I'm back

Thanksgiving traveling meant the only available computer ran Windows 98 and used dial-up. And roosters in the neighborhood to wake you up a bit too early. Time to catch up.

Chilled turkey

There's still a bit of snow on the ground along I-64 traveling in West Virginia. And the Weather Channel people sound excited about some snow for Atlanta on Monday. I want my global warming.

As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly

Thirty years ago, WKRP in Cincinnati had a great Thanksgiving episode. It can be seen here.

GM all-stars

Popular Mechanics has a list of GM's 10 worst cars since 1970. How many of them have you owned? My first car out of college was an '84 Chevette, and it made 100,000 miles before dying. It did break down and leave me stranded on I-81 outside of Woodstock, Va. one Christmas.
h/t instapundit, of course

Way to go

Dr. James Dobson lets Kathleen Parker have it over her recent columns about the need to spell GOP without GOD.
h/t NRO's Corner

The young vote

Obama beat McCain by two-to-one among voters under 30, according to exit polls. And his team is trying to keep that momentum alive.
But will economic realities overcome the flash-and-dash of knowing how to blog and use facebook. The auto bailout and looming social security shortfalls are built on decisions made long before these voters were born. The automakers and the unions made deals in the '50s and '60s that they can't keep up with today.
Social security is really pay as you go, and as the youth go to work they will be paying higher and higher taxes to meet promises made by lawmakers long gone. Will the young stay Democrats when they're being asked to be pack mules.

More history

A unique part of this presidential transition is the role of the internet. The records of people being considered for positions is so much more easily accessible than when George W. Bush became president.
There's talk of Eric Holder for Attorney General. People are searching and finding what he did in the Clinton administration - the Marc Rich pardon -and comments about Gitmo and torture from 2002 that don't quite synch with Obama policy. Just google Eric Holder Gitmo to see a few listings.
There's no Zoe Baird surprises like the Clintons had in 1993. Everything he's said or done is out on the internet, easy to find.

Why the media like Obama

The easiest answer - where he'll vacation. The media follow the president everywhere, even on vacation. George W. Bush liked spending a lot of time at his ranch in West Texas. Barack Obama lives in Chicago and will likely vacation in Hawaii.
Who would you rather hangout with? Especially when your boss picks up the tab for the trip.
Makes you look forward to the Wasilla White House.

Is it too early?

I know it's not Thanksgiving yet, but I think it's time for the artificial outdoor decorations to go up. It's an extra week to enjoy them. It's done, and you can work on other thing

Combining column ideas

This weekend, National Review's Corner noted a column that suggested President Bush should resign early so Barack Obama can get on with his administration.
And there's rumblings of disappointment on the left, with the likely choice of Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State and the holdover of Bush personnel to deal with Iraq.
Maybe President Bush should resign early, so the left can get boiling mad at President Obama before Christmas. Let's get to the disillusionment already.

How many more?

Thanks to Don Surber, I found a fine whine in Time. Michael Kinsley wonders how many blogs does the world need. Don says his is the only one you need. Can't argue with that logic.
Easy to argue with Kinsley's. More blogs means more work for reporters. Instead of doing an article a day, there's constant demand to update the latest info you know. And to keep up with what everybody is saying. Oh, boo hoo.
Getting paid to put your spin on the conventional wisdom isn't that hard. That's why so many people are doing it for free or little money.

While we're waiting...

...for the Clinton cabinet press conference, I saw Don Surber at the Charleston Daily Mail mention this website to analyze your blog.
Our results - 92 percent that this blog is written by a man.
Phil? 75 percent. Jason? also 75 percent
And do you think a man or woman writes SWACgirl - 59 percent likelihood female. Love those computers.

Internet warning

Being new to blogger, I was exploring yesterday. Blogger picks a "Blog of Note" each day out of all the blogs out there.
I picked one "capecodmemories" and visited. Nice pictures of the Cape in fall. But the latest message said she was keeping comments disabled because of the quality of negative feedback. Negative feedback? Of nature pictures?
I guess when swimming in the internet, you need to be wary of the "Too much time on their hands" sharks.

My dream

I had a dream where you could tell how effective a politician's policies would be by how deep they were stuck in mud.
Poor Joe Biden. All you could see were his hair plugs. Not very effective.
Barack Obama was waist deep in mud. Not too bad, I thought.
Then I saw Hillary Clinton. She barely had any mud on her shoes. I asked "Sen. Clinton, so your policies are that good." She replied, "No, I'm standing on Bill's head."



(adapted from an old joke)

What are they going to do?

In two months, George W. Bush won't be president. What will the left do? Can they keep blaming bad things on him? Is it just a reflex to blame him?
I once imagined what would happen if we found out the Sun had exploded. On TV somewhere, someone would be saying "Why didn't George W. Bush foresee this and get super spaceships built so we could evacuate Earth?"

Don't worry

For those thinking that Obama has spread the wealth plans --- a few more days like today on Wall Street and there won't be any wealth to spread.

Way to go, Glenn

Glenn Beck will be number one on the New York Times best seller list for his new book, "Christmas Sweater." He's gloating today over being ahead of Stephen King's new book. Enjoy yourself, Glenn.

Another favorite

I get the Best of the Web email each day. And today something from the Waynesboro News-Virginian gets featured. The headline from Saturday "Dead body found in cemetery" News of the Tautological, that's for sure.

I'll take Chuck in this fight

Townhall.com features a column by Chuck Norris about the post-election fight over California's Prop 8.

Are there any RINOs under 45?

In the debate about whether the Republican party is too conservative, a question. When you hear of Republicans in Name Only (RINO), it's usually northeastern people like Lincoln Chafee and Christie Todd Whitman. And the future conservative stars are people like 37-year-old Bobby Jindal and 44-year-old Sarah Palin.
How many younger Republicans follow the RINO way? Only a few, I'd bet. If you're under 45, you began voting when Reagan was president. You don't remember much of the 40-year period when Republicans were the minority in Congress, since it ended in 1994. Younger people are used to strong Republican ideas being discussed and don't see the need for offering Democrat-lite ideas.
If the dividing line is an age thing, then maybe the younger Republicans have the ideas to reach an ever-younger electorate.

It's back

The agenda area of the President-elect's website is back up. I checked out the service area on Nov. 7 and decided to start up SWAC corps (read or blog 50 hours a year to earn my Obama credits).
I really like the college service part. They plan to propose a $4,000 tuition credit for 100 hours of community service. That's $40 an hour. Nice work if you can get it.
I wonder if College Republicans can use their service time to get that tuition credit. Would have been nice back in the day when I was cooking burgers at Roy Rogers restaurant to help pay college expenses.

Is he President Placebo?

I listened a little to Bennett Mornings today, and the substitute host was wondering where the specifics were in the interview with President-elect Obama on 60 Minutes.
Then visited the Baltimore Sun's website, the TV critic and several commenters were pleased with his reassuring tone. One said the interview was "like medicine for the sick." I guess you see what you want to see with him.
We have a few months to find out if Obama has some cures or just makes you think he has the cures.

What's missing

In all the talk about McCain's loss/Obama's win, there's been just a little talk about a big factor - money.
Obama was the first presidential candidate since Watergate not to accept public funding. McCain accepted public funding. We know Obama brought in a lot of money, which meant more ads and more workers to reach voters. How much more money did Obama and the Democrats have to work with?
They always claimed a Republican advantage in money when the GOP won. What about when they win?

Pack Mule generation

We've had "notch babies" in Social Security and "doughnut holes" in the Medicare drug benefit. Time for something new - Pack Mule generation.
It's the generation that will be paying high taxes for promises of the past. Who's going to pay social security when the baby boomers retire? The Pack Mule generation.
Who's on the hook for all the bailout money being tossed about now - the Pack Mule generation.
Those under 30 who voted for Obama, you're part of the Pack Mule generation. How much do you want to put in your pack?

Don't know much about history

Karl Rove's weekly column looks at the numbers from past mid-term elections for encouraging signs for Republicans. Big historic gains for the out party since World War II or 1966 sound good, but our current style of redistricting remove much volatility from the electorate. If a new president brings in fewer members with his coattails, then fewer weak members are there to be easily swept out.

Contest time

The Washington Post profiles likely Obama press secretary Robert Gibbs today. The third paragraph states he "monitors coverage intensively, pushing back against the smallest blog post he considers inaccurate. "
Do you think any of our SWAC bloggers can get his attention?

Vote for the man of Steele

Michael Steele appears to be the new frontrunner for the chairmanship of the Republican Party. Shows what can happen when you visit Mrs. Rowe's.

On TV

John McCain will appear on Jay Leno tonight.
Sarah Palin has been on Fox, Today and will be on CNN Wednesday.
And several unnamed staffers will be on Cheaters.

I'm disappointed

Friday, Rush was talking about info found on the president-elect's website. But now the change agenda has been changed.
The Washington Times reports that the agenda was copied from the Obama for president website. It went live Thursday and changed over the weekend.
That's ok. We'll have SWACcorps, Rush Corps and Iowahawk Corps ready to go when the time comes.

Missing the party

Being on the losing end of this election is so much different than losing other elections. It's a cultural event. How do you respond to all the special newspapers, DVDs and TV shows?
I thought it's like Red Sox nation after they finally won the World Series in 2004, but Obama's election is probably more like the reaction when the Chicago Cubs finally win the World Series. The opponent's fans will be disappointed, then overwhelmed by the history.

Hopeful sign

The Baltimore Ravens won big today. In their short history, they have one Super Bowl title - the year George W. Bush won the White House. Maybe they'll follow another change in the presidency to another championship.

From an unnamed McCain speechwriter

How else could they try to make Sarah Palin look bad?
Have her say "Let's drill in ANWR so Todd can make enough money for me to shop at Neiman Marcus."

Wait and see

It's hard, but it's really just wait and see time. Some have great hopes of good things an Obama administration will do. Some have great fear of bad things that could happen. It's really hard to tell until he does some things.
Now, if John Kerry gets picked for the cabinet, it's really bombs away, boys.

A corps is a corps, of course

Rush has been checking out the president-elect's website. Under service, there's lots of new corps for service.
I plan to start SWAC corps, where people get credit for doing community service by reading SWAC blogs 50 hours a year. There should definitely be a Rush Limbaugh corps under education. You learn a lot listening to Rush.

Still in love

Listening to Bennett Mornings on the radio today, a caller from Texas said he took care of his McCain/Palin bumper sticker yesterday. He cut off the McCain part and left Palin on his bumper. Did SWACgirl think of that?

An historic, insprirational disaster?

Iowahawk does it again.

Watch your back, Mr. President-elect

Now that he's defeated John McCain, Barack Obama has to watch out for the left side. Will he rule Congress or will Congress try to rule him? The Wall Street Journal runs down the likely roadblocks.
And how about the hard left. I check out this website from Charlottesville where they won't be happy with the new President until the current President is in jail. What happens when the Bush haters get angry at Obama?

Oh no, you can't (vol. 1)

An easy one to start. Barney Frank floated the idea that Congress would cut the military budget by 25 percent after the election.
So after our election ends, Russia announces plans to base missiles on the border with Poland. And Israel and the Palestinians launch missiles against each other.
It's still a dangerous world. Reducing our military will only make it more dangerous.

what to do with old signs

from National Review Online's corner

It's time to put away childish things and govern

Here's Jonah Goldberg's advice to the Democrats.
That means you too, Keith Olberman.

Pick yourself up and move on

This election is over. Virginia doesn't give us much change to rest, with the gubernational election coming next November. But it's no time to hide in the closet.

A war he can't win

Slate looks at the coming war between Obama and the press.
http://www.slate.com/id/2203660/
Sign me up.

Busy morning in Fishersville

Drove by the fire station polling place about 6:30 a.m. and the parking lot was full. People were parking on the side of 250.
Just finished at Wilson precinct. Things went quickly, and they've had 300 voters at least by 7:30 a.m.

Turning cold

If Obama wins, I'm planning a series of posts to throw cold water on some of his plans and the wish list of the Democratic Congress.
Why? Well, cold water uses less energy. And if you can't build new coal-fired electricity plants, pretty soon we won't have much hot water.

Listening to Rush

Rush Limbaugh sounded like he was ready to explode near the end of today's show. Maybe it's just the toll of a long campaign, plus flying to two football games. But Wednesday's show promises to be a doozy.

A question

If Barack Obama's girls are bad, do they get coal in their stockings?

Looking back from 2012

Don't miss the New York Post's three articles looking back at a disastrous Obama presidency.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/11012008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/obama_2012__four_years_later_136356.htm

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11012008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/obama_2012__his_triumphs_abroad_136358.htm

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11012008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/obama_2012__a_term_of_fical_pain_136357.htm

New slogan

Aren't you glad "Bush lied, people died" is going to the history books. Time for a new slogan.
It might be "Obama taxed, we got waxed." Kind of catchy. I'm not trademarking it yet.