That's right. A good number of you are half in the tank anyway by now, double dipping your Doritos when nobody's looking. Or double dipping anyway and taking the stink eye. And yet you dip.

San Francisco 49ers. Balitimore Ravens. I'm not conflicted, a 27 all tie would be fine by me.

I don't do analysis (check out my pick record), I do cheerleaders and randomness. Analysis is not in my contract, and not a skill I have anyway. I think the Ravens take this thing, but I'd leave the college money alone on my say so.

Here are my square numbers from the office pool. 5 & 6, 9 & 2. Also known as FML, Frontwards and Backwards, every quarter.

ALSO! On non-controversy controversies I just have three words:

They're boring.

Couple more cheerleaders just because.. more...

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 01:00 PM | Comments (844)
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On Friday, HHS issued its notice of proposed rulemaking for the contraception/abortifacient mandate. I spent part of the afternoon picking it apart on Twitter, and I'm still amazed at how stupid the Obama Administration thinks we are.

After jawing over the issue for almost a year, the Obama Administration finally figured out a solution. Under the proposed rule (PDF), none of the following folks will have to pay for the contraception and abortifacient coverage that every insured person is required by law to receive:

(1) The insured person.
(2) The insured person's employer.
(3) The insurer.

Quite literally, the Obama Administration's rule contemplates that no one will have to pay for this morally ambiguous healthcare. Let me explain.

Obamacare was clear that individual purchasers of insurance should never have to pay for contraception and abortifacient coverage. That remains the case under the new rule, nominally anyway. The Obama Administration first intended that employers would bear the burden for that portion of insurance coverage. (And yes, that money would obviously have come out of the employee's total compensation, but neither Obama nor liberals in general understand how employment works.)

Naturally, thousands of employers who happen to be religious objected to paying for something to which they have a moral objection. In response, the Obama Administration reluctantly proposed the religious employer exception, which is the focus of the proposed rule. (And no, it doesn't cover such religious employers as, e.g., Hobby Lobby because it is a business instead of a non-profit. Obama apparently believes that you can't be religious if your business is intended to be a business. That's a different problem.)

But the exception left the Obama Administration in a difficult position. If neither the insured person nor the employer was going to pay for this healthcare, who was? Today's notice of rulemaking solves the problem by declaring that no one does.

The Obama Administration accomplished this feat of financial witchery by making two magical claims. First, it declares that for insured group health plans, the cost of contraception and abortifacient coverage with be "cost neutral, and may result in cost savings" once all other benefits are considered. (Pardon me for a minute while I flash back to Obama making the same false claim about Obamacare's own impact on the federal budget.)

The rule cites a study that finds the cost of contraception is cheaper than the cost of unplanned pregnancy, which is idiotically beside the point, since no one, not even the Obama Administration, is suggesting that people who do not get free contraception will necessarily fail to use any contraception at all. This pathetic, financially dubious dodge is the fig leaf that the Obama Administration has hung on the religious employer exception. It gets worse though.

Second, for self-insured health groups, like some corporations, the proposed rule says the cost of contraception and abortifacients will be offset because the ultimate issuer of the objectionable coverage (the rule contemplates a third party) will get to deduct the cost from the federally-mandated exchange fees that all such insurers will have to pay to continue operating under Obamacare. Essentially, Obama is saying to these insurers: "You must pay me a fee to stay in business, but you can deduct the cost of contraception from the fee, so that makes the contraception coverage free."

Like I said: magical thinking.

The Obama Administration will not bend on this. As far as the Democrats are concerned, people will have free contraception and nothing so obvious as morality, economics, or finance will stand in the way of that goal.

I know most commentators are focusing on the businesses that the so-called "religious employer" exception doesn't include. But even for the included groups, it is nothing praiseworthy because despite Obama's claims, somebody is going to have to pay for contraception and abortifacients. He can't just magic that money out of a federal regulation.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 05:51 AM | Comments (200)
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Let's Leave The Conspiracy Theories To The Left, M'kay?

The proper response to this:

... is something along the lines of, "nice shotgun".

To deny them this:

But whoever did this? ... Genius!

Some Maintenance Required

Now that you're a gunowner, there's a little catch you should be aware of if you're not already. These things are pretty simple pieces of metal, wood and plastic, but they require maintenance ... especially since firing them produces all kinds of nasty substances that foul the inner workings.

First and foremost, RTFM (read the fine manual). The manual that comes with your new firearm should describe the basic maintenance you need to do.

Also, the Internet is your friend. There are some good guides from cleaning product manufacturers and videos on the topic, not to mention the commenters here who'll chime in with any advice you need.

Firearms are very simple machines that, with proper maintenance, will last for several lifetimes. The Remington Nylon 66 and Marlin lever-action rifle in my safe that were originally purchased by my grandfather are testament to that.

Gun Of The Week

A guest star ...

more...

Posted by: andy at 11:38 AM | Comments (173)
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Very sad news last night on the death of retired Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Posted by: andy at 04:02 AM | Comments (280)
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Gaming below more...

Posted by: Gang of Gaming Morons! at 09:34 AM | Comments (34)
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"Hang in there, Kate, 3 scenes from now and we'll be making out like horny teenagers!"

Good morning morons and moronettes and welcome the dark, mysterious, and dangerous Sunday Morning Book Thread, now with a throbbing drumbeat!

This reminds me of my favorite Africa joke. I've forgotten the rather laborious setup, but it ends like this:

"Those drums, those drums are driving me mad, they've been pounding, pounding, pounding all night long, won't they ever stop?"

"Oh no, ma'am, that's very bad, you don't want them to stop, it's very bad when they stop, very, very bad."

"Why? What can possibly be so bad? What happens when they stop?"

"Bass solo."

(Rimshot!)

Piercing the Heart of Darkness

Mrs. Muse is reading The Hospital by the River: A Story of Hope by Catherine Hamlin and John Little as part of her book club she's part of along with some other women from our church. From Amazon:

The awe-inspiring story of the life and mission of Dr. Catherine Hamlin who, with her husband Reg, established what has been heralded as one the most incredible medical programs in the modern world. The Hamlins, both Christians, dedicated their lives to women suffering the catastrophic effects of obstructed labor. The awful injuries that such labor produces are called fistulae, and until the Hamlins began their work in Ethiopia, fistula sufferers were neglected and forgotten--a vast group of women facing a lifetime of incapacity and degradation. Catherine and Reg, with their team of dedicated fistula surgeons, have successfully operated on over 25,000 women, and the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital has become a major teaching institutions for gynaecologists from all over Ethiopia and the developing world. Set against the backdrop of Ethiopia, this is a moving and utterly compelling account of an extraordinary life.

Mrs. Muse tells me that an untreated fistula is very nasty business, women suffering from it cannot control their pee and sometimes also their poo, so it just comes out whenever, and gets all over their clothes and and smells real bad. Naturally, nobody wants to be around them so the poor women are avoided and shunned.

The Hamlins went to Ethiopia to set up a midwifery school, and I think it was originally supposed to be a short-term deal, but their work just kind of grew and grew, which only goes to show that sometimes "mission creep" is a good thing.

These two saints are really doing the Lord's work in a very impoverished part of the world, and may their reward in heaven be great.
more...

Posted by: Open Blogger at 07:00 AM | Comments (150)
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Wait until you try Doritos Taco Bell-flavored chips.

The snack food giant plans to roll out its Doritos in a "Taco Bell" flavor as a limited-time product this spring, aiming to capitalize on the popularity of the Doritos-flavored tacos introduced by the fast-food chain last year.

Frito-Lay says it will be the first time since the 1990s that it has offered Doritos branded with the logo of a national restaurant chain.

Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Tacos has been one of the biggest new menu items in recent times, with Taco Bell selling more than 300 million of the tacos with flavored shells since their introduction in March.

Geniuses. More from Fox News. more...

Posted by: rdbrewer at 01:11 PM | Comments (678)
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Last year's Harvard cheating scandal, after protracted navel gazing by the institution and childish rationalizations by some of the students involved, is apparently winding down to a decidedly tawdry and unsatisfactory conclusion. This resolution lacks catharsis for the institution and avoids imposing genuine accountability on the students involved.

While many students involved, by any generally accepted standards outside Harvard walls, obviously “cheated”, none were permanently expelled and sent off to wander the wastelands of less prestigious institutions in shame. Indeed, one gets the sense there was no shame involved at all here, only irritation over the inconvenience of being caught (Which is disturbing in itself. Some Psych grad student could probably write a pretty good PhD thesis about this incident)

One does not maintain the high standards of an institution by debasing them and allowing those who tarnished them to remain or return a year hence. These “students” were adults, who made adult choices, not 3 year old children who haven't developed enough brain function to distinguish between right and wrong.

• The cheating in question involved a final exam.


• The exam was “take home”.

On its face this is a preposterous defense of the sort one might expect 3 year old to offer after being caught with a shirt full of cookie crumbs, chocolate stained fingers, and an empty cookie jar hidden in their bedroom closet. Seriously, Zamora's Twinkie defense was more robust and credible. I'm sorry, but being pathetic and whiny is not exculpatory, its just pathetic and whiny.

[PUT MORE RANTZ HERE] ...I'm done ranting, these people disgust me.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 09:42 AM | Comments (189)
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Good morning and happy Giant Rat Day, everyone.

Oh my God, I'm so full. That was some gooood garbage. Mmm.

We have one of these things living under our forsythia. He has absorbed volleys of small lead pellets to apparently no ill effect. Unless you consider an excruciatingly heightened situational awareness, an ill effect. Which I certainly do, since it makes it impossible to draw a bead on the fat bastard anymore.

He has grown so sensitive to sound and movement that he now runs when he hears planes overhead.

Here's my prediction: You now have fleas.

Anyway, around my neck of the woods, we don't call these rats groundhogs. We refer to them as 'woodchucks,' or simply, 'get the .22, he's back.'

Anyway, enjoy your Rat Day. An early Spring is coming! In Florida.

Bonus shooting Video: Pigeons.

Thanks to Scott.

Posted by: LauraW at 07:26 AM | Comments (221)
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Support Those Who Support You

I was going to compile a list of anti-second amendment organizations, but the NRA has a good one. It's longer than one of Ace's movie reviews but well worth a scan as you decide how to spend your scarce dollars in the Obamaconomy.

And speaking of movie reviews, I'd suggest that someone starring in a feature called "Bullet to the Head" should STFU about gun control.

If the Hollywood types want certain guns banned, they should set an example and stop depicting them in movies. I won't be holding my breath.

No, Dummies, It's Heckler & Koch

We've had several posts on the pernicious media lie about the father of a Newtown shooting victim supposedly being heckled at a hearing. Erik Wemple at the Washington Post committed a surprising act of journalism concerning this brouhaha by watching the whole video and documenting how reserved and polite the second amendment supporters in the audience were despite all the anti-gun statements being made during the hearing.

After each of those calls for gun control, Heslin got the full attention of his audience. No interruptions, no heckling, no nothing. ItÂ’s only after he twice calls on the audience to rebut his opinions about assault rifles that he draws some audience participation. Had multiple news outlets not mischaracterized the session as a hecklefest, it might well have stood as a model of civil and patient discussion of a pressing public matter.

It's worth a read, and kudos to Wemple for swimming against the tide of propaganda being pushed by his profession.

Speaking of Media Lies ...

Steve Capus resigned as head of NBC News. I don't know if he "resigned" or "was resigned" but I don't particularly care. He's been at the helm of NBC's rather creative video editing that strangely run in the direction of overtly supporting the left and, particularly, Obama.

Need to brand the Tea Party as violent racists? How better to do it than to show a lawful gun owner carrying a rifle at a rally and cutting the video so the viewer can't tell he's black?

Want to help Obama fan the flames about his imaginary dead son? Cut a 9-1-1 tape to make it sound like George Zimmerman just volunteered that the kid was black instead of replying to the 9-1-1 operator's question.

And even though they were caught, they duplicated this last trick with the "heckling" video.

Now, Capus wasn't literally sitting in the video edit bay as all this happened ... as far as I know ... but he set the direction of the organization. Unfortunately, this direction is unlikely to change with his replacement. I imagine NBC is just moving to hire a better liar.

I'll be back with the regular G&H thread tomorrow, but I wanted to get some of the lefty politics and media (BIRM) stuff out of the way today. Turkey season approaches, and the politics has been edging out the important things we need to discuss.

Tips

If there are topics you're interested in seeing in the gun thread, please send them to AoSHQGunThread at gmail. You can also send them to me on Twitter at @AndyM1911.

Posted by: andy at 06:37 AM | Comments (321)
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