2009? Get lost.

For us it was a year marked by loss, death, and disease. I prefer that it leave now. Quickly and silently.

I pray that 2010 is better in every way.

Maybe it will be a year as beautiful and distinctive as the glass art of Josh Simpson.

Clemson Wins Music City Bowl

Congratulations to Clemson University! The Tigers beat SEC representative University of Kentucky up in Nashville last evening 21-13. It was an entertaining contest from start to finish and the Tigers had just a one point lead when the great C.J. Spiller zipped in for a 4th quarter score that secured the win.

Spiller scores the final TD.

Details and more pictures in the Greenville News.

Merry Christmas

Wonderful Life

Ah, Christmas week is here!

Time for the annual viewing of a Wonderful film co-starring the great Lionel Barrymore. As much as I enjoy that movie just once I'd like to see Mr. Potter win out. Pottersville looks like a pretty swingin' little burg after all.

"Merry Christmas to you... in jail!"

Sequel In May 2010

Were you a fan of the Iron Man movie with Robert Downey Jr.?

Well, the trailer for IM2 is out. Check it.

Can't wait 'til May. Hold it. I won't see it until I can get it from Netflix... so, I can't wait until this time next year when it comes out for Christmas 2010.

Tin Ear, Or Marxist On A Mission?

Some days, many days, he doesn't look like he cares that big chunks of the country, left, right and center, are giving up on him.
Voters by a large margin have said for months they don't want the health-care overhaul he's pushing, so he pushes harder. They want less spending and debt, so he doubles down on pork, bailouts, handouts and taxes.

They thought he would deliver bipartisanship, and he gives his hard-left allies the keys to the kingdom.
They worry about terrorism, so he wants to close Gitmo and move the worst of the worst to the homeland. With Ground Zero still a mess, he gives the 9/11 plotters civilian trials in New York.
His approval ratings are speeding downhill and some 60 percent say the country is on the wrong track. He responds by giving himself a "good solid B-plus" for his first year.
And he says Wall Street bankers "don't get it."

Read more from Michael Goodwin in the NYPost

Great Peril

USA Today reported the following on their website Tuesday afternoon:

President Obama, surrounded by Senate Democratic leaders, said today "we are on the precipice" of major health care changes, though "there are still some differences that have to be worked on."

For once I have to agree with the POTUS. Let's turn to the dictionary where we find the definition for...

precipice- 1. a cliff with a vertical, near vertical or overhanging face 2. a situation of great peril, a hazardous situation

Being close to a Democrat takeover of the US health care system is indeed a situation of great peril for the nation. Good call, Lord Zero.

Death Panel Sighting

Yesterday afternoon one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse arrived at the US Capitol building in Washington DC to collect Harry Reid's latest "health care" disaster.

This all may end with a whimper. Then the Democrats can tackle less controversial issues like, say, illegal immigration.

On a more positive note for DC Dems, the horseman of death gave Obama, Reid, and Pelosi "solid B+" grades. So, ya know, they got that goin' for them.

Blago Lives

Well, it seems like Blago is back. His lawyers want to know what Rahm, Val, Lordy O, and union thug boss Stern told the FBI. It's comforting to see BlagObamaRahmDrama return for the holidays. I wonder if O's 44% approval rating helps Blago's lawyers-- after all, the last time we heard from them Lord Zer0 had a 70% approval. The wheel has turned a few degrees.

How Low Can He Go?

Rasmussen has Lord Obama at an astonishingly low approval rating. Even more troubling to the administration is the passion of the opposition--the "strongly disapprove" number is approaching 50% now while his "strongly approve" contingent is vanishing.

Boo!

Enough about Tiger and the daily bimbo eruption. It's time for Boo Weekley.

He can play a little, he's a hoot and a half, and he's a good boy. Get on the Boo Weekley wagon.

While the world picks through Tiger's little black book, watch ya some Boo.

Listen to this clip and you'll be certain ol' Boo will never let ya down.

How Big...

... will this story become?

About Last Saturday

Saturday night Sarah Palin took time off from her book tour (31 stops in 25 states) to speak to the assembled media at the Gridiron Club dinner in DC. Andrew Malcolm at the LA Times reports that her approval numbers are now within a point of Lord Obama's. Here's the transcript of her remarks at the Gridiron dinner:

Text of Remarks by ex-Gov. Sarah Palin to the Gridiron Club, Dec. 5, 2009

Good evening. It’s great to be in Washington and I am loving the weather. I braved the elements and went out for a jog! Or, as Newsweek calls it, a cover-shoot.

It’s a privilege to be here tonight at the Washington DC Barnes & Noble. Tonight, I'll be reading excerpts from my new book. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? “Going Rogue” ... wasn’t sure if I’d go with that title and somebody suggested I follow the East Coast selfhelp trend and go with, “How To Look Like A Million Bucks…For Only 150 Grand.” Todd liked, “The Audacity of North Slope.” Hey, I considered not having a title at all. I’ve said it before, but you Beltway types just don’t seem to get it. You don’t need a title to make an impact.

But anyway, let’s get started. I’ll begin my first reading on Page 209. It was pitch black when we touched down in Arizona late on August 27, 2008. The next morning we drove to John McCain’s ranch in Sedona. John was waiting on the porch. Before he can say a word, I tell him, I'm quoting now:I know why I’m here, and I’m ready. But, I'm worried. The cost of credit protection for the largest U.S. banks is rising precipitously. Have you given any thought to the run on the entities in the parallel banking system? Do you realize the vulnerability created when these institutions borrow short term in liquid markets to invest long term in illiquid assets? John said, “You betcha!” I thought, “You betcha?” Who talks that way?Well, sometimes you just have to trust your instincts. When you don’t, you end up in places like this.

Who would have guessed that I’d be palling around with this group? At least now I can put a face to all the newspapers I read. It is good to be here and in front of this audience of elite journalists and intellectuals. Or, as I call it, a death panel.

To be honest, I had some serious reservations about coming to visit your cozy little club. The Gridiron still hasn’t offered membership to anyone from my hometown paper in Wasilla, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley Frontiersman. And my dad thought it was just a plain bad idea to leave the book tour for some football game. He might have a point!

I’ve been touring this great, great land of ours over the last few weeks. I have to say, the view is much better from inside the bus, than under it! But really, I am thrilled to be with you. And I’d like to thank the Gridiron for the invitation and Dick Cooper for his introduction. To paraphrase John F. Kennedy, this has to be the most extraordinary collection of people who have gathered to viciously attack me since the last corporate gathering at CBS.

Despite what you have read, or more likely, despite what you have written, I do feel a real bond with all of you. I studied journalism, earned a communications degree and for a time only wanted to be a journalist. I was even a television sportscaster back home. I’m guessing some of you probably got your start the exact same way… once there was television.

Let me get back to the book. I know that many of you are still upset because I wouldn’t play that silly Washington game. You know, the one where all of you read a book in its entirety, from the first page of the index to the last. But think about it, because you actually had to read the whole book in the vein hope of finding your name, you now know all about Denali, mom, dad, ungulate eyeballs, slaying salmon on the Nushagak and Ugashik near Alegnigak, where we make AGOOTAK and moose chili!

You’re welcome.

Still, I want to do something very special for this audience of Washington elite. So, I’ll read from the index--which I chose not to include in the hardback. Would you believe me if I said I didn’t include it because we wanted to save trees? Under A we have…Alaska, media not understanding. Pages 1-432. Under B…Biased media. Pages 1-432 And under C…Conservative media. See acknowledgments.

I’ll stop there.I know this can be a long night, and as I understand it, we’re going to break with a Gridiron tradition. Normally, the Democrat speaker would deliver a speech after me. But instead, John McCain’s campaign staff asked if they could use that time for a rebuttal. A lot has been made of a few campaign relationships. The closeness. The warm fuzzy feelings. John and I both agree all those staffers should just move past it. It’s history. Let’s just say, if I ever need a bald campaign manager, it appears all I’m left with is James Carville. I don’t want to say that I’ve burned a bridge, but I know all about cancelling a bridge to nowhere.

That Democrat speaker I referred to is, of course, the one-and-only Barney Frank. And I’m the controversial one? Barney, the nation owes you and the government a debt. A huge, historic, unbelievable debt.

But, it’s good to be here with you, Mr. Chairman. Because by Chairman, I don’t just mean the House Financial Services Committee. As far as I can tell, Barney’s also the Chair of AIG, CITI, and the Bank of America. I don’t want to say that the U.S. Government is taking over the role of the private sector, but I have to admit, on the flight here, thumbing through a magazine and looking at a photo of President Obama with the President of China, the person next to me pointed at it and said, “Hu’s a communist.” I thought they were asking a question.

Still, when I see this administration in action, I can’t help think of what might have been. I could be the Vice President overseeing the signing of bailout checks. And Joe Biden would be on the road, selling his new book, "Going Rogaine." Speaking of books….Did I mention mine? “Going Rogue” Makes a great stocking stuffer. Available now at a bookstore near you. Hey, I have to pay for my campaign vetting bill somehow.

Really, the response has been great. So I’ll close by reading a final passage. Page 403:I’ve been asked a lot lately, “Where are you going next?’Good question!Wherever I go I know that, as with anyone in the public eye, I’ll continue to have my share of disagreements with those in the media. Maybe even more than my share. It will come as no surprise that I don’t think I was always treated fairly, or equally.But despite that, I respect the media very much. It’s important. A free press allows for vigorous debate! And that debate is absolutely vital for our democracy.So as hard as it can sometimes be, we must all look past personal grievances. We must move beyond petty politics. And we must allow these incredibly talented and hard-working women and men to ask the hard questions and hold us, and our government, accountable.Because their mission is as true as the sun rising over the Talkeetna and Susitna Mountains.

OK – so none of that is actually in the book. Not a word. But I do believe it! And I believe we live in a beautiful country blessed with so many different people who want the best for their children, families and for our great nation. I’m so proud to be an American. And that is what I’ll be talking about when I travel to, really where I’m headed. No better place than here to announce where I’m going. I’m going to Iowa! I’ll be there tomorrow from noon to 3:00 pm at the Barnes & Noble on Sergeant Road in Sioux City. Come early. Long lines are expected.

Thank you everyone. God Bless the U.S.A!

How's It Workin' Out?

Last Friday, as happens every first Friday of the month, the employment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics were released. Since the numbers showed the unemployment rate dropping slightly from 10.2% to 10.0% the legacy media gave a mighty "Huzzah for Lord Obama, mm mmm mm!" These were the same cheerleaders who gasped and moaned when unemployment ticked up from 4.4% to 4.5% during the prior administration. While we're happy that only 11,000 net jobs were estimated to be lost in November, it would take about 5 years of uninterrupted 250,000 PLUS jobs per month just to get the country back to the average rate during the Bush presidency-- that's how many jobs have been shed in the past 18 months or so.

Unpacking the BLS data (hey, you can have fun with stats too, kids-- just click that link!) shows that the rate ticked down due mainly to the fact that a large number of people who have looked for work in the past 12 months gave up trying in November. So, if the idea of economic recovery is to have more people sitting at home hoping for pocket change we're well on our way.

Cast your eyes to page 23 of the report for this bit of information: in the 12 months from Dec 2008 through Nov 2009 the print publishing business (Internet not included) lost over 86,000 jobs. That's in just one year. I'm not dancing on the grave of the print media business. I'm just pointing out a simple fact that in one year newspapers, books, and magazines shed 86,000 employees. While the administration says the worst is over know this: if that industry lost jobs at an annual rate like they did in November there would be a half million more media jobs gone by this time next year.

That likely won't happen because there aren't many more jobs to cut. Which brings me to the following points: 1) if job losses are slowing it's largely due to the fact that there aren't many employees left to shed. 2) if people have given up on finding a job then 3) you need a policy to prompt capital formation and spur job creation. You don't need a half day job forum dog and pony show followed by speeches castigating the private sector. The current policies in DC aren't the solution, they're the problem. Higher taxes, bigger government, and more onerous regulation and red tape chill employers and keep them from hiring. Add in that the most populous state in the union actively pursues policies that drive jobs away and it's a disaster.

A disaster that is made worse by the fact that it doesn't have to happen.

Job Forum Fun

Obama advisor and Chicago Machine pal Valerie Jarrett tells us that the fabulous Job Forum isn't just for the swells invited to the White House. No, we the little people can be part of this terrific groundswell movement of job creation. Lookee here what Val e-mailed:

"You can join the discussion by organizing your own jobs forum with your family, friends, and co-workers -- because these conversations can take place in living rooms and conference tables, not just arenas and convention centers."

So, I called a meeting of my staff this morning and the last miserable slacker to arrive got fired on the spot.

Sounds cruel?

No way!

I'm just doing my part. See, now that I've terminated the guy he can go look for work. When he finds a job his new employer will be able to report a job created by "stimulus". Then Slow Joe Biden can count it has 100 jobs created-- or maybe a thousand, who knows.

Hip, Hip, Hoo-fricken-ray for the centrally planned economy!

You're welcome Mr. President.

Silent Cal and Walter E. Williams

From the first day of this blog we've put a Coolidge quote in the header. Cal is a particular favorite around here. There are many great quotes from him that we could use, but the one we chose is succinct. He points out how important knowledge is as well as the ability to stay calm and avoid excessive oratory. We always thought it was funny in a world of blogs, cable TV shout shows, and 24 hour/day talk radio that our banner cautioned against saying too much. Humorous to us, but not many others. After all, we follow the perfect prescription for having few readers-- shut off comments and put a quote from the unjustifiably obscure Coolidge in the header.

This morning I was reading Walter E. Williams' latest column. (Walter is no stranger to talk radio and punditry. He guests on many shows and even guest hosts the biggest talk radio show in America a couple times a year.) It's interesting to read him on how important the knowledge of the individual is and how large institutions like government are ill equipped to make decisions for individuals. So why is there always a push from the power elites to make these decisions? Well, it has nothing to do with your health.

"There is only one reason for the forcible transference of decision-making authority over important areas of our private lives to elite decision-makers in Congress and government bureaucracies. Doing so confers control, power, wealth and revenue to society's elite. What's in the best interests of individual members of society, such as a person who'd rather launch a landscaping business than purchase a health insurance policy, ranks low on the elite's list of priorities."

Walter E. Williams, "The Pretense of Knowledge"

Pull Up A Chair

This sounds about right. Always finding laffs at Hope n' Change.

Coming Undone

In case anyone thought that Warmism wasn't a secular religion... here's how the designated jaw-jacker at 1600 Penn. Ave. reacts to the fact that 31,000 credentialed scientists are skeptical about man made climate change.

I had a dream last night where Senator Inhofe was chairing hearings into the perpetrators of the global warming hoax. It's just a dream, but billions of dollars and thousands of jobs have already been lost because of this junk science.