Are you the Ultimate Red Sox Fan? Enter your photo in our contest and you could win fan-tastic prizes.
Shot by Dan Sunday on the Chestnut Ridge trail.
“To live without killing is a thought which could electrify the world, if men were only capable of staying awake long enough to let the idea soak in.”
Henry Miller
View our commenting policy and standards | Commenting FAQ | Report a problem
47 COMMENTS
Name is required
A valid email is required (test@test.com)
Comment is required
Your email address will not be published.
All fields are required to comment.
This may have been posted somewhere else… but oh well. It’s just too comical…
Paul Ryan & family showing up to a soup kitchen after service and washing already clean dishes… caught on video!
Backstory (including why the charity would have turned him down):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/wp/2012/10/15/charity-president-unhappy-about-paul-ryan-soup-kitchen-photo-op/
YouTube Video of Stunt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2WVJNxOpvY
Repubs just can’t help themselves. Oh, we’re violating trademark law? Tough luck.
http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj7-virginia-tech-says-no-to-political-parties-using-trademark-20121015,0,1092900.story
Still, Tech hasn’t really enforced this much in the past, especially during the governor’s race (for obvious reasons).
So, they won a $20 million settlement (unclear what their take was) over microwave popcorn in 2004, and 8 years later they’re bankrupt.
http://gma.yahoo.com/popcorn-lung-couple-gets-20m-award-files-bankruptcy-170854004–abc-news-money.html
You can’t help stupid, I guess. It’s quite possible to get something as little as a quarter-million after taxes and make it last a lifetime, easily, if invested properly and you live off interest. Just don’t spend like a drunken sailor…
OtherJohn, it reads as though he was a plaintiff in a workplace suit…he worked at the factory where the popcorn was produced, and whatever chemicals they put in to make it all smell buttery and delicious ruined his lungs. Others have successfully brought the same suit.
Why people are stupid with large amounts of money, that I can’t explain. It’s the lottery winner syndrome.
Not debate related (assuming they stay on the designated subject); so I’ll poste it here: http://tinyurl.com/8pqfwrg
**
CQ WEEKLY – VANTAGE POINT
Oct. 13, 2012 – 12:49 p.m.
Romney’s Softening Stance on Immigration Dismays Hard-Liners
By Shawn Zeller, CQ Staff
Immigration hawks have plenty of friends among Republicans in Congress, but they haven’t had as much luck winning allies in the White House. Even Republicans who, during presidential primaries, talked tough about immigration gravitated toward the party’s pro-immigration business wing once they were in office.
So advocates at the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which favors reduced immigration and a crackdown on illegal immigrants, are starting to worry about Mitt Romney. During the Republican primaries, Romney made every effort to reassure immigration hard-liners that he was with them. For example, he said he wanted to prevent employers from hiring illegal immigrants, extend a border fence between the United States and Mexico, and make English this country’s official language.
But lately he has shifted his attention to trying to win a greater share of the Latino vote, and his rhetoric about immigration has grown more accommodating. The hard-liners are particularly worried about Romney’s backing away from his opposition to the bill known as the Dream Act, stalled legislation that would allow college students whose parents brought them here illegally in childhood to remain.
SNIP
**
So, is that a flip, a flop, a waffle, or the real Romney.
Here’s something for the group to weigh in on:
“http://www.therightscoop.com/must-go-viral-the-best-ad-to-date-of-the-2012-elections-freedom-to-succeed/”
This guy reminds me of the Mike of Mike’s Grill in Blacksburg. If you’ve never met Mike, it’s a worthwhile experience.
#2: Regarding Tech’s previously inconsistent interest in protecting its’ trademarks, it’s worth noting that Tech hadn’t done much to protect them until a certain Realtor named John Wilburn opened Hokie Realty, resulting in legal maneuvers that eventually gave his firm the right to use the name until 2016, along with football tickets and Hokie Club membership. Since then, Tech has realized that a research university with Division One sports teams might take more care in handling its’ intellectual properties. Thank John Wilburn for their awakening (and his attorney, James Creekmore, who must have been quite accomodating in his fees to his client, as Tech’s ran $125k)
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/09/man-wins-right-hokie-name-gets-football-tickets
http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/virginia/vawdce/7:2010cv00466/78801/29/
#2: As an aside, (and a bit of a rude one I’m afraid), has anyone else noticed how the stylized Rmoney logo suggests the rump and lower leg of someone “assuming the position”? This image explains it in a prone position, but the logo would be the same when kneeling:
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=romney+logo&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1344&bih=746&tbm=isch&tbnid=KCA95pc-XGzflM:&imgrefurl=http://www.democraticunderground.com/125171167&docid=rfPLdVNXVuViNM&imgurl=http://www.pictures-images-photos.com/images/mitt_romney_logo.jpg&w=550&h=367&ei=NcV9UOTpF4X42gWlmoCYDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=632&vpy=194&dur=821&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=142&ty=69&sig=105069853532630475887&page=1&tbnh=144&tbnw=238&start=0&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0,i:81
It is supposedly “inspired by” (i.e. ripped off from) the Aqua Fresh toothpaste logo:
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=romney+logo&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1344&bih=746&tbm=isch&tbnid=D0lzuzsww56FXM:&imgrefurl=http://www.myradionetwork.net/lol-romneys-logo-looks-like-toothpaste&docid=Gl24y7Cs3tzN5M&imgurl=http://www.myradionetwork.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/romney-tooth-paste.jpg&w=600&h=375&ei=NcV9UOTpF4X42gWlmoCYDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=627&vpy=268&dur=840&hovh=177&hovw=284&tx=205&ty=106&sig=105069853532630475887&page=1&tbnh=135&tbnw=217&start=0&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:19,s:0,i:132
In either case it’s appropriate for the ultra-white candidate who’s asking middle class America to assume that his positions won’t make them assume the position.
Oops, here’s the explained logo image:
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=romney+logo&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1344&bih=746&tbm=isch&tbnid=-tdcL11sSTezoM:&imgrefurl=http://www.cannotunsee.net/post/29960830019/romney&docid=cPoJ8fk18FRxaM&imgurl=http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m90ypxu0tq1qbn1vmo1_r1_500.jpg&w=500&h=573&ei=NcV9UOTpF4X42gWlmoCYDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=439&vpy=393&dur=146&hovh=240&hovw=210&tx=112&ty=167&sig=105069853532630475887&page=2&tbnh=152&tbnw=133&start=22&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:20,i:148
Hum?
http://tinyurl.com/8rr9jqy
Didn’t someone here brag about the joys of Kennebunk some time back?
Maybe fly up for a quick weekend or something of the sort?
Warren,
Tinyurls are you friend.
Man — 230 comments by 5 p.m. And they’re still coming!
#11: Tinyurls are you friend (sic)
Dave, the links work don’t they? It’s ironic that a guy who uses more space on this blog than anyone else would imply a complaint about not using Tinyurl’s. But maybe when I’ve reached a golden age that allows me to make an everyday hobby of linking random RSS feeds and composing pontifications on logic I’ll use Tinyurl’s more often. Hopefully I won’t use passive-agressive implication, though.
Yesterday, the Nuns on the Bus in Ohio were met by Romney-Ryan supporters who carried ugly signs attacking the Sisters (e.g., “Romney-Ryan Yes – Fake Nuns No” and “You are NOT Catholic!”). We want our friends to know that Sister Monica McGloin responded to the attackers with grace and dignity: “…One thing we did make clear is we are 100% pro-life. (cheers) As many of your signs are showing, we believe life begins at conception and ends with natural death. And that we do not see focusing on one issue, one point of life, as a way that we should proceed. And that pro-life for us means that we do concern ourselves with living wage, just wage, (cheers) access to healthcare, education, food, housing, care for our seniors, Medicare and other kinds of healthcare programs that are supportive. Providing daycare for children so their parents can work… So we know from talking with people that what the people want is to continue to support the services that are helping us remain healthy, wholesome communities. So that’s what pro-life is.”
Thank you Sr. Monica McGloin!!
BTW, Dan, I forgot to mention this earlier, but what about those football uniforms the Terps wore Sat. at UVa., huh? The helmets looked like Nascar decals, and were those supposed to be rivets down the side of the pants? They looked like bullfighter’s pants. Ole!
So it turns out Obama has taken in twice as much in military donations than Rmoney. Which illustrates what I’ve said often…the military is not some monolithic GOP voting bloc. And your average soldier knows damn well he’s in the 99%.
Since we have been talking about all the robocalls, I just got a doozy! A recorded voice, started out, “Dear Pastor”, and proceeded to offer me an invitation to a breakfast with Jonathan Cahn the author of “The Harbinger” the “acclaimed” documentary about Isaiah 9:10 and the “Demise of the US” at Pate Chapel, Thomas Road Baptist Church. All I have to do is call 434-316-7424 and presumably I can save America too.
I prefer the open, even if long, links. Or the HTML titles so I can see if I might not want to click on them.
There are sources and there are sources.
That was pretty nit-picky Dave H.
Romney’s logo is such a knockoff of the O that the Obama campaign uses.
“Since we have been talking about all the robocalls, I just got a doozy! A recorded voice, started out, “Dear Pastor”, and proceeded to offer me an invitation to a breakfast with Jonathan Cahn the author of “The Harbinger” the “acclaimed” documentary about Isaiah 9:10 and the “Demise of the US” at Pate Chapel, Thomas Road Baptist Church. All I have to do is call 434-316-7424 and presumably I can save America too.”
You should accept. . .or maybe I will. Date? I’m outta town until Friday.
Feel free to take my place Dan. You can learn how we can save America.
I am feeling really honored. Rush Limbaugh echoed my earlier prediction of tonight’s debate almost verbatim. Even used the term “comeback kid” like I did.
Rush and I both said the media would declare 0bama the winner if he even showed a pulse tonight. Then they would label him the “Comeback Kid”. Yesterday, the MSM really set the stage by calling it a must-win for 0bama. You know damn well they aren’t about to allow him to ‘lose’ tonight. Neither will the attractive Ms. Crowley.
Warren:
“Dave, the links work don’t they? It’s ironic that a guy who uses more space on this blog than anyone else would imply a complaint about not using Tinyurl’s…..[ on and on with the ugly reply].”
Geez, Warren. Why crap on Dave? He tolerates you better than a lot of people here.
I saw that the Denver Broncos came storming back Sunday in a truly inspirational recovery that couldn’t have been led by anybody other than the most magnificent quarterback in NFL history, Tim Tebow. Oops, sorry, Tebow the Incredible was sitting on the Jets bench, like he usually does.
Warren:
“…resulting in legal maneuvers that eventually gave his firm the right to use the name until 2016…”
There are a number of things that aren’t quite right in the various articles, but none worse than that part. That has been misunderstood by most of the media and, therefore, the public. We have the name in perpetuity. 2016 is simply the expiration date of the STATE level trademark.
Per gdad’s WDBJ7 link:
“The word “Hokie” is a registered trademark, Owned by Virginia Tech.”
Only as of this year. It certainly wasn’t in 2009.
As for the original topic, a client sent me this: http://jhpolitics.com/2012/09/vt-targets-hokies-for-romney-ryan-bumper-stickers/
“There are a number of things that aren’t quite right in the various articles, but none worse than that part. That has been misunderstood by most of the media and, therefore, the public. We have the name in perpetuity. 2016 is simply the expiration date of the STATE level trademark.”
–Comment by John Wilburn
I wrote about this issue. That was before John was active here, and I didn’t meet him in person (along with Dave Hicks) until this past summer.
Lifetime tix to Hokie football? John, who ya gonna call the next time the Terps come to town?
Dan:
“Lifetime tix to Hokie football?”
Geez, was that said too? That isn’t right either. I have kept season tickets for a long time before the suit and plan to for the forseeable future. I sometimes have a spare that I make a “jump ball” for my friends to claim. Remind me early whenever the terps are playing here next and I very well may have a ticket for you.
Suzie:
“Rush and I both said the media would declare 0bama the winner if he even showed a pulse tonight. Then they would label him the “Comeback Kid”.”
Actually, I predicted that before you. You’re welcome to retroactively be first though.
I wondered if that was ever going to come up. What I wondered is how a “copyright infringement” case ended with the “infringer” getting all that fluff as if he was the “injured” party. Care to elaborate John Wilburn?
You sued them for the right to use their name and they bribed you to what? The case never made sense to me.
#25 Of course the bumper sticker in question says “Hokies,” not “Hokie.”
As I understand it, one of the reasons Tech hasn’t aggressively gone after campaigns for their bumper stickers is that they eventually have to work with whomever is elected. Do you really want to piss off the person who could make the difference in whether or not you get tens of millions of dollars?
I saw that the Denver Broncos came storming back Sunday in a truly inspirational recovery that couldn’t have been led by anybody other than the most magnificent quarterback in NFL history, Tim Tebow. Oops, sorry, Tebow the Incredible was sitting on the Jets bench, like he usually does.
Does Manning even have a .500 record as a starter with the Broncos? Oh. 3-3. Tebow’s was much better there–with a worse team.
#31 Let’s just get right down to the bottom line — Tebow isn’t a starting quarterback caliber player, otherwise he’d be starting.
http://www.totalprosports.com/2012/10/05/what-if-nfl-quarterbacks-were-all-friends-on-facebook-pics/
Speaking of Tebow being a starting quarterback…has anyone read these? This is Part 1, there’s a Part 2 too. Funny stuff for football fans.
Re: Comment by Warren — October 16, 2012 @ 5:37 pm
and
Comment by Sandi Saunders — October 16, 2012 @ 6:57 pm
———
Whatever, floats your boat.
Thanks Dave Hicks @11:37am, good way to look at it.
Sandi Saunders:
“Care to elaborate John Wilburn?”
Not really. At least not on a public blog.
“You sued them for the right to use their name and they bribed you to what? The case never made sense to me.”
I COUNTERSUED them. There was no bribe. The case had a lot of ins and outsand didn’t make sense to a lot of people; you aren’t alone in realizing there’s more to it than meets the eye. Despite the occasional unwarranted questioning of my integrity here by the same two bloggers from time to time, my integrity was never called into question through that entire process. Enough about that.
Thanks for choosing not to drag it out on this blog for sport. At least you were nice enough not to.
John Wilburn, integrity cannot be questioned. You either have it, or you don’t. Attempts to question it will be deflected or proved by the way you live your life, perform your work, handle the truth and treat other people.
It never came up and there was never a need to bring it up. But the times you have felt your integrity was “questioned” or impugned were when you made some comment or told some half truth that did not tell the whole story. In other words, when it was deserved. You would do well to remember that and not let your fingers write checks the facts cannot cash.
I pounce every time it happens because you are not anonymous, which I respect immensely, and you seriously need to learn not to do such things. I cannot help how you take it, but it is not meant as insult or lack of respect so much as an effort to have you see the error of some of your ways. We can disagree, we can vehemently see things differently, but we cannot change the facts to suit that vision.
Maybe someday you will get it. I have hope.
Well since you wanted to run with it, Sandi, you did try to claim I was somehow less than ethical for doing honest, routine mortgage inspections and “kicked homeowners when they were down”. That was garbage and showed that you didn’t know what you’re talking about. All the occasional visitor to the blog took away is that another blogger thinks I’m crooked. When you question people’s integrity without any good cause, it is not good for their reputation. You know this.
Trust me, John, I wouldn’t base what I thought about your business off of what a far-leftie says or feels about something you have built yourself.
hey john, it’s never their fault. it’s always your fault. that’s they way most of’em think, particularly sandi. sad.
If you really want to visit the issue again, I am more than happy to clarify…again.
I did not “try to claim” anything. You tried to claim there is such a thing as a representative from a lender coming onto people’s property for “routine mortgage inspections” rather than admit you were doing so for homes either in foreclosure or arrears. I called that suspicious as a 20+ year mortgage holder who has never had such an inspection, and even when I asked you to clarify you waffled and tried not to. So yes, I consider that being part of the ‘kick homeowners when they were down’ real estate industry.
It was not “garbage”, and to date you have produced NOTHING to prove that any mortgage holder does “routine mortgage inspections” and you never will.
I did know what I was talking about, that is how I busted you on your oh so less than honest portrayal of carrying a gun onto property in distress you were assessing for some lender and why that might be viewed unfavorably.
If you had stated the truth, or admitted it when asked, “the occasional visitor to the blog” would have agreed that your integrity was intact.
When you question people’s integrity, they should be honest, forthcoming and prove you wrong, or they will suffer the consequences.
As the cowards here who have attacked me from the safety of their anonymity know, you put your name on it, you own it. That sir, is not my fault.
Sandi ranting….sigh…:
“I called that suspicious as a 20+ year mortgage holder who has never had such an inspection,”
That’s because you’ve paid your note or just have never seen one of them. They don’t ask or announce themselves.
“So yes, I consider that being part of the ‘kick homeowners when they were down’ real estate industry.”
JFC, can you not just admit when you’re wrong?!
“I did know what I was talking about, that is how I busted you on your oh so less than honest portrayal of carrying a gun onto property in distress you were assessing for some lender and why that might be viewed unfavorably.”
That’s unbelievably ignorant. The lender just wants to know the condition and occupancy of their property and you know full well that I carry everywhere I go anyway and that I’m simply not disarming to do the job. It does give it an element of drama for you to pretend otherwise.
“That sir, is not my fault.”
Nope, but continuing to whip the dead horse over mortgage inspections is. Buried in the paperwork of practically all mortgages is a clause that gives them the right to inspect. One doesn’t have to be in default either. One of the things I inspect for is whether the property is owner-occupied or not. Most loans are made for owner-occupants and the discovery of tenants might constitute loans fraud. In fact, the inspection orders I get are confidential in that there is a limited amount of info on them for me with varying instructions for what they want to know. You don’t know jack about my business.
“as a 20+ year mortgage holder”
I guess as a 20+ year licensed driver you know how automatic transmissions work too. LOL.
“That sir, is not my fault.”–Sandi
This is a mind-set that seems to permeate the left-wing thought process these days, especially Dear Leader’s.
“The economy is in the tank? Not my fault. I doubled the deficit after promising to cut it half? Not my fault. I haven’t been able to pass a budget in nearly three years, and no one in my own party even votes for my budget proposals? Not my fault. Unemployment is at the same percentage it was when I started, despite massive spending? Not my fault. Failed to provide adequate security to our ambassador in Benghazi? Not my fault. My administration provided a false narrative regarding the Benghazi attack for nearly two weeks? Not my fault. Gitmo is still open after I promised to close it four years ago? Not my fault. Gas prices and food prices are much higher now than they were four years ago? Not my fault. There are more people dependent on government for survival than at any other time in our history? Not my fault. Fast and Furious? Not my fault. Millions and millions wasted in failed “green” energy companies that are now going bankrupt? Not my fault. I promised to pass a comprehensive immigration bill in my first year and failed to do so even when my party controlled all three branches of government? Not my fault. I promised to televise the healthcare debate and post bills online for review and didn’t do it? Not my fault. I promised to run the most transparent administration in history and didn’t do it?-(see Helen Thoma’s comments on this subject)Not my fault. I promised to bring this country together, only to become one of the most polarizing presidents in history? Not my fault. There are many more examples…but you get the idea.
Seriously? If “They don’t ask or announce themselves”, how the hell would they determine if the “occupant” was the owner, a sibling, a friend, or a tenant? You just keep digging bud. I asked my mortgage lender and one other (as I already told you) and neither said they do “routine mortgage inspections” unless a property is “distressed” or they have reason to suspect fraud. You tried to pass it off as something all mortgages experience and that is just not true. No matter how many times you say it or insult me, it is not true.
http://www.bankrate.com/financing/mortgages/fannie-to-inspect-delinquent-homes/
Yes lower case matt, we “get the idea”. You have gone off on some tangent as usual. Being wrong is your problem too.
Make a stupid claim about automatic transmissions and find out!
Sandi Saunders:
“They don’t ask or announce themselves”, how the hell would they determine if the “occupant” was the owner, a sibling, a friend, or a tenant?”
Sometimes we have instructions “DO NOT CONTACT”, but we can contact a neighbor. Sometimes there are things that ID the owner around the property. For instance, I once saw a piece of mail on the floor of a guy’s tractor once. I’ll quiz a neighbor. They usually know.
“I asked my mortgage lender and one other (as I already told you) and neither said they do “routine mortgage inspections” unless a property is “distressed” or they have reason to suspect fraud.”
Okay, but a lot of inspections are auditing a higher-risk-for-fraud deal. I know this because I have had honest clients get checked out before.
“You tried to pass it off as something all mortgages experience…”
ALL secondary mortgages are eligible to get inspected, but most don’t. It would be too costly and impossible. Obviously, those in arrears are top priority, then the fraud suspects, but they have the right to inspect anyone.
46.”Make a stupid claim about automatic transmissions and find out!”
Let me guess, you had an experience or two seeking justice from taking your car to shop over the transmission so you “researched” them on the internet…blah, blah, blah…
I R&R and build them and am calling your bluff.