briandoleary.com Blog

PJB on Bush 43 and his new “protectionism.” Another great take on the mix between domestic politics, international economies and a common sense, non-ideological take on how to deal with our addled state. “Indeed, Toyota claims losses for the first time in 70 years—though how Toyota’s management was able to keep sales up in 1945, when Gen. Curtis LeMay’s B-29s were conducting their nightly visits, escapes me.”

In other news, The Bowl Odyssey limps along once again. Holiday Bowl is the destination. This is the second visit to the San Diego classic. 2009-10 Bowl Season looks to be back on track in full force. Interested parties looking to sponsor… drop me a line.

Hope all had a Merry Christmas. Good wishes on a fantastic New Year. As someone wrote to the Oregonian in the last few days, put “A White Christmas” on the Most Overrated Things list… My current, yet temporary, digs in SoCal–the hive of villainy it might be–still beats the global-warming-free zone of Merkleystan in the general comfortability standard for this December.

What is the point of “public transportation” if the public cannot use it?  For most folks, socked in because of this recent “Arctic Blast” in the Pacific Northwest, general failure of this glorified “system” is demonstrated notwithstanding its foundation largely built upon ineptitude and waste.  MAX stops working at crucial stops.  Greyhound shutters its doors.  Amtrak decides it is not okay to do business just when people are turning to it.  Airlines cancel flights while others remain grounded.  Dripping in irony, the reality is that the personal automobile remains the most convenient means of transportation for the individual and the family. (more…)

The Big Redhead on Bobby Gross.  Thanks T$ for the link.

Just wondering, did Bill or Bobby inspire BRoy last night in some transcendant way?  I am throwing my hat in the ring … Brandon Roy for MVP.  Ice-cold warrior he is.

Republicans block the “auto bailout?”  The Democrats are all for it?  So one is bad and one is good?  This strict demarcation is false and misleads the undereducated American who just reads headlines.

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The New York Times received notice of my existence today.

Perhaps it will not fall on deaf ears.  We shall see.

Regarding “Soda Tax Plan Sparks Debate”
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PJB on “The Toyota Republicans.”  If you are averse to the GOP in the first place, this might drive it home.  The Republican Party needs a new way.  So do the Dems, but that’s another matter entirely.

Why aren’t Oklahoma and Texas rematching for the National Title?  A man with a 1992 Ph.D. in Love from the School of Hard Knocks would say they should or perhaps it should be Florida vs. USC.  What say you White Owl?

A parsed version of my “Ted in the crosshairs again” post appeared in The Sunday Oregonian this morning.

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I shall post regularly pithy thoughts (between 150 and 250 words) and put them in the “Thought of the Day” category.

We are in the midst of economic turmoil and it seems that the choices to get us out of the mess are a brand of monopolistic capitalism and the radical collectivist notion of socialism masking itself as a “regulated” form of capitalism while reeking of a latter-day Marxism.  (more…)

My response to a guest editorial on Oregon Live.

John Lennon said it best (scroll down for my response)

FYI… “Comments” feature should now be available on my site.

I am a big fan of the Beatles, but the band as a whole was bigger than the sum of their parts. The warm-fuzzy Ms. McDevitt feels for “Imagine” is fine and good, but Lennon as a drug-addled solo lyricist and performer was a far cry from his collaborative efforts with the Fab Four.

Somewhere in there, rock ‘n’ roll gave way to soft-rock. (more…)

I couldn’t say it much better myself.  Victor Davis Hanson on Ten Random, Politically Incorrect Thoughts

The MLS commish is saying good things about Portland.  This is not good.  The only good thing in this article is that a potential new baseball stadium may be at the old MC site or in Northwest on the river.

The Red Sox are going to reveal some new gear–jerseys, hats, etc–tonight at 6 pm Eastern.