Back from the Dead

Okay, musings into the world of sports, after an extended period of, well, amusement at the travesty of people in the sports world today...

Does ANYONE give a damm about the Tour de France after yet ANOTHER doping incident?! When will this sport go away? You think steroids in baseball or football are out of control?!

Speaking of steroids in baseball - SHAME ON YOU Bud Selig for avoiding the inevitable breaking of the career Home Run record. Yes, it's Barry Bonds. Yes, the circumstantial evidence to indicate he took steroids is off the charts. But this is AMERICA, where you are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, and he owes it to the GAME to be there when the record is broken. Not doing do, not making at least some mention and ceremony about it, means that in his mind he's already convicted Bonds of using performance enhancing drugs without due process. Did Bonds use 'em? Probably, hard to imagine he didn't. But "imagining" and "having definitive proof" are two different things, and say what you want, Selig needs to be there. Well, in any event, regardless of this, I think he's an asshole anyway...never like the guy, he's got a major Napoleonic complex.

And in the "holy shit I thought the athletes were assholes!" department, we present Tim Donaghy. Almost makes the asshole punk ghetto thugs in the NBA seem like stand up guys...well, almost...

Here comes the Yankees? Several weeks ago, in the middle of an 11 game winning streak, I said "looks like they are making their charge". I was wrong then. I might be wrong now. They certainly are a Jeckyll and Hyde team this year. But the Sawx can hear footsteps behind them now, a once near insurmountable 14 game lead is now down to 7 1/2 games. The Yankees are playing with a fair amount of confidence now, I wonder what is going through the minds of the Boston players.

Becks, we hardly see ya mate! Your much ballyhoo'd inagural appearance in MLS was a late game substitution, and now you're out of action with that ligament injury. Here's to hoping you begin what I hope to be a successful career in the US.

Do I need to add anything to the Michael Vick story than you've probably been overloaded with at this point? Are they targeting him because he's high profile? Maybe a little. But to bring down a hydra like this you have to chop off the heads. The fact that he IS high profile makes this a fundamentally different case and message - it provides a platform to get a MAJOR player in the dogfighting subculture, and a chance to show other people that fame means nothing - if you are committing a FEDERAL crime, we will get you. If this were Bill Gates, Andrew Young, it'd still be the same. This might also show that you cannot lie and say "I didn't know what was going on with my homies". Frankly, judging from the rampant stupidity displayed by his younger brother, Marcus, Michael's idiocy isn't particularly surprising.

Is there a sadder story of an old out-of-the-spotlight athlete trying to get his face into the public issues than Gary Player? Had anyone seen Jason Gore? Phil Mickelson? Hell, John Daly?! The guys on the tour don't have any of the physiques that would indicate that they took steroids at all - well, except maybe for *GASP* Tiger Woods. Tiger is a workout freak, that is known, but steroids? He's not hitting it any longer than he used to - matter of fact, I think he lost some distance. Also, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia, Camillo Villegas - young, in shape, slim men who probably haven't tried a day in their life to bulk up. HEAR IT NOW - If ANYONE in the PGA has done steroids, based on the players' builds, they have failed miserably! *lol* The only guy who made a real significant change in his physique is Bill Glasson, and his was probably 10 or so years ago. I'm not sure what Gary Player is trying to accomplish here, but if he is trying to bring attention to the "best bodies" in golf, you need only look at the #1 player in the world. Is this a veiled accusation? Hmmm. Gene W has an interesting article on Gary's vague statements, calling him to the carpet...

Speaking of Sergio, what a whiner! Hitch up your big boy britches and admit you played a lousy 18 holes on the final day of the British Open and lost the tournament. Don't piss and moan about your "fate" and the "bad breaks". "I didn't miss a shot in the playoff and hit unbelievable putts. But they just didn't go in." Umm, if you hit unbelievable putts, they would have dropped. Unbelievable putts don't miss, they go straight in the clown's mouth! After a birdie at the third hole gave him a four-shot lead, he made bogeys at the fifth, seventh and eighth holes to let the world back into the tournament. Were all those bogeys bad luck? Don't think so. What about other golfers? Wonder how Andres Romero feels about his second shot on the 17th hole that barely missed clearing the burn, but somehow ricocheted directly to the right and out of bounds? Or what about Harrington, whose tee shot at the home hole narrowly missed bouncing across a bridge to safety only to find the burn? Or Ernie Els, who missed a playoff by two strokes and is wondering how a couple of back-nine putts stayed out of the hole? PUHLEEZE! It is a game of bad breaks, of cruel bounces, of putts that spin out of the cup. Sergio should know that. Stop hiding behind the excuse of "bad luck" and admit that you didn't close the deal - then go back out, settle down, and win one of 'em.

Luciano Watch Out...

In contrast, here is a phenomenally inspirational video. I love this guy!

And he is on to the finals. Go Paul!

Now, okay, he is not quite the "shower singer" bumpkin and has performed opera on stage, but, dude, he does sell car phones for a living!

And quite frankly, anyone who can make Amanda Holden weep twice is mensch in my book.

Who's Responsible?

Okay, I am tremendously conflicted on this. Six teenagers hit a stalled train and the four in the back seat were killed. The father of one of the victims is very upset in the video. (He lost a niece also.)

How can I be conflicted? The drivers were 15, the victims were 14. It was 3:30 am. The vehicle was stolen.

I really feel for the guy's loss (nice Father's Day, huh), but he goes off on how the grade crossing was dangerous. Well, yes. ALL grade crossing are dangerous. The train was stalled, there were no lights; it was an accident waiting to happen.

But what the hell is his 14 year old doing out at 3:30 am? What prompted her to participate in the theft of a vehicle?

This was a tragedy of parenting as well as a tragic loss of life.

No Brotherhood Afterall

From Captain's Quarters:

"'They're firing at us, firing RPGs, firing mortars. We're not Jews,' the brother of Jamal Abu Jediyan, a Fatah commander, pleaded during a live telephone conversation with a Palestinian radio station.

Minutes later both men were dragged into the streets and riddled with bullets."

This no surprise. Nor will it clarify the problem (Islamists addiction to violence) to those who have not understood this yet. The most prevalent motivation in the Middle East for centuries is "hate." You cannot build anything on hate. You can only destroy.

But at least they are destrying each other.

The Candidates

One other comment of the GOP field. It is a truly deep field. Mike Huckabee from Arkansas and Duncan Hunter from California have neither the name recognition or the money to be a viable candidate, but would make excellent presidients as well. With the exception of Ron Paul (TX) and Tom Tancredo (CO) who are, IMHO, niche candidates the rest of the field has the chops to be president.

This may be because I do not know enough about, say, Tommy Thompson to dislike him, but I don't think so.

In Bed with Fred

No, this is not a sordid follow-on to Thew's Porky's problems. While I happen to support Mitt Romney in the current field of Republican candidates, I do support the phantom candidacy of Fred Thompson. (See Donation Box on lower left.) I find I don't agree with him only a few issues (tort reform and campaign finance), but think he represents a different set of perspectives - perspectives needed in the GOP field.

The good news for the GOP is that all the front-runners - Giuliani, McCain and Romney - would make fine presidents, while only two Democrats - Clinton and Biden - would have that potential. (While I would not support Hillary, my gut feel is that she would do the right thing once she has no need to pander to the Far Left and would ultimately be a better president then Bill.)

The bad news is that the GOP I love stands for freedom (personal and economic) and SMALL government. None of the current Big Three has come out for decisively reducing the size of government. Fred has.

Of course, the last actor turned president didn't do half bad.

Whoa, Trigger

I guess my response is "I don't care." I am just saying that having broken down in the travel lane, it is reasonable to assume that someone might be coming and take extra care. Late at night, it is possible that the person might be impaired. What precautions (flares, reflectors, etc.), if any, the tow truck driver took are important to understand before you say he is off the hook.

Location Location Location

A car is stalled in the travel lane. Where is the tow truck SUPPOSED to park? Haven't you ever been in a traffic jam caused by an accident or a stall? To get the vehicle on the flatbed you have to usually pull it on the truck bed using a winch of some sort - you can't do that from the side unless you have the ability like that of the cranes they use to life indy cars off the track. WTF dood?

Doesn't matter whether I was the Porkee or Porker, it's still rude and inconsiderate and perpetuates a stereotype of the "horny fag on the prowl leering at anyone and everyone". I don't appreciate it in the damm men's locker room.

Hold on a Sec

Wait, while I do not agree with the "sue the world" approach and believe Josh Hancock was responsible for his drinking, I understand the towing truck was in the travel lane, not off to the side. I think the towing service has some 'splaining to do.

As for your other "issue", dude, you just got Porky'd. It sucks being a sex object...

More Victims of Stupidity

Now, let me first say that this is a TRADGEDY, the kind that snuffs out a life prematurely, a child/husband dead, the family left grieving. My sympathies and prayers go out to the family of Josh Hancock, tragically killed in an automobile accident.

HOWEVER. It appears you CAN put a price on life. His father is suing everyone and their grandmother, saying that THEY are the cause of his death, not Josh himself.

Let's break down the list of defendents:

Mike Shannon's Restaurant, owned by the longtime Cardinals broadcaster who starred on three World Series teams in the 1960s, is being held liable because, as the father claims, "It's our understanding that from the moment Josh Hancock entered Mike Shannon's that night that he was never without a drink."

Justin Tolar, the driver whose stalled car on Interstate 64 was being assisted by Eddie's Towing driver Jacob Hargrove. The lawsuit claimed Tolar was negligent in allowing his vehicle to reach the point where it stalled on the highway and for failing to move it out of the way of oncoming traffic.

Eddie's Towing, the company whose flatbed tow truck was struck by Hancock's sport utility vehicle after stopping to assist with the stalled vehicle of Tolar. The report said he told officers he was there five to seven minutes before his truck was hit by Hancock's SUV, although Hancock's lawyer says "it might have been there up to 15 minutes".

Officially: Authorities said the 29-year pitcher had a blood alcohol content of nearly twice the legal limit when he crashed into the back of the tow truck. He was also speeding and using a cell phone and wasn't wearing a seat belt, police chief Joe Mokwa said after the accident.

I'm sorry Dean Hancock, but your son is dead because he was stupid. HE got his own ass into these circumstances, HE could have said "NO" to any offered drink, HE could have worn a seatbelt, HE might have been a little high. FREE CHOICE, he wasn't forced to drink, and he CHOSE to not wear his seatbelt. I'm sorry your son is dead, but to hold those people responsible is playing the victim, trying to profit from your son's accident. I mourn the passing of a good baseball player, but I hope this case gets tossed out of court.

EDIT: yay for some common sense.

**********

TIME FOR AN ANTI-GAY RANT:

KEEP IT PRIVATE! PLEASE. I work out at the gym every day, and of course, I endeavor to make myself pleasant afterward so that my fellow employees don't say "whoa that Thew, he's tough to be around..."

But I found something disturbing in the men's shower. There are holes cut into the plastic curtains at eye level, obviously meant for someone to either look out (or *gasp*, IN?!) at another person in the shower.

This is BULLSHIT. You want respect, respect others. You want people to accept your homosexuality, stop pulling this kinda shit; stuff that makes people like me (i.e., straight men) pissed off at your being intrusive. Do I really think you're gazing at another gay man? Nope, you're gazing at ANY naked man who strolls into the shower area, all the while probably polishing the bishop behind the curtain. It's despicable and instrusive, and creates negative feelings towards "rabid horny gay" men and perpetuates anti-gay sentiment. Do men masturbate to Playboy? Of course. Do gay men masturbate to Playgirl? I'd think so. But keep it in the privacy of your own home; too damm bad, shit like this just pisses off ANY person - hell, I've known gay men who think this is so lame, they are ashamed to be on the same team as these people.

Like I said, you want respect, respect others. You want consideration, consider the feelings of others. You want to pull this kind of shit, prepare to be vilified; by both gay and straight men. You'll never get accepted into "the mainstream of society" while you piss off that same group of people.

**********

2 of 3 for the Yanks against the Sawx. Here's to hoping they will turn it around after what should be a real confidence building series. Dominated 'em in game 1, lost the lead in game 2 to get beat badly, lost a 4 run lead in ONE INNING but hung on, clawed back, and won it in the top of the ninth. Come on boys, time to play!

Stupidity, Yes, But Whose?

Thew asks an interesting question: is there liability there? I will put aside the issue for now as to WHO is liable, because Speaker claims he was told traveling was fine.

First off, to be liable, someone has had to suffer damages. It is not enough to be anxious you might have caught TB, but you must have caught it. (That said, if one could prove demonstrable suffering based on the incident, it MIGHT be compensable.)

But even if someone catches TB and dies, I am unclear if the law will award damages. One could claim civil assault (an intentional act which causes a reasonable and imminent apprehension of a harmful or offensive contact which is unconsented), but the "intention" has to be there. (Battery of assault & battery fame is the physical contact part.) In addition, I don't know how much time can pass before "reasonable and imminent" is no longer applicable. (Someone shoots an arrow at you, but misses...you do not notice, but find out later. Assault?) Here you would have to argue that "imminent" extends through the phase of being tested and cleared of TB...a logical position.

Now "intention" can also be a disregard for safety so reckless that any reasonable man (that term, again) would have understood the action to pose a threat. But on the facts as I know them...I am not sure that is the case. The tests did not come back showing the drug resistant strain until he was in Europe. So anyone on the flights until that point he can't be accused of reckless endangerment.

But I would also point out that this is a very slippery slope. Suing someone you catch a cold from? That forces you out of your hourly job for three days? I am just not sure we want to go there.

ProBono Work

So Tilam, any legal ramifications from Andrew Speaker's stupidity?

Reckless Endangerment? Is there a crime or lawsuit possibility if no one gets sick? What's the scoop?

Send in the clowns

Michelle Wie amusement, since I haven't laughed at her clown-like sideshow in a long time...

Wie withdrew from the Ginn Tribute on Thursday after shooting 14 over par through 16 holes, aggravating a wrist injury that sidelined her since January. After Wie bogeyed the par-4 seventh, the 17-year-old star (WHY THE HELL DO THEY CALL HER A STAR?) from Hawaii told an LPGA tour official: "We're not going to play anymore."

Wie wore bandages on her wrists during the round and said her withdraw was because she "tweaked" the injury and not because of an LPGA rule that bans nontour members for the year if they shoot 88 or higher. Wie was two bogeys from that scenario when she stopped.

Round highlights:

- Wie's round included a 10 on the par-5 third hole, when her first drive hit a parked car and rolled down a roadway drain. After her provisional tee shot went way left, Wie's third drive landed in the rough and she went on to a quintuple bogey.
- Wie drove into a pond on the 11th for a bogey.
- She hit a tree with her tee shot on the next hole and made double bogey.
- On her first par-3, the 14th, Wie landed in the woods right of the green. She chose to re-tee and again went right. A chip and two putts later, Wie had made a triple bogey.
- Wie's problems continued on the par-5 16th as she pushed her drive into clumps of grass. She took relief about 80 yards behind her ball for yet another bogey.

"I had issues with my wrist," she said. "Shooting 88 is not what I think about." Surely you don't expect us to believe that!?!

Random Thoughts on A Conversation at Starbucks

Man: You should come diving with me.
Woman: Nah, I got certified a few years ago, but I did not enjoy it.
Man: That seems to happen to a lot of woman divers. I don't know why...

Me: Maybe because you can't talk non-stop while diving...

The Worst, the Best and Just PlainSports

I am really un-interested in the whole dog-fighting thing. It should be stopped, period. If Vick is involved, he should be thrown out of the NFL. SI has a big article on what is going on for those interested. Be warned, the details are not pretty.

* * *

This weekend had two phenomenal lacrosse games. First, Duke beat Cornell 12-11 in the second semi-final and the right to play Johns Hopkins. After being down as much as 10-3, Big Red came back and tied the game with 17 seconds left! Duke wins the face off and as time wound down, Matt Greer put the ball in the net. Time remaining: 0:03.

The title game was just as exciting without the last second heroics. But it was the Blue Jays up 10-4 at the half and Duke coming back. Duke was poised for another Cinderella like ending, but the blistering shot with 9 seconds left was kicked away (yes, kick save!) by the Jays goalie. Final Johns Hopkins 12-11.

But hats off to Duke. Given the total crap they went through with the false allegations of rape, the spinelessness of the Duke administration and faculty, cancelling their 2006 season and the scrutiny they were under this year, it is truly amazing what they accomplished.

* * *

The CONCACAF Gold Cup starts next week after a US-China warm-up. Comments and analysis to follow. This is Coach Bradley's first real competition as permanent head coach, so it will be interesting to see how the players respond.

Of course, this is just a warm-up for Copa America later this year...

Despicable Acts of Cruelty

Michael Vick has been identified by a confidential source as a dog fighting "heavyweight". A prominent figure who brings quality dogs and a ton of money to bet and move around the event. That is despicable. He SHOULD go to jail, but who knows what will happen if he is convicted, since he's a famous athlete. Fame = minimal culpability. Others will take the fall for him. He won't do time. And if any "normal" person has seen any footage of 2 poor animals tearing each other part, pretty much to the death, the loser whining and writing in agony, ripped and bleeding, torn and broken, like I have, and feels no emotion at that, then you are without a soul. This is a HUGE button push for me, simply cruel to good hearted dogs who have been raised to die horribly. Just once, I'd like to take the "promoters" and put THEM in a cage and have THEM fight TO THE DEATH. See how they like it. Enough on this, it makes me physically ill.

**********

If anyone missed the NHL Stanley Cup Finals game 1 yesterday, you missed quality hockey. And you're a worse person for it. It did NOT disappoint - heavy hitting, fast play, missed chances, buried goals. Everything that Tilam hopes hockey is about as opposed to the regular season "goon fest" as he calls it. Little chippy play too, which is always good for the fan. :)

Tilam and I have blasted Michelle Wie time and again for her LACK OF accomplishments, and we (or at least *I*) constantly root against her on the PGA because she's nothing more than a sideshow, as bad as that sounds. But HERE is a young lady that deserves our cheers and hope. Good luck MacKinzie!

And in the world of high priced asswipes, flagrant demonstrations, selfish promotion, there is a hero who, tragically, gave his life to become so. Farewell and godspeed, Marquise Hill, rest in peace, your sacrifice saved the life of another. One person is alive because of your gift...

An Old Warrior

I attended the burial of my Uncle yesterday. My Uncle and I were not close as he lived in the Virgin Islands and did not seem to time his trips to my home state of Connecticut based on my schedule. But he was one of those great Uncles - young, handsome and an absolute rapscallion. Married a very pretty women, tended bar and, overall, led a life that a 13 year old thinks is very cool, until he grows up...

He was also a Vietnam War vet and many of his troubles have been blamed on his war experiences: both combat and non-combat, if you get my drift. He joined the US Army in 1968, qualifying Jump School with the 101st Airborne. He was a recipient of the Army Commendation Medal w/"V" Device, the Vietnam Service Medal w/4 Bronze Service Stars, a Parachutist Badge, and a Combat Infantry Badge.

He died young (age 60). As he was divorced, childless and without a will, the family decided to have him buried in a military cemetery in Connecticut.

Now let me say that I hate funerals. Really hate them. This is because of my own awkwardness regarding the situation: what do you say to someone who has lost a loved one? "I am sorry"? "He/she is in a better place"? Nothing seems adequate. Yesterday was different.

The day was beautiful and the cemetery was solemn and dignified with rows of white marble headstones neatly in formation. The two marines assigned to the burial were great treating the family with respect. My father asked me to read my Uncle's commendation letter to start things off and you could tell that this was unknown to most of the two dozen or so attendees. When I read that my Uncle's actions were a credit to "him, his unit and to the tradition of the United States Army", the emotion was palatable.

The folding of the flag was next with an accompanying 9 gun salute. The tri-folded flag was presented to my father as the family scion with a sharp salute and my father then turned and presented the flag to my Uncle's ex-wife. In the background, trumpeter unseen to any of the attendees, "Taps" was played. I can not convey the sense of higher purpose prevalent in this ceremony. It was beautiful and moving with a nobility not often found today.

My Uncle spent many years bucking the system and fighting the man. Later in life, he seemed to reconcile with friends and family in a meaningful way. I know he did not look fondly back on the Vietnam War (no surprise) and also did not think highly of the Army, but I think just maybe he looked down on the cemetery yesterday and came full circle on his military service also.

God Bless You, Uncle Peter.

Party at the Vick House: Korean Dinner After!

Clinton Portis gives new meaning to the phrase "backwards-ass country black". And gives the true measure of his intelligence with following MENSA worthy comment:

"I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property, it's his dog," Portis said. "If that's what he wants to do, do it. I think people should mind their business."

When told that dog fighting is a felony, Portis replied, "It can't be too bad of a crime." Citing he was from deep back woods Mississippi, he stated "I know a lot of back roads that have the dog fighting if you want to go see it."

Here's a CLUE. It's a FELONY you frikkin' moron. Looking it up in the dictionary, which is something you're obviously not familiar with, give us "One of several grave crimes, such as murder, rape, or burglary, punishable by a more stringent sentence". That means it's a SERIOUS crime, and AGAINST the law, and you GO TO JAIL for it.

Just goes to show you that athletic prowess has NOTHING to do with and NO COLRRELATION with intelligence nor common sense. It just boggles the mind...

*****

Steroids in MLB. I have always been both a forgiver and comdemner of juiced baseball players. On one hand, steroids don't make you better able to hit a pitched baseball, which is still IMHO one of the, if not THE, toughest things in sports (next to Tilam beating me at golf and getting any married woman to play pelvic ping-pong). So from that standpoint, steroids are a worthless investment.

However, steroids DO make warning track power 3 row home runs, and THAT is the big issue here. 20 more feet from the warning track is a round tripper, so high flies will travel over the fence easier than they would if you had not done the sauce.

Then again, the difference between hitting a ball 385 feet to dead center and 405 feet over the wall is probably a millimeter on the bathead, steroids don't help you align that better.

Conversely, if you're off that millimeter and you DO steroids, then it's a home run.

See? I can debate myself all day...

Jason Giambi. Hmm, what to say about him. Well, he's already admitted to using 'roids, but he swears that he did not use them after signing the Yankee contract, which is all of a sudden in doubt. And now the Yankees are going to consider voiding the contract with Giambi if it's found that he did do 'roids after signing with New York. Again, as with Barry Bonds (unfortunately), unless something is PROVEN, you can't accuse and act upon speculation. I'm NOT in favor of voiding the contract of Giambi now for stuff he did a few years ago. Water under the bridge.

Oh, and Bud Selig, it's UNFORGIVEABLE that you don't plan on being there when Bonds breaks Aaron's career MLB home run record. Sure, he's at the center of the BALCO investigation. Sure, we have testimony that he did performance enhancing drugs. BUT YOU HAVEN'T PROVEN ANYTHING. And this is a significant record, and you SHOULD be there. I've always thought you were an asshole anyway, now that you no longer own the Brewers they are doing well, but this is an honor in baseball you need to recognize. If Bonds is proven to have done drugs later, react as you will. But to have accusations that are basically unproven guide you conduct, makes you a big asshole. I don't like Bonds much, and I believe he's done "something", but without proof he's another baseball player who will break a record, and you owe it to the GAME to be there, regardless of your personal feelings towards Barry and his alleged drug use.

I thought we were innocent until proven guilty?

Ruff Life

Again, this is something I will never understand. God has given you talent and opportunity and you just throw it all away. Even when you get a second, third and fourth chance, you keep on throwing it away.

I am not sure what it is. I don't think it is a race thing (white and Hispanic athletes also do it), but WTF is he thinking?

I have mentioned on many occasions that the NFL generally produces "good" characters (as oppose to the nuts of the NBA). But there are exceptions...

* * *

In other news, Floyd Landis' doping hearing got more interesting. Greg Lemond revaled that he was sexually abused as a child and that Landis' manager threaten to reveal that information if Lemond testified against Landis. Now, Lemond is a total asshole, but WTF. What are these people thinking?

* * *

Jason Giambi has admitted to using steroids. Is anyone surprised? Of course, now that the Yankees pitching has settled down, the bats have gone quiet. Good news is they are back in 2nd place, the bad news is that they are 9 1/2 back and the Red Sox are paying .700 ball. (Is it time to Panic? No, let's wait to see how the Red sox do after the All-Star break - Ed.) But at least there is finally harmony in the clubhouse. Oh, wait.

* * *

The Girls are 5 - 0 (7 - 2 as split squads) and generally dominating. As a coach, you definately enjoy these seasons more then the 0 - 5 seasons. I have seven of my 11 girls going for all-stars, but it was funny to watch my girls (who are competeing against their own grade and the next grade up) struggle against the bigger, older girls. They did well, but there were 60 eight and nine year olds trying out for about 33 slots. And, as is usual, the Top 10 are pretty obvious, the Bottom 10 probably apparent, and the remaining 40 girls are all good and very close in skills. I think I am more nervous then they are...

2 Woofs, a Yip, and a Woof

Well, the Michael Vick case just keeps getting more interesting...

Now, despite the fact that Vick has said that he was rarely at the Virginia house he owned where officials have found evidence of dog fighting and that he never took part in the practice, investigators don't agree. Kathy Strouse, the animal control coordinator for the City of Chesapeake in Virginia which is investigating the case at the Smithfield home, has spoken with individuals who can "put Vick on that property" during matches. Saying she is "very confident" that Vick will be tied directly to the dog fighting on the property, Strouse has challenged Surry County Commonwealth attorney Gerald Poindexter to bring charges.

But Michael Vick is famous...

"I'm not going to be a party to a witch hunt," Poindexter said, according to the Journal Constitution. "This [process] will not be driven by people who hate Michael Vick, love Michael Vick or people who love animals."

What the hell is this guy smoking? Make no mistake, something really bad was happening around that house, a house that Vick owned but "left to my family members and cousins". I call bullshit. Lately, reports regarding his involvement in the operation keep surfacing.

- Police conducting a drug investigation at the end of April raided the Vick-owned house and reported finding dozens of dogs, some injured and emaciated
- Investigators also discovered items associated with dog fighting, including veterinary supplies, blood-soaked carpeting, treadmills used for training and tools used to pry apart a dog's jaws.
- Sports Illustrated reported on its Web site on Thursday that two friends of Vick said the QB knew about the dog fighting operation at the home.
- WAVY-TV in Norfolk reported that clerks at a store near the property said Vick bought items such as syringes typically used in dog fighting.

But make NO mistake, this is about protecting your local famous athelete. This is about protecting the sterling (?) image of Surry County, VA, that it is not some back woods redneck shithole where people play banjos and watch dog fighting. More to come, but now, as you look at the Vick family, you begin to realize that the dickhead younger brother Marcus is not the exception, but the rule; and now, apparently coming to light, big bro Michael is the same way.

Joie de Vivre

As the world community gets smaller, the importance of things happening abroad grow. A very important thing happened this past weekend: an adult was elected to lead France.

Now I enjoy calling the French surrender monkeys as much as the next bloke, but there are two things to keep in mind. The first is the the common Frenchman is no more like the French politician as I am like Harry Reid. So while I agree that Chirac "est un Ver" I don't attribute his failings to the common Frenchman.

Second, we need a strong and vital France as much as we need a strong and vital England, Australia, Germany, Japan, Canada, Mexico...you get my drift. To a certain extent, it is MORE important. The French have had a nasty habit of dealing with unsavory regimes and going around the US and UN sanctions. Why? $$$$ A vibrant economy will take some pressure off of the French multi-nationals to make deal with such regimes simply for the money.

The problems the French face are tough, but not insurmountable. The solutions require the nation to take some risks, but Sarkozy seems to have been very up front about that and still won walking away. But if he can break the unions, revive the economy and give the French a boost of confidence, France can be a formitable player on the international stage. With the Brits flagging, Germany content and Japan tied up with North Korea, the US needs that right now.

Maybe He has Changed...

Now this is interesting...

Brady restructures his contract to get Moss under the cap.

Moss tears up his $9+MM contract AFTER the trade and gets $3MM up to a possible $5MM.

Maybe, just maybe, Randy has had an epiphany.

A Rolling Stone Gathers No...

Moss. Bill Simmons' comments are funny and dead-on. Favorite line: Brady to Belichick, "COULD YOU GET ME SOME HELP PLEASE! THERE'S A CHANCE MY EX-GIRLFRIEND PULLED THE GOALIE ON ME THIS WINTER, COULD YOU THROW ME ONE EFFING BONE HERE!" "Pulled the Goalie"?! I nearly pissed myself.

I think Moss is thinking two things: One, there are more important things then money. He will never post HoF numbers in Oakland nor will he ever win a Super Bowl in Oakland. Both are quite possible in New England. Two, there is nothing more important then money and I will be worth nothing in two years if I stay in Oakland. Sooooo, where do I go? I need a top quarterback; a deeper receiving core and an offensive line that will give said QB time. And I want to put up numbers in the play-offs. Hmmmmmm.

Count me as optimistic this is a good move for New England and Moss.

Quinn. Two words: Eli Manning. No one wanted to make that mistake again.

Russell. Good fit in Oakland. He needs a year, but won't get it. The question is is he the next Randell Cunningham or Drew Bledsoe.

Landis. Is there reasonable grounds to believ..Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I love to bike, but I hate TDF politics. The French were going to strip him of the title because he is American.

Yankees. Tom Verducci says they are done. We will see. True Yankee fans see April through September as pre-season ball. Let's talk again in October. They are 5 games below .500, but it is very early.

My Girls. Are 3-0 (5-0, if you view split squads as separate games) for the season and are looking pretty solid. This is my last season with this group of kids, so I am hoping to run the table. The games have been relatively close, but we really have not been threaten yet. We are lucky, we have 4-5 very good players who are very good, but our younger girls (first graders) make our team. It is clear that we have a much stronger young squad then the other teams. Normally, you are happy that the youngsters don't mess up too badly, but we have girls who really contribute.

More Monday Musings

HOLY CRAP! Randy Moss to the Patriots?! WOW! Well, I think that if any coach can inspire respect FROM Randy Moss and coax the best out of him, Belichik can. I also think that Randy thought that Oakland was the “promised land” where he could be Randy the football homey and thug and excel and catch 100 passes for 1000 yards and 16 touchdowns, and it failed. And he might just KNOW that now. Possible that Randy Moss is gonna grow up after seeing the light in an organization like NE? Or is it going to be like TO in Philly, where Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid are quality guys who just couldn’t deal with him? Is Randy like TO? Time will tell. But truthfully, and maybe TO still doesn’t realize this, but when you’re in a quality organization with quality people and a foundation of maturity and success, it breeds more quality in people. And Tom Brady > all the Oakland quarterbacks put together. So I hope that Randy Moss returns to his early form with a new attitude – if it happens anywhere, it’ll happen in NE.

More issues in the Floyd Landis case lately, btw. Interesting fall of a winner. Tour win stipped. Test sample “B” found to have elevated levels of testosterone. But no warrant for sample B to be tested, since sample A didn’t raise any flags. Heresy? Reputation? Much to do with this case…it just won’t go away, people just won’t leave it alone. Like a bit of a witch hunt, but ultimately very suspicious witch if you ask me.

Poor Brady Quinn. Not because he slipped to 22nd in the draft, but because that slip will cost him millions of dollars. So poor Brady Quinn. JaMarcus Russell isn’t going to be a successful as Brady Quinn, in my opinion. I will be prejudiced against the “new generation” of black quarterbacks until one of them proves to be the next Donovan McNabb – a big, strong, mobile, QUARTERBACK, not an athlete who can throw a ball (see: Michael Vick).

Oo, speaking of Michael Vick, after his brother’s problems, after being caught with a secret compartment in a water bottle that smelled like weed, something new in his life: In the last week, Vick's name surfaced when police in Virginia arrested his cousin on drug charges at rural property the quarterback owns. Police reported that during their investigation they found neglected animals and evidence of dog fighting, including veterinary medications, treadmills for training and blood-soaked carpets similar to the ones used in fight pits. Does anyone else think this is a family of thugs? Criminals? They certainly put the “FU” in dysfunctional.

And speaking of families, can we please annoint the Staal family the new Miller or Sutter family - the first family of hockey, or at least teh current one? Eric is a star with Carolina (and a Stanley Cup Champ), Jordan is "scary good" with Pittsburgh, Marc is a defenseman in the Ranger organization, and the baby, Jared, is gonna play junior hockey. Nice retirement planning, MR/MRS Staal. :)

To all the RED SOX fans; it’s okay to crow about taking 5 of the first 6 games against the Yankees. Call me in September and let’s see where we stand, kthx.

Taking the edge off

So much seriousness going on in the world today...

32 people are shot at Virginia Tech.
The Yankees are mired in a nasty losing streak and here comes Boston.
Democratic presidential debates.
Barry Bonds is approaching the career HR record.

I thought I'd lighten up the mood on a Friday, here are my thoughts on things:

Fabric Softener
My wife uses fabric softener. I never knew what that stuff was for. Then I noticed women coming up to me (sniff) 'Married' (walk off). That's how they mark their territory. You can take off the ring, but it's hard to get that April fresh scent out of your clothes.

Morning Differences
Men and women are different in the morning. The men wake up aroused in the morning. We can't help it. We just wake up and we want you. And the women are thinking, 'How can he want me the way I look in the morning?' It's because we can't see you. We have no blood anywhere near our optic nerve.

Phone-In-Polls
You know those shows where people call in and vote on different issues? Did you ever notice there's always like 18% that say "I don't know". It costs 90 cents to call up and vote...They're voting "I don't know." "Honey, I feel very strongly about this. Give me the phone. (Into Phone) I DON'T KNOW!" (Hangs up looking proud.) "Sometimes you have to stand up for what you believe you're not sure about." This guy probably calls up phone sex girls for $2.95 to say "I'm not in the mood."

Answering Machines
Did you ever hear one of these corny, positive messages on someone's answering machine? Don't you just want to RUIN THEIR DAY?!
"Hi, it's a great day and I'm out enjoying it right now. I hope you are too. The thought for the day is 'Share the love.'"
Beep.
"Uh, yeah...this is the VD clinic calling....Speaking of being positive, your test is back. Stop sharing the love."

Grandmas
I saw this old lady driving who had a bumper sticker on her car that says, 'Sexy Senior Citizen'. *SHUDDER* You don't want to think of your grandmother that way, do you? Out entering wet shawl contests. Makes you wonder where she got that dollar she gave you for your birthday.

Lastly, I finally figured out why I'm so tired and overworked every day...

The population of this country is 273 million.
140 million are retired.
That leaves 133 million to do the work.
There are 85 million in school.
Which leaves 48 million to do the work.
Of this there are 29 million employed by the federal government, Leaving 19 million to do the work.
2.8 million are in the armed forces
Which leaves 16.2 million to do the work.
Take from that total the 14.8 million people who work for state and city governments.
And that leaves 1.4 million to do the work.
At any given time there are 188,000 people in hospitals.
Leaving 1,212,000 to do the work.
Now, there are 1,211,998 people in prisons.
That leaves just two people to do the work.
You and me.
And there you are, sitting on your butt, at your computer, reading jokes.

A Prayer for the Hokies

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families today. We wish comfort for the whole Virginia Tech community during these difficult times. (Photo courtesy of Instapundit.)

A few random thoughts:

-It took the New York Times just a few seconds to politicize this calling for stricter gun laws. VT has a very strict no gun policy. It did not seem to deter the shooter. Unless we are ready to repeal the Second Amendment, gun control just prevents law abiding citizens from protecting themselves. But then, why would you spend any time with the facts?

-The lawyers are circling. No doubt. Why didn't the University do more sooner? The rush to judge is a stampede. Talking heads who never have to bear the responsibility for making the call tell us with great certainty what the right thing to do was. Showing perfect hindsight just means your head is in your ass...

-The fact is there is nothing to prevent a random act of violence. Especially if, as it was in this case, the perpetrator was fully prepared to die at the end. The best you can do is keep your eyes open and do the best you can under the circumstances.

Not a Horse Joke in Sight...

Ouch. Go on the road a bit and everything seems to fall apart. Comments on the headlines:

Imus. I am not a big Imus fan. But the fact is, he got nailed for being white. “Nappy headed hos” is mild compared to rap lyrics, but rap artists are (generally) black. I was traveling and I heard an interview on CNN with Robert Johnson, founder of BET. I am not in tune with the guys politics, but he gets kudos for his business achievements. But he lost me when he defended rap artists by saying they are free express themselves ARTISTICALLY, but Imus in not free to express himself POLITICALLY. Oddly, one is protected by the Constitution, the other is not. Care to guess which is?

If you are white, you have no moral authority to talk about race. Which brings us to…

The Duke Hoax. No surprise here. Anyone with half a brain saw this coming from the start. I recommend Jon Stewart's take on all this.

Now the inevitable "did the media rush to judgment?" questions. Well, it is not as if media EVER publishes items without fact checking, in the face of conflicting evidence, that supports its world view. Oh, that's right, this happens all too frequently. There will be no introspection, no changes, no one will be fired.

And it will happen again...this week if the story presents itself.

Number 42. On the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s debut, many major leaguers are wearing “42” as their number. What a great tribute. Jackie Robinson had to endure real racism unlike that manufactured racism of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. He did so with dignity and class, again unlike Jackson and Sharpton.

A fitting tribute to a true pioneer.

My U8 Girls. My Under 8 girls team opened up the season with a full squad indoor game (normally we play split squad outdoors) and a 5 - 1 victory. After shaking off the cobwebs, Princess Tilam scored from her midfield position for our inaugural goal. The other team capitalized on an error on our part. After the half, one of our girls dribbled toward the wrong goal and amidst the confusion, they put a well placed shot in the net. (This same young lady scored twice later on, so she clearly regained her bearings.) The rest was all us.

We dominated possession, but like many games, we could have lost. We missed several "easy" opportunities in the beginning, but as the game tighten up we got off several very nice shots. Four girls scored five goals and only two goals were scored by our "normal" scorers. All-in-all, a fine start.

Back in the Saddle

As we approach a milestone in baseball history, that of the career HR record being broken by Barry Bonds, I tend to wonder why there is so much animosity and negative press/feelings surrounding this. There were negative and racial threats against Hank Aaron back in his day, but those were bigots threatening a black man (albeit a classy and deserving one) for breaking a record of a white man.

No, I wonder why so many people are rooting against Barry and why so many people are "well, he'll break it but we don't have to like it". Then I had an epiphany. It's because he's an asshole.

It's pretty well known that he did steroids, despite the fact that he never tested positive for them. BALCO was probably as advanced in masking them as it was in producing them.
He demeans and gripes incessantly at the media for all this attention.
He's selfish, self-centered, and arrogant.
He's just not a nice guy - or at least his public persona isn't a particularly pleasant one - and we exact our public opinion revenge on him for that.

Mark McGwire was, and is, a really nice guy. He's a diligent father, a good teammate, and a helluva guy. Steroids? Nah, he used andro (which, by the way, enabled this blogger to put on 10 pounds of quality muscle). Our speculation of his steroid use is very mitigated by the simple fact that we really like him.

We don't like Barry Bonds. He suffers in the public opinion poll and this is well earned by the way he interacts with us and the media. So our judgement is especially harsh against him because he has negative faction with his "fans".

Is this necessary? Well, you act like a jerk and you will be treated and judged accordingly. Sorry, but that's the truth.

**********

10 things that pour forth from my mind this Monday morning...

10. The lifestyle in Oregon is way slower, but easier, than Atlanta, GA.
9. Cobi Jones still sux, even at age 37 he's no more useful than he was at 27.
8. The NHL playoffs are basically going the way of the upper seeds - but so far they've been exciting.
7. Carl Pavano will not last past this season with the Yankees - if he makes it that far.
6. Speaking of the Yankees, their injury-plagued rotation will be their achilles' heel (again).
5. Slot machines blow dog, you win money at the tables.
4. Jackie Robinson's courage and playing ability earns him more respect than you could ever muster.
3. Winning money is way better than earning it.
2. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas - but tell your buddies secretly, cuz it's COOL!
1. I have the most wonderful wife in the world, bar none.

While I'm taking a deep breath to blog...

One of the most addicting and aggravating games...ever! I love it!

If you never find yourself leaning in your chair in hopes that you'll boom a dot, you aren't playing...

Boomshine

Dishonest Politics XXIV

Jim Geraghty over at the Hillary Spot has a quick post on bilingual education. But his criticism misses the point.

Perez is being disingenuous and he knows it. The issue is not about failing to promote second languages to Americans. Bilingual education has the effect of allowing native Spanish speakers to AVOID learning English.

But the joke doesn't sound so funny if the punch line is "an illegal in the Barrio."

That is Why I am Not on ESPN

I could not have been more wrong if I tried. The Florida-OSU game was over by half-time...just like the BCS Championship. Ohio State might be getting a complex.

All that said, this is how it should have been. The fact that Florida lost some "easy" games shows, in retrospect, a loss of focus, not talent. Hat's off to them.

In other sports news:

1. Yankees bats and bullpen saved Pavano. But A-Rod's error and all the "boos" in the top of the first was the highlight of the game. Good of Jeter to throw one away to make A-Rod feel better.

2. Schilling had a rough go. His control....well, let him tell you. Maybe I am just nuts, but reading him recap a game is like watching 24. Riveting. (Okay, I am officially in complete baseball crazy mode.)

3. Barry Bonds. He will break the record, probably in late-June. Too bad.

4. Back to NCAA Hoops. Billy Donovan becomes one of only four active coaches to have one more then one title. The others: Bobby Knight, Coach K and Jim Calhoun.

5. Peter Crouch scores a "perfect" hat trick for Liverpool against the Arses...I mean Gunners. A perfect hat trick is a left foot, right foot and header. Given the stinginess of goals and the opponent (Arsenal is not some "soon to be regulated" squad), kudos to Crouch.

Fantastic Final Four

In my two ESPN brackets, I had UNC and Georgetown as winning it all. I guess I liked the East.

Two Number 1s and two Number 2s. That hasn't happened in over 10 years. The Elite 8 had no one lower then a 7 seed; which I am certain does not count as Cinderella. The games have been generally close (even the UNC-G'Town game went OT before the Hoyas took over).

And there is a possibility of a Florida-OSU championship again!

This has been an outstanding tournament.

My quick predictions: I will stick with G'Town over Florida. As I said below, Florida should take the championship, but I like these Hoyas. I also like UCLA, who I think will have the heart to beat OSU, though I am nervous after the way OSU played against Memphis.

Finally, I see a championship for another Thompson-Ewing combo.

That's Gratitude for You

My two boys are taking the MCAS tests, which are Massachusetts' state standardized tests. My oldest son had a comprehensive essay yesterday on the topic, "Who is Your Hero?" His answer: his Dad! It is a wonderful feeling.

My youngest son had his comprehensive essay yesterday on the topic, "The Best Day of Your Life." His answer, the day he, his younger sister and I spent together while Mrs. Tilam and the oldest (see above) traveled out of state to a Jazz competition. I am two for two!

Mrs. Tilam, who has been a stay at home Mom, and his psychotically devoted to the kids and the family is none to pleased...

A long string of lies, is there more to come?

Okay, I'm done with Pete Rose. For the longest time we've all suspected that he bet on his own team, the Reds, which he had vehemently denied. Of course, he also vehemently denied betting on baseball for 15 years before finally admitting that he did. Well, of course he bet on the Red, he bet on them every night!

Okay, last straw for me. Being a racist (Ty Cobb), a womanizer (Babe Ruth was the FIRST of many), a drunk (Mickey Mantle), those are different from a) betting on baseball (which, frankly, I could have forgiven eventually), and b) betting on YOUR OWN TEAM.

But Pete says he "always bet on them to win". Sorry, how the hell are we supposed to believe that? You've lied about EVERY serious betting allegation against you, why should this be any different? I'm done with Pete. No, I don't think he should be in the Hall of Fame anymore. No, I don't want him reinstated; if he was, what's to say he wouldn't do the same thing? Nope, goodbye Pete Rose, the major league hit king.

As for saying "I should be reinstated, because I'm the best ambassador baseball has"? Not even close, Pete. Good riddance. :(

One Quickie on Coaching

I live in a mid-size town in Massachusetts. We have a relatively strong youth sports program and one thing it does is try and keep the level of coaching high. I have coached every fall and spring at least one team for eight straight years, and have seen a great improvement in the level of coaches. (I do not consider myself a great coach. My strength is identifying talent and directing that talent on the field to maximum success. My weakness is that I get emotional. Too emotional for my tastes, especially in soccer.)

In youth soccer, it now requires coaches to go to clinics and get certified depending on age. I must say, I am in favor of this though it is a pain.

In baseball, you must apprentice as a coach for Little League. Yes, apprentice. This, I think, is a bit much.

Around the Horn

Okay, my take on things:

Politics:
-Scooter Libby. Scooter got convicted of the same thing Martha Stewart got convicted of. But on (arguably) less solid evidence. I am not partisan enough to say he should get off any less or that Bush should pardon him now. Was it a political show trial? Sure, but that is Washington right now. And he is a Republican. Democrat and Clintonista Sandy Berger got off with a slap on the wrist for destroying classified material (which he lied about), but he is a Democrat.

Unfair? Certainly, but that is the way the media and Washington work.

-Iraq. The current conditions seem to be affecting the situation positively. (I don't thing the "surge" can take all the credit.) Iraq will be a mess for years, our job is to get the mess to a level manageable by the Iraqis themselves.

-Dems 2008. Anyone who thinks Obama has a shot is smoking something. Hillary will be the nominee. Barack has too much baggage that is only trickling out. The Clinton op-force is patient and will strike fast and brutally when the time is right. The Clintons INVENTED the politics of personal destruction.

-Attorney Firings. More political hay. Dems and Repubs are shocked (SHOCKED) that this sort of thing goes on. (Hillary also fired 93 attorneys when the Clintons came to town. But, claim Democrats, that was DIFFERENT! Of course, it was. ) I simply do not see the problem with firing a political appointee if that appointee is not carrying on the administration's wishes. NEXT!

-GOP 2008. I am not sure any of the current Big 3 will be nominated. McCain does not want to make nice with the more conservative wing, Romney still makes people uneasy with his flip-flops and religion, and Gulianni has appeared too many times in a dress.

Two words: Fred Thompson.

Sports:
-UConn. I weep. Nothin'. Not even an NIT bid. I think the this might mark a real transition year in NCAA Hoops. Calhoun (and every other DI coach) will need to understand how to work with very talented freshman/sophomores and mid-level upperclassman that do not have the talent to go early. But Calhoun will clean house in the off-season.

-Tournament Time. Wow. Who knows? I would think that UNC should walk away with it. Or Florida. But I like Kansas (who has the hardest road) and UCLA is a legitimate contender. I am still down on the Big 10, but I think Maryland has a real shot if they can stay up for the games. (But then everyone who can stay up for the games does.)

My choice right now: UNC.

-38 Pitches. Love him or hate him, Curt Schilling is a worthy read. He has a blog, 38 Pitches, that I have added on the left. Check it out.

-Cleats. Okay, so I am in a sports shop looking at the clearance rack and I find these Kelme cleats. For $29! One slight problem is the biggest size they have is an 8, which I passed long ago. But a deal is deal, so I make like freakin' Drizella trying to cram her doggies in that glass slipper before Cinderella gets a shot. With about as much luck. Damn, so close.

-The Kids. Youth sports starts soon. My eldest has his first lacrosse practice tonight, Little League tryout are in a few weeks and spring soccer starts soon. More observations on the insanity that are kids' sports leagues to follow.

World Wide Visibility

So you know that we are far reaching in our Blog...

A special call out to our readers in Moosejaw, Saskatchewan. A hockey breeding place if there ever was one - that's where the tough players grow up.

Also, referencing the comment from our anonymous poster..."Well Kelly has a real talent for BUTCHERING songs...NASCAR anyone? Her HYPE is sooo over. She's terrible live." We'd like to thank Justin Guarini for his comments, and thank him for reading the drivel that is this blog. :) And my return comment..."well, at least Kelly is better than Britney (or, dare I say, Paris Hilton?).

Serious URL Mistakes

1. A site called "Who Represents" where you can find the name of the agent who represents specific celebrities:
www.whorepresents.com

2. Experts Exchange, a knowledge base where programmers can exchange advice and views at:
www.expertsexchange.com

3. Looking for a pen? Look no further than Pen Island at:
www.penisland.net

4. Need a therapist? Try Therapist Finder at:
www.therapistfinder.com

5. The Italian Power Generator company:
www.powergenitalia.com

6. The Mole Station Native Nursery, based in New South Wales:
www.molestationnursery.com

7. If you're looking for computer software, there's:
www.ipanywhere.com

8. The First United Methodist Church in Cumming, Georgia:
www.cummingfirst.com

9. Brainless art designers, at Speed Of Art:
www.speedofart.com

10. Want to holiday in Lake Tahoe? Try their brochure website at
www.gotahoe.com

An Open Letter to CPAC Sponsors and Organizers Regarding Ann Coulter

Conservatism treats humans as they are, as moral creatures possessing rational minds and capable of discerning right from wrong. There comes a time when we must speak out in the defense of the conservative movement, and make a stand for political civility. This is one of those times.

Ann Coulter used to serve the movement well. She was telegenic, intelligent, and witty. She was also fearless: saying provocative things to inspire deeper thought and cutting through the haze of competing information has its uses. But Coulter’s fearlessness has become an addiction to shock value. She draws attention to herself, rather than placing the spotlight on conservative ideas.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2006, Coulter referred to Iranians as “ragheads.” She is one of the most prominent women in the conservative movement; for her to employ such reckless language reinforces the stereotype that conservatives are racists.

At CPA2007 Coulter decided to turn up the volume by referring to John Edwards, a former U.S. Senator and current Presidential candidate, as a “faggot.” Such offensive language–and the cavalier attitude that lies behind it–is intolerable to us. It may be tolerated on liberal websites but not at the nation’s premier conservative gathering.

The legendary conservative thinker Richard Weaver wrote a book entitled Ideas Have Consequences. Rush Limbaugh has said again and again that “words mean things.” Both phrases apply to Coulter’s awful remarks.

Coulter’s vicious word choice tells the world she care little about the feelings of a large group that often feels marginalized and despised. Her word choice forces conservatives to waste time defending themselves against charges of homophobia rather than advancing conservative ideas.

Within a day of Coulter’s remark John Edwards sent out a fundraising email that used Coulter’s words to raise money for his faltering campaign. She is helping those she claims to oppose. How does that advance any of the causes we hold dear?

Denouncing Coulter is not enough. After her “raghead” remark in 2006 she took some heat. Yet she did not grow and learn. We should have been more forceful. This year she used a gay slur. What is next? If Senator Barack Obama is the de facto Democratic Presidential nominee next year will Coulter feel free to use a racial slur? How does that help conservatism?

One of the points of CPAC is the opportunity it gives college students to meet other young conservatives and learn from our leaders. Unlike on their campuses—where they often feel alone—at CPAC they know they are part of a vibrant political movement. What example is set when one highlight of the conference is finding out what shocking phrase will emerge from Ann Coulter’s mouth? How can we teach young conservatives to fight for their principles with civility and respect when Ann Coulter is allowed to address the conference? Coulter’s invective is a sign of weak thinking and unprincipled politicking.

CPAC sponsors, the Age of Ann has passed. We, the undersigned, request that CPAC speaking invitations no longer be extended to Ann Coulter. Her words and attitude simply do too much damage.

Tilam

While I normally do not "sign" letters of this sort, civility is something I believe separates conservative voices from the liberal left. Captain Ed makes a personal stand.

Idol Time 2

Daughtry Rules! Sorry...lost it for a second.

I am not a big Kelly Clarkson fan, nor am I too enamored of Carrie Underwood. Idol has has some great singing talents...they just have not won. Which leads to comment two.

Looks. The fact is that the hot girls (and to a certain extent, guys) will survive over the great singers. The "Mandissas" of this year are LaKisha and Melinda: each has a great voice but they are too *ahem* big to make it. Antonella is the Kelli Pickler of Season 6: she can't sing very well, but she is very cute. (Actually, I thought Kelli was not cute at all, but Antonella is.)

So the voting seems to first get rid of mediocre looks, then mediocre talent and then talent without the look.

***

To answer Thew's question: incest is statutorily defined. The state statute will say "incest is when A has a certain type of sex with B, C, or D" and B, C, and D will be very specific (sometimes grossly so). It is not usually up for interpretation. As you can see in the MA statute, if you are prohibited from marrying someone and that someone is consanguine to you (descendant), then it is incest.

American IDULL

Not a fan. The excitement factor died with me shortly after "To Kelly from Justin" hit the big screen.

Kelly Clarkson is a REAL talent.
Where is Ruben Studdard? Clay Aiken seems to have a fringe career somewhere, but his first song was about stalking some nice girl "if i was invisible, I would hide in your room".
Carrie Underwood is another talent, although she has shifted into country and has a successful career going.
I saw Taylor Hicks on Letterman, or the Tonight Show, or something like that a couple of days ago, he was awful.
I don't know why Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul were picked for the panel, but I admit I'm a fan of Simon.

Other shows that really NEED to be cancelled:

Survivor
MTV's Real World
The Surreal Life (and any other shlocky assinine reality show on VH1)
Ty Pennington's house fix up show needs to go too.

Reality shows that you really want to watch:

The Contender (although Ray Leonard is REALLY annoying with his dramatic speeches)
The Ultimate Fighter
America's Next Top Model (although *I* might not be in favor, my wife and 15 year old daughter love this show)
Project Runway (I hate to admit my feminine side, but this show is interesting)

******

News from the world of sports

NBA - there's an NBA? Actually, I have a close neighbor who used to work for the Portland Trail Blazers as a personnel advisor, keeping their young elitist thug punks in line with advice, accountability, and tutlege. Portland fired him. 'Nuf said.

MLB - Hello spring training. Quit bitching and whining Bernie Williams, you need to earn your starting spot, but I think a roster spot isn't out of the question. However, if you're holding out like a primadonna and you get cut, you have no one else to blame. For years you have been associated with the great WS winning Yankee teams of the late 90's, now you're just an over the hill no skill having whiny little geriatric. TEAM first dood...
More steroids probes and allegations, this time not on the west coast, on the east coast (New York). Biggie Smalls v Tupac all over again? Look, MLB needs to understand that people ARE USING performance enhancing drugs, they just have to find those offenders.

NHL - Lots of trades, the HUGE one being Ryan Smyth out of Edmonton to the Islanders. WTF is Edmonton thinking?! Wayne Gretzky, then Mark Messier, now Ryan Smyth? There is something to be said about trading the heart of your team...

NFL - nuttin...

*****

In the question of legalities, I heard about a case where a father who was involved sexually with his daughter is going to jail for incest. HOWEVER, I'm not sure this is a crime for the following reasons:

- the girl was his step-daughter
- she was an adult, age 22
- she admitted to this being a concensual relationship

Morally abhorrent? Yep.
Sick and twisted? Oh Yeah.

But here's the question. Is that incest? Our resident legal expert, Tilam will weigh in...

NOTE: It is unknown at this time whether or not he has legally adopted her.

Idol Time

The truth is I am not an Idol fan. But it is a show that the whole family can watch. So, we have begun TiVo'ing and watching it with the kids in the early evenings.

But I can't sit idoly by (sorry for the pun) and not make a couple of comments.

Song Choice. Okay, there is a pretty hard and fast rule that, if you are a girl, DO NOT pick a song from Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston or Celine Dion. (Some add Mariah Carey to the mix, but I don't for reason's mentioned below.) These are three women who you simply can not imitate. They are also big enough that their signature songs are pretty well tailored for them.

So stop it! Mariah Carey is a different matter. I don't place her in the same league as BWC and if you really have chops, you can pull off a Mariah song. But any pitchiness will kill you.

Guys do not have the same problem, BUT they do have a totally verboten song: Unchained Melody. Everyone hears the Righteous Brothers in their head and there is no way you can do what Bobby Hatfield did on this song; and many (Willie Nelson, Barry Manilow, Elvis) have tried. The only half-way good rendition was done by a woman: LeeAnn Rimes.

More later...

Small Town New England

I just got back from a vacation in Vermont, near Stowe. While the vacation was not necessarily "relaxing" (three kids ages 8 - 12 will do that), I will say that I thoroughly enjoy the refreshing, small town New England friendliness.

From Keith, the baker at Thompson's Flour Shop in "downtown" Morrisville, to all the "good mornings" from strangers as you walk or jog. Coco, who pumps gas at the corner Mobil station, was as cheerful as can be, even though she was out in -8 degree weather. For some reason, New Englanders do not have the reputation as being as friendly as, say, Southerners, but the good people of Northern Vermont put to rest this lie.

Of course, being so close to Ben & Jerry's would improve anyone's attitude...

Religion of Peace

James Cameron of Titanic fame is coming out with a documentary that says the bones of Jesus and his family have been discovered.

Does this remind anyone else of Geraldo and the vault of Al Capone? One thing for sure, Christians will not be rioting in the streets calling for fatwas against Cameron.

Now it is possible, but does not make sense to me. After his very public ministry, Jesus did what? Retire? Marry and have a child? In obscurity? All these family members buried at various times and it never came up? Okay, I am willing to believe that Jesus did not matter to the Romans, but the Jews failed to mention it to the early converts? He was buried in Jerusalem for goodness sakes.

But I will TiVo it, so Cameron scores one I guess...

UPDATE: Or maybe not. Maybe there is a reason this has not sparked serious interest before.

Strange Bedfellows

No BLOG fans, this isn't going to be a story about Thew's noctural activities with Mrs Right (middle name: Always)...

A-clod just DOESN'T get it. In some recent interviews with the press, he's admitted that his relationship with Derek Jeter has changed, perhaps not a good as it used to be. But it's all in the past, he says, we should just move on and play baseball together. We don't have to have sleepover parties and such, our friendship has cooled, etc etc etc.

What the hell are you saying? Basically, you're saying that you're no longer in the inner circle of one of the most beloved Yankees ever? Do you not understand what it is to be a Yankee? It's ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS with Jeter. It's not good enough to be a teammate who plays good baseball (except for the postseason, of course), it's about BEING A YANKEE. If that means sucking it up and bowing to the captain and kinda kissing his butt, then DO IT. Jeter will go to the well for you if you prove you're a YANKEE, which you haven't done, and the others will follow suit. Being on the same team doesn't mean you're a TEAMMATE! It's not good enough to play, you have to be a Yankee teammate.

Sheesh. He'll never get it. He'll never be a YANKEE. He'll be traded, even though Cashman isn't in a rush, he'll be gone.

Attracting Negative Attention

I think that gays have made much progress in their fight for recognition, but they have also done themselves a vast disservice in the manner that they have tried to achieve this, thereby slowing their progress.

"See My, I'm Gay, Deal With It!" Running around trumpeting the fact that your GAY AND FABULOUS (said with the proper lisp), drawing attention to your differences, cramming your gay-ness down peoples' throats, I think isn't quite the way to go about things. I used to work at one of the top Telecommunications companies, and probably 1/3 or our IT staff, centered on the DBA's for some reason, was gay. One of them, in particular, was VERY gay. Gaydar alarm gay. Grab the fire extinguisher gay. But (I'll call him) Dean was also a really fun guy, professional, had a great sense of humor, made me laugh, and was a quality DBA with a great knowledge of technical aspects and a focus on the customer, and we became good friends. Forcing people to acknowledge your homosexuality by shoving it into their faces (into their "personal space") makes them uncomfortable, and by doing this you foster a reaction of scorn. If you were much more subtle and pleasant and matter of fact about being gay, and your announcements and trumpeting of your love of the same sex were not plastered on page one of the newspaper, you'd find that people wouldn't feel so...well, threatened is not the true word here, but I'm going to use it anyway. Shouting on the rooftops that you're gay is making the huge issue of it, thereby causing a chain reaction where others make a huge deal of it, albeit on the negative side of acceptance. One of the reactions you have to consider is the fact that the more in their face you are about being gay, the more your audience will worry about the fact that you're going to prey on them sexually. Your behavior goes a long way in programming and determining the reaction of the people you tell.

"You're different, Deal with it" Differences, personalities, and behavior which are NOT "normal" in society, and frankly religious circles, are going to be frowned upon. Gays want to be recognized but they don't want people to think they are different - which in fact, they are. The natural human reaction among many people (the unelightened ones?) is to segregate and criticize behavior that is seen as different. So understand that you're different, non-standard, and that there are going to be some difficulties in getting people to accept you; but there will be difficulties, and you have to understand that in accepting you for "who you are" people are going to go through some stages, the first of which is usually "IEWWW, yer a fag, get away from me?".

Be patient. I'm sure that you can gain full acceptance and recognition, but if you push the issue according to a "we want it NOW" attitude all you are going to get in return in push back. See: black rights, women's suffrage, the designated hitter.

More Musing on Life Styles

Some further thoughts on the gays struggle for acceptance. In "Gay in NJ", I said:

"I think gays do a disservice to their cause by using the courts to attempt wholesale change. I think this is because they are ultimately trying to impose moral acceptance as well as legal acceptance. I think I am like a great many Americans: while I support gay rights, I find gay sex repulsive. Does that make me a bigot? Maybe. Should the gay community care. No."

In a broader context, Jonah Goldberg in NRO discusses Dinesh D'Souza's contention that American culture does not always win the hearts and minds. But I think the issue is deeper and more complex than that. The imposition of culture, whether by accident or design, can provoke a visceral reaction. You need not look past our shore to see it. Agree or not, the movement to amend states' constitutions to define marriage as between a man and a women is the backlash against the imposition of gay marriage on the general populace. Further, you might see the rise of Evangelicals as a reaction to the imposition of a certain moral culture by Hollywood, coastal liberals, etc. on the rest of us.

I think the vast majority of people are willing to NOT impose their moral vision of the world on you, so long as you reciprocate. Liberal cultures (small "l" liberal) run up on the rocks is when they seek to impose their "culture" on an unwilling audience. The gays have run into that in the US and the US has run into it abroad.

Coming back to Hardaway's reaction, he may find gay sex disgusting. I do not believe he has anything to apologize for that. But to make the leap from "yuck" to "hate" is reprehensible.

Gays in Sports

Can't anyone be a bigot today? Why is Hardaway apologizing? He feels a little heat and goes all weak on us. Fag.

End sarcasm.

Thew is dead on. I would only quibble with "verb tense" here and there. There is no doubt that professional sports is not receptive to gays. But the status quo will not change unless there are more John Amaechis coming out. He has made it easier for the next guy and the one after that will be easier still.

Hardaway represents a point of view that comes from his heart, not his head. (I do not mean that in a good way.) When I was part of a fraternity, the thought of a gay Brother would not have sat well with me or the rest of the guys. Years removed, I know its wrong, but I still felt it.

I think, for me, the issue was that sex was always at the front of our "public" persona. Who are you going to "do"? Who are you doing? How many? We were young guys looking to score with girls. Promoting that image (and the resulting "successes") helped our fraternity recruit members and throw great parties well attended by the opposite sex. It fed into not only the public perception, but our own self image. For better or worse and psychologically very complicated. I would weakly say we were really nice guys, but we behaved like brutish cads.

In the midst of this sea of testosterone, the relationship between Brothers was very simple: beers and sports. Very simple. A openly gay Brother would have complicated all that (to say nothing of the total "blech" factor). I do not know if we, in fact, had a gay brother in our midst. But if we did, he would not have gotten one ounce of encouragement to come out of the closet.

Fraternities, sports teams, the military. None are particularly receptive to homosexuals. This will change, but over time.

More to follow on this issue...

That's not a skeleton in my closet, it's my boy-toy!

So the sports world (well, mostly the pro basketball world) has been rocked by a couple of "scandals"...

John Amaechi, a quality if unspectacular center for several seasons, has come out of the closet. You can read an excerpt from his book "Man in the Middle" (no, I'm NOT going to go there...). Many questions abound about why he didn't come out earlier, why keep his life secret, yadda yadda yadda...

Well, in scandal number 2, we find out why. Tim Hardaway says "I hate gay people" and goes on to say things like "I wouldn't want him on my team", etc. Nice Tim. Way to promote the anti-gay sentiment. The next athlete who is gay will CERTAINLY out himself (herself?) now that you've set the landscape...

But frankly, I don't think a sport like the NBA is the right place for a player to come out. DEFINITELY not football, hockey, nor baseball. Look at the microcosm of sports and the people who play them today - the abundance of testosterone, masculinity, groupie promiscouity (e tu Shawn Kemp?), the entire attitude and presentation of professional athletes is "we are manly men, kicking ass, taking names, screwing bitches, we are the uber-mensch of the world!". Regardless of how good a player that person was, and regardless of how much acceptance gay people have garnered in the last however many years, I really don't think that it's good for a homosexual to come out while playing professional sports. Not because it will make them less of a person or player, but because their professional peers are, for the most part, homophobic. Or somewhat homophobic. They will ostracize and segregate their gay teammate, forcing him or her to lead a miserable and lonely existence. Sure, there will be some who don't care, but let me ask you this...of the people who said they "didn't care really" about Magic Johnson being HIV positive, how many of them do you think would trade physicality in the paint with him for a rebound, taking a chance to get a bit bloodied? NONE! Different diseases, same attitude.

By the way, in all this, Amaechi has conducted himself with class and dignity and without apology for who he is...his response to Tim the homophobe Hardaway? "It's what stops gay and lesbian people in the workplace from coming out."

PTI or Pardon Tilam's Idiocy

Various and sundry from the sports world:

1) There is talk that Duke may not make the NCAA tournament. I suspect they will be in, but the outrage is how any team in the middle of their division can be ranked in the Top 25 at all. Prior to the rose color glasses being knocked off, Duke was ranked 16th while being .500 in the ACC. Of course, readers of TvT heard of Duke's woes early.

2) The USMNT beat Mexico 2 - 0 in Arizona. The US did not play particularly well, but they also did not have their first team. Mexico had their first team and could not put the ball in the net. Overall, my thought is that the USMNT needs more games like this where mental toughness helps win. Now the US is playing in Copa America against Argentina in late June. That will be more of a metric on how the team will fair in the future.

3) Lefty wins Pebble Beach. Good to have you back, Phil.

4) Boston University wins the Beanpot Championship and college hockey is ruled by Notre Dame. Mrs. Tilam's alma mater is ranked seventh in the nation, but she does not give a whit.

5) Speaking about alma mater's, mine is ranked 14th in DIII hoops. Go Maroons!

6) Marty S. is out as coach of San Diego. I am taking bets on whether the Bolts will be in the playoffs next year.

7) Dodge is coming out with a very nice roadster called the Demon. (Okay, sports to cars as follows: Daytona 500 to NASCAR to fast cars to the Demon.) Nice.

8) My 8 years olds are 2 - 2 in their indoor league this year. While we are nearly an all-girls team, they are playing in a boys league. Not bad, but the difference between the sexes is starting to show.

9) It is snowing and I am smiling. Because next week the Tilam clan will be skiing at Stowe. No cellphones, no e-mail just a few feet of powder (and me trying to keep up with the little Tilams).

Ta-ta.

Global Warming

BTW, one thing I failed to mention is that there are other reasonable explanations to global warming other then human activity. Obviously, time will tell and further study is necessary, but that is my point. (Again, that human effluence contributes in some manner seems pretty logical, but how, in what way, to what degree and what should be done are fair questions.)

The scariest part of the sun spot explanation is the whole "lack of control" problem: we just can not stop that. The comforting part is that the cycle will change again...eventually.

Gaffe? I Laugh!

Who said the best Super Bowl ads were restricted to those debuting during the Super Bowl rather then just appearing in a Super Bowl?

Joke of the Day

A husband and wife were sitting on the couch one evening watching TV when the husband turned to his wife and said, "I bet you can't say something that will make me both happy and sad at the same time".

After thinking for a few minutes the wife replied, "Your dick is bigger than your brother's".

Darwinism at its Finest

Why do we continue to legislate against stupidity? Does the government feel THAT much responsible for saving us from ourselves? Read this article and see for yourself.

Now, while I really think that this accident was tragic, the young man in question is dead because he was stupid. Is it the manufacturer's fault? The bus driver's fault? Nope, the person was out in la-la land just rocking away and walked into the path of an oncoming bus. Why does the government continue to attempt to put into place completely useless and moronic laws like Mr Krueger wants to in order to protect society from the man in the mirror?

Some stupid old lady spills hot coffee on her lap and sues McDonald's? Cool, let's award her a buttload of cash and tell McDonald's to make their coffee colder. WHO IS THE IDIOT? The lady - sorry ma'am, but you're a moron. And McDonald's, not to mention society, shouldn't have to pay for your lack of intelligence.

I wish the government would keep outta this - if we're THAT stupid, then we deserve the consequences...

A minor gaffe

Yes, avid readers, Tilam has committed a foh pah! In his analysis of the Super Bowl adds, he offers his best of all time "...And, the all time best, Mean Joe?"

Thank god one of us is on the ball...The 1979 Mean Joe Green Coke commercial, which everyone agrees is a classic and would rightfully be ranked among the top 2 or 3 of all time, did not actually debut during the Super Bowl.

Perhaps we need a "stat-boy" like PTI, to correct us before we screw up in public...

Super Bowl Ads

Yep, this year was definitely a far cry from past. (Oh, Terry Tate were are you? MJ & Bird? And, the all time best, Mean Joe?)

About half of them were funny in parts. Martha Stewart wanting cilantro and the throw away line, "rookie" when he brings cumin. The lion saying "sexy, like Ricardo Montalban," and the other lion starting to talk and then saying "Ricardo Montalban?" The apes were funny. Rock, paper, scissors...BAM! The Blockbuster mouse was clever.

But nothing like years past. I seem to remember that there was at least one ad that was "must see TV" for days. Oh, well.

At least, pitchers and catchers report in the next two weeks...

Couple of final thoughts

Prince did a fantastic half-time show, I did not mention this before - just shows that the nearly 50 year old can still rock it BIG despite being what....5 foot nuthin?

The ads kinda sucked, I'm with Tilam on this one...but I particularly enjoyed the Snickers kiss and the Taco Bell Lions. Car-r-r-r-r-r-r-ne Asada!

The Game Was Up to Expectations

First, I appreciate the kudos from Thew.

Second, while I agree that Colts played solid football (certainly in the second half), I don't agree that the Bears defense or Grossman is to "blame" for the loss. I do believe that Dungy beat Smith and this was a coach's victory.

Turnovers were a factor. There were two muffed snaps that do not appear on the "fumble" line which were very important in stopping Bear's drives. That would make 8 "fumbles" and picks of which 5 were turnovers. Ouch.

Grossman did not play well, but WTF were the coaches think having him throw deep in the pouring rain? Manning was using short passes, running and the threat of going deep to march down the field. The Bears showed they could do that also, but then lost patience. And Grossman was not playing at the level necessary to make those plays. In summary, the Colts played within themselves and the Bears tried to do too much.

I agree about the whole "black" coach thing. Is the media saying that black coaches in the Super Bowl are a surprise because they are not as good? If not, drop the race thing. Tony Dungy is not a Hall of Fame black coach; he is a HoF coach who happens to have black skin. Lovie Smith (while not at Dungy's level yet) gives every indication that he will get there. Their skin color is not germane.

(In fairness, the media is always looking for an angle: oldest, youngest, first three legged coach, but adding adjectives that have no bearing on the underlying noun takes away from the main accomplishment: getting to the Super Bowl.)

On a final note: the ads were very disappointing. The Tilam family favorite was the Bud Light ad with the hitchhikers (Boy: "But he's got Bud Light." Girl: "And an ax!"). There were several that were cute, but none that were great.

Finishing Strong

Well Well Well

Tilam saves the day with an ASTOUNDINGLY close 27-13 Bears win prediction. Now, truth be told I was rooting for the Colts, but my money was on the Bears, so I take a minor victory here...but Tilam's prediction comes very close to the actual final score, and kudos need to be passed out, regardless of how painful it is for me.

Some observations:

- The Colts weren't spectacular, but they played good, solid football. Well above average on the performance scale. They played like a Super Bowl winning team.

- The Bears defense was fallible and was clearly outplayed by the Colts defense. The defense in Chi-town that I thought would win the championship showed up on the other side of the ball - little role reversal here, with the Colts defense playing like the Bears had played and vis-versa.

- Rex Grossman turned out, on the big stage, to be the weak link. He threw 2 interceptions, including the perfect pass to the Colts' Kelvin Hayden early in the 4th quarter for that touchdown return.

- Turnovers, in my opinion, were NOT that much of a factor - Manning threw 1 interception, Grossman 2. The Bears took 2 fumbles, the Colts 2. So total turnovers were 5-3 for the Colts.

- Having the ball for 16 minutes more than the Bears was a key for the Colts. Manning loves to pick apart defenses with short underneath passes, while their running game makes up for the difference, and they played that to perfection with the Bears soft zone and linebackers dropping into coverage. Too much short space, which is perfectly fine for Peyton... The Colts pretty much dominated in every offensive category; first downs (24-11), passing (239-154), rushing (191-111), and ran SIGNIFICANTLY more offensive plays than the Bears (81-48, nearly twice).

- Lovie Smith and the Bears will be back here within 2 years. He is too good a coach and they are too good a team not to have another shot - watch for the Bears to pick up, YES, a quarterback in the off season. Grossman is a decent quarterback, but they need a top notch QB to bring them to the promised land.

Some annoyances:

- God is a Colts fan? What is up with these references to "doing it with the Lord"? Sheesh...

- When are we going to STOP looking at the color of a coaches skin and just say "Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy are frikkin' quality coaches"? Yes, it is significant that they are black, but things become issues only if you make them out to be one - blame the media for this useless hype. It's a tired subject in my humble opinion...

In other sports news...

The Cubs (THE CUBS!) spent $300 million this off-season acquiring free agents in a huge effort to put a winning team on the field. I can see retaining Aramis Ramirez and signing Alfonso Soriano to high deals, but shoveling $40M to Ted Lilly? What is up with that? Lilly sucked with Seattle and the Yankees, what makes them think he's going to be successful with the Cubs? Then again, he could be the next coming of Kenny Rogers in Detroit...

Tiger's streak is over at the Dubai...oh wait, it's NOT over. His streak is still at 7, since the Dubai Classic is a European Tour event...sorry, but that's going to be a record with an asterisk if he breaks it, I want him to win 12 consecutive STARTS, not 12 consecutive PGA tour events...big difference in my book.

Time to scoot, more to come later...

More Energy Nuttiness

Back to energy again, Charles Krauthammer talks about energy independence. You can just hear the annoyance in his prose. While I am not crazy about $4.00 per gallon gas, he is rock solid in his thinking.

I made a point last April about the silliness of the energy debate and even linked to another Krauthammer article. The energy "problem" is solvable and, compared to other problems, relatively easily. There is simply no will to do it.

Cowards.

The President Problem

Clive Crook in the National Journal gives an interesting assessment of the "problems" of the Bush presidency. It's not something obvious, but a point I have been making for awhile:

"[Crook's] point is this. The awesome obtuseness of the administration on the issue has created a falsely confident and passionate opposing consensus. Attitudes on that side can be just as tyrannical as they are within the White House. In both camps, the view is: You are either with us or against us -- and if you're against us, by the way, you're an idiot."

While I disagree with his equating the "obtuseness" of the administration (correct) with "tyranny" on both sides (this is a media created impression of Karl Rove and implies a knowing strategy that is simply lacking, hence "obtuse"), I do agree that Bush has been so polarizing that merely being anti-Bush seems to be a winning strategy. I do not believe, in fact, that the country is as anti-Bush as the numbers shows, but the Democrats seem to believe that fully and have crafted everything they are doing based on this position.

Being anti-Bush takes no thought. Criticisms without solutions is a sign of a lack of intellectual vigor. This is not what the country needs right now.