A facility for quotation covers the absence of original thought.
Dorothy L. Sayers
Peggy Noonan, "This Is No Ordinary Scandal", Thumbs UP!
I have mentioned on multiple occasions while a National Archives contractor in 2004, I was sitting in an open cubicle when a civil servant in a nearby cubicle started playing the latest Bush-Kerry JibJab video; misuse of government Internet services is a violation of policy, but even worse was the conversation I overheard after the video; the employees openly discussed a work slowdown until after "President Kerry" was elected. I didn't know the civil servants and don't know relevant policies or even how to report the incident (I am certain my company would not want me getting involved, potentially putting their contract at political risk) but if what they were discussing wasn't illegal, it should have been; at minimum, it was grossly unethical. It happened--I could pass a polygraph. (If I was to make up a story, it would be a lot better than this one.)
This has nothing to do with the equal right of any American citizen, including federal employees and contractors, to vote for the candidates of his or her choice. I've worked as a government contractor twice since Obama's election. I worked as hard as I always did, meeting my own high standards (which are higher than government's); it had to do with my professionalism and for the sake of my country, not for the benefit of the loser my fellow citizens voted into the White House. Generally, I've never discussed religion or politics at work; even my relatives are surprised by my views; my baby brother has only discussed politics with me once: he was unhappy I disagree with prayer in public schools. (I'm okay with general, short prayers at public events and references to God on currency with I view as a reflection of our historical religious liberty and tolerance.) When I attended my middle goddaughter's high school graduation ceremony, which was held on Air Force Academy grounds, one of the female graduate speakers decided to witness on behalf of her beliefs in Jesus Christ. I thought--and still do--that it was wildly inappropriate, and my parents and sister's family strongly disagreed. This had nothing to do with Christianity--I'm a Roman Catholic, but I still wonder how they would have felt if a devout Muslim was up there testifying to the truth of his or her faith. I wouldn't have minded a brief reference to the graduate's religious faith and she has the right to express her opinion in the right time and place, but this was a public school, and religion is not part of the curriculum. My mom still gets worked up over cultural warrior issues, like public displays of the Nativity or Ten Commandments, crosses at public cemeteries, tampering with references to God on currency and the pledge of allegiance, etc. I personally think that the ACLU and atheists are playing a game of "get a life" trivial pursuit; they're more interested in yanking the chains of social conservatives. If I had taken that gig in Saudi Arabia, I would have been very respectful of Muslim customs and beliefs; similarly, I don't think American Muslims feel threatened by Christian symbols, so long as they're able to exercise their own faith unfettered in home and mosques.
I will take it back; I once did a gig in the Provo, Utah area; the client is a world leader manufacturer of pipes, valves, and seals. Their DBA was handicapped; he was also a bit of a control freak, and I was brought in as a temporary resource to move an ERP upgrade project forward. (I was ultimately replaced as a former client DBA, now an independent, became available.) Many people in that area of Utah are Mormon, and they are known for proselytizing their faith (in fact, many Mormons do missionary work for a stint as young adults). This guy was trying to convert me the entire time I was on the project and I remember I was working so late, my only options to eat late were a Wendy's, a Taco Bell, and an all-hours diner on the highway. I learned 101 things I never wanted to know about LDS. As a contractor, sometimes you put up with a lot of crap with client personnel, but you sometimes wish you could just say, "Would you just shut the hell up already?"
Getting back to Peggy Noonan, whom I consider the dean of female conservative columnists (and George Will of male columnists): I think she's right: the man who promised bipartisanship, transparency, government by experts, to halve the deficit, etc., no longer exists. We are left with a sorry excuse of a "leader" whom learns what is going on in his own administration not by agency heads reporting to him but by reading the newspaper. He seems to think not knowing what is going on is not a bug, it's a feature. He's become a Teflon President: the latest Gallup poll has him at 49 and the RCP average is about a point less; given the fact that the MSM is finally picking up on the 3 scandals (Benghazi, IRS, AP wiretap), I suspect we might see a 2-3 point dip from here, but his ratings are propped up by state-of-denial partisan and minority support. Short of a smoking gun, I doubt we'll see a significant break-down of his support unless we see a recession, a shooting war, a shocking terror event, or key reversals (e.g, another immigration reform defeat).
Peggy Noonan is exactly right--Obama knows what is going on. He is familiar with Saul Alinsky. He graduated from the school of hardball Chicago politics. He uses his personal appeal to sell reactionary, counterproductive economic policies and statist assaults on individual liberties. "Wink and a nod" leadership. Double standards and equal protection be damned... Come on, now. We've known Obama's principles from the get-go, the corrupt auto bankruptcies when he interceded on behalf of crony labor union interests. Do you honestly believe that the young people he recruited into the government are any more principled?
The Right of Otherwise Law-Abiding Women to Walk Topless in NYC
I remember being out of shape while earning my first Master's at the University of Texas and decided to resume my jogging routine. We could usually use the track in Memorial Stadium. I remember the stench of bat dung while walking under the stadium to the track. I was fairly slow the first few times out on the track; some parents brought their kids, whom seemed to relish beating an out-of-shape guy around the track whom was trying to pace his way around the track through several laps. Let them enjoy their little victories.
What I did find disconcerting was this runner whom pulled up next to me in an outer lane; there was something different, distracting about this runner. I suddenly realized this runner had breasts. Naked breasts. And they were in motion. I knew women had breasts, of course; I had seen them in magazines. I remember liking this smart girl in high school whom ran track. But until that moment I had never seen a woman run topless; it never crossed my mind a girl would run topless. It totally caught me by surprise.
My little brother, an engineering undergraduate, and some of his friends from the dorms starting hanging out in Memorial Stadium; I remember his telling me there was a rumor there were coeds running topless at the stadium; I don't think I ever told him I could verify the rumor.
It turns out that women now have the right to walk bare-chested in New York City (I do think New York Blue has higher priorities than enforcing a dress code); I'm not sure why any self-respecting woman wanting herself to be taken seriously would want to exercise that right. With the clothes many women wear today, very little is left to the imagination. I remember at the final of my research design course, I went to retrieve my left-handed desk, usually at the front of class, from the back of the room where this coed had her feet propped up on it. (I remember she was in my first stat course a few years earlier and seemed to like me--I sat alone in a section of the classroom and she would walk by my desk to the front of class to turn in work.) She was wearing a sheer black blouse, no bra, and was very busty (several letters into the alphabet). It took me literally 5 minutes before I could finally see the exam in front of me. Thank goodness none of that stuff occurred in the classes I taught, although a UH coed, a dead ringer for sister #1, once did something in a sloped auditorium-type classroom that had me talking to the floor for the last 5 minutes of lecture. I showed up to next lecture with a handful of drop slips and told the students that I was prepared to use them if the nonsense didn't stop (It did.). Ah, yes, the all-powerful single white male geek professor or teaching fellow. (Believe it or not, some aggressive women are attracted to male authority figures...) I've never dated a current or former student even once, and I insisted on open doors when a coed visited me during office hours.
Well, the White House Was Up Against the Finale of 'The Office' and 'American Idol'...
With sagging ratings, Obama decided to go for a ratings boost with an all-new Scandal Week and season-ending cliffhangers, for your unfettered entertainment...
Space: The Final Frontier of Privatization
Privacy vs. Security
The problem is that the technology to invade our privacy, our right to be left alone, is outstripping our ability to control the statists' ability to exploit the technology/
Political Cartoon
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| Courtesy of Michael Ramirez and Townhall |
An original:
- "At the elementary school, Obama watched a group of youngsters learn to write about their favorite zoo animals and quizzed them on simple arithmetic. When one girl had a hard time coming up with the answer to one equation, Obama said in a sympathetic tone that “subtraction is tougher than addition.” [Says the man whom still can't figure how to cut the biggest budget deficits in world history.]
- Does anyone doubt, if Obama ever came up with postal reform legislation, it would be called "The Stamp Act"?
[And Miami sportswriters' phones were being tapped...]
I was outside today for a little bit. I was sweating like President Obama at a press conference. That last joke has been seized by the Department of Justice. - David Letterman
[The White House just released 99 pages of Letterman monologues--heavily redacted.]
Chinese authorities recently arrested over 900 people for selling counterfeit mink. China warned the U.S. that the meat's being sold under the name "Arby's." - Conan O'Brien
[Unfortunately, they still haven't arrested anyone for selling counterfeit Apples.]
President Obama announced the appointment of a new acting commissioner of the IRS — the other guy was fired. See, they're called "acting commissioner" because you have to act like the scandal doesn't involve the White House. - Jay Leno
[They wanted someone with more experience in the West Wing, but Martin Sheen demanded more money...]
This week will mark the 37th time House Republicans have tried to repeal Obamacare. If Republicans really wanted to do away with Obamacare they should just endorse it as a conservative non-profit and let the IRS take it down. - Jay Leno
["The largest single revenue loser [of tax
Musical Interlude: My Favorite Groups
Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band, "Brilliant Disguise". I realize some of the Boss' hits technically didn't feature the E-Street Band behind him; it's more important to have a unified series than to fragment his discography into solo and joint lists.
