Daily Pundit, I Think You Answered Your Own Question

Posted on Comments

by Smitty

Quick is asking:

Tell me what sort of electronics you own that you would pay $200 an hour to have repaired, rather than junking it and buying new?

Precisely. No one wants to deal with the expense of these modern, highly integrated electronics. The manufacturing runs are so tiny that getting a repair part six months after the sale may be simply impossible. So you price the labor out of the reasonable range.

Stacy McCain’s old laptop was the hardware equivalent of a Steven King novel. If he’d insisted, for sentimental reasons, to have that thing resurrected, $200/hour would have been a lowball labor cost just to get someone to touch that thing.

LIVE AT FIVE – 08.15.11

Posted on Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
Bachmann Wins Straw Poll, But Perry Steals Some Thunder

Texas Governor Rick Perry greets supporters at the Black Hawk County Republican dinner last night

Will her straw poll victory translate into actual votes?

Obama Hopes To Jump-Start Economy With Bus Trip
WH Comms Director Dan Pfeiffer: “The president is excited about getting out of Washington.”

Libyan Rebels Take Al-Zawiya (Video)
Capture cuts off supplies to loyalists in Tripoli



POLITICS
Wisconsin Recall Elections Wrap Up This Week

Can Badger State Republicans make their local union goons even SADDER?

Observers say Tea Party, GOP energized by last week’s results while Democrats depressed.

Conservation Groups File Injunction To Stop Wolf Hunt

Obama Approval Rating Dips Below 40%



Illinois Governor Quinn Signs Bill Expanding Protest Protections For Military Funerals

Schumer Calls For Security Checks For Utility Workers

California Redistricting To Have National Impact



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Time Warner Cable To Buy Midwest’s Insight Cable
Asian Stocks Rise On US Retail, Japan GDP
Market Looks For Stability In Coming Week
Zoellick Says PRC Currency To Be Global Player
Hackers Breach BART Website, Obtain Personal Data
Sprint Says “No Thanks” To 4G Blackberry Playbook
Yahoo, Bing More Effective Than Google?
Dell Nixes Streak 5 In Bid For Larger Tablets



SPORTS
Big 12’s Beebe Ready To Make A Move If Aggies Bolt

Big 12 chairman Dan Beebe

Keeping options in mind if Texas A&M bolts to SEC

Cubs’ Darwin Barney Ends Uggla’s Streak

Crashes Take Toll As Hunter-Reay Scores Controversial Win

Sellers’ Homer Caps Dodgers’ Sweep Of Astros


Watkins Glen Race Postponed To Today

Mental Mistakes Make Mets Fall To Snakes

Strasburg’s Rehab Has Minor-League Teams Counting Windfall



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Hilary Duff Is Pregnant

Quite the anniversary present, eh?

Hilary and hubby Mike Comrie announce she’s expecting on their first anniversary.

Tara Reid Gets Hitched In Greece

Jessica Alba Welcomes Daughter Haven Garner

“Sex And The City” Film On Hold As Carrie Agrees To Put Show Back On The TV

AMC, Sony TV Reach Deal For Final 16-Episode Season Of “Breaking Bad”

Autopsy Report On “Glee 3D Concert Movie”

So Arrested For DUI

“Lone Ranger” Production Shut Down

Britney Spears, Lady Gaga To Record Duet?



FOREIGNERS
Norway Killer Breivik Reenacts Slaughter During Police Investigation
Syrian Gunboats Kill 19 In Latakia Shelling
Jihadis Blocking Aid To Starving Somalis
Pakis Gave PRC Access To Downed Stealth Chopper
Thousands Attend Peace Rally In Birmingham (Video)



BLOGS & STUFF
AmSpecBlog: Warren Buffett Should Give More
WSJ: Bachmann-Perry Overdrive
Don Surber: Obama’s Political Misery Tour
Weasel Zippers: Good News – Judge Gets Striking Verizon Union Goons To Agree Not To Drop, Spread, Or Throw Feces
Washington Examiner: Democrat Donor Gets Federal Health Policy Slot Despite Conflict Of Interest
JammieWearingFool: Bomb Squad Called To Speaker Boehner’s Office
iOwnTheWorld.com: Romney Is Right About Corporations
Doug Powers: Krugman’s Suggestion To End Economic Slump? Mobilize For Space Alien Attack!
Wizbang: “Let The Bodies Hit The Floor”


SOTD: Bodies

Rule 5 Sunday: She’s The One

Posted on Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho


For various reasons it would be too tedious to go into here, this edition of Rule 5 Sunday is getting bashed out on my seven-year-old Gateway laptop down at the local McDonald’s. Here’s hoping the management’s patience and the wi-fi connection hold up. 🙂
Also, due to the terms of service here, links will be a tad less descriptive than usual since I don’t dare preview the posts as I usually do, since a lot of you like the NSFW Rule 5 and McDonald’s being somewhat more family-friendly than the Wombat’s burrow, IYKWIMAITYD.


We start with three submissions from Hookers & Booze, followed by the midweek and Thursday night Rule 5 breaks at Randy’s Roundtable. Fishersville Mike brings us some teen spirit with Kaley Cuoco, and the POH Diaries favor us with Kate Upton down on the farm. Jake Finnegan’s Burkalesque Babe this week is Erica Cerra, and Postaldog has both Leighton Meester and Becky Le Sabre. Dustbury doubles our pleasure with a Katy Perry/Zooey Deschanel twofer, and adds Susan St. James to make it three. Proof Positive’s Vintage Babe of the week is Heather Locklear; also featured is Vanessa Hudgens and sex in advertising. Also, Troglopundit has some Rule 5 hiding in This Week In Automotivators!


Daily Irony salutes K-Pop band Girls Generation this week with pix of band members Yuri, Taeyoon, Sunny, and Tiffany along with the video from their latest single, “Run Devil Run”.


Soylent Green really kicked out the jams this week on the Rule 5 front. Starting with his Monday Motivationer, Monica, Humpday Hawtness, a thank-you to the readers, random hotness, a thought on dress design, CORSET FRIDAY!, snooch off the aft beam, beating the heat with Spassfabrik, and finally, he returns us to our regularly scheduled program.


El Opinador Compulsivo kicks off his Rule 5 entries with Debora Salvalaggio, Adriana Lima, Two Resolutions, Janine Turner’s autographed picture, a sunset wallpaper, the “Cherry Pie” video from Warrant (RIP Jani Lane), showering at the beach, and showering at home.


American Power’s Rule 5 links this week include Lucy Pinder, Mila Kunis, Adriana Lima, Shendelle Schokman, and Kate Upton.


The Camp Of The Saints this week offers Sarah Shahi, Rule 5 Books, Rule 5 News, and finally Tish Howard.


The DaleyGator’s DaleyBabes this week include Brooke Adams, two sets of random babes, Kyle Johnson, a compilation of Asian Babes, Mila Kunis, and Odette Annable.


Thanks to everyone for their links! To be included in next week’s Rule 5 roundup, please send your links to Rule 5 Wombat, NOT my regular e-mail at the top of the post! Entries must be in by August 20; I will not guarantee that posts arriving on August 21st won’t be roundfiled or held over until the week following.

Harry Reid Blows Past Merely Insulting, Explores New Territory Somewhere Very Close To Laughable

Posted on Comments

by Smitty via Drudge

His Fecklessness strikes:

Democrats were tossed from office in record numbers last November. That groundswell is shaping the 2012 campaign.

But Reid doesn’t expect it to last.

“The Tea Party was the result of a terrible economy,” he said. “I’ve said that many times, and I believe that.”

“That (the Tea Party) will pass. They will lose a number of seats next year.”

Reid has amassed his considerable power by never underestimating his adversaries.

This blog can now reveal the stunning truth of Harry Reid’s Tippy-Top Secret Undisclosed Location:

harry reid's secret headquarters
The Boneless Chicken Ranch

Harry, you’re so toast you don’t even know it, dude. Your words are going to seem dumb in 2012 when your party gets another shellacking, in 2014 when your party gets another shellacking, and in in 2016 when both you and your party get another shellacking. Yes, that Tea Party you dismiss is going to finish dismissing your sad little excuse for a political empire.

It would nearly be funny, if so many people didn’t have to pay so dearly for the utter impotence of your ideas.

Would that you could heed Dennis Miller’s advice, and never open your ashen pie-hole in public again. Still fresh after four years.

Maybe The Answer Is ‘We Obsess Too Much About Crotches’

Posted on Comments

by Smitty

Am I jaded? Althouse:

Single men earn less money the heavier they are, while single women earn more money the heavier they are. And: Lesbians earn more money than straight women.

Almost a decade back, I started a PhD program, and one of the courses was “Philosophical Foundations of Public Policy” or some such. Lots of Rorty and Lévi-Strauss and Karl Popper.

I got better.

Now, when I read about social science research in general, and anything to do with sexuality in particular, my default assertion is that there are good odds the research is sheer poo. In fact, the research may only represent some boob’s wishful thinking, carried out at public expense, as they seek to twist reality into some other, desired end state.

Central to the pursuit of liberty is the notion of privacy. If we’re going to be good neighbors, and get along nicely with all races, creeds, colors, and orientations, we have to recall that being neighbors implies the notion of walls and fences. Being a neighbor does not mean being family, where personal space is significantly lessened. Furthermore, respecting you as my neighbor means divorcing myself of curiosity about what you’re doing in private. If you’re not a criminal, and I’m on your jury, I really don’t want to know the sordid details of your personal life.

Part of our societal healing will be neglecting to fund asinine research about overweight left-handed minority lesbian plumbers.

FMJRA 2.0: Roam

Posted on Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho

GOP Wins Recall Battle in Wisconsin

LIVE! AMES STRAW POLL COVERAGE: Fear and Loathing at Hilton Coliseum UPDATE: BACHMANN WINS!

Liberal Head-Explosion Warning VIDEO: Michele Bachmann Testifies for Jesus

LIVE FROM AMES!

Liberals Spinning S&P Credit Downgrade: BLAME IT ON THE REPUBLICANS!

Young Minions of the Sith Lord of Texas UPDATE: Perry Coming to Iowa Sunday

The Butter Cow Is SEXY!

As The Details Worsen, ‘Fast and Furious’ Becomes Dem. Party’s Trip To Jonestown

God Grant Joe Nocera A Moment Of Lucidity

The Santorum Family’s Iowa ‘Vacation’

FMJRA 2.0: Boys Go Crazy

‘The Lunatic Derby’

Are You Ready for Tonight’s ‘CainCast’?

Fear and Loathing: From Sioux City to Council Bluffs With the Herman Cain Bus

Late Night With Rule 5 Sunday: Hanging On The Telephone

VIDEO: ‘Who Is Herman Cain?’

Santorum’s Hope

LIVE AT FIVE – 08.08.11

‘Awfully Nice For The Professors Who Don’t Have To Grade’

Sioux City: Herman Cain Begins Iowa Bus Tour With Noon Speech to Jewish Group

Denison: Overflow Crowd Hears Herman Cain Slam Obama: ‘That’s Not Leadership!’

LIVE AT FIVE – 08.09.11

The Cain Train Keeps Rolling

I Would Just Like To Point Out. . .

Council Bluffs Loves Herman Cain

Don’t Let The Plural Mislead You, Barbara

Meanwhile, on the Cain Campaign …

LIVE AT FIVE – 08.10.11

Iowa Notebook: Romney Coming to Town; Pawlenty and the ‘Plausible Chance’ Trick

Will Scott Be A Gentle Walker Into That Black Knight?

We Can See The Tell: ‘The Riots Did Not Have A Political Motivation’

Mitt Romney Comes to Des Moines, Attracts Massive Media Coverage

LIVE AT FIVE – 08.11.11

Romney Shuts Down a Heckler

Not Buying So Much Gloom

THE SPIN ROOM IS OPEN!

LIVE AT FIVE – 08.12.11

Couple Of Thoughts On Leadership

Herman Cain Speaks at Iowa State Fair

‘Gentleman’ Jim Moran Is So Cool, He Made Klavan On The Culture

More To The Point, Sarah Palin Has Weathered The Left’s Continuous Napalm Shower With Aplomb

Not Sure I Agree With Melissa Clouthier

Santorum:”We Feel Very Good”

Top linkers this week:

  1. The Pro From Poca (12)
  2. (tied) The Lonely Conservative and The Camp Of The Saints (10)
  3. Republican Redefined (9)
  4. (tied) That Mr. G Guy and Zilla of the Resistance (6)
  5. (tied) Daily Pundit, The POH Diaries, and Maggie’s Notebook (5)

I want to draw particular attention to this epic post by Zilla of the Resistance, Do You Want America’s Future Decided By The MSM Or The People?, which not only links to many of Stacy’s posts from this past week but also links Da Tech Guy and other star bloggers while asking a very important question about where the money ought to be going when it comes to conservatives and their contributions. RTWMFT, and hit the freaking tip jar!

Deadline for next week’s FMJRA links is this Saturday, August 20. If WordPress doesn’t pick up your links (you know who you are) e-mail me at the address above with “FMJRA” or “Shameless Blogwhoring” in the subject line.

Michele Bachmann and the Media Scrum

Posted on Comments

Michele Bachman is surrounded by media as she greets
her supporters after the GOP Straw Poll in Ames, Iowa

NEWTON, Iowa
Yesterday, I was updating my post about the Iowa Straw Poll results when word came that the winner, Michele Bachmann, would be holding a press conference at her campaign bus in 15 minutes. By the time I got there, she was surrounded by a crowd of news media so thick I couldn’t get near her. Then she did a “rope line” — greeting supporters behind barricades. It was a huge mob scene, and I thought you might appreciate this glimpse of what it was like:

Remember: When I went to cover Bachmann in the mud and rain in West Des Moines on Aug. 5, there were only three or four reporters present, including me.

Well . . . no more Iowa media scrums for now. I had originally planned to go to Waterloo to catch Rick Perry’s Iowa debut, but constrained financial circumstances required a change of plan. Now, I’m riding to Alabama with Ladd Ehlinger, and hoping that by the time I get to Huntsville, there will be enough money in the tip jar for me to buy a plane ticket home from there.

Crazy? Of course. But what did you expect? “Hit the freaking tip jar!

PREVIOUSLY:

Tim Pawlenty Quits!

Posted on Comments

NEWTON, Iowa
I was sitting here at breakfast with Ladd Ehlinger just an hour ago when he said, “Pawlenty’s quitting!”

Tim Pawlenty told supporters on a conference call Sunday morning that he is ending his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination after a disappointing third-place finish at the Iowa straw poll.
Mr. Pawlenty thanked his supporters in an early-morning call, two participants said, but acknowledged that he had decided overnight that his candidacy could not proceed.

That was quick, wasn’t it? I landed in Des Moines on Aug. 3 and, eleven days later, Pawlenty quits the race. Some people will say this is merely a coincidence.

Perhaps it was the “neo-Confederate sex panic.” Perhaps it was those rumors that Pawlenty was behind those vicious smears against Michelle Bachmann. And, of course, perhaps the sudden implosion of the T-Paw candidacy had nothing to do with anything I did.

Plausible deniability. “No fingerprints,” IYKWIMAITYD.

Let’s face it though: Any Republican praised by David Brooks is pretty much doomed.

By the way, you may be wondering why I’m having breakfast with Ladd Ehlinger. He was up here in Iowa pitching his work to  certain potential clients, and no he’s driving back to Alabama. He’s going to have a passenger — me.

It’s a long story. But it’s going to take a whole lot of explaining to make my wife understand my unexpected Alabama detour with the world’s most notorious political filmmaker. Hit the freaking tip jar!





PREVIOUSLY: