Paris Terror

Like many of you I am sure, I spent much of last evening glued to the telly (and Twitter) watching coverage of the terror attacks in Paris, perpetrated almost certainly by one or another subsidiary of radical Islam. I grow weary of apologists who lecture me on the vast number of Mohammedans who are not actively involved in terror. Yes. I am bright enough to make a distinction. But I am also bright enough to realize that there is a vast heat sink of support that exists for radical Islam nestled snugly in the heart of "moderate" Islam. One simply does not exist without the oxygen supplied by the other. Not to mention the double standard applied to "moderate" Islam, one that rises when one considers the lunacy of a hypothetical. worldwide Catholic terror organization dedicated to the restoration of the Holy Roman Empire actively killing people in modern national capitals, who behead apostates for the sport of YouTube videos. "Moderate" Catholics would be pilloried daily and the entire religion would be smeared and rooted out by secular governments appalled by the anti-modernity and the violence.  Such a hypothetical (as you already know) is playing out before our eyes, while our leaders speak of  "the struggle against violent extremism" (Clinton, Hillary Rodham) without the courage to name its source.

We--the font of freedom and liberty in the modern world--have become content to diminish ourselves as agents of goodness and right, preferring instead to ponder what additional benefits we might receive from the sweat of the brows of others, while our ability to contend with horrors such as last night's continues to decline. The vermin who carried this out are hatched and succored from a known location, their supply lines and their means of funding are known, and their general movements are well-understood. We (the West) knew and know with certainty that evil-doers were sprinkled among the refugees, but our empathy prevented acting to stem the tide.  What is required is the will to challenge them, but we appear to be lacking it.  Were the will present, the ways are increasingly absent.  We look at our defense budget as that which is to be resourced after all else is well-stocked, rather than that which is first to be funded. We "lead from behind" while doing the absolute minimum to retain some semblance of world leadership, creating for ourselves seemingly insoluble situations through our weakness and then shrugging our shoulders at the lack of good options available.

Some see last night's violence as the path to the Presidency of a candidate without restraint, who makes them believe that he is all powerful, all knowing, and all capable. He provides us with this persona through his carefully managed irresponsibility aimed at whipping up the masses without so much as a plan for a plan nor a hint as to who would help him implement it, had he stumbled upon one. Perhaps, but I will prefer to continue to believe the American public will select a man or woman of balance, strength, resolve, and character as the reality of what we face further wakes us from our increasingly isolationist slumber.

It is high time that serious people began to run the show once again.  Let us hope that we are not too much damaged before they can grab an oar.

The Debate: The Day After

As most of you know, I am a Rubio supporter (and fundraiser--see your great opportunity to donate off the right side of this page).  I think he clearly won each of the previous debates, and the contests were not close.

I'd say he either tied Cruz last night or was nipped in the end by Cruz opportunistically jumping onto the "experience" question Rubio was asked. Either way, he clearly remains the class of the field.

The surprise of the evening was Rand Paul--who jumped on Marco like a hobo with a ham sandwich--and he did so by rediscovering his (Paul's) libertarian roots.  Rubio is out with a broad-based plan to increase defense spending, and if you add it all up and multiply it across ten years, some analysts think it would cost $1T.  I won't quibble with that estimate, but I will only remind you that in that 10 years, the Federal Gov't will spend over $35T, and so an additional $1T to shore up our increasingly unprepared defenses seems reasonable to me.  Oh, and don't forget that in that 10 years, our economy will be worth over $200T.

Rand was the guy I always figured would be standing at the end to face the eventual nominee.  The problem he's had though, is that he's been running less as a libertarian and more as a Republican, and as a Republican, he's pretty bad.  Reverting to his libertarian roots last night was a smart move, and while I utterly disagree with him on his isolationism and his craven attack on Rubio's defense plan, as a tactical move, it was smart.  As was his attack on Rubio's enhanced Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) plan, but this will ultimately be an unsatisfying line of attack, as Rubio continues to point out that even if those receiving it have no income tax liability, they continue to pay payroll taxes--and so they are in fact, receiving their own money back -- which remains--even in this weird environment-- a bedrock conservative position.

Cruz was good--very good.  But I am not a fan.

!Jeb did not move the needle, and we are at the beginning of the end of his candidacy I believe.

Kasich as a royal pain in the ass, and he played himself right out of the VP stakes with his holier than though bullshit.

Carson was believable, reasonable, and straightforward.  I am growing to like him more and more.

Fiorina was less effective than in the past-- this "lets take our government back" cry is a little annoying.

Finally, he who shall not be named continued to beclown himself with his detail free platitudnal mumblings.

As for the debate itself--my goodness, what an improvement.  With the exception of Kasich's annoying interruptions, this was a high minded, substantial debate with really good questions and really good back and forths (especially Rubio and Paul).

I would dearly like to see a foreign and defense policy debate conducted on the same terms.

Random Ramblings from the Sage of Tickbite

Do you ever read Phyllis Schlafly? Probably not, I doubt most of you have even heard of her. I myself first became aware of her during Reagan's campaign of 1980. I was a senior at TIT (Tickbite Institute of Technology...I keep having to mention that!) and my professors, believe it or not, HAD heard of her, and they HATED her living guts! You know the emotion of hatred is rarely invested in those you believe powerless or intellectually inferior. Hatred is reserved for those you loathe and fear, and so it was (and is) for Mrs. Schlafly. But she always was a feisty old broad so she can handle it. I would put her on the same plane as Maggie Thatcher in regards to temperament and intellect, and Ann Coulter LOVES her! Anyway she's got a column out urging our new and improved Speaker (a Mr. Paul Ryan) to take back Congress' Constitutional power (obligations) that our previous chain-smoking, alcoholic Speaker chose to not exercise.

What I found especially interesting in the column was she mentioned Congress' power to regulate "inferior" courts, meaning all federal courts apart from the Supreme Court. Imagine if Congress had showed some balls and fired the Carter appointee (eliminated the court, no court no judge) who struck down Prop 187, which was perfectly within their purview? Then of course it becomes a MAJOR political battle but what argument could be made against a plebiscite? The opposition's position could very easily be turned into an argument against democracy itself. What is one person's opinion against the vote of the people? And if this had indeed happened how many judges would think twice before they flew off into progressive land where disgrace and unemployment awaits? Now before you say it I am well aware this is a radical departure from tradition. So what? We've seen a lot of radical departures from tradition in the last 30 years, all from the opposition. They never let things like tradition and fair play get in the way of their agenda. Their rule is if you can do it, do it, we'll sell the thing and fix the politics later. Furthermore how "radical" is it for a Speaker to give away every last Constitutional power to an authoritarian "radical" President? All I counsel is using our Constitutional powers to advance OUR agenda, no more no less. Our reticence (cowardice actually) is why we are constantly on the  defensive and how's that been working out for us since Reagan? Buy a clue and grow a pair Mr. Ryan, we'll all be better off.

A big shout out to CW who is running with the big boys these days. He recently testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee and did some shit out at the Reagan Library. I always knew he would make good. CW has the full package; he's smart, he's ambitious and he's short. Now don't sell being short short. The fire that burns in the belly of short mofos must be intense. Look at Napoleon, Stalin...eh, Gary Coleman. These are guys who never let the indignity of shopping in the boys department impact their lives. Now I know what you're thinking, "But Hammer, CW's opinion is useless these days. He's too interested in being Secretary of the Navy to give an honest appraisal of current events". Well that may be true my friends, and he may be a careerist jerk but he's our friend and we must support him in every way possible. Some of us are born to greatness and some born to obscurity (me for example). Besides, if things do work out can you imagine going to DC and dropping in on our "good friend" the Secretary of whatever? Hell I may even be able to get that ugly incident with the street walker and the fire hydrant expunged from my service record. How the hell was I to know who some damn carabinieri is related to? The Army was real uptight in those days! Anyway well done CW, we're all proud of you.

A Recap of the Weekend in California

I am at 30-some-odd-thousand feet four hours from Dulles having left LAX, an airport that has seen better days. But then again, I suppose I should say that for most of our airports. I'll land at Dulles near 7PM and then have my 2 hr drive back to the Shore.  Somewhere along the way will be sustenance, but I have no clue as to what at this point.

I arrived at LAX on Friday as scheduled, at midday.  My rental chariot (Chrysler 300) was in its appointed stall, which was however unequaled in distance from where we were left off the bus. I love airports where rental cars are on property--the extra bus rides on both ends are a pain.  The ride to Westlake from LAX was typical Southern CA Friday afternoon...crowded, but moving.  My plane was full of folks who inhabit the same national security know-it-all bubble as I, some friends of long standing.

Having nothing on my agenda until 1900, I got to the Hyatt and fiddlefaddled for a bit, including a two hour nap.  Upon waking, I saw that some colleagues were meeting for drinks by the firepit, and I happened upon them as I headed down to the gym to create some caloric room for dinner that evening. I rejoined them after the workout and had a delightful chat as the chill of the evening began to manifest itself.  Having to get myself together for dinner, I begged off and began my toilette.

Bond, James Bond

This evening's dinner was to be in the company of a number of generally right-wing national security types, to talk, and plot, and scheme.  I knew most of the folks in the room, and the ones I didn't know were people whose names I knew.  Thinking this the appropriate venue to debut the killer new suit, I sought the advice of my (female) friends around the firepit about whether or not to wear a tie--both said no, we were in Southern CA.  As it turned out, of the fifteen or so men there, only three were tieless.

The dinner was interesting, and there was a sense of both hope and frustration in the room.  Hope that we (GOP) would have a good chance next November, frustration with the Congress and the Administration for having gotten defense into the pickle that it is currently in.

After dinner, I headed back for the night, but not before joining a good friend at the bar for a nightcap (club soda, lime). Together, we schemed about how we would change the world for a good twenty minutes, and then it was time for bed.

In the morning, I skipped the workout (bad boy) and met a couple of friends bright and early to drive them to the Reagan Library for the National Defense Forum.  One was going to stay for a VIP dinner there afterward, and the other was going to join me and a few others for dinner elsewhere.  As it turns out, all of these plans pretty much crashed at the end of the long day, but good intentions were on display at its dawn.

I won't bore you with details of the day, but suffice it to say it was 1) interesting 2) well attended and 3) a maximal networking event.  I had a lot of good conversations, met some new interesting people, and rubbed elbows with the great, the near great, and the once great.  I breakfasted with Reagan Speechwriter Peggy Noonan and former California Governor Pete Wilson, both happily in the latter category.  There were more folks from the Democrat national security scene than in the past, and I think the folks organizing it are actively trying to make it non-partisan.  But when you hold it at the Reagan Library, you're likely to get a heavily right wing crowd.

The plan for after the forum was a group of six or so would head out to get steaks, and then we'd retire to the home of one of the group who had rented a place in the hills from AirBnB.  As the day went on, news arose of a couple of VIP's from the event who had indicated that they were going to join us at the house in the hills for drinks, and so the guys who were renting the place begged out of dinner to go home, buy beer, and clean up.  Two other folks got roped into the VIP dinner afterward, so I and one other went out for a steak.

We ate at a place called the Prime Steakhouse, which was sort of a neighborhood joint.  There was a single large dining room with a bar on one wall, and the place was pretty crowded.  In one corner was a straightup lounge singer, a la Bill Murray on Saturday night live.  He had a little music machine feeding a small speaker that he essentially Karaoke'd to--and I was of course, delighted by this little slice of Americana.  If you haven't been to California, you might not have a sense that while it is a huge, diverse, place, it is littered with little towns/suburbs each of which has its own character, and each of which could easily be found in Tennessee or Wisconsin.

After a bit, we received news that the VIP's had begged out of the house party that was planned, but we decided to soldier on, and so headed back to the hotel to get into some more comfortable clothes--I into my Addidas track pants and UVA pullover, which was my transit rig to California and which is my transit rig as I write.

The home where the two colleagues were ensconced was pretty cool, and they had prepared well for a big crowd--although I and my co-conspirator were ultimately the only ones to show up.  The highlight of the evening for me was after having complemented one of the guys on how cute his kids are, I was regaled with a story of how he personally delivered the third one in the vestibule of his front door.  Nearing ten, I motioned to my friend and we alighted to our escape vehicle.

Hannah, Pluto.  Champions

I woke this morning and packed before heading down to the restaurant to break my fast.  Having not checked in with The Kitten during the trip, I was unaware of the great triumph that had occurred.  Kitten #2---expert equestrienne--one a show that crowned her as some manner of great champion, a bittersweet accomplishment as her pony--Pluto--would at the end of that day be trailered off to its new owner who had bought it from The Kitten (Kitten 2 having outgrown it).  I learned fo this by opening my Facebook account and seeing the picture below.  With great pride and happiness, I began to cry like a little baby at breakfast---happy that Hannah had won, but a little wistful in knowing how she loved that pony so....

And so I find myself now jetting across flyover country enroute home, eta 2200 hrs (land at 1900, two hours transit, stop for dinner).  Busy week ends Sunday with another trip across country back to San Diego.

The Hammer's College Football RoundUp: Week 10

What a Saturday of college football! Not since the '71 Nebraska Cornhuskers cruised into Norman with that GREATEST EVER defense (7 all Big Eight, 4 All Americans, 2 Outland Trophy winners; Rich Glover and Larry Jacobson) and put a hurting on Greg Pruitt and that wicked Oklahoma wishbone have I seen such defensive excellence! Alabama's defense yesterday was superb! What the Tide did should be studied at West Point along with Jackson's Valley Campaign and Patton's relief of Bastogne. LSU's great runningback Leonard Fournette who AVERAGES almost 200 yards per game got a grand total of 31 yards yesterday at Bryant-Denny! And Jesus Christ 18 of those yards came on a run where he FINALLY got to the outside! I didn't in a million years think ANYBODY could put the clamps on LSU's running game like that! I'm not surprised Alabama won but I'm very surprised at how they won. So, delete Leonard Fournette and insert Derrick Henry on your Heisman list.

How 'bout those other Tigers? Clemson finally got the Seminole monkey off their backs. This was another defensive struggle at least after FSU's opening drive 75 yard TD run. Everything stayed locked until the 4th quarter when Clemson finally took control, but the game was a lot closer than the final score. FSU was never out of it until very late. Clemson is a GREAT football team and just like in '81 they are scrappers. They're gonna be a tough out.

And then there's the Tar Heels, the Tar Heels. As I've said before their defense is outstanding. The question is, is it capable of stopping Clemson? Carolina has been lucky in their schedule. The teams they have beaten are all over the place...hot and cold. Ga. Tech, UVA, Pitt; nobody knows what these teams are gonna do week to week. The Heels got a great win yesterday against Duke which I think is their most significant win to date. I'm thinking Duke is just suffering a hangover from last week's Miami loss. But win they did so who knows, they may be indeed for real. Next up they've got Miami at home, Va. Tech in Blacksburg and NC State in Raleigh. They could lose them all or win them all and nobody would bat an eye. It's gonna take a win over Clemson in the ACC Championship game (assuming they get there) for them to get any respect. We'll see.

Did you see poor Michigan State? They got beat late in Lincoln on a somewhat iffy play. Hey shit happens, shoulda been ready. A team like Nebraska with a long winning tradition and an undefeated, league leading national power comes to town? You gotta figure these guys will be ready, and they were and the Spartans weren't. Winning national championships is all about consistency.

TCU went down to the other OSU who happen to be undefeated. Looks like Boone Pickens is getting his money's worth. Arkansas won against Ole Miss with another bullshit razzle-dazzle play. I'm getting a little sick of those to be honest. Toledo and Memphis fell from the ranks of the unbeaten never to be mentioned again. Stanford is still the best out west beating Colorado. Iowa is still looking good, they wore out IU yesterday. But undefeated, defending National Champion Ohio State awaits the Hawkeyes (don't get nervous now!) if they can win out.

So who are the four best at the moment? Well according to my Hammeratic Gridiron Evaluator Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson and (I know, stupid) either Florida, Michigan State or LSU. Now I didn't say who I thought would get in the playoff. There is a ton of football left and until rivalry week nothing is certain. Florida has to play FSU last game, Clemson has to play South Carolina, Ohio State plays Michigan in Ann Arbor and on and on. Anything can happen and probably will. But right now, at this point in time, these teams are the best.  

That's it. Oh, I almost forgot. CW's Wahoos got thumped by THE U yesterday in Miami and my own Wolfpack won at Boston College for the first time in 30+ years. Both games were about as entertaining as midget porn. And so it goes, now piss off!

Our authoritarian future

Among our many great accomplishments -- good restaurants and craft beer have to rank high -- we baby boomers have a lot to atone for, at least in the raising of our children. Especially those children whose heads we filled with mush and dispatched to elite universities.

This morning brings a sadly believable "social justice" moment from Yale. In brief, a group of administrators sent out a very inclusive email over a bunch of signatures imploring students to be careful not to offend anybody by dint of their Halloween costume. A professor responded quite reasonably with what is actually a lament:

Is there no room anymore for a child or young person to be a little bit obnoxious… a little bit inappropriate or provocative or, yes, offensive? American universities were once a safe space not only for maturation but also for a certain regressive, or even transgressive, experience; increasingly, it seems, they have become places of censure and prohibition.

The response, suffice to say, has been massive demonstrations, and demands that both the professor and her husband -- who did his duty and stood up for her -- resign their positions at Yale. Click through the link and read the whole thing.

This is not an isolated moment. The great organization FIRE has documented many such cases. And the response today is usually the same -- some combination of increasingly partisan outrage and counter-response, and some tut-tutting about "kids today." Both responses entirely miss the issue.

Your blogger is vastly more worried about the strong authoritarian impulse that seems to beat within the heart of today's undergraduates, at least at elite universities. Their first response when confronted with something they don't like is to appeal to authority. In doing so, they demand that the authorities impose a punishment on the target of their ire calculated not only to redress the particular perceived offense, but to intimidate third parties. In the linked case, they are demanding the termination of two professors because one of them voiced objections to a university policy, and the other one defended his wife. Seriously?

The term we would have used back in the day to describe these impulses -- and that is what they seem to be -- is fascistic.

The common response of my generation is "these delicate flowers are in for a real shock when they enter the real world."

I am more worried the effect this generation of students will have on the real world. We are breeding a generation whose first impulse is to appeal to power, and to demand that "the Man" crush people that the local majority finds offensive, or out of step, or in some undifferentiated way non-conforming in their ideas.

What are we going to do when these very bright and hard-working elite students become our judges, regulators, prosecutors, and politicians? Do we actually believe they are going to change in this fundamental respect? Highly unlikely. In the absence of a transforming catastrophe, like a world war, our basic generational sensibilities and impulses do not seem to change very much.

We have a lot to atone for, and if we live long enough, most of us with the inclination to express our opinions will feel the lash of this new authoritarian generation. The fascist impulse is back.

On the Road Again....

I'm heading to the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA tomorrow for Saturday's Reagan National Defense Forum.  I look to provide you with glimpses and insights from the road.  I will also be unveiling the new suit for public viewing--I will of course, report on its reception.

One for the Bucket List: Testifying Before the Senate Armed Services Committee

I spent 90 minutes or so this morning testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the Roles and Missions of the Armed Services.  The video is at this link.  I recommend watching the whole thing (there's about 30 minutes of dead air to start), but if you simply want to see how I may have beclowned myself, I can be seen:

36:40—Opening statement

01:03:50

01:09:33

01:28:09

01:33:43

01:40:26

01:47:42

P1:49:52

01:54:05

01:56:14

A couple of thoughts.  First,if you are a red-blooded American patriot, going before Congress is one of the all time great honors.  I've done it now less than a half dozen times (this was the first Senate appearance), and all I can tell you is that I am proud of the process, I am proud of the preparation, and I am proud of the people who I sat before--good Americans trying hard to figure out how best to keep the nation safe.

Second:  Watch Tom Cotton, junior R Senator from Arkansas.  The dude is just flat out sharp.  Wicket smaht, a little Abe Lincolnish.

Third:   I have to imagine that testifying under more critical conditions (see Clinton, H--Benghazi) is a hell of a lot tougher.

The Hammer's College Football Review: Week 9

You know college football is a crazy game. You work hard, train your guys, suit 'em up and send 'em out on the field Saturdays and hope like hell they perform up to potential. The thing is you don't know what's going on in their lives. They could have substance abuse issues you are not aware of. They could have personal issues, women problems...whatever. And I know this sounds crazy but I'm sure it happens all the time, and that is unreported injuries that may seem minor to the individual (or not so minor) and they want to hide it just to get their game. That I'm thinking is what happened at Wallace Wade yesterday because those officials must be fuqing BLIND!! On this four seconds on the clock kickoff return there were at least three...THREE blatant blocks in the back (and two that could have reasonably been called). On one "backward pass" the player's knee was clearly down. Plus there's a sideline player who ran on the field DURING THE PLAY and he's real easy to spot, he's the one not wearing a helmet! Look, I say this not as a Duke fan (believe me) but this is the most egregious piece of high school officiating I've seen in my lifetime and I've been watching this stuff a while. It was absurd, it was crazy, it's Hillary's emails on the football field. When ESPN leads with this play and spends their first 15 minutes talking about how nuts this travesty of a play it was, then it seems to me the league office has a lot of splaining to do! What a Goddamn joke!

Ok, let's get past that. Let me get the ACC out of the way and I warn you, I'm in a foul mood. It has to be said North Carolina has a damn fine football team, maybe even top ten. This group has always been able to score, they've got a lot of offensive weapons, but what held them back was their defense. The past few years their defense was among the worst in the country. So Coach Fedora goes out and spends 700K on Gene Chizik as defensive coordinator. You remember him don't you? Yeah that's right, the guy who won a National Championship at Auburn and then got fired almost immediately (wonder how Auburn feels about him now?). Obviously a guy like that is not going to hang around too long (if successful) and it's a gable paying an assistant coach this kind of scratch, but it's certainly paying off because the Heels' defense is outstanding! In fact if they can get past what will likely be a very pissed-off Duke next week they'll be playing either FSU or Clemson in the ACC Championship game. Then we'll see what they got. My advice? Take Carolina and the points.

Speaking of Clemson...well what can I say. The Wolfpack played as well as they're able but Clemson is just that good. Their big play potential is off the charts. I'm actually proud of our guys (except the secondary). We scored 41 points against a team that Notre Dame could only manage 22 against. You know Clemson drives me crazy. They have no offensive weaknesses and reel off yards in chunks. 8 yards here, 12 yards there and then when they get you in a groove looking for the swing pass or run, they pop you with a 45 yard post pattern and well, it can work your nerves. Anyway I'm just glad we hung with 'em, I guess. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

I'm guessing CW is happy. His Cavaliers held off a determined Ga. Tech squad with some good defense and a balanced running game. UVA is actually turning into a good team. Next up they've got Miami after that Duke, Lewisville and Va. Tech. They could salvage a decent year and get Mike London back, presumably to do the same shit next year. That's what I'm hoping for anyway. I'd hate to see somebody like, well for instance Carolina's defensive coach show up in Charlottesville. We might then have to take them seriously. No, I much prefer London. Go Wahoos!

Ok on to the big boys. TCU keeps rolling along whipping WVU like it was their little brother. Stanford got lucky as hell when Washington State's field goal kicker missed a game winner after hitting on four previously. Notre Dame got by a motivated Temple which actually looked like a football team. My guess is they probably drugged the Irish, that's Bill Cosby's alma mater you know. Florida owned Georgia in Jacksonville so Mark Rich will be part of the 47% not in the labor force very soon I'd say. In the Big Ten Iowa remains undefeated and looking really good. OSU and Michigan State better take notice. In fact there are a good number of undefeated teams at this stage in the season, more than usual I think. Teams like Houston, Toledo and Memphis are kicking ass and don't count these guys out. No way they're getting into the playoff but if you are a top ten school, no way you'd want one of these teams on your schedule.

Well that' it. I feel like the Wednesday after the Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2012....wrung out and too tired to be upset. We had 602 total yards yesterday against Clemson with NO turnovers and still lost by 15 points. We're 1-3 in the league and the only team we've beaten worth shit is, well nobody. Plus we have yet to play FSU and Carolina. Things ain't looking good. To hell with this game, I'm a Bayern Munchen fan.

Marco Rubio Campaign Event 3 December

Friends,

I have been given the go-ahead to invite a small number of folks to a noon-time lunch event with Marco Rubio in DC on 3 December.

The cost is $1000, although you are free to contribute up to the individual maximum of $2700.

Get in touch with me if you are interested. Don't call dmoss.

On the Purchase of a New Suit

Some of you may have heard about my having lost a bit of weight this year, though the news has admittedly been rather hush-hush (heh).  After dropping 45 lbs, my collection of suits -- all purchased off the rack from Brooks Brothers or Joseph A. Bank-- gave me the look of a little boy stuck with hand-me-downs from bigger brothers.  I took a few suits in to be tailored, and while the fit improved, I still looked somewhat overtaken and rumply.

I had always toyed with the idea of a custom-made suit, especially while I was in the Navy and I would see friends return from port-visits to Hong Kong and other exotic places with tailored suits obtained at a fraction of what they would have cost in the States.  But I'd never quite come to justify the expense of doing so here--firstly, I was always too chunky--the lipstick on a pig description seems apt--but also, even were I svelte, the cost just seemed exorbitant.  Then I discovered the "made to order" suit--technically, not custom made (as the guy who measures you isn't the guy who makes the suit), but this is a close enough, middle way.  You are meticulously measured, and then the measurements--along with the details (fabric, cut, lining, ticking, etc) are sent off to the seamsters/seamstresses who put the suit together for you.  So I decided to take the plunge, and began to do my research.

I eventually settled upon Alton Lane for two reasons.  First, it is the entrepreneurial effort of two UVA grads, and I am always happy to help fellow Wahoos.  Second, they had a showroom in DC.  I made my appointment for a fitting and then hoped for the best.  Spoiler--turned out amazing.

I arrived at the showroom near Dupont Circle and was ushered into what sort of looked like a really respectable ManCave/Bar/Old Boy hangout, with lots of clothes hanging around.  I met the Senior Showroom Director Richard Newcomb and we began the process, but not before he first asked me what I was drinking.

That's right.  There's a bar in the showroom.  Fully stocked.  It had been a long, long, time since I had any reason to regret giving up alcohol, but THIS experience put me in that place.  I demurred, but not without some deep reflection.  I mean, after all.  Just one...and it was part of the whole deal, right?  I mean I'm getting a suit made for me?  I've earned this, right?  I worked my ass off to lose weight--don't I deserve an awesome suit and a bourbon?  Of course I did.  But my willpower remains stronger than my weakness for drink, and so we then spent the better part of the next hour in really pleasant conversation while Richard measured all of the parts of me appropriate to a new suit and (in the future--I needed to validate this whole process) new shirts.  Earlier, I had the opportunity to select from a truly dazzling number of fabrics and styles (in true Goldilocks fashion, I went for the middle of the road option), and fixed on a solid, blue suit, lighter than my existing Navy BB suit.  There's also this pretty cool little room where you stand in your "smallclothes" (see, Thrones, Game of) and this computer based measuring system maps you for even better fit.

We closed out this entire process with my rendering unto Alton that which is Alton's, and the total came up to approximately twice what I would pay for an entry-level, off the rack, Brooks Brothers suit.  Of course, this is twice what I had EVER paid for a suit in my life, so here was a little bit of apprehension.  But then again, I DESERVED THIS.

Well, the suit showed up Friday.  I unwrapped it, and it immediately felt and looked better than anything I had ever considered buying for myself.  When I put it on (I took off the suit I had worn that day--grey, BB, recently taken in), I looked in the mirror and realized that I had made the right decision.  I looked like a different fellow than I had ten minutes earlier in my Beltway Bandit Uniform.  I proceeded to the other end of the house to get the Kitten's thoughts, and she sat back in her chair and said, "Wow.  You kind of look like a movie star."  In my life, no one had said anything quite that nice--or quite as well timed, as only moments before, I had thought to myself that this is the way suits fit on Brad Pitt (no--I'm not saying I look like Brad Pitt--only that he likely does not buy Joe Banks suits off the rack).

Now--is this for everyone?  No. Of course not.  Most people aren't as vain as I am, and the expense --while considerably less than a custom made suit--is not insignificant.

But if you are a guy who "suits up" now and then, and maybe you have reason to celebrate something, well then I highly recommend you get in touch with Richard.

Opportunity Awaits

Well, RNC Chair Reince Priebus has reportedly told NBC to kiss off, no more debates on your network. It's about damn time! To start with why were we even dealing with people like this? Our candidates were just being used. Do you realize what a windfall the Republican debate was to CNBC? They don't draw dick in terms of viewership, and I mean virtually nothing, but when the Republicans come to town they get to crank up their rates to Super Bowl levels. And talk about riding a free horse to death! They would have them on for 24 hours if they thought they could get away with it. Then they turn around and dictate who will moderate, where it will be and the format. We give them all this so they can abuse the shit out of our candidates? It's insane! Plus those halfwits over at the RNC still have our people going on CNN, CBS, Tele-Goddamn-mundo and ABC where Stephie Stephanopoulos and Candy the Cow and Martha Radish will no doubt take their shots. JUST WHAT THE FUQ IS GOING ON!!? This is unfair to our candidates and unfair to Republican voters who want to see a legitimate debate, not a SNL segment. Why this happens I have no idea but it just goes to show, never underestimate the stupidity and/or desperation of an establishment Republican.

By the by, can you name any debate moderators off the top of your head? In 2012 the Republicans got Jim Lehrer (PBS), Bob Schieffer (CBS), Candy Crowley (CNN) and Martha Raddatz (ABC) in the Republican/Democrat debates. In the Republican debates, again in 2012 we had Fox thrown in a time or three but much the same. Incredibly MSNBC hosted two Republican only debates. A Republican debate hosted by MSNBC's wall-to-wall, 24/7  leftists with NO dissenting opinions ever, these people were allowed to host our stand alone Republican debates? Incidentally the Dem debates of '08 (of which there were about 30) were hosted by MTV, LOGO (the homo channel), CNN, MSNBC and all the networks. Each time only one network was the host. In other words on Aug 7th MSNBC, on Sept 9th Univision etc. But not so on December 13th, 2007. Four networks hosted on this date: Iowa Public TV, CNN, MSNBC and Fox. The questions were asked by the Des Moines Register editor, some woman named Carolyn Washburn. Gosh was Bill O'Reilly unavailable? How much input do you think Fox had?

The point is we've been stupid, it cost us dearly but now we've got an opportunity. No more cooperating (and enriching) people who hate us, want to embarrass us, or want to marginalize us. Enough! To get things off on the right foot I propose in place of the NBC debates which Chairman Priebus had the good sense to cancel (at long last) let's replace it with a debate or two with folks like Tammy Bruce, Sean Hannity, Mark Steyn, Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin. Let's get a good cross section of conservatives to ask the questions we want answered. Plus when the two nominees get together next year we must DEMAND an equal number of conservative pundits and news people participate. Fair is fair and if you're not fair to yourself then you don't respect yourself and that's the kind of people who'll end up leading us, hence Boehner and McConnell. This has to change and now's the time.

The crony capitalist will sell another country to rope to hang him by

"The Capitalists will sell us the rope with which we will hang them." - V. I. Lenin.

The front page of this morning's Wall Street Journal brings us this precious bit of news:

Iranian security forces have arrested an Iranian-American businessman who had promoted improved ties between the two countries, adding to signs that hard-liners in Tehran are trying to block foreign investors from entering the Islamic Republic in the wake of the historic nuclear deal.

In the past few weeks, Iranian businessmen with links to foreign companies have been detained, interrogated and warned against wading into economic monopolies controlled by the Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to several businessmen interviewed inside and outside of Iran.

Today's news reminds us of this story from a couple of months ago ("While Congress argues over Iran, Europe rushes to do business there") in which the WaPo seems to argue that European businesses are leaving Americans eating their dust in the new Iranian gold rush. Pressure from Europeans to lift sanctions played some role, perhaps an important one, in the Obama administration's deal with the mullahs. Read the linked story to get a sense of that pressure.

Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Guard jealously guards its loot, to the point of tossing foreign business people in the clink. Who could have seen that coming? Well, not the American guy, who should have realized he was the rube and that Iran had no reason to make an example of Europeans, because there is no need for leverage over Europeans. Their own mercantilism is leverage enough.

Lenin's prediction was wrong, of course, as a matter of historical dialectic. It is easy to see his error, though, because the sort of capitalists he imagined as the norm -- more Orren Boyle than Hank Rearden -- subvert government to their purpose every day.

Some Late Debate Thoughts

Sorry friends, had a long day that started early.  But I did want to get a few thoughts down tonight before I go to bed.

First, the debate last night was a three ring circus--the moderators were immoderate, and the candidates were swinging for the fences at the chance to knock the liberal media. Clearly, the clowns from CNBC deserved it (who watches this channel?)  But just as clearly, we need to understand that this is the playing field we (conservatives) have to negotiate.  The media is liberal, and they are going to pull crap like this.

BUT--we don't have to enable it. I put most of the blame for last night squarely on the Republican National Committee.  It strikes me as ludicrous to think that we couldn't hold our own, Party sponsored debates with moderators that we select.  The TV stations would crawl over broken glass to show them.  Instead, we allow clowns from NBC to pull the crap they pulled last night.

Second, I want debates to happen without audiences. Although my boy (Marco Rubio--donate today!)  seems to get a lot of audience love--I just find the cheering (and jeering) to be unseemly.  Additionally, I have a few new rules I'd like to see implemented:

1.  Moderators ask a question.  Then they must remain silent for the next 90 seconds while the respondent answers.

2.  Respondent has 90 seconds to answer. At the end of the 90 seconds, the microphone goes dead.

3.  If the respondent mentions anyone else on stage by name or strong inference, those candidates get 60 seconds of followup.  Again, microphones go dead at the end of time.

Lets face it friends, Marco won the debate. Again.

Ted Cruz did wonderfully also.  As did Chris Christie.  He who shall not be named was quiet, but body slammed Kasich when he went on the attack.

Ben Carson was his usual smooth self--but he was not telling the truth on the supplement company he represented. We'll see if this bites at him.

Carly did fine, but not great.

Rand was flat.

Jeb was a disaster.

Huckabee does not belong there.

Where Are You Now Klaus Fuchs?

So, if I understand the message our ever so diligent media is trying to advance, Mr. Trump's numbers are falling faster than my GPA at TIT (Tickbite Institute of Technology) after the well known Acarina Dorm incident (I actually had nothing to do with it but my pickup WAS used to transport the livestock, so I got blamed). Anyway, no sense in rehashing the past, let's move on.

The most recent polls in Iowa show Dr. Ben moving in front, which could be true. But just as sure as when spring arrives CW will break out all the Barber Shop Quartet gear, the NATIONAL polls started showing Trump falling behind. Wow, didn't see that one coming...NOT!

Here's the deal, the last two guys to win Iowa were Huckabee in '08 and and Santorum in '12, both prominent social conservatives as is Carson (evidently farmers trend toward paleoconservatism). So again the Iowa numbers could be right, but this big a drop this fast on the national level? I'm sorry, I have to call bullshit. I suspect it's just good old network push-polling.

Here's what I think. I think BOTH establishments from BOTH political parties are beside themselves trying to deal with Trump. Just look at CW, he's acting like an entitled child (sorry CW, but it's true). The Republicrats have common cause and they've thrown everything humanly possible at The Donald and although they're slow to come around, they've finally realized the frontal attacks have not worked (not the sharpest knives in the drawer our Republican consultants). But up until a few days ago they hadn't gotten around to the fake polls (which I predicted would happen several months ago). Apparently now is the right time what with the desperation level close to the suicide range (see Jeb crying to mama and daddy and big brother). I surmise the establishment thinking is this; let's take Trump down with another outsider candidate, one that's a little more susceptible to our underhanded political machinations. In other words use Carson to kill Trump and then kill Carson.

Well let's see if it works, but I got news for our Republican inside the beltway boobs. The immigration issue ain't going nowhere. You and your money guys might end up getting your way, but only because Democrats pushed through "immigration reform" because your ass will be out of a job. Let's see how many tears the Chamber of Commerce shed at your demise for selling out the American worker. Furthermore chew on this, people may use traitors, but when they're done they're just as disgusted by them as the people they betrayed. Such is the lot of John Boehner.

Gentlemen it's a new day, adapt or die. You guys are all about compromise except when it come to your own conservatives (social and fiscal). I and millions upon millions of true conservative voters see no difference whatsoever between Boehner/Ryan and Nancy Pelosi. So why would we even bother voting?

On Going Galt

A friend of mine sent this along the other day and asked me to consider publishing it here on the blog. I do so with pleasure:

I had a eureka moment a week ago. Nothing to do with the displacement of water in the bathtub, but just as significant.

A month or so ago I received my estimate of benefits from Social Security that comes every year a couple of months prior to my birthday. While I realize Social Security is in trouble and can't be counted on, the estimates of what I may receive as a supplement to my income upon retirement were encouraging. But I have always taken them with a grain of salt because I figured they were based on earning until retirement, the same amount that I do now. Based on my age and my industry, that's a pretty slim chance.

Playing around on the Social Security website one night, I was able to plug in my particulars, including a scenario that I lose my job and end up working for $10 an hour until I retire. I was surprised to see that the projected monthly payouts in that case were not significantly different than what was originally supplied to me. I even entered a scenario in which I didn't work another day in my life until collecting and was surprised to see that the results were not far off the $10/hour scenario.

Going to the Mutual of Omaha page and using their financial calculator, I was able to enter the amount of savings we hold, a projected monthly payout from our savings, and an expected return on our investments, which I entered as a very conservative 2%.

I was surprised and quite pleased to see that if my wife and I both quit work today, we could live a very comfortable 20 to 30 years, depending on our monthly withdrawals. Adding in different retirement age scenarios and the monthly income we would expect from Social Security, well, we could enjoy the lifetime retirement security usually reserved for New Jersey schoolteachers or retired federal GS-15 employees.

But while the teachers and federal hacks can retire in their mid 50s and enjoy healthcare for life, us working stiffs don't get so lucky. It was going to be hard to convince the wife to keep working in order to get the healthcare benefits until we could sign up for Medicare.

That is when it occurred to me. What could I get from Obamacare? I went to that site and discovered that silver level premiums for me and the wifey would run about $1100/month. And by balancing our monthly withdrawals between our traditional retirement accounts (401ks and IRAs) and regular savings and mutual fund accounts, we could show an income level on our income tax returns that would enable us to have about $950 of the Obamacare premium paid by the government.

That moment was a cross between William Wallace shouting "FREEDOM" at the top of his lungs and Dr Martin Luther King's "Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, free at last" comment.

Financially, I am at peace. I no longer have to toil alongside the other 53% of the makers, when I can coast with my new brethren, the 47% of the takers.

The Hammer's College Football Review: Week 8

Thanks a lot asshole!

Has there ever been a team in the history of football that had such hard luck on last second field goal attempts? Well FSU added yet another to the annals of infamy when a good but underachieving Georgia Tech squad blocked one and ran it back for six. Jimbo's ticket to the playoff just got lost in the mail. Tough break, I guess the Clemson game ain't gonna be that big after all.

Speaking of Clemson, I'm not sure if they're that good or Miami is that bad. Clemson went down to whatever that friggin' stadium is that replaced the Orange Bowl and beat those guys like a dog. This ain't "The U" of old obviously. Remember Warren Sapp, Bennie Blades, Michael Irvin and the quarterbacks...all those great quarterbacks? I know I know, they were thugs and had they not been football players they would have been dealing and robbing and killing in Liberty City. We can all agree on that. But when they were good, man they were off the charts good. What I liked about those teams was they didn't give a shit. It was all in your face and if you didn't like it then do something about it, otherwise STFU. Now? Well, let's be kind and just say the culture has changed.

'87 Miami • '05 Miami

Out west #3 Utah went down to Southern Cal. I really had no idea if these guys were for real or not, apparently not. Tennessee played Bama tough but lost late. Look, Tennessee is not a bad football team. Look for them next year to return to glory. Stanford won again as did Baylor (but lost their quarterback). OSU, Michigan State and LSU all won. Really no other games of national significance.

Now, lets talk some more ACC. The Wolfpack finally got a win and I'm gonna enjoy it, we get Clemson next week. But the game I was really interested in was UVA at Carolina. The Wahoos showed a little life last week and I thought they had a good shot at the Heels in Kenan yesterday. But it was not to be. The thing is Fedora has himself a damn good football team. They can score and their defense, as opposed to last year's, is outstanding. They get Pitt next week on the road and the week after Duke at home. If they can get past those teams then they'll be knocking on the top ten door. Shame they don't play Clemson or FSU this year.

That's all I got. On a personal note I've been trying to lose a little tonnage. I won't bore you with weekly updates as does somebody we all know, but suffice to say I'm a little fatigued and mentally a little slow (well slower than usual). Plus my Yankee neighbor decided he doesn't like pine trees so he's taking them all down and BURNING them in his backyard. So if it isn't chainsaw screaming at 130 db at eight in the morning, it's so smokey I feel like I'm in 1944 Wilhelmshaven. He's bitching about pine straw everywhere. I told him to get some gutter helmets but just like a Goddamn Yankee bastard he won't listen. What a dick! I hope a tree falls on his house.  

The forbidden question: What is the number?

In the rich Western democracies, there is a question that only right-wing people with little regard for cocktail party invitations are willing to ask. Fortunately, in this regard, your blogger is just such a person!

Under what circumstances should rich countries admit poor foreigners, and how many poor foreigners should rich countries admit under those circumstances?

In Europe, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is doing the dirty work the chattering classes will not do:

“We are in deep trouble”, Orban intoned. “This is an uncontrolled and unregulated process. We did not get authorisation from [our citizens] for millions to walk into our continent.” He accused left-leaning parties of “importing future leftist voters to Europe” while trying to “hide it behind humanism.” “The German, Hungarian or Austrian way of life is not a basic right of all people on earth,” he continued. “It is only a right for those people who have contributed to it.”

Critics will respond by attacking Orban, who is not the least unsavory dude in the world, on other grounds, but that does not make him wrong about Europe's migrant crisis, which is turning in to an existential moment for the European project. Compare his undeniably true statement with Angela Merkel's wishful thinking, in flagging defense of Germany's open borders policy: “For a rich European Union this is the right thing to do. We cannot simply leave these people to our neighbors.”

To which one might reply, how many millions of poor people should Europe let in as the Arab Muslim world once again makes Thomas Hobbes look like a romantic?

Europeans, whether nativist or nationalist or neither, are entitled to know from their leaders what the limits are. How many poor immigrants, whether or not refugees, can Europe admit without taking too much damage to its own culture, civic society, and economy? This is the question that European voters must demand their leaders to answer.

The same is true in the United States. What is the number of immigrants we should admit every year, whether by design or by default? Let us have that discussion in the open, and then build a policy to respond to it. Because without the number, all immigration policies, whether springing from right-wing nativism or transnational progressivism or something in between, are rooted in ideology instead of an objective, and are therefore doomed to fail.

Too Many Questions, Not Enough Politics

Opening statement by Chairman Trey Gowdy:
Madame Secretary, I understand some people - frankly in both parties -have suggested this investigation is about you.  Let me assure you it is not.  And let me assure you why it is not.  This work is about something much more important than any single person.  It is about four U.S. government workers, including our Ambassador, murdered by terrorists on foreign soil.  It is about what happened before, during, and after the attacks that killed these four men.  It is about what this country owes those who risk their lives to serve it.  It is about the fundamental obligation of our government to tell the truth - always - to the American people.  Not a single member of this Committee signed up for an investigation into you or your email system.  We signed up because we wanted to honor the service and sacrifice of 4 people sent to a foreign land to represent us - who were killed - and do everything we can to prevent it from happening to others. 

What he should have said:
Madame Secretary, I understand some people - frankly in both parties -have suggested this investigation is about you.  Let me assure you that is not entirely true. This investigation is partially about you and your fitness to lead our country as President of the United States. That reality cannot be ignored. It is also about a Secretary of State who stands over the bodies of four dead Americans, looks their families in the eye and knowingly lies about the circumstances of their death. It is about maintaining this lie in the service of a President facing reelection when the American people had a right to know the truth. It is about the fundamental obligation of our government and our government officials to tell the truth - always - to the American people. It is about YOUR obligation to tell them the truth. It is about what this country owes those who risk their lives to serve it. Not a single member of this Committee signed up for an investigation into you or your email system. We signed up because we wanted to honor the service and sacrifice of 4 people sent to a foreign land to represent us - who were killed - and do everything we can to prevent it from happening to others. It is about the role you played in their deaths and the lies and misdirections about their deaths. So admittedly, this investigation is in part political as were YOUR ACTIONS in this whole sordid affair. In order to honor the dead and give closure to their families, the American people need to know who you are and who you aren't. Your testimony today, we can all hope will go a long way in determining that. Regardless, you will not be judged by this committee but by the American people. I strongly encourage you to be truthful and forthcoming. 

On the Benghazi Hearing

I had one of those "JFK/Nixon Debate" moments yesterday, as I happened to be driving as the Benghazi hearing got off to a start.  I listened to Chairman Gowdy's remarks, then Ranking Member Cummings', and then finally Secretary Clinton.  As I sat there, I was very impressed by her calm, her measure, and her command of the (albeit skewed) facts.  During the course of the day, I had other opportunities to nip and and listen, and while the entire proceeding did not redound to the benefit of representative government, there were moments that seemed to redeem its conduct.

First--Mrs. Clinton did what she had to do, and more. She was presidential. She didn't lose her temper. If one is a Hillary supporter, one has much to be joyous about today.

But to be a Hillary supporter requires what she Herself referred to once as a "willing suspension of disbelief", or at least a very low regard for truth and honesty.  Let me sum up some rather general thoughts I have about all this.

1.  There was insufficient security provided to the diplomats and others we had on the ground in Benghazi. The requests to beef it up were not acted upon in a timely manner, due partially to bureaucratic inaction and partly to a matter of available resources.  This conclusion has been repeated reached by every group that has looked into this matter.

2.  On the 2012 anniversary of the September 11 attacks, our diplomatic mission in Benghazi came under attack.  This, on a day where there were other uprisings in the Islamic world.  On this very night at the highest levels of the Obama Administration, there was knowledge and near certainty that this attack was 1) planned and 2) carried out by an Al Qaeda affiliated organization.  Secretary Clinton confirmed this in an email that she sent that night to a non-State Department person (her daughter) on her non-State Department email account housed on a non-State Department Server located in the bathroom of her non-State Department residence in New York.  None of the previous "investigative" panels had access to this communication.

3. On September 12, Hillary Clinton told the Egyptian Prime Minister in a phone call "“We know the attack in Libya had nothing to do with the film. It was a planned attack -- not a protest.”.  We know this now because it was contained in an email readout of the text of the call having been recorded for posterity on the non-State Department email account housed on a non-State Department server located in the bathroom of her non-State Department residence in New York.  None of the previous "investigative" panels had access to this communication. Oh--did I mention that Mrs. Clinton attempted to "wipe" the server on which all of this "private" communication was located?

4.  In Washington at this time (11-12 September), there was likely a very understandable level of chaos and a huge amount of information coming in that needed to be sifted through. The one explanation for the attack that the Obama team could not countenance was that it was a planned terror attack carried out by Al Qaeda.  This is because they were in the endgame of a political campaign in which "Osama Bin Laden was dead and GM was alive".  A central narrative was their contention that Mr. Obama's leadership had moved us beyond the war on terror by removing the Al Qaeda threat. And while the evidence pointed to this explanation, and while the Secretary of State was privately telling the Egyptian Prime Minister that it was Al Qaeda and while the Secretary of State was privately telling her daughter that it was "an Al Qaed-like" organization--they chose to publicly state that a video tape had inflamed a crowd and incited it to this attack. They maintained this public story for many days, including a Sunday trip by Susan Rice to five separate new programs in which she made this public claim--a claim which was in real -time disputed by members of the State Department's Near East Bureau.  This clear evidence of a cover-up came to light as a result of "private" email correspondence that the Secretary of State tried to destroy from her non-State Department email housed on a non-State Department server located in the bathroom of her non-State Department residence in New York.  None of the previous investigative panels had access to this communication.

Now for some thoughts on the people on the other side of this issue.

1.  I have a brilliant and articulate friend who thinks the Republicans are just plain crazy for the degree to which they have investigated this.  He thinks it is a sign of the degree to which we have become politically deranged.  What I cannot convince him of is the importance of the degree to which the Obama team turned a stunning tragedy into a political situation--that because of their fear of a "September Surprise", they perpetrated a public cover-up that blatantly lied to the American people.  This is worth investigating and worth raising.

2.  I have another friend, a partisan Democrat, who is father to a number of beautiful young children. He is a huge Hillary booster and isn't quiet about it. I realize that I am being a very small-minded man, but I find myself wishing upon a star that one of his children grows though adolescence with Hillary's talents for lying and truth shading, and that he suffers the Karmic retribution due his acceptance of such a low bar of honesty.

Big Fat Friday Free For All

What's got you down, shipmate? Your hopes for a free ride to the Presidency end with a ghoul-show of a hearing yesterday?  Your 49ers not looking like the team of old?

Let is all hang out.  Right here!

Weighed in today at 156.4.  My last measurement before the New Orleans trip and the Green Bay trip was 154.6.  Less than 2 lbs gained after gluttony on an embarrassing scale.

My Enemies List

Enemies lists seem to be making a comeback. Back in my youth the revelation that Richard Nixon had an enemies list was BIG news! My God how could he? Why it's outrageous that a President of the United States would have a list of political enemies. By golly criticism is at the heart of our democracy and the idea that Nixon would actually target journalists, academics etc. for IRS audits (and worse) is depraved and immoral. Yes well times change and when the shoe was on the other foot in recent years (Lois Lerner) our ever diligent press wasn't nearly so offended.

Why just the other day Hillary was asked who she considered her "enemies". She was surprisingly candid (feeling the rush of Bernie's tongue up her ass no doubt) citing the NRA, drug companies, health insurers and of course Republicans. That's ok, that's who she is and I appreciate her honestly (enjoy it while you can, it doesn't happen often). Besides, the idea that a big-time politician WOULDN'T have an enemies list is a little naive in my estimation.

So, in  the spirit of pissing off as many people as I can in the shortest time possible, I present The Hammer's enemies list for your perusal. If you don't like it or disagree, feel free to pencil in your name at the bottom.

1. The Democratic Party: This ain't your daddy's Democrats I can tell you. Not so very long ago the Dems claimed to be the party of the "working man". Their target was the union worker, the struggling family with a mortgage, two kids in community college and an AMC Hornet parked out front of their Bronx or Charlestown bungalow. Not so anymore. Their constituents these days are just about any and every special interest that can write a check, most especially Wall Street and the ultra-wealthy like George Soros, Warren Buffett, Larry Ellison, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. Now granted, most billionaires hedge their bets and give to both parties, but not this bunch. They give (with rare exceptions) almost exclusively to Democrats and Democrat causes. It's been proven that Soros has created a "shadow party" by bundling and funneling like minded billionaire's money into all sorts of nefarious political activities. The fact is Soros and his minions set the table and every Democrat politician eats off it, and as they say there are no free lunches. These guys expect (and get) quid pro quo.

2. "Establishment" Republicans: It breaks my heart to count any Republican as an enemy, but there it is. I well understand that any two individuals can and will disagree and I would hope the Republican Party is a big enough tent to accommodate a variety of views (unlike the Democrats who have purged their moderates/conservatives). But the trend lately with Boehner and McConnell's "top down" approach to governing, the ignoring and/or downright hostility towards the more conservative wing of the party and their candidates (I won't mention Cucinelli again...oh shit, I just did) leads me to believe we are not wanted and are not welcome. I may disagree strongly with the direction and leadership of today's Republican Party, but I still support them. All I ask is they reciprocate. I hope they soon come to their senses and stop this game of political chicken. Donald Trump, which the establishment hates with a passion, is just a manifestation of the frustration that is presently overwhelming the party. To be successful and get this country back on track we need each other, and if the Paul Ryans of the party don't comes to terms with that fact then we are dead as a political force. Ryan should keep that in mind the next time Reid or Pelosi talk about what a great guy he is.

3. Education Establishment: In George Orwell's great fable Animal Farm you will please recall Napoleon took over the upbringing of Jessie's puppies resulting in Snowball barely escaping with his life. Now I know this was a metaphor for Stalin's purges of the military, the exile of Trotsky etc. but I think also about education. It requires no explanation to know that if education is controlled then eventually the country will be controlled. For example the gay "marriage" issue. Hillary Clinton was adamantly opposed to it as a Senator. Her husband signed the Defense of Marriage Act. But all of a sudden "marriage equality" is part of her platform. Now obviously she's a pandering bitch but even still, how did attitudes change so quickly? Could it be that big Hollywood gays like David Geffen tied their considerable donations (and entertainment propaganda) to liberal establishment attitudes towards gay marriage? Could it be that this newthink was made known to teachers and professors who consequently taught their charges "tolerance not bigotry"? Just paranoia on my part? Maybe, but there are no coincidences when it comes to leftists. Everything happens for a reason.

4. Big Media: I guess I should count my blessings as we do have a small (relatively speaking) but vibrant conservative media especially when compared to other countries where even mild criticism of say Islam will land you in court. Nevertheless the vast majority of our news, opinion, propaganda (for lack of a better word) are all left of center. I always found it interesting that the big media companies are just that, big companies. Why would they be advancing a leftist agenda? Simple, they get goodies (see #1).
For the life of me I never understood why conservatives don't treat the media as what they are, a wing of the Democratic Party. When George Bush gave Dan Rather the business in 1988 he solidified his support among MY wing of the party which resulted in Rather carrying around a huge boner for the Bushs which eventually clouded his judgement and got him fired. Now he's considered just a crazy old fart chasing windmills with the likes of Robert Redford who just pissed away millions on a film everybody is laughing at, even liberals. See how this works? Be smart and aggressive and good things happen.

5. Big Labor: Remember when unions looked out for union members? Now the only viable unions are GOVERNMENT unions which are no more than money laundering schemes for leftist politicians. Look, I am not opposed to unions. What I am opposed to is FORCED unionization. Freedom means being able to join a union or not, but it should never be a condition of employment. Plus just look at the unions these days. They are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Democratic Party which is owned by the big money guys. Why do you think big labor stood idly by and allowed Democrats to institute all these trade deals that have decimated (at least) their membership? Hell I think the old Soviet unions had more autonomy, certainly no less. Tell you what, when Richard Trumka issues a full and complete financial statement like Romney was forced to do last election then maybe I'll reconsider, but I don't think so. It's all one big club these days. Besides, there are no jobs so what's the diff?

6. Government: By government I mean the bureaucracy and the thousands upon thousands of porn surfing, layabout, shiftless, corrupt, mindless busybodies and petty dictators who populate Washington, DC and every federal building in every hamlet, town and city in these United States. At least half are parasites on the ass of humanity deserving of not one more cent of our money nor one more second of our time. We need to do as Mao did when the bureaucracy got out of control. Of course our Cultural Revolution shouldn't involve killing millions. Well at least not at the moment but hey, I open to suggestions.

7. Race Hustlers: The "Reverends" Sharpton, Jackson, Barber et al. These guys bear as much resemblance to a man of God as I do to Brad Pitt. They are rabble rousing, attention seeking extortionists, no more no less. If the left weren't so interested in manipulating the hopelessly ignorant dependent class these guys wouldn't get the time of day.

8. Illegals: What can I say, they are our undoing. I cannot stress enough that uncontrolled immigration is the most dire threat we face as a country. It is a cancer, and right now we are in stage four. I talk to "normal" Republicans all the time and they just don't get it. If we don't get immigration under control we will go the way of California where there is not one state wide elected Republican...NOT ONE! So all these "conservative" issues you worry about won't mean a thing if we continue to be the toilet seat of the world where every country on earth can just flush their indigent, their criminals and their disturbed. In fact it may already be too late so just grab what you can, the boat is sinking, which seems to be the attitude of our establishment. Maybe they know something I don't. I just don't see the logic in bringing in millions of people who statistically speaking will most likely be on welfare (with their granny collecting social security despite having never put one penny into the system).
Good Lord I'm just wasting my breath. What's a little issue like this when compared to "party unity"? Must be a good Republican don't you know. Can't get everything we want. To get along you go along. Don't worry about it, what's good for the Chamber of Commerce is good for America. By the way, nice iPhone. Where was that made?

Well that's the short list. I'm so glad I got this one out there because in five years if things don't change I will very likely be arrested for writing things like this. Yeah I know, I'm full of shit on that too. Well I hope you're right, but we'll see.

On the creation of wealth

Facebook's "on this day" feature occasionally pops up something interesting, at least for power users such as your blogger. Five years ago yesterday we posted this video on the eponymous blog. It is well worth your time, especially to remind you in these crazy years that politicians who say that they create jobs or wealth are, well, idiots.

Wisconsin Wrap-Up and Onto Newport

I am sitting in a Newport RI hotel (more on this later), and I realize that I have left my readers collectively hanging, sometime on Saturday afternoon in Green Bay, WI.  So now, back to the story.

Dan--in his game rig--and me.

We arrived late in the afternoon Saturday at a nice Hampton Inn in Green Bay and immediately decided to rest for a bit before heading out to dinner.  We met down in the lobby after I took a bit of a nap, and gathered just in time to see the end of the Michigan, Michigan State game.  I was pulling for
Michigan--and felt really bad for that punter after the game.

We headed a few blocks away to the Republic Chophouse, where I had an awesome 14oz. Ribeye and far too many dinner rolls. I have long labored under the perhaps misconception that midwestern women are somewhat larger than their sisters elsewhere.  Judging from the staff and the clientele at this place though, there is little evidence to backup my longstanding prejudice. Our waitress was a fetching lass of about 23 or so, who it turns out, has the same last name as me.

After dinner, we headed over to Kroll's, a famous spot across the street from Lambeau, where Dan and his dad Tim mad friends with the Ohio State folks across the bar.  We didn't stay too late and instead headed to the hotel for a good night's sleep.

Sunday dawned bright and crisp, but the forecast was for a relatively balmy 54 degrees F at game time 3:30 local.  We rallied at 0800 and headed off to a local diner for a wonderful breakfast, and then to a gigantic storehouse of Packer paraphernalia.  Tim bought me a hat and gave it to me upon arrival at his house on Friday, and so I figured that was enough Packers gear for me.  I did wear my University of California sweatshirt, as it is Aaron Roger's alma mater.

The Packer Shrine at the house where we parked. Year round shrine.

A quick trip back to the hotel was followed then by our drive to the stadium at about 1100.  We
parked across the street from the stadium in the driveway of a friend of Tim's from the dental supply industry. Lambeau sits right next to extensive residential neighborhoods, and the people there charge people to park in their driveways and on their lawns, but in a twist that reinforces the elemental goodness of Wisconsinites, this generally entitles the parkers to use of the residence's bathroom.  Since we were parking at a friend's, we stayed and had a few pregame libations and passed some time, before heading back to Kroll's where there was a band playing and Packer fans were getting their pre-game on.

It was here that I experienced two foods--first was a Kroll's cheeseburger--recommended highly by my oldest brother--and while it was good, it was still just a cheeseburger. Then I tried a Wisconsin delicacy--Cheese Curds--which are sorta like mozzarella sticks/balls, except they don't taste as good.  I know Big Fred won't be happy to hear it, but Cheese Curds are dramatically over-rated.

Best seats I've had at any event. Ever 

We got to our seats about an hour before the game started and just sorta watched all the stuff that goes on the field before a game--mostly kickers and punters practicing, and then the teams come out for some warmups which look like these huge, choreographed stage shows starring freakishly large human beings  Our seats were the best seats I've ever had as a spectator at any sporting event. Ever. In addition to watching what turned out to be a phenomenal game that came down to a great defensive play on the goal-line with two seconds on the clock, I spent much of the game just watching what it was that Aaron Rogers did to pass the time between offensive plays. Who did he talk with? Did he shuck and jive?  Was he nervy?  I felt like an anthropologist. I found it very interesting that when he comes off the field from an offensive series, he is met by a middle aged coachlike fellow who patiently waits for Rogers to doff his helmet, before exchanging it with a ball-cap and a towel to go around his neck. Every single time. I was unaware of any other player receiving such service/treatment, but I guess that's what you rate when you are Aaron Rogers.

Dan, Me, and Tim at the game

After the game, we headed back to where our car was parked--where I downed a Brat and a Burger
and some potato salad while we relived the great Packer moments on the field that day.  After an appropriate amount of time for the traffic to die--we headed back to the hotel to await our 0230 Monday morning wakeups to get General Dan and I on our way.  We had to drive 2 hours or so to Milwaukee, fly to Baltimore, and then he had to fly onto Huntsville, AL and me to Newport RI.

Some closing thoughts?

• There is a huge culture of people who follow their NFL teams around the country--I saw evidence of this both from the number of Charger fans in Green Bay and the number of Patriot fans I saw making their way back to New England this morning.
• I may have watched my last pro game in person.  I far prefer to watch the pro game on TV, and I cannot see myself going to another pro game in person unless I had to be there for work or something of the sort.  Unless of course, General Dan suggests we go to another warm weather Packers game.  
• There is something worth understanding going on in the State of Wisconsin.  Hear me out.  The Governor has made his bones as a reformer who went after public sector unions.  He also presided over a state with a growing economy.  He also is Governor of a state with a great deal of private sector unionization.  And he is also the Governor of a state with a TON of manufacturing, if the scores of businesses I saw along one stretch of highway  was to be believed.  My point is, capital and labor appear to be living in a relatively symbiotic arrangement there--and Illinois businesses are heading north every day.  Additionally, the state has a very good public school system, and its state universities are superb institutions.  Yes. There is something good happening in Wisconsin.

Enough for now. In Newport for a few days of Navy.  Be well.

"Hillary Clinton attracts a rarity on the campaign trail — an overwhelmingly female press corps" Politico

di·ver·si·ty
dəˈvərsədē,dīˈvərsədē/
noun

the state of being diverse; variety.

a range of different things

synonyms: variety, miscellany, assortment, mixture, mix, melange, range, array, multiplicity

liberal di·ver·si·ty

noun

the absence of white, heterosexual males

synonyms: inflexible, rigid, unbending, unchanging, fossilized