Sun, Jan 31st - 10:51PM

Durant's Rousseau and Revolution, p. 662
34.0 miles.
sunny

101 recordings of 31 types.

Rasmussen: -12 (THERE's that blip! It's all Democrats, though.) 49/51.

I spent most of the day just hanging out, but partway through the day we went down to order our season tickets to Music Circus.  We're doing it early this year because we're hoping to get the aisle seats. Our two lady neighbors weren't there last year, so those seats are now open. We hope. We also got our season tickets for the Cabaret. I had gone out to hover near the car with another quarter for the meter if I saw a meter maid, but Rich called me back to answer a question so I shoved the quarter in.  The question was on the last Cabaret show, did we want the preview tickets. Yes, why not, it might be fun.

Then I'd noted a couple of caches nearby, and noticed there might be a digitalfish in one, still.  So we went to the Capitol grounds for one, then home down N street and indeed did get a digitalfish.  That's 99 I've found and logged.

Scott Ott President does extraordinarily well without TelePromTer (perhaps thanks to low expectations). However, the GOP lawmakers erred by staying on pre-scripted questions, stacking questions with talking points, and failing to follow up and challenge the president's overriding worldview that if there's a problem, then the federal government is the best way to solve it.

Brad Morgan This looked and felt like the first step of a mediation process - which usually involves both paries airing their grievances first before they actually start communicating. I found it curious that the President said he was there to listen - and then proceeeded to lecture and talk. That said - they blew-it by answering in kind with talking points and campaign slogans. Neither side took advantage of the opportunity in my view.

Anthony Rogers I don't think either "party" can right now. It's all about Obama. He makes it all very personal with direct attacks on people. As such, a person has to defend themself, personally.

Harry Bell "There's a story of an exhausted tenor at La Scala who, facing repeated cries of "Encore," responded that he couldn't go on. A man rose in the audience to say, "You'll keep singing until you get it right."
That seems to be the defining principle of the Obama administration -- whose response to every problem, every setback, every hiccup and challenge has been, simply, "more Obama."

Patti Campbell Now THERE'S a State of the Union Address! Notice how he said "We" and "Let's" and not "I, I, I" like Obama. And the tone was uplifting and not condescending. Reagan truly loved our country and wanted to make it strong and free. The Progressives don't think that it's special, apologize for it, and want to run it down in favor of a "global order".

The View Women say 0bama's Presidency is Traumatic for Whites. No, Matthews is just a racist. I *don't care* what color 0bama's skin is! So I don't "forget," I just don't notice one way or the other, it's not important.

If there is a camera running, but no one is watching, did this conversation actually take place?

Karl discussed before and after the SOTU.

0bama's reality problem, Michael Gerson

Health Care. On this issue, elected Democrats are desperate for leadership. They want to avoid total defeat on last year’s highest legislative priority, while pivoting swiftly to the economy. Obama gave no indication of how this feat will be accomplished. Instead, he called attention to his own virtue, foresight and tenacity in pursuing the issue. His approach was entirely self-centered. Democrats in tough races can only conclude that the president is indifferent to their political needs. On health care, it is every Democrat for himself.
...
After a series of political humiliations, Obama called on Republicans to change their course. Facing a general revolt against Washington, he proudly took credit for posting the names of White House visitors online. Promising to change the tone in Washington, he managed to be petty, backward looking, defiant and self-justifying.

Barack Obama has lost his promise. He has lost his momentum. He has lost his touch. He has lost his filibuster-proof Senate majority. He has lost his first year in office.

Tonight, he lost his grip on reality.

Michael Ledeen "As a friend of mine put it, the leaders [in Iran] have to chain their children at home when anti-regime confrontations start."

The attorney general might get involved in the BCS? Why doesn't he do something about actual crime, voter intimidation, etc.?

Sun, Jan 31st - 10:50PM

Durant's Rousseau and Revolution, p. 662
33.8 miles. (should be 80. I'd better lower my expectations!)
some rain, partly cloudy

94 recordings of 26 types.

Rasmussen: -17 (not so much of a bump as I figured!) 47/53.

The director of polling for ABC attacked automated polling yesterday after a Democratic firm released numbers showing Fox News is trusted more than ABC. However, it’s not just a case of shooting the messenger and it’s not about the details of one polling approach versus another. The real issue is new media versus old media. New media outlets like Rasmussen Reports view ourselves as a source that can be used by our visitors. The old media mentality sees itself as a gatekeeper who determines what information is appropriate to share.

This week I lost a half pound.  My blood pressure is low borderline.

It was my scheduled tooth-cleaning today. I asked the tech to completely avoid the sore tooth (it's not the tooth, it's the nerve, but touching the tooth really hurts).  I need to brush and floss more, she tells me. Afterwards I asked about tooth whitening, how long it takes, how much it costs: I ended up getting impressions. I should get the molds next week and get started. Apparently I can keep drinking coffee. Which, of course, is why I need the whitening.

Then we went to the Home Show.  Look, we just spent $25K on a heating system.  Then we need to do the roof. AGAIN.  It took 10 years to finally get the ceiling in the back room done, and now it needs fixing. It's taken over 2 years to get as much of the painting done as we have. At this point, the home show is just frustrating: we can't afford or won't do any of this stuff, anyway, why tease me?  BORing. I was interested in the dual-flush toilet, and in the steam mop, and I do think I will want a garlic grater plate, but on the whole, it was just a very tiring day.

Afterwards we stopped at Sears but didn't see any Yo Gabba Gabba stuff. There were footie jammies with dinosaurs on clearance, though.  Then since we were so close we found a couple of caches. 

We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism. - Nikita Khruschev

Scott Ott Toyota checks 1.4 million gas pedals.
8 were slow to return to idle.
Company recalls 2.3 million cars.
Amazing.

Steven White actually i find the irony in the fact that they didn't have any major recalls in years until they started making cars IN the us using laid off ford an GM Union employees.

The 0bama Contradiction 

The central fact of the speech was the contradiction at its heart. It repeatedly asserted that Washington is the answer to everything. At the same time it painted a picture of Washington as a sick and broken place. It was a speech that argued against itself: You need us to heal you. Don't trust us, we think of no one but ourselves.
....
I hope we have big changes in 2010," the friend said. Only significant loss will force the president to focus on spending. "To heal our country we need to get the arrogance out of the White House and the elitists out of the Congress. We need tough love. We need a real adult in the White House because we don't have adults in the Congress."

[Good luck with that!]

State of the Union: More Lies, Fewer Facts 

After President Obama finished delivering his State of the Union speech in the House chamber last night, it was evident that the Democratic loss in Massachusetts on January 19 had taught him nothing. He still attacked the free market, talked of raising taxes, pushed for the passage of ObamaCare, and continued blaming President George W. Bush for every economic woe that couldn’t be pinned on a sitting Republican.

In fact, Obama did everything but the one thing citizens wish he would do: take the will of the people into account somewhere in the midst of his decision-making process.
...
While only a fool would argue that Bush doesn’t deserve some criticism for spending money like a Democrat while in office, there’s absolutely no way to blame him for the approximately $12 trillion deficit Obama has racked up in just one year’s time.

Kathryn Lopez I officially apologize to Bill Clinton for viewing him as a narcissist overly concerned about his legacy.

Michelle Malkin RT @jimmiebjr: I thought the President went to meet with Republicans to listen to them. so when do they get to talk?

Statement from James O'Keefe. Stupid, but not criminal.

 Mandy Morello: When you have 40% of Americans saying they are part of the Tea Party Movement less than one year after it started .... I would have to say "The Party is Far from OVER!!!!

YOUTH IS WASTED ON THE PRESIDENTIAL SPEECHWRITING TEAM
Why is no one talking about the president’s speechwriter and the fact that he’s 27 years old, while the president’s speeches have been sounding like mediocre faux-high minded speeches (that would be sort-of OK for a freshman rhetoric class) for a year? I don’t understand how it is that the administration hasn’t gone out looking for someone who has been communicating as an adult for at least 10 years. Our ability to respond to the challenges we face is primarily dictated by our life experiences, and there is no way the president’s speechwriter could write for what average Americans are now going through right now.

Also note that it is the mistake of the inexperienced to think that when they are disagreed with it is simply enough to restate their case. The administration’s attitude seems very much derived from the youth and inexperience of both the POTUS and his boy-wonder speechwriter.

John Reeder

William Bailey: "The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance." Cicero , 55 BC

Roni called from Las Vegas.  Lexi's cheerleading team got 3rd place in the Nationals!  (There were 3 teams, but the girls haven't realized that. They didn't make any mistakes.) They'll still be in LV tomorrow, so I suggested the Children's Museum.  (Apparently they no longer have the sharks. It's been renovated and expanded.)

Reading: Rousseau and Revolution, What If? edited by Robert Cowley, the Bible (Zachariah), Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg, Monstrous Regiment, Terry Pratchett, Common Sense, Glenn Beck, Don Quixote, Miseducation: Preschoolers at Risk, David Elkind, Low-Carb Dieting for Dummies, Katherine B. Chauncey.