Daily Thought

Just a thought on Al Gore and other self-righteous people like that:

If you really care about the environment, wouldn't you want to change your energy-draining lifestyle and buy carbon offsets (more on these later)? Huh? You know, to actually leave the environment better than you found it? It seems completely phony to buy BS stock in some company just so that you can feel better about using 191K kilowatt/hours a month, Al.

This is why liberals fail as policy makers: they don't care if a policy works or not as long as it makes them feel better. This is the same reason that they trash the president on Iraq without offering a viable solution to the problem. Dissent is actually therapeutic for them, and that's good enough.

Game On, Vick

In case you haven't heard, a new development arose today regarding the dogfighting situation with our old friend Michael Vick. Basically, a website called Vick's K9 Kennels, which is owned by Vick's company and created by the same designer of Vick's personal website, lists the kennels as having the same postal address as the place where all those starved and injured dogs were found.

Please read this guy's blog, as it describes in great detail how Vick HAS to be screwed this time. This guy nails him. If somehow Vick gets out of this unpunished, I really won't know what to think of the Falcons, the NFL, or just society in general.

'08 Debate

At 8pm tonight, MSNBC is hosting a debate among the Republican presidential candidates. John McCain is also expected to show up.

Here's what to look for:

- Rudy will talk about how the U.S. must stay on offense in the War on Terror, and not return to a pre-9/11 mindset. The only problem is he'll show up at the podium dressed in full drag.

- Romney will eloquently toe the party line on everything, hoping no one asks him why he waited up until 18 months ago to adopt that party line.

- McCain, one of the few pro-war Democrats left, will leave after realizing this is the Republican debate.

Gotta love how things are shaping up! Can't wait til '08!

Stupid Hippies....

Unbelievable: The parents of a baby that died of starvation after being fed a vegan diet have been found guilty of malicemurder, felony murder and first degree cruelty to children.
Jade Sanders, 27, and Lamont Thomas, 31, will get an automatic life sentence for the death of their 6-week-old infant, Crown. After being fed a diet largely consisting of soy milk and apple juice, he weighed only 3 1/2 pounds when he died.
The Fulton County jury deliberated the case for about seven hours.
Prosecutors said it was a chilling case of murder by starvation, a painful and prolonged death. Attorneys representing Sanders and Thomas told jurors the first-time parents did the best they could while adhering to their vegan lifestyle. Vegans typically live free of animal products. "They're not vegans, they're baby killers," Fulton prosecutor Mike Carlson told the jury Tuesday during his closing arguments.
The couple's attorneys said they didn't realize their baby, born at home, was in danger until minutes before he died.
Notice that they named the baby "Crown". Sweet. I think I will name my baby "Dirt", because that is what mother earth is made of.

"So this is how Liberty dies..."

I am sure by now you have either heard of or recognize both of these bands pictured. On the left is My Chemical Romance and on the right is the Arctic Monkeys. Say what you will about the Arctic Monkeys' music (I have been on the fence for quite some time), but you have to give it to them for dressing fairly normal. How many guys in up and coming bands wear Lacoste shirts? Probably not too many because these bands like My Chemical Romance are trying to pass themselves off as edgy(Bill) and hip, but what they end up doing is looking like the Backstreet boys with black lipstick on. It's not fair that the kids coming up today are being fed crap like this. Our generation and our parents generation was lucky in the fact that we were told that guys like Eddie Vedder and Michael Stipe were cool and individualistic(which they were) while our parents were told the same thing about Lennon and Jagger. Those guys dressed how they wanted to dress and more importantly wrote lyrics and music the way that they wanted to and no other way. These icons gave us more than just music. They taught us to form our own beliefs and be stubborn about them. Do you think that My Chemical Romance would ever cross the record companies? I mean if you are a man you would never dress like those guys on the left. At some point you would have realize that wearing the exact same thing as your bandmates was probably not very good for your image or integrity. So, my point is that I would like to give it up to the Arctic Monkeys for doing it the way they want to because I promise you no record company would willingly let a band they signed go out in public looking like regular guys.

Outrageous

Read this article I stumbled across on a popular left wing site. It is a revealing and revolting look at moral relativism as espoused by the left.

"People (or rather, phonies) wax on about shades of gray, and life's many complexities -- but the fact of the matter is they need to get punched in the face. There are no shades of gray when it comes to pain -- that's why it's called a 'black' eye and not a 'shades of gray' eye. " -Greg Gutfeld.

Here's Why I'm Agitated This Week:

1. The ridiculous amount of time and money that the Zero Sum Democrats have wasted in a futile attempt to lose the war with one vote.

2. Probably, whoever takes over the PM job in Britain. Europeans are all about some isocialism (isolation-socialism. it works for me. that's all that matters). It is amazing that Tony Blair has lasted as long as he has. It is a testament to his character and moral fortitude.

3. The new liberal bible. Read this if you were not already convinced that liberals were cynical, God-less, group thinkers. I ruptured key blood vessels when I read this frustrating piece of crap.

4. Mark Redman: Sir Lobs-a-lot. I wonder how it feels to be solely responsible for half of the Braves losses thus far.

5. This picture from the Savannah Morning News:

This is awful, pure and simple. Country Day prom, probably.

6. And finally, the fact that ESPN has wasted months of my life talking about the NFL draft. If there is something to talk about, great, I'm game. But I don't care what kind of pen JaMarcus Russell uses.

Vox Populi: Gems of the Week

It’s my pleasure to bring the Gems back this week. Enjoy!

Dishonorable Mention:
"If legal U.S. citizens who happen to be parents commit crimes and are caught, what happens to their children?"
- The children are fed to whatever carnivorous wildlife is indigenous to the region. Down here in Georgia, they’re fed to alligators; up north, bears.

Dishonorable Mention:
"The city of Savannah should be ashamed. Our church held an Easter Walk in Forsyth Park on Sunday. It was like walking through a cow pasture. I thought people with dogs that use that park were supposed to clean up behind them. Shame, shame, shame."
- “Feel bad for me; I stepped in poo-poo. I like to say ‘shame’ a bunch of times to make people feel bad about things.”

Dishonorable Mention:
"I have blocked MySpace.com on my computer and do not allow my teenager on that site."
- I’ll bet you $20 your teenager knows how to get on MySpace, regardless of whether or not you blocked it. Kids know computers. Either that, or your teenager gets on at a friend’s house. You’ve stopped nothing. Now go be a good parent and actually EXPLAIN the dangers of a site like MySpace. Everyone knows MySpace is for weirdos and pedophiles anyway.

Dishonorable Mention
"Bacon Park golf course is the worst looking course in the state of Georgia."
- That’s because it’s run by the city. Not only has the course fallen into disrepair, but the staff is deplorable. I stopped by after work to hit a quick bucket at the range and they wouldn’t sell me a bucket because they didn’t turn the lights on at night at that particular time of year. The sun was still shining at this time. Bacon Park is a dump, but at least it’s cheap.

Dishonorable Mention:
"'Mother Nature Spares Legends' was your headline last week. With all of the people in the Northeast who were without power and have lost their homes and businesses to the storm, it's good to know a bunch of rich people could still enjoy their golf tournament."
- We don’t live in the Northeast. We’re smart enough not to live there, so we don’t have to deal with “nor’easters,” whatever the hell those are. God loves both golf and the city of Savannah.

Second Runner-up:
"The network pulled out early and the 'Dancing with the Stars' ending was cut off at almost every ABC station in the country. The host, Tom Bergeron, issued an apology and a recap of the ending on behalf of the network. This was aired on WJCL. So take your e-mails to the ABC network or maybe try calling the station next time for an explanation."
- We really throw the terms “star” and “celebrity” around way too loosely. With the exception or Clyde “The Glide,” I don’t know a single person on that show. I know there’s a girl with a fake leg. That’s about it. Oh, and I almost forgot: “…pulled out early…” Total cheap laugh.

First Runner-up:
"Thank you Rolling Thunder. Score a win for you and a loss for all those 'testosterone trucks' on Johnny Mercer, Islands Expressway and President Street. It was wonderful to see reason, sanity, and lawful driving return to the vicinity. We'd like you to stay longer than 90 days."
- What is a testosterone truck? And don’t thank Rolling Thunder for anything. So there’s been more police in town. That’s great, but can you tell me why there was a shooting AND a stabbing in one night not a block from City Hall? But hey, at least doughnut sales are through the roof. Also, to the cop that rode on my ass for 10 miles one day last week: shave your mustache; you look like a child molester.

And your Gem of the Week:
"Thank you to the city of Savannah for the pretty little boot they put on my car when I ran into the Federal building for about five minutes. They know they have parking problems and they're going to bear down on people like that?"
- This is your fault. You parked and didn’t pay. Dog the Parking Meter Attendant just gave you a heaping helping of justice. You probably double parked too. “Oh I’m in SUCH a hurry. I know I parked over the line, but it’ll just be a minute. Hold your horses!” I hate you.

Happy Friday, folks!

Still want to publicize healthcare?

In yet another semi-comical mistake at one of Ireland's publicly funded hospitals, a patient who was declared and certified dead was later found to be awake and alert when the morticians arrived to collect his remains. Apparently, he was suffering from the debilitating condition known as "sleep."

This is the same public healthcare system that shipped a dead English tourist back to England with someone else's organs stitched up inside. I sure hope this guy was actually dead before they removed his organs.

You can read the full story on FoxNews.com.

DOW 13,000

The Dow set yet another record today. And the unemployment rate remains at 4.4%. Ponder this for a moment. This means that of all the people who can work in this country, 95.6% have jobs. 95.6%. Seriously, think about that.

Hannity and others say that if it wasn't for Iraq, Bush's poll numbers would easily be in the high 60s right now (around where Clinton's were at this point in his 2nd term). But I don't necessarily agree with this, because I think the press would still find a way to downplay the current state of things (i.e., gas prices) and the administration, as usual, would fail to produce an effective response.

When we pick a candidate to run in the next election, we need someone who can communicate and sell the message effectively. This has by far been Bush's biggest weakness. In the 90s, every time the Dow broke new records, Clinton would go on TV, take credit for it, eloquently explain how great things currently were, and then take a few questions. The current president rarely does this, and even when he tries he just ends up stuttering a lot, which only serves as late-night John Stewart fodder.

Both Reagan and Clinton proved how important the power of the pulpit was. And the good news about the '08 GOP field is most of the contenders are effective speakers. Now if they can just find backbones.

Best Songs of the 90s - Addendum

I had a revelation today about this subject and felt like it was good enough to start a new post rather than adding a comment to the old one that no one would see. Every song that Pat listed was indeed well-written and memorable. Most importantly, though, every song was sung well, which is what really separates these songs from today's radio hits. Both eras have singers that fall into certain categories:

Mid 90s:
-Singers who have a technically and traditionally good voice: Adam Duritz, Darius Rucker, Ed from Live
-Good singers who had an edge to their voice, but still melodic: Scott Weiland, Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl, Daniel Johns from Silverchair
-Singers who weren't traditional, but had distinctive voices that remained accessible: Billy Corgan, Billie Joe Armstrong, John Popper, Liam Gallagher

2000s:
-Bad singers who whine, are too high-pitched, and all sound the same: Panic at the Disco, Fall Out Boy, 30 Seconds to Mars, Linkin Park, many other faceless radio bands I've heard in passing.
-Singers who think they sound raw and sincere, but are undeniably corny: Nickelback, Hinder, Creed, Staind, Default, 3 Doors Down
-Guys who don't even sing, but just scream and grunt: Disturbed, Drowning Pool, etc.

Would the newer bands' songs sound any better if they had good singers? Probably not, but I thought it was worth noting. Anything to get the thought of cole slaw out of my mind.

Delicious...

You can find this at Manuel's Tavern on the corner of North Highland and North Ave. in Atlanta.

Not a Murderer

The feeling I have right now is betrayal. Confusion. This must be what it feels like to be sat down by the two people you've known as "Mom" and "Dad" your whole life and be told that you are not actually their child. But through the fog of anger, there is a beam of hope. Sure, I can wallow in resentment of the secret that has been unearthed, or I can make up for lost time the best I can.

In my mind, I am recounting the hundreds of times it happened. A road trip. A hungover Sunday. Or just one of those days where having Wendy's for the third time in one week doesn't have any appeal. And every time it started with these words: "Alright, I'm going to Chick-fil-A." Let's reach far back. I can remember the last time I had a chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A. I was in second grade at Calvary, when all of the sudden I bit into one, and out came a tooth. So not only did that put a false notion in my head that eating their sandwiches would make me lose all my teeth, but it happened right around the same time that I had my first allergy test, wherein I learned that I am allergic to all nuts. I am informed that Chick-fil-A cooks all of its food in peanut oil, so that's where it ends.

I don't remember when it began, but somehow the waffle fries became a consolation prize for me. I never technically forgot that they too were cooked in peanut oil, but it just became convenient to ignore after I had no bad reaction after eating them. Stupid? I guess, but it's kind of like "forgetting" to wash your hands after going poo - it's just time to move on to something else, you know? Well, it hit me as I was driving that it's kind of strange that I can eat waffle fries with no consequences, yet it's cooked in peanut oil like everything else they have. I Googled the subject this morning, and there's a reason I've never had a reaction...

I can eat anything at Chick-fil-A. I can be a real person now. Turns out that when peanut oil is heated, it removes the protein from peanuts that causes the allergic reaction. I don't know where to begin. What should I order first? What isn't that great? Teach me to live.

Best Songs of the 90's

If there's one thing our generation will be remembered for it will probably be the terrible music we've had to endure for most of our lives.

The only real exceptions to this have been:

1) The 80's (Michael Jackson, Huey Lewis, Genesis, Tears for Fears, The Police, Wham, Culture Club, etc.), and

2) That short period in the mid 90's that peaked right around 6th grade (1994-1995). For whatever reason, you had lots of good bands from across the spectrum that were putting out good music. Rock music was actually cool to listen to and didn't involve excessive yelling, grunting, spiked hair, tattoos, goatees, and white trash. In short, rock music was something you'd hear on college campuses and on MTV, not in Strip Clubs or GoArmy.com commercials.

By late 7th grade, things started to turn sour (think No Doubt, the Goo Goo Dolls, and the Macarena), and I'm sorry to say that things still have yet to turn back around since.

So here's my top 15 songs from that 5th - 7th grade period, and they might as well be the best songs of the whole decade because it never got any better after this.

P.S. - There are clearly some strange bedfellows here. I'm sure if Silverchair knew they were being lumped in the same category as Hootie and the Blowfish they would collectively commit suicide, but I don't really care. It all felt the same to me at the time. Also, I thought this list up in about 10 minutes so I'm sure I've left some good stuff off, but hey too bad.

15. "Run Around" - Blues Traveler
14. "Self Esteem" - The Offspring
13. "Loser" - Beck
12. "Today" - Smashing Pumpkins
11. "I'll Stick Around" - Foo Fighters
10. "Tomorrow" - Silverchair
9. "Big Empty" - Stone Temple Pilots
8. "Basket Case" - Green Day
7. "Good" - Better than Ezra
6. "Interstate Love Song" - Stone Temple Pilots
5. "Mr. Jones" - Counting Crows
4. "When I Come Around" - Green Day
3. "Ants Marching" - Dave Matthews Band
2. "Let Her Cry" - Hootie and the Blowfish
1. "What's the Frequency Kenneth?" - REM

Honorable Mentions: "Better Man" - Pearl Jam, "1979" - Smashing Pumpkins, "Mmmm...mmmm...mmmm...mmmm" - Crash Test Dummies, anything off Live's Throwing Copper album.

Speaking of...

I just ran across this article on the Drudge Report. Apparently, Bill Clinton thinks that Al Gore will end up running for president before all is said and done.

I read a book by the brilliant political strategist Dick Morris a few years back (Power Plays). In it, he outlines 6 or so "plays" that world leaders throughout history have used to achieve political success. One of them involved owning an issue and standing on principle. He spent an entire chapter explaining that Al Gore lost the 2000 election because he allowed moderates to pull him off of his environmental high-horse. He said back then (2002, I think), that if Fat Albert ever regained ownership of the issue that originally thrust him into the national spotlight, he would emerge from the politcal wilderness. He has done that. Good call, Dick.

Here is how this will play out: Gore will hold out as long as possible, then he "will be forced" to run because no other candidates take the environment seriously enough. Like Mother Nature's Martyr, he will hesitantly throw his hat back into the ring. And, with the support of Hollywood and all the George Clooninites, he will make an interesting run of it. Clinton's negatives are too high, Obama's inexperience will lead to an implosion, Gore will be a contender, and Evan Bayh will hate his life for dropping out so early.

Ted Nugent Makes Sense!?!

Article written for CNN by the one and only Ted Nugent in response to the outcry for more gun control after the VT tragedy. Cat Scratch Fever indeed..

Harry Reid and "Low Carb" Food: The Enemies Amongst Us

First of all, I would like to thank Pat for the invite to join BMBS. It is an honor and a privilege and I will work zealously to advance our common causes.
Now, here is what is gnawing at my brain this week:

1. Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and the new Democratic oligarchy - one that has decided to conduct it's own foreign policy separate from the legitimately elected, constitutionally entitled Bush Administration. As though Squeaker Pelosi's self-appointed diplomatic mission to Syria was not enough (which ended in disaster, by the way), we now have Harry Reid proudly declaring defeat in Iraq.
This should surprise no one. The Democrats gave up on this war before it even began. As it stands now, the troop surge has only been halfway implemented. Let's see what happens and craft a meaningful strategy before we snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
The Left loves to compare Iraq to Vietnam. The only viable comparison between the two conflicts is their defeatist attitude. We can only lose this war if we allow ourselves to do so. By allowing Iraq to become an unstable haven for fundamentalists we would essentially be undermining the sacrfices of 3,000 of our finest. Thanks for speaking for us, Harry.

2. There is a new, revolting spin on the recent Low Carb diet craze. As though Al Gore's Oscar buzz, "carbon footprints", hybrid cars, and Earth Day aren't enough to make me lose my lunch, now my actual lunch might make me lose my lunch. There is a new movement among the green Left to reduce your Carbon "Food"print. That's right. This new "Low Carb" diet is not necessarily low in carbohydrates - it has a low "carbon footprint". The Greenie Weenies now want us to consider the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted by the production and distribution of various foods that we eat.

a) Upside: The new diet is largely centered around reducing transatlantic flights and so forth, which actually promotes domestically produced and distributed foods. Good for farmers and the American food industry.

b) Downside: It is exceptionally gay. And it has serious health implications. Imagine taking a date to Applebee's or some fine American dining establishment like that, and she asks the waitress which meal has the lowest carbon footprint. Not only would you immediately regurgitate your basket of onion peels, but you would quite literally suffocate in the ensuing cloud of Smug that drifts across the table.

That's enough for one day. I Democrat.

PS Harry Reid could learn something:
-To sit back hoping that someday, some way, someone will make things right is to go on feeding the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last - but eat you he will. Ronald Reagan

Welcome Chris Lane to BMBS

Finally a true original of the human race has joined our ranks at Beach Music and Boat Shoes. There have been other attempts in the past to get Chris Lane to join this blog, but none have stuck. When asked about these invites, Mr. Lane responded, "Was it in email? Because I signed in one day to my email and had 275 messages in my inbox. So I just deleted them all without looking." This, friends, is a nice analogy for Mr. Lane's approach to life and life's approach to him.

Usually this is where someone like Pat recites the member's accomplishments at BC and other notable details in the honoree's life, but I can barely recall which classes I took senior year, so I won't be doing that (feel free to try in the comments). What I do know is this: On what was supposed to be his last day at the Publix in Atlanta, Chris called in sick so he could go to a Braves game that night. Problem: Unaware that he was choosing to get blackout drunk at a baseball game, his co-workers had passed around a card to sign and had a cake made. Of course, someone caught him having a good old time on the TV broadcast that night and told everyone else.

Welcome, Chris.

____ is a Cool Guy

I was just over at a certain person's blog that covers a certain school's athletics, and I've gotta say - he's doing a damn fine job of keeping it up to date with good information. As I was reading the most recent post's comments (all "anonymous," of course) I realized that he may have a decently sized amount of alumni checking his site on a regular basis. And that's what it's all about. Keep up the good work, _____.

Also, you Savannah folks should be at Grayson Stadium tonight. Yeah, you were at Thirsty Thursday last night, but tonight actually has relevance to the sport you'll be watching. The opposing pitcher is Jon Lester, who had a great rookie season with the Red Sox last year. Unfortunately he had to be treated for cancer, but he's already making his way back. Need more reason to care? He was one of the guys John Schuerholz was trying to get in exchange for Andruw before the trade deadline last year.

Why This Blog is So Sparse

I know why production has slacked off on this blog:

I am miserable because I will never make more than $30,000 a year, and I never do anything.

Joe is miserable because he works at a bank and doesn't go to a keg party every night like he used to.

TC is miserable because he's in real estate. And he's married.

Pat is miserable because he's in law school and is still Pat Holland.

Stephen is miserable because he's no longer bogged down by school, so he doesn't get to play the martyr card anymore.

Will is miserable because he's 24 and has already gotten all he wants. Now it's just downhill from here.

Michael is miserable because he still takes college football too seriously, and Tech has lost to UGA six years in a row.

Tim is miserable because he's in med school and lives in Augusta.

Hypocrites

Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton: You constantly lead the charge against racism and degradation. You incited the masses and demanded retribution for Don Imus for his admittedly rude and uncalled-for remark. Mr. Imus has subsequently been fired.

Will you now, you champions of civil liberty, swallow your pride and give the Duke lacrosse team their DESERVED apology for the witchhunt you perpetrated against them?

Tragedy

Most of ya'll know I normally don't cover dramatic, sensationalized current events (trials, murders, shootings) on here. I think there are plenty of newspaper and cable news websites that can do a far better job of that than I could ever hope to. Plus I do a piss-poor job of talking about emotional stuff as it is.

I bring today's tragic event up only because 1) it seems heartless to not stop and mention it apart from the inconsequential, day-to-day shenanigans that constitute this blog, and also because 2) it will without doubt negatively affect people's views of the Second Amendment and give rise to countless debates on whether or not the federal government should enact stricter gun laws.

I will certainly reserve the political stuff for a later date, because to discuss it now would seem brash and presumptuous: it is simply too early to talk about what exactly happened and how or why. So I bring this up for now because it demonstrates how, as (former) college students, everything else we squabble over (i.e. final exams, jobs, etc.) can instantly become meaningless when you realize your life and others can be taken so quickly and in the least likely of places.

Alright, I'm done with the emotional grandstanding, soapbox stuff.

Not cutting it.

Apparently, Mr. Nifong has apologized to the Duke lacrosse players he so furiously went after, with no evidence, and tried to send to prison for 50 years, just to make a strong bid for reelection. The players are having a hard time taking this, as would I.

I think the best possible ending to this story would be Nifong getting convicted of criminal wrongful prosecution, getting raped in prison, and having no one believe him.

The State of Music, R&B Edition: 1967 v. 2007

Peaked at #19 in May of '67.


Has held the #1 spot for the last 2 months.

Global Warming Quiz

I am copying this from Cafe Hayek:

Suppose we discovered that the earth was cooling rather than warming due to a natural cycle. Would you encourage people to drive more and use more carbon-based energy as a way of warming the earth?

You don't have to answer, but I'm curious what Al Gore would say.

Run Fred, Run

I am having a severe case of buyer's remorse after endorsing Giuliani for president a while back. Not only did I not know he was going to come flat out last week and say he'd support taxpayer-funded abortions as president, but I also didn't think Fred Thompson would seriously be considering a presidential run.

If Thompson throws his hat in the ring, I'm much more likely to support him than Rudy. Without Thompson, we have without a doubt the worst Republican field since God knows when. McCain called Bush's tax cuts a giveaway to the wealthy and wanted to be John Kerry's running mate in 2004. Romney can't go an election cycle without changing his position on something. And Giuliani constantly denies that unborn children have a right to live.

Thompson strikes me as someone who can successfully and honestly articulate a conservative response to everything the left tries to throw at us. But he needs to step up soon and make a decision before it's too late. Newt needs to do the same.

The State of Music: 2005 vs. 1965

You be the judge.

Answer: April Pop Quiz

Our question was: When the Federal Government is running a budget surplus, how should Congress spend the extra money?

Just to give a short background, budget surpluses are an extreme rarity in American politics. They occur during those exceptional times when increasing tax revenues are coming in so fast that even Congress can’t find new ways to spend them quickly enough. The last time this happened was in the mid to late 90s, when Republicans controlled the House and the Senate and the Democrats controlled the White House. At first, partisan gridlock made it tougher for either branch to binge too much on spending. This was short-lived, however, because by the late 90s Republicans stopped caring and the binge-spending reemerged.

The question itself, like most of the choices, is flawed in that makes a key false assumption: that Congress should spend the money at all. And 3 of the choices are flawed because they assume that Congress would choose to spend the money wisely on either A, B, C.

We saw poll questions like this countless times during the 2000 campaign, when Gore pledged to use the surplus to create a Social Security lockbox, while Bush said it made more sense to give it back to the people by reducing income tax rates, arguing that Congress' relentless appetite for increased spending could only be kept in check by cutting its diet. Below I've critiqued/explained each choice.

Choice A: Use it to invest in education. It's the 21st century and we need to compete with China and India for the math and science jobs of tomorrow. INCORRECT: We spend thousands more per pupil than any other country in the world. The problem with our schools isn’t lack of funds, there’s more than plenty of money to go around. Instead, the reason for public education decline is lack of competition and choice. We'll "compete" (this term is flawed too, because in a positive-sum world of voluntary exchanges where everyone benefits from the resulting increase in the size of the capital stock, countries don't really "compete" with each other) just fine with China and India by keeping our labor markets deregulated and keeping tax rates low.

Choice B: Use it to save Social Security. We need to protect our seniors first and foremost. INCORRECT: The problem with this answer is three-fold: 1) It scares people into thinking Senior citizens are in danger of losing their Social Security checks, which is totally untrue; 2) Congress simply wouldn’t use the money to do this. Instead they’d waste it on pet projects to ensure they get re-elected; and 3) Because, like everything else, Congress constantly mismanages Social Security, it should be privatized so that you yourself can manage it. Why further feed this broken system in the first place?

Choice C: Use it to pay down the interest on the national debt. We should be committed to keeping our fiscal house in order. INCORRECT: This choice is tempting for fiscal conservatives, but again, the problem with this answer is that Congress would never actually use the money to do this. Anyone who honestly thinks 535 egocentric sleazeballs obsessed only with winning re-election would actually use the money to pay down the national debt is living in a dream world.

Choice D: Return it to the the taxpayers. It's not the government's money in the first place; it's the people's money. CORRECT! The only way to ensure the money doesn’t get wasted on broken entitlement programs or extravagant pork projects is to give it back to the people who earned it. Plus, lower tax rates give people more incentives to save, to work, and to invest, thus raising living standards and making America a better to place for business and voluntary exchange to thrive.

Choice E: Give the money to BC. SOMEWHAT CORRECT. We'd have to see if it would go towards the fine arts department or athletic improvements/public school recruits/hiring Urban Meyer. If it's for the latter instead of the former, I'm all for it.

Thanks to those who participated, all 2 of you. Will's answer came in a close second to Stephen's.

April Pop Quiz

So yea, I just won $100 on Florida, so you know what that means. K-Bob tomorrow. Anyway, I'd like to start a new feature here each month. In reality, this probably will only happen once because I'll forget to do it next time. But hey, enjoy it while you can.

So what I will do is pose a multiple-choice question, usually pertaining to economics, but rather than state the choices in their "true" form as I see them, I instead will present them as their advocates would (you'll see what I mean). Thus, I'm "hiding the ball" a little bit to make it more interesting by offering a few distracting choices that are inherently flawed but still might sound good on their face to some readers.

I'll let our readers offer their own responses, then put up the "correct" answer in a few days. Even if no one responds, I couldn't care less. I will still post and explain why one answer is right and why the other 3 are wrong, because I feel like it.

So anyway, here's our question for the month of April:

When the Federal Government is running a budget surplus, how should Congress spend the extra money?

A) Use it to invest in education. It's the 21st century and we need to compete with China and India for the math and science jobs of tomorrow.

B) Use it to save Social Security. We need to protect our seniors first and foremost.

C) Use it to pay down the interest on the national debt. We should be committed to keeping our fiscal house in order.

D) Return it to the the taxpayers. It's not the government's money in the first place; it's the people's money.

If your answer doesn't conform to any of those 4, feel free to provide your own. Be forewarned, however, that it won't be right.

Opening Day 2007

It's a beautiful day, folks. The Braves open their season today with John Smoltz facing the Phillies at 1:00. With the improved bullpen, potentially great rotation, and solid lineup, the Braves are pretty damn likely to make the playoffs this year. Enjoy.

Vox Gems

I’ve gotten lax with these lately. There’s been a sharp drop in quality material, and I refuse to deliver a sub-par product. Enjoy the Gems!

Dishonorable Mention:
"It seems to be a coincidence that the prices go up drastically before St. Patrick's Day."
- Price increases are done to deter cheap Yankees.

Dishonorable Mention:
"Instead of drive-by shootings, why don't we drive by and throw out belts for people who can't keep their pants up?"
- Belts don’t kill people. Guns do.

Dishonorable Mention:
"At least you have the sense to buy your beer or liquor on Saturday to drink it on Sunday. Us religious people have a good life and choose not to drink it away."
- Piss off, cracker.

Second Runner-up:
"Everyone in Savannah needs to pay their Georgia Power bill exactly 29 days late to teach the bureaucrats some compassion for the disabled and those who are struggling to pay their bills. Maybe then they will revise their policies. It is a disgrace how they treat people."
- All that would do is give them more money in late fees. If you’re struggling to pay your electric bill, conserve.

First Runner-up:
"We went to the Tybee Island St. Patrick's parade and they threw quite a few beads. Next year I wish the city would buy more parade barricades and the parade committee would allow the participants to throw beads. It would make the parade much more interesting and exciting for the parade watchers. Other cities from Tallahassee to Galveston have been doing this safely for many years."
- If you want beads, go to Mardi Gras.

And your Gem of the Week:
"When will they ever finish Highway 17 in front of Wal-Mart? They've been working on it six years and the store is already being remodeled."
- This perfectly illustrates the difference between government and the private sector. Big Bad Wal-Mart, the source of all evil, has completely remodeled its store to provide customers with even more goods at everyday low prices and a more enjoyable shopping experience. Your government, however, has abandoned you. They continue to neglect your needs and drag their feet on road repairs. And why? Because they can. They don’t have to be efficient or even provide you with any service at all; they’ll get your tax money again next year. The road, meanwhile, will still have potholes big enough to go swimming in.

Happy Friday, folks.

Iran Is Asking For It

I'm sure everyone is aware of the 15 British Sailors being held hostage in Iran. Iran thinks they are being so clever. Like these hostages would ever make these statements without guns pointed at their heads. Iran has been screwing around way too much lately. Now they've pissed off the Queen.

It's Time For a Diet

Earlier today I stopped by another one of my favorite Athens eateries: Cali 'N Titos. Former Georgia students will know this as Caliente Cab, which has simply relocated to Lumpkin Street and changed names but has the same exact menu.

Anyway, all of this is beside the point. As I'm waiting patiently for my burrito ($6, but big enough for two meals, practically the best deal in town) a loud, obnoxious, obese sorority girl donned in really big "goofy" sunglasses and a tennis skirt that could easily be made into living room curtains makes her way to the counter to place her order. She makes clear to the cashier in her loud but raspy voice that she specifically wants her Cuban sandwich with "double steak" and "double cheese," with an extra side of fries.

And it got me thinking: government is essentially a giant, obese sorority girl. An alimentary canal with an endless appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other. An ever-expanding, overfed monster that takes in so much and wastes so much money that's not even hers and constantly keeps asking for more, more, more. And when we decide to cut her diet by just the slightest bit by (God forbid) letting people keep more of the money they earn, her stomach growls with disdain even louder.

So when you hear Charlie Rangel and other Democrats in the Means and Ways Committee saying all options are on the table with regards to tax increases, ask yourself: why would we want to feed the Kappa Kappa Gamma girl's bottomless pit even further?

Minimum Wage

It's been quiet lately so I thought I'd throw something up. I saw this on The Onion.com.

Hillary/Orwell '08

Many of you have probably come across this ad (a spoof on the Macintosh commercial that aired during the 1984 Super Bowl) on TV or the internet in the past few days:



While I think the general concept is great, I have two big criticisms:

1. The clips they use from Hillary speaking are very mild-mannered, non-threatening, and mainstream. They don't really go at all with the message that's supposed to be conveyed. They could have done a much better job by using her "it takes a village," "I am going to take your profits," "we need to stop thinking about the individual and start thinking instead about society" quotes, or at least something where she actually sounds like the dictator she wants to be.

2. The ad purports to be in favor of Obama, whose voting record is just as socialist as Hillary's. While Obama's rhetoric isn't as bad as hers, what he does in practice is. So we could easily take down Hillary from the screen and replace it with Obama. Both want to take us down the road to serfdom by expanding the size and scope of government even further.

Countdown To Summer

After a two-year hiatus, Oldies 98.3 has returned to Savannah's airwaves, just in time for Summer. Chuck "Boom Boom" Cannon will be returning as well. Thank God.

Another new station I strongly recommend is 104.9 JOHN FM. They play beach music and old R&B constantly. If you listen to this station long enough you'll realize they play "Double Shot" and "Carolina Girls" at least once every hour, which is definitely my kind of station.

Only a little over 2 months 'til Memorial Day weekend...

Only 365 Days Left...

Above: Schwarz gives the camera his notorious "four" signal.

A pretty good parade yesterday. Weather was a little colder than most would have liked, but everything turned out fine.

The Good:
- The weather was okay.
- Sonny Dixon actually ended up being a decent guest speaker.
- The Oglethorpe Club to-go cups.
- Rick Schwarz is still alive.
- No one showed their ass. No arrests, DUIs, etc.

The Bad:
- It was damn near impossible to get a beer at Pinkie Master's (at least when I was there). I know this always seems to be the case, but this year it was beyond ridiculous.
- The barricades. It took what felt like an hour for me to get from the square to across the street. I'm sure it helped the parade move faster, but I don't think the benefits of this outweighed the costs.
- Compared to years past, no real drama or anything out of the ordinary. Except Aaron Bryan, who got in a nasty fight with one of the shrubs on the south side of Chippewa Square. And apparently Stephen and Schwarz got punched out by two Boston guys at McDonough's.

Overall Grade: B+

Quote of the Night: "I'll do whatever the hell I want, because you know what, I'm Michael Reardon and there's nothing anybody can do about that." - Michael Reardon

Thoughts and comments welcome, as always.

Vox Populi: Gems of the Week

I took a hiatus last week to celebrate my birth, but I’m back now. Enjoy the Gems!

Dishonorable Mention:
"For the powerful and wealthy politicians, their friends and business associates come first, before health care for children. How can these so-called lawmakers look their own families in the face?"
- I don’t want politicians to ever have anything to do with health care. I wouldn’t get tax advice from my barber, and I wouldn’t let Stephen cut my hair.

Dishonorable Mention:
"The Comcast turtles might have it over the Geico gecko, but the Aflac duck tops them all."
- Shut up.

Dishonorable Mention:
"Can we please get a light at Paulsen and 63rd Streets?
- Vox Populi will not install street lights or traffic signals for you. Call the City Manager; he’ll refer you to the Department of Public Safety, who will refer you to the Department of Motor Vehicles, who will refer you to the Department of Public Works, who will then refer you back to the City Manager. I love government.

Second Runner-up:
"The soldiers and their wives complaining about the treatment at Walter Reed Hospital make me sick. People are such babies now. You're getting free medical care. Be grateful."
- You are an insensitive prick. What kills me is that all the bleeding hearts out there that think this Walter Reed situation is such a travesty, and it is a travesty, they still want to see publicized healthcare.

First Runner-up:
"As a 'tourist' who has zipped off an HOV exit in error, I observed that the exit lanes are marked identically to the through lane. The exit lanes need to be painted in a different color, with arrows indicating the through lane. Those left exits are most confusing to out-of-towners."
- Is it so hard to pay attention to where you’re going? Atlanta is a terrible place, but at least they have road signs. Don’t drive like a retard and you won’t crash. I also hate that you used the word “zipped.”

And your Gem of the Week:
"I am a man and occasionally get a manicure. I prefer to have clear-coat nail polish applied afterward. I wonder how women feel about that. Should I have them buffed, or is it ok to have the clear-coat polish?"
- This guy called Vox on his pink RAZR phone. What a pansy.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, folks!

Like a Good Neighbor

This clip comes courtesy of College Humor, found by MacKenzie. It's from a news piece by WTOC, and just trust me on this: keep watching. The insanity rises minute by minute.

Anti-McCain '08

Today's Wall Street Journal opinion page (free to visit) does a great job examining McCain's record and revealing just how not conservative it is. Money quote:

While Sen. McCain's economic record is clearly mixed, a careful study demonstrates that even his pro-growth positions tend to be tainted by a heavy anti-growth undercurrent. This evidence, and the virulence of his rhetoric, suggest that American taxpayers cannot expect consistently pro-growth economic policies from a McCain administration.

Chippewa Square To Be Barricaded

It looks like they are barricading Chippewa and Lafayette Squares for the parade, and also in front of the Cathedral. Wouldn't it be more prudent to set up barriers on Bay Street to cage in all of the crackers?

A Very Inconvenient Truth

I'm sure y'all have seen this before, but for those who havent, check out this article from ABC about Al Gore.

The article describes the environmental activist's energy consumption. Al Gore's 20 room mansion blew through 221,000 kilowatt-hours last year. That's more than 20 times the national average. This is a perfect example of the hypocrisy of the limousine liberal.

The Worst Song Ever Written By A Beatle

Behold, Imagine. Of course this is not a Beatles tune, but it was written by John Lennon. I caught this song on tv or in a movie recently and I immediately remembered having to sing it with the rest of my classmates for some assembly in the eighth grade. Had I known then what I know now, I would have protested and refused to sing. This song is nothing but an anthem to Communism. Just look at the lyrics.

Imagine theres no heaven,

Its easy if you try,

No hell below us,

Above us only sky,

Imagine all the people

Living for today...

Imagine theres no countries,

It isnt hard to do,

Nothing to kill or die for,

No religion too,

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace...

Imagine no possessions,

I wonder if you can,

No need for greed or hunger,

A brotherhood of man,

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world...

You may say Im a dreamer,

But Im not the only one,

I hope some day you.ll join us,

And the world will live as one.

I only wish I was better informed back in eighth grade, but I just didn't know.

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose

After last night's "bye" week I am going through Friday Night Lights withdrawal. Then I took it upon myself to watch 4 straight previous episodes I've already seen online last night. This is the best goddamn show on TV.

I don't mean to politicize things, as I always tend to do, but I think this show is pure Red State America: hot girls, belief in God, caring more about sports than academic/intellectual BS, humility, raising hell, high school kids drinking Budweiser and not Starbucks. It's a far cry from the OC or Grace and Will or Sex in the City or whatever. It's the most realistic show I've seen on TV in a long-ass time. Hell, it may even be the first realistic show I've ever seen on TV.

So, for all of ya'll that haven't watched the past 16 episodes, do yourself a favor and catch up by going to NBC.com/fnl, where you can watch all them there. And after that, tune in on Wednesday nights at 8pm on NBC.

First St. Patrick's Weather Projection

I'm not sure if anything can match the weather we had last year, but it looks good so far. As we all know, that can change quickly. 9 more days.

Wilson Phillips

After posting that Clerks 2 clip, I searched for another one of my favorite scenes from a comedy that isn't hugely popular. This is from Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle. If you remember Wilson Phillips, their song "Hold On," and how in the beach shot of the music video they kept Carnie Wilson covered up while the other two showed skin, then you will appreciate this. We've all wanted to do this.

The Evolution of Athens Nightlife

I thought now would be a good time to step back and look at how the Classic City bar scene has evolved over the last 6 years. In bold were the bars that were really "in" at that particular time. If I've left off anything please let me know.

FRESHMAN YEAR

Fall 2001
- Uptown Lounge
- El Centro
- Georgia Theatre
- Bird Dog
- Firehouse

Spring 2002
- Bird Dog
- El Centro
- Uptown Lounge
- Georgia Theatre
- Roadhouse
- Molly O'Shea's

SOPHOMORE YEAR

Fall 2002
- Bourbon Street (upstairs opens)
- Bird Dog
- El Centro
- Last Call (a very short-lived phase)
- East/West
- Roadhouse

Spring 2003
- Hedges
- Bourbon Street
- J.R.'s
- East/West
- Roadhouse

JUNIOR YEAR

Fall 2003
- Bourbon Street
- General Beauregard's
- Boar's Head
- East/West

Spring 2004
- Bourbon Street (the long "bench" downstairs is replaced with booths)
- Boar's Head
- General Beauregard's
- Cutter's

SENIOR YEAR

Fall 2004
- Boar's Head
- Cutter's
- Bourbon Street
- Winery
- Roadhouse

Spring 2005
- Cutter's
- Allgood
- Bourbon Street
- Copper Creek
- Winery

LAW SCHOOL

Fall 2005
- Winery
- Firehouse
- Bourbon Street
- Genco
- Allgood
- The Arch

Spring 2006
- Firehouse
- Bourbon Street
- Genco
- Allgood
- The Arch
- Buddha Bar

Fall 2006
- Firehouse
- Bourbon Street
- Allgood
- The Arch
- Buddha Bar

A few remarks:

* During Freshman year, we'd always ride the Russell Hall night bus downtown, which would already be packed by the time it stopped at O-House.

* Since its controversial inception in the Spring of 2002, Bourbon Street has been the standard-bearer. However, because no one stays at Bourbon Street past 11, it never really qualified as an "in" bar except during its initial prime (Fall of '02).

* During the Spring of '03, there was a short-lived but intense Hedges phase. While it didn't last long, there was a period of about 3 months or so where it was literally the only bar we would go to (after Bourbon Street, of course).

* El Centro was known as the Savannah bar in early days. By 2004, most of the Savannah crowd had "graduated" to Cutters, which essentially became a white-collar, drug-free version of El Centro.

* Due to its close resemblence to the legendary Uptown Lounge, Firehouse immediately left a bad taste in everyone's mouth after freshman year. However, it has recently experienced a renaissance of sorts. Reason? $1 well pints between 9-10. But beware, the Mexicans start showing up around 11 or so.

Lord of the Rings vs. Star Wars

I just watched a pretty good movie, Clerks 2. In the midst of this decent comedy was one of the funniest scenes I've ever seen in a movie. It's three-and-a-half minutes of nerds debating which trilogy, LOTR or Star Wars, is the better trilogy. It's heavily slanted in favor of Star Wars, so you anti-LOTR people should be satisfied.

Profanity in Liberal vs. Conservative Blogs

I thought this article was interesting which searched the 18 biggest Lefty blogs, and 22 biggest Righty blogs for George Carlin's infamous "7 dirty words." It found, not surprisingly I might add, the Liberal blogs used profanity more than the Conservative ones at a ratio of 18 to 1. I wanted to hear why this was true from some liberals, so I went to the Fark.com comment forum related to the linked article to see how they responded. Here are a few of the ones that helped me understand why Liberals need to cuss about politics:


2007-03-01 09:21:38 PM1rtfarm

Maybe because it's hard to curse when you're diddling little boys?

Alright, a Foley scandal reference!

2007-03-01 11:40:11 PMrlbigfish

I know it's been said in one way or another...but the Left's got more of a reason to be pissed off. It has to do with them wanting the freedoms that the Right is taking away.

Because Conservative ideology is about restricting the rights of the individual and increases the role of the government.

2007-03-02 06:01:07 AMRunningjoke

Democrats = Rude emotional non-thinking cry babies
Republicans = Polite cold calculating callous baby killers

Those republicans are always killing babies!

2007-03-02 06:57:59 AMschrodingers cat

Most self respecting Christian conservatives would never do anything as undignified as - goodness - swearing in public, (and certainly not on a static IP address) as they much prefer the cloak of darkness before putting on their wife beaters to go score some meth and an underage gay prostitute just to build up enough spiritual guilt and indignation to stomach legislating morality to us Heathens that would be living in a cave, fornicating with sheep, if not, for the grace of God, go'eth they.

Alright.

2007-03-02 07:00:01 AMa large angry dinosaur

Yeah you know what this headline says to me? That rightwingers are almost entirely middle aged, middle upper class squares with a serious case of stickarse. Leftists are the movers and the changers, the people with opinions instead of soundbites.Even if you buy none of that, swearing is cool and I'm proud that people who share my views use it. If it keeps idiots from reading the blog in mortal terror that they might be offended that's only good news to me.There are more important problems in the world than people getting offended and the sooner Bible beaters understand this, the better. In fact, people getting offended does not even register on my Care-O-Meter these days.

Basically it is cool to swear. Leftists are the movers and the changers. I don't even know what that means. One post made a lot of sense, though:

2007-03-02 07:21:43 AMPoint02GPA

I bet it has something to do with their upbringing.

I bet you are correct. Our Dads may have swore around us but we got our asses kicked if we trotted around in public cussing up a storm.

Vox Populi: Gems of the Week

I got some good stuff this week. Here they are, your Gems of the Week.

Dishonorable Mention:
"The squares are downtowner's front lawns. How would you like it if someone pitched a tent in your front yard and partied all night with noise and then expected to use your powder room?"
- First, the squares are public property. Second, no one around here uses the terms “downtowner” or “powder room.” You must be a Yankee.

Dishonorable Mention:
"What in tarnation is going on with President Bush? Does he know what he is doing with America? (sic) Clinton, if you're out there, please come back into office."
- I can’t even touch this one.

Dishonorable Mention:
"The next thing to ban should be the big carts full of food and drinks they haul to the parade and crowd the sidewalks with. Can't they go three hours without feeding their faces?"
- I’m okay with the food and drink carts at the Parade, but the junk vendors have to go. Everyone knows who I’m talking about. I’m not proposing a ban; the City doesn’t need to get involved. Just don’t buy their crap and they’ll go away. You kid does not need a horn or plastic sword or inflatable baseball bat to enhance his enjoyment of the Parade.

Dishonorable Mention:
"Educate yourself and become a senator or don't and become president."
- Oh that’s cute. Hinting that our president is uneducated; that’s precious. Our president is a graduate of one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Where did you go to college? Where’d you go to high school for that matter? Did you even finish?

Third Runner-up:
"It breaks my heart that our historic downtown is going to condos and hotels. It really takes away from our beautiful city, and parking is terrible. Oh, how I miss the old Savannah."
- I disagree. The hotels are vital to our tourism industry here. Say what you will about the annoying tourists; and they are annoying, but they spend disgusting amounts of money here and I’m okay with that. As for condos, I want to see more built. If there are a lot of condo units available in the historic district, then prices will go down and I might be able to afford one.

Second Runner-up:
"Payday lenders are vultures who prey on the working poor and politicians who support vultures should be tarred and feathered."
- Payday lenders provide a service. They do so because it’s profitable for them. A payday advance is a high-risk loan because those who use them generally have little income and little or no personal savings. Because there is more risk, the interest rate is higher. This practice is not predatory. Save money, live within your means, and pay your credit card off every month. This is the path to sound financial living.

First Runner-up:
"The mafia of big oil and its local henchman have begun their yearly economic terrorism with 10 percent hikes in the price of gas in just a couple of weeks. Gas prices of $3 per gallon are predicted, and economic stagnation will follow just like last year. The gouging of hard working Americans must end."
- Here we go again with the gas prices. What we’ve seen over the past month is natural market fluctuation. Pat made this point over a year ago, but I’ll reiterate: gas was less than $2 a gallon three weeks ago. Was “Big Oil” less greedy three weeks ago?

And your Gem of the Week:
"What on Earth is a thesaurus?"
- I swear I did not make this up.

Happy Friday, folks.

Two more weeks.....

Endorsement

Assuming anyone actually gives a damn, I announce tonight that I will be supporting Rudy Giuliani for president in 2008. There are undoubtedly many reservations I have regarding this choice, but the process of elimination has forced me to reach this conclusion. I realize we have a long-ass time until election day and that countless things could happen between now and then that could make me regret this, but right now I see Rudy as the best all-around shot for the Republican party.

Don't get me wrong, in a perfect world I'd support someone more conservative (whomever the libertarian candidate ends up being). But the truth is, in practical terms, Rudy looks like our best shot at beating Hillary. He'd do a lot to help return the Republican party to its Goldwater roots. He'd demonstrate that conservatism isn't about bashing hippies and gays or being in Lambda Chi, but instead about embracing limited government, market economics, and individual liberty. He's so electable that I wouldn't be surprised if California even turned back into a red state like it was in the 80's. His commitment to small government, entitlement reform, and free markets helped revitalize New York City. Imagine what it could do for America.

While Rudy's record of failing to protect the lives of the unborn and the Second Amendment is downright atrocious, I think his position on these issues could change once he actually leaves New York City for once. He would also do well to name a social conservative (Newt) as VP to help rally the party. Because I know how Newt thinks, he probably won't enter himself into the race until September. This is smart, but it shouldn't stop the Giuliani team from opening up some kind of dialogue with Newt now about joining a single ticket once the smoke clears after the primaries.

Most say that Rudy's toughest fight will be getting through the primaries, but with all the polls already showing him 10-15 points in the lead among Republican voters, this might not be as hard as once thought.

All of you Rudy supporters who will be joining my ranks can find campaign apparel and merchandise at the new Spalding Group website (the same company responsible for the brilliant "W the President" product line in '04).

In Praise of Sweatshops

I know what you're thinking: what a heartless thing to say! How could someone in their right mind actually be for sweatshops?!?! Well, first watch this short 4 minute clip from a recent 20/20 Special and then tell me what you think.

Kudos to ABC's John Stossel for being one of the very few journalists in network news that actually gives both sides a fair shake.

Of Course This Would Happen

You can't make this up.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/26/sharpton.thurmond.ap/index.html

The Battle Continues...

As you may have noticed, the list of contributors to your immediate right has shortened a bit. Two of our distinguished founding members, Will Fleming and Stephen Leonard, are no longer with us. Rest assured, the reasons behind their departure were not in vain or related to any ill will among the contributors. Both simply decided it was time to move on.

Over the last two years, Fleming and Leonard played an integral role in shaping this blog. Leonard's tried and true die-hard conservatism will be sorely missed, as will Fleming's commentary on BC and local eating establishments. However, while both have left enormous shoes to fill, I am confident we can and will continue to carry out our purpose.

In filling the political void, I must say I am most confident with the evolution of Joe Wood's role here. Wood's development over the past year from a relatively quiet presence to a staunch defender of the virtues of free markets is very assuring. His cynicism towards blind ideology over reasonable practicality, displayed weekly in his Vox Populi Gems commentary, helps confirms this. And I further can personally testify to Wood's right-minded convictions which were demonstrated yet again last night during a discussion about the affordability of private health insurance while playing bumper pool at Doc's Bar at 2:30 in the morning.

As for the BC side of things, Fleming will continue his regular commentary on Cadet sports over at BC Gottum, which has grown from a small side project to a flagship site in its own right. I wouldn't be surprised if Gottum's traffic regularly exceeds ours on any given day.

So while we wish our first two BMBS "Alumni" the best of luck in future endeavors, this is no time to lose hope. The battle continues...

Creepy

This looks like a damn good high school. The "about BHS" part sounds eerily familiar. Does anyone know if they got the plan for the school from us since we were founded before them? Also, they have the #1 ranked basketball team in Virginia.
http://www.benedictinehighschool.org/home/home.asp

Friday Morning YouTube Grab Bag

At age 4, this guy was my idol. Damn I miss the Eighties.

Vox Populi: Gems of the Week

Oh man, we had some GREAT sumbissions this week, but this isn’t the BCS and I picked one winner. Here they are, your Gems of the Week:

Dishonorable Mention:
"What kind of self-absorbed twit thinks people set a goal in life of earning minimum wage?"
- People unconsciously set that goal when they choose to drop out of school and not work hard when someone finally hires them.

Dishonorable Mention:
"Georgia Power makes family members on Social Security and welfare suffer with the high power bills. They are ripping off the public."
- Georgia Power is not picking on you. Everyone pays the same rate. Regardless, Georgia Power still sucks. They were recently allowed to increase their rate due to rising fuel costs under the condition that if fuel costs go back down, Georgia Power must reduce their rate or repay their customers. Don’t hold your breath for either.

Dishonorable Mention
“What closes clubs is the behavior people use in them clubs.”
- Wow. Ok, I’m not smug to the point that I make fun of people who use bad grammar in casual conversation. I don’t. However, when you call or write in to Vox to publicly make your point (which is really no point at all), clean up your grammar or everyone who reads your comment will think you’re a total idiot. People will automatically assume you’re an idiot just for contributing to Vox; don’t give them more evidence.

Third Runner-up:
"I confess. I'm the father of Anna Nicole's baby. Write me the check."
- Oh! How ruthlessly absurd! For you, a resident of Savannah, GA to say you’re the father of a rich, deceased California woman’s baby is simply ludicrous! But seriously, guys have only been telling that joke for what, three weeks now? You’re a quick one… NOT!!! Oh I got you good.

Second Runner-up:
"People in India were protesting Valentine's Day. Isn't that a waste of time? If they don't want to buy a valentine, don't buy one and let those who want to alone."
- Yes. That’s exactly why the Indian people were angered by Valentine’s Day; they didn’t want to buy cards. The Hindu and/or Muslim people in India were so upset over the commercialization of a Christian holiday that they took to the streets in protest.

First Runner-up:
"I picked my dogs up from doggie daycare at noon and they had not been walked yet."
- I wish we all had time to pick up our dogs from doggie daycare at noon on a week day, but we have to work. I’m completely certain that you are a used-to-be-hot, trophy housewife who does nothing but spend your rich husband’s money and flaunt your ever-sagging features at the lawn boy, pool boy, tennis coach, country club golf pro, gardener, cable guy, mail man, UPS guy, FedEx guy, auto mechanic, local cops, fire fighters, and your adolescent son’s friends. Walk your own dogs, hag.

And your Gem of the Week:
"I think all American law enforcement should stage a walk out for a day in protest over the border guard who was unjustly put in jail for doing his job when he shot an illegal alien drug dealer."
- Holy shit, are you kidding? I came across this on Wednesday and was literally stunned. This is by far the DUMBEST thing I’ve read in months, and I read Vox every day. This person can’t be serious. Just think what would happen if all law enforcement walked out on their jobs. It goes without saying that this is the front runner for Gem of the Year, 2007.

Happy Friday, folks.

Disclaimer

In light of recent controversy, I've decided to issue this warning to all our visitors, past, present, and future:

The views and opinions expressed on this First Amendment-protected blog are those of independent and free-thinking Irish-Catholic American citizens (except Ryan, who is Cracker-Methodist and can thus handle any lawsuits you may wish to bring). Love us or hate us, we will always strive to facilitate discussion in the great marketplace of ideas on every topic ranging from St. Patrick's Day, downtown eating places, Thirsty Thursdays, politics, the great debate of Barnes vs. Carey Hilliard's, and yes, sometimes even BC.

Anyone who can't deal with that can start their own blog, visit another blog, or get a life.

You might be a Cracker on St. Patrick's Day if...

Okay men, it's about that time of year. This is by far my favorite post, started by our illustrious Colonel, Will Fleming. I'll start off with a couple of my own.

You know St. Patrick's Day as "St Paddy's Day."

You're first name is other than a saint's name.

You're idea of dressing up is to stroll down to the 7-11 and buy a "Saint Patrick was a Saint, but I ain't" t-shirt

You have no idea people watch the parade from the squares.

You believe the Shriners have an inalienable right to be in the parade.

You think the K of C is Kentucky Fried Chicken.

You search far and wide for green beer.

You tell your buddies to meet you in front of Wet Willies, because that's where it's at.

New BC Website

The new website is up and running. The address is still www.bcsav.net. It is not completely finished, but it had to be up for RFI, which goes down 22 FEB.

No Girls Allowed

It was brought to my attention last night that a certain female companion who reads this blog is interested in coming down for St. Patrick's Day. The reasons for her previous two years of 3-17 absence were being underage the first year, and being in Italy last year. She's genuinely excited about the whole thing, but I want to make sure she knows the bad stuff that comes with the good.

So if you have any insight into what it's like to bring a girl for the parade, especially one who isn't from Savannah, please post them here. Even if you've never brought a girl for the day's festivities, feel free to give her some advice.

The Squeaky Wheel Gets The City Ordinance

During my daily review of Vox Populi, I came across something that wasn’t a gem; rather it was something of genuine concern to us all. I had read about the new ordinance regarding the setting up of tents on St. Patrick's Day weekend, but this Vox submission shook me from my silence:

"The new rule to restrict tents in the squares on St. Patrick's Day will hurt families that support the festival every year. Why must the city always regulate law abiding citizens?"

See, I know how the whole thing started. Rich, transplanted Yankees moved into the Historic District so they could live in the increasingly expensive townhouses, drink their cappuccinos and bitch about the squares to anyone who will listen. They read the book* and thought, “My, what a quaint and genteel little town with their gender-confused performers and voodoo priestesses. Savannah looks so cute. They drink alcohol there. They say cute things like ‘sir’ and ‘ma’am’ and ‘thank you.’ I’d love to live there.”

These people have no idea what St. Patrick’s day is about, so when that one day a year rolls around where everyone is out having a good time, the Yankees are displeased and if there’s one thing a Yankee can do, it’s complain. So the Yankees call up their councilman and start complaining. Since NOTHING is more annoying than a complaining Yankee, the City caves and passes these new ordinances that really won’t do anything but quiet the Yankees, at least for a minute.

If the City Council had a spine, they could have just reminded the Yankees that this year’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities will generate more revenue for the city of Savannah than their property tax dollars ever will and if they don’t like it, then they can shoot on over to I-95 and go north.

* - The book, of course, is Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil.

Mitt Romney: Flip Flopper

Is Mitt Romney the Republican version of John Kerry? If you watch clips from his debates with Ted Kennedy in 1994, and his campaign for governor in 2002, both of which I've posted below, this seems to be the case. Professor Bainbridge nailed it yesterday on his blog:

I am deeply suspicious of politicians whose views on abortion, stem cells, and the rest of the culture of life issues "evolve" just in time for them to run for higher office.

And Erik at Redstate had this to say:

"...like Hillary Clinton, (Romney) is a political opportunist who I increasingly see as someone without principle, only a weather vane."

I agree with them. What assurances do we have that this man will keep his word on core conservative issues once he gets the Republican nomination? In '94, he said he wanted to work to "overturn" the era of Reagan/Bush. Now he's pretending to be Reagan. The problem is, McCain is even more guilty of doing this in many aspects. Both McCain and Romney called Bush's tax cuts deeply irresponsible when they first passed. Now they're celebrating them. Bush's abandonment of limited-government principles since 2000 has been bad enough, so what makes us believe these guys, who criticized just about the only conservative aspect of Bush's agenda, will be any better?

I really hate the field right now. Many, surprisingly, seem to be turning their support towards Giuliani by mere process of elimination. At least he's been somewhat consistent in what he stands for and at least seems to have some form of backbone, even if 70% of that backbone isn't conservative.

Any inkling of support any of you may have had for Romney will probably die after watching these two clips:

One More Month

A Revolution in School Choice

The State of Utah recently passed a sweeping education reform bill that provides for complete and total K-12 school choice as well as school vouchers (ranging from $500 a year to $3,000 a year based on family income) for private school. Unlike the entitlements our friends on the welfare-state left love to hand out, laws like this actually help the poor.

The bill makes Utah's school choice law the nation's most progressive by far (and when I use words like "progressive," "diversity," and "choice," they actually mean those things). It's a great piece of legislation because it's about getting the decision-making process, particularly for low-income families, out of the hands of bureaucrats and unions and into the hands of parents and their children. It's about giving teachers more leeway in using discipline and more local control over the teaching methods they use. It's about transforming education from a Soviet-style "one-size fits all" system into a diverse and competitive market-based one. It's about giving people the freedom of choice instead of merely throwing dollars at a broken system.

European countries, which on average spend substantially less per pupil than we do, have allowed for school choice for years and their kids outperform American students on just about every comparable test (if you have time, you can watch this 20/20 Special on YouTube for more details and facts). American schools were the same way until the 1960's. Thanks to states like Utah, it looks like things may finally be trending back in the right direction.

I'm willing to bet you will start to see Utah's students perform better on nationwide tests over the next few years. Georgia, whose school choice law only allows for the creation of charter schools on a limited basis, should follow Utah's lead.

House Hearing On "Warming of the Planet" Cancelled After Ice Storm

(I saw this on Drudge Report and thought it was too funny to pass up.)

HEARING NOTICE:

Tue Feb 13 2007 19:31:25 ET

The Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality hearing scheduled for Wednesday, February 14, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. in room 2123 Rayburn House Office Building has been postponed due to inclement weather. The hearing is entitled “Climate Change: Are Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Human Activities Contributing to a Warming of the Planet?”

The hearing will be rescheduled to a date and time to be announced later.

DC WEATHER REPORT:

Wednesday: Freezing rain in the morning. Total ice accumulation between one half to three quarters of an inch. Brisk with highs in the mid 30s. North winds 10 to 15 mph...increasing to northwest 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows around 18. Northwest winds around 20 mph.

Kickass Reagan Quote, #412

During a soundcheck before a radio address in 1984, unaware that it was being broadcast:

"My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've just signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes."

This little Goldwater-esque quip got the Gipper in quite a heap of trouble with the news media, but the people saw through it and his approval ratings actually went up. The audio clip can be found here.