The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Watch Me Go SoCon: Does Tiger Woods Really Affect My Social Life?

Posted on | October 3, 2011 | 19 Comments

by Smitty

I’m going to chock this up to my thick-headed inability to understand, but I really don’t get this (emphasis original):

I’ve been shrieking this from the rooftops for years now: other women’s sexual choices affect my sexual and dating choices. Women who sleep around set an expectation for men, and then reinforce that expectation with the idea that anyone who doesn’t sleep around is a prude, repressed, or has hang-ups.

Maybe I’ve been some kind of mutant, but, even in my most wayward moments, I never considered sexuality outside of faith, for longer than the twinkling of an eye, wherein there is risk the eye offend.

Or maybe I have enough trailer-trash relatives in the extended family (one cousin was case forty-something on Judge Judy) that I knew any woman who’d consent to usage as a protein receptacle was more trouble than she’s worth.

So the fact that men exist who are merely dogs that bark in complete sentences has never bothered me. I’m not in that market. I watch them lead high-stress lives for all the trouble their hormones get them into, and feel Absolutely. No. Envy.

I don’t mind admitting that I met Mrs. Other Smitty on a site similar to this one, about 12 years ago. Whether it’s the same site or not is irrelevant. We were pen pals for several years before things became permanent. Does my experience map to the general case? Probably not.

And that’s where this post should conclude: quit fretting your existence with respect to the person on your left or right.

Be ultimately concerned with your existence with respect to the Almighty. Those other folks will take care of themselves, and, with patience, the Almighty will take care of you.

ADDENDUM (RSM): Permit me to add that (a) Smitty’s mystification is the result of his studying this problem from the perspective of morality, rather than economics, and (b) Roxeanne’s problem is that she doesn’t want to speak that fateful sentence, “Stacy McCain is exactly right“:

The old saying that a man will not “buy a cow if he’s getting the milk for free” – i.e., that promiscuous women undermine their marital prospects — expresses this supply-and-demand concept of sex. But the truth of this adage on an individual basis can also be extrapolated to the larger society: When women are generally promiscuous, men will be generally reluctant to marry.
This explains why, in every culture, sluts are stigmatized. The rational basis of what feminists derogate as misogynistic “slut-shaming” is seldom articulated, but it is this: Promiscuous women make it more difficult for all women — including chaste women — to get and keep a husband. . . .

You should read the whole thing, even if you’re a feminist. Because I’m exactly right, even if no one will ever say so.

Category: Roxeanne de Luca

LIVE AT FIVEEIGHT – 10.02.11

Posted on | October 3, 2011 | 4 Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
Perry Bet Big On Grants To Subprime Lenders

Texas Governor Rick Perry

AP says Perry spent $35 million to bring Countrywide, Washington Mutual to Texas four years before the housing bubble popped

Vandals Torch Mosque In Israel
Security tightened; PM launches investigation

NYPD “White Shirts” Take Hands-On Approach With Protesters
Senior officers lead by example in dealing with “Occupy Wall Street” ne’er-do-wells



POLITICS
Anti-Capitalist Protests Spread To Boston, Elsewhere (Video)

NYPD commander addresses protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge

Hundreds arrested in New York; protests spread to other cities

Bachmann’s Campaign Sputtering In Iowa?

Governor Brown Signs Bill Prohibiting Circumcision Bans

Alabama Immigration Law’s Immediate Effect: Hispanic School Absences

Arguments Continue Over GOP-Backed Voting Law Changes

First Monday In October: Supremes Begin Term Expected To Be Dominated By Obamacare



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Euro Drops To Eight-Month Low Against Dollar
Global Shares Slammed By Greek Default Fears
Tips & Tricks For Avoiding Bank Fees
Asian Shares End Sharply Lower
NYMEX Oil Falls Below $78/Barrel
Oracle Convention Engulfs San Francisco With Party Atmosphere
What To Expect From iPhone 5 Release Event
Will The Kindle Fire Impress The Consumer?
Massive Security Hole In HTC Android Phones
Verizon Sues To Halt FCC Net Neutrality News



SPORTS
Cliff Lee Coughs Up 4-0 Lead As Phillies Fall To Cardinals

Albert Pujols points to the Cards' dugout after stroking the game-winning hit last night

Cardinals’ pen saves the day after Carpenter only goes three

Weak-Hitting Yankees Head For Detroit And Verlander

Brewers In Beast Mode, Take 2-0 Lead Over Snakes




Will Rays’ Price Finally Be Right Against Rangers?

Once Swaggering, Jets Now Staggering

Lions Mount Huge Rally, Top Cowboys To Remain Undefeated

Manning Rallies NY Giants To 31-27 Win Over Arizona Cardinals



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Gene Simmons, Shannon Tweed Finally Tie The Knot

Shannon Tweed, Gene Simmons

KISS bass player finally marries longtime girlfriend

Netflix, Showtime Eye New “Arrested Development” Episodes, Movie

Liz Hurley’s Engaged!

Russell Brand Denied Entry To Canada

Tupac Sex Tape Surfaces

Melissa McCarthy Delivers Strong Ratings For “SNL”

Best “Glee” Performance Yet?



Demi, Ashton Reunite At Kabalah Center For First Time Since Cheating Allegations

Halle Berry Breaks Foot Chasing Goat

James Marsden’s Wife Files For Divorce

Murdoch’s Tablet Newspaper Showing Some Promise



FOREIGNERS
Amanda Knox Delivers Plea For Release To Italian Court
Haqqani Group Denies Hand IN Rabbani Murder, Ties To ISI, Blueness of Sky
Sirte Residents Queue To Leave City During Ceasefire
Philippine Flood Waters Begin To Recede
Thai PM Drops Twitter Account After Hacking



BLOGS & STUFF
Big Journalism: Bloomberg Markets Ruins Koch Brothers Conspiray Theory
Fran Tarkenton: What If The NFL Played By Teachers’ Rules?
Via Meadia: Uh-Oh – Greece To Miss New Austerity Targets
American Power: The Revolution Was Not About Wealth Redistribution
Lonely Conservative: Presidential Candidate Roseanne Barr Wants To Behead Bankers Who Won’t Surrender Wealth
Power Line: Dishonest. Divisive Democrats


No music today; sorry about the lateness, folks.

Category: Live at Five

‘Partisan Koch-Brothers Style Attack’

Posted on | October 3, 2011 | 11 Comments

The secret of punditry is to appear to know what you’re talking about. The most successful pundits are those who can utter incomprehensible gibberish with an air of certainty and authority.

So I woke up before 4 a.m. this morning, came down to the office and turned the TV on to MSNBC. They were re-airing Sunday’s Meet the Press and, as I worked, the chatter was a sort of background music, none of which made any real impression until I heard E.J. Dionne say the phrase quoted in the title:

“I agree with Peggy [Noonan] that the underlying and often unspoken issue here is worry about American decline, and will it still be America? But I just don’t see that Chris Christie speech as being this visionary thing. I mean the clip you showed, where he said Obama wants to diminish the success of others — as far as I can tell, rich people are richer today than they were when Barack Obama took office. That struck me as a partisan Koch brothers-style attack on his part, and as for Obama . . .”

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

“A partisan Koch brothers-style attack”? What the hell is E.J. talking about? Does he believe that no one ever criticized class-warfare rhetoric in politics before David and Charles Koch began funding free-market activism? And isn’t any Republican’s criticism of Democratic policy (or vice-versa) in some sense “partisan”? Dionne uttered this remarkable phrase in the process of pretending not to understand New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s Reagan Library speech. In that speech, Christie quoted Obama’s speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, in which Obama decried those who divide Americans. Then Christie said:

Now, seven years later, President Obama prepares to divide our nation to achieve re-election. This is not a leadership style, this is a re-election strategy. Telling those who are scared and struggling that the only way their lives can get better is to diminish the success of others. Trying to cynically convince those who are suffering that the American economic pie is no longer a growing one that can provide more prosperity for all who work hard. Insisting that we must tax and take and demonize those who have already achieved the American Dream. That may turn out to be a good re-election strategy for President Obama, but is a demoralizing message for America.

Christie here accuses Obama of engaging in class-warfare rhetoric — the president’s frequent speeches demonizing “millionaires and billionaires” who, he alleges, don’t “pay their fair share” of taxes — as part of a “re-election strategy.” What honest person can say that the president’s left-populist turn is not a re-election strategy?

It doesn’t matter, in evaluating Christie’s speech, whether or not you believe that the rich should pay more taxes. If Obama’s oratorical assaults on the rich are intended for the political purpose of helping him win re-election, then Christie’s analysis is correct.

Dionne does not engage Christie’s actual argument. Instead, Dionne pretends that he can refute Christie’s characterization of the president’s rhetoric by asking whether “rich people are richer today than they were when Barack Obama took office,” but this is a complete non sequitur.

The remark by Christie that Dionne cites is not directed at the policy Obama has hitherto pursued. Rather, Christie is criticizing the rhetoric by which Obama seeks support for the policy that Obama advocates now. Dionne attempts to change the subject by distracting us with a completely different issue, i.e., how the rich have prospered since January 2009, and then accusing Christie of “Koch brothers-style” partisanship — whatever that is supposed to mean, if anything.

Consider these two truth-claims:

  1. The rich have made out like bandits during the first 32 months of Obama’s presidency.
  2. Obama is now — “cynically,” as Christie says — demonizing the rich as part of his re-election strategy.

Both claims may be true and, indeed, there may be a relationship between these two claims: Obama never pushed for higher taxes on the rich during the two years when Democrats controlled Congress by overwhelming margins, and his newfound left-populist rhetoric about making the rich “pay their fair share” may be seen as an appeal to those members of the Democrat base disappointed by Obama’s previous failure to pursue such a policy. Neverthless, Chris Christie would be correct in accusing Obama of cynicism if the president’s recent advocacy of higher taxes on the rich is a matter of politics rather than policy. And there are many reasons to believe that Christie is correct about Obama’s motives.

All of this is ignored by E.J. Dionne, however, in his effort to negate any praise for Christie’s speech “as being this visionary thing.” E.J. therefore derogates Christie as having made a “partisan Koch-brothers style attack” and then tries to divert attention with a non sequitur (how the rich have fared under Obama’s policy to date) offered as if it were a self-evident refutation of Christie’s speech. Dionne’s allusion to the Koch brothers is a guilt-by-association attack, intended to tie Christie to pre-demonized scapegoats of the Left, and the word “partisan” is just E.J.’s way of saying that Christie is a Republican.

An intellectual’s job is to enlighten his audience by clarifying issues. E.J. Dionne seeks to obscure the issues in order to confuse his audience. And he thinks we’re too stupid to see what he’s doing.


Category: Intellectuals

Rule 5 Sunday: White Lies

Posted on | October 2, 2011 | 13 Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho


We begin this week by welcoming the Rio Norte Line back, especially because he has a nice collection of Nicole Scherzinger pics. Also, Huda Naccache, angering imams everywhere. Killing Time brings us a Guinness commercial that never hit the airwaves, while Randy’s Roundtable takes a midweek break with Rosie Jones and Debora Campos. The eye of Polyphemus this week gets back to his normal turf by examining the real reason people watched Lost. (Hint: it wasn’t the plot.) A View From The Beach wishes a happy 77th to legendary French sex kitten Brigitte Bardot, and also notes Carla Bruni, the sad state of Swaziland’s Queen Nothando Dube, and a riveting explanation of Rugby rules. Speaking of sports, Fishersville Mike salutes the undefeated Buffalo Bills, or, more accurately, their cheerleaders the Jills. Teresamerica chips in a Miranda Lambert portfolio this week including a music video.


Soylent Green kicks off the week with Michelle & Michelle, continues with the unshaven Nicole Van Croft, Jill DeVries, Belen Rodriguez, Corset Friday (with extra ginger), and an extra helping of corset.


El Opinador Compulsivo begins this week with a Kate Upton video, an illustration of why ladies should take advantage of supermarkets’ carryout services, a pair of close-up shots, Sharon Stone in 1983, Wasted Youth, the Gisele Bundchen ad that’s kicking up such a fuss in Brazil, and Holly Madison.


Proof Positive’s Vintage Babe this week is Edwige Fenech, who starred in a number of Italian giallo flicks. Also, Jayde Nicole, some chicks worshiping the God of Hamburgers, and the ad Brazilian feminazis don’t want you to see.


This week at the Camp of the Saints, it’s Lisa Snowden, the Rule 5 News, and Roberta Missoni; Dustbury picks up the torch of Romanian babes by posting Inna, some vintage Angie Dickinson, and – believe it or not – Lady Gaga in a Little Black Dress.


The DaleyGator begins his week of Rule 5 by saluting Bob Belvedere for posting Mayrin Villanueva. Later, Mei-Ling Lam, Amy Lynn Grover, Chantel Jackson, Michelle Waterson, more Mayrin, and finally Melissa Riso.


Thanks to everyone who sent in their links! Special thanks to everyone for getting them in on time! To be included in next week’s Rule 5 roundup, send your links by October 8 to Rule 5 Wombat.

Category: Rule 5

Like Islanders Mystified by Lack of Cargo, Blogger Weeps at Altar of the ‘Lanche God

Posted on | October 2, 2011 | 63 Comments

Ceremonial cross of John Frum cargo cult on the island of Vanuatu

Something has gone drastically wrong, and I can’t figure out what it is. About a month ago, as Wombat noted in his Aug. 28 FMJRA round-up, we got no fewer than six Instalanches in the span of a single week. There are bloggers who’ve worked for years without getting a ‘Lanche, and so we may have exhausted our karmic quota of linky-love that week, which would explain the 17% decline of traffic from August to September.

An extrapolation of that trend would mean that unless this problem can be reverse-engineered and corrected — unless we can get the blog back into the “sweet zone” — our traffic will decline to near-zero by this time next year. At least, that’s what my calculations show, but I was never much for advanced math.

Despite my wife’s pleadings (“Stacy, get off the computer before you go crazy. No, wait. Let me re-phrase that . . .” ) I’ve devoted many hours to examining causes of my increasing ‘Lanchelessness, pondering the snowball of anti-momentum that threatens to destroy everything we’ve worked so hard to build. And what brought this to the crisis point today was the professor’s post at 2:21 p.m.:

MICHAEL BARONE: Time To Raise Cain To Contender Status.
More on Cain from Jennifer Rubin.

What was the point of devoting ten long months to covering the Herman Cain campaign — going back to the days of “Herman Who?” — if nothing I’ve written about Cain since his Florida Straw Poll victory is ‘Lanche-worthy? The message seems to be that I have nothing meaningful to say on the subject, now that fully-employed professional Washington political experts have taken notice of the guy.

Because I don’t know nothing about no Herman Cain. Read more

Category: Cargo Cult of the Blog Gods, How to Get a Million Hits on Your Blog, Instapundit

Breakfast of the Apocalypse

Posted on | October 2, 2011 | 29 Comments

Unless you’re fortunate enough to live in one of the six states (Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina) that have Sheetz stores, you don’t know what you’re missing. Sheetz is a chain of 400 convenience stores that offer a made-to-order fast food menu of such awesomeness words can’t quite describe it.

Mrs. Other McCain abandoned us this weekend to attend a Christian women’s retreat in Ohio, so it was just my two youngest sons and me. (She took the baby daughter with her, and the 19-year-old twin sons fend for themselves.) This morning I made a run to Sheetz to pick up three breakfast “Shmuffinz” prepared my special way, with egg, steak, pesto and mozzarella cheese.

After placing the order, I paid at the register, then waited until they called my number. That’s when I looked at my ticket and saw . . .

Category: Uncategorized

Gators Crushed by Florida GOP Curse and Crimson Tide Defense, But Mainly …

Posted on | October 2, 2011 | 10 Comments

. . . it was the Crimson Tide defense:

The No. 3-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, down by a touchdown after the first play from scrimmage, found their stride and overwhelmed the No. 12 Gators 38-10 before 90,888 fans, the second-largest attendance in Florida Field history. . . .
The Crimson Tide (5-0, 2-0) defeated the Gators (4-1, 2-1) for the third straight time and have outscored UF 101-29 in those games.
The beatdown became especially costly when UF senior quarterback John Brantley was carried to the locker room with an apparent knee injury after being sacked by Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw late in the second quarter. Brantley, 11-of-16 for 190 yards, was replaced by true freshman Jeff Driskel, who failed to move the Gators past midfield in six drives.

Brantley was one of the top quarterbacks in the nation, and that injury may end his season. Why did this horrible fate befall Brantley and the previously undefeated Gators? You could blame the bone-crushing ‘Bama defense, but I think Floridians should understand that this is an inevitable consequence of the curses brought down on their state by Mike Haridopolos, Dean Cannon and the rest of the GOP leadership.

When the Florida GOP decided to move its primary to Jan. 31 — and ruin Christmas for me and millions of other Americans — I warned my friends in “The Evil State” that they were inviting divine retribution.

They laughed, but they’re not laughing now.

So if that next tropical storm system brewing in the Atlantic turns into a Category 5 hurricane that wipes out Miami, or if the citrus crop gets destroyed by a freak ice storm . . .

Well, don’t say I didn’t try to warn you. And ROLL TIDE!

PREVIOUSLY:

Category: Alabama, Florida, Football

‘She Quoted a Witness With the Improbable Name of Sarah Rumpf’

Posted on | October 2, 2011 | 18 Comments

Sunshine State Sarah finds herself quoted by Dana Loesch — and cited by Keith Olbermann in naming Dana “Worst Person in the World”:

Notice how Olbermann first mocks Loesch’s name before mocking Rumpf’s name. The mocking of people’s names is a cheap sort of humor (says the guy whose blog is improbably called “The Other McCain). BTW, Dana herself pronounces her last name “Lash,” and I wonder what Olbermann would say if he knew that Sarah’s Twitter handle is “Rumpfshaker“?

Sarah was one of the people attending the Orlando debate who made the point that the audible boos for a soldier who asked a question about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” came from a couple of people, who were shushed by those sitting near them. However few or many the boo-birds were, it struck me at the time that they were booing the question, rather than the soldier. Republicans are tired of divisive “gotcha” questions in debates. I was taught as a boy that booing is poor sportsmanship. You cheer your own team, but never boo the opponent. (Booing a bad call by the refs, however, is OK.)

Anyway, among the other improbable things Olbermann might wish to mock about Sarah Rumpf is her role in helping Herman Cain secure a key endorsement before the Florida Straw Poll, and also the fact that she is a lawyer, who represented me pro bono when some left-winger hijacked my Michele Bachmann video.

And when I say Sarah represented me “pro bono,” of course, I mean she agreed to do it in return for frequent Rule 2 linkage.

SARAH RUMPF, ESQ.
If Olbermann Hates Her, You Know She’s Totally Awesome

Category: Dana Loesch, Debates, Florida, Keith Olbermann, Sunshine State Sarah
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