My Am I Fat

Some analysis of how fat I am:

1.  The Navy was good for keeping me in a manageable range.  Retirement has meant wide swings.  It will get tougher and tougher to make the swings as I get older, I'm sure.

2.  Periods of unemployment are great; the first year of new jobs is terrible.

3.  I weigh less today than I did when I started keeping track over six years ago, though I am above my average weight--my average weight is "overweight" by BMI standards (28.6).  For me to no longer be overweight by BMI, I need to weigh 159--or 26.6 lbs less than I do today.  For those who remember, I weighed 158 on the day I got married (April 1989). 

4.  159 lbs is probably out of reach.  I'd like to settle in between 170 and 175.

Remember....

 Jack Punches

    Pat Dunn

Behold, The Incomparable Iowahawk--on Higher Education

This man is a genius.

CW Makes the Weekly Standard!

Rush on out to your newsstands and purchase this week's edition of The Weekly Standard--in it, you'll find this little ditty on the dangers of a declining Navy.

Big Fat Friday Free For All

A glorious morning here on the Eastern Shore, I hope it is great where you are too.  Let's get the Memorial Day Weekend off to a fast start with some old fashioned bitchin' and whinin'.   What's on your mind today folks?  Unburden yourselves!

President Acts Unilaterally; War on Terror Coalition Unravels

PAH'-kee-stahn has ordered the US to reduce U.S. troop presence and is closing three intelligence liaison centers, which is almost certain to hinder U.S. ability to find and eliminate insurgent sanctuaries in Pakistan and Afghanistan. This move is in response to the Administration's decision to, without Pakistan's permission, conduct a military action inside Pakistan's sovereign territory to execute Osama Bin Laden.

While most of this blog's readership, me included, agrees with the Administration's decision to take this action, one can't help but wonder just how deafening the indignation of leftward-leaning citizens and, in particular, our media would be were it not for the fact that the words "Barak Hussein Obama" lack the letter "W"

I once spoke to a Soviet citizen about the state newspaper, Pravda ("Truth"), in the USSR and asked him what it was like to have only news the state allowed to be printed. His response was surprisingly enlightened: "At least we KNOW what we read is not true. You, however, can never really know whether what you read is true or false." His words may never have been more pertinent than during this administration with this generation of journalists. The only thing deafening about the reaction to this news out of Pakistan is the silence accompanying it.

Yearbook Photos from Hell

One of these folks could be our next President.

Well, not him.

Bibi's Tour de Force

Prime Minister Netanyahu shows that America isn't the only country with a leader who can give a good speech.   This was a masterful performance.

Congratulations to General Dan!

Please join me in congratulating Colonel Dan Karbler, USA on his selection for promotion to Brigadier General.  A West Point man, Badger Fan and a good, straightforward thinker.   Dan is also a wonderful friend and the guy you call at 0300 when your car is broken down.  He and I shared an office for two years on the Joint Staff, and there wasn't a doubt in my mind that he'd someday make General.  I'm proud to know him and call him a friend.

End of the Line: The Conservative Wahoo Live!

After dinner last night, I was sitting with the Kitten, enjoying the view of the Miles River through a big new set of windows.  The girls had scurried upstairs and were giggling about something or another.  We got into a conversation about some subject long since forgotten, but the bottom line was that it was a damn pleasant scene.  For a moment, I thought to myself--"this is why I left the Navy".  And then--horror.  "Damn", I said out loud--"I gotta go do my radio show."

That's not how it should be--I should be raring to go--but I wasn't.  Don't get me wrong--I love DOING the show--I simply don't like that it never seems to fall at a convenient time for me, that it requires preparation time I'd much rather spend doing other things with, and that I spend an inordinate amount of time for the three days preceding the show wondering "should I talk about this?"

Bottom line is that The Conservative Wahoo Live! is no more.  I wrote Big Fred a note earlier today, and he agreed that it was time to end it.

Thanks to all who listened and called, especially LTJG G, the Hammer, Tom de Plume, Navy Austin.

What I will miss most about ending the show is the loss of an hour a week with Fred.  I'll look to figure out how to steal some in the future.

Gene Simmons Unhappy with O

The Israel-born KISS frontman, an Obama voter, is none too pleased with his stance on his homeland.

When you've lost Gene Simmons...

Renovation Progress

For the latest photos of the renovation, go here....

Agenda for Tonight's Radio Show

Join the fun tonight at 8PM on The Conservative Wahoo Live!  where our working agenda will be:

--President Obama and Israel

--President Obama and George Bush:  Foreign Policy Soulmates?

--Daniels out, T-Paw in:  Can the Republicans Field a Challenge?

--The President Goes to Europe

--The Sperminator

--IMF Head Perp Walk

Dial in at 347.637.2203 or click the link above to listen in.

World Leaders, As They Were

Two world leaders show how they spent their 20's.

Bibi Netanyahu and Barack Obama

HT:  American Thinker

Say it Ain't So, Mitch

Mitch Daniels is out of the 2012 race.

More on Israel

I cross post most of the stuff I write here on Facebook, which tends to drive up the traffic.  Yesterday, I posted on the President's speech the other day, the one in which he called for a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders.

That post has caused several people whose intellects I admire to question what I wrote.  I seek here to deal with each in turn.  For those who dislike long posts, stop reading now.  This will be a long one.

I must state right up front that I regret the wording in both the post and its intro on Facebook.  The very first word--"when" is incorrect and misleading.  It should have been "if"--as in "if" a war comes.  I realize this is a big difference, and I'll take my lumps for the poor word choice.  Fact is, using the word "when" could lead a reader to think that I predicted a war to be more likely to occur than not.  I don't believe this.  I would put the chance of an Israeli attack on Iran at 15 chances in a 100, certainly relatively low--but I would have put it at 5 chances in a 100 before the speech.  So if any of my correspondents took issue with me over this wording (which I doubt), I apologize for misleading you as to my true thoughts on the subject.  Let's start with the first comment:

I'm All Caveat Emptor--Until I See One-a-dem Narciss-Seals

Nevermind the colossal irony in naming a gas station after one of the biggest adversaries of the very industry who supplies this guy with the primary source of his profits; nor that a guy born in Yemen might think this President is an inspiring leader. What really tickles me the most is that this guy is going to make money, almost exclusively, off of liberals who will buy the vile fluid from his station for no more reason than they bought the campaign package--"oh look, it's Obama...it has to be good!" I hope he gets wealthy off of them because, for once, when these folks cast their votes for Obama [at his gas pumps], it will cost me neither a penny of my money nor an ounce of my freedom.

The last time I saw this much cheap gas being pumped at an Obama station, the station had a Presidential seal, microphones and teleprompters and Obama himself was doing the pumping.

Lookie Who Mudge Ran Into

One of the great things about working in DC (or its environs) is the random interactions one has with the famous and nearly famous.

Yesterday, I approached the little kiosk in the parking garage into which I provide money for the right to park. Standing there was this fetching little number in a pretty super hero outfit. She was simultaneously manipulating her superpower wrist bands and searching for the right pick up line to use on me...and I thought to myself, "hey honey, why not concentrate on one thing at a time." As I got closer, I saw that it was in fact, Megan Fox as Wonder Woman, one-time personal auto mechanic to Bumblebee of Transformers fame. As I approached, I said, "YOU used to work on my favorite Transformer car!" She looked up with a huge smile and said, "Ahh, that was just a car...sort of...but you, Mudge, YOU are a REAL man." After a bit of small talk (during which I feigned forgetting her name--stud), I took my leave and she begged me not to go!

"Get over it, Sweetheart" I told her. And with that, I walked out of the garage and back into the real world. C'mon CW, anyone can make this stuff up.

Lookie Who I Ran Into!

Dana Perino, Republican Hottie

One of the great things about working in DC (or its environs) is the random interactions one has with the famous and nearly famous.

Yesterday, I approached the little kiosk in the parking garage into which I provide money for the right to park.  Standing there was this fetching little number in a pretty dress.  She was simultaneously manipulating her Blackberry and searching for funds to release her own car...and I thought to myself, "hey honey, why not concentrate on one thing at a time."  As I got closer, I saw that it was in fact, Dana Perino, one-time Press Secretary to George W. Bush.  As I approached, I said, "YOU used to work for my favorite President".  She looked up with a huge smile and said, "he was my favorite too!".  After a bit of small talk (during which I admitted to forgetting her name--dunce), I took my leave and she thanked me for saying hello!

The President and Israel

When the war begins between Israel and US on the one side, and Iran on the other, historians will trace it to yesterday's speech by President Obama.  In it, he effectively told the Israelis that our "special relationship" is over, and that we consider them on the same moral and international plane as Fatah and Hamas.  When will this President realize that Israel's paranoia is warranted?  They don't conjure up in their collective imaginations the series of attacks perpetrated upon them over the past seven decades--these happened.  They don't imagine that there are those dedicated to wiping them off the face of the earth--they live among them. 

President Obama's equivalence of the Israeli and Palestinian causes will increasingly isolate Israel, who will no longer feel that they can rely upon the US.  The trust is gone.  Israel will attack Iran, and Iran will attack US interests as a result. 

We are reaping what we have sown in our OJT President.  He's simply not up to international affairs, thinking that HIS brilliance and HIS influence and HIS ideas are what stand between the world and peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.  I fear that this is a phenomenally dangerous move by the President.  In the Fall, the Israelis will be ganged up on in the UN--and Europe will sit it out.  In the end, Israel will do what it must to guarantee its survival.  And I do not blame them.

Travelogue

I write from the deck of the Darien Waterfront Inn in Darien, Georgia, my home for the next two nights.  I left the Pentagon yesterday afternoon and was driving out of the garage at 3:15.  Two hours later, I was still ten miles north of Fred Vegas (Fredericksburg), VA--a dismal start to an otherwise great trip.  Stopped in Colonial Heights VA for a bit of fat and protein at Outback and continued to the McGrath ancestral home in Clayton, NC where I bunked in the "Bryan" suite at my parents' house (thanks Mom and Dad!).

I woke early and got underway for Darien this morning, arriving at 2PM after a nice stop for lunch at the Savannah Hooters.  And yes, I had the wings.  A few random thoughts as I travel.


--Automotive technology is wondrous.  I averaged 72MPH and 29.3 MPG from Clayton to Darien.  This, in a high performance V-8 automobile.  Cruise control and efficient design paid off in the Cat.
--Americans are fat.  Just plain fat.  I've eaten at steakhouses the past three nights, and the fatness on parade there is amazing.  A HS girls softball team was congregating at the Outback last night as I was leaving, and I was struck by how portly these young, presumably athletic girls were.  Not that I'm thin, mind you.  Just sayin'.
--While in the Hooters today, I espied two freshly minted Marines eating with their families.  The young ladies gathered them up at one point and sang a song to them, as they had this very day graduated from Boot Camp at Parris Island, SC.  Lunch for both families on me--and I floated out of the restaurant brimming with hope for the future.
--I'm struck by the degree to which globalization has hit the South.  Why, who knew that the residents of North and South Carolina and Georgia were as interested in the ancient arts of Asian massage?  Heck,  I couldn't go a dozen miles without a billboard for such a cultural diversion.  Long live cultural exchange!
--Forgot to order a new course from The Teaching Company--the 1416 miles of driving this weekend is going to be a bit of a grind without mind gymnastics.

The good folks of the Golden Isles Chapter of the Navy League of the United States have invited me down to be the guest speaker at their annual "Armed Forces Day" fish fry tomorrow night.  They're taking me out to dinner tonight, putting me up in this nice Inn, and we'll head out on a Coast Guard vessel tomorrow for a wreath laying.  Time to sit back and enjoy the Georgia Coast....lovely here....

The World Might as Well End

Wrestler Randy Savage, known to all of you as Macho Man, is gone.

Final BFFFFA?*

* That is, if tomorrow's predicted Rapture holds true. So, this may be as good a time as any to cleanse your soul....

Leaving Only Your Heart Behind In San Francisco

Residents of San Francisco, California will be asked to vote this coming November on an initiative that would prohibit circumcision among males under the age of 18. The act would become a misdemeanor offense, punishable with a fine and prison time, no religious exceptions. Curious, I do not see mention of the banning of the practice of female circumcision.

Every little bit helps, I guess.

Hari Kari Over The Right To Carry

I'm not sure where I come down on this one. Mark Fiorino is a 25 year old gun owner in suburban Philadelphia, who was recently stopped by city police officers after they noticed Fiorino wearing his gun, a 40-caliber Glock, in plain view as he was leaving an auto parts store. Pennsylvania is an open-carry state, and Philly police officers incorrectly asserted that the city does not allow open carry of a hand gun (it does - a gun owner with a valid concealed permit may also open carry in the city). What follows is an audio recording of the altercation between Fiorino and the Philadelphia police officers who responded (warning: strong language).


Who's in the right here? I'm not sure either side clearly is. Granted, as a licensed owner with a concealed permit, Fiorino has the right to open carry his gun. But he would have elicited more sympathy from me to his cause had he simply done what the officer asked him to do when first confronted - that is, drop to his knees and put his hands behind his head. But he doesn't. Instead, he offers alternatives to an agitated cop with a drawn gun.

And although I tend to cut law enforcement huge breaks when it comes to doing their job, my impression of the audio tape is that it does not do Philly cops any favors either. They come off as arrogant, short-fused pricks.

But I guess what bothers me most about this whole incident was that it was taped - as though Fiorino was hoping he'd be stopped. There's evidence for this. In a Philadelphia Daily News article about the confrontation, the story mentions that this recent incident was not the first encounter:

"He also had encounters with Philadelphia cops last year. Both times they told me what I was doing was illegal...they patted me down and said 'we don't care what you consent to'. The second time, they did an official confiscation, and it took me five months to get back my gun."

Like I said, I'm having a hard time with this. So, what's the call?

Bad Bad Leroy Fick

...baddest guy in the whole damn town (pause for groan from reader). News snippet here of a gent from Michigan, Mr. Leroy Fick, who won two million bucks on a game show last year.

Did this deter him from continuing to use food stamps? Heck no! Did the state of Michigan rescind his food stamp benefits? Heck no! Did the Department of Human Services in fact tell him to continue using his benefit card? Why, yes!

I'm relieved. Apparently Michigan is in much better fiscal shape than we've been led to believe.

Wardrobe Malfunction

Here's a marketing idea that surely produced many high fives among the Obama campaign team. A new t-shirt is now for sale: Obama on the front and his birth certificate on the back.

And yet, we're to believe the White House really wants the birther issue to go away...

It's Still Bush's Fault

I was struck (but not surprised) by the headline of this AP news item, which is reporting that Yale University has banned its chapter of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity from recruiting and activities for five years after ordering its pledges to chant obscenities toward women:

"Yale Suspends Bushes' Fraternity for Sexist Chants"

Now, aside from the fact that a few other ex-presidents, a supreme court justice, several national politicians and other dignitaries Republican and Democrat alike have likely graced the DKE porcelain microphones with their gastro oratory skills over the years, you can't really hold a political family dynasty responsible for the behavior of a few perverted, sick individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole political system? And if the whole political system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our American institutions in general? And if this is...oh, forget it.


UPDATE 5/18: The headline, as it appeared 5:22pm EST yesterday...

Here's a New Name

...and in terms of the 2012 race, it's a far better name than Santorum, Bachmann, Palin or Gingrich. Texas governor Rick Perry, he of the fabulous hair and uber-manliness, is quietly looking into a run.

Cindy Likes Mitt

Like the rest of Hollywood, Cindy Crawford was once a prominent Obama supporter. These days, however, she's in Camp Romney. Will other celebs have the courage to come out?

Heritage Publishes CW!

Here's a longish, Navy oriented piece I wrote with the talented and lovely Mackenzie Eaglen of the Heritage Foundation. 

Brutality Ahead: The Cheri Daniels Story

Anyone with even a slight interest in seeing Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels run for President is likely familar with the story of his marriage. Mitch and his Missus were married for 15 years and had four daughters (ranging in age from 8 to 14) when she left the marriage (and the girls) to marry another man and move to California. That marriage didn't take and three years later, she returned to Mitch and their children. He's not a big talker on the subject, only to say 'if you love happy endings, you'll love our story.'

A sad tale that surely was painful for all involved. And a tale that is certain to be an issue should Mitch jump into the race.

I really fear for the impending media destruction of Mrs. Daniels, and caught a glimpse last week of what may soon come. I happened upon a discussion of this unusual marital saga on MSNBC's Morning Joe. A table full of hens gave their take, challenged only by Mike Barnicle who opined that Americans won't care as long as he has a plan for the things that matter. One opinion shared by the BBC's Katty Kay: "Americans will have to ask themselves if they want this woman near the White House."

A couple points:
1. Candidates are usually ripped into during a campaign, often mercilessly (see Palin, Sarah). This is to be expected as the press has a responsibility to do thorough reporting. It just would be nice if they examined all candidates with the same fervor.
2. This is the candidate's wife. I'm not certain it deserves the same scrutiny.
3. Wouldn't a man who was the only parent to four young daughters deserve some credit for doing the parenting alone? Wouldn't that mean something to female voters?
4. Didn't Bill Clinton permanently lower the bar on candidates' standards for marital behavior? Who can forget that 'I've caused pain in my marriage' 60 Minutes interview in '92?

I love Mitch Daniels and I'd love to see him run. But for his wife's sake, part of me would be okay if he didn't. And it's a shame.

Class Warfare? Not For Me. Age Warfare? Sign Me Up

Robert Samuelson has a wonderful editorial this morning citing a number of statistics which show the dramatically improved condition of our nation's coddled and subsidized seniors.  Getting old does not entitle one to the labor of others.  Programs designed to reduce poverty among seniors are out of control and have moved far beyond the original mandate.  Here's my favorite paragraph from his editorial:

"People do not lose their obligations to the larger society by turning 65. We need to refocus these programs on their original purposes. Social Security was intended to prevent poverty, not finance recipients’ extra cable channels. Medicare provides peace of mind as well as health insurance; wealthier recipients can afford to pay more for their peace of mind. Burden-sharing needs to include the elderly. This is the crux of the budget problem."

As our society ages, we MUST take a hard look at the tax dollars going to subsidize the golf cart life.  We cannot afford to do otherwise.

Dr.K Feasts on Obama's Immigration Speech

Charles Krauthammer really is a treasure.  This piece on immigration--specifically Mr. Obama's tendentious speech on the subject last week on the US-Mexican border--gives us a great view of Mr. Obama's rhetorical style:

"The El Paso speech is notable not for breaking any new ground on immigration, but for perfectly illustrating Obama’s political style: the professorial, almost therapeutic, invitation to civil discourse, wrapped around the basest of rhetorical devices — charges of malice compounded with accusations of bad faith. “They’ll never be satisfied,” said Obama about border control. “And I understand that. That’s politics.”"

Additionally, it contains an element of truth for most thinking Conservatives:

"I have little doubt that most Americans would be quite willing to regularize and legalize the current millions of illegal immigrants if they were convinced that this was the last such cohort, as evidenced by, say, a GAO finding that the border is under full operational control and certification to the same effect by the governors of the four southern border states."

This really is it, Dems and Libs (but I repeat myself).  Help us get to yes on illegal aliens already here.  I'm perfectly willing to find a way to naturalize them--but STOP THE BLEEDING FIRST.  Give the system a chance to process those already here before opening the petcock on the next slug of illegals.

Obama's War on Boeing

George Will has a nice piece this morning on the Obama Administration's blatant payback to organized labor.  Standing in the way of Boeing's decision to build airplanes where it can do so most efficiently is yet another example of this administration's war on capital.  I do hope the courts reverse the administration on this one.

Agenda for Tonight's Radio Show

Here's the Agenda for tonight's SPECIAL Conservative Wahoo Live! featuring an in-depth interview with Nevada Congressional Candidate Kirk Lippold.

--Interview with Kirk Lippold, candidate for NV-2 House Race

--Mitt Romney’s Health Care Problem

--Immigration Reform

--Middle East Burns

Call in to join the fun at  347.637.2203 or just listen in at the link above on your computer!

Ron Paul Commits Presidential Suicide

Another item I missed this week whilst working my fanny off was Ron Paul's announcement that he wouldn't have killed Bin Laden.  Like most late-night dorm room theoretical libertarian views, Paul has a point.  That said, the view can never be considered one likely to gain a majority of Americans to back it--and therefore, winds up being interesting, but not the basis of policy.

This is why libertarians cannot govern. 

But Baby, I'm Doing It for US!

I love those studies that come out from time to time that provide irrefutable scientific proof that men are actually caring, loving and decent souls and women just don't know a good thing when they've got it. Anyway, that's how I like to interpret them.

This one provides proof that every guy who's eyes ever lingered a little too long on a passing lass was actually doing his level best to strengthen his relationship with YOU. But is that how you women see it? NOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo. You mentally replace him with a grunting, snorting pig wallowing in a pool of beer slop and for the next 5 to 10 years or so, or until you receive some serious jewelry, you treat him as no more than that pig YOU created him to be.

Let's face it ladies, it's time to follow the science and collectively cough up a big "WE'RE SORRY, MEN!"







We're still waiting....

"Just Hang On a Few More Miles Honey"

How many times per trip has each of us said that to our wives or girlfriends with less patient bladders than ours? Apparently, this fellow used it in a whole new context.

For Stevens, Taking Out Bin Laden OK; Yamamoto, Not So Much

Here's a story from CNN about retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, quoted by two observers as saying that the killing of Bin Laden was legal and justified--and that he was "proud" of the SEALS.  At the bottom of the story was a reminder to a fact stored deep in my mental hard drive--that Stevens was a WWII Navy Veteran--specifically, he was part of the team that cracked the code that identified the time and place of Admiral Yamamoto's fateful final flight, which was located and shot down as a result.

My memory was that that moment had caused the young(er) Stevens some significant angst, and a bit of research turns up that I was right. 

What I don't understand--and it is probably because I am not possessed of a first class legal mind like the great JP Stevens--is why the distinction?  Why would the targeted assassination of Yamamoto in a military aircraft, in a war zone, during the Second World War--cause Stevens angst, but the targeted assassination of an unarmed Bin Laden--in a house replete with women and children in a city smack dab in the middle of an "ally" in the war on terror--seems to be something he applauds.

Perhaps he's just getting wiser as he gets older.  Would have been nice to have this wisdom while he sat on the bench. 

Americans Charged with Aiding the Taliban--None Named Smith, Jones or Brown

Nope.  No profiling required.  Anyone can be a terrorist.  Unfair to target Arabs, Paks, Persians, etc. 

Baseball Great Lets Go

Killebrew & Killebrew statue outside Target Field, Twin Cities

The great Harmon Killebrew, suffering from esophageal cancer, has decided to end his fight.

An iconic figure to anyone with a passing interest in baseball, he is larger than life to a Minnesotan. An eleven-time All Star, one-time League MVP, 1984 Hall of Fame inductee and one hell of a fine man.

Consider how many people playing the game today will be remembered with palpable sadness when we hear of their imminent passing. It's an awfully short list.

Osama Bin Laden--Porn King?

Reports are out that there was a righteous stash of "modern" porn found at the compound where Mr. Bin Laden met his end.  Those close to me will note that on the day of the news, I made the statement several times that if there weren't any to be found there, the SEALS damn sure ought to bring some along with them, if not raunchy gay porn, to leave for others to find.

Mr. Bin Laden, watching porn after his wives have gone to bed

Here's the deal on this.  Do I believe that OBL had porn at his compound?  Maybe.  Do I believe that the US has a vested interest in the world THINKING OBL had porn on his compound?  You betchya.  And so, there was porn on his compound.

CW on Missile Defense

Should you have an hour to kill, here's a panel I was on earlier in the week.

Kirk Lippold--Candidate for NV-2 Special Election--To Appear on This Monday's Conservative Wahoo Live!

I've got a treat for you ladies and gentlemen--this Monday at 8PM, Fred and I will be joined by Kirk Lippold, candidate for Congress in Nevada's 2nd District, the seat opened up when its previous occupant was appointed by the Governor to fill the rest of resigned Senator Ensign's seat.

Go to Kirk's Website and take a look at the man.  Donate money to his campaign with the easy feature you can find there (I just did!).  

If you give money--mention that you did so after a nudge from the Conservative Wahoo.  We need to track influence!

Kirk and I served in the Navy for a long time together, and we knew each other a good bit when he was an assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and I was the CNO's Speechwriter.  He left that tour to go and be the CO of USS COLE (DDG 67), and the rest is history. That ship is in service today due to the bravery and persistence of its crew, a crew that was led with tremendous skill and inspiration by Kirk Lippold. 

Join us Monday night.

UVA Honor Code Tested By False Racial Harassment Claim

This one is rich...too juicy to pass up for a blogger who calls himself  "The Conservative Wahoo".

It seems 3rd year UVA law student Jonathan Perkins (as in , just a couple of weeks from graduating) wrote an article in the UVA Law School's weekly newspaper detailing an incident in which he was harassed by University Police while walking home from a party.  Perkins claims that the harassment dished out by the police was due to his being an African-American.  His article was followed-up by a companion piece in which his law-school mates outdid themselves in vying for the title of "Grandest Statements of White Guilt". Read the Link and the links it contains.  An amazing story.

Only problem was, he made the whole thing up.  Yep.  Lock, stock and barrel.  Will the police charge him with making a false statement?  Nope.  Don't want to "discourage others"--a load of B.S. if I've ever heard it.

But then, there's that pesky little UVA Honor Code--single sanction, and student run.  It sounds from the article and from the press release of the UVA Law School Dean that this case is in the hands of the Honor Committee.  Do the right thing, Honor Committee.  Kick this man out of the school.

The President on The Border

Sorry I'm just getting to this one folks, but better late than never, huh?  Three days ago, near the border with Mexico, President Obama gave a speech about immigration.  Clearly designed to shore up sagging support for his Presidential Campaign by America's "voting" Hispanics, the President gave an incredibly--even by his standards--disingenuous speech.  In it, he basically declared the border problem with Mexico "fixed", and by doing so, attempted to make those of us who believe one of the basic functions of government is to control who enters our country illegally, look silly and over-reaching.  He did not succeed.

Most enraging of all in the President's speech is the degree to which he attempts to paint those who believe people should not enter the country illegally as also being against those who enter the country LEGALLY.  NOTHING could be farther from the truth.  Here he is on the subject, in full ridiculosity:

"Look at Intel, look at Google, look at Yahoo, look at eBay. All those great American companies, all the jobs they've created, everything that has helped us take leadership in the high-tech industry, every one of those was founded by, guess who, an immigrant. (Applause.)
So we don't want the next Intel or the next Google to be created in China or India. We want those companies and jobs to take root here. (Applause.) Bill Gates gets this. He knows a little something about the high-tech industry. He said, "The United States will find it far more difficult to maintain its competitive edge if it excludes those who are able and willing to help us compete."

Yes, Mr. President.  Those companies were started by immigrants.  LEGAL IMMIGRANTS.  Folks who followed our rules, who minded their P's and Q's.  How about treating us to a list of such titans who are here illegally?

Just in Time for Father's Day!

It was only a matter of time, folks. Rambama, the Obama Seal doll, is hitting the market. Yep.

Actually, forget Fathers Day. CW's birthday is coming up soon!

(Late) Big Fat Friday Free For All

Sorry folks--just gettin' to blog business.

What's on your mind?  Sound off!

My Apologies

Grueling week in CW-land.  Not getting to the blog like I should.

Agenda for Tonight's Radio Show

Join in the fun tonight at 8PM for The Conservative Wahoo Live! Internet Radio Program,  where our working agenda is:
 

--More on the Killing of Bin Laden and White House Performance

--What to do with Pakistan?

--What does Bin Laden’s death mean for Afghanistan?

--Unemployment back to 9%--Where is the recovery?

--The GOP Presidential Field

--Attorney General Eric Holder, considered

Listen in at the link above, call in at 347.637.2203 (where you can choose to listen, or be passed through to my switchboard if you'd like to talk.)

Dr. Seuss Characters or Royals? You Decide.

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie

Picture from Perez Hilton, hence the graffiti.

Noam Chomsky on the Killing of Bin Laden

Noam Chomsky has penned a little ditty on the killing of Bin Laden.  Read it and try not to shake your head.  This man is famous--he is a "Lion of the Left", one of the most respected "progressives" on the scene.  He is the "William F. Buckley" of the left, at once its intellectual figurehead and moral conscience.  Read his words and behold the rot of this man.

On the Inconvenience of the Record

Attorney General Eric Holder--chief legal defender of the President's raid into Pakistan to kill Osama Bin Laden--has thus far been somewhat unconvincing in the role.  Could it be because his heart's not in it?  Could it be because his legal record--a 2004 amicus brief--shows a man convinced that Bin Laden should be treated as a criminal--not an enemy combatant--unless he is encountered on a traditional battlefield?  Andrew McCarthy thinks so--and I tend to agree.

The Last Days of Bin Laden

An interesting portrait of Bin Laden's life in Abbotobad.  It is beginning to emerge that he was better plugged in and more in charge than the intelligence community had come to realize.  His fascination with "image" shows an understanding of the role he was playing.  The photo of him sitting watching himself with an un-dyed beard with the remote in his hand makes him look like a resident of a group home.

Radio Show Bleg

Ok folks.  I'm going to try an experiment tomorrow night by doing the show from the road, in Newport RI.  I'm there overnight Monday for a conference in which my colleague and I are presenting.  The hotel claims to have high speed internet.  If this is true, I'll be able to pull it off.  If it isn't, you'll get dead air. 

In the meantime, what should we talk about?

Privatizing Social Security--Chile's System at 30

I ran across a reference to the 30th Anniversary of Chile's privatized social security system on Cato's blog this morning.  The article is worth a read, no doubt about it.  A couple of things here for those who do read on.

1.  The article mentions the 12.4% we pay into our government run system.  This is true, sort of.  Half of that is taken out of our checks each month, and half is paid by our employers (if self-employed, the whole nut is paid by the worker).  In Chile, 10% of earnings MUST be put into one of several managed funds, which have returned over 9% above inflation during the course of the past 30 years (compared to about 2% for Social Security).  To the average Joe--he's only putting 6.2% into the mix--putting 10% into the fund might seem 1) like a tax increase and 2) difficult on a cash flow basis.  But like the debates on employer sponsored healthcare, were the employer mandate for Social Security to go away--pressure would be imposed on the labor market to pay that money directly to the employee.

2.  The big knock on privatizing pensions is what happens during market crashes.  This article artfully cites a 2005 anecdote, but one can obviously imagine that the funds took huge hits during the recent financial crisis.  And if rate of return average 9% over inflation for the past thirty years, that's great--but when your fund takes a dive, it "feels" like you've lost money.  For the debate to move forward in our country, straightforward numbers have to be used so that people understand the HUGE amount of money they are losing by paying into government run social security (especially the self-employed).   In order to allay fears, the government could propose to "guarantee" some minimal level of return, so that no one actually "loses" money in the system.  But that's the ONLY case in which it would be my responsibility to fund your private pension.

My Kind of Restaurant

Here's a great post from slate about a move to automate the process of ordering and paying for food.  A few years ago, I ate in a hotel restaurant in Manhattan that had a version of this, and I thought that the future had arrived...yet not a mention of it again until reading this today.

I've got nothing against waitstaff.  In general.  Just some of them.  You know, the ones who become a check valve for the whole process, who never show up to refill your iced tea?  Or the ones who show up too often, asking you after virtually every bite how everything is?  Or the ones who decide to chat you up, presuming a level of intimacy to which they are entirely un-entitled.

The only time I find myself "satisfied" with waitstaff service is if it is prompt, unobtrusive, and delivered by a fetching young lass.  Mostly, I'd rather do it myself--and this article lays that future out for all of us to behold.

Think about it.  You sit down and order food from a menu with pictures, descriptions and potentially, dietary information. No more "is there any garlic in that?".   You order drinks.  You need a glass of water?  Press the button.  All the while, the electromagnetic spectrum operates at 186,000 miles per second to deliver your desires to the humans who then process it (yes, I know--potential snag here) and then bring it to you.

Time to leave?  Well, you don't have to wait for the 17 year old to finish his conversation about a truly radical skatepark in the next county to get your tab.  You evaluate it (it has been running all the while you've ordered and ate), and then you push the button that says "process bill" (as you started the meal by swiping a credit card so that you can't play "chew and screw" or "dine and dash").

If in the course of your meal--you need a human--you push the "help" button, and then some mass of carbon and water ambles over to your table to find out what you want--and what you couldn't "free text" to the staff.  There can be an app for evaluating your meal--to enable restaurants to gather instant feedback on what they could do better.

Want to pay cash?  Surely.  Swipe a credit card to get things started and then pay in the slot at the table.  Don't have a credit card?  Well then, you don't eat.  Not computer/human machine interface literate--again, you don't get to eat.  This is a restaurant for the information age, and if you can't keep up, head over to Outback where the waitstaff will kneel down next to you and survey your life story.

H/T:  Instapundit

The GOP Debates

It looks like Republicans held a debate in South Carolina last night, one of the key early states in the 2012 Primary.  While I'm sure it is important for some of the less well-known, less popular candidates to be present and heard from in a forum like this, the biggies sat it out.  I think that's probably good.  For some reason, I get the sense that it is just a bit early to start the race.  It is certainly too early for me to pay much attention to it.

Present were Herman Cain (damn interesting candidate), Rick Santorum (huge longshot), Tim Pawlenty (solid but uninspiring), Gary Johnson (who?) and Ron Paul. 

Ron Paul is going to be a force in this primary--while I don't think he will win, I think (unlike 2008), he CAN win.  His small government, libertarian, leave us alone approach to governing has become increasingly popular among independents, and he's pretty darn quotable too.  He'll definitely impact the race, in ways that I consider to be largely positive. 

Big Fat Friday Free For All

Good morning all!  Got something on your mind?  Want to share your latest zany idea?  Here's the place to do it!

Courtesy of Tigerhawk

Heaven Help Us

The First Lady promoting Hip Hop Nation.....read a book, kids.

View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com.

The Intellectual Dishonesty of Nancy Pelosi

From Commentary.  Don't get me wrong--I'm glad that she and the President are supporting policies and actions they both once vehemently opposed--it shows that their brains haven't completely addled.  I'd just like there to be more recognition of their hypocrisy. 

Behold, The Greatness of Iowahawk: American Pride is Out of the Closet!

It simply gets no better than this.  Iowahawk skewers the anti-war left with this one, and it is high art. 

Antigua Sailing Week 2011

Here's some footage of the Gunboat class of multi-hulls from last weekend's Antigua Sailing Week.  Our friend Greg Gigs owns "TRIBE", one of the Gunboats featured in the video.  These boats really get up and move--thanks to Gigs and Kristine for hosting us!

Someone's Looking for You, Mudge

Spotted on Craigslist this morning:

We were at the White House together for the 'Osama is dead' singalong watching people climb the lights to tie up the American flag. You had a piercing around your lip and a pretty bad-ass looking shoulder tattoo. You and your friend kept thanking my roommate and I for holding our bikes up and keeping the crowd from you.

Why the hell didn't I ask your name?

(h/t Politico)

A Fitting Photo

Courtesy: National Review's "The Corner"