2016 Candidate Lists Emerging: Republican
After fielding a crop of contenders in 2012 that most observers viewed as less-than-overwhelming (given that at various times Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Rick [oops!] Perry, and even Herman Cain were temporary frontrunners), the Republicans have been expecting a much more formidible group for 2016 and beyond.
And, certainly, the potential is there.
- Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin. It's traditional to consider the vice presidential nominee as at least a nominal initial frontrunner, although it's been since 1988 that a Republican has actually won the nomination from that spot. Even if he had not been picked, Ryan would have been considered a major contender, but his VP run may actually make Ryan less likely to run in 2016 since, while he got high marks, he certainly didn't take command of the stage.
- Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida. Many think Rubio would have been a better pick for Mitt Romney than Ryan, but one never knows how things would have played out. There's some sense that Rubio could be another Sarah Palin ... as in, better in concept than in reality.
- Gov. Bobby Jindal, Louisiana. Like Ryan, Jindal is a super-smart and articulate conservative. He also seems to be interested in making 2016 noises right away. Jindal has actual accomplishments and is a better candidate than he came across in his stumbling national debut.
- Gov. Chris Christie, New Jersey. Christie has to get reelected in 2013 before he could focus on a 2016 effort, and his post-Sandy embrace of President Obama created a problematic visual, even if the reaction was overblown. Whatever chances he had were dependent on his rock-star status, and that is now dimmed.
- Gov. Bob McDonnell, Virginia. Is the fact that his state has been electing Democrats in every election except his own a positive or a negative?
- Gov.-Elect Mike Pence, Indiana. Pence is a long-time favorite of the conservative movement, but the white-bread middle-aged midwesterner might have a hard time going up against the younger and savvier set. That being said, sometimes white bread has its moment.
- Former Gov. Jeb Bush, Florida. Of course, the Old Guard always has a standard-bearer, but even if Bush were inclined (which seems unlikely), he would face a lot of obstacles. If he had won the Florida governorship in 1994, history might have been different. But he didn't. Most will be content to leave the Bush years as part of the past.
- Former Gov. Mike Huckabee, Arkansas. Huck is getting minimal buzz, but he knows how to communicate to the exact downscale southeastern Ohio voters who didn't turn out for Romney. If he makes a run, he could surprise.
- Former Sen. Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania. He is underrated, and may be likely to make another run, but his good fortune in 2012 is unlikely to be duplicated. He was mostly the last guy left.
- Gov. Susana Martinez, New Mexico. Martinez checks all the boxes, but doesn't seem interested in "going national."
- Sen. John Thune, South Dakota. He probably had his best shot in 2012, and he chose not to take it.
- Sen. Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire. Not at all likely to run in 2016, but the GOP loves having a pro-life woman who is not fodder for late-night comics, so her star will keep rising.
Reading Pile: 11/14/12
The Boys #72- There have been people who feel that this should have ended a little while ago, probably at the climax of the last story arc. I personally like it when the remaining loose threads are tied up in a book though, and this issue is pretty much just for that purpose. I don’t think this is too much of a spoiler considering all the horrible things happened in the past few issues, but I was actually a little surprised by just how happy and upbeat an ending this issue gave us. The only negative thing I can really complain about is that Dynamite of course decided to milk this final issue for all it’s worth considering that if you stuck around this long you were going to buy it no matter what. $4.99 for twenty four pages of story is sort of highway robbery, but I reiterate that they are a very satisfying twenty-four pages of story. There are also five pin-up pages from various Ennis art alumni, and then four pages compiling every cover of the series. I hate it when they do that because they shrink them down into thumbnail size, which goes against the nature of cover art. If you bought all the issues, then you have all the covers. If you bought all the trades, then you have all the covers. This isn’t like Spider-Man where there are 700 plus covers to show off. Still, despite Dynamite milking their cash cow one last time, I really enjoyed the issue. A-
All-New X-Men #1- Despite my hatred for their choice in adjectives, I will admit that for a first issue Bendis and Immonen knocked out an interesting story with spectacular art. I’m nervous about how Bendis will handle Cyclops over time, and I’m not crazy about the idea of pulling the young X-Men from the past (because really, Hank McCoy is smart enough to know that yucking about space and time for a very poor reason is kinda dumb). Still, they set the status quo and introduced the main conflicts well, so I’m interested in seeing the follow through. The main fault is that this sucker is twenty pages of story for $3.99, and there are plenty of large panels to make that read even faster than it sounds. Stack on top of that the fact that we have had previews for four or five of these pages online for the past 2-3 months and it felt like it was only fifteen pages of actual new story. Overall, I am cautiously optimistic but not holding my breath for this title until they rethink the pricing. B+
Real life Barbie doll
The Internet has made many regular folks into celebrities overnight. Typically, their stardom lasts only for about 15 minutes. But during that time, they do manage to gain a great following of fans. Right now, an online celebrity that is getting a lot of attention is Valeria Lukyanova.
Who is Valeria Lukyanova? She is a real life Barbie doll. Her online photos and her YouTube videos have been seen by many, and they have stirred up a lot of reactions amongst the viewers. Not only does she physically resemble the famous doll, but she also got the stiff poses and the blank stare down.
There is a lot of controversy when it comes to Valeria Lukyanova. A lot of people question whether or not she actually even exists in real life. Her blank stare and the unreal body proportion that she possesses are causing a great number of people to insist that she simply is not a real person. Instead, they believe that she is a Photoshopped image that cannot be seen in real life.
Fans of Valeria Lukyanova see her as a beauty. Some even want to look like her. However, not everyone who has seen her pictures is a fan of the real life Barbie doll. The biggest complaint from non-fans is that Valeria Lukyanova looks creepy. Many also think that she looks as if she has an eating disorder.
So what are your thoughts upon seeing a photo of Valeria Lukyanova? Are you a newly converted fan? Or are you a bit freaked out by her resemblance to Barbie?
Brave DVD available now
My family and I saw Brave back in the summer. We had anticipated the film for more than a year, and we were not disappointed. The movie is hilarious, moving and filled with excellent animation and storytelling—everything you could ever ask for from Pixar.
If you haven’t seen the movie yet, you have the opportunity to rent or own it now. My husband works in retail so we got a great deal on our copy, but even if you wait to get it previously viewed from your local movie rental store—which is what we usually do to get a bargain—you will be purchasing your family’s new favorite film! It would make a wonderful birthday or holiday gift.
The Blu-ray/DVD copy has lots of fun bonus features, including deleted scenes, an alternate beginning (which wasn’t that impressive itself), and my favorite extras, the various explanations about Scottish culture and language and other movie tidbits. You get to understand what some of the colorful phrases in the movie mean, as well as get a peek at some of the stars of the film speaking their parts.
We have only owned the DVD for less than 24 hours and we’ve already watched it twice! This poignant, funny movie will be my new go-to for noise at night while working for sure (I used to alternate between Stardust, Penelope, and Princess and the Frog). Every time we watch the movie we see something new, or notice another symbol we missed. I can’t recommend it enough.
Boost your Sim's study skills
In other games, it's called "grinding." In order to get to the next level, you have to do some meaningless task for hours at a time. It's a boring but necessary part of gaming. In The Sims 3, this often takes the form of making your Sim read a book for what seems like an eternity.
Changing the focus
I struggle with many different things in my life, but one of the main ones is control. I tend to forget that God is in control of everything and I try to handle every issue and task in life on my own.
My husband repeatedly reminds me of this and the other day I saw something that really made me think this issue through. It said, “Stop thinking about what you can’t do and start thinking about what God can do.” Wow. This made me realize that this is a huge issue in my life.
I am the type of person that tends to accomplish a lot each day, yet I continuously raise my goals to a point where they are almost impossible to meet. This generally leaves me feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. I am constantly feeling nervous and uptight and a lot of it is my own problem. I am a worrier. I worry about virtually everything and according to the Bible, worrying is a sin.
When we worry about things, we are basically telling God that we don’t trust Him. We are saying that we don’t believe He will help us through these situations. This is something that I need to learn to overcome. I have to stop focusing so much time on what I am not getting done or what I am not able to do, and I really need to turn my focus to God. This involves giving God my worries and problems and letting Him handle them for me. I don’t know if I will ever be good at this, but I want to learn how to be.
AFC Playoff Picture Update (Week Ten)
AFC East:
It's always the Patriots here, and this year is no exception. New England is 6-3 and everyone else in the division has lost at least two games in a row.
The Jets are an absolute mess, and Buffalo has dropped three straight after a 3-3 start. The Dolphins looked like they might be getting some traction, but then they got throttled by Tennessee, 37-3, their last time out.
- New England looks set for its annual playoff appearance. The rest look like long shots at best.
AFC North:
The presidential candidates may have viewed Ohio as the balance of power, but in the AFC North, it's been traditional for Baltimore and Pittsburgh leave the Buckeye State teams in the dust. This year looks like no exception, with Cincinnati and Cleveland back at the lower end of the division.
The 7-2 Ravens and 6-3 Steelers are at the top, but Pittsburgh could be facing an extended stretch without Ben Roethlisberger. If Big Ben is out for the year, then the Steelers' margin of error goes down a bunch.
- Baltimore looks good, and Pittsburgh is still likely.
AFC South:
This was always the division where you had to get through Peyton Manning and the Colts to get to the top. Now maybe Matt Schaub and his Texans have taken over that spot. After grinding out a 13-6 win in the slop in Chicago over the previously 7-1 Bears, Houston sits at 8-1 and in command. The defense is tough, and Schaub and running back Arian Foster give the team a solid offensive attack.
In second place? It's the comeback Colts, behind Peyton's successor, rookie Andrew Luck. Indianapolis is a surprising 6-3, and could easily snag a wild card, particularly given that all of the other contenders have losing records.
- Houston is set, and the Colts have a real shot.
AFC West:
And now we have the new home of Manning. After a 2-3 start, Peyton and his new orange-clad pals have run off four wins in a row. They sit 6-3, and, with San Diego struggling, appear to have the division in hand.
Kansas City and Oakland both appear to be quite a way from regaining relevance.
- Denver looks to be pretty much in the clear.
Predictions:
Division champs: Patriots, Ravens, Texans, Broncos
Wild cards: Steelers, Colts
NFC Playoff Picture Update (Week Ten)
NFC East:
The New York Giants always seem to hit a lull in the late fall, before coming back to life for Super Bowl runs. Well, they've lost two in a row to drop to 6-4. But it might not matter this year, with the Eagles in a free fall (five straight losses to go to 3-6) and Dallas and Washington not seeming to get much traction.
- Giants ought to win the division.
NFC North:
Was this the year the Lions would jump up and challenge the Packers? Um, no. But the Bears have. The offensive jolt from the reuniting of Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall has helped Chicago to a 7-2 record. Their aging defensive stars (Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers) are still getting it done.
But the Pack is right there at 6-3 (and one "simultaneous catch" from being 7-2). Green Bay still has no running game, but they have Aaron Rodgers, and that's plenty. And right with them at 6-4 are the kind-of-surprising Vikings, with Adrian Peterson back in fine form (171 yards this week).
- Bears and Packers ought make the playoffs, with Vikings in the mix.
NFC South:
Atlanta lost for the first time this week, and it was to the dangerous Saints, who have got up off the mat after an 0-4 start. And streaking Tampa Bay looks like one of the most improved teams in the league.
The Falcons sit comfortably at 8-1, but the 5-4 Bucs and 4-5 Saints can't be counted out. One of them will be in good shape for a wild card bid. The Saints have a tough schedule, but the Bucs play the Falcons twice. They play each other on Dec. 16, in what might be an elimination game.
- Atlanta looks like a lock, but those other two teams are surging.
NFC West:
The 49ers could have grabbed the driver's seat (which was always expected), but they couldn't put away the Rams, and their tie leaves the 6-2-1 Niners with the same number of wins as 6-4 Seattle. The Seahawks always had the defense, but now Russell Wilson and resurgent Marshawn Lynch are giving them an offensive push as well.
- San Francisco still has the inside track, but Seattle is looking like a threat for at least a wild card.
Prediction:
Division champs: Giants, Packers, Falcons, 49ers
Wild cards: Bears, Buccaneers
NFL Stats & Stuff for Week Ten
Here come the Buccaneers ...
With a 34-24 win over the Chargers, the Bucs go to 5-4 and put themselves right in the thick of the NFC playoff chase.
We gave some spotlight to Doug Martin in this space the last few weeks, and his 68 yards on 19 carries was a help, but their other emerging star -- quarterback Josh Freeman -- has been taking a step up this year.
Freeman is in his fourth season, but is still just 24 years old. His up-and-down performances lent some uncertainty to prior Tampa Bay seasons, but this year he has five straight games in which his passing rating is over 100, and the Bucs are 4-1 in that stretch. Freeman has climbed to No. 7 in the league in passing rating, with 18 TDs and only 5 INT.
The combination of Freeman's maturity and Martin's bust-out have Tampa Bay looking like a real threat to make some noise.
***
But we might be able to say the same about the Seahawks.
Seattle rookie Russell Wilson has taken charge (he's 23), and, simultaneously, running back Marshawn Lynch is flashing all the potential that was expected of him.
Wilson had 6 INT in his first six games, but only two in the five games since, and Lynch has joined Minnesota's Adrian Peterson as the only NFL runners averaging over 100 yards per game.
Lynch had 124 yards on 27 carries as the Seahawks crushed the Jets, 28-7, to go to 6-3. It was the second straight week that Lynch gained exactly 124 yards.
***
Peterson, meanwhile, went for 171 yards on 27 carries as the Vikings defeated the Lions, 34-24.
The Lions were thought by many to be the emerging team, but they have dropped to 4-5 and last in the NFC North. Minnesota is 6-4 and in the thick of the playoff race.
The Lions' Matthew Stafford has the yards, but, otherwise, his stats aren't much better than the Vikings' Christian Ponder. And the Vikes have Peterson.
***
Props to Houston for going to 8-1 with a slogging 13-6 win in the cold rain in Chicago.
Arian Foster got 102 yards on 21 carries, as the Texans held on to the best record in the AFC.
Foster is third in the league in yards, behind Peterson and Lynch, but Martin and Tennessee's Chris Johnson are hot on his heels.
***
Johnson, remarkably, had only 45 yards after his first three games, before going on a tear. He burned the Dolphins for 126 yards in a 37-3 Titan rout.
Avoid impulse buying when grocery shopping
Impulse buying is something we all fall victim to sometimes. This is one of the causes for overspending at the grocery store and it can be hard to avoid. There are plenty of ideas to avoid this from happening, and you can try some of these tips.
Rule 1: Never shop while you are hungry. While this may seem like the simplest tip in the world, many of us do this anyhow. We end up at the grocery store right before dinner or at other points during the day when we are completely famished. This will result in impulse buying unless you are very strong willed.
Rule 2: Ask yourself if it is really necessary. For example, imagine if you picked up a package of cookies at the deli because they look really good. You could ask yourself this question and probably determine that the answer is no – you really don’t need them.
Rule 3: This is not really a rule, but it is an awesome suggestion and it will stop you from impulse shopping every time. Swap your grocery list with a friend’s list. In other words, you will do her grocery shopping and she will do yours.
Rule 4: Don’t shop when you are upset. It seems like people tend to make extra purchase when they are upset about something. They may be thinking that these purchases will help them feel better, or they may simply be in the mindset that they do not care about their life at that particular moment in time.