Jiblog

The Media Love Fest for Obama

2008-07-24T19:15:00.002-05:00

One big topic of chatter this week has been the McCain camp's complaint that the media is spending way too much time on the Obama pilgrimage and way too little time on the Sorta-Straight Talk Express. Frankly, the McCain camp should be thankful. For the press, familiarity breeds contempt. The more time they spend with him now means the earlier they'll turn on him like half-starved cannibals.

Two questions for Obama

2008-07-24T18:54:00.001-05:00

And they are kind of related.

1. You do know that you aren't running for President of the World, right?

2. How many votes do you think you picked up in Israel and Germany this week?

On the Return of Favre

2008-07-24T00:04:00.002-05:00

Most of my commentary on Brett Favre has been confined to the Wisconsin Sports Bar, but I did want to share one little nugget here. I am so confident that Brett's age and decreasing devotion to the little things will lead to a big performance drop off that I don't even really care if he ends up in Minnesota or Chicago. In fact, in a kind of perverse way, I'm almost to the point where I'm welcome it.

Plant Bleg

2008-07-23T23:50:00.001-05:00

Mystery Plant
Originally uploaded by Jibby7

I was walking along the river in Waukesha this weekend and I snapped a photo of this plant. Unfortunately, I have no idea what the hell it is. Anyone out there who is sharp at plant identification who can fill me in on this? Your expertise is much appreciated.

Motivations Behind the Iraq Plans

2008-07-23T23:24:00.003-05:00

The great debate is on again: When should we leave Iraq? In this corner, we have Barack Obama's 16 month plan. And in this corner, we have John McCain's longer range plan, one that could see a substantial U.S. presence in Iraq for years and basing rights for our children's lifetime and beyond. But really, what are the motivations behind each plan?

For most Americans, the 16 month plan is very seductive. Americans are not a war loving lot despite their willingness to fight for security and liberty. The Long War has been exactly that, and the fatigue in the general populace is palpable.

In addition to fatigue, there is this notion that pulling out now, while Iraq is stabilized, is a chance to make a legitimate claim to victory over the insurgency in Iraq. A quick pull out may very well allow that claim to be staked.

The long range plan proves to be a much more difficult sell. A fatigued public cannot fathom a significant U.S. military presence in Iraq that lasts until 2012 or 2020. Long term military deployments such as this are just not something that Americans have historical experience with.

If you listen to Iraq's Defense Minister, that long range presence is exactly what we will need in order to claim a victory that the history books will recognize. He says that it will be 2012 before Iraq can even handle all of its own internal security, and that it may be 2020 before the country can reliably protect itself from external threats. If his estimates are correct, a 16 month pull out, while possibly giving the U.S. a tenuous claim to victory, would leave the current Iraqi state horribly vulnerable to internal and external calamity.

So which plan is best? Well, the answer just may lay in your motivation. If you have a short term outlook, then getting our troops out of harms way with a veneer of victory is likely the goal. The future of the nation at the crossroads of the Middle East is wrought with peril in this outlook, but it is nothing if not expedient.

On the other hand, if a stable, allied state in the heart of the Middle East is the goal, then there is little choice but to stay until such time that the Iraqi government can successfully provide it's most important service to the Iraqi people: Providing internal and external security for the Iraqi people. Additionally, if Iraq's long term viability and prosperity is a goal, then long range basing rights a la Germany and Japan must be negotiated with the Iraqi government. The presence of a U.S. base(s), while perhaps not always popular, would have a tempering affect on internal Iraqi instability while acting as a very obvious trip wire to deter external threats to the nation.

So when you consider the plans of the competing presidential candidates, ask yourself this: What motivates my support of one plan over another? Do I just want this over because I'm tired of it all, or do I want us to make the effort to do this right so our presence today is appreciated by future generations of Iraqis, not regretted.

Litmus Test for MSM's Obama-Crush

2008-07-23T23:16:00.002-05:00

This is rather clever:

This is my proposed Quayle Test. Ask yourself: How each time Obama says something stoopid, would the press would have crucified Dan Quayle for it?

Each day, each new gaffe from Obama, imagine Dear Old (supposedly) Dumbsh*t Dan saying it. Then compare what would have happened to him compared to the response Sen. Obama gets from his cheering gallery in the Press.

It is undeniable that Obama is getting a pass from liberal media sources, and this is a great way of illustrating it.

Bank Run on IndyMac

2008-07-14T22:47:00.002-05:00

This blows my mind.

Bovenzi, who oversees bank receiverships for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, was not surprised to see hundreds of customers waiting outside the bank's Pasadena, California, headquarters Monday morning to withdraw their money, but predicted the anxiety would quickly abate.

"I think what people will see when they go in and get their money is that it's safe," Bovenzi said in an interview outside the newly renamed IndyMac Federal Bank. "There will be some lines until people see that."

Apparently these folks have never taken the time to read the "FDIC Insured" thing. This isn't 1930...not yet, at least. They really didn't need to forgo work to get their money because it was still going to be there after work, or tomorrow, or this weekend.

The Bring Back My $8 Campaign

2008-07-14T22:42:00.002-05:00

Since there is a Bring Back Brett Favre campaign that is getting rave reviews on the news, I've decided to start the Bring Back My $8 campaign for all of us who bought that now silly commemorative Brett Favre issue of Sport Illustrated. See the Wisconsin Sports Bar for details. Together, we can get our $8 back.

Tony Snow, 1955-2008

2008-07-12T22:10:00.002-05:00

I am saddened by the death of Tony Snow. Snow has done much to further the discourse on the right over the years via his columns, his radio show, and his time on television. While I might not have always agreed 100% with him, I always did respect him. As Press Secretary, he brought a small piece of assertiveness to an administration that did not display very much of its own. My condolences to Snow's family.

Miller Park at Night

2008-07-12T19:55:00.001-05:00

Miller Park
Originally uploaded by Jibby7

I've been dying to take this shot of Miller Park for a long time. I had it all thought out in my head...I was going to use a long shutter speed and a smaller aperture so I could get the stadium just right while having a nice, blurred crowd shot. So there was only one problem when I went to shoot it-my tripod was in my trunk, and my car was way over in the general lot. So I had to adjust and do this basically hand held. I like it, but I didn't get as much of a blur on the sidewalk as I had hoped, and the lights on the right really messed with the composition of the entire.

Dumb

2008-07-10T23:42:00.002-05:00

I stood underneath a pavilion tonight as a severe thunderstorm blew through. I must admit, that ranks in the top 10 of dumbest things I've ever done. As I held a teammate's aluminum bat with sand and rain blasting my face, I wondered what the hell I was doing.

Bored, Uninspired

2008-07-06T19:55:00.002-05:00

By Gawd, I have been a horrible blogger this year, and mostly mediocre last year. I have to admit, 'the process' has left me bored and completely uninspired. Four years ago, I was gung ho for a flawed but respectable candidate. Since then, I've watched the Republican party do everything possible to shear itself from conservatism, and the president utterly fail to lead on domestic issues. I will get back into the swing of things, but 'the process' has left me with no desire to do so. I will do so in spite of everything that is going right now, not because of it. And I can tell you this, I will pull the lever for John McCain, but only because Obama leaves a deep level of distrust deep in my gullet every time I listen to him.

Poor Reporting Skills in Madison

2008-06-28T09:49:00.002-05:00

The Capital Times has a story on the odd behavior exhibited by Charles Peterson prior to his murder of Joel Marino. The story is an interesting if shallow look at the killer, but one little piece of the story made me cringe:

Madison police apparently have a database of people who have exhibited strange behavior, the database maintained mainly for the safety of police officers if they need to make contact with the people on the list, but also as an unofficial record of people who might be dangerous.

What a horrible paragraph that is destined to creep people out about big brother. Let's take it apart piece by piece. First, they never should have used "apparently." They are journalists, and they should have asked a question or two that eliminated the need to use apparently, which is vague and uncertain for a story of this type, and thus allows the reader to create false impressions. An opinion piece can use apparently, a news story should only very rarely use it.

Second, if they are talking about what I think they are talking about, it is an in house contact management database that all departments keep, not some mysterious database that tracks your behavior. It really would be little different in action than the contact management databases that the Capital Times reporters and advertising sales reps use to keep track of their own contacts. This contact database allows the department to have an institutional memory of previous contact that they have had with individuals so officers can better prepare for future contacts. The notes in there might run from a mundane complaint to criminal activity.

That one paragraph is an example to me of how unprofessional the Madison media has been at times during these murder cases. They have every right to hold the Madison Police Department's feet to the fire, but for God's sake, report responsibly. Already in the comments to that story people have picked up on the mysterious strange behavior database and think that it is something that it really isn't.

I Forgot My Own Blogiversary

2008-06-18T14:16:00.003-05:00

Damn. That's what happens when you get to be one of the 'old' bloggers-you get forgetful. Jiblog began on June 15th, 2004 with a post titled "Opening Salvo," which I could re-print here today and it would still be timely. If it weren't for Wigderson's anniversary, who knows when I would have remembered it.

Happy blogiversary, James. I'm glad I could hop into the fray and blaze the trail for you. You've done okay for yourself, rookie.

The Ten Mysterious Communications from Men

2008-06-18T00:23:00.004-05:00

Yahoo tries to decipher men and women for each other on regular basis, and those features never cease to amuse me. Their latest piece, "Man Talk" Translation, is no different. So I've decided to semi-fisk it. Ladies, I'm going to add some context and alternate meanings to their ten pearls of wisdom. Keep in mind, I'm not some cornball dating coach, I'm a married man who is just offering you the real dirt.

1. He starts talking about how crazy all his single friends lives are, and then he tells you that he doesn't miss it at all. What most women will think if they hear this, is that he misses those days. This is not true. He says this because he is looking for confirmation that you feel exactly the same way. He also wants to communicate that he's ready to take the relationship to the next level.

Dude is tired of the dating scene and he is comfortable being out of it with you. Don't assume the ring is just around the corner. He's a guy, so he's pretty literal.

2. Since you recently took him to your family's house for dinner, he can't stop talking about how much fun he had with your brother. What he means here is that he really likes your family, and wouldn't mind being a part of your family.

As it turns out, they like the same beer and sports. They probably drank beer and watched sports. And grunted to each other during timeouts. It doesn't mean he likes your mother, although he might. But he might not.

3. He teases you about things like how clumsy you are or about how you put smiley faces in every one of your emails. What he's really telling you when he does this is that he really likes you a lot. Remember that men are just giant boys... we tease the ones we love and ignore the ones we don't.

He gets this one right, but remember, it has to be good nature teasing. Needling and riding you isn't teasing, and that guy is probably just an asshole.

4. A man tells you he needs his space. So what does this mean to you? It means that you need to ignore him and not call him. Men love the chase. By not calling him, he'll start calling you and wondering what happened.

Methinks the author is throwing his bros a bone here. If he says he needs his space, give it to him, but realize that completely ignoring him may mean that you'll never hear from him again. If so, he ain't that into you, so let him go...but you are free to bash him to all of your friends.

5. A man says that he really wants you to meet his parents. What does this mean in man talk? He's telling you that you are his girlfriend, and that he is ready to take it to the next level by getting you involved with his family. This brings us right to the next bit of man talk.

If you haven't figured out you're his girlfriend by this point, you probably need some remedial classes on "guy signals," and this list is doctorate level stuff for you.

6. When a man calls you and says, "I want you to meet my friends on Friday night," this is as big as meeting his parents. He's introducing you to his pack. It means that he thinks you are attractive and sexy, and he wants to show you off to his friends.

If his "pack" howls at the moon and hunts domesticated animals, be very wary. Seriously though, you'd better hope it means that he's into you. If he's just doing it because he thinks you're sexy and attractive, he may be showing off his trophy, not his gal.

7. After sleeping over at his house several times, he tells you that the next time you sleep over you should bring some things to make you feel more comfortable and a change of clothing. In man talk, that is basically telling you that he's wondering what it would be like to live with you. He also wants your things around.

He certainly could be saying that. He could also be saying that he likes the fringe benefits of you staying over, and he wants to make it easier to enjoy those fringe benefits more often.

8. You have plans with him on a Sunday, and you find out that he passed up floor seats to his favorite basketball team to keep those plans with you. What does that tell you in man talk? It tells you that he's hooked... and that you are his girlfriend.

Ladies, this has even more meaning than the author lets on. It means he is completely whipped and you own him. Try not to take advantage of the poor soul. I love and adore the lovely Mrs. Jib, but c'mon, we're talking floor seats here. This would be like you passing on a 90% off sale on [your favorite product] at [your favorite store].

9. He is watching one of your favorite shows on a night you're not together, and he calls you afterwards to talk about it. In man talk, what does this mean? By doing this, he's telling you that he pays attention to you, and he's interested in learning more about you and sharing more things with you. Men generally do not choose to watch "Project Runway" on their own. If we're watching your TV shows, we really like you.

Stop! The author gets this one completely wrong. He'd have it right if your guy watches the show with you. But if he watches Sex in the City on his own and calls you up to chat about it, he might be your gay best friend, not your boyfriend.

10. He tells you, "I've cleaned today." What this means in man talk is, "I spent the day doing something I dislike more than anything." You need to realize that when a man says this to you, he really likes you. To most men, cleaning the house is just about the worst way he can spend a day.

Partially incorrect. In man talk, he's saying, "I spent the entire day...well, in between beers and ball games...cleaning to impress you. Don't count on me doing this forever, because I didn't even do that great a job, which I'm hoping you'll notice."

I hope this helps, ladies. The dating coach is really good at theory, but he missed some real world things. I'm glad I could fill in some of the holes for you.

How Exploration Can Affect Oil Prices Now

2008-06-17T23:26:00.002-05:00

I stumbled across this article at National Review today, and it is very informative. I suggest that you read it and learn a little more about the oil futures markets. This portion of the article is particularly significant.

With that in mind, anything Congress did today that indicated a change in philosophy concerning U.S. oil production would send shockwaves throughout commodities exchanges across the globe.

Just how much of an impact could such a change in policy have? Well, one of the factors involved in prices being determined on futures exchanges is the current disincentive for oil producers to sell their product today rather than months from now, a condition called “contango.”

As of Friday, the New York Mercantile Exchange price for July delivery was $134.86. By comparison, the November contract closed at $136.04, giving producers $1.16 more to hold their product an additional four months.

Commodities experts for years have claimed this contango acts to restrain the immediately available supply as oil companies opt to sell their product more expensively in the future rather than at today’s prices.

The point being an announcement today of vastly increased exploration will remove the financial incentive for oil companies to hold supply for later higher prices. This is actually the piece of the puzzle that has been missing in my mind. Demand has not risen so significantly this year as to justify the run up in price, so there is a supply component involved here. With Saudi Arabia and Iran even saying that there is enough oil out there for oil to be under $100 a barrel, opening up domestic exploration would go a long way to break the speculation bubble and remove any incentives to sell oil "more expensively in the future."

On Those Plug In Cars

2008-06-17T23:19:00.002-05:00

I tried to make this point the other day.

But at 25 percent market penetration, we are now talking about a serious strain on the grid, which means more coal, nuclear, or hydro plants — all of which are as popular with California pols as drilling in ANWR. Says Jim Owens of the Edison Electric Institute: “If you continue the scenario (of plug-ins reaching significant market numbers), then you’ll need more capacity. And California isn’t building any new capacity.”

In other words, even if one of the most promising alternatives pans out, we’re facing the same challenges we face now with our “old” technology and supplies: Planning ahead (six years to construct $2.5 billion coal plants, or ten years for $5 billion nuke plants) to develop the resources needed to fuel tomorrow’s energy demand.

Look, it doesn't matter what path we take, we need to expand energy production. Doing so via the electric grid makes sense, but only if we are going to start unshackling ourselves from the bondage imposed by environmental groups. It is time to get over our nuclear phobia and start building more plants. In the mean time, solar and wind technologies can continue to be developed in order that one day they might actually be price competitive.

Sometimes the Dead are the Best Choice

2008-06-17T22:27:00.001-05:00

Take Romania:

Romanian villagers have voted to re-elect a dead man as their mayor, to prevent his living rival winning.
Neculai Ivascu - who led Voinesti for almost two decades - died from a liver disease on Sunday, too late to cancel the contest.
The village's loyal residents still gave him 23 more votes than his rival, Gheorghe Dobrescu of the ruling National Liberal Party.

C'mon, like there hasn't been a race where you'd have rather voted for a dead man.

The News You Can Expect: Elian Joins Young Communists

2008-06-16T11:40:00.001-05:00

I could have written this in 2000. Really, anyone could have. In news that was a matter of when, not if, Elian Gonzalez is used for propaganda.

Elian Gonzalez, the Cuban boy whose two-nation custody battle sparked debate about parental rights versus political freedom and ended with a raid by gun-toting U.S. agents, has joined his homeland's Young Communist Union.

Gonzalez, 14, was among 18,000 people who joined the communist youth group two days ago, said the state-run newspaper Juventud Rebelde. The teenager is quoted as pledging fealty to ex-President Fidel Castro and his brother and successor, Raul Castro.

``Fidel and Raul can count on us,'' Gonzalez said, according to the newspaper. ``We won't let them down.''

Gonzalez may very well have joined of his own volition, but even if not, he was destined to be trotted out as a good little communist. He is a trophy for the Cuban communist regime, and they are going to show him off every so often as long as the Castros run the island.

The Toyota Gamble

2008-06-15T00:11:00.002-05:00

Even if you are a long time member of the UAW, I think you have to give Toyota credit for having a prescient view of the market. They make calculated decisions, and more often than not, they come out smelling like a rose. That doesn't mean that they don't make mistakes-their expansion of Tundra production in the U.S. is beginning to look like a big one. More often than not, their choices work out to their advantage, though, so the fact that they are following GM into the plug-in realm is very significant:

Toyota, rightly or wrongly, is widely considered the greenest automaker, and the company hopes to solidify its hold on the title and move beyond oil through a sweeping plan to produce cleaner, more efficient cars -- beginning with a plug-in hybrid it will produce by 2010.

It's no secret Toyota's been working on a plug-in hybrid to compete against the forthcoming Chevrolet Volt, but Wednesday's announcement sets a firm deadline and makes it clear Toyota has no plans of ceding the green mantle to General Motors. It also underscores how quickly the race to build a viable mass-market electric car is heating up.

Here's the catch. Electricity is not all that different from oil or any other energy source. Supply and demand set the price. So let's consider the electricity production market. Wind and solar are a long, long way off from being significant contributors to our electricity supply because they are just not cost effective. Coal and hydro power are cost effective, but they are stymied at every corner by environmentalists. That leaves one source of abundant, cost effective electricity to meet the explosive demand that popular plug ins would create: Nuclear. Unless the U.S. is willing to start fast tracking new nuclear plants, political pressure from the environmental groups be damned, plug ins will run into the same cost of operation problems that internal combustion engine vehicles already face, only the costs will spread to household and business expenses.

Fort Atkinson Flooding 2008

2008-06-14T14:10:00.001-05:00

Fort Atkinson Flood 2008, Vol 2 011
Originally uploaded by Jibby7

Storms this week in southern Wisconsin have lead to historic flooding across the region. It is no different here, but fortunately the lay of the land is such that damage is confined to low laying areas. While horrible for those who live and own businesses in those area, it has confined the Rock River to a certain extent. I've taken some photos in an unobtrusive way as possible, and this one is perhaps my favorite. I suspect that by the time the river crests, this view will show a statue where one little boy is helping the other out of the river itself.

Rest in Peace, Tim Russert

2008-06-14T11:37:00.002-05:00

I was a busy guy yesterday, but even with all I had going on, I still had to stop for a moment when I heard the news of Tim Russert's death. Russert was one of those few people in the political realm that was very likable, even when you completely disagreed with him or the way he as conducting an interview. From this recliner, Russert came off as a good guy who knew his stuff. Meet the Press will never quite be the same.

My thoughts and prayers are with his friends and particularly with his family. I know first hand how hard it is to suddenly lose a loved one around Father's Day, and I wish them much comfort during this difficult time

And Then, Finally, They Confiscated Our Sporks

2008-06-12T08:13:00.001-05:00

Shocking. It seems people will kill one another even if they can't get guns:

Britain is redoubling its efforts to stop young people carrying knives, after a volley of fatal teenage stabbings and headlines warning that the country is in the grip of a knife-crime epidemic.

Police have embarked on a stop-and-search operation to retrieve weapons, the government has warned of tougher sentencing for teenage culprits, and a "youth summit" has come up with a $6 million ad campaign to warn of the perils of carrying a knife.

So what does a good, caring, Western nation do? Well, it starts by confiscating knives from the young. But it might not stop there.

Another medical expert, Dr. Mike Beckett, argues that it is time to remove sharp knives from kitchens altogether. He says there is no need for the pointed tips that make knives fatal. "What people want in a kitchen knife is the edge," he told the BBC. "The point on the end of the knife actually serves little culinary purpose, but it is the point that kills people."

Next thing you know, you won't be able to own a plastic spork in the UK because of the potentially dangerous tines. I say why ban objects? Let's ban fingers instead.

Another McCain Campaign Slogan Idea

2008-06-10T11:54:00.001-05:00

I saw this over at Ol' Broad's, and another campaign slogan for John McCain came to mind: Shoot yourself in the foot, not the head. John McCain 2008.

Wisconsin Storms and the Winds of Doom

2008-06-08T19:18:00.002-05:00

Round four of storms is here. As I understand it, a good chunk of town is without power. I do not have such a problem in my part of town, but my cable is out. Thankfully, Tivo and the internet aren't out. I'd whine more about my cable being out, but I'm afraid of jinxing myself.