Praise The Lord And Pass The Ammunition

The First Webmaster exhorts some supporters and offers this reassurance about Healthcare.fail:

“As challenging as this may seem sometimes, as frustrating as HealthCare.gov may be sometimes, we are going to get this done,” Mr. Obama told about 150 volunteers and paid navigators helping in enrollment who had gathered to meet him at Temple Emanu-El here. “We’re on the right side of history.”

The right side of history? History isn't going to fix that code. My goodness, the LOTUS 123 spreadsheet people were on the right side of history, too. Not to mention the folks who brought us the Blackberry.

Let me just offer our leadership a clue from the Tuesday NY Times crossword puzzle:

The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/cheguevara166469.html#Hc2EuX3yf3lSFdeW.99

The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall.

Put another way, that website won't code itself, and I hope Barry and Kathy aren't sitting around waiting for history to code it for them.

And since you ask, I am sure Obama is as familiar with that "ripe apple" idea as every other NY Times reader - the quote comes from Che Guevara.

The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/cheguevara166469.html#Hc2EuX3yf3lSFdeW.99

The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/cheguevara166469.html#Hc2EuX3yf3lSFdeW.99

Comments

[Some Guy]

Still basking in the glow of Stanford's dominance of Oregon...

Fun stat - Stanford had more rushing attempts than the Ducks had in rushing yards.

[Porchlight]

Happy Birthday, Master and Commander Hate.

Love it, sbw.

Happy birthday Cap'n! May the Hate fest this evening be joyful.

[Porchlight]

And rich, give you joy of your test scores.

Great comments today everyone...

[Captain Hate on the iPhone]

Maybe McConnell would like to explain why he decided to violate the Constitution and relinquish the House's ability to set spending limits. Between him, the JEF and Roberts, the Constitution has gone through the shredder.

[cathyf]

JiB, I have a 2009 MBP, which has been a great machine. When memory got cheap enough, I took it to 8 GB. When the disk failed, I went a bought a new one at the Staples, installed it, and restored from my Time Machine backup. The battery failed, and I got it replaced under AppleCare. The dvd drive failed, too, but I use it so little that I completely forgot to get it replaced before the AppleCare ran out.

All of our mac laptops have been like that -- we bought 7 MBPs over the summer at work, and I upgraded them to 16GB (Crucial, $127) as soon as they came in. I've gotten really good at getting the screws out and back in so that they are flush and perfect. Like I said, we've swapped disks on a half-dozen 2008 imacs (they burn up after awhile) and that's pretty challenging. The white eMac we tried to change the disk drive on we had to pitch, we don't even try those.

I've heard that the Airs and the Retinas are glued and also screwed in with totally non-standard screws. Some of the "green" organizations are screaming about the machines being environmentally unfriendly, as Apple basically expects you to chuck it in a drawer and buy a new one if it breaks or the battery dies -- like you would with an iPod. While the green I'm mostly worried about is the kind that goes in my wallet, the idea of spending $2,500-$3,500 on a machine that is supposed to be disposable is insane! DrF and I are both on our computers for many hours per day, and a 13-inch monitor is totally inadequate. We run many apps and need 16GB, and you always overpay for memory if you buy it from Apple.

[Old Lurker]

True that, Cap'n. McConnell blew it and does not even realize the damage he has done by his acquiescence to that. What part of "First they came for..." does he not understand.

[Old Lurker]

I just love it when you Apple people talk dirty, Cathy.

[mad jack]

I've always given McConnell great credit for herding his squishy crew of senators to stick with a party line vote against Zerocare but he now seems unable to follow through on that accomplishment. Not sure if it is institutional myopia or fear losing control of his caucus.

[Porchlight]

While the green I'm mostly worried about is the kind that goes in my wallet, the idea of spending $2,500-$3,500 on a machine that is supposed to be disposable is insane!

No kidding. I hate Apple. I also hate that Obamacare makes it possible for some people who own insanely expensive Apple devices to receive subsidized health insurance. Basically the government (also known as taxpayers i.e. me) paying for their Apple devices and organic groceries.

Not that some people weren't doing this before Obamacare. Remember the Frosts in Baltimore, with their kids in private school and recently remodeled brownstone? The S-CHIP expansion really was the beginning of it all, just like they said.

[Captain Hate on the iPhone]

mad jack, I used to defend McConnell as playing a weak hand very well but he lost me this time and it will be difficult to regain squandered trust.

[jimmyk]

My point stands: Supreme Court experience didn't help Bork, and it won't help Cruz.

My real point was that a confirmation for a SC justice and a political campaign are not analogous. The fact that Bork had little choice but to sit there and take it when the murderer of Sharon Kopechne smeared him has little bearing on what might happen in a year-long campaign when the object of smears has ample opportunity to make his case to 150 million voters, not all of whom (in contrast to Senators) have already made up their minds.

[mad jack]

HB CH. I hope he can get back on track because he can be very effective when he's doing the "right" thing.

[jimmyk]

Whoops! I must find a new shorthand way to refer to Christie. I don't want our cc to be offended!

How about 30,000cc? (A little metric system humor there.)

[hit and run]

Tonto:
Happy Birthday, Captain! I am exactly four days older than you

Did you use to post under a different name?

[MarkO]

It certainly has not helped Cruz's public image to have the "establishment" GOP emit vilipidiousness towards him.

[Jack is Back! to]

CathyF,

Like I said you can take the back off an Air. You need jewelers screw drivers - phillips head - but it is doable. I got mine in June of 2013 since I was having so many problems with the MBP. I upgraded in terms of speed, storage and memory. Cost less than $2K. I always add Apple Care.

Mrs. JiB is an architect, designer and a photographer who now uses a 27" iMac with 64GB of memory. She needs it for her work and to store 3D-CADD outputs.

Porch, I am an unsubsidized Apple user. This was the first time I had a problem with any Apple product - but it was a known issue in Apple community chat rooms so I wasn't surprised that it turned out to be the video card.

[Porchlight]

I gotcha, JiB. I just have so many Apple evangelists in my life. Mostly seculars who despise Christian evangelicals but will happily tell you all about the glory of Apple and the resounding sovereignty of Steve Jobs all day long until you want to smack them.

I always add Apple Care.

:) A teaching opportunity for those I described previously who would spend money on iPads and iPhones but not on health insurance...

[Miss Marple]

I am home, just got done reading comments.

I do not vote as emotionally as some women, but there is a component to it, even if I try not to have it enter the equation.

However, there are plenty of people who vote emotionally, and it isn't all women. Some will vote against a candidate because he reminds them of their obnoxious uncle, or because they had a boss who looked just like him, or because they don't like the wife, on and on.

This is why Bush very smartly went on the Oprah show in 2000. (And made a better impression than Gore.) It is why Obama has his face plastered on all sorts of non-political sites posing with Beyonce: "Look, that guy's cool!"

I don't care what anyone says, a good chunk of Reagan's voters came from people who had seen him on TV. I voted for him because I was horrified by Carter, but I honestly didn't know much about him other than he was the Republican candidate and he couldn't be worse than Carter. (I wasn't doing much but raising children back then.)

All I am saying is that you can have a moderate candidate who will still turn people off, or you can have a conservative who knows how to present himself.

Cruz knows how to argue a point and probably did very well arguing before the Supreme Court. With a lot of LIV's, that and a dime might get you a smidgen of coffee. THEY DON'T CARE.

So, you have to CHARM them.

I realize this is repulsive to most of you, but I really think I am right about this.

Back later. I have to go pick up the dog.

[AliceH]

As with the 'most electable' argument (as deftly stated previously by jimmyk), this 'must have Q-quotient' argument seems to be more about who does have (enough) vs. who doesn't, and not about the need for SOME of that quality.

[Danube on iPad]

"My real point was that a confirmation for a SC justice and a political campaign are not analogous."

My real point was that having argued before the Supreme Court doesn't help in either circumstance (although it is cerrtainly more relevant in a confirmation hearing).

[boris]

"with Cruz, it seems like he'll fight back ..."

And from what I've seen can do so effectively. This is not an "important" quality like executive experience or female attraction ... it is currently indispensable.

[(A) nuther Bub]

It's not only women and LIVs who are influenced by a candidate's looks, personality and charm, we all are. To claim otherwise is self delusion. Those matters were more important factors in Reagan's electoral success than his policies.

It's why I think Iggy is correct -- that Hillary won't ever be president. No warmth or likeability (unless her Republican opponent scores even lower on those characteristics). She was "inevitable" last time too, we must not forget.

[jimmyk on iPhone]

"My real point was that having argued before the Supreme Court doesn't help in either circumstance (although it is cerrtainly more relevant in a confirmation hearing)."

Great, since that was not my argument.

[Miss Marple]

Vanity Fair: The Lonely Guy

There's something wrong with Obama, but the author just can't quite figure it out.

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/2013/11/barack-obama-loner-self-reliant-closed-off

[sammy small]

James D.

Your 10:23 is very creative for a commercial...but I would maybe add one clip ahead of your scenario:

Announcer: "It’s 3 A.M. and your children are safe and asleep, but there’s a phone in the White House and its ringing…..who do you want answering that phone."

[MaryD]

Miss Marple, I got about four paragraphs into the Vanity Fair article, and couldn't take any more. Todd Purdum (sp?)is a slobbering idiot. But we knew that, didn't we?

[Miss Marple]

MaryD,

I read the entire thing. I was struck how Todd was actually describing someone with severe mental issues, but Todd saw him as a sympathetic character.

He is isolated, unable to connect with members of his own party, suspicious of anyone he doesn't know well, uncaring about normal people, disturbed by his parental abandonment, etc. etc.

This is not a person who should be in charge of a Dairy Queen, let alone a president.

He's dangerous. And the press simply wants us to feel sorry for him. It's quite frightening.

[pagar56]

Happy Birthday, CH!

[rich@gmu]

30,000cc

think he is closer to 30000 stones...

glad the top men are buttering him up for a run

[Account Deleted]

"glad the top men are buttering him up for a run"

Nothing spells GOP success like a Northeastern governor who won't be able to carry his own state in the general.

I wonder if he'll base his GOTV effort in New Jersey or will he go for Illinois?

[Frau Quatsch]

HB Ch - I'm late to the party but hope your day has been fab. You da Capt.!
......
Q factor?
Who is more Q-less than the Goracle or John F'n Kerry?

[Porchlight]

Q factor?
Who is more Q-less than the Goracle or John F'n Kerry?

Well, that's just it. They lost. But to answer your question, I think Kerry is the least endowed with Q of those two. Shudder.

I think the Q factor is important. It might be more important for Republicans because they're automatically starting with a media deficit.

However, nominating someone on Q alone is a very risky proposition. Christie as far as I can tell has no principles that would guide him as leader of the country. I believe he loves New Jersey and wants to wrest control of it from the Politburo. But that's about it, and it's just not enough.

[Frau Quatsch]

Porch - AFAIR Kerry was wounded by the immediate and consistent hammering at his gaffes, goofiness and arrogance.(It wasn't hard to do.) Perhaps the Dems were overly-confident that they had already demolished Dubya the previous time around.

[Rd]

Perhaps the Dems were overly-confident that they had already demolished Dubya the previous time around. Yeah, Herr Fartmeister, that's why GW won.