With a 10 game lead in the NL Central and a month left to go, the Cardinals have shown that they are indeed a force to be reckoned with.CUBS
Completely
Useless
By
September
(They're just ahead of the curve this year)
Heh...
With a 10 game lead in the NL Central and a month left to go, the Cardinals have shown that they are indeed a force to be reckoned with.CUBS
Completely
Useless
By
September
(They're just ahead of the curve this year)
Let's Get Rid Of The Rich?...
Yeah...because it's not like they pay taxes or anything.
It was just mentioned to me by our esteemed speaker, “Did anyone say anything about the Cuban health system?”
And lemme tell ya, before you say “Oh, it’s a commu–”, you need to go down there and see what Fidel Castro put in place. And I want you to know, now, you can think whatever you want to about Fidel Castro, but he was one of the brightest leaders I have ever met. [APPLAUSE]
And you know, the Cuban revolution that kicked out the wealthy, Che Guevara did that, and then, after they took over, they went out among the population to find someone who could lead this new nation, and they found…well, just leave it there (laughs), an attorney by the name of Fidel Castro…
And by the way, the Cuban system is actually appalling.
ANL Austrailia Packing Heat
Even though the manifest stated that the machine was carrying machinery used to drill for oil, the actual cargo packed a little more punch; RPG's and other small arms headed for Iran.
What lies beneath the surface of this incident is to be determined. Why is Iran building up these arms, or are they simply acting as a middle man for some one else?
What lies beneath the surface of this incident is to be determined. Why is Iran building up these arms, or are they simply acting as a middle man for some one else?
Are Moderate Republicans Caving On Obama Care?
There are rumors that some "Republicans" in Congress may support the horrific health care bill that the Democrats are trying to shove down the throats of hardworking Americans. If you thought for a few minutes, you could probably name at least one of these so-called Republicans.Olympia Snowe R-ME, Chuck Grassley R-IA, and Mike Enzi R-WY, are the Benedict Arnolds who may be stabbing the American public in the back.
This is from The Center For Individual Freedom:
At this very moment, three Republican Senators (Charles Grassley, Mike Enzi and Olympia Snowe) are meeting with Democrats behind closed doors in an attempt to strike a deal on ObamaCare. And if successful, their actions will effectively lead to government-run health care for all.People of Maine, Iowa, and Wyoming, make phone calls, send emails, send texts, blog, Twitter, Facebook, whatever you have to do to put so much heat on these traitors to the American people that they cannot get in bed with the Democrats.
CIA Morale
Here's a job for you:
1. Move overseas and pretend to be someone you are not. In particular, it would be great if you would move to such scenic countries as Pakistan, Russia or perhaps China.
2. Live there for 3-5 years establishing yourself as a "trade representative" of a major corporation from the United States, or perhaps, a visa officer at the local U.S. Consulate.
3. Befriend local officials and business leaders. Educate them on why you think that the United States' position towards their country is OK, but could be a lot better if only their country would work with us more.
4. After months of hard work, ask one of your new "friends" for some information about their company (could be an industrial manufacturer, could be a shipbuilder, could be a company involved in securing raw materials for their nation, etc.). Your request initially will be small, but over time, it will grow. You will want details and your "friend," will have begun to trust you...after all, nothing bad is happening.
5. Reveal to your friend that you work for the Central Intelligence Agency and that if they will help you get the mother lode of targeted information, you will whisk them out of their country and get them a new life in the land of milk and honey, aka, the United States.
6. Carry out your mission and return to the United States for a down cycle stateside. Bring your "friend" out at the same time and help him get a new life.
7. Bask in the knowledge that you have foiled a potential enemy's plans to do harm to your native land.
8. Get subpoenaed to appear before a Congressional sub-committee on intelligence that is looking into allegations that you might have been "harsh" with a contact or two while you were overseas trying to accomplish your mission.
9. Thousands of dollars in legal fees later, return to your job at the CIA at Langley.
10. Get subpoenaed by Eric Holder at the Justice Department who is looking intoallegations that you might have been "harsh" with a contact or two while you were overseas trying to accomplish your mission.
11. Watch as your "friend" is exposed and deported back to his native land. A youtube video two months later confirms he was sentenced to hard labor and died in a prison camp. Have THAT on your conscience.
12. Thousands of dollars in legal fees later, get sentenced to 10 years at Leavenworth for breaking a "protocol" that has been retroactively instated.
13. Watch loons from the Democrat party run to the press and crow about how "justice has finally been done!!"
14. As you are cuffed and being placed in the van to take you to the airport for your ride to Kansas, see President Obama on the TV screen saying it was out of his hands.
15. Know, sadly, that across the globe, thousands of agents, just like you are no longer pursuing their missions - they got the message from this Administration. America is exposed.
Rumbling sadly on.
UPDATED: SC Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer To Issue Statement At Noon
South Carolina Lt. Governor Andre Bauer is scheduled to make a "major" public statement regarding the investigation of Gov. Mark Sanford today at 12:00 noon Eastern. Stay tuned for updates.UPDATE: Lt. Governor Bauer called on Gov. Sanford to resign "in the interest of our state" due to "serious misconduct." Bauer did not elaborate on what misconduct he was referring to.
Link to Full Statement
Ted Kennedy Succumbs To Brain Cancer
Sen. Ted Kennedy passed away last evening after a long battle with brain cancer. While I did not agree with Sen. Kennedy on many issues, I maintained respect for him and his dedication. The Senate will not be the same without him.
Senator Ted Kennedy, Deat At 77
Despite the many ideological differences between myself and the now late senator, it was a tragic day when it was announced he had brain cancer, and today is a tragic day to hear that it has ended his life.
Rest In Peace senator.
Rest In Peace senator.
2007 Domaine Sauvette TOURAINE "Les Gravouilles" (Loire Valley, France)
A Gamay-based wine from the Loire -- think of it as the Loire's Beaujolais -- that is both cheap and really good. A superbly-refreshing wine.
Medium dark dusty ruby color. Bright nose of cold stones, candied tart cherries, and fresh, ripe grapes. Crystal clean Beaujolais-style mouthfeel, with zero tannins. Lots of tangy, stony, tartish berry/cherry flavors. Very nice acid balance. Maybe a bit higher-toned stoniness, but same refreshing appeal, as top-notch Beaujolais. 88. North Berkeley Imports sells this direct for $13.50, making it a great buy.
(Sorry: Sauvignon label shown.)
2005 Cuvee des Messes Basses COTES DE VENTOUX (Rhone Valley, France)
Nothing wrong with this wine, but not much to recommend either.
Medium dark ruby. Straightforward, vaguely earthy, plummy nose. In the mouth, the will is relatively light, with the fruit seemingly on the decline. Decent balance, and relatively soft. 79. $13 at Spec's on Westheimer.
Medium dark ruby. Straightforward, vaguely earthy, plummy nose. In the mouth, the will is relatively light, with the fruit seemingly on the decline. Decent balance, and relatively soft. 79. $13 at Spec's on Westheimer.
2007 La Playa "Block Selection" CARMENERE (Colchagua Valley, Chile)
This was an excellent value in a full-flavored, complex red.
Almost completely saturated black ruby color. Great nose of sweet cigar smoke, gravel, ripe blackberries, and cassis. Very much like a really good red from the Pessac-Leognan/Graves area of Bordeaux. Rich and weighty in the mouth, with deep, dark berry and earth flavors. Full-bodies, but not overly alcoholic. Lots of tannin, of the medium-soft variety, in the long, rich finish. Will clearly improve over the next 1-2 years. 88. Was $10.99 at Spec's on Westheimer. Imported by Cabernet Corporation (whatever that is).
Health Care Reform: What To Tell Your Congressmen
I have watched a lot of town hall meeting video clips on YouTube and they have been entertaining, enlightening, and encouraging. Possibly the best video clip I have seen is an ex-Marine who unloads on Congressman Brian Baird of Washington.
Retired Marine: If Nancy Pelosi wants to find a Swastika maybe the first place she should look is the sleeve of her own arm.
Semper Fi. Keeping it real! This leatherneck takes down Democrat Representative Brian Baird at Town Hall at the Clark County Ampitheater in Ridgefield, WA.
Tasty bits from David William Hedrick Retired US Marine to Congressman Baird; I will remind you. A little history lesson. The Nazis were the National Socialist Party. They were leftists. They took over the finances. They took over the car industry. They took over health care in their country. If Nancy Pelosi wants to find a Swastika maybe the first place she should look is the sleeve of her own arm.
Other choice bits, ....like you I swore an Oath to defend my Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. .....As a Marine, as a disabled Veteran who has served my country, I have kept my oath; do you ever intend to keep yours?
Hoo Ahhh!
Tasty bits from David William Hedrick Retired US Marine to Congressman Baird; I will remind you. A little history lesson. The Nazis were the National Socialist Party. They were leftists. They took over the finances. They took over the car industry. They took over health care in their country. If Nancy Pelosi wants to find a Swastika maybe the first place she should look is the sleeve of her own arm.
Other choice bits, ....like you I swore an Oath to defend my Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. .....As a Marine, as a disabled Veteran who has served my country, I have kept my oath; do you ever intend to keep yours?
Hoo Ahhh!
2004 Meo-Camuzet MOREY-ST.-DENIS (Burgundy, France)
This was marked down by half (from $52 to $26) at Richard's on Voss so I thought I'd try it. Not bad, but kind of loose and starting to fade a bit (as are a lot of 2004 red burgundies I've tried -- they're clearly to be drunk up).
Light amberish ruby. Initially intensely earthy (in a barnyard-y kind of way), but with air more fruit emerged and the earthiness took a back seat. Lots of soft, flowing, schisty-minerally flavors, with mushrooms and baking-spice laced mulled cherries. Tightened up on the finish, with hard, dry cherry extract flavors the last to leave. Zero tannin. 80.
(Note: Fixin shown, but label design same for the Morey)
2007 Domaine Cabirau GRENACHE "Serge & Tony" (VDP Cotes de Catalanes, SW France)
I liked this a lot. Lots of ripe grenache fruit, but with some earthy complexity and a soft texture.Deep, luminescent black ruby. Rich and deep-toned nose of spiced raspberry syrup, baking spices, and crushed stones. Round, rich, full, and lively, with concentrated black raspberry and mineral flavors. Lots of soft tannin in the long finish. This will keep and soften for 1-2 years in a cool cellar or storage place. 90. $15 at Spec's on Westheimer. Importer by Dan Kravitz Hand-Picked Selections.
2004 ColdiSole ROSSO DI MONTALCINO (Tuscany, Italy)
This wine was, to my mind, clearly heat-damaged at some point.
Very advanced brownish-ruby color. Intensely "winey" nose of sweet-and-sour cherry liqueur (some volatile acidity, i.e., acetic acid, lurking in the background), vanilla, and old leather. Extremely tannic, with a very flat, dead feel in the mouth. Slightly stewed flavor of flat old cherry juice and old leaves. What a shame, particularly since I dropped $26 smackers on this at Spec's.
Very advanced brownish-ruby color. Intensely "winey" nose of sweet-and-sour cherry liqueur (some volatile acidity, i.e., acetic acid, lurking in the background), vanilla, and old leather. Extremely tannic, with a very flat, dead feel in the mouth. Slightly stewed flavor of flat old cherry juice and old leaves. What a shame, particularly since I dropped $26 smackers on this at Spec's.
And now for something completely different: A personal list of my 13 favorite jazz discs of the 1990s and 2000s
I love jazz. But in a kind of idiosyncratic way. Not free-form dissonant stuff. No Dixieland. I know there are names (like post-bop or whatever) that jazz geeks use for various genres, but I don't know what any of them mean. I just like what I like. And here are some of my favorites of the last two decades:
Joshua Redman -- "Elastic" -- This trio recording with Sam Yahel and Brian Blade has some riveting sax solos, funky changes, and catchy melodies. These guys click.
Mark Isham -- "Blue Sun" -- Mark Isham is a spooky trumpet player, and this album catches an "L.A. late at night" kind of vibe. I love Doug Lunn's electric bass lines.
Arild Andersen w/ Vassilis Tsabropoulos and John Marshall -- "The Triangle" -- A piano trio that rumbles like tectonic plates moving. I'm not sure how they manage such a powerful yet melodic sound.
Marc Johnson -- "Shades of Jade" -- Some really haunting melodies, with the unique piano style of his wife, Eliane Elias, and Joey Baron's ridiculous drumming.
Pat Metheny -- "Secret Story" -- Really ambitious, complex waves of sound, drawing from classical, world music, and modern jazz, yet always melodic, with some really quiet, emotional numbers changing the mood just before it gets to be too much.
Peter Erskine, Palle Danielsson, and John Taylor -- "You Never Know" -- This piano trio does a lot of somewhat free-form stuff, but they mostly maintain a sense of structure and melody. This was the first of this trio's four discs, and to my ears the best.
Steve Khan -- "Got My Mental" -- I love Steve Khan's unique guitar playing, and in this trio setting (with some additional percussion giving it a slightly Latin feel at times) with Jack Dejohnette and John Patitucci, it's like a sound convoy.
Peter Erskine, Alan Pasqua, and Dave Carpenter -- "Badlands" -- Another piano trio featuring the amazingly tasteful drumming of Peter Erskine, this disc features Alan Pasqua's unique piano playing and compositions, which are at once incredibly melodic yet have surprising changes.
John Scofield -- "Bump" -- I love John Scofield's guitar playing. His style changes from album to album, ranging from classic jazz guitar to distorted electrified funk. This is more on the electric side, and kind of brings up images of a funky jazz bar in a distant galaxy.
Marc Johnson -- "Sounds of Summer Running" -- This disc conjures up exactly what the titles says. It sounds like a gorgeously sunny morning in a beautiful small farm town somewhere in the heartland of America. Featuring two great and very different guitarists meshing surprisingly well together (Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell). Plus Joey Baron on drums. 'Nuff said.
Marcin Wasilewski, Slawomir Kurkiewicz, and Michal Miskiewicz -- "Trio" -- This young Polish piano trio's first album is quietly sublime. As delicate as a butterfly's wings.
Jonathan Kreisberg -- "The South of Everywhere" -- One of my very favorite young jazz guitarists, this album has drive, melody, and fantastic musicianship.
Joshua Redman -- "Elastic" -- This trio recording with Sam Yahel and Brian Blade has some riveting sax solos, funky changes, and catchy melodies. These guys click.
Mark Isham -- "Blue Sun" -- Mark Isham is a spooky trumpet player, and this album catches an "L.A. late at night" kind of vibe. I love Doug Lunn's electric bass lines.
Arild Andersen w/ Vassilis Tsabropoulos and John Marshall -- "The Triangle" -- A piano trio that rumbles like tectonic plates moving. I'm not sure how they manage such a powerful yet melodic sound.
Marc Johnson -- "Shades of Jade" -- Some really haunting melodies, with the unique piano style of his wife, Eliane Elias, and Joey Baron's ridiculous drumming.
Pat Metheny -- "Secret Story" -- Really ambitious, complex waves of sound, drawing from classical, world music, and modern jazz, yet always melodic, with some really quiet, emotional numbers changing the mood just before it gets to be too much.
Peter Erskine, Palle Danielsson, and John Taylor -- "You Never Know" -- This piano trio does a lot of somewhat free-form stuff, but they mostly maintain a sense of structure and melody. This was the first of this trio's four discs, and to my ears the best.
Steve Khan -- "Got My Mental" -- I love Steve Khan's unique guitar playing, and in this trio setting (with some additional percussion giving it a slightly Latin feel at times) with Jack Dejohnette and John Patitucci, it's like a sound convoy.
Peter Erskine, Alan Pasqua, and Dave Carpenter -- "Badlands" -- Another piano trio featuring the amazingly tasteful drumming of Peter Erskine, this disc features Alan Pasqua's unique piano playing and compositions, which are at once incredibly melodic yet have surprising changes.
John Scofield -- "Bump" -- I love John Scofield's guitar playing. His style changes from album to album, ranging from classic jazz guitar to distorted electrified funk. This is more on the electric side, and kind of brings up images of a funky jazz bar in a distant galaxy.
Marc Johnson -- "Sounds of Summer Running" -- This disc conjures up exactly what the titles says. It sounds like a gorgeously sunny morning in a beautiful small farm town somewhere in the heartland of America. Featuring two great and very different guitarists meshing surprisingly well together (Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell). Plus Joey Baron on drums. 'Nuff said.
Marcin Wasilewski, Slawomir Kurkiewicz, and Michal Miskiewicz -- "Trio" -- This young Polish piano trio's first album is quietly sublime. As delicate as a butterfly's wings.
Jonathan Kreisberg -- "The South of Everywhere" -- One of my very favorite young jazz guitarists, this album has drive, melody, and fantastic musicianship.
Obama Advisors Profiting From Policies? NEVER!!!
Unless your name is David Axelrod
Big whoop right? David left the company after being brought onto Team Obama. One word, Halliburton.
Dick Cheney not only left Halliburton before entering the White House, but the contracts signed were also competing bids with other companies, and the funds gained were placed in a separate escrow.
The contracts with AKPD Message and Media were neither placed in a separate escrow, nor were they even competed against.
Two firms that received $343.3 million to handle advertising for Barack Obama’s
White House run last year have profited from his top priority as president by
taking on his push for health-care overhaul.
One is AKPD Message and Media,
the Chicago-based firm headed by David Axelrod until he left last Dec. 31 to
serve as a senior adviser to the president. Axelrod was Obama’s top campaign
strategist and is now helping sell the health-care plan. The other firm is
Washington-based GMMB Campaign Group, where partner Jim Margolis was also an
Obama strategist.
This year, AKPD and GMMB received $12 million in
advertising business from Healthy Economy Now, a coalition that includes the
Washington-based Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America, known
as PhRMA, that is seeking to build support for a health-care overhaul, said the
coalition’s spokesman, Jeremy Van Ess. …
Axelrod was president and sole
shareholder of AKPD from 1985 until he sold his interest after Obama’s victory,
government records show. The firm owes Axelrod $2 million, which it’s due to pay
in installments beginning Dec. 31. Axelrod’s son, Michael, still works there. He
didn’t return a phone call. The firm’s Web site continues to feature David
Axelrod’s work on the Obama campaign.
Big whoop right? David left the company after being brought onto Team Obama. One word, Halliburton.
Dick Cheney not only left Halliburton before entering the White House, but the contracts signed were also competing bids with other companies, and the funds gained were placed in a separate escrow.
The contracts with AKPD Message and Media were neither placed in a separate escrow, nor were they even competed against.
Extreme Opinions In Times Of London Comments
I found this in the comment section of ToL's article of the recent bombings in Baghdad (Any emphasis mine);
Yes, because we left Iraq in such a bad place...Would you have rather the US and British troops had left in early 2007 when Democrats started pressuring President Bush to pull out?
Shame on the US and UK for leaving Iraq in such a mess. Bush and Blair should have been hanged not Saddam Hussain. Saddam was ruthless, but atleast kept Iraq together and gave his people a better quality of life. The invasion of Iraq gave a god sent opportunity for Al Qaeda to spread its tentacles. Saddam unlike the US propaganda against him was anti-Al Qaeda (the blind right wingers in this forum from the US will disagree). This mess will take a long time to clear and the Iraqis will pay with thier blood for the folly of the Western powers.
Yes, because we left Iraq in such a bad place...Would you have rather the US and British troops had left in early 2007 when Democrats started pressuring President Bush to pull out?And the U.S. allied with Al-Qaeda? Seriously? We are allies with an organization that attacked the same building twice, a U.S. Embassy, multiple U.S. Consulates, and a U.S. naval vessal? (Source: Icasualties.org)
Flying Solo On ObamaCare
Not only do the Democrats not care what Republicans have to say about issues, they also are showing that they don't care what the American people have to say about issues.
The article from Mercury News makes it seem as though Democrats have actually tried to listen to what Republicans have said, and that the public opinion is in favor of the Health Care Bill.
The truth is just the opposite. With 53% of the country flat out opposing the bill, and 54% of the country saying that doing nothing is better than passing ObamaCare, there goes public opinion. As for the Republicans, they are not being listened to either. Democrats locked conservatives out of the debate on the stimulus bill, have made plans to eliminate the fairness rules in the "Contract with America," and have blamed Republicans for not passing ObamaCare, despite having majorities in both houses and the White House.
The Democrats have no interest in hearing any form of opposing views, whether from the Republicans or from the people who actually put them in power. They have gotten tunnel vision and are sprinting towards the light. Unfortunately that light is not the end of the tunnel...
The article from Mercury News makes it seem as though Democrats have actually tried to listen to what Republicans have said, and that the public opinion is in favor of the Health Care Bill.
The truth is just the opposite. With 53% of the country flat out opposing the bill, and 54% of the country saying that doing nothing is better than passing ObamaCare, there goes public opinion. As for the Republicans, they are not being listened to either. Democrats locked conservatives out of the debate on the stimulus bill, have made plans to eliminate the fairness rules in the "Contract with America," and have blamed Republicans for not passing ObamaCare, despite having majorities in both houses and the White House.
The Democrats have no interest in hearing any form of opposing views, whether from the Republicans or from the people who actually put them in power. They have gotten tunnel vision and are sprinting towards the light. Unfortunately that light is not the end of the tunnel...
Democrat Rep. #3 Admits True End-Goal Of ObamaCare
Barney Frank
Jan Schakowsky
Now, add Anthony Weiner to the list.
H/T: HotAir
Jan Schakowsky
Now, add Anthony Weiner to the list.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
H/T: HotAir
My Townhall Question For Obama
This is how I would word it exactly;
"Mr. President, while campaigning for the Public Plan there have been 3 key talking points that you have made. 1) That the plan will NOT add to the deficit. 2) That the plan will NOT be subsidized by the taxpayers. And last, 3) That there will NOT be health care rationing. With previous government ventures into health care such as MediCare and TennCare costing FAR more than their projected cost, how exactly do you plan on keeping all 3 of those promises?
How will you not add to the deficit and not subsidize the program, without rationing health care?
How will you not ration health care and not add to the deficit without using tax payer dollars to make up for a loss?
And how will you not ration health care and not use tax payer dollars to subsidize a shortfall without adding to the budget deficit?"
"Mr. President, while campaigning for the Public Plan there have been 3 key talking points that you have made. 1) That the plan will NOT add to the deficit. 2) That the plan will NOT be subsidized by the taxpayers. And last, 3) That there will NOT be health care rationing. With previous government ventures into health care such as MediCare and TennCare costing FAR more than their projected cost, how exactly do you plan on keeping all 3 of those promises?
How will you not add to the deficit and not subsidize the program, without rationing health care?
How will you not ration health care and not add to the deficit without using tax payer dollars to make up for a loss?
And how will you not ration health care and not use tax payer dollars to subsidize a shortfall without adding to the budget deficit?"
Support Glenn Beck Now!!
Glenn Beck stepped in it when he called Obama a "racist" who "has a deep-seated hatred for white people." Since that comment, many big advertisers have pulled their ads from Beck's show. Nevermind the fact that if you simply use Obama's name and "birth certificate" or "socialist" in the same sentence, you are called a "racist" by the left.Glenn Beck is one of the leading voices of our time. He speaks the truth and it is driving liberals crazy. (Well, crazier than they were already.)
I'm usually not in favor of boycotts because the participation level is so low they make no significant impact. In these economic times, every dollar counts. So here is a list of advertisers who have pulled their spots from Glenn Beck's show.
ConAgra
CVS Pharmacy
GEICO
Lawyers.com
Men’s Wearhouse
Procter & Gamble
Progressive Insurance
RadioShack
Roche
SC Johnson
Sanofi-Aventis
Sargento
State Farm Insurance
Wal-Mart
2005 "Nectar du Terroir" GIGONDAS (Rhone, France)
Gigondas can be one of the tougher Rhone wines to love. It's a higher altitude, cooler appellation than the other Southern Rhone villages that have their own appellation (e.g., Chateauneuf, Beaumes-de-Venise). So the wines can be a bit leaner, less overtly fruity, and more on the austere, minerally side. But when they're on, they're really good dinner wines.
This one was really good, and produced not by a private estate, but by a co-op no less.
Dark black ruby. Intensely garrigue-y nose -- lots of dry, minerally, gravel & herb scents, but in equal measure with nicely focused, spicy raspberry fruit. Lively, concentrated, and with Gigondas's typical sense of structure. Loads of minerals, iodine-y notes, and concentrated dry black cherry fruit. Lots of tannin, but it's more of the soft, rather than coarse variety. Long, lean finish. 88. Was $19.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.
Imported by Fruit Of The Vine, NYC, NY.
2006 Summers Napa Valley ZINFANDEL "Villa Andriana Vineyard" (Cal.)
WARNING: Pompously-written tasting notes that do a disservice to all who love wine to follow (according to one commenter whose comment I chose not to publish*).
I really loved this Zin. Texturally, it was structured and restrained enough that it reminded me of a really good classified growth Bordeaux, but flavor-wise it was all Zin.
Mostly saturated black ruby. The nose was awesome and complex. Deep-toned, laid-back plummy, blackberry fruit, augmented with lots of sweet, dusty, smoky gravelly scents. Concentrated and nicely-structured in the mouth, lots of deep but not over-the-top blackberry fruit. Full-bodied, but just barely. Not a massive, fruit bomb style (although I occasionally like those too.) Long, ripe, and smoky finish. 91. Was $23 at Spec's on Smith.
* I probably should have published the comment, but since I mostly do this blog for family and friends, I figured what's the point? If the person doesn't want to read it, he or she doesn't have to.
Stay Classy Cubs Fans
After officially having the fork stuck in them after the 4th inning, Cubs fans, angered at the 12-2 score the Philly's put up by the 5th inning, decided to douse Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino with a beer. The Cubs lost 12-5, then lost again 6-1 continuing their skid to 5 games, with hopefully 5 more to come as they start a series against the PiratesSo, if you know the tool-bag pictured on the left, please, feel free to kick his arse...If for nothing else other than the fact he is a Cubs fan.
After all Cubbies, it's not Victorino's fault your team is again flirting with .500, they just suck.
GIve Me Liberty Or Give Me Free Health Care
For those of you who missed the point of the title of this post, I am equating free health care to death. Here's why.
Watch this video. If you still want government health care after watching this, you need to have the government pay for psychiatric treatment. By the way, there will be a two-year wait for that treatment, if the government decides you are worth it.
Watch this video. If you still want government health care after watching this, you need to have the government pay for psychiatric treatment. By the way, there will be a two-year wait for that treatment, if the government decides you are worth it.
MUST SEE: Irate Father Gives Healthcare A Heart Attack
This is one of the best videos I have EVER seen. Will Mr. Sola become the next Joe The Plumber? He got to say on national television what a lot of us would like to say and he did a great job. Mr. Sola, we stand with you in your right to protect your family.
This video exposes the socialist (and bordering on Hitler-esque) health care legislation that is being forced on us. Also, it exposes the uncaring, indifferent, antipathetic attitude entrenched Washington politicians have for the people.
Pink slips for all politicians.
Sorry for the large video. It is wider than most.
This video exposes the socialist (and bordering on Hitler-esque) health care legislation that is being forced on us. Also, it exposes the uncaring, indifferent, antipathetic attitude entrenched Washington politicians have for the people.
Pink slips for all politicians.
Sorry for the large video. It is wider than most.
"I Feel Global Warming When I Fly"
"Global warming creates volatility. I feel it when I'm flying. The storms are more volatile. We are paying the price in more hurricanes and tornadoes." - Senator Debbie Stabenow
Has anyone else woken up to the fact that it is Mid-August, and there has not been a single named storm in the Atlantic this year? Now granted 2005 was a bad year, but please Debbie, name me one storm since 2005 that has made landfall on the United States as a Catagory 3 hurricane...
Oh, there weren't any. 2006 did not have any hurricanes hit the states. 2007 had Humberto as the only Hurricane to hit, and it was a Category 1. 2008 had multiple hurricanes (Bertha, Gustav, Ike, Omar, and Paloma) but Bertha, Omar and Paloma didn't hit the states, and Gustav and Ike were both Category 2's when they landed in Texas.
Ironically, the 2006, 2007, and 2008 Hurricane seasons did about as much damage as the 2006, 2007, and 2008 Miami Hurricanes.
Facebook Community Says No To ObamaCare
Out of over 693,000 people who have voted so far, 74.2% of them (514,473) have said that they do not want government health care.
America is speaking, but Democrats aren't listening.
America is speaking, but Democrats aren't listening.
Thanks For The Help Obama!
In the Health Care debate, one huge point is that Private companies are run better than government operated ones, and that ObamaCare will be nothing different.
Leave it to our fearless leader to provide us with this lovely piece of Prime Red Meat.
A little more and Allah will be sold.
Leave it to our fearless leader to provide us with this lovely piece of Prime Red Meat.
A little more and Allah will be sold.
Opposing Views Need Not Apply
Are you paying attention to what is happening in this country? The liberals have a grip on power and they have no intentions of letting go. Even if it means silencing all opposition.A large majority of Americans are fed up with the federal government. They are sick and tired of being taxed into poverty while the government spends money like a Hollywood diva.
The anger displayed at recent town hall meetings is not organized, contrived, or bought. It is coming from Americans who have had enough. To quote the movie Network, "I"m mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore."
How does the left deal with this anger boiling over? They label it as organized and bought by the Republican Party, or as extreme right-wing zealots. What a crock of crap!
The left is scared to death. Their knee-jerk reaction is to silence those who voice opposing opinions. Isn't this a government of the people, by the people, and for the people? It used to be.
Keynesian Clunkers
Zero Hedge has an excellent analysis of the economics of the "Cash for Clunkers" program that just got another $3 Billion of OUR money. Basically, the program is encouraging more personal debt and lathering on another heaping Cinnabon of debt onto the Federal err, taxpayers, books.
The Cinnabon of Debt!
From the article:
The $28,000 average price per car translates into a total sale value of $21 billion. Of that amount $3b will be borrowed by Treasury, the balance of $18b will be financed by the new owners.
A month from now the new payments will hit both households and Treasury. For Treasury the cost is $90 million a year. Just $7.5mm per month. Think of it as $7.5mm a month forever. For the households who are driving nice new cars the numbers are much worse.
If buyers finance their purchase with 8% money and a five-year payback the monthly nut for these cars is $375 million. Nearly $5b a year. The owners will have a fully paid asset at the end of the five years, but they have to pay for it in full. It comes to $500 per person each month on a fully loaded basis.
What? You mean it's not good to have another coupon book you have to pull and pay every month?
Over indebted consumers nearly killed us last year. CC’s, crazy mortgages, store cards, car loans you name it. We are not out of trouble yet from our debt binge. For the government to be crafting ‘solutions’ that just put another $18 billion of debt onto consumers is bad policy.
Simply put, this represents more flawed (panicked?) thinking on the part of our Democratic Masters, uh I mean, leaders, to jump-start the economy. Damned the cost! Full speed ahead. I have never been a big fan of Keynesian Theory - when I studied economics in the late 1970's, the theory was in the process of being completely discredited. But if you are going to do it, can't you at least do it right?
Yes, there may never have been such a "marriage of beauty and brains as that of Lopokova andJohn Maynard Keynes," but what we have right now is the marriage of socialism and power consolidation and it ain't pretty. But what the heck - we can all still afford a Cinnabon can't we? I sure hope so:
Rumble on!
Finally Asking The Right Questions
Although questions about the poor performance of the European style of medical treatment, the taxes needed to cover ObamaCare, and all of those are very good questions, there has been one question which has eluded Town Hall questioners...
Until now.
Ed Morrissey sums it up at the end very well saying;
(D)o as I say, not as I do.
Until now.
CONSTITUENT: My question to you, Congresswoman Tsongas, is that if this is such a great plan, why did you opt out of it when you took the vote? [loud applause, standing ovation]
TSONGAS: People often say why don’t the American people have what those of us in Congress have. [Audience erupts] Let me explain what I have. Let me explain what I have. What I have is a tremendous array — you know, last year when I went to a discussion — what I have is a tremendous array of choices. And I made a choice based on what I was willing to pay for and what made sense in terms of coverage for me and my family. [Audience shouts out: "We want choice! We want choice!] This is essentially what we are creating for the American people. We are creating greater choice.
[Smattering of applause overwhelmed by boos.]
Ed Morrissey sums it up at the end very well saying;
"This axiom applies: Beware the cook who won’t eat his own food. Perhaps the best way to make that clear to Tsongas is to get her out of Congress and make sure she loses that Congressional coverage as fast as possible."
(D)o as I say, not as I do.
How Do These Statements Work?
First, a caller to Sean Hannity's radio show was speaking in support of the ObamaCare Bill being pushed through the legislative process. This is a summary of the conversation;
The caller talks to Sean about how this will give better coverage to Americans, and also include 47 Million Americans (While leaving 37 Million others uninsured). Sean counters asking the man to name one government run program that has been run well. Then Sean stops and says, "Well, I can think of one. The Military. The government does an excellent job taking care of the men and women in the military." The caller then responds with "Well, what about the V.A.? It's terrible"
Think about that statement for a little bit.
Done thinking? No? OK, take a minute more.
So Government Health care = Good. But Veteran's Health Care provided by the government is bad?
The next comes from this video, with a little back story from Democrat Talking Points. The past couple weeks, not only have the (D)'s gone to attacking protesters, but also claiming that Health Insurance Executives should be seen as villains. When Jared Polis was asked questions about ObamaCare, the cameras rolled, and caught the tail end of this conversation at 1:42...
Woman 1 (Pro-ObamaCare): "...Turn their company around by denying thousands of people."
Woman 2(Anti-ObamaCare): "And that's how they make their money? Is by denying coverage?"
Pro-ObamaCare protesters all agree.
This one may take a little longer so I'll give you 2 minutes.
Got it? If not here's a hint. How can Health Insurance companies be making money from people who are not paying premiums?
The way that insurance companies make money is that they take the premiums you pay and invest them under the idea that the amount they can make on the interest from your premiums will be more than the cost of your coverage. If your premiums to the health care industry over the course of 10, 15, 20 years isn't more than the cost of the coverage, is it really worth you paying the premiums to begin with? Why not find a way to finance the costs of the services?
Logic. ObamaCare has not.
The caller talks to Sean about how this will give better coverage to Americans, and also include 47 Million Americans (While leaving 37 Million others uninsured). Sean counters asking the man to name one government run program that has been run well. Then Sean stops and says, "Well, I can think of one. The Military. The government does an excellent job taking care of the men and women in the military." The caller then responds with "Well, what about the V.A.? It's terrible"
Think about that statement for a little bit.
Done thinking? No? OK, take a minute more.
So Government Health care = Good. But Veteran's Health Care provided by the government is bad?
The next comes from this video, with a little back story from Democrat Talking Points. The past couple weeks, not only have the (D)'s gone to attacking protesters, but also claiming that Health Insurance Executives should be seen as villains. When Jared Polis was asked questions about ObamaCare, the cameras rolled, and caught the tail end of this conversation at 1:42...
Woman 1 (Pro-ObamaCare): "...Turn their company around by denying thousands of people."
Woman 2(Anti-ObamaCare): "And that's how they make their money? Is by denying coverage?"
Pro-ObamaCare protesters all agree.
This one may take a little longer so I'll give you 2 minutes.
Got it? If not here's a hint. How can Health Insurance companies be making money from people who are not paying premiums?
The way that insurance companies make money is that they take the premiums you pay and invest them under the idea that the amount they can make on the interest from your premiums will be more than the cost of your coverage. If your premiums to the health care industry over the course of 10, 15, 20 years isn't more than the cost of the coverage, is it really worth you paying the premiums to begin with? Why not find a way to finance the costs of the services?
Logic. ObamaCare has not.
Conservative Brawler Sums It All Up
This is exactly my thoughts summed up into one long post capped with this phrase,
With all this foresight it's a shame we're just the "party of idiots."
"I guess I'm supposed to feel good that I was right about all of these things; but really... I just hate to say I told ya so. I would have rather been dead wrong."
With all this foresight it's a shame we're just the "party of idiots."
Arrogant Little.....
Charles M. Blow Speaking about Republicans in his NY Times Op-Ed,
You know what, for people to make blanket statements like this really irritates me. I'd like to remind Mr. Blow about my degree in Mechanical Engineering. A little bit of humility might come if he tried to solve some Differential Equations, Heat Transfer, Circuit Analysis, or Integral Calculus.
Didn't teach you that for your Mass Communications degree did they?
If you're going to talk the talk, make sure you can walk first.
"Let’s face it: This is no party of Einsteins. Really, it isn’t. A Pew poll last month found that only 6 percent of scientists said that they were Republicans."
You know what, for people to make blanket statements like this really irritates me. I'd like to remind Mr. Blow about my degree in Mechanical Engineering. A little bit of humility might come if he tried to solve some Differential Equations, Heat Transfer, Circuit Analysis, or Integral Calculus.
Didn't teach you that for your Mass Communications degree did they?
If you're going to talk the talk, make sure you can walk first.
2007 MontGras "QUATRO" (30% Cabernet Suavignon, 30% Malbec, 25% Carmenere, 15% Syrah) (Colchagua Valley, Chile)
Outstanding. I believe this is the third vintage I've had of this wine, and they've all been excellent. Stylistically, it seems to be a hybrid of New World and Europe.
Almost completely saturated black ruby. Big, rich, ripe chocolatey nose filled with deep-toned cassis and blackberry fruit. Mouthfilling flavors of dark chocolate, ripe blackberry, and smoky, dusty gravel. It had a hair less weight and jamminess in the mouth than the nose led me to expect, but avoiding "fruit bombiness" is not a bad thing. It's flavorful, concentrated, with everything seemingly in balance. Long finish. 90. I believe I got his one at Whole Foods on Bellaire a while back for about $15, and I recently saw it at Kroger's on Buffalo Speedway and Westpark for the same price. (Spec's doesn't stock any MontGras wines.)
2008 Bonterra Vineyards ROSÉ (Mendocino County, Cal.)
A solid, relatively full-bodied, dry rosé. Fuller and riper than many Provencal rosés, but very nice.
Bright, light, bubble-gum pink color. Flowers, minerals, watermelon juice, and strawberry/cherry fruit on the nose. Full-flavored and full-bodied, with lots of oomphy ripe, tangy red fruit and light mineral flavors. Not complex, but gutsy, dry, and refreshing. With all that flavor it can even take a good cold chill to make it extra refreshing on a hot day. Adequate acidity to keep it in balance. Good value. 87. I lost the receipt but I believe I got this for around $10 at Whole Foods on Bellaire. It's also widely available in other supermarkets and wine shops.
Current Reactions To The Un-Support
Nothing says "What have we gotten into" better than Tim Bishop's reaction to getting a verbal bitch slap from a Veteran who puts him in his place after saying that the V.A. is Efficient and Effective without ever actually going to a V.A. Hospital.
Watch it. It's amazing
Some Statistics I Heard About Today
As your Congressional and Senatorial representatives return home to hear from their constituents, be sure to ask them about these numbers from the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) (Written by Scott Atlas, M.D., Fellow at the Hoover Institution, and a professor at Stanford University Hospital, originally published Feb. 18,2009 in the Washington Times);
And Democrats want to move towards this style of ineffective government controlled health care?
Breast Cancer is something that is a very hot topic for me. It has touched me in many aspects between my family, and those around me. Seeing that the United Kingdom has a mortality rate that is ALMOST DOUBLE the rate here in the U.S. Disgusts me. And for Prostate Cancer, it's 6 times higher than the United States in the UK, and 4.5 times higher in Norway.
Tell your Representative and Senator that a Yes vote on ObamaCare is a trip to the Unemployment line.
Fact No. 1: Americans have better survival rates than Europeans for common cancers. Breast cancer mortality is 52 percent higher in Germany than in the United States, and 88 percent higher in the United Kingdom. Prostate cancer mortality is 604 percent higher in the U.K. and 457 percent higher in Norway. The mortality rate for colorectal cancer among British men and women is about 40 percent higher.
Fact No. 2: Americans have lower cancer mortality rates than Canadians. Breast cancer mortality is 9 percent higher, prostate cancer is 184 percent higher and colon cancer mortality among men is about 10 percent higher than in the United States.
Fact No. 3: Americans have better access to treatment for chronic diseases than patients in other developed countries. Some 56 percent of Americans who could benefit are taking statins, which reduce cholesterol and protect against heart disease. By comparison, of those patients who could benefit from these drugs, only 36 percent of the Dutch, 29 percent of the Swiss, 26 percent of Germans, 23 percent of Britons and 17 percent of Italians receive them.
Fact No. 4: Americans have better access to preventive cancer screening than Canadians. Take the proportion of the appropriate-age population groups who have received recommended tests for breast, cervical, prostate and colon cancer:
* Nine of 10 middle-aged American women (89 percent) have had a mammogram, compared to less than three-fourths of Canadians (72 percent).
* Nearly all American women (96 percent) have had a pap smear, compared to less than 90 percent of Canadians.
* More than half of American men (54 percent) have had a PSA test, compared to less than 1 in 6 Canadians (16 percent).
* Nearly one-third of Americans (30 percent) have had a colonoscopy, compared with less than 1 in 20 Canadians (5 percent).
Fact No. 5: Lower income Americans are in better health than comparable Canadians. Twice as many American seniors with below-median incomes self-report "excellent" health compared to Canadian seniors (11.7 percent versus 5.8 percent). Conversely, white Canadian young adults with below-median incomes are 20 percent more likely than lower income Americans to describe their health as "fair or poor."
Fact No. 6: Americans spend less time waiting for care than patients in Canada and the U.K. Canadian and British patients wait about twice as long - sometimes more than a year - to see a specialist, to have elective surgery like hip replacements or to get radiation treatment for cancer. All told, 827,429 people are waiting for some type of procedure in Canada. In England, nearly 1.8 million people are waiting for a hospital admission or outpatient treatment.
Fact No. 7: People in countries with more government control of health care are highly dissatisfied and believe reform is needed. More than 70 percent of German, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and British adults say their health system needs either "fundamental change" or "complete rebuilding."
Fact No. 8: Americans are more satisfied with the care they receive than Canadians. When asked about their own health care instead of the "health care system," more than half of Americans (51.3 percent) are very satisfied with their health care services, compared to only 41.5 percent of Canadians; a lower proportion of Americans are dissatisfied (6.8 percent) than Canadians (8.5 percent).
Fact No. 9: Americans have much better access to important new technologies like medical imaging than patients in Canada or the U.K. Maligned as a waste by economists and policymakers naïve to actual medical practice, an overwhelming majority of leading American physicians identified computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the most important medical innovations for improving patient care during the previous decade. The United States has 34 CT scanners per million Americans, compared to 12 in Canada and eight in Britain. The United States has nearly 27 MRI machines per million compared to about 6 per million in Canada and Britain.
Fact No. 10: Americans are responsible for the vast majority of all health care innovations. The top five U.S. hospitals conduct more clinical trials than all the hospitals in any other single developed country. Since the mid-1970s, the Nobel Prize in medicine or physiology has gone to American residents more often than recipients from all other countries combined. In only five of the past 34 years did a scientist living in America not win or share in the prize. Most important recent medical innovations were developed in the United States.
And Democrats want to move towards this style of ineffective government controlled health care?
Breast Cancer is something that is a very hot topic for me. It has touched me in many aspects between my family, and those around me. Seeing that the United Kingdom has a mortality rate that is ALMOST DOUBLE the rate here in the U.S. Disgusts me. And for Prostate Cancer, it's 6 times higher than the United States in the UK, and 4.5 times higher in Norway.
Tell your Representative and Senator that a Yes vote on ObamaCare is a trip to the Unemployment line.
2005 Quinta do Valdoeiro BAIRRADA (Portugal)
Bairrada is in my view an underrated region in Portugal, with lots of good values to be had. This is one.
Dark black ruby. Subtle nose of ripe, red fruit (cherry, plum), smoky balsa wood, baking spices, and dry gravel. Ripe, lively entry, with medium body, and an elegant personality. Spritely acidity lends to a lively mouthfeel, with equal measures of tangy plummy fruit and crushed stone flavors. 88. Was $11.40 at Spec's. Imported by Direct Wines Imports of Texas.
(Hat tip to VINEgeek for the photo.)
2007 Tres Ojos Old Vines GARNACHA (Calatayud, Spain)
A very good value in a cheap red.
Dense black ruby. Intense nose of meaty, stoney notes over dry raspberry powder. Full, bone dry, and very minerally in the mouth, with somewhat bitterish raspberry fruit, and a fair amount of fine-grained tannin. This will be better in a year or two as the tannin settles out. At present, though, it's a muscular companion for chunky, meaty stews and pastas. 86. Was $7.99 at Spec's. Imported by Kysela Pere Fils.
2006 Frey-Sohler RIESLING "Rittersberg" (Alsace, France)
A decent starter Riesling from Alsace.
Crystal light gold with greenish glints. Identifiably Alsace Riesling nose of apply fruit (hint of peach too), sweet Earl Grey tea leaves, and deep-toned minerals. Intensely minerally in the mouth -- a lot more austere than the nose would indicate. Long and zesty, but too lean and unidimensionally minerally in the finish. 86 (based primarily on the strength of the nose). Was $19 and change at Spec's on Smith. Importer: J&R Selections.
Crystal light gold with greenish glints. Identifiably Alsace Riesling nose of apply fruit (hint of peach too), sweet Earl Grey tea leaves, and deep-toned minerals. Intensely minerally in the mouth -- a lot more austere than the nose would indicate. Long and zesty, but too lean and unidimensionally minerally in the finish. 86 (based primarily on the strength of the nose). Was $19 and change at Spec's on Smith. Importer: J&R Selections.
2004 Domaine de la Garenne BANDOL (Provence, France)
A very good but not great Bandol (an appellation that is a personal favorite of mine). Worth the price ($26)? I'm on the fence.Dark ruby garnet. Color looks kind of advanced for its type (Bandol can be a notoriously slow ager), but everything else says cellar a few more years. Classic Mourvedre nose of sweet, fragrant tree bark with lots of black raspberry fruit underneath. Ripe and round in the mouth, with lots of soft tannin still to shed. There's a lot of ripe blackberry and iodine-y/earthy flavors, with a long though not especially elegant finish. Note: This wine needed to be decanted several hours before it really showed its stuff. 88. Got it at Spec's on Smith. Imported by Bandol Wines LLC, of Houston -- I haven't heard of this company before but (a) I've recently purchased several of their wines here and am looking forward to trying them, and (b) I'm glad to see a new importer that appears to be focusing on this unique but underpublicized region.
So Much For The 95% Promise
Obama claimed during his campaign that he would decrease taxes for everyone making under $250,000. There was even a nifty chart showing it.
The NY Post points out that top income earners in New York could be facing a 57% tax burden. They've got an interesting graphic of their own. But New York isn't the only state that will have this. According to the Heritage Foundation Oregon, Hawaii, New Jersey, and California would be included in the 57%+ tax rate (47% marginal fed tax plus state taxes).
And even with all this on the wealthiest Americans, it's not going to cover the ObamaCare bill. After they realize it still isn't enough what are they going to do? They have two options. They could try raising the taxes on the wealthy even more. But how much is too much? We've already seen one prominent Conservative pack up and leave due to the tax burden of New York.
If you've played one of the recent Sim City games, you know that the tax rates in your city can be used to determine the demographics of your city. Tax one group too much, and they leave for another city. Lower taxes and they flock to your city.
As for the other option, the NYT has an article that you have to read all the way to the last line in order to get to the real point of the story;
My guess, both. In that order.
The NY Post points out that top income earners in New York could be facing a 57% tax burden. They've got an interesting graphic of their own. But New York isn't the only state that will have this. According to the Heritage Foundation Oregon, Hawaii, New Jersey, and California would be included in the 57%+ tax rate (47% marginal fed tax plus state taxes).
And even with all this on the wealthiest Americans, it's not going to cover the ObamaCare bill. After they realize it still isn't enough what are they going to do? They have two options. They could try raising the taxes on the wealthy even more. But how much is too much? We've already seen one prominent Conservative pack up and leave due to the tax burden of New York.
If you've played one of the recent Sim City games, you know that the tax rates in your city can be used to determine the demographics of your city. Tax one group too much, and they leave for another city. Lower taxes and they flock to your city.
As for the other option, the NYT has an article that you have to read all the way to the last line in order to get to the real point of the story;
“There is no way we can pay for health care and the rest of the Obama agenda, plus get our long-term deficits under control, simply by raising taxes on the wealthy,” said Isabel V. Sawhill, a former Clinton administration budget official. “The middle class is going to have to contribute as well.”Which one are the Dems going to do? Tax the rich out of the country, or start telling the middle class "it's your turn?"
My guess, both. In that order.
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