Antonio area. There is a huge contingent of German immigrants who brought beer with them, so I'm enjoying a nice selection of local Texas-German beer along with an (occasional) margarita.

If you didn't know, Col. William Travis (of the Alamo) was a South Carolina boy. Here's his famous letter from the 1836 siege:

Commandancy of the The Alamo

Bejar, Feby. 24th. 1836

To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World—

Fellow Citizens & compatriots—

     I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna — I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man — The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken — I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls — I shall never surrender or retreat.  Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch — The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days.  If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country — Victory or Death.

William Barrett Travis.

Lt.  Col. comdt.

P. S.  The Lord is on our side — When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn — We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels and got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves. -Travis

I got to see David (Davy) Crockett's rifles, Bowie's knives, and Travis' swords. What an amazing place. One of the most interesting monuments was the monument given by the Japanese before WWII. It's an amazing epic poem that a Japanese history scholar put together to honor the the Alamo. When you think of the Japanese culture of how surrender is dishonorable and how they preferred death over surrender, the Alamo is a classic Japanese battle where the Alamo defenders chose to die against overwhelming odds.

Also, I got to see this flag:

This is the flag that began the Texas war of independence.

War on Terror: The Enemy Gets a Vote

Regarding the "War on Terror", Obama recently said:“This war, like all wars, must end. That’s what history advises. That’s what our democracy demands.”

He's right that wars end, but he's not right as to why.

Wars end when both sides stop fighting. Usually that's because one side totally defeats the other. It only takes one side to start a war, and it only takes one side to keep a war going. If people want to pursue certain ends through the aggressive use of force, then they're going to do that until they decide not to. Jonah Goldberg sums this up quite nicely in his piece: Our Enemies Gets a Vote.

Obama can say that the "War on Terror" is over as much as he wants to. He can genuninely wish for it to be over. Heck, I wish that it were over. The only problem with that is that the Islamic radicals get a vote. They get to decide when it's over, and so far, I'm not seeing any signs that they are giving up.

Wars continue until both sides agree to stop. No war in the history of the world has totally ended until both sides agreed that the war was over. Usually, the best way to convince the other side to stop fighting is to destroy their forces. That's the lesson of history.

Seattle Turns Fake Double Play [VIDEO]

Here's a little something to get y'all into the baseball mood. The NCAA College World Series is starting soon, so I'm going to have a few posts on that.

If you watch baseball for a long time, you'll start to feel like you've seen it all. I bet you haven't seen anything like this:

If you watch baseball for a really long time, you'll realize that there's always something new. That's just something that I've never seen before.

Random Awesomeness

No particular reason. Just being awesome.

Back to the Routine: Tuesday Headlines

The long weekend is over, campers. Back to work. Looking around the headlines, here's what I'm seeing this morning:

1. IT'S ACTUALLY COOLING. If you bought in to the global warming nonsense, I have some bad news for you.

2. WE MIGHT HAVE OLYMPIC WAKEBOARDING. Seven sports (baseball-softball, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, wakeboarding and the Chinese martial art of wushu) are vying to replace wrestling as an Olympic Sport.

3. CAROLINA VS. CLEMSON? The NCAA Baseball Tournament field is set, and Clemson will be in South Carolina's Regional.

4. INSPIRATION. Memorial Day in 90 photos.

5. TAKING SIDES. Looks like the EU is ready to start arming the Syrian rebels.

Enjoy your short week. I know I will.

Memorial Day 2013

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The Navy Hymn; Eternal Father from the USNA.

 

If You Like Motor Racing, Today Is Your Day

If you like racing, today is your day. The morning started with the Monaco Grand Prix, which might be Europe's most famous F-1 location. The race takes place along the streets of Monaco, and the turns are tight, and the elevation changes dramatically in places. It's also set in the glamorous setting along the seaside. It's a very European vibe:

How Europeans watch racing.

Later in the afternoon, the Indy 500 gets rolling down in the Midwest of the United States. It's probably the most prestigious race in the world, but it has a more workmanlike feel to it. There's no French models lounging on rooftops in Indy. The track is nicknamed the "Brickyard" due to the fact that it was initially paved with bricks. Even though it now has a more modern surface, there is still a section of the track that contains the original bricks. It's the gold standard for car races, and it's classically American.

If that doesn't satisfy all of your racing needs, NASCAR runs the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte at 6:00PM. If you still need more racing after that, go run around outside.

Friday Open Thread

Content? Ain't nobody got time fo' that! In lieu of actual blogging content this Friday, I'll give you some music. The money I get paid to blog has been docked accordingly.

On a more somber note, it's Memorial Day Weekend. Feel free to BBQ the heck out of some meat, drink beer, and have fun. But just remember why we have this weekend.

Spurrier Wants SEC Title

Well, yeah. Obviously.

It's still way too early to start breaking down matchups and games, but we're closing in on that territory. A blind goat could tell you that winning the UGA game is important.

In any event, if you've been looking for something to scratch that college football itch, the link has plenty of Clowney highlights - including a certain fan favorite.

Sometimes life just isn't fair.

Good Advice from the Shop Tart

NEWS YOU CAN USE: Why it pays to be a regular at your favorite restaurant.

Guess the Gun

Haven't done this in awhile. Here's a classic gun. Can anyone guess the model?

Answer below the jump, along with an additional triva challenge about this rifle:

Ft. Jackson Commanding Officer Suspended

The CO was suspended. Apparently, it had to do with both adultery and physical altercations. Nothing surprises me anymore. What's worse is this guy spelled his name the same way I do.

Good grief, Charlie Brown.

Top IRS Official Will Invoke Fifth Amendment

Per the L.A. Times, Lois Lerner (the head of the exempt organizations division of the IRS) is scheduled to testify before Congress tomorrow. Apparently, she's not planning on saying much.

For those of y'all who don't know, the Fifth Amendment protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves. You don't get to invoke the Fifth Amendment's protection just because an answer would be embarrassing. You don't get to invoke the Fifth Amendment's protection just because an answer would be politically embarrassing. You only get to invoke the Fifth Amendment's protection when your response would expose you to criminal prosecution.

Well, well, well...Everyone was telling me that no crime was committed here. Accordingly, I'm slightly puzzled at why the head of the IRS division would invoke her right to be protected from criminal liability. I hope it's on TV tomorrow. Apparently, she knows something big enough that the old "I don't remember" won't even cut it.

Shit status: real

Cool Photos From Greece

Check out these 59 black and white photos from early 1900's Greece. The photos are cool, but the rest of the site is all Greek to me.

College of Barbeque Knowledge

Sign me up. Most of the time great barbeque masters don't share their secrets. That's not the case with Sam Huff:

“I want more people to cook like me,” he says, laughing. Over the course of eleven hours, Pork U students
learn to prepare rubs, sauces, injections, mops, and marinades—and when to use each. They’ll see a dozen different cookers, smokers, pits, and grills. They’ll cook butts, brisket,
stuffed pork loin, beer can chick-en, baby back ribs, spareribs, wings, sausages, a few (greenish) sides, even desserts prepared over hot coals. Students prep, cook, and—yes—eat all day.

Probably the best tasting education you'll ever get.

Journalist Broke The Law By Getting a Story?

The WaPo is reporting that Fox News Reporter James Rosen has been classified as a "aider, abettor and/or co-conspirator" by the DOJ for reporting on what I assume was classified information leaked to him.

The court documents don’t name Rosen, but his identity was confirmed by several officials, and he is the author of the article at the center of the investigation. Rosen and a spokeswoman for Fox News did not return phone and e-mail messages seeking comment. Reyes wrote that there was evidence Rosen had broken the law, “at the very least, either as an aider, abettor and/or co-conspirator.” That fact distinguishes his case from the probe of the AP, in which the news organization is not the likely target.

Wow. Talk about a chilling effect. If the government is now taking the position that a journalist has criminal liability for reporting on classified information, that's a new level of scary. If this is a legitimate position by the DOJ, then that's going to stop a whole lot of reporting. The really scary thing is that the government just has to make an accusation - not a case. All this happens without the journalist knowing.

 

This cannot be right.

Monday News 5-20-13

Happy Monday.

Here's what I'm seeing as the top headlines today and from over the weekend:

1. Tea Party Protest of the IRS Tuesday. Remember the people who think the taxes are too high and the government is wasteful? Yeah, those people are upset about the whole "IRS targeting them" deal. I can't imagine why. In any event, the Tea Party is planning to protest outside the office of IRS buildings Tuesday. I'm not even sure where the closest IRS building is here in in Columbia. Do we even have one here? I don't know. I've got to work, so I don't have time to go protest stuff.

2. City of Columbia Contemplates Issuing H-Tax Bond. Remember the "Hospitality Tax"? Yeah, the tax you pay when you go out to eat and stuff. The City of Columbia doles that money out to groups it chooses. (Hey, nothing could go wrong there.) Unfortunately, the only problem is the City wants to give out more money than it's currently taking in. I know, you're shocked. So, instead of doing the responsible thing and prioritizing, the City Council is contemplating issuing a bond (borrowing money) with the Hospitality Tax revenue stream as the collateral. Awesome.

3. Syria is still a mess. Remember Syria? Yeah, that's not really getting any better. Apparently, Assad is amping up his strike capabilities against Israel.

It's Monday. Make sure you get your coffee before you head out there.

When Does a Lawyer's Demand Letter Become Extortion?

That's the question in a California case right now. In my experience, demand letters don't usually get much of a result anyway. In any event, lawyers need to be careful with how aggressive they come across.

I-20 Blocked By Nuclear Equipment

I hope you weren't trying to go anywhere on I-20 today. Apparently, there was some enormous thing that had to be transported to a nuclear power plant that was so big it couldn't be transported via train.

So they took it on truck. But they had to cross over I-20.

 

Just a normal day on I-20.

Top 5 Bond Girls

Here's an important top 5 list for everyone, since some people think that Tiffany Case is the best bond girl. I can't let that kind of wrongness stand. She's not even in the top 10. So anyway, as part of my public service to everyone, here are the actual top 5 Bond girls.

1. Honey Rider: This first one isn't up for debate. First of all, there's no better scene than when she comes out of the ocean up on the beach and sees 007 watching her. Shes asks "What are you doing here? Looking for shells?" and Bond says, "No, I'm just looking." Enjoy just looking.

Ursula Andress as Honey Rider

2. Tatiana Romanova. The Russian KGB agent checks in at number two on the list. She's used as a pawn by SPECTRE, but Bond ultimately prevails and ends up with her in a gondola in Venice where Bond destroys the evidence that he's sleeping with her - to keep up foreign relations and all.

Daniela Bianchi as Tatiana Romanova

3. Pussy Galore. She's probably the toughest and most assertive of the Bond girls, as she's an accomplished pilot, and in her first meeting with 007, she tells him to "Turn off the charm" because she's immune to it. After a little roll in the hay (literally) it's all over for her. Probably the best name, but that's not the sole criteria. She also holds the distinction of being the oldest bond girl.

Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore

4. Sylvia Trench. Although some people would argue that she's not technically a bond girl, this is my list, so I get to do what I want. Get your own blog. She was originally intended to be 007's regular girlfriend in the film adaptations, but she was dropped after two movies. She holds the distinction of being the only "Bond Girl" to appear in multiple films. The scene where 007 hears noises in his apartment and opens the door gun in hand only to find Sylvia chipping golf balls in high heels and a dress shirt is classic Bond.

Eunice Gayson as Sylvia Trench

5. Xenia Onatop. She's an ex-Soviet Air Force villainess who crushes men to death between her thighs. Everyone except for 007 that is. That's enough to make the list.

Famke Janssen as Xenia Onatop

No, my list is probably not the same as yours. That's because I'm right and you're wrong.

NAI Avant Moving to the Vista

In contrast to the City of Columbia buying the Compress Warehouse, a private company has decided to buy the Dupre Building in the vista and move their offices in there.

The Dupre Building - Future Home of NAI Avant

See, this is how things are supposed to work. Private companies buy buildings. They'll pay property taxes, open up retail on the first floor which will generate jobs, commerce, and more taxes. This is good for the local economy and the vista. I look forward to seeing what ends up on the first floor.

Need 10MB of Storage Space?

I've got just the thing for you:

 

It's amazing how far we've come with technology since 1980, which is when this ad ran. Think about what you can store now on your iPhone, which costs far less. I wonder what the world is going to look like in another 30 years. Will people look back at our iPhones and laugh?

Mexican Cake Is Back!

It's back. "The brewery has readied 6,000 bottles (500 cases) of Mexican Cake, a sharp increase from the 1,440 bottles (120 cases) produced during the initial release."

I had a growler of Mexican Cake from Morganelli's when it first came out. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a serious beer. This isn't something you take out on the boat fishing, though. This is something that you'll want to schedule some time to sit on the porch and just enjoy.

How to Button your Suit Jacket

Every time I go to Court I see these rules violated by guys who don't wear jackets very often. For goodness sakes, y'all. If you sit down, unbutton your blazer.

Captain America's Dog

I've got lots of work today (court, real estate closings, etc.) so I don't have time to break down all the scandals in DC. Suffice it to say that government sucks and politicians suck. But you already knew that.

Instead of all the mopey political garbage, I've decided to leave you with something happy below the fold. Eventually, I'll get around to some substance. Maybe.

In any event, enjoy.

The Telephone and Politics

Remember the movie Wall Street?

When I am speaking to students, I like to show them a still from the Oliver Stone movie Wall Street in which the masterful financier Gordon Gekko is talking on his cell phone, a Motorola DynaTac 8000X. The students always — always — laugh: The ridiculous thing is more than a foot long and weighs a couple of pounds. But the revelatory fact that takes a while to sink in is this: You had to be a millionaire to have one. The phone cost the equivalent of nearly $10,000, it cost about $1,000 a month to operate, and you couldn’t text or play Angry Birds on it. When the first DynaTac showed up in a movie — it was Sixteen Candles, a few years before Wall Street — it was located in the front seat of a Rolls-Royce, which is where such things were found 25 or 30 years ago. By comparison, an iPhone 5 is a wonder, a commonplace miracle. My question for the students is: How is it that the cell phones in your pockets get better and cheaper every year, but your schools get more expensive and less effective? (Or, if you live in one of the better school districts, get much more expensive and stagnate?) How is it that Gordon Gekko’s ultimate status symbol looks to our eyes as ridiculous as Molly Ringwald’s Reagan-era wardrobe and asymmetrical hairdos? That didn’t just happen.

If you don't know the scene, it's this:

The quote above is from a great piece over at National Review. Go read the whole thing, sport. It's worth it.

[h/t Maetenloch at Ace's Place]

The Guns at Last Light

The final book (The Guns at Last Light) in Rick Atkinson's WWII trilogy is finally out. I've read the first two; An Army at Dawn and The Day of Battle, and they're great.

Atkinson does a great job of giving the reader both the large, strategic points of view, and then zooming down in on key points on the individual soldier's level. He's taken a really long time to finish this trilogy. I think the second book came out in 2007, so this third book has been six years coming.

Hopefully, it is as good as the first two. SPOILER ALERT: Germany loses.

Southern Night Sky

If the clouds aren't in your way, and you're not near a city's light pollution, enjoy the Southern Night Sky's wonders right now.

Important Dog

Just because.

Il Giorgiano Pizzeria & Wine Bar

Happy Friday.

I don't often recommend restaurants, but I had such a great meal last night, I'm compelled to let you know about Il Giorgiano. It has what I would consider some of the best pizza and pasta in Columbia. Seriously.

After attending the MIRCI fundraiser at 701 Whaley last night, Mrs. Permanent Press and I decided to take advantage of the fact that we already had a babysitter and get a little late dinner. We went over to Il Giorgiano since we had heard good things about this local pizza place. Sitting outside, we had a perfect evening to enjoy. The outside patio is a little brick area that is cozy and peaceful. There was a little fountain to give the place some old Italian charm.

We ordered some of a pizza and some pasta to share. I don't take very good pictures of food, but trust me it was amazing. My pictures would not do justice to the food.

I've been to Tuscany, and this food tasted like the food from Florence and Siena. It was like I stepped into a time machine and ended up back on vacation in Italy. The pizza was a smallish (maybe 9" in diameter) and perfect for sharing with another person. It was thin crust, lightly topped, and amazing. The pasta we had was the little stuffed tortellini kind in a cream sauce. Oh my god, it was good.

For dessert, we shared some bananna pudding gelato that was made in-house. In fact, they make all their desserts in-house. It was one of the best meals I had in a long time. The food was amazing, the prices were actually very reasonable, the service was great, and the atmosphere was perfect.

At the end of the meal, one of the owners (Monica) came out to thank us for coming in and talked about her love of Italian food. This place is a local restaurant that does everything right. They're located on Devine Street right next to where Dianne's used to be.

Side note: You're officially from the South when you give directions by referencing where certain landmarks used to be. All the time, I find myself telling people "You know where Rice Music House used to be? Yeah, my office is two blocks down from there." I'm not sure what the deal is, but that's a Southern thing.

Anyway, if you're looking for some authentic Italian food in a casual atmosphere, stop by Il Giorgiano, and let George and Monica take care of you.

Highest Paid State Employees

Before you click on this link to show you the answer, take a guess. Who do you think is the highest paid state employee in your home state?

I've left you a clue below the jump.

Ten Deadly Animals

There are some seriously deadly things out there. Here's one:

The Cone Snail

This thing is very dangerous.

The Cone Snail is one of those animals that no one thinks about, but it is as deadly as it gets. Usually, one may not even realize they are handling a Cone Snail because the first thing you see is their beautiful shell. The snail underneath is an afterthought, but a deadly one.

Shell collectors end up picking one up and the snail's harpoon will stick into the person. What happens next depends on the Cone Snail. Each one has a different poison. The deadly ones have a Neurotoxin that will temporarily paralyze you. Then your body will start to shut down. You will also develop severe respiratory problems. This could be the worst part of it.

Note to self: don't touch shells anymore.

Joy In a Three Judge Panel (and a Coke Float)

It's nice to get a little affirmation every now and then. In the tough world of litigation, you're always faced with opposing counsel telling you why you're wrong. Every once in awhile you need to get a little pat on the back.

That's why it's so nice that I got a Court of Appeals decision back today, where all three judges agreed with my argument. You win some and you lose some at every level, but it's nice to get a win at the appellate court level.

I'm going to go have a Coke float to celebrate later today. Then it's off to watch South Carolina play the Wofford Terriers in some baseball. Good times.

Mark Sanford: Straight From the Bottle

Mark Sanford has won the election for the South Carolina's First Congressional district, and is heading to the United States House of Representatives. I can sum up my thoughts with both a .gif and with words. First, my reaction to Mark Sanford being elected last night can best be summed up by Julia Ormond:

Yeah, straight from the bottle. No need to waste any taxpayer money on a glass, baby. Just open 'er up, and take a swig. The fact that the Charleston area sent Mark Sanford to the United States House of Representatives illustrates several things.

As an initial matter, Sanford should not have been the candidate. He won by a comfortable margin, but in the last few days before the election this race was starting to look like the GOP's failure to make an easy layup. This district is Red, Red, Red. The GOP could have run a Labrador Puppy, and as long as it had an "R" by it's name, the puppy would have been the favorite.

Second, and as a corollary, it shows that the people of this district would rather send and admitted adulterer to Congress than a Democrat. Think about that for a second. The people of South Carolina, who are always portrayed as socially conservative and "puritanical" basically took a look at a deeply flawed man who went AWOL on the job to have an affair...and they decided to go with him rather than with a Democratic candidate. Basically, Ms. Colbert-Busch's political views were more distasteful than Sanford's personal flaws.

In winning you learn no lessons. In losing, you learn. The GOP won, so they think everything is fine. But what conclusions should the Democratic party draw from this election?

There's an old rule that William F. Buckley put forward back in the day: Support the most conservative candidate who is electable. The Democrats would do well to heed this rule. Not every state is the same. Not every district in a single state is the same. If the Democrats really wanted to win this seat, they should have found the most liberal candidate who was electable. As the results show, Ms. Colbert-Busch was not electable. Her accepting large donations from labor unions was a self-inflicted wound that cost her lots of votes in a district that just obtained a new Boeing plant despite the efforts of unions.

She tried to put a conservative spin on every liberal position. She said she was proud to live in a right-to-work state, but she took money from labor unions, while Boeing donated to Sanford. You can talk all you want, but the money talks. At the end of the day, people knew that Colbert-Busch was hiding her true liberal views, and Sanford was just being himself. The voters chose to go with the unfaithful, lying guy who was honest about his political views, rather than go with someone who they distrusted on the issues.

Overall, the race doesn't have broad implications. South Carolina is a deeply conservative state. Yeah, we already knew that, thanks. Folks from SC have a history of sending flawed people to Congress.

I personally think that Sanford is too flaky for the job. Going AWOL while Governor is unacceptable and (in my opinion) unforgivable. The only silver lining is that he isn't seeking executive office. He won't be "in charge" of anything. I wouldn't put him in charge of organizing a bake sale.

People will certainly make fun of South Carolina being a "punchline" for sending such a scandal-ridden person back to public office. But don't think for a second that South Carolina is different that other places. Illinois sent Jesse Jackson, Jr. to Congress while he was being treated for bi-polar disorder and plagued with scandals. New York sent Charles Rangel back to Congress even after he was basically exposed as a long-time tax cheat and formally censured. Heck, Massachusetts kept sending Ted Kennedy back to the Senate, and he killed a girl. To date, I am not aware of anyone that Sanford has killed.

So before all y'all in other parts of the country get on your high horse to judge South Carolina, look in the mirror. He won't be the most scandalous guy to make it to Congress. (I know, that isn't exactly a ringing endorsement.)

Ken Levine's Criticism of Mad Men

Quick, which character from Mad Men are you cheering for? Is that a tough question?

I really like Mad Men, but I agree with Levine's thoughts here. The show is really becoming a collection of horrible characters. Mrs. Permanent Press and I were discussing it after the last episode. It's just a story full of people that we hate. Where are the people we're supposed to be cheering for? I dislike all of these characters.

The first few years were phenomenal television. I loved it so much I almost took up smoking...But then things started to shift. Betty, who season one was my favorite character, became such a hideous bitch I now expect her to wear a coat made of Dalmatians. Still, almost everybody else had some redeeming qualities (although I’m still looking for Pete’s). Peggy was adorable, Roger provided comic relief, Joan advanced in a man’s world using both her brains and bra, and then there was Don Draper...Why should I care anymore about this miserable soul?  Because he gets to his front door, slumps down to the ground, and feels sad?  At one time there were glimmers of humanity, moments when he would exhibit surprising kindness. But not anymore. Not this season.

Levine hits the nail on the head, if you ask me. Think about it: Every story has a character that you somehow are cheering for, or you're on their side, or you understand why they do bad things. In Mad Men, they don't have a character like that anymore. (For me, anyways.)

If you like Mad Men, you'll really want to read the whole thing.

Should we care about these people?

Don't Bring Your Pipe Bomb to the Gun Buyback

“This is not a pipe bomb buyback; this is a gun buyback,” Beck said. 

The knucklehead was arrested.

Also, if you read farther down in the piece, some dope turned in "an antique 'Tommy Gun'-style weapon". If that was truly a 1920's era Thompson, they probably just turned in a gun possibly worth several thousand dollars for maybe a hundred bucks.

I'm not sure which person is dumber.

Mark Sanford's Contempt for the GOP

Brad has an interesting post on Mark Sanford's relationship with the SC GOP. Here's what I believe his thesis is:

Usually, people who go into politics are to some extent people people. With Sanford, that’s just not the case. He basically has no use for people other than himself, and that included Republicans.

Can you think of someone else whom you would describe in this way?

US Diplomat Calls Obama Administration Liars

Remember Benghazi? Yeah, remember that the Obama Administration/The State Department told all of us  that "No one was told to stand down"? Remember this from Obama?

“I can tell you as I have said over the last couple of months since this happened, that the minute I found out this was going on, I gave three very clear directives. Number one, make sure that we are securing our personnel and doing whatever we need to. Number two, we’re going to investigate exactly what happened to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Number three, find out who did this so we can bring them to justice.”

Yeah, about that.

Hicks is expected to be the first ground-level eyewitness to speak publicly in the nearly eight months since the terrorist attacks that killed Ambassador Stevens and three other Americans. When Stevens went missing, Hicks became the Chief of Mission for the U.S. in Libya.

According to excerpts released Monday, Hicks told investigators that SOCAFRICA commander Lt. Col. Gibson and his team were on their way to board a C-130 from Tripoli for Benghazi prior to an attack on a second U.S. compound "when [Col. Gibson] got a phone call from SOCAFRICA which said, 'you can't go now, you don't have the authority to go now.' And so they missed the flight ... They were told not to board the flight, so they missed it."

So let's remember what we're dealing with on a basic level:

1. We have an premeditated attack on US people in Libya on 9/11/12.
2. There were warnings that this was going to happen.
3. The intelligence was changed when it was presented to the public to blame a guy who made a YouTube video, which created a spontaneous (and thereby unpredictable attack) so as to fend off criticism that mistakes were made.
4. The guy they arrested in connection with the cover story is still in jail.

Here's the thing. The Benghazi scandal isn't the botched intelligence or the failure to go rescue the guys for whatever reason. That's just run-of-the-mill incompetence. It happens. The real scandal is railroading a guy to jail for political gain in the run-up to an election. That's the real scandal. And it worked. Don't forget about how much Obama was running on the "I'm the guy who kept you safe" meme.

 

Sanford vs. Colbert-Busch

According to a new Public Policy Polling survey, Sanford leads 47 percent to 46 percent over Colbert Busch.

I was in Charleston this weekend for a Kentucky Derby party, so I took the opportunity to keep my eyes out for the amount of bumper stickers and yard signs out for each candidate. My hypothesis was that Sanford (having lost the backing of the National GOP) and having so many personal problems, would not have the normal amount of signs/stickers.

I could not have been more wrong. In the entire weekend, I covered the downtown peninsula of Charleston, James Island, North Charleston, West Ashley and John's Island. I saw a grand total of about 10-15 Sanford signs, about 5-8 Sanford bumper stickers and a whopping total of ONE Colbert-Busch bumper sticker - no signs at all.

Now, maybe this doesn't mean anything. Maybe she's not really into signs. Maybe I just happened to miss the democratic strongholds where here signs are. Maybe anecdotal evidence isn't really that important. However, I was slightly surprised to see ZERO Colbert-Busch signs.

We'll see how it turns out.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/05/05/2758186/poll-sanford-holds-slim-lead-in.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/05/05/2758186/poll-sanford-holds-slim-lead-in.html#storylink=cpy

Top News 5-3-13

Not too much out there today, but here's what I've got for you, campers:

1. This Day in History. On this day in 1937 Margaret Mitchell won the Pulitzer Prize for Gone With The Wind. Back in1937 the Pulitzer and the Academy Awards weren't as caught up with whether something was politically correct.
2.  Coldest Spring Evah? I bet you won't hear that on the news, since this is an inconvenient fact for the narrative about global warming.
3. Reese Witherspoon's Arrest Video. Yeah, it's probably not "news", but it's funny.

That's pretty much all I have. Today's post brought to you by Harrison Ford drinking tea.

 

New Blog Addition to Sidebar (Drink. Blog. Repeat.)

I've added a new blog to the side-links on the right hand side of the page. I stumbled across Drink. Blog. Repeat. in connection with the Pint Bill pending in the SC Legislature. If you don't know what the Pint Bill is, you should read the very good explanation of it from Drink Blog Repeat.

If you like local South Carolina beer, you're going to love this blog. It has reviews, opinion, and upcoming events in the local beer world. If you're a beer guy (or gal) this is your go-to place for South Carolina beer happenings.

Plus, he has a cool logo, which kind of makes it look like a pirate's blog.

Drink. Blog. Repeat.

 

Cheers!

Top Ten Kentucky Derby Hats

But first a little advice: “Do not, for the love of God, decorate your hat with toy horses.”

I like this one.

For guys, simple is better.

SC Gas Tax Increase?

The SC Legislature is considering raising the gas tax by tying it to inflation. The tax money would (allegedly) be used to maintain roads and bridges here in South Carolina.

It may surprise some of y'all, but I would actually be ok with raising the gas tax if the funds were only used on actual infrastructure projects. Maintaining the roads and bridges is one of the core functions of our government, and I don't mind paying for that.

What I do object to is tying the tax to inflation.That's a cop-out way for the tax to go up in the future passively. You want the tax to go up in the future - fine. Take a vote. That's what the legislature is there for. Each time you want to raise or lower a tax, the legislature should have to take an affirmative vote. Tying the gas tax to inflation is going to result in the tax going up (or maybe down) without our legislature actually doing anything, and that's neither smart nor responsible. No tax should automatically move around.

In short, ensure the money isn't going to be diverted to other stuff, and make the tax a hard number.

Amazon Reviews: How to Avoid Huge Ships

If you liked the Amazon reviews of the banana slicer, you're going to love the reviews of this book.

[h/t WSJ]