Victory Cigar for Me, Hall of Shame of Kennedy, et al

I'm Celebrating the Senate voting down that horrific immigration bill--you know, the one that would have granted amnesty to 20 million Mexican trespassers who don't give a rip about our laws? Right now, I'm lighting up a Camacho Coyolar.

I must confess, I just loved seeing Kennedy stand there ticked beyond belief that the American people would actually stand up to him!

Oh, and don't get me started on the pathetic Sam Brownback. He voted for cloture before he voted against it--all in the course of a few short minutes. Not even John Kerry could pull that off. Buddy, you are not presidential material. Get out now before you make a complete fool of yourself. I'd hate to have to depend on your decisive leadership in a crisis.

Finally, here's an idea for the rest of the wannabe GOP candidates for prez. If you'll say what follows and mean it, you can't lose. You jst can't! The location for the soundbite is El Paso TX, overlooking the Rio Grande:

"My fellow Americans, if you elect me President, I will refuse to sign ANY bill that comes my way until the funds already allocated for border security are released and construction resumes on the 800 mile fence. If those idiots in Congress try and stop the funding for the fence, I will stop everyone of their precious little spending bills dead in their tracks. My first priority is to defend the American people against security threats, and that starts with tightening our own borders. How the Hell are we supposed to keep Al-Qaeda out of Iraq when we can't keep trespassers out of Texas? As for Senator Kennedy, I have a special message for him. Teddy, if you want peace in the Senate, get down here and help build this wall."

If you think Congress has low approval ratings now, wait till a Presidential aspirant with balls drops that soundbite on them.

Hint: That aspirant won't be Hillary for obvious reasons.

Quote of the Week: Charles H. Spurgeon

Alright Ralph, this is for all those good Protestants out there:

"What, for some, is sin, others do to the glory of God. And the good Dr. Pentecost's remarks notwithstanding, I intend to go home tonight and smoke a cigar to the glory of God. It is a kind of incense drifting to Heaven."

- in response to an unknowing guest preacher at his church

(see The Life and Work of Charles Haddon Spurgeon)

How to Cope When Your Daughter Says "I Do"

Hopefully, I won't need to ask that question for at least 15 years. Nevertheless, I found a site to help me prepare. To quote Ken York, you must "learn what your roles and responsibilities are, and how to keep from looking like an ass." FYI, he spent over $60,000 doing it!

Here's his description of the wedding festivities:

"We had 60 guests for the five days. The villas were perfect and came with their own staff (18 in total). All of the staff were super attentive and made our stay extraordinary. During the wedding itself, there was one staff member who would pop up at my side with a fresh drink any time that my glass got down to the bottom third. It was an unbelievable time. In total we spent about $60,000 for the villas, hotels, food and drinks for five days for everyone. That also includes about a half dozen airline tickets from the states to Puerto Vallarta and back to include two first class tickets for my wife and myself. If you are doing this treat yourself first class. It helps to be pampered going and coming. My wife had enough stress without trying to fit into the back of the airplane with a wedding dress."

The wedding, I suspect, was not the only joy Ken experienced. In a candid moment, he writes,

"Everything was ours for the week. Also, since I am a cigar smoker, I could smoke cigars to my heart’s content with no evil looks from anyone."

Ah, the truth comes out...

Real Men Versus Liberal Media

Tired of the liberal media second-guessing real men? Sick of pansy journalists more worried about denying a terrorist a Koran than depriving innocent civilians their lives? Well, you are in good company.

Check out these quotes:

"I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are. If I killed them all there would be news from Hell before breakfast."
- Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman


"It appears we have appointed our worst generals to command forces, and our most gifted and brilliant to edit newspapers! In fact, I discovered by reading newspapers that these editor/geniuses plainly saw all my strategic defects from the start, yet failed to inform me until it was too late. Accordingly, I'm readily willing to yield my command to these obviously superior intellects, and I'll, in turn, do my best for the cause by writing editorials - after the fact."-Robert E. Lee, 1863

HT: The Corner here and here. Lee portrait by David Wrightart.

Hey, Don't Forget the Protestants

Arthur,
You're right that Chesterton, the Catholic, loved his cigars, but let's not forget the greatest of all Baptist preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

While pastoring Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, Spurgeon was allegedly asked about the permissibility of cigar smoking. He replied, "I believe cigar smoking should be done in moderation--one at a time!" Indeed, Spurgeon was known to smoke a stick a day, as one commentator points out:

Furthermore, we fully agree with Mr. Spurgeon that smoking cigars per se is not a sinful activity. Cigars, unlike cigarettes, are properly smoked without inhaling, minimizing the risk of lung damage. Nor does cigar smoking normally involve the kind of addictive behavior associated with cigarette use. By all accounts, Mr. Spurgeon's smoking was occasional, and never much more than a cigar a day or so—which, again, suggests that this was no addiction with him.

There are no doubt health risks associated with cigars, but this is also true of cream cheese, or coffee, or almost anything when consumed without moderation. There is no real evidence that cigars in any way hastened Mr. Spurgeon's death.
Mr. Spurgeon's smoking was a historical fact, and the cause of truth cannot be served by denying it or inventing myths that suggest he finally "repented" of this activity. The fact is that he did not regard smoking cigars as a sinful activity, and he evidently held that opinion until the end of his life.

Never more than "a cigar a day or so?" Gee, I don't smoke that many and I'm no where near the theologian he was.

Here's a classic story about the man and his cigars:

While Mr. Spurgeon was living at Nightingale Lane, Clapham, an excursion was one day organised by one of the young men's classes at the Tabernacle. The brake with the excursionists was to call for the President [Spurgeon] on their way to mid-Surrey.

It was a beautiful early morning, and the men arrived in high spirits, pipes and cigars alight, and looking forward to a day of unrestrained enjoyment. Mr. Spurgeon was ready waiting at the gate. He jumped up to the box-seat reserved for him, and looking round with an expression of astonishment, exclaimed: "What, gentlemen! Are you not ashamed to be smoking so early?"

Here was a damper! Dismay was on every face. Pipes and cigars one by one failed and dropped out of sight.

When all had disappeared, out came the President's cigar-case. He lit up and smoked away serenely. The men looked at him astonished. "I thought you said you objected to smoking, Mr. Spurgeon?" one ventured.

"Oh no, I did not say I objected. I asked if they were not ashamed, and it appears they were, for they have all put their pipes away."

Amid laughter the pipes reappeared, and with puffs of smoke the party went on merrily.

Sons of the Reformation, come out from hiding. It's time to light(en) up!

Quote of the Week: G.K. Chesterton

"Nobody who has an abstract standard of right and

wrong can possibly think it wrong to smoke a cigar."

- in "On American Morals"

California Smoking Nazis

The smoking nazis in California are at it again. First Calabasas, then Santa Monica, then Burbank. Recently, the Beverly Hills City Council voted "to ban smoking in nearly all outdoor dining areas within the city limits." And now, Belmont is considering instituting the nation's toughest smoking ban. The dominoes keep falling.

And no, they're not just going after smoking outside of a restaurant on the patio anymore. They're going to ban smoking inside your very own residence. Soon it will be a felony to be in possession of cigars. If you're caught harboring a humidor in your home? Three life sentences.

C'mon Arnold. Conservatives like me haven't been real thrilled with our "Republican" governor but a little help in protecting our civil liberties from liberal encroachment will go a long way toward keeping our support.

Por Larranaga

I love receiving cigars as a gift. My wife knows this but typically does not know which sticks to buy me. This past weekend, on a recommendation from the guy at our local smoke shop, she bought me three of these cigars (the toros) for my birthday. I love that woman.

If you've never tried this stick, you owe it to yourself to get one soon. The smoke shop guy told my wife they just can't keep these in stock. After smoking the first one I can see why. The flavor is rich and robust, complex but not overpowering. So dang flavorful. My description won't do this stick justice--you've just got to try it.

These sticks have found a permanent place in my rotation. Indeed, I may have found a new favorite cigar...

The Brick Delivers

Boy, does it ever. This inexpensive smoke cost about $3.10 a stick (retail) and delivers a wonderful mild flavor all the way down to the label. I purchased a 5 inch stick x 60 round, only these sticks aren't round; they're almost square. No matter, the flavor is fantastic and my cigar stayed lit and burned evenly throughout.

I cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed this smoke. I think I'll buy a bundle of them.

Now, where the heck am I going to put all these sticks?