Karma Sucks, Huh Charlie (Rangel)

It seems the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee (he of the three rent-controlled apartments rolled into one in Harlem) also was unaware of his responsibilities to pay taxes on income generated from his luxury condo property in the islands. You know, the one that he bought with an interest free loan....

Rangel is a machine politician in every sense of the word. His sense of entitlement knows no bounds. It causes me a great deal of happiness to see him begin to get the scrutiny he deserves.

Waiting for a Tropical Storm

It appears we here on the Eastern Shore may be spared Hanna's greater impact, but I can't tell for sure. All I can say is right now, things look pretty good here. I've included a picture (from last Autumn) of the view from the window where I write. We're about 70 feet from the embankment, with the Miles River just on the other side. Catherine's been through storms like this her whole life out here, and it has been interesting to watch her work through her check-0ff list.

Unfortunately, the storm has caused my buddies and I to pass on today's UVA/Richmond game.

The Washington Post Paints Itself in a Corner

This editorial should come back to haunt the Post. Making the point that one good speech does not a record of experience and accomplishment make, the Post clearly leaves itself open to a charge of inconsistency if it endorses Senator Obama for President. By some measures, Senator Obama is less qualified for the Presidency than is Governor Palin.

I'm getting sick of the new answer to Senator Obama's inexperience...that somehow the experience of running for President and winning a nomination is somehow indicative of the experience necessary to be President. This is not the case, and is clearly not the case in the Democratic Party, where voters tend to fall in love with candidates (while Republicans tend to nominate the guy whose turn it is....)

Getting Aggressive in Pakistan

An interesting story here about a joint US/Afghan special forces raid into the "ungoverened' territories of Pakistan.

I had been a bit troubled by our government's distancing itself from Musharraf as he came to the ignominious end of his political tenure. I am troubled no more. I see evidence of a tacit deal here, one in which the Paks said that "...if you keep quiet about moving Musharraf aside, we'll work harder to crack down on the Islamists in Waziristan (which they have) and we'll keep quiet if you conduct operations here (which we have)".

If selling out Musharraf is the price of getting Bin Laden, then I'm ok with paying it.

On Governor Palin's Speech

Well done, well delivered. This is a woman with whom to be reckoned. She's going to be formidable on the stump, and an excellent Vice President.

I am really excited about this ticket.

Governor Palin...

....will be President of the United States someday.

Great Days Ahead for the National GOP

As I watch Governor Palin give her speech, read about Bobby Jindal down in Louisiana, and think about Tim Pawlenty up in Minnesota, I'm convinced that no matter how this election goes, the Republican Party's got some stars ready to pick up the flag and carry it into future battles.

On Airline Leapers

I have identified yet another annoying brand of air traveler I despise (can anyone forget the "Headrest Snapper"?), someone I have identified as an "Airline Leaper".

You know the type (perhaps you are the type. Heavens. Not one of my readers). These folks are the ones you hear clicking their seatbelts open long before the jet has come to a complete stop and the captain has extinguished the seatbelt sign. Irrespective of how many rows they are from the door, they leap up into the aisle to retrieve their belongings from the overhead bin and then camp out in the aisle, usually conducting banal cell phone conversation with someone lucky enough to have been contacted with the great news of our subject's arrival. There they stand, uncomfortably violating my personal space (I'm an aisle seat guy) while they stand there seemingly surprised that they cannot immediately exit the airplane. Sit down, Jack. And wait your turn to leave.

Another guy I don't like too much is the business traveler whose doffing of the standard issue sportcoat turns into a matador-like performance in which the (cape) jacket eventually winds up folded neatly into the overhead bin, whilst other passengers patiently await the end of the show so that they might proceed to their seats.

Just thought you'd like to know.

Repeat After Me: "It isn't the Government's Money"

Another story here about the horrors of folks dipping into their 401K's to alleviate short term debt problems. This is not a problem, folks, no matter what the nanny state (or the nanny media) tell us.

Fidelity has 1.4% of its 401K holders with loans....which means, 98.6 % of its customers DO NOT HAVE LOANS AGAINST THEIR 401K's!!!

This money belongs to the people who have saved it. While there are rules against its liquidity, there are provisions for withdrawals and loans specifically because these pools of money are effective hedges against short term debt. What would our reporter have these people do? Go further into debt? Ruin their credit ratings? Silly. They have the money, so they should use it to lighten their debt load.

Stories like this belong in The Onion with headlines like, "Local Man Withdraws Own Money", "Area Woman Makes On-time Mortgage Payment".

At the Airport, Again

I'm at Dulles, awaiting a non-stop to San Francisco. The new job is going to require frequent travel to California, so I think I'd better get used to the scene here.

Interesting how many of the guys in the terminal this morning seem to know each other...a little fraternity of road warriors? Bi-coastal lives? But still an overwhelmingly male traveling cohort this early in the morning. Wonder if all the ladies are just a bit smarter than we.

On Media Coverage of Hurricanes

First of all, to readers in the impending path of Gustav, my best to you. Though anyone smart enough to be reading this blog has in all likelihood, already skedaddled.

Now let's talk a bit about media coverage of hurricanes. Has there EVER been an event more tailor-made for the 24 hour news cycle? For days and days, hour after hour, our friends in the newsrooms can update the track of the storm, use footage from old hurricanes, drag out old saws about Katrina, and finally--when the storm hits--they can send their hapless correspondents out to report as the waves break over the seawall.

There honestly must be kind of a feeling of letdown in these newsrooms as storms are downgraded.
Seems old Gustav's only a Cat 2 and he's fading.

Welcome to International Readers

Just took a look at things on Google Analytics, and it looks like we're now over 1000 distinct visitors to the site.

Also, we now have some international readers. We've been visited by folks from Australia, Russia, China, Japan, the Philippines, New Zealand, Malaysia, South Korea, India, Iran, Iraq, the UAE, Norway, Lithuania, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, France, Portugal, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Canada and Brazil. Now of course, some of these hits may be from traveling Americans (or US Military), but most of the towns checking in are not big tourist spots.

So if we are indeed attracting international readers, you are most welcome here! I look forward to hearing from you.

USC 52 UVA 7

Well, not a very good showing, was it. I was (mercifully) not able to go to the game or watch it on TV, but nothing sounds too compelling about it. USC is simply in a different class than UVA, and it showed.

Friends at the game said Pete Carroll really ran up the score, going on 4th down late, etc. In the old days, this was unsportsmanlike. Today, where margin of victory counts in the formulas determining championships, this has to be expected.

Next week is another home game against the Richmond Spiders. Richmond had a great team last year, and they are going to be a very tough team to beat.

On Returning to the Workforce

I have not worked for pay since mid-February, when I started 45 days of terminal leave en route an April 1 retirement from the Navy. I had originally intended a ninety day break, most of which would have been spent on the job hunt. Along the way, Catherine (my Kitten) asked me if I'd consider taking the whole summer off, putting off returning to work until after the kids go back to school.

When you define yourself by your work, taking three months off is pretty easy. Taking six and a half months off though, is a different story. I really wrestled with the decision. Most of my friends said I'd never make it. Catherine said I wouldn't regret it. They were wrong, she was right.

I spent a lot of time hanging around with Catherine and the girls, getting to know them a little better. My appearance in her life didn't always count as a big "plus" to the girls, so it was important to spend some time seeing if I couldn't count as something other than the guy who takes Mom's attention away. Not sure how well I did on that task, but we're definitely all a little closer.

Tuesday, I fly to California for some in-processing and meetings for my new job. I look forward to the challenge of having a full-time job, a family, and a blog to tend to. I'm pretty sure I'll pull it off, but be kind to me in the beginning as I get my act together.

I'm looking forward to seeing if there is a connection between my time/talent and compensation. I did not find this in 21 years in the Navy, and it was one of the primary reasons I left.

I'm looking forward to seeing how much of what I've learned in the past 21 years works in the civilian world, and I'm looking forward to learning how much I don't know.

Mostly though, I'm looking forward to interacting with a lot of smart people again. If there is a fountain of youth, hanging out with people smarter than yourself has got to be it.

On Joe Biden

I think Barack Obama made a great choice in Joe Biden. I continue to be impressed with the way Senator Obama has conducted this campaign, and the choice of Biden is another example of why he has proven to be a formidable candidate.

Biden is a big-mouth wise-ass, but then again, so am I...so I can't hold that against him. He is just the kind of balancer Obama needed on his ticket, and I think they will make a good team on the stump.

That said, Biden will also have given the Republicans some great soundbites from the early debates about Senator Obama's candidacy....just like Hillary did.

This is going to be fun...all in all, Obama helped himself with this choice.

Back from the Dude Ranch

Just back from the trip to the dude ranch; lots to talk about after a very interesting week both in Wyoming and across the country.

I have definitely become a little addicted to the blogging gig, as I really missed the interaction with regular readers and the joy involved in plowing through mass media looking for interesting things to talk about.

Let's start with the dude ranch, otherwise known as the HF Bar Ranch in Saddlestring Wyoming.
What a wonderful six days it was. I highly recommend this style of vacation to those among you with an appreciation for the great outdoors and a simpler way of life. Let's be straight here...I'm no outdoorsman. I've spent by my reckoning, one complete night out of doors (courtesy of the USMC during a NROTC Summer experience) in my entire life. I'm a fan of the great indoors--museums, great cathedrals, art, castles....I'm kind of a Europe guy. But this ranch was superb. Far fromluxe , it provides you with a great rustic cabin to sleep in (ours was right on the creek) hearty meals three times a day and all the horses, fishing, skeet shooting and hiking you could possibly want. There's lots for the kiddies to do, and even if you're not a horseman (I'm not), they'll match you up with a horse who'll take great care of you.

I didn't give this vacation a lot of thought before we went. My Kitten bid on it at a school auction long before I was even a gleam in her eye, so I was really just the fourth to round up the foursome. That said, it was memorable, it was healthy, it was fun, and it was a great experience. Some random thoughts sprung up while I was there:

--This is a big country. You sometimes forget that, living most of your life along the eastern seaboard as I do. But man, we have a lot of room. Wyoming is a land of stark beauty; much of it looks like the surface of the moon, with rocky crags and miles of flat/rolling hills. Other parts of the state are mountainous, which describes the areal aroundSaddlestring . Nestled in the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, one looks east at the moonscape and west at towering peaks. It was huge, and it was beautiful.

--This is not a homogeneous country. Think all you want about Hollywood, the Internet, Television...and how we think they homogenize us. Well, not out there. People in the west are just plain different than people in the east. They talk slower but no less eloquently. They do vastly different things (one of our wranglers had rodeo as a high school sport but not baseball). Many of the folks out there think nothing of working several different jobs a year, based on what season it is. I never once saw a wrangler wearing aniPod . There is a whole, huge, thriving subculture in the west that has no interest in being swallowed by the larger culture, and I think it is wonderful.

--I had not ridden a horse in nearly thirty years when I took to my mount (Ace). The bones of the lower body of a 43 year-old man are not made for infrequent forays into matters equine. I suffered after each ride, but only for about fifteen minutes. Then everything worked its way back into place and I was ready for the next one. I had not heard a full-throated horse winnie (sp?) in many years, and riding out through the grazing heard, I was treated to a symphony of them. What a beautiful sound.

--The proprietress of the ranch, Margi Shroth, is a big Obama supporter. The Dem convention was on the ranch TV each night...I will check next week to see if the Repubs get similar treatment. Due to a large number of college employees, there was also a fair smattering of Obama bumper stickers to be found. I don't think Republicans are as big on bumper stickers as Dems are. But I could be wrong.

Packing Up for the Trip West (back 8/31)

We're busy packing up here, getting ready to head out to Wyoming for nine days. Then the summer is over, the kids go to school, and my nearly seven months of retirement come to an end.

Please come back on the evening of the 31st or in September. I'll be raring to go, full of post convention/VP thoughts and commentary on the West, Dude Ranches and family travel.

In the meantime, please consider using this post as a place to tee up things you'd like to talk about once I return.

Take care, and go Hoos.

Blog Stats

Well, just as I'm about to go on vacation and leave the site unattended for nine-days, good news on readership arrives. Google analytics tells me that I've had over 800 "absolute unique visitors" to the website, resulting in almost 2300 separate visits (average visit lasts just over 3 minutes).

Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, West Virginia, Vermont and New Hampshire remain immune to the charms of the site, as I've had no hits from these benighted states.

Please keep the site in mind once I return from vacation at the end of August. And click those sponsors! I seem to be making headway on screening out the undesirable ones.

Free Speech at Mr. Jefferson's University? Not By a Long Shot

I am a season ticket holder for UVA Football and I love the University more than any institution with which I have been associated (once told a friend if I could be either a naval officer OR a UVA grad, I'd choose UVA).

But this is just crap. Utter crap. I'm glad the students are seeking an explanation. The Athletic Department should be ashamed of itself, and I hope they hear from the Alums....they'll certainly hear from me.