Hey How About Some Things Getting Destroyed in Slo-Mo?
Beautiful and mesmerizing to watch - it's like a ballet of slow destruction.

Posted by: Maetenloch at 05:39 PM | Comments (930)
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Phenom pitcher Stephen Strasburg is the only reason people still have a vague sense the Washington Nationals are actually a major league team. The games he starts routinely triple or quadruple the Nats regular attendance. So when he was replaced on Tuesday without any warning because of shoulder stiffness his replacement Miguel Batista was booed by his home team 'fans' before he even threw a single pitch.

Batista wound up pitching the well and the Nats won the game but afterward he said he understood the reaction of the fans.

"Imagine if you go to see Miss Universe, then you end up having Miss Iowa, you might get those kind of boos," Batista said.

And apt comparison and kind of funny. Until Batista started getting questions about it and realized he may have insulted her. That's where the super genius part comes in.

The Washington Post's Nationals beat reporter Adam Kilgore caught up with Batista on Wednesday and asked him if he'd ever seen a picture of Miss Iowa.

"You mean Katherine Connors?" Batista told Kilgore. "Yeah, she's gorgeous. Gorgeous.

"People started booing me, and they hadn't seen me throw a pitch yet. It's like you hear Miss Iowa, and you say, 'Iowa?' And then you see her up close and you say, 'Wow, she's gorgeous.' "

To make sure he earns Miss Connors' forgiveness, Batista also sent her flowers and said he hopes they arrive on Wednesday.

See that? Insult a beauty queen and use that as an in to meet her.

And it worked.

The Nats had Connors come to DC last night to throw out the first pitch and Batista has been invited to be a judge at the next Miss Iowa pageant.

Super genius.

Let me just say, I know a lot of you realized there was a new post here at the HQ and expected it to be from Ace (don't laugh (yet), I'm doing a bit here). When you found out it was me, you were no doubt disappointed. It's like winning a contest where you're told you'll meet Megyn Kelly (wearing the hot librarian glasses) and it turns out they subbed in Judy Greer.

Wait, that's insulting to Judy Greer. Can someone get me an address so I can send her flowers and a phone number so I can call an apologize?

Oh and the obligatory Miss Iowa photo.... more...

Posted by: DrewM at 08:50 AM | Comments (639)
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Weeks after word came that the black box data has cleared Toyota in all but a single "sudden acceleration" claim, a retiring NHTSA official says that the agency is sitting on investigation results that would put the hoax claims to rest.

But the Democratic inquisition of GM's competitors continues anyway.

A new report in the WSJ quotes a retiring NHTSA official as saying higher-ups are refusing to release the results of the agencyÂ’s staff investigation into charges of Toyota sudden acceleration, because those findings are not unfavorable enough toward the automaker. IÂ’ve got more detail in a new post at Cato at Liberty, and Ted covers the story at PoL.

Meanwhile, proponents of a sweeping expansion of federal auto safety law, one that would thrust Washington much more deeply into the operations of the automotive industry, are really in a hurry — a quick, urgent, must-do-now hurry — to pass it, even though many of its provisions have not had much airing in public debate. An editorial today in the New York Times — a newspaper that almost comically underplayed the revelations earlier this month about the NHTSA probe’s pro-Toyota results — flatly asserts that the Japanese automaker’s vehicles suffer “persistent problems of uncontrolled acceleration,” and demands that the sweeping new legislation “be passed into law without delay.” It’s almost as if they are afraid of what might happen if lawmakers pause to take a closer look.

Word is that the report is completed, but being blocked by Transportation Secretary LaHood's office. LaHood's spokesman says "The review remains ongoing." Uh huh.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 08:07 AM | Comments (123)
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220, 221, whatever it takes.

DHS is scrambling over a leaked internal memo, the kind you write up after assembling a team of bureaucrats to assess a problem and come up with a list of "Things We Could Do If Congress Won't Take On Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants".

Not things they'd actually do. Noooo. Just possibilities, they were just spitballin.

Among the things they wouldn't actually do:

USCIS could grant “parole-in-place,” which comes with a work permit and the ability to obtain a green card, to certain classes of aliens who entered the country illegally. Such classes would include those who entered as minors and those who “have lived for many years in the U.S.” A nice reward for those who have successfully violated the law for the longest period of time.

For those who overstay their visas, the memo recommends granting “deferred action,” which means that deportation is deferred indefinitely and the illegal alien can apply for a work permit. The memo suggests two particular categories of illegal aliens for deferred action: those who might benefit if Congress were to pass the DREAM Act amnesty (of which there are 2.1 million, according to the Migration Policy Institute) and those “who have resided in the U.S. since 1996 (or as of a different date designed to move forward the Registry provision now limited to entries before January 1, 1972).” The “Registry provision” referred to is an actual federal law, not that it matters to the memo’s authors.

To make sure no illegal alien is left behind, the memo suggests that DHS could simply stop issuing “Notices to Appear” (the document that starts the removal process for illegal aliens) unless the alien has a “significant negative immigration or criminal history.” Apparently, violating immigration law once or twice is acceptable. These folks wouldn’t be able to apply for a work permit, but since the Obama administration isn’t conducting worksite enforcement against illegal aliens much anymore, that shouldn’t matter.

The official response to the memo is "we don't comment on internal memos.. blah blah fidgety blah. Bitches." So I'm reassured in that regard.

In other news about the most ethical Congress evah, Maxine Turnipface Waters may face ethics charges, likely punished with another tappy tap of love on the wrist.

amnesty memo tip via Andy

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 05:35 AM | Comments (157)
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Sorry I blew off the blog the whole week.

Last week I was asked to write something, time-sensitive. (I'll tell you about it when/if I can.) It was due this week. I thought I could finish it last week, just working after work, but that didn't happen -- I just didn't have the juice for it.

Anyway, having blown a self-imposed deadline of last Sunday, I had to really burn at it to finish.

I kind of felt like Mozart writing the Requiem at the end of the movie. I was writing all day and night.

So, I'm sorry, it's just something I really had to do, and wouldn't get the opportunity to do again. And there was a deadline.

But I'm done. I'll blog more this weekend to make up for the lost week.

Posted by: Ace at 06:23 PM | Comments (190)
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Sarah Palin - Political Kingmaker
Sarah Palin seems to have the magic touch when it comes to her endorsements. According to the NYT her record so far is 24-5 which is an amazing achievement. Part of this is that she seems to have a good instinct for insurgent candidates that can win, but her official backing also carries a lot of weight with Republican voters. Her endorsement alone seems enough to get people to take a second look at candidates and reconsider their votes. So she's building up a lot of good will and political IOUs - all of which would be very helpful for a 2012 run.

Are You a Black Farmer or Ever Pretended You Were?
Then you can still get in on the class action lawsuit that payed off so well for Shirley Sherrod. Just contact the firm Dewy, Screwum, and Howe Pogust, Braslow & Millrood and have them collect damages for the losses that you could have had. All they ask is 33.33% of your free government money.

Posted by: Maetenloch at 05:55 PM | Comments (905)
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Wow. Am I the only one blindsided by this?

The House ethics investigatory subcommittee recommended that Rep. Charlie Rangel be reprimanded, which is the least severe punishment, according to a new report.

The disclosure was made today by Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas), who is the panel's chairman.

A reprimand falls below expulsion and censure on the list of available punishments.

Note that there was talk of Rangel making a deal, but if the worst he can face (after trial in the House) is basically one step above a Formal Snubbing, I'd say the man might as well roll the dice, eh?

Except, of course, the Republicans who will control the House might not be willing to leave it at this level, should his case not be resolved by then.

Posted by: Ace at 12:35 PM | Comments (668)
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Come on-- give it up for Mark Kirk. He's not that much of a RINO; he supported up some global warming nonsense (as did Newt Gingrich, and as do almost all Republicans) but the guy's walked away from that.

He's from Illinois. Like the fourth or fifth bluest state. Running for President Present's old seat/presidential launching pad. Has to be a little give there, right?

A judge has ruled that seat must be filled immediately after the election, in the lame-duck session, and not just in January.

Illinois voters will cast two votes for U.S. Senate on Nov. 2 — one for a senator who will serve 60 days and the other for one who will serve a six-year term — under an order issued Thursday by Gov. Pat Quinn as required by the federal courts.

Yet to be finalized is who the candidates will be for the short-term vacancy that falls between Nov. 3, the day after the election, and Jan. 3, when the new Congress is inaugurated. However, a federal judge overseeing the matter indicated Thursday that appointed U.S. Sen. Roland Burris wonÂ’t be eligible for the special election to finish out the term of the seat once held by President Barack Obama.

U.S. District Judge John F. Grady said he is prepared to issue a formal ruling in the next few days that would automatically place on the ballot major party contenders who won nomination in the Feb. 2 primary as candidates for the short-term vacancy. That means Democrat Alexi Giannoulias, Republican Mark Kirk and Green Party candidate LeAlan Jones would appear twice for election.

Given that there are rumblings that the Democrats will attempt to ram through a host of very unpopular, very liberal laws through the lame-duck session -- with their last breath, they spit at thee; from Hell's heart, they stab at thee -- it would be nice to have one more Republican in the Senate for this dangerous period.

By the way, the big scandal with Kirk is that he claimed that he had been awarded the honor of intelligence officer of the year for his work in Kosovo. The actual fact is that his unit had been awarded unit of the year, so, like, supposedly, he's a big fat liar like Blumenthal of Connecticut. He did get the award, but so did the other members of his team.

Really? Sure, a little extra shine on the resume, but seems to me to be a pretty small exaggeration, and really just a simplified way of saying "I got the award." He did. So did some other guys, but he got it too.

Posted by: Ace at 09:13 AM | Comments (402)
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They don't say "unexpectedly" here, but I guess it's implied by now.

The recovery lost momentum in the spring as growth slowed to a 2.4 percent pace, its most sluggish showing in nearly a year and too weak to drive down unemployment.

Consumers spent less, companies slowed their restocking of shelves and the nation's trade deficit dragged more on the economy in the April-to-June quarter. In a separate report, the Commerce Department said the recession was deeper than previously estimated.

Together, the reports raise doubts about whether employers will hire enough and consumers will spend enough to invigorate the economy.

On the upside -- I guess -- the first quarter growth was revised up a full point to 3.7% from 2.7%. That would be nice, except for the fact it makes the last quarter's drop all the bigger.

Helpfully for Obama, it turns out it's all Bush's fault.

Well, again, they don't say that, but that will be the Narrative.

The recession was deeper than the government previously thought.

The Commerce Department, in revisions issued Friday, estimates the economy shrank 2.6 percent last year -- the steepest drop since 1946. That's worse than the 2.4 percent decline originally estimated.

The economy's plunge underscores why the unemployment rate surged to 10.1 percent in October, a 26-year high.

The revisions in gross domestic product, or GDP, now show zero growth in 2008. That compares with a 0.4 percent gain previously estimated.The economy also grew less in 2007 (1.9 percent) than earlier thought (2.1 percent).

For all three years, consumers spent less and home builders cut more deeply than had been thought. Those factors help explain the downward revisions on the economy.

Sure would be nice to have had that trillion in "stimulus" spent on actual stimulus. Or not spent at all.

Posted by: Ace at 09:00 AM | Comments (67)
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Desperation Never Reeked So Sweetly

Steny talks tough to defend Americans from those wicked tax lovin' Republicans:

“We have no intention of allowing the Republican tax increase — that their policies would lead to — to go into effect for working Americans. Period,” he said. “We’re going to act and make sure that the Republican phase out and increase in taxes does not end as they provided for in the laws they passed.”

Catch that, puddin' slurping rethuglikkkan scum? Your evil plan to increase taxes will not succeed as long as Steny 'Fiscal Hawk' Hoyer is standing in your way.
Yes, they really think you are this stupid.

UPDATE FROM COMMENTS:

53 I think NOW would be a good time to remind people that the ONLY reason those tax cuts are sunsetting is because Democrats filibustered making them permanent in the first place.

Republicans had to pass the tax cuts through reconciliation as a budget measure which means that they had to sunset per the rules of reconciliation because Democrats refused to even make them IN THE FIRST PLACE.

So yeah, let's TALK about the sunsetting of those tax cuts. I, for one, WELCOME, the discussion.

Posted by: Jim B at July 30, 2010 11:49 AM (6pO2h)

Also, Steny Hoyer, just last month:

WASHINGTON (AP) - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Tuesday that tax increases will eventually be necessary to address the nation's mounting debt, [emph. me, -ed.] raising a difficult election-year issue as Democrats fight retain control of Congress.
In the shorter term, Hoyer raised the possibility that Congress will only temporarily extend middle-class tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year. He pointedly suggested that making them permanent would be too costly.

Thanks to Kratos.

Posted by: LauraW at 07:27 AM | Comments (260)
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