Sunday, November 30, 2014

Carolina Panthers Vs Minnesota Vikings

Awright, awright, awright.  I’m out of town enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday with friends.  This post was queued up before I left.

Today, the 3-7-1 Angry Kitties play the 4-7 Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis at 1:00 PM ET.  Fox is carrying the game.

Since the only consistent thing about the Vikings has been their inconsistency and the Panthers handed the Atlanta Falcons the NFC South Division in their 19-17 loss to them.  This has been a season to forget for Cam Newton and the Panthers.

“I have to play better,” Newton said. (No shit, Sherlock.)

David Newton writing for ESPN’s NFC South Blog thinks, “The most obvious fall guy for this season would be offensive coordinator Mike Shula. The offense ranks 24th in the NFL and quarterback Cam Newton statistically is having his worst season, ranking near the bottom of the league in passer rating at 80.3.”

I disagree with his premise.  He contends that Coach Ron Rivera will not be fired a year after winning the NFL Coach of the Year award.  Rivera is a weak coach as evidenced by the fact that he “sent a message to Kelvin Benjamin” earlier in the season by benching him for a portion of a game but has resisted doing the same to QB Newton for playing afraid.  Shula works for Rivera.  He is the offensive coordinator.  He can’t will Newton to play like a man.

Newton’s Twitter account was hacked and someone with a sense of humor tweeted, “I want to get released.”  Another tweet said, “I want to get signed to a good team.”  Oddly, there may be some truth to that. 

Clearly Newton’s focus is not on his lousy abilities but rather on his inflated ego, his line of clothing and his new cologne called Drakkar Essence.

Prediction:  This will be another craptastic game ending in a win for the Vikings.

And because no football post would be complete without pom-poms, please enjoy this photo of Top Cat Shannon.



Saturday, November 29, 2014

Alabama Vs Auburn

This post was queued to publish today because I am still enjoying my time with friends over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Today, however, is a biggie for fans of the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers.  The “The Iron Bowl” kicks off at 7:45 PM ET from Bryant-Denny Stadium in T-town and airs on ESPN.  The Iron Bowl game dates back to 1893.  Alabama leads the series 42-35-1.

Last week, Alabama celebrated its Homecoming.  Part of the festivities included a pep rally featuring legendary defensive great Marty Lyons.  Lyons was the 1978 Consensus First-Team All-American and SEC Defensive Player of the Year.  Lyons is also a College Football Hall of Famer. 

Alabama was playing the Western Carolina Catamounts last Saturday, but Lyons stirred the Homecoming crowd with this, "A week from now, when our good friends Auburn come in, we are going to open up a can of whip-ass!  And we're going to show them exactly what 'Roll Tide Roll' means!"

The rivalry between The Tide and The War Eagle of Auburn is one of the fiercest in college football.  Alabama suffered an inordinate number of injuries in their 48-14 win over WCU.  Star receiver Amari Cooper, nose tackle A’Shawn Robinson, left tackle Cam Robinson, fullback Jalston Fowler, receiver ArDarius Stewart and tight end Brian Vogler were all taken off the field.  Alabama also held out T.J. Yeldon, DeAndrew White and Adam Griffith.

It scares me to think that even one of these players would not be able to take the field against the Tigers.

Today’s game is a chance for revenge pay back after last year’s 34-28 loss to the Tigers and a chance to keep their national title hopes alive.

ROLL TIDE ROLL!

For any of you who may be an Auburn fan reading this post, enjoy this amusing video entitled, “Don’t Give Auburn A ‘Second’ Chance.”

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

The Empty Chair On Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a joyful time for families to gather, reconnect and celebrate. But for families experiencing a military separation, holidays can be yet another reminder that a deployed family member is not at home to enjoy hearth and homeSome of us do not stop to think about the responsibilities and pain these families bear.

Here at home the banquet is on the table, but in a military family the focus is often on the chairs. Some of us will have empty chairs, because of deployment or distance from family members. Some will have extra chairs around the table to make room for friends and neighbors to join our uniquely American celebration.

For those who gather near an empty chair, they pray for those who are responsible for their loved one’s safety knowing that the empty chair still holds the promise of their sitting in it next year.

I am thankful for the men and women who sacrificed throughout our nation’s history, from the very beginning up to this very day to secure and preserve freedom in this great land of ours.

We have so much for which to be thankful, one day hardly seems adequate.

Sophie, my little furkid, and I wish for you and yours all the good things in life, not only at Thanksgiving but throughout the coming year.  May God bless you.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Mr. President: There is No 'Shot Clock' in the Constitution


President Obama and his sycophantic supporters have made the argument, ad nauseum, that since the House failed to pass a certain Senate bill, within a certain amount of time that President Obama was free to act on his own to unilaterally "fix" the immigration problem. Conservatives, however, keep bringing this "Constitution" thingy into the argument.

Where in the Constitution does it say that any particular piece of legislation passed in the Senate must be voted on in the House within a certain amount of time, or the President gets a free pass to write his own legislation? Moreover, all the faux indignation and self righteous intonation of "two whole years", "seventeen months*", or "514 days", since the Senate passed an immigration bill, completely overlooks the fact that the House did pass a number of immigration reform bills which Senator Harry Reid (Dimbulb-Searchlight) refused to bring up for a vote in the US Senate. The fact that your opponents will not necessarily vote on a bill they disagree with,  also does not give you carte blanche to do whatever you please.

Even though there is no "shot clock", "pass them or else" time limit on Senate bills, you'd think that sooner or later, the US Senate might get around to actually passing a budget. The Senate hasn't passed a budget since 2009. (That's 1851 days for all you anally retentive, math impaired Democrats). Where was the indignation over this?  Beuller?   Beuller??

And yet, and yet...mirabile dictu! I have not heard a single Republican leader tell us that because the Senate has failed to pass a budget in over five years, that they get a free pass to impose their will upon the nation!

We now return you to the relentless coverage of rioting in Ferguson by those protestors who believe that nothing says 'I want to see justice done' like burning down someone else's business and stealing someone else's stuff.

* We'll forgive math impaired Democrats for not knowing that "two years" and "seventeen months" are not the same!

Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

A Tiny Hamster Thanksgiving And More

The car is packed, the gas tank is full and Sophie, my little furkid, is ready to ride shotgun as we make our annual trek to spend Thanksgiving with friends.  

Once we arrive, Sophie will have two other dogs, Tika and Teddy, to play with.  I am bringing a whole Honey Baked Ham® for everyone to feast on.  Everyone else has their assigned goodies to bring.  I am looking forward to wearing my eating pants and watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, catching my very most favoritest movie "Miracle on 34th Street" and watching some football.

Like every holiday gathering there will be the "odd" one who was told to "dress up" and arrives dressed like a pilgrim complete with a hat made of construction paper.  And, yes, there will be plenty of embarrassing photographs taken, perhaps even tweeted out (how times have changed) and someone is bound to say or do something that will be recounted years from now.

I've got several posts queued up over the next several days.

Sophie and I wish readers of this blog a safe, happy and healthy Thanksgiving holiday. Don't forget to save some space for a piece of pumpkin or sweet potato pie.

Remember to tell the people you care about that you love them and give them a big 'ol hug for good measure.






Monday, November 24, 2014

Chuck, Your Bus Is Here

This morning The World’s Most Dangerous Community Organizer stood at the podium in the White House State Dining Room to announce the departure resignation firing of his scapegoat third Secretary of Defense.

The president oozed phony platitudes:
“Last month, Chuck came to me to discuss the final quarter of my presidency and determined that having guided the department through this transition, it was an appropriate time for him to complete his service.” 
“Let me just say that Chuck is and has been a great friend of mine. I’ve known him, admired him and trusted him for nearly a decade since I was a green-behind-the-ears freshman senator and we were both on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.” 
“If there’s one thing I know about Chuck, it’s that he does not make this or any decision lightly. This decision does not come easily to him, but I consider myself extraordinarily lucky to have had him by my side for two years.” 
“And I am grateful that Chuck has agreed to stay on until I nominate a successor and that successor is confirmed by the Senate, which means that he’ll continue to guide our troops at this challenging time.”
I never agreed with Hagel’s appointment to that post. During his confirmation hearing he was ripped for his inflammatory remarks about Israel and the “Jewish lobby”, his support for unilateral reductions of U.S. nuclear weapons and his opposition to the surge in Iraq.

Secretary Hagel’s undoing was when he contradicted the regime’s talking points on Islamist militants in Iraq and Syria and the leaked letter he sent to National Security Advisor Susan Rice in which he asserted that Syria’s dictator, Bashar al-Assad, was “indirectly benefitting” from an impotent U.S. policy against ISIS.

Flowing Curves Of Beauty

There are some days you should go back to bed with a hot brandy, a box of chocolates and a warm energetic companion.







Sunday, November 23, 2014

The World’s Most Dangerous Community Organizer Gets “School House” Rocked

Once upon a time Saturday Night Live was something I made a point of watching every Saturday night.  That was when the comedy skits were actually funny. 

The political slant of the show became as noticeable as a piece of spinach stuck between someone’s teeth.  Do you embarrass the person by telling them they have a snack for later or do you ignore it?

I opted for the easier path of ignoring it.  Lately however, SNL has gotten noticed for its occasional scathing criticism of The World’s Most Dangerous Community Organizer.  Last night their Cold Open was pretty amusing with its take on the executive action taken on immigration.  They cleverly used an updated version of the 1975 Schoolhouse Rock! Segment, “I’m Just A Bill”

The Left emerged butthurt and the SNL parody was fact-checked by The Washington Post, a paper which is, itself a parody.  The newspaper even took the time to extrapolate their absurdity by providing a flowchart showing who is eligible for the immigration reprieve.

I only have one bone to pick with SNL.  They failed to point out the imperialness of The World’s Most Dangerous Community Organizer and those who will benefit the most from not being deported.  I took care of that.  You’re welcome.

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Alabama Vs Western Carolina

It’s Homecoming Week at the Capstone and Bama will play the Catamounts of Western Carolina University. The game kicks off at 4:00 PM ET and will be carried on the SEC Channel.

What is a catamount?  I’m glad you asked.  According to WCU’s website, “Webster's Dictionary defines ‘catamount’ as ‘any of various wild cats such as a cougar or lynx.’ Cats of the catamount variety, including the bobcat, have roamed the southern Appalachian Mountains, where Western Carolina University is located, for years.”

If the 9-1 Tide beat FCS foe Western Carolina today and Auburn in next week’s Iron Bowl, they will win the SEC West and play in the SEC championship game.

I know many of you are thinking this game will be a cakewalk for Bama, but I would caution you to think back to September 1, 2007 when the Michigan Wolverines played tiny Appalachian State at home in Ann Arbor.  The Mountaineers ended up shocking the college football world by beating the Wolverines 34-32.

I’m not saying my beloved Alabama will underestimate the mismatched Catamounts because on any given Saturday any team can win, even the Catamounts.  With that said:
ROLL TIDE ROLL!
And because no football post would be complete without a photograph of some pom-poms, please enjoy this lovely.


Thursday, November 20, 2014

What if Obama Had Been President During the Civil Rights Movement?

Statement by President Barack Obama on Attack in Selma, AL

Source: WH, 11-18-1962
I strongly condemn today’s terrorist attack, the burning of a black church in Selma, which killed four innocent people, and injured several more. There is and can be no justification for such attacks against innocent civilians. The thoughts and prayers of the American people are with the victims and families of all those who were killed and injured in this horrific attack and in other recent violence. At this sensitive moment in Selma, it is all the more important for blacks and Klan leaders and ordinary citizens to work cooperatively together to lower tensions, reject violence, and seek a path forward towards peace.
Fortunately, our leaders back then did not suffer under a sense of false moral equivalency.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Duke Vs Michigan State

No. 4 Duke meets No.19 Michigan State tonight at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.  Tipoff is 7:00 PM ET and can be seen on ESPN.

The Champions Classic, in its fourth year, is a non-conference outing.  This will be Coach K’s ninth face-off against MSU’s Tom Izzo.  Krzyzewski’s .763% W-L (985-306) career record is just a skosh better than Izzo’s .715% W-L (469-187) record.

Although Duke had an easy time of it against Presbyterian and Fairfield, the Spartans have talent they can put on the floor. 

The Detroit Free Press noted that no one is picking the Spartans to win tonight and took a little dig at my boys saying, “The young Blue Devils know nothing but Cameron Indoor Stadium blowouts, filled with dunks and wide-open three-pointers. If MSU can land an early punch, it could resonate.”  O RLY?
GO DUKE!

UPDATE:  Duke wins 81-71

Monday, November 17, 2014

Video: Don't Tell 'Em (Obamacare Version)

Via Reason TV

Laying Bare This Administration’s Contempt For Americans

Accepting the seductive comfort of self-delusion, this Administration’s apparatchik media shills have demonstrated since 2007 their incuriousness of the man they and they alone placed on a throne of lies.  Their requisite authority exists to deceive the public nowadays.

The lies are now piling thick, fast and mountain high.

The story of Obamacare is Machiavellian “Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception.”

During a press conference at the G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, The World’s Most Dangerous Community Organizer said Gruber was “some adviser who never worked on our staff.”

Gruber visited the White House more than a dozen times, according to official visitor logs. One of those meetings took place in the Oval Office with none other than TWMDCO.

The Gruber tapes were roiling the Internet by Veterans Day with only one news outlet covering the story.  Several days later CBS mentioned it on an early morning show.  By Sunday, Bob Schieffer of Face the Nation confessed he was “dumbstruck” by his “stupid American voters” comment opining, “What we have here is another example of the sorry state of American politics where people take money for things in which they don't believe and whether it's good for the American people is not even a question.  As for the president, he may want to consider that old politician's prayer—Lord, I can take care of my enemies, just protect me from my friends.”

Nine days after the shitstorm erupted, ABC and NBC decided to report on what actually lay behind the honeyed rhetoric—something Dr. Charles Krauthammer succinctly illustrated—“the arrogance of an academic liberalism, so perfectly embodied in the Gruber Confession, that rules in the name of a citizenry it mocks, disdains and deliberately, contemptuously deceives.”

You Do Kind Deeds Because It's Who You Are

All too often in life we are met with trying times.  You find yourself praying for a solution in those times.   The conservative blogosphere is filled with loving, caring people who do kind deeds because that’s who they are.

Blogger sister and friend, Always On Watch, finds herself dealing with a “cascade of problems.”  Her husband’s in-home hospital bed requires a new motor, the car she relies on to take hubby and his scooter to doctor appointments needs the brakes and the power steering repaired, a dangerous and potentially deadly problem with her home’s electrical panel box is affecting the water heater; and worst of all, her husband’s medication, which used to cost $24 to refill now is draining her wallet to the tune of $648 due to the infamous “donut hole” which exists in Medicare Part D.

AOW has been dealing with these financial burdens since October 27th.  Essentially, she’s coped as best she can, but she’s reached the end of her rope.  Several years ago, her husband suffered a stroke.  As a result, she is now his caregiver while also working to earn a living as a home school teacher.

God grants us 86,400 seconds a day.  Will you take a few of those precious seconds to leave a comment at her place to encourage her?  If you have a few bucks to spare, would you consider donating to her tip jar?  She will be touched by your compassion.

With Thanksgiving approaching, wouldn’t it be wonderful to lighten the burdens of another?  May God bless you abundantly, love you dearly and watch over you always.

UPDATE:  After waiting most of the day, Always On Watch is reporting good news.  At 7:00 PM she said her husband’s in-home hospital bed has finally been repaired and he is now able to elevate his paralyzed leg in order to reduce the edema (swelling due to the accumulation of fluid) and perhaps lower his blood pressure.

We’re praying for you.  Keep us posted girl.

Flowing Curves Of Beauty

There are some days you should go back to bed with a hot brandy, a box of chocolates and a warm energetic companion.







Sunday, November 16, 2014

(Video) When Grilled By Fox’s Ed Henry, Obama Denies He Lied To Americans About Obamacare

Carolina Panthers Vs Atlanta Falcons

The NFC South is pitiful.  With the Saints leading that division at 4-5, today’s game between the 3-6-1 Panthers and the 3-6 Falcons is sure to be a crapfest.

The game kicks off at home for the Panthers at Bank of America Stadium at 1:00 PM ET on Fox.

Some dink over at The Sheet News wrote, “The Panthers have really disappointed me with the way they are handling QB Cam Newton. He is clearly hurt badly and they are running him out there with no help. To top it off they are dogging him to the press. His own organization is dogging him…saying he is NOT hurt and giving him ZERO help. If I were Cam Newton I would pull a Dwight Howard and walk away. They are now trying to drive his value down so they don’t have to pay him.”

Apparently this guy forgot everything about Cam Newton that is unsavory and the money daddy Cecil Newton took.  I have said many times that Newton has talent but not enough talent that he deserves to be put on a pedestal.

So the question is Newton banged up or overrated?  He’s both.  He had surgery on his ankle in the off-season and then injured his ribs early in the regular season.  He has turned fraidy cat since getting hurt.  That has made him inaccurate and painfully slow to make decisions.

I will say again today, as I have numerous times before, take Newton out of the game and give back-up QB Derek Anderson a chance to lead the team.  Newton needs to be shown he is not the center of the Panthers’ fan base world.  After the season is over, release him from his contract and draft someone else who wants to play.

As for today, I’m not wasting my time watching what will doubtless be a total crapfest.  I’ll watch the Eagles-Packers game pulling for the Packers and then root like hell for the Colts tonight against the Patriots. 

And because no football post would be complete without pom-poms, check out Top Cat Whitney.


Saturday, November 15, 2014

Alabama Vs Mississippi State

Last Saturday I spent the entire game biting my nails down to the nubs.  Alabama was playing the LSU Tigers in Death Valley—the place where LSU Coach Les Miles said “dreams come to die.”

With an overtime win, Alabama made sure it was the other guys whose dreams died.

That brings us to today’s game against the SEC’s only undefeated team—Mississippi State.  The game will be carried on CBS and kicks off at 3:30 PM ET in T-town.

MSU has lost the last 19 times they’ve played Alabama at home.  MSU has QB Dak Prescott, a Heisman Trophy candidate, who is considered a solid No. 2 to the Duck’s Marcus Mariota.  Alabama has All-American Amari Cooper who has amassed 1219 yards receiving and scored 10 TDs.  The Bulldogs have the nation’s top-ranked red zone defense and is 5th in the nation in team sacks.  Alabama has the nation’s 3rd ranked rush defense.

This game will not hinge on stats on a piece of paper.  It’s the intangibles that will matter most.  There will be cowbells clanging in Bryant-Denny Stadium to be sure, but they will be drowned out by the sounds of “Sweet Home Alabama” being sung by 102,000 devout fans. That will generate plenty of emotion for my boys.

ROLL TIDE ROLL!

And because no football post would be complete without pom-poms, please feast your eyes upon this lovely.


Friday, November 14, 2014

Operation Nutcracker

In my previous post I shared a story about an expensive and annoying problem that I am facing with a marauding band of gray squirrels.  I solicited ideas for how to prevent these sumbitches from chewing through the wiring harness on my car.

Some of your ideas were helpful.  One commenter, and you know who you are, made light of this nuisance comparing it to Frostbite Falls and invoking the characters of Mr. Big, Dear Leader, Boris and Natasha.  Very funny.  The comparison amused another commenter as well.

Far too many people see the little squirrel as cute and cuddly.  In Great Britain squirrels evoke strong emotions.  So great is the passion of Brits that figurines have been created of Beatrix Potter’s squirrel characters like the brazen Squirrel Nutkin, his brother Twinkleberry, Tufty Fluffytail and Timmy Tiptoes.

Squirrels are prodigious breeders. They dig holes in the yard to bury nuts to store for later.  Then they dig more holes searching for the nuts they’ve buried.  The dumb critters forget where they’ve buried them, so for every nut they bury they dig five or six more holes searching for their nuts.  Squirrels never stop gnawing because their teeth never stop growing.  In my case, they chewed up the wiring harness on my car costing me almost $400 to have repaired.

I must wage war on these varmints.  I have launched Operation Nutcracker, a lethal approach to solving my squirrel problem.  Mind you I’ve tried to be humane and the thanks I got was a costly repair bill.

After I left my doctor’s office Thursday, I headed to the grocery store (it was Senior Discount Day).  I had added pecan halves to my shopping list.  Then I headed over to my Ace Hardware Store.  Peggy was at the cash register at the front of the store.  I asked her where the rat traps and Gorilla® glue were.  Aisle 14 for the traps; Aisle 2 for the glue.

I walked back to the cash register and made a point of telling Peggy that I was determined to take out these destructive vermin. She looked approvingly at my purchase and then I headed home.

Operation Nutcracker involves placing a sign near the car warning the varmints, in the vein of Sir Winston Churchill that reads, “I shall fight on the seas and oceans, I shall fight on the beaches, I shall fight in the fields and in the streets, I shall fight in the hills.  I shall never surrender.”

Then I will place rat traps baited with pecan halves that I glued to the traps. I worked on the mechanisms a bit to give them a hair trigger so when they try to eat the tasty treats *SNAP*.  


Meanwhile, I will continue to lay down sniper fire using my GAMO Whisper G2 air rifle with laser sight.  I also have ordered a 5-lb. bag of fox urine granules as a repellent.  If my “strategery” fails, I will call the wildlife removal service I spoke with yesterday and let them take over the operation.



Potemkin Village People

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Help! I’m Goin’ Squirrelly!

There exists, somewhere near Casa de Curmudgeon, a top secret squirrel training camp whose denizens are hell-bent on disabling my car.

Roughly a week ago, my fuel gauge stopped working.  No problem.  If I check my trip meter I can deduce when I need to refuel.  The problem, however, is that I had two idiot lights that were illuminated on my dashboard.

My car is due for its annual state inspection, so I drove to the AAA Car Care Center near my home and told the service consultant that I needed to have my car inspected.

I sat in the waiting room roughly a half hour when the service consultant came to me with the news that my car would not pass inspection due to the failure on the On-Board Diagnostic Display for a MIL-Commanded On test result.

Then he told me a scan of the vehicle computer needed to be done to isolate the problem.  He had a driver take me home rather than waiting there.

About an hour after I got home, I got the phone call.  There was a problem with the fuel system and would need to be replaced with a fuel system kit.  Parts and labor:  $986.

I told the guy to move forward with the repair because I needed the car to pass inspection.  I busied myself with other things so as not to become upset and had made peace with my situation.  Two hours later, I got another call from the service consultant.

He said, and I quote, “Well, I’ve got good news and bad news.”  I didn’t say a word.  Then he said, “I’ll cut to the chase.”  I thought, “That’d be nice.”  He said, “You’ve got rodents in your car.  They’ve chewed your wiring harness and the mechanic is working on it now.”  I was stuck on the “rodents in your car” thing.

Then I snapped to attention when the guy said, “The good news is the bill is going to be a lot less than we talked about earlier.  Your new total is $388.03.”  I thanked the guy profusely, and I do mean profusely.  We agreed he’d call me back when the car was ready and have the driver bring me back to the repair center.

Now all I have to do is run the car about 50 or so miles to reset the computer and they’ll rerun the OBD scan, give me my inspection sticker and I’ll be legal.

This is where you come in.  I need help.  How the freaking hell do I rid myself of these vermin?

I own a GAMO Whisper G2 air rifle to take these sumbitches out whenever I can.  I know they produce two litters of pups a year and each litter can have up to six pups.  I’m fighting a losing battle, but by golly, it feels good to take these furry marauders out.

I talked to the driver on the way over to the repair shop and he rather tongue-in-cheek suggested I move to the city.  There may be fewer of these critters in the city, but I ain’t movin’.

I’ve done a web search for some solutions:  
  • Leave your hood up during the day and close it at night because squirrels are not nocturnal and a car engine’s warmth provides a cozy nesting spot
  • Use a “taste deterrent” like bitter apple spray
  • Spray small animal repellent on parts of the vehicle that don’t get hot
  • Use rat poison
  • Wrap “rodent tape” which is impregnated with the chemical that makes hot peppers hot on the wiring
  • Spray on "Critter-Ridder" repellant
  • Dab cotton balls or cotton rags with a few drops of peppermint oil or dust cotton balls with curry powder
  • Squirrels don’t like the color red. Place a red towel over each tire or on the ground underneath the car
  • Place rat snap traps in the wheel well area or on top of tires
  • Live traps baited with corn
  • Mothballs
What have you guys tried?  I need your help.  These guys are like SEALs going after UBL.

It’s Official: Dan Sullivan Wins Senate Race In Alaska

On Election Night incumbent Senator Mark Begich had 102,054 votes with 45.3% of the votes cast by Alaskans.  His challenger, Dan Sullivan, had secured 49% of the votes for a total of 110,203.

Begich, facing “daunting math” to overcome the deficit refused to concede the race.  Even the Alaska Public Radio Network declared his decision to stay in the race was based on an “implausible hypothetical resurgence.”

I was checking the Politico website just for kicks and giggles around 3:00 AM and noticed they had not yet changed the Alaska map to red signifying a “leans Republican” status (see screen capture).  I started a web search and violĂ¡, what did I find, but an Associated Press newswire at ABC News bearing the headline:  “Republican Dan Sullivan Wins Senate Race in Alaska”.  Welcome aboard Senator-elect Sullivan.
The Alaska seat was initially considered key to the Republicans' hopes of taking control of the US Senate, but that point became moot by the end of the evening when the GOP sweep snagged 52 seats for a majority in that chamber.  Add Alaska to that tally and it’s now 53.  After Louisiana’s December 6th runoff, the total will be 54 seats. 
UPDATE:  Welcome iOTWReport readers.  Big hugs to Cardigan for linking to this post. 

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Palace Intrigue

Three lefty websites are busy speculating the path of the 115th Congress now that the Republicans have seized control of the Senate, maintained control of the House and now have 31 Republican governors.  Obviously, they are trying to help steer a Democrat Party in shambles after their electoral drubbing.

Spinning like a whirling dervish, they theorize that six “red state” Democrat senators are “on the rise” and boldly proclaim that “bucking their own party leaders and the White House will determine whether Republicans will succeed in governing—or flop.”

The six senators mentioned are Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Heidi Heikamp (D-ND), Joe Donnelly (D-IN) Angus King (I-ME) and Jon Tester (D-MT).

McCaskill may vote in favor of the XL Keystone Pipeline. Manchin was against Reid’s filibuster reform.  Heitkamp voted to block gun background check legislation.  Donnelly is in favor of reversing the 30-hour work week definition under Obamacare.  Testor helped kill the DREAM Act filibuster in 2010.

And then there’s Angus King.  King will continue to caucus with the Democrats, but has tried to play deal maker on the issues of gun control and student loans.

Senator King feigned ignorance of the bombshell admission by Dr. Jonathan Gruber, Professor of Economics at MIT and technical consultant architect of the regime’s implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act AKA Obamacare who said. “The bill was written in a tortured way to make sure CBO (Congressional Business Office) did not score the mandate as taxes.  If CBO scored the mandate as taxes, the bill dies.  Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage.  And basically that was really, really critical to getting the thing to pass.”  In the video, Gruber also noted “the stupidity of the American voter.”

This morning, Sen. King was being interviewed on Fox & Friends in what turned out to be an explosive exchange.  The video is embedded below.  Given his level of hubris and make-believe ignorance of Gruber’s remarks, you can pretty much figure out this guy is a worm who cannot be trusted.

Speaking of trust, it was The World’s Most Dangerous Community Organizer who said, “If you like your insurance plan, you can keep your insurance plan.  If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor,” some 36 times—that pabulum was later dubbed The Lie of The Year

Free Because Of Their Sacrifice

Service in the military is a credential that deserves every American’s deepest respect.  Service in the military is an expression of love of country and a desire to keep men free.

From Mark Pryor, who insulted his opponent in his bid to be re-elected as senator for Arkansas, to some mealy-mouthed worm at Salon, there are those of my countrymen who have no idea what service means.

Honoring our veterans is not an act that deadens real democracy, it strengthens it.

I was moved to tears as I read an article from Great Britain’s Daily Mail reporting on the poignant tributes to her fallen heroes one hundred years after the start of World War I.

David Masciotra blithely wrote at Salon (I'll be damned if I'll link to that bastard), “It is equally challenging for anyone reasonable, and not drowning in the syrup of patriotic sentimentality, to stop saluting, and look at the servicemen of the American military with criticism and skepticism.”

In contrast, the Daily Mail article discussed an exhibit that captured the heart of that nation.  It was, in a word, eloquent.  The exhibit’s creator filled the moat of the Tower of London with red ceramic poppies—888,246 in all—one for each of the young men who died fighting for their country.  He called the exhibit “Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red.”

Millions of Britons have visited the Tower, including Her Majesty. Instead of closing the exhibit today—Remembrance Day—officials will continue it until the end of the month. Nigel Farage wiped tears from his eyes, as did the Queen.

In all, there are 84 photographs that depict the honor and respect of a people for a military that fought against tyranny.  Scrolling down the page, there is a picture of the stunning sight of all those poppies in the moat, another where someone tied a picture of a soldier of that time to a railing and in the background are the poppies.  There’s one heartbreaker of a little four-year-old boy who laid a wreath made of poppies in honor of his father whom he never met.  There are others which I hope you will take the time to view.

Make no mistake, I know the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day, but it is important that America realize that our world would be a nightmare without the service and sacrifice of the men and women who served and are serving in America’s military in order to make men free.

It has been said that we are only alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. Our veterans are our treasures—precious treasures that remind us of why America is a beacon to the world.

No liberal agenda, no politician, no community organizer, no hack writer at some delusional magazine speaks for me.  I clamor for the syrup of patriotic sentimentality, I will not stop saluting our service men and women and I will never stop honoring their service.  God bless ‘em all.