Hotty Toddy!

With the conference schedule all wrapped up, South Carolina is sitting in the clubhouse at 6-2. The only other team that has a chance to win the SEC East is Missouri, who is currently 5-1, with two games left to play.

The two games for Missouri are: (1) on the road Ole Miss this weekend; and (2) a home game against Texas A&M the following week. The Rebels are on a great roll right now, and TAMU is always dangerous with Johnny Football at the controls.

Right now it feels like like Missouri needs to birdie their last two holes to win. I'm feeling pretty confident that Missouri isn't going to win both games. However, I'd like to see Ole Miss go ahead and take care of Missouri now, so I don't have to watch the scoreboard during the Clemson game.

To that end:

That is all. Carry on.

College Football Is Kinda Silly

Because things like this happen and will have massive implications.

Seriously. Auburn won the game because of this. I still can't believe it.

I'm sorry, Georgia. No one should lose a game like this. That's just cruel. It's also proof that the football gods have a sense of humor.

SEC East Predictions For Week 12

Morning, y'all. Let's do this thing.

Two big games in the SEC East today: The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry (Georgia at Auburn) is the 3:30 CBS game, and the nightcap will be Florida coming to South Carolina at 7:00PM.

Both of these games will go a long way towards deciding the winner of the SEC East this year. Georgia faces a must win situation on the Plains today. If Georgia loses to Auburn, they can pretty much give up home of going to Atlanta.

Auburn faces a similar "must win" situation, as they're trying to keep pace with undefeated Alabama. The Auburn Tigers are hoping they can get into the Iron Bowl with only one loss and try to knock off Bama. Doing so would punch Auburn's ticket to Atlanta. Look for a great game today out on the Plains. Permanent Press Prediction: I'm not a believer in Georgia's defense, so I think Auburn grinds out a close win on the ground. Georgia 20 - Auburn 27

South Carolina concludes conference play tonight against a beat-up Florida team. If South Carolina can start fast, Florida will have no chance to win this game. The only way Florida wins is if the Gamecocks have multiple turnovers to give a totally inept Florida offense a short field. Permanent Press Prediction: South Carolina doesn't turn the ball over and wins comfortably. Florida 13 - South Carolina 38, and Cocky gets a kiss.

If South Carolina wins, they'll finish 6-2 in conference play, which coupled with a Georgia loss to Auburn, would put a lot of pressure on Missouri to win their two remaining games against Ole Miss and Texas A&M. Mizzou is a great team, but those are two tough opponents.

Enjoy your Saturday.

Gear for Guys: Timex Weekender

In our continuing "Gear for Guys" theme, it's time to talk about time. And by that, I mean keeping time. I know, most of y'all keep time on your newfangled iPhones these days. That's great and all, but there's no replacing a solid wristwatch.

This device does not need to be recharged at the end of the day.

Sometimes you go places where you're not going to take your iPhone. Gasp! Yeah, seriously.

You may not want to take your iPhone to the beach, or out on the water, or out on that quail hunt. Your watch isn't going to run out of battery power at the end of the day if you spend all day checking your Tweets. Your watch isn't going to drop out of your hand and crack into a million pieces. Heck, sometimes a quick glance at your wrist is easier and faster than pulling your iPhone out of your pocket, and turning the screen on.

Also, taking your cell phone out of your pocket is easily noticeable, whereas you can much more discreetly glance at your watch. In certain social situations, that can be a big benefit. Guys, you know what I'm talking about.

Accordingly, Permanent Press recommends the Timex Weekender. At $31.96 on Amazon, it's not going to break the bank like a Rolex or an Omega, so you can give it to your 10 year old kid and not worry about what happens to it very much.

Basically, it's a simple and effective way to keep time. It's got a good light for nighttime use, and it even has the military time numbers if you're bad at math.

When you're heading out for the weekend, it's pretty much going to fit in for anything you do unless you're going to the Academy Awards or a State Dinner. Heck, I'd probably wear it to those events, myself, but that's just me. Also, if you're a really fashionable person and you want to change the look of this watch, you can buy different bands for it to suit your needs. I just happen to like this single stripe look, but you can get leather bands, rainbow bands, solid colors...really anything.

In any event, maybe it's time you got a watch.
 

Friday Morning Firearm Advice

Good morning, campers.

Just some handy firearm advice from Permanent Press this morning: The rounded part of the cartridge  faces forward in the magazine.

[h/t Insty]

Need a Local Adventure near Columbia?

Try the Congaree National Park.

It's the largest intact expanse of old growth, bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States - and it's about a 25 minute drive from downtown Columbia.

First, it's totally free. No fees for anything. The park is open 24/7, every day of the year, but Saturday is the best day to go. Pretty much every Saturday there's a guided tour of some sort. And yeah, the tours are free, too. Some require reservations, others don't.

If you're not into planning or reservations, you can just show up and walk the boardwalk loop, which is a (roughly) two-mile loop comprised of a raised boardwalk through the swamp that starts and ends at the Visitor's Center. It's great for families, as the boardwalk keeps the children focused on going one direction, rather than wandering off.

During famously hot days in Columbia, you can go on a paddling trip from one part of the Congaree river to another through the National Park. Toss a cooler in the canoe and you've got yourself a whole day on the river. If you're in a Boy Scout troop in Columbia, this is a must do.

If you want to see what South Carolina looked like a couple hundred years ago, go check it out. It's like stepping into a time machine. It's free and it's closer than you think.

Healthcare.gov's Enrollment Numbers

Less than 27,000.

27,000. Let that sink in for a moment.

I know the White House is pushing a higher figure, that figure includes people who "picked a plan" but didn't actually enroll (you know, pay for it). An AP reporter is saying the actual number of people is less than 27,000.

What I really want to know is the breakdown of the number. How many of these less than 27,000 people have pre-existing conditions? How many are low-income and need significant subsidies? How many of the really important "young healthy" people are in this group? Does this include the number of people enrolled in Medicaid through the site?

My little blog here has more pageviews (since October of 2011) than people who have signed up for Obamacare through healthcare.gov. Let's see how long I can keep that streak going.

This is some epic failing that we're witnessing here. I cannot wait for Jay Carney's next press conference.

NFL Logos as European Soccer Badges

Kinda cool, if you're into that sorta thing. It's no Death Star cookie jar, though.

Death Star Cookie Jar

I want this.

Now I'm redoing lines from Star Wars with cookie references:

1. "Close the cookie jar now? In our moment of triumph?"
2. "That's no moon(pie) it's a cookie station..."
3. "You're all clear kid, now let's grab those cookies and go home!"
4. "These aren't the cookies you're looking for."
5. "I find your lack of cookies disturbing."
6. "No! Alderaan is peaceful! We have no cookies there, you can't possibly..."
7. "I have something here for you. Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough, but your uncle wouldn't allow it. He feared you might follow old Obi-Wan on some damn fool idealistic crusade like your father did. It's a cookie."
8. "Yes, Greedo. I was just going to see your boss. Tell Jabba I've got his cookie."

I'm just getting warmed up. (More in the comments.)

Kenny Miles Shot Himself Then Lied About It

I don't get this. So Kenny Miles shot himself, and then lied about it, saying that he had been robbed? Does that make sense to anyone?

I get that shooting yourself by accident is embarrassing. I've never shot myself, but if I did, I would be really embarrassed, because that means I was doing something stupid and/or unsafe. Hopefully, that never happens.

However, if I hypothetically do shoot myself, I'm not going to make a false police report and say that someone else shot me in a robbery. That's taking an embarrassing situation and turning it into a criminal act. I just don't understand the thought process here. What in the world would he have done if the police had arrested someone based on his report?

I just don't get it. On the subject of shooting yourself, it can definitely happen. It happened to this guy:

Don't be that guy. Or Kenny Miles.

Veterans Day Links

Everybody huddle up and take a knee.

It's Veterans Day, today. For those of you who may not know, the hostilities of World War I ended, ninety-five years ago today, on November 11, 1918. The following year, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of "Armistice Day". The original idea was that November 11 was to be a celebration of the end of Word War I.

However, in 1954, after World War II and the Korean War were both over, Congress amended the word "Armistice" and inserted the word "Veterans" so all veterans of all wars would be honored. One note of distinction: Veterans day differs from Memorial Day, in that Veterans day honors all who served in the military, while Memorial Day is specifically reserved for those who died.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;

They sit no more at familiar tables of home;

They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;

They sleep beyond England's foam

In WWII related remembrance, the Doolittle Raiders had their last toast together. Only four members of the famed Tokyo Raiders are still alive. You can see some photos of yesterday's toast and previous Doolittle gatherings here.

There will be parades throughout the US (and the world today), and the President will be participating in the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Lest we forget, we will remember them. I don't care if you were a ranger, mechanic, cook, medic, grunt, pilot, or ran the laundry and bath point, you have my thanks for serving our country.

Lone Survivor Trailer

Brad had an interesting post on top war movies according to British newspaper, The Guardian. Although the Guardian's list isn't very good, the commentariat came up with a better list.

One that might make the list in the future is Lone Survivor. Lone Survivor is based on the true story of a failed SEAL team mission in Afghanistan to take out a high value Taliban leader. The mission ended up compromised and ultimately the first Medal of Honor of the Afghanistan war was awarded posthumously to one of the SEAL team members. Here's the trailer.

If it's like the book, it's not going to be a rah-rah America movie, but it will show the sacrifice that our soldiers, sailors, and airmen make in war.

Saturday College Football Thread - Florida Will Not Play In a Bowl Game

Florida lost to Vanderbilt today. Yeah. Vanderbilt. Even the Vanderbilt cheerleaders were confused at the final score.

Wait. We won?

Don't worry Gator fans. Losing to Vanderbilt today (and USC next week, and Florida State after that) means that you won't have to go to a low-tier bowl game in some hellish place like Shreveport or Birmingham, so there's that. You're not going to a bowl game - anywhere. They're not going to get to six wins because they're going to lose to both the Gamecocks and the Seminoles.

It's going to be a long offseason in Gainesville.

Sebelius To Make "Important Announcement" about Obamacare Tomorrow

I'm not sure if it's going to be good news or bad news, but apparently, it's "important".

My guess is that it will likely be something about open enrollment being extended, or maybe they won't be making it to the November 30 deadline of having the website operational. 

Alternatively, it could be to announce that Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley are being arrested for sedition for their little stunt at last night's CMAs.

What do y'all think it's going to be about? In any event, I hope Secretary Sebelius wears her dalmatian coat.

Cool Photos of a Nuclear Powered Icebreaker

It's at the North Pole, and there's ice as far as you can see in every direction. Great high-quality pictures that have an eerie peacefulness to them.

Stay frosty.

Incumbents Sweep in Columbia Elections

If you like your incumbents, you can keep your incumbents.

All the incumbents in the Columbia area pretty much cruised to easy re-election yesterday. Hopefully, the Bull Street development will go smoothly, the City can get out from under the Palmetto Compress Warehouse and we can figure out how to keep Five Points from turning into Fallujah.

In other news, Virginia decided to cement its new identity as a blue state by electing Terry McAuliffe, and New Jersey re-elected Christie. Lots of pundits are sure to try and give these two elections larger implications, but I'm not so sure. Maybe Christie is the new face of the GOP, and maybe he's not.

All I know is that he's the media darling for a little while now. We'll see how long that lasts. My guess is that by the time 2016 rolls around, Christie will be labeled an "extremist" "tea party" guy.

In other, other news, fewer young people than expected are signing up for Obamacare. I'm sure this will all work out fine, right?

Election Day News Roundup

Today is an election day here in Columbia. In my neighborhood/district, I get to choose between Todd Walter and Leona Plaugh. Both of them reflect the majority of my views, so that's not too big of a deal.

As for the mayoral race, I'm not really fired up about either candidate. However, when in doubt, vote for the person who you think will spend your money like it was their own.

Around Columbia and South Carolina, here are the other headlines I'm seeing:

1. Former Gamecock Kenny Miles was shot in what appears to be a robbery. Update: Apparently, it's not a robbery.

2. Some SC State Senators are working on a plan to "nullify" Obamacare. Look, I don't like the ACA anymore than anyone else, but let's knock it off with the "nullification" stuff. It's just silly.

3. On the same note, the ACA has even more fun waiting for us. Insurance cancellation for millions is just the start. The real fun will be when the doctor shortage hits. I feel really bad for the Canadians. Where are they going to go, now?

4. To end on a positive note, could Mike Davis be a 2014 Heisman hopeful? I think so.

Advocating for Marijuana Isn't the Same as Being a Stoner

I'll preface this post by saying that I'm not an advocate for marijuana legalization. I'm also not looking to give people hard time for it, either. I guess I'm kind of agnostic. It's a drug. It doesn't have positive effects, but neither does this glass of bourbon that I'm having right now.

Anyway, the (Interim) Columbia Chief of Police has a Facebook page. I'm not sure why, but whatever. That's not the point. Apparently, someone came on his page and engaged the chief of police.

The threat came in response to a Facebook comment by Brandon Whitmer, who was unimpressed by Santiago's announcement of a local pot bust. "Maybe u should arrest the people shooting people in 5 points [a Columbia neighborhood] instead of worrying about a stoner that's not bothering anyone," Whitmer said. "It'll be legal here one day anyway." To which Santiago replied:

@Brandon whitmer, we have arrested all the violent offenders in Five points. Thank you for sharing your views and giving us reasonable suspicion to believe you might be a criminal, we will work on finding you. 

That post quickly disappeared, creating the impression that the author had thought better of threatening critics of the drug war with arrest. Not so! Santiago later posted this:

This is Interim Chief Santiago posting. I was just notified that one of my staff members deleted my post. I put everyone on notice that if you advocate for the use of illegal substances in the City of Columbia then it's reasonable to believe that you MIGHT also be involved in that particular activity[. T]hreat? Why would someone feel threaten[ed] if you are not doing anything wrong? Apply the same concept to gang activity or gang members. You can have gang tattoos and advocate that life style, but that only makes me suspicious of them, I can't do anything until they commit a crime. So feel free to express yourself, and I will continue to express myself and what we stand for. I am always open to hearing how our citizens feel like we can be effective in fighting crime.

My only point in posting this is that advocating for something isn't "reasonable suspicion" that you're committing a crime. It may be identifying yourself as sympathetic, but it isn't a crime to advocate for anything. Maybe I decide to be in favor of legalizing marijuana. That doesn't mean squat as far as "reasonable suspicion".

The Interim City of Columbia Chief of Police needs to calm down. There's plenty of work for him to do, but the whole You don't have anything to fear if you haven't done anything wrong is a little too Germany in the 1930's for me.

Someone Trolled Secretary Sebelius

Pretty funny.

But wow, if looks could kill. I wouldn't want to be the guy who handed her that book come tax season. Can you say "Audit"?

Sunday Morning Open Thread

Adios, Daylight Savings Time.

On a somber note, former Federal Judge Karen Williams, a native of Orangeburg, SC, passed away yesterday morning. She was a pioneer in the legal world, and she'll be missed.

In other legal news, the race for South Carolina's Chief Justice is getting closer. Could a wild card be in the works?

Ok. Time to face the day. But first, coffee...

Saturday Football Thread

If you like your college football, you can keep your college football.

Big day for college football today. Carolina plays CLANGA at 12:21, the WLOCP is at 3:30 (Go Gata), and Tennessee/Missouri is the primetime game I'll be following, as it has implications for the SEC East race.

Enjoy your Saturday. 

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.