Is Congress F-ing Kidding?!?!

From AP
WASHINGTON (AP) - Despite low approval ratings and hard feelings from last year's elections, Democrats and Republicans in the House are reaching out for an approximately $4,400 pay raise that would increase their salaries to almost $170,000.

Can you imagine getting a review at work saying that you are doing a horrible job, that the satisfaction level of your performance was less than 20% and then looking your boss in the eye and saying, "Cool... so can I have a raise?"

People have been fired for less.

Create Your Own South Park (Conservative) Character

This may be the very reason why the internet was started. I found a site where you can design your very own South Park Character here.

As you can see, I made on that I think looks like me (right). If any of my friends go there, try and make one that looks like one of us. Sometimes it is hard to ‘draw’ yourself.

Enjoy!

Ohio State Is Now A Hacky Theme Park

Those of you who are regular readers, all 4 of you, know that I have only recently moved back to Columbus after being gone from Ohio since 1997. Truth be told, most of my time from 1993-1997 was spent in Oxford Ohio while in school, but I retuned almost every summer.

In 1997 I joined the Navy and rarely had the chance to return to the Capital City. My recent homecoming has been a rediscovery of sorts since so much has changed in this area. Almost all of it is for the better: NHL, Arena District, the Short North, businesses, the great housing, the amazing restaurants, etc. However, I discovered today one area that has, in my opinion become a caricature of itself: The Ohio State University Campus area.

When I was younger I used to enjoy all of the stores, bars and shops along High Street. So much of that area was what college is about in that it was free flowing, a little crazy and independent. It was what made OSU the amazing university it was. Now I understand that it was getting “out of hand” down there, but as I drove down High Street for the first time in over a decade I was saddened by what I saw.


Building after building replace with national chains, stores for Alumni and Eddie George’s restaurant. What dawned on me is that the OSU area has nothing to do with the students who actually attend Ohio State. The entire area is for Alumni to relive the days in an area which ironically they watched being replaced and for fans of OSU. No student could afford to eat on a Friday at Edie George’s restaurant. Gone are the cheap pizza joints, dollar beer nights and cheap coffee houses NOT originating in Seattle. The entire area reminded me of Universal Studios Florida. It is not a real studio... it is a just an amusement park with that theme. Campus has become just that... Ohio State World.

College areas should be about the students who actually attend, not for others to visit the pre-packaged, theme park area with over priced restaurants, stores and Scarlet and Gray photo ops for “What I did on my summer vacation” scrap books. Shame on the developers of High Street who are now wealthy but at the cost of taking away campus from those who pay to attend OSU.

No wonder OSU students drive away and take shuttles to leave campus when not in class. Sad.

T-Shirts, Mugs and More For Bloggers By Bloggers

Not too long ago to help subsidize my blogging habit I opened up a Café Press store called
Blogga Wear.

Come by and you will find great t-shirts, mugs, stickers etc that express what we all know. We have issues, we have blogs.

Please take a moment and look. You won’t be disappointed. Makes a great gift for those you know who can’t seem to break free from the computer!

Do You Know Who This Is? Did he lose something at Worthington Kilbourne?

Does anyone recognize his kid? Do you know him? If so, have him contact Bearing Drift Ohio. I have something of his.

He may have attended or visited Worthington Kilbourne High School this year.

Thanks

Libertarian Party Continues To Peak My Interest

Today, while enjoying the Powell Festival, I visited the booth for the Libertarian Party of Delaware County. I gladly signed their petition to be recognized by the county board of elections to allow their candidates to run under the party’s name. This is not the first time I have looked in to the Libertarian party.

In recent years I have become dissatisfied with the GOP and of course the Dems are nuts. My good friend Jim over at the original Bearing Drift really says it best as to what is wrong with the party (although he was focusing the GOP in Virginia, it still rings true). Truly I am a libertarian more than a Republican... Maybe I should just give in and switch.

I plan on attending their monthly meeting next week in the City of Delaware. I want to learn more. We’ll see. If anyone has any insight, please share.

Boehner Floor Speech on Earmark Reform

Watch as Rep Obey whines and puts his foot in his mouth… again



h/t to Weapons of Mass Discussion

Mr. Wizard, Don Herbert, Dead at 89

When I was a kid there were a few shows that were more than just ‘must-see’, they were friends. One of those shows was Mr. Wizards World.

Mr. Don Herbert, AKA Mr. Wizard has passed away.

From AP
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Don Herbert, who as television's "Mr. Wizard" introduced generations of young viewers to the joys of science, died Tuesday. He was 89. Herbert, who had bone cancer, died at his suburban Bell Canyon home, said his son-in-law, Tom Nikosey.

A statement from the Family:

It is with deep sadness that we regret to announce the passing of Don Herbert - the one and only "Mr. Wizard". Don lost his battle with cancer today, June 12, 2007, at 9 AM Pacific Daylight Time - slightly more than one month shy of his 90th birthday. He was lovingly surrounded by his family, who are at once, saddened by his passing, and relieved that he is no longer suffering.

We all feel extremely lucky to have had him in our lives and to have known and worked with Don over the years. We have also been tremendously honored to carry on his legacy as an original and truly legendary figure in the worlds of both Television and Science Education. He has been inspirational and influential in so many ways and on so many lives and we are comforted in the fact that his ground breaking work and legacy will continue to inspire many more people for years to come.

Thank you so much to all of you for your support and sympathy.

Sincerely, The Family

Mr. Wizard’s genius was in its simplicity. No fancy graphics work, no loud MTV style editing with music and not even a crazy animated host. The show was simply a gentle, patient man explaining science to kids our age in terms we could understand. His wisdom came through and his passion for teaching, even more so than science I think, should serve as a lesson for educators everywhere.

Rep John Boehner Speaks With Bearing Drift Ohio and the SOB

House Minority leader, Representative John Boehner (OH-8) took some time today to speak with a few Ohio Bloggers on a conference call.

He spoke briefly as to what he sees as his role as the Minority leader, namely to earn back control of the Congress, but also he spoke a bit about bringing the GOP back to their roots and values such as limited spending, smaller government and accountability.

Very early in the call, The Minority leader spoke with us about the Democrats rules that will allow for earmarks to go unchallenged and hidden from public scrutiny. Taken from Rep. Boehner’s press release regarding this:

Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) and other House GOP leaders today introduced a resolution that would force the Democratic leadership in the House to restore Republican earmark reforms enacted last year. Democrats, led by Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-WI), have gutted those earmark reforms this year, refusing to allow members to challenge potentially wasteful spending on the House floor and instead setting up multi-billion dollar slush funds for secret earmarks.

"The earmark process outlined yesterday by Mr. Obey is a sham. Democrats are keeping earmark requests secret until after the House has considered appropriations spending bills, preventing us from debating earmarks on the House floor and subjecting them to scrutiny. They want the House to approve massive slush funds for secret earmarks - billions of dollars for whatever Rep. Obey and his colleagues to spend as they see fit. This isn't transparent. This isn't accountable. It is outrageous, and Republicans are going to fight it on behalf of American taxpayers.“

It is important to understand that there is no better proponent for this since, as he said to us today, "I don’t do earmarks, you know that. Never asked for one. Never got one"

One blogger asked how he might get Democrats to vote for earmark reforms to be re-instated. Rep. Boehner explained that he knows a lot of Democrats would vote for… If it were ALLOWED to be brought to the floor for a vote.

When asked if the Democrats simply were faster to be failures than the Republicans were when they were in control, Rep. Boehner explained that he understands that sentiment and that it is no large leap to understand that the GHOP lost its way around 2006. he said the problem was a focus on power more so than principals re-stating that he sees that bringing the Congressional GOP back to their principals is a primary job for his office.

A few other topics were touch on including the immigration reform ill which he says he does not see coming back and that “President Bush knows how I feel about [that bill]”.

He also spoke a bit about the Democrats deep desire to raise taxes pointing out that there is a $392.5 billion hole in their budget that can only be filled by either cutting spending (ha ha) or raising taxes.

When asked about the possibilities of the democrats putting up a fight for Ohio’s First District (Rep. Steve Chabot), Rep. Boehner was quick to say that he has a lot confidence in Rep. Chabot and that everyone on congress, especially on the left knows how much of a work horse he is and the record that he has made over decades of serving the first.

When asked about Ohio’s Rep. Jean Schmitt (OH-2) and the possibilities of a Republican challenger, Rep. Boehner tried to stay out of that one. He did say that it is up to the voters and, “I hear the buzz… I read the newspapers. Jean’s doing a nice job, but I don’t vote in that district, so…”

Not as supportive, at least that was how I heard it.

I want to thank Representative Boehner for taking the time to talk with us and thank Jessica for arranging it!

Others were on the conference call of course and have some great posts about it inclduing:
-Right on the Right
-Porkopolis
-Viking Spirit
-NixGuy

Ed Gillespie To Lobby For XM/Sirius AND the FCC?

It is all but a done deal that Ed Gillespie will replace outgoing counselor to the President, Dan Bartlett and in my ever obsessed quest to make the connection between politics and XM Satellite radio, I have one question:

How will Ed Gillespie be able to lobby the FCC on behalf of XM/Sirius while serving as council to the branch that runs the FCC?

Quinn Gillespie & Associates LLC should remove themselves from XM/Sirius merger process if Mr. Gillespie is in fact the new Dan Bartlett.

C’Mon Feel The Noise. Obama Rocks The Race Card

We all knew this would happen. You have to get the black vote some how, right? Even African Americans have to play the card to get the vote or at least scare whites into thinking only HE can stop the ‘Quiet Riot’. Ah, a new low.

From AP
HAMPTON, Va. (AP) - Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said Tuesday that the Bush administration has done nothing to defuse a "quiet riot" among blacks that threatens to erupt just as riots in Los Angeles did 15 years ago.

Stubborn Liberal “Forgets” to Blame Democrats

Stubborn Liberal has a quick bumper sticker post about Americans Dying. Specifically he makes the argument that if a Republican wins, we will be in Iraq for "another ten years" and asks "is that what you want?" Of course not but let's consider two things.

First, what is this ten years theory based on? I know, emotions, not any facts (Par for liberal bloggers) but more important, SL starts the whole post off by pointing out that every democrat in the debate last night wants to pull out. SL says:

I saw a video clip of the Democratic debate from New Hampshire and what I heard was that the Democrats are all for ending the war and the Republicans are in support of keeping the war going.

Of course not allowing comments on his blog (because why would you actually want to have to defend anything you write in the blogosphere?) I will ask the Stubborn, yet obviously uneducated Liberal this:

-Who is in the majority in Congress?
-Who controls funding?
-Who should blame their party first?

We were all told that Dems would "clean up congress (like cutting pet projects? -chuckle-chuckle-)" and that funding would be cut off for the war... MoveOn.org claimed they "owned" the DNC. How is that working out?

Maybe a little less time living in the past blaming the GOP and a little reality check that your party used moderates to win majority, lied to you as to what they would do once in power, and sold you on the idea of blaming the GOP for THEIR lack of leadership. You must be so proud.