The Worst Person in the World

Once upon a time, I enjoyed watching Keith Olbermann on TV.  He had a very entertaining way of giving me my sports scores, and in his own way, along with Dan Patrick, Charley Steiner, Craig Kilborn and Rich Eisen, he made ESPN what it is today.  Sports Center used to be all there was.  The anchors were all very entertaining, and it was enjoyable. So enjoyable that I just wasted half-an-hour watching old Sports Center bloopers and old 'This is Sports Center' Ads on youtube.

This is not about the man Keith Olbermann used to be...it's the man he is now, a man I am less enamored with than I once was.  To be clear...Olbermann is not a news anchor...on MSNBC he is a commentator.  His job is not to deliver the news, it's to deliver his opinion in an entertaining manner, to get ratings for his show.  Same as Bill O'Reilly and Glen Beck, just served up 180 out on the ideological view point.  Heck...I'm not even sure if any of those three actually believe 100% of what comes out of their mouths.  From a theoretical standpoint, they are no different than Howard Stern or Tom Lycos...their job is to say the most extreme things they think they can get away with, within the established limits of their medium, at times pushing those bounds.

From a 'real world' viewpoint, it's worse.  Being on cable news networks gives these commentators  an air of legitimacy that no one would attach to Howard Stern, and some people live their lives by the words that come out of these guys mouths.  Sad.  While my opinions fall somewhat more in line with O'Reilly and Beck, by now means do I agree with everything they say. 

That disclaimer out of the way, I still don't like Keith Olbermann.  It started for real for me this past election night.  The MSNBC election night lineup was 100% commentators, trying to pretend to be unbiased anchors, failing miserably, and Olbermann was the worst of a bad bunch that night.  I have never seen a person posing as a news reporter showing so much personal glee and pleasure at other peoples misfortunes.  As it became clear on election night that the Republican Party WAS going to retake the House, he focused on the senate instead, spending about 35% of his time focusing on Christine O'Donnell, who never really had a chance in Hades of winning in New Jersey, tying her in directly as a Sarah Palin proxy...it was
mean, petty and smarmy, and I don't think any of it was an act.


One of Olbermanns main shticks in anointing some someone the Worst Person in the World.  Past multiple winners of this award have been Glen Beck, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, and basically everyone who has ever disagreed with him.  Last week, Olbermann target a new person: Bristol Palin, Sarah's daughter, a mother and dances with the Stars Finalist.  His issue with Bristol is tied to a Public Service Announcement she recently made, where she promotes abstinence, and The Situation(?) is promoting safe sex.


BUT Olbermann points out...Bristol is a single mom, so obviously she didn't practice abstinence, which makes her a hypocrite, which is the worst thing you can be, and that makes her worthy of being The Worst Person in the World.

Really....that is it...being a hypocrite.  What a crock.  We are ALL hypocrites.  Just a retarded reason for picking her as The Worst Person in The World.  Bah.

What I liked in the PSA, which I watched, was not the acting, for sure...horrible.  Worse than a junior high drama production.  In the PSA, after Bristol talks about abstinence, The Situation, whose main claim to fame seams to be well defined abs and a neat hair cut, goes on to talk about condoms also, which is refreshing.  I have NEVER thought that the Republican Parties insistence on an 'Abstinance Only' policy was something that made sense. Teenagers are going to have sex.  Even(especially?) teenage kids from well-raised conservative family's.  Pretending that telling them not to have sex is going to keep them from having sex is the worst from of self-delusions I have seen. Telling them not to have sex, but hey, if you are gonna have sex, use a condom makes much more sense.  And might actually work.

So Keith Olbermann, YOU are the Worst Person in The World an annoying twit who could someday make me forgive you if you ever go back on Sports Center. 

Ha Ha Ha!!!! Wait...what do you mean it isn't a joke?

Was flipping through headlines and news blurbs on Yahoo the other day, and when I first saw this one, I was almost 100% certain that someone had stolen it from The Onion:

Supreme Court Reviews Federal Court Order that Could Reduce California Prison Population

The story went on to say that the Supreme Court was going to hear arguments in regard to a Special Federal Court Decision that had decided that over-crowding in California's prisons had reached a point where it could be considered 'Cruel and Unusual Punishment', violating the 8th Amendment of the Constitution, so the state of California was ordered to release 40,000 in-mates to reduce prison populations. 

My thought was somebody came up with a real zinger of an original parody article. 

Then I did some research and found out that not only was this really happening, but it had been happening since August of 2009, which was when the the Special Panel told California it had two years to get it's prisons down to 137.5% capacity to meet the 'Cruel and Unusual Punishment' standard.  Not sure where they got that number...doubtless a number of experts pulled it out of someplace dank, dark and smelly. 

After the first days hearing, the Supreme Court seems split on the issues, with the liberal types saying 'let them go', and the conservative types expressing reservations about the safety of the public in California when 40,000 in-mates are dumped onto the street.  Duh.

Obviously,the population of people in California prisons does need to be decreased...I just have a different idea of how to accomplish it that than 'letting 40,000 of them roam the streets where law-abiding Californians find it very difficult to get concealed carry permits and can't have more than 10-rounds in a pistol magazine to defend themselves'. 

So...Wikipedia(not the most reliable source, but lacking a crack research staff, it's the best I can do, cap'ain.) says that in 2007 there were 170,588 inmates in the Adult Division of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which had proper facilities for 83,000 people.  137.% of that is 114, 125...meaning we need to reduce 2007 population by...56463.

Alright...Wikipedia first of says that 17% of the inmate population were born abroad...so that's easy...send them back to their homeland!  If they don't want them back, too bad...push them out of the plane.  If you want, you can even give them a parachute.  That's 29,000 right there...over half-way to our target number!!!!

According to a 2004 study by The Sentencing Project, a D.C Based Research and Advocacy Group(excuse me, need to wash my hands after typing that), 11% of prisoners are serving life sentences.  11% of our remaining population is 15575 people.  PUT THEM IN THE GROUND!!!!!!!!!!  Now we are down to a population of 125914...under 12,000 to go to our target mark. 

Okay...manipulating some DOJ numbers let's us find out that as of 2000(good made up stats that support my argument are hard to find) 20.5% of people are in jail for non-violent victimless crime.  As a libertarian, I am 100% fine with ANYTHING you want to do to your body...not just cannabis.  But, if you choose to snort cocaine, don't expect private(or public) health care to take care of your rotted nose.  So...20.5 percent of our remaining number is roughly 25,000 people...getting us down to a remaining prison population of...100,000 inmates, or only 120% of it's capacity.

Dammit, I am a genius!  California's Legislative Analysis Office calculates that it costs $47102 to incarcerate a prisoner.  My way of doing things reduced the population by 14,000 more than they needed to...saving the state $659,428,000 off of their 2009 DOCR budget of 10.4 BILLLION dollars.  Since it is for the good of the people of California, I will let the state use my idea for only 5% of those savings....

Belated Happy Birthday

Shame on me...yesterday I meant to wish a happy 65th Birthday to The Divine Miss M, Bette Midler.

Why Bette Midler?  She doesn't look like Raquel Welch or Sophia Loren, that's for sure...but what she is is one of the most talented ladies to ever walk the face of the Earth.  4 Grammy Awards, 4 Golden Globes, 1 Tony and Three Emmy's is a quite a haul for one lifetime.  She can make you laugh, cheer, and cry(yes, I watched Beaches....gets more than a little dusty in the end).  The Rose is one of those songs that if it comes on the radio, you are going to have to listen to every bit of it.

In this day and age, where you can't be a TV News Caster, an NFL Side Line Reporter, or make it on the Weather Channel(let alone be an actress or pop star) without being more than slightly gorgeous, Bette Midler is someone who got where she is on 100% Pure Talent.  They broke the mold after her. 

Happy Birthday, Bette. 

Dear Santa:

Rather than brag about what I have already purchased my wife for Christmas(because she peruses this to make sure I am not doing her wrong), I figured I would post my Christmas list one here.  I mean, you never know when Santa might swing on by. 

First off, there a couple of books on my list. 

1. Monster Hunter Vendetta, the sequel to Larry Correia's Monster Hunters International.  Wife and I both greatly enjoyed the first book...'A rollicking thrill ride...'  Good book.  An exercise in restraint since I have seen this book in stores twice, but followed the rules, and instead of buying it put it on my Christmas List.

2. Any of the 1635 Books from Eric Flints 1632 Ring of Fire series.  A very elaborate alternate history story, in which a wayward cosmic string moves a modern day town in West Virginia gets blasted back to northern Germany in the middle of the 30 Years War.  The series starts with the books 1632 and 1633, then in 1634 the story splits between an Northern Europe, Western Europe and Southern Europe storylines, meaning there are like 3 or 4 books for these years. 

As for merchandise, I can use a rechargeable Spotlight style flashlight...at least 1 million candlepower...we used to have one but it has been misplaced. 

Another functional replacement present would be a remote reading digital meat thermometer.   I have been without a meat thermometer for the better part of a year, and I dread that I am going to kill my family or guests every time I attempt to roast something in the oven.   Worse than killing someone would be the embarrassment of survey something overcooked to the point of dryness.  BAD.  I always picture the turkey scene in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, when they cut the turkey and it a dry empty husk.

Something I have been longing for the last few years is a fairly decent set of COMPACT binoculars.  For hunting, I own a not very decent full-size 10 X 50 Bino's but due to their size and cumbersomeness, they live in my back-pack.  This leads to me to be the very bad type of hunter who uses his rifle-scope to do looking and examining, which means occasionally, I violate every rule in the book and end up looking at another hunter through my scope.  I am not the only one who does this...but I can attest, when I notice someone is looking at me through THEIR scope, it gives me the hebbie-jeebies.  I feel a set of compact field glasses, in the Bushnell or Nikon category would please me.  And for Gosh Sake Santa, don't feel the need to spend the extra money for a set with a range finder or digital camera built in.

Finally, as Santa knows by know, if all else fails, I am always easy to please with some kind of knife or flashlight...you give me a new Kershaw Open Assist knife, and I can play with that thing for HOURS. 

What?!?!?!

I meant to rant last week about a group of rich folks calling themselves 'The Patriotic Millionaires for Fiscal Strength', but Thanksgiving got in the way.

What you have is a group of 90 plus millionaires who signed a petition to President Obama, asking that he be strong and allow the tax breaks on those that make over One Million Dollars a year to expire.  The only names on the list I recognize are Moby and Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, a fine fine product which I am well acquainted with. 

That is very Patriotic of them.  Guess that makes me very un-patriotic for not wanting my taxes raised(not that I make over $1,000,000.

According to a Reuters article dating back to 2009, there were over 840,000 families in the U.S. with a net worth(not counting first homes) of over 5 Million Dollars.  I wonder how these other 839,910 families feel about these 90 Patriotic Millionaires speaking for them?(granted, net worth of over 5 million doesn't mean you are making over a million a year...but, work with me on this one).

Ben Cohen, at some point, had to put in a lot of time and effort to turn Ben and Jerry's into what it is today.  People shouldn't be punished for making money!(up to a certain point)

What was that in parentheses?  Up to a certain point?

Well yes...I do think that at some point of income, enough is a enough, and your percentage should go up...not to the 91% it once was for the highest income bracket...but up a little.Where should that point of income be?  Don't ask me...just some point much higher than what I make.  A million a year might be a good point for it.

Anyway...I'm off the track.  The point is after these millionaires said 'Please let our tax breaks expire so we can pay more!' Greg Easterbrook, who writes a football column for ESPN, but is also one smart dude who writes real books(with words and everything!) pointed out that your tax obligation on your Form 1040 is the MINIMUM tax you have to pay.  There is nothing to stop you from adding a few more zero to the check you write to the Government, so be as Patriotic as you want to Millionaires!


Not so fast my friend:

Patriotic Millionaires Support Raising Taxes but Won't Voluntarily Pay more to the Government

Reading some of the guys opinions in this article, I really can't understand how these folks made their money. 
Really what they are saying is...'Go ahead and raise our tax bracket, but my tax attorneys and CPA's will be one step ahead of you to ensure MY tax burden doesn't increase.'  That's pretty Patriotic alright.

When I am in charge, one of the first things I am going to do is burn this whole tax system to the ground.  Flat tax rates(not a flat tax rate across the board at all incomes, but a separate rate for each income bracket) with NO deductions of exemptions.  Fair and square...and that way, the tax attorneys can be part of the first group against the wall. 

MacGyver, I ain't

Heading back to Richland from visiting my family over the long Thanksgiving weekend, I had to make another 'ATF Special' run, grabbing the remainder of the alcohol, ammunition and ammo that I didn't trust the moving company with.  Packing the alcohol and ammo was simple...more free cardboard boxes from the liquor store.  The long guns required a little more imagination.

When it comes to long guns, I have far more guns than I do transportation cases...about three times as many.  Who needs to bring more than 4 guns to the range at the same time?  My shoulder can't handle that...So...what to do?  Behold...a Gun Burrito! 

Yup...lay out a blue fleece blanket, place the guns on it, roll it up, steal some of your wife's yarn to hold it together, and Bingo...a simple way to minimize the number of trips required to get from my truck, across an ice covered parking lot to my apartment...plus, a lot less alarming to any potential sheeple than me making three trips carrying two guns a trip. 

Fear not...none of the guns transported in this manner were collectors items...

Top to bottom:

NEF Handi-Rifle in .270 that I bought for my wife.  SWMBO doesn't want to admit it, but I believe that it kicks too hard for to be really comfortable with it.

Ruger 10-22, that we bought two years ago for Christmas.

Ted Williams Model 300 Semi-Auto in 20ga.  Basically a Winchester Model 1400 produced and labeled for sale by Sears, back when they sold guns, and the only part of the Sears Catalog more interesting than guns was the underwear section. 

Mossburg Model 500 in 12ga. 

Traditions In-Line Muzzleloader in .50 caliber

Marlin Model 700, .22lr

So...nothing even approaching fancy was at risk of being scratched or scuffed.  But...to say that they are all easily replaced is not doing them justice either.  The NEF was the first center-fire rifle my wife ever tried to shoot.  I purchased it thinking .270 would be a nice middle of the road caliber for my wife if she wanted to go elk or deer hunting...that Handi-rifle was not the best choice though...awfully light for a starter gun.  My wife is a gamer though, and never has complained. 

Likewise, the Ted Williams semi was the first shot-gun my wife had ever shot...she enjoyed it much more than the .270...somewhere on my list of things to do is getting the stock cut down to fit her more properly.

The Marlin Model 700 is probably the least expensive of the guns...but I'm not sure I will ever be able to get rid of it.  It's the first non-BB gun my parents bought for me, and I am looking forward to bringing it to the range with my 8-year old daughter sometime in the near future. 

Gun-Control types don't get that...imagine...actual human emotion tied to the death-dealing lumps of metal. 

Raffle tickets, anyone?

Stealing this Idaho Sheriff Denies 'SSS' raffle aims for wolves

from Laurel, over at Guns, Politics and Beer. 

What a cool idea...especially at a time when the governors of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho are getting together with the Feds to BEG for their states to be allowed to hold scheduled hunts for wolves. 

I first read about the 'SSS' theory on wolves a few years ago in a book.  Basically, if you have a troublesome batch of wolves bothering your live-stock, you 'Shoot-em, Shovel-em, and Shut-up'.  The Sheriff insists his raffle is about 'safety, security and survival'  A nice .308 bolt action would certainly help you stay safe and survive...

Tickets are available through the mail:

Idaho County Sheriff's Office
Attention: Raffle
320 West Main Street
Grangeville, Idaho 83530

Christmas is coming!!!