If you're anything like me, and I'm sure you are, you've often wondered, "What would happen if a race car crashed into a jet engine?" Well, wonder no more.

I can't help but think there are several metaphors in there for this year's GOP nomination race.

Posted by: DrewM at 05:33 AM | Comments (217)
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Happy Tuesday.

I don't have news links this morning, but here's a long-ish piece at The Street on why big companies continue to make stupid and obvious blunders. Bank of America, Netflix, Coke, and Verizon make appearances. Social media takes some of the blame, but the short version is that business people aren't very bright.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 02:51 AM | Comments (299)
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How Popular Is Your State?

So Public Policy Polling had a survey asking Americans whether they have a favorable or unfavorable view of various states as a whole.

It turns out that people like Hawaii best and the top 10 are viewed positively by a large margin:

54% see Hawaii positively and only 10% negatively, followed in the top ten by Colorado (44-9), Tennessee (48-14), South Dakota (42-8 ), Virginia (45-13), Montana (39-7), Alaska (46-17), Oregon (43-14), and North Carolina and Pennsylvania (each 40-11).

Here are the bottom 5 with California disliked by a near majority:

Only five are in negative territory, led by California (27% favorable and 44% unfavorable), Illinois (19-29), New Jersey (25-32), Mississippi (22-28 ), and Utah (24-27).

But one of the bottom five doesn't really fit and John Hinderaker has a theory:

There are a lot of interesting comparisons to be drawn, but one concerns me a little. The mountain states are almost universally popular. Colorado is the second most favorably viewed state, but most of the other mountain states are not far behind, e.g., Montana (39/7) and Idaho (30/11). The anomaly is Utah. At 24/27, it is the fifth-least favorably perceived state.

How can that be? If you like Colorado, Idaho and Montana, why would you dislike Utah? I can't think of any reason other than anti-Mormon bias.

Anyone have an alternative hypothesis?

Posted by: Maetenloch at 06:15 PM | Comments (595)
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Yahoo News is in full on campaign mode.

None of us is surprised by this. This is pointing out hypocrisy for the sake of pointing it out. And making me tired for the three-hundredth time of doing so.

The narrative: A wealthy banker leaves a 1% tip for a hard-working waitress with a snide handwritten note on the receipt admonishing her to "get a real job".

Get it? 1%.

Seriously. See, he's Wealthy. And a Banker. You can spot them because of the WB lapel pin. This story was posted on a "blog", which has since been taken down because of "all the attention". He told her, he wrote it with a pen (fountain pen I'll bet), "get a real job".

This is what passes for news now.

The trailer story is not made up shit, it's just made up drama, actress Lucy Lawless is fighting the good fight against Shell Oil to save the Arctic. All she wanted was a mission. And for her sins they gave her one. Brought it up to her, like room service. She was going to the worst place in the world, and she didnÂ’t even know it yet. Weeks away and hundreds of miles up a glacier that snaked through the ice like a main circuit cable and plugged straight into Shell Oil Company.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 05:30 PM | Comments (145)
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Big wreck on lap two.

Added: In case you're wondering, a race car hit a jet attached to a truck.

As of right now, 11:20 Eastern, they're cleaning the track. They plan on re-starting soon. 40 laps to go. Also...

"Monday Night Racing" has a nice ring to it.

And Hank Williams Jr. is available. more...

Posted by: rdbrewer at 03:32 PM | Comments (356)
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Wow. When I first heard the story, I thought for sure it was some shenanigans. But the Santorum campaign has confirmed it to multiple outlets. It's like waking up in Bizarro World.

Rick Santorum is running robocalls targeting Democrats and encouraging them to vote in the Republican primary:

“Michigan Democrats can vote in the Republican primary on Tuesday,” the narrator says in a copy of the call initially obtained by Talking Points Memo. “Why is it so important? Romney supported the bailout for his Wall Street billionaire buddies, but opposed the auto bailout. That was a slap in the face to every Michigan worker. And we’re not going to let Romney get away with it.”

Then the ad closes with: “This call is supported by hard-working Democratic men and women and paid for by Rick Santorum for President.”

Ahh, I'm so old I remember the days when Republicans didn't want Democrats or independents voting in our primaries. Also, this is a deeply disingenuous robocall. Yes, Mitt Romney opposed the auto bailout. And so did Rick Santorum.

There's more robocall mischief in the Wolverine State. Someone, it's unclear who, is running a pro-Santorum robocall using the NRA's name and calling gun owners to tell them to vote against Romney. The NRA rep says the gun rights organization hasn't endorsed, isn't responsible for these calls, and believes either candidate is a vast improvement over President Obama.

And, finally, if you click the first link up there, there's a Democratic strategist who is also encouraging Democrats to vote for Santorum with robocalls. His theory is that the longer the primary drags out, the weaker the eventual Republican candidate will be.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 02:51 PM | Comments (367)
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This is @benk84 's new Twitter profile picture. (You know, BenK the coblogger.)

Posted by: Ace at 02:37 PM | Comments (62)
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Turns out Bill Lockyer has as much control over his wife as over California spending.

He's 70, she's 40.

Hard to believe, but she sought out the company of younger men.

Or at least, this guy. Who she met at a rehab clinic.

I am here to do blow and shtup your wife
but I'm under court orders not to use blow.

So, Mrs. Lockyer was assaulted in a hotel room, presumably by her lover.

Mr Chikhani claimed that he acted in self-defense after Mrs Lockyer invited him to the hotel. He also revealed that he had been having a year-long affair with the politician's wife after they met in rehab while she was battling an alcohol addiction.

...

The fight was reportedly down to the fact Mrs Lockyer, an Alameda County Supervisor, was jealous that Chikani may have been seeing other women.

Okay.

High on the list of things a guy never wants to hear: "Honey, you may wind up blackmailed with a sex-tape I made with a dude I met in a rehab center."

A sex tape of Mrs Lockyer and an unidentified man was reportedly given to her 70-year-old husband six weeks ago.

Mr Lockyer contacted the DA's office to obtain a restraining order against the man, suggesting that the alleged meth user might make the tape public.The DA's office refused to confirm this to MailOnline.

Although several officers were assigned to the case, it is believed that the relationship was consensual after text messages and explicit photographs of Mrs Lockyer and her lover were discovered.

The DA's office told the Chronicle that the office 'had nothing at all about a tape and blackmail'.

Then why send it?

More at Instapundit.

Because this post is worthless without pictures...

Honey, does this sex-tape make my ass look fat?

Making love to the camera.
And also, dudes she met at rehab.

I got that picture from New Santa Ana.

Posted by: Ace at 01:51 PM | Comments (261)
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The Big Guy says he might serve as Vice President to Romney.

I don't really believe him. I think he's just trying to stump for his guy.

His loyalty to the voters of NJ, and to his family, kept him from running as President, but will permit him to run as Vice President? I don't buy it.

But he did note among his reasons he "wasn't ready." Maybe he feels ready for the second banana seat.

Posted by: Ace at 12:50 PM | Comments (251)
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First, go to Slovakia.

Slovaks have been voting overwhelmingly in favour of naming a new pedestrian and cycling bridge near their capital after 1980s US action film and TV star Chuck Norris.

. . .

The actor's work has become a popular source of kitschy fun among Slovaks and a mainstay for local jokes about macho strength and invincibility.

The final decision will be up to a regional assembly. But regional governor Pavol Freso has said it would follow the wishes of the people in the internet ballot where Norris leads as the top choice for the bridge's name.

If money was no object, I'd have to put "crossing Chuck Norris" on my bucket list. Thanks to @Gabby_Hoffman and @EvanPokroy. more...

Posted by: rdbrewer at 11:35 AM | Comments (130)
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