Ukraine's parliament today failed to approve changes to electoral laws that the opposition wanted to prevent fraud in a rerun of the country's disputed presidential election. The failure was a setback for opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko -- a day after he had scored a victory in the country's Supreme Court that invalidated a fraud-tainted runoff held 12 days ago.
While this is a setback, I think the forces of freedom have gained too much momentum. The train continues to barrel down the track.
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Quote of the Day
"In the NBA, it used to be the Knicks versus the Bullets, the Bucks versus the Celtics," he said. "Now it's Shaq versus Yao Ming. What's that? That's not basketball. That's tennis."
"I'm serious. That's what's wrong with our game today. The guys who saved the NBA, Bird and Magic, they did it with the pass, they didn't do it with the shot. Now everybody thinks the game is about the shot."
"But you watched Red Holzman, you heard him talking about hitting the open man, playing unselfish basketball. That's the way the game is supposed to be played. It's about the pass, it's not about the shot."
"It's unfortunate. I don't think people really appreciate a good team these days, and I mean team in every sense of the word."
- Paul Hewitt, Georgia Tech
"I'm serious. That's what's wrong with our game today. The guys who saved the NBA, Bird and Magic, they did it with the pass, they didn't do it with the shot. Now everybody thinks the game is about the shot."
"But you watched Red Holzman, you heard him talking about hitting the open man, playing unselfish basketball. That's the way the game is supposed to be played. It's about the pass, it's not about the shot."
"It's unfortunate. I don't think people really appreciate a good team these days, and I mean team in every sense of the word."
- Paul Hewitt, Georgia Tech
Wow!
SOUTH BEND -- The Notre Dame flirtation with Urban Meyer is over before the relationship could be consummated.
The man who once described coaching Notre Dame's football team as his dream job, turned down the Irish in favor of the University of Florida on Friday, according to several news outlets.
Reports listed Florida's deal as being at least $2 million a year.
I don't blame Meyer. Florida is a better program than Notre Dame...as are another 10 to 12 schools.
The man who once described coaching Notre Dame's football team as his dream job, turned down the Irish in favor of the University of Florida on Friday, according to several news outlets.
Reports listed Florida's deal as being at least $2 million a year.
I don't blame Meyer. Florida is a better program than Notre Dame...as are another 10 to 12 schools.
I'm Depressed
I'm zero for the day. The Highlands "Cheater" Bluebirds won the state title; my favorite college football team - the Miami Hurricanes - lost the ACC title to Virginia Tech...AT HOME; North Carolina smoked my young Wildcats in Chapel Hill.
Very bad day. Very bad day. I'm expecting the Bengals to lose by 40 tomorrow.
Very bad day. Very bad day. I'm expecting the Bengals to lose by 40 tomorrow.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
The Traitor Speaks the Truth
Louisville Coach Rick Pitino said on his radio show this week that he regrets having left Kentucky after the 1997 season to eventually become head coach of the Boston Celtics.
Responding to a question about whether or not football coach Bobby Petrino should remain at Louisville, Pitino said:
"I made a big mistake in my life professionally. I thought I needed a new challenge, thought I needed this or that, and I never should have left UK, looking back on it. I didn't know it then; hindsight is great."
Yeah, but you're still a Traitor. E tu, Brute. E tu.
Responding to a question about whether or not football coach Bobby Petrino should remain at Louisville, Pitino said:
"I made a big mistake in my life professionally. I thought I needed a new challenge, thought I needed this or that, and I never should have left UK, looking back on it. I didn't know it then; hindsight is great."
Yeah, but you're still a Traitor. E tu, Brute. E tu.
Worse than the Black Sox
Has Jason Giambi tarnished baseball with his steriod use? Yep, but not as much as Barry Bonds has.
Is This Their Idea of Democracy?
Now I know Democrats typically side with self-proclaimed tyrants, but this is a bit much.
More Highlands Stuff
From the Harlan Daily Enterprise:
Bell County's loss Friday to Highlands in the semifinals of the Kentucky Class 3A playoffs might not have been a loss after all. But that doesn't mean that the Bobcats will get to play in Saturday's championship game. That is, unless a group of Bell County supporters gets its wish for an injunction to delay the 3A championship game.
Can't say that I blame them. Because of the performance of the player in question, Bell County will be sitting home Saturday instead of playing for a state title.
The more I think about this, the more questions I have:
1. What jurisdiction do the courts have over the policies of the KHSAA? In other words, how could a court issue an injunction on a decision of the KHSAA without providing any legal basis for issuing the injunction.
2. Why would Highlands play a player they knew could be ruled ineligible later in the season? Well, I know the answer to that question.
3. Should someone at Highlands take the fall for this fiasco? Mueller? AD? Who?
Bell County's loss Friday to Highlands in the semifinals of the Kentucky Class 3A playoffs might not have been a loss after all. But that doesn't mean that the Bobcats will get to play in Saturday's championship game. That is, unless a group of Bell County supporters gets its wish for an injunction to delay the 3A championship game.
Can't say that I blame them. Because of the performance of the player in question, Bell County will be sitting home Saturday instead of playing for a state title.
The more I think about this, the more questions I have:
1. What jurisdiction do the courts have over the policies of the KHSAA? In other words, how could a court issue an injunction on a decision of the KHSAA without providing any legal basis for issuing the injunction.
2. Why would Highlands play a player they knew could be ruled ineligible later in the season? Well, I know the answer to that question.
3. Should someone at Highlands take the fall for this fiasco? Mueller? AD? Who?
Bluebird Football Update
Here's the latest from today's Kentucky Post:
The KHSAA contends Mitchell has been ineligible all season. He has been able to play because former Campbell Circuit Judge William Wehr granted a temporary injunction in August halting the association from banning Mitchell. Earlier this week, however, the state Court of Appeals dissolved that injunction, saying Wehr failed to cite specific reasons for granting it.
"A close examination of the KHSAA Board of Control's conclusions of law, when applied to the undisputed findings of fact, apparently provides a justification for the KHSAA's decision to declare Michael ineligible," said the decision, written by Senior Judge Thomas Emberton of Edmonton, in Metcalfe County.
"However, it is not clear whether the Campbell circuit judge considered this, or any, issue prior to granting the temporary injunction."
Questions about Mitchell's status began shortly after he transferred from Covington Catholic in January and his parents moved to an apartment in Fort Thomas.
Under KHSAA Bylaw 6, athletes who transfer from one school to another generally have to sit out a year, although the association routinely grants waivers for legitimate moves. The Mitchells said their son's transfer should qualify.
According to court records:
• Maurice Mitchell said his son's academic record at Covington Catholic did not justify the annual tuition of $6,000.
• The family moved to an apartment in Fort Thomas because Mitchell's mother had undergone surgery and could no longer live in the family's two-story house in Florence. They took a one-year lease because they were exploring the option of buying a condo.
• The Mitchells rented out the Florence house to their eldest son and his roommate.
This strikes me as a classic case of a kid transferring to "gain an athletic advantage", which is clearly prohibited by the KHSAA. The rule of thumb is that you must entirely divest yourself of your previous dwelling and move into a new residence in the new school district. In this case, that was not done. They kept their old home (rented it to a son), moved into an apartment (not a home), and signed a lease for only one year (until the player's eligibility expired). This isn't the first time the Bluebirds have pulled this...but they got caught this time.
While I feel sorry for the kid, I feel worse for all of the teams Highlands has beat this year. The high school knew this kid shouldn't have been playing, but they played him anyway.
BTW, guess the residency of the Campbell County judge (now deceased) who granted the bogus injunction? Yep, you guessed it: Fort Thomas. If I was a conspiracy nut, I'd think the 'Birds Booster Club had the old judge whacked once he made the favorable decision. But then, I'm not a conspiracy nut...yet.
The KHSAA contends Mitchell has been ineligible all season. He has been able to play because former Campbell Circuit Judge William Wehr granted a temporary injunction in August halting the association from banning Mitchell. Earlier this week, however, the state Court of Appeals dissolved that injunction, saying Wehr failed to cite specific reasons for granting it.
"A close examination of the KHSAA Board of Control's conclusions of law, when applied to the undisputed findings of fact, apparently provides a justification for the KHSAA's decision to declare Michael ineligible," said the decision, written by Senior Judge Thomas Emberton of Edmonton, in Metcalfe County.
"However, it is not clear whether the Campbell circuit judge considered this, or any, issue prior to granting the temporary injunction."
Questions about Mitchell's status began shortly after he transferred from Covington Catholic in January and his parents moved to an apartment in Fort Thomas.
Under KHSAA Bylaw 6, athletes who transfer from one school to another generally have to sit out a year, although the association routinely grants waivers for legitimate moves. The Mitchells said their son's transfer should qualify.
According to court records:
• Maurice Mitchell said his son's academic record at Covington Catholic did not justify the annual tuition of $6,000.
• The family moved to an apartment in Fort Thomas because Mitchell's mother had undergone surgery and could no longer live in the family's two-story house in Florence. They took a one-year lease because they were exploring the option of buying a condo.
• The Mitchells rented out the Florence house to their eldest son and his roommate.
This strikes me as a classic case of a kid transferring to "gain an athletic advantage", which is clearly prohibited by the KHSAA. The rule of thumb is that you must entirely divest yourself of your previous dwelling and move into a new residence in the new school district. In this case, that was not done. They kept their old home (rented it to a son), moved into an apartment (not a home), and signed a lease for only one year (until the player's eligibility expired). This isn't the first time the Bluebirds have pulled this...but they got caught this time.
While I feel sorry for the kid, I feel worse for all of the teams Highlands has beat this year. The high school knew this kid shouldn't have been playing, but they played him anyway.
BTW, guess the residency of the Campbell County judge (now deceased) who granted the bogus injunction? Yep, you guessed it: Fort Thomas. If I was a conspiracy nut, I'd think the 'Birds Booster Club had the old judge whacked once he made the favorable decision. But then, I'm not a conspiracy nut...yet.
More White Guys
Does the replacement of Tom Brokaw with Brian Williams signal the end of feminism? MoDo seems to think so. Here's hoping she's right.
On a related note, it's ironic that the great liberal media giants (NBC, CBS, and ABC) continue to pass over women and blacks for white male news anchors. How insensitive. They should be more inclusive, like...say...the Bush Administration.
On a related note, it's ironic that the great liberal media giants (NBC, CBS, and ABC) continue to pass over women and blacks for white male news anchors. How insensitive. They should be more inclusive, like...say...the Bush Administration.
Can't We Just Outlaw Volcanoes...Or Fine Them
SEATTLE - Washington state's top polluter isn't a pulp mill, a power plant or refinery. It's the newly awakened Mount St. Helens.
Since the volcano began erupting in early October, it has been pumping out 50 to 250 tons a day of sulfur dioxide, the lung-stinging gas that causes acid rain and contributes to haze. At peak, that's more than double the amount from all the state's industries combined.
Since the volcano began erupting in early October, it has been pumping out 50 to 250 tons a day of sulfur dioxide, the lung-stinging gas that causes acid rain and contributes to haze. At peak, that's more than double the amount from all the state's industries combined.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
What About Dave?
If Tyrone Willingham thinks he was wrongly fired at Notre Dame, what about David Cutcliffe. Cutcliffe was just canned by Ole Miss after 6 seasons.
Cutcliffe was 44-29 in six seasons at Ole Miss, 25-23 in the SEC, and just a season removed from going 10-3 and finishing tied for first in the West with Manning at quarterback.
But without Manning, the first pick in the NFL draft, Ole Miss went just 4-7 this year. The Rebels were 3-5 in the SEC and lost four games by a total of 19 points.
Cutcliffe went 44-29 over six seasons AT OLE MISS! He was 25-23 in the SEC coaching AT OLE MISS! He was 10-3 last year AT OLE MISS! Yet he goes 4-7 AT OLE MISS and he's out. Here's hoping the Black Coaches Association puts out a press release regarding Cutcliffe.
Cutcliffe was 44-29 in six seasons at Ole Miss, 25-23 in the SEC, and just a season removed from going 10-3 and finishing tied for first in the West with Manning at quarterback.
But without Manning, the first pick in the NFL draft, Ole Miss went just 4-7 this year. The Rebels were 3-5 in the SEC and lost four games by a total of 19 points.
Cutcliffe went 44-29 over six seasons AT OLE MISS! He was 25-23 in the SEC coaching AT OLE MISS! He was 10-3 last year AT OLE MISS! Yet he goes 4-7 AT OLE MISS and he's out. Here's hoping the Black Coaches Association puts out a press release regarding Cutcliffe.
Nice Work Bubba
Former American fugitive Marc Rich was a middleman for several of Iraq's suspect oil deals in February 2001, just one month after his pardon from President Clinton, according to oil industry shipping records obtained by ABC News.
And a U.S. criminal investigation is looking into whether Rich, as well as several other prominent oil traders, made illegal payments to Iraq in order to obtain the lucrative oil contracts.
And a U.S. criminal investigation is looking into whether Rich, as well as several other prominent oil traders, made illegal payments to Iraq in order to obtain the lucrative oil contracts.
Are the 'Birds Cheating...Again
This makes no sense to me. If the kid lived in Florence and his parents moved to Ft. Thomas, he should be eligible to play, right? So what's the problem. The article doesn't make clear what the KHSAA's objection is. Anyone can transfer to another school - and be eligible to play - if they move into that district, right?
Does the kid not live in Ft. Thomas? What? A Highlands player that doesn't live in the district. Imagine that. Was he not eligible to transfer? Why has this taken so long to resolve? Very strange.
Keep an eye on this story.
Does the kid not live in Ft. Thomas? What? A Highlands player that doesn't live in the district. Imagine that. Was he not eligible to transfer? Why has this taken so long to resolve? Very strange.
Keep an eye on this story.
This Isn't Surprising
Cincinnati School Superintendent Alton Frailey is leaving to become head of a suburban Dallas school district.
In a statement released Tuesday, Frailey said he and the DeSoto Independent School District board of education expect to spend the next three weeks working out details of a new contract.
"It is highly probable that we will easily come to a mutually satisfactory agreement," he said.
The district Frailey is joining is a marked contrast to the one he will be leaving.
DeSoto is a fast-growing, middle-class suburb of Dallas with 8,000 students. The district has achieved the second-highest rating in the Texas school accountability system for five consecutive years, Frailey said.
Frailey said he and his wife, Anissa, recently visited the district.
"We feel that there are many positive opportunities for our family there," he said.
Board of Education President Florence Newell said Tuesday night she was surprised by Frailey's announcement.
Now really, other than the money, why would anyone want to lead a school district that is controlled by an entrenched teachers union and inner-city street hucksters. On top of that, you've got to beg for money every few years in the form of tax levies to fund the schools. Michael Brandt - a good man now running the Newport School System - left for similar reasons.
Here's wishing Alton luck back in Texas.
In a statement released Tuesday, Frailey said he and the DeSoto Independent School District board of education expect to spend the next three weeks working out details of a new contract.
"It is highly probable that we will easily come to a mutually satisfactory agreement," he said.
The district Frailey is joining is a marked contrast to the one he will be leaving.
DeSoto is a fast-growing, middle-class suburb of Dallas with 8,000 students. The district has achieved the second-highest rating in the Texas school accountability system for five consecutive years, Frailey said.
Frailey said he and his wife, Anissa, recently visited the district.
"We feel that there are many positive opportunities for our family there," he said.
Board of Education President Florence Newell said Tuesday night she was surprised by Frailey's announcement.
Now really, other than the money, why would anyone want to lead a school district that is controlled by an entrenched teachers union and inner-city street hucksters. On top of that, you've got to beg for money every few years in the form of tax levies to fund the schools. Michael Brandt - a good man now running the Newport School System - left for similar reasons.
Here's wishing Alton luck back in Texas.
Pops Scholarship Update
The scholarship fund we set up in Pops' name for graduates of Newport High School has reached $2,500. Very nice. We'll soon have to determine the criteria for awarding the scholarship. I'm thinking the scholarship should go to good-looking, smart, balding basketball players. But that's just me.
Thanks to everyone who donated.
Thanks to everyone who donated.
Kate is Reading
About a week ago, Kate just started reading. We've been working with her (and they do some exercises in her kindergarten class), but something just suddenly clicked and she was off. She loves it.
It's incredible to see the satisfaction she gets from reading. I don't know if it's the fact that she can read, or because she gets so much praise from Lynn and I. Either way, it's pretty cool. Go, Kate, go.
It's incredible to see the satisfaction she gets from reading. I don't know if it's the fact that she can read, or because she gets so much praise from Lynn and I. Either way, it's pretty cool. Go, Kate, go.
Quote of the Day
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling that thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. - John Stuart Mill
Ty and Notre Dame
So, if you're a college athletic director, would you be reluctant to hire a black head coach? No. Well, ask Kevin White - the AD at Notre Dame - that question.
If you hire a black head coach, you're hailed as a hero. But then what do you do if you have to fire them. This entire Notre Dame story has turned into the "there are no more black head coaches, why is Notre Dame racist" story. Please.
Notre Dame hired Ty because they thought he could win. Notre Dame fired Ty because he didn't.
And where's the outrage over this:
INDIANAPOLIS -- Gerry DiNardo was fired as Indiana's football coach after a 3-8 season that ended with a 63-24 loss to Purdue, the Hoosiers' seventh defeat in eight years to their state rival.
DiNardo, who has two years left on his contract, had an 8-27 record in three seasons that were marked by declining attendance.
DiNardo had three years - like Ty - and sucked. Granted, Ty had a better record, but he had the program and resources to succeed. DiNardo didn't. No one can win at Indiana.
You see, at the Division I level it's all about winning. You win, you stay. You lose, you go. Black or white. It's that simple.
If you hire a black head coach, you're hailed as a hero. But then what do you do if you have to fire them. This entire Notre Dame story has turned into the "there are no more black head coaches, why is Notre Dame racist" story. Please.
Notre Dame hired Ty because they thought he could win. Notre Dame fired Ty because he didn't.
And where's the outrage over this:
INDIANAPOLIS -- Gerry DiNardo was fired as Indiana's football coach after a 3-8 season that ended with a 63-24 loss to Purdue, the Hoosiers' seventh defeat in eight years to their state rival.
DiNardo, who has two years left on his contract, had an 8-27 record in three seasons that were marked by declining attendance.
DiNardo had three years - like Ty - and sucked. Granted, Ty had a better record, but he had the program and resources to succeed. DiNardo didn't. No one can win at Indiana.
You see, at the Division I level it's all about winning. You win, you stay. You lose, you go. Black or white. It's that simple.
Dr. Mengela, Call Your Office
This is, well, evil. Pure and unadulterated evil. I used to think that partial birth abortion was the vilest of "medical" procedures. But it's been surpassed. Once again, mankind proves how vile and wicked he can be.
The name of this new "medical" practice: the Groningen Protocol.
Under the Groningen protocol, if doctors at the hospital think a child is suffering unbearably from a terminal condition, they have the authority to end the child's life. The protocol is likely to be used primarily for newborns, but it covers any child up to age 12.
The hospital, beyond confirming the protocol in general terms, refused to discuss its details.
"It is for very sad cases," said a hospital spokesman, who declined to be identified. "After years of discussions, we made our own protocol to cover the small number of infants born with such severe disabilities that doctors can see they have extreme pain and no hope for life. Our estimate is that it will not be used but 10 to 15 times a year."
A parent's role is limited under the protocol. While experts and critics familiar with the policy said a parent's wishes to let a child live or die naturally most likely would be considered, they note tha the the decision must be professional, so rests with doctors.
And Jesus wept.
The name of this new "medical" practice: the Groningen Protocol.
Under the Groningen protocol, if doctors at the hospital think a child is suffering unbearably from a terminal condition, they have the authority to end the child's life. The protocol is likely to be used primarily for newborns, but it covers any child up to age 12.
The hospital, beyond confirming the protocol in general terms, refused to discuss its details.
"It is for very sad cases," said a hospital spokesman, who declined to be identified. "After years of discussions, we made our own protocol to cover the small number of infants born with such severe disabilities that doctors can see they have extreme pain and no hope for life. Our estimate is that it will not be used but 10 to 15 times a year."
A parent's role is limited under the protocol. While experts and critics familiar with the policy said a parent's wishes to let a child live or die naturally most likely would be considered, they note tha the the decision must be professional, so rests with doctors.
And Jesus wept.
Ukraine Update
I'm not sure if this is good or bad, but the march toward greater freedom for the Ukranian people continues.
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - Ukraine's parliament brought down the government of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych with a no-confidence motion Wednesday in a show of the opposition's strength in the country's spiraling political crisis.
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - Ukraine's parliament brought down the government of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych with a no-confidence motion Wednesday in a show of the opposition's strength in the country's spiraling political crisis.
More Positive Economic News
Strong consumer spending and business investment and a slightly lower than previously reported trade deficit meant the US economy grew at a 3.9 per cent rate in the third quarter, the Commerce Department said.
The upward revision from the 3.7 per cent advance estimate was above consensus expectations and represented a rebound from 3.3 per cent growth in the second quarter.
Core personal consumption expenditures inflation, excluding food and energy, the Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation, was unchanged at a 0.7 per cent rate in the quarter - the lowest reading since the 1960s.
The upward revision from the 3.7 per cent advance estimate was above consensus expectations and represented a rebound from 3.3 per cent growth in the second quarter.
Core personal consumption expenditures inflation, excluding food and energy, the Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation, was unchanged at a 0.7 per cent rate in the quarter - the lowest reading since the 1960s.
Dupes for Democracy
This is great. The networks are unknowingly advancing the cause of freedom in Iraq. Oh, how they must hate that.
WASHINGTON — On the evening of Oct. 14, a young Marine spokesman near Fallouja appeared on CNN and made a dramatic announcement. "Troops crossed the line of departure," 1st Lt. Lyle Gilbert declared, using a common military expression signaling the start of a major campaign. "It's going to be a long night." CNN, which had been alerted to expect a major news development, reported that the long-awaited offensive to retake the Iraqi city of Fallouja had begun.
In fact, the Fallouja offensive would not kick off for another three weeks. Gilbert's carefully worded announcement was an elaborate psychological operation — or "psy-op" — intended to dupe insurgents in Fallouja and allow U.S. commanders to see how guerrillas would react if they believed U.S. troops were entering the city, according to several Pentagon officials.
WASHINGTON — On the evening of Oct. 14, a young Marine spokesman near Fallouja appeared on CNN and made a dramatic announcement. "Troops crossed the line of departure," 1st Lt. Lyle Gilbert declared, using a common military expression signaling the start of a major campaign. "It's going to be a long night." CNN, which had been alerted to expect a major news development, reported that the long-awaited offensive to retake the Iraqi city of Fallouja had begun.
In fact, the Fallouja offensive would not kick off for another three weeks. Gilbert's carefully worded announcement was an elaborate psychological operation — or "psy-op" — intended to dupe insurgents in Fallouja and allow U.S. commanders to see how guerrillas would react if they believed U.S. troops were entering the city, according to several Pentagon officials.
The Left Has Lost...It's Mind
Let's face it, The Left has devolved into the party of freedom haters. They prefer totalitarian despotism to democracy. It's sad, but true.
As Anne Applebaum put it:
The larger point, though, is that the "it's-all-an-American-plot" arguments circulating in cyberspace again demonstrate something that the writer Christopher Hitchens, himself a former Trotskyite, has been talking about for a long time: At least a part of the Western left -- or rather the Western far left -- is now so anti-American, or so anti-Bush, that it actually prefers authoritarian or totalitarian leaders to any government that would be friendly to the United States. Many of the same people who found it hard to say anything bad about Saddam Hussein find it equally difficult to say anything nice about pro-democracy demonstrators in Ukraine. Many of the same people who would refuse to condemn a dictator who is anti-American cannot bring themselves to admire democrats who admire, or at least don't hate, the United States. I certainly don't believe, as President Bush sometimes simplistically says, that everyone who disagrees with American policies in Iraq or elsewhere "hates freedom." That's why it's so shocking to discover that some of them do.
As Anne Applebaum put it:
The larger point, though, is that the "it's-all-an-American-plot" arguments circulating in cyberspace again demonstrate something that the writer Christopher Hitchens, himself a former Trotskyite, has been talking about for a long time: At least a part of the Western left -- or rather the Western far left -- is now so anti-American, or so anti-Bush, that it actually prefers authoritarian or totalitarian leaders to any government that would be friendly to the United States. Many of the same people who found it hard to say anything bad about Saddam Hussein find it equally difficult to say anything nice about pro-democracy demonstrators in Ukraine. Many of the same people who would refuse to condemn a dictator who is anti-American cannot bring themselves to admire democrats who admire, or at least don't hate, the United States. I certainly don't believe, as President Bush sometimes simplistically says, that everyone who disagrees with American policies in Iraq or elsewhere "hates freedom." That's why it's so shocking to discover that some of them do.
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Jeez, Glad He's Not My Coach
"We haven't executed offensively, at all. I have no idea why." - Indiana coach Mike Davis
Uh, Mike, isn't that your job as the coach to know why. Don't they pay you a whole lot of money to know why. I say he doesn't make it through the year.
Uh, Mike, isn't that your job as the coach to know why. Don't they pay you a whole lot of money to know why. I say he doesn't make it through the year.
Ty's Out at ND
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Coach Tyrone Willingham was fired by Notre Dame on Tuesday after three seasons in which he failed to return one of the nation's most storied football programs to prominence.
Willingham had a record of 21-15, including 6-5 this season. The Fighting Irish lost 41-10 to No. 1 Southern California on Saturday.
I think Notre Dame made a courageous move in hiring Willingham as the first black head coach to lead the Irish. Now, I think they've made a courageous move in firing an underachieving coach. His last two seasons have been awful, and there's no light at the end of the tunnel.
Willingham had a record of 21-15, including 6-5 this season. The Fighting Irish lost 41-10 to No. 1 Southern California on Saturday.
I think Notre Dame made a courageous move in hiring Willingham as the first black head coach to lead the Irish. Now, I think they've made a courageous move in firing an underachieving coach. His last two seasons have been awful, and there's no light at the end of the tunnel.
More "Educator" Foolishness
The nitwits are taking over:
School's band to tune out Santa
Parents split on concert's tone
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
BY KATIE WANG Star-Ledger Staff
Don't expect the Columbia High School brass ensemble to belt out any jolly renditions of "Joy to World" at its holiday concert this year.
Nor will it play any songs about Santa Claus coming to town.
But there will be plenty of seasonal tunes, such as "Winter Wonderland" and "Frosty the Snowman" -- songs devoid of any reference to religion, religious symbols or holidays.
A long-standing policy banning the singing of Christmas songs with religious references in the South Orange/Maplewood School District has come under scrutiny after the administration clarified the policy recently, saying that it also includes instrumental concerts.
This means the 40-member brass ensemble, which in years past has played Christmas carols with references to Santa Claus, Jesus, or other religious symbols, will not be played this year.
"Rather than try to respond to all the various religions and try to balance them, it's best to stay away from that and simply have a nonreligious tone to them and have more of a seasonal tone," Superintendent Peter P. Horoschak said.
It's CHRISTmas for crying out loud. Where do you think the "CHRIST" comes from. We must stop the "educators". We must.
School's band to tune out Santa
Parents split on concert's tone
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
BY KATIE WANG Star-Ledger Staff
Don't expect the Columbia High School brass ensemble to belt out any jolly renditions of "Joy to World" at its holiday concert this year.
Nor will it play any songs about Santa Claus coming to town.
But there will be plenty of seasonal tunes, such as "Winter Wonderland" and "Frosty the Snowman" -- songs devoid of any reference to religion, religious symbols or holidays.
A long-standing policy banning the singing of Christmas songs with religious references in the South Orange/Maplewood School District has come under scrutiny after the administration clarified the policy recently, saying that it also includes instrumental concerts.
This means the 40-member brass ensemble, which in years past has played Christmas carols with references to Santa Claus, Jesus, or other religious symbols, will not be played this year.
"Rather than try to respond to all the various religions and try to balance them, it's best to stay away from that and simply have a nonreligious tone to them and have more of a seasonal tone," Superintendent Peter P. Horoschak said.
It's CHRISTmas for crying out loud. Where do you think the "CHRIST" comes from. We must stop the "educators". We must.
Go, Pat, Go
Pat Sajack - yes, that Pat Sajack - takes the Hollywood Left to task for their silence over the murder of Theo van Gogh.
Actually, I met Sajack when my brother Greg was the head writer for his ill-fated late night show, The Pat Sajack Show. After spending an afternoon with him, I learned a few things: he's very smart, he's very rich, and he's very conservative.
Actually, I met Sajack when my brother Greg was the head writer for his ill-fated late night show, The Pat Sajack Show. After spending an afternoon with him, I learned a few things: he's very smart, he's very rich, and he's very conservative.
A Real Patriot
This guy is a much bigger - and braver - man than I am. I salute him.
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's only son, Patrick, has joined the Army during a time of war.
He reports to active duty as an enlisted soldier in the Army's regular airborne infantry.
His activation date: between Christmas and New Year's. His destination: presumably North Carolina's Ft. Bragg. His final destination? It could lead him to Iraq or Afghanistan within a year.
"He wants to serve his country," said a Sneed source. "He's a patriot. It's just that it's a pretty dangerous time to be doing so. His father is very proud but his mother, Maggie, is nervous as any mother would be. It's a pretty honorable thing to sign up in a time of war."
In an exclusive interview with the Sun-Times, Patrick Daley -- who recently graduated with honors from the University of Chicago's MBA program and could have pursued lucrative job offers -- told Sneed why he made the decision.
"It's been in the back of my mind for some time," said Patrick Daley, one of Mayor Daley's four children, including Nora, Elizabeth and a second son, Kevin, who died. "I left West Point during my freshman year when I was 18 years old and always remembered their motto, 'Duty, Honor and Country.' But I was so young and not really old enough to understand what it really meant. But I know now.
"I suppose when you're 18 years old -- as I was at West Point -- you're selfish and I didn't want to devote 10 years to an uncertain future. It took me a while to learn that there's also a virtue in selflessness. And I believe that virtue is to serve your country. And the values of West Point are still with me."
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's only son, Patrick, has joined the Army during a time of war.
He reports to active duty as an enlisted soldier in the Army's regular airborne infantry.
His activation date: between Christmas and New Year's. His destination: presumably North Carolina's Ft. Bragg. His final destination? It could lead him to Iraq or Afghanistan within a year.
"He wants to serve his country," said a Sneed source. "He's a patriot. It's just that it's a pretty dangerous time to be doing so. His father is very proud but his mother, Maggie, is nervous as any mother would be. It's a pretty honorable thing to sign up in a time of war."
In an exclusive interview with the Sun-Times, Patrick Daley -- who recently graduated with honors from the University of Chicago's MBA program and could have pursued lucrative job offers -- told Sneed why he made the decision.
"It's been in the back of my mind for some time," said Patrick Daley, one of Mayor Daley's four children, including Nora, Elizabeth and a second son, Kevin, who died. "I left West Point during my freshman year when I was 18 years old and always remembered their motto, 'Duty, Honor and Country.' But I was so young and not really old enough to understand what it really meant. But I know now.
"I suppose when you're 18 years old -- as I was at West Point -- you're selfish and I didn't want to devote 10 years to an uncertain future. It took me a while to learn that there's also a virtue in selflessness. And I believe that virtue is to serve your country. And the values of West Point are still with me."
Now That's What I Call Communicating
If a lawsuit challenging Kenton County's new strip club regulations ever makes it to trial, its outcome could hinge on the question of when dance crosses the line from legitimate performance to lewd behavior.
Both sides are expected to call on a host of witnesses to debate the merits and drawbacks of separating dancers and customers, a key point in the ordinance Kenton Fiscal Court approved in August.
Ask Judith Hanna, a professor of anthropology at the University of Maryland, and she'll tell you that limiting the distance between dancers and customers inhibits the dancers' communication with customers, infringing on their 1st Amendment rights.
Both sides are expected to call on a host of witnesses to debate the merits and drawbacks of separating dancers and customers, a key point in the ordinance Kenton Fiscal Court approved in August.
Ask Judith Hanna, a professor of anthropology at the University of Maryland, and she'll tell you that limiting the distance between dancers and customers inhibits the dancers' communication with customers, infringing on their 1st Amendment rights.
Texas Hold 'Em
CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Now that his high school football season is over, Zak Coppinger has been playing poker every chance he can get.
With his mom's blessing, he's turned the family dining room, complete with green walls and a chandelier, into a poker parlor for himself and his buddies. He also keeps a deck of cards at school so he can play impromptu games during class or lunch.
"It's better than homework, I can tell you that," the 18-year-old from Austin, Texas, says with a chuckle.
He's just one of the many young people who have become avid players of Texas Hold 'Em and other poker games -- a trend sparked, in part, by TV shows that feature tournaments for celebrities and professional poker players. But gambling opponents wonder if some teens, and the adults who let them play, are taking it too far.
"It's fun. It's exciting. It's glamorized on TV and in the media in a way that other addictions are not," says Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling. "There's the impression that through skill you can beat the odds. But randomness is always going to have a bigger factor in determining the outcome than your skill.
"And unfortunately, that's not the message these kids get."
I enjoy playing - and watching - the game. But I do fear the effect it's glamorization is having on the public. As with all media, the pitfalls and dangers of the act are glossed over to make it appear more alluring than it actually is. It's like watching the show "Las Vegas" with it's beautiful women, amazing backdrops, and cool characters, then heading over to the Argosy Casino to play blackjack with 70 year olds with oxygen tanks, betting their Social Security checks with the hope that they get a big hand.
The gambling subculture is mostly sad and pathetic. But hey, it's a fun game.
With his mom's blessing, he's turned the family dining room, complete with green walls and a chandelier, into a poker parlor for himself and his buddies. He also keeps a deck of cards at school so he can play impromptu games during class or lunch.
"It's better than homework, I can tell you that," the 18-year-old from Austin, Texas, says with a chuckle.
He's just one of the many young people who have become avid players of Texas Hold 'Em and other poker games -- a trend sparked, in part, by TV shows that feature tournaments for celebrities and professional poker players. But gambling opponents wonder if some teens, and the adults who let them play, are taking it too far.
"It's fun. It's exciting. It's glamorized on TV and in the media in a way that other addictions are not," says Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling. "There's the impression that through skill you can beat the odds. But randomness is always going to have a bigger factor in determining the outcome than your skill.
"And unfortunately, that's not the message these kids get."
I enjoy playing - and watching - the game. But I do fear the effect it's glamorization is having on the public. As with all media, the pitfalls and dangers of the act are glossed over to make it appear more alluring than it actually is. It's like watching the show "Las Vegas" with it's beautiful women, amazing backdrops, and cool characters, then heading over to the Argosy Casino to play blackjack with 70 year olds with oxygen tanks, betting their Social Security checks with the hope that they get a big hand.
The gambling subculture is mostly sad and pathetic. But hey, it's a fun game.
Bad Decision
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A federal appeals court barred the government Monday from blocking funds to colleges and universities that deny access to military recruiters because of the Pentagon's policy banning openly gay men and women.
In a 2-1 ruling, a three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, said a 10-year-old federal law that allows the government to block such funds violates the schools' First Amendment right to prohibit on-campus recruiting in response to the Pentagon policy.
How does allowing on-campus recruiters violate the schools' First Amendment right? That's absurd. Does the presence of military recruiters on Harvard's campus prohibit Harvard from loving all things gay? No. Does it prohibit Harvard from advocating all things gay? No. Does it in any way nullify Harvard's pro-gay positions and policies? No. Then what's the problem.
The problem is that The Left doesn't like the military and doesn't want there ilk on their campus. Well that's just too bad. If you're going to accept millions of dollars from the federal government - which most colleges do - then you must allow that same federal government to recruit for it's most vital governmental function. That's the law and it doesn't infringe on anyone's First Amendment rights.
In a 2-1 ruling, a three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, said a 10-year-old federal law that allows the government to block such funds violates the schools' First Amendment right to prohibit on-campus recruiting in response to the Pentagon policy.
How does allowing on-campus recruiters violate the schools' First Amendment right? That's absurd. Does the presence of military recruiters on Harvard's campus prohibit Harvard from loving all things gay? No. Does it prohibit Harvard from advocating all things gay? No. Does it in any way nullify Harvard's pro-gay positions and policies? No. Then what's the problem.
The problem is that The Left doesn't like the military and doesn't want there ilk on their campus. Well that's just too bad. If you're going to accept millions of dollars from the federal government - which most colleges do - then you must allow that same federal government to recruit for it's most vital governmental function. That's the law and it doesn't infringe on anyone's First Amendment rights.
Ban the Dunk?
This story illustrates what's wrong with basketball in the states:
Maybe the rest of us would eventually begin to realize that the dunk is nothing special anymore, that it's just another way to score two points. There would be no more scenes like the one NBA television analyst Doug Collins described to me years ago. Collins was talking to a group of youngsters at a clinic once, and as he described the fundamentals of shooting, his son Chris, a player at Duke at the time, demonstrated in the background. Chris sank shot after shot in a remarkable display of accuracy as Doug talked. When he was done, Doug asked the youngsters if they had any questions. The first kid to raise his hand had one for Chris: "Can you dunk?"
Maybe the rest of us would eventually begin to realize that the dunk is nothing special anymore, that it's just another way to score two points. There would be no more scenes like the one NBA television analyst Doug Collins described to me years ago. Collins was talking to a group of youngsters at a clinic once, and as he described the fundamentals of shooting, his son Chris, a player at Duke at the time, demonstrated in the background. Chris sank shot after shot in a remarkable display of accuracy as Doug talked. When he was done, Doug asked the youngsters if they had any questions. The first kid to raise his hand had one for Chris: "Can you dunk?"
The One That Got Away
I was one of the many (along with Tubby and Traitor Rick) who didn't think Chris Lofton could play big-time college basketball. Not big enough. Not quick enough. Not tough enough. And on and on.
Well, I may have been wrong.
Chris Lofton has made the transition from high school to college look as smooth as his jump shot.
The former Mason County star and Kentucky Mr. Basketball poured in a team-high 19 points and shot 5-for-7 on three-pointers to lead Tennessee to a 73-67 victory over Wofford in the Volunteers' home opener last night.
"Chris Lofton has the right mentality, and I think maybe he won the game for us down the stretch," Tennessee Coach Buzz Peterson said. "He did an awfully good job to help us win."
Lofton has started all four games for Tennessee (2-2) this season and is averaging 13.8 points. He is 15-for-26 from beyond the arc (57.7 percent).
Well, I may have been wrong.
Chris Lofton has made the transition from high school to college look as smooth as his jump shot.
The former Mason County star and Kentucky Mr. Basketball poured in a team-high 19 points and shot 5-for-7 on three-pointers to lead Tennessee to a 73-67 victory over Wofford in the Volunteers' home opener last night.
"Chris Lofton has the right mentality, and I think maybe he won the game for us down the stretch," Tennessee Coach Buzz Peterson said. "He did an awfully good job to help us win."
Lofton has started all four games for Tennessee (2-2) this season and is averaging 13.8 points. He is 15-for-26 from beyond the arc (57.7 percent).
The Kerry Secularists
George Weigel takes the Kerry secularists to task.
What Kerry’s secularist supporters can’t seem to understand is that the evangelicals, the John Paul II Catholics, and the observant Jews don’t need explaining; what needs explaining is the Harvard faculty club, Michael Moore, and most of the op-ed regulars at the New York Times – people who’ve persuaded themselves that a profound belief in the God of the Bible, expressed in a commitment to live by the Ten Commandments, is the fast track to fascism. They’re the anomaly, not the believers. If they’d ever take a field trip out of their secularist bunkers to meet the rest of America, they might find we’re not so scary after all.
It's ironic that the champions of diversity are the ones most lacking it.
What Kerry’s secularist supporters can’t seem to understand is that the evangelicals, the John Paul II Catholics, and the observant Jews don’t need explaining; what needs explaining is the Harvard faculty club, Michael Moore, and most of the op-ed regulars at the New York Times – people who’ve persuaded themselves that a profound belief in the God of the Bible, expressed in a commitment to live by the Ten Commandments, is the fast track to fascism. They’re the anomaly, not the believers. If they’d ever take a field trip out of their secularist bunkers to meet the rest of America, they might find we’re not so scary after all.
It's ironic that the champions of diversity are the ones most lacking it.
Are We Witnessing History?
Here's John O'Sullivan on the losers from the Ukraine election:
The final losers are the U.N. and Kofi Annan. The U.N. has been invisible. As Kofi Annan has been trying to keep his head above oil, he has issued his usual appeal for restraint. But this crisis has brought forth the heroes of the Cold War from retirement -- Vaclav Havel, Lech Walesa and Margaret Thatcher -- to encourage the orange revolutionaries. And Annan cannot begin to compete with their moral authority or the legitimacy they can bestow.
Are the mighty cold warriors reuniting for one last, great fight? It sure looks that way. If only the Gipper were still alive.
The final losers are the U.N. and Kofi Annan. The U.N. has been invisible. As Kofi Annan has been trying to keep his head above oil, he has issued his usual appeal for restraint. But this crisis has brought forth the heroes of the Cold War from retirement -- Vaclav Havel, Lech Walesa and Margaret Thatcher -- to encourage the orange revolutionaries. And Annan cannot begin to compete with their moral authority or the legitimacy they can bestow.
Are the mighty cold warriors reuniting for one last, great fight? It sure looks that way. If only the Gipper were still alive.
Saudis Playing Ball
I must hand it to the Saudis. Since 9/11, they've been much more cooperative on both the terrorism front and the economic front.
The current oil price boom is "significantly" different from the politically driven price spikes of the 1970s, Saudi Arabia's energy minister said in London yesterday.
In comments seen as calming fears over a repeat of an oil-recession, Ali al-Naimi unveiled plans to increase Saudi production capacity by as much as 37 per cent. He played down concern that Opec, the producers' cartel that is dominated by the Saudi Arabians, would cut production next month, saying the oil market was "in balance".
The current oil price boom is "significantly" different from the politically driven price spikes of the 1970s, Saudi Arabia's energy minister said in London yesterday.
In comments seen as calming fears over a repeat of an oil-recession, Ali al-Naimi unveiled plans to increase Saudi production capacity by as much as 37 per cent. He played down concern that Opec, the producers' cartel that is dominated by the Saudi Arabians, would cut production next month, saying the oil market was "in balance".
Saudis Playing Ball
I must hand it to the Saudis. Since 9/11, they've been much more cooperative on both the terrorism front and the economic front.
The current oil price boom is "significantly" different from the politically driven price spikes of the 1970s, Saudi Arabia's energy minister said in London yesterday.
In comments seen as calming fears over a repeat of an oil-recession, Ali al-Naimi unveiled plans to increase Saudi production capacity by as much as 37 per cent. He played down concern that Opec, the producers' cartel that is dominated by the Saudi Arabians, would cut production next month, saying the oil market was "in balance".
The current oil price boom is "significantly" different from the politically driven price spikes of the 1970s, Saudi Arabia's energy minister said in London yesterday.
In comments seen as calming fears over a repeat of an oil-recession, Ali al-Naimi unveiled plans to increase Saudi production capacity by as much as 37 per cent. He played down concern that Opec, the producers' cartel that is dominated by the Saudi Arabians, would cut production next month, saying the oil market was "in balance".
Monday, November 29, 2004
All the News That's Unfit to Print
The NY Times is a thoroughly discredited puppet of the Democratic National Committee. We all know it, but it's worth reminding ourselves every now and then.
Not only are New York Times editors regurgitating Democratic talking points in their editorials, they aren't even bothering to check them out first. The proof appears in this morning's editorial on judicial filibusters, titled Opinion > Editorial: Mr. Smith Goes Under the Gavel" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/28/opinion/28sun1.html?oref=login&ex=1259384400&">Mr. Smith Goes Under the Gavel:
Judicial nominees have never been immune from filibusters. When Republicans opposed President Lyndon Johnson's choice for chief justice, Abe Fortas, they led a successful filibuster to stop him from getting the job. More recently, in the Clinton era, Republicans spoke out loudly in defense of their right to filibuster against the confirmation of cabinet members and judicial nominees. Republican senators, including Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Mike DeWine of Ohio, used a filibuster in 1995 to block President Bill Clinton's nominee for surgeon general. Bill Frist, now the Senate majority leader, supported a filibuster of a Clinton appeals court nomination. Senator Christopher Bond, a Missouri Republican, was quoted in The St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 1993 saying, "On important issues, I will not hesitate to join a filibuster."
I looked up this last quote. Contrary to the clear implication of the editors, the quote from Senator Bond has nothing to do with judicial filibusters. It related to his participation in a filibuster to block President Clinton's economic stimulus package. Here is the full context for the quote:
This month, the Republican minority used their unity and Senate rules to block Clinton's $16.3 billion economic stimulus package. "On important issues, I will not hesitate to join a filibuster," declares Sen. Christopher S. Bond, R-Mo., who offered four amendments and orated as part of the Republican campaign.
You might well wonder: where did New York Times editors get the idea to include this irrelevant quote from a 1993 article in a St. Louis paper? A quote that has nothing whatsoever to do with filibusters of judicial (or even cabinet) nominees?
Wonder no longer. A Google search of that quote yields two results: today's NYT editorial, and a Democratic Policy Committee page of talking points about judicial filibusters, titled "The Republican Flip-Flop on Filibusters."
Would the editors of the most influential paper in America actually swallow DNC talking points without even checking the facts? Indeed.
Not only are New York Times editors regurgitating Democratic talking points in their editorials, they aren't even bothering to check them out first. The proof appears in this morning's editorial on judicial filibusters, titled Opinion > Editorial: Mr. Smith Goes Under the Gavel" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/28/opinion/28sun1.html?oref=login&ex=1259384400&">Mr. Smith Goes Under the Gavel:
Judicial nominees have never been immune from filibusters. When Republicans opposed President Lyndon Johnson's choice for chief justice, Abe Fortas, they led a successful filibuster to stop him from getting the job. More recently, in the Clinton era, Republicans spoke out loudly in defense of their right to filibuster against the confirmation of cabinet members and judicial nominees. Republican senators, including Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Mike DeWine of Ohio, used a filibuster in 1995 to block President Bill Clinton's nominee for surgeon general. Bill Frist, now the Senate majority leader, supported a filibuster of a Clinton appeals court nomination. Senator Christopher Bond, a Missouri Republican, was quoted in The St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 1993 saying, "On important issues, I will not hesitate to join a filibuster."
I looked up this last quote. Contrary to the clear implication of the editors, the quote from Senator Bond has nothing to do with judicial filibusters. It related to his participation in a filibuster to block President Clinton's economic stimulus package. Here is the full context for the quote:
This month, the Republican minority used their unity and Senate rules to block Clinton's $16.3 billion economic stimulus package. "On important issues, I will not hesitate to join a filibuster," declares Sen. Christopher S. Bond, R-Mo., who offered four amendments and orated as part of the Republican campaign.
You might well wonder: where did New York Times editors get the idea to include this irrelevant quote from a 1993 article in a St. Louis paper? A quote that has nothing whatsoever to do with filibusters of judicial (or even cabinet) nominees?
Wonder no longer. A Google search of that quote yields two results: today's NYT editorial, and a Democratic Policy Committee page of talking points about judicial filibusters, titled "The Republican Flip-Flop on Filibusters."
Would the editors of the most influential paper in America actually swallow DNC talking points without even checking the facts? Indeed.
The Real Mean Machine...and I'm Not Talkin' Paul Krue and the Boys
Check out the Mean Machine here. I can't read a word of this gibberish, but suffice it to say these are some bad mothers. They recently won the Swedish National Championship and will advance to the Euro Cup to face Germany in the spring.
So why should you care about football-playing Swedes? Because the baddest, toughest, meanest man ever to walk the halls of Centre College plays for the Mean Machine, that's why. Check out the team picture and look at the first guy on the left that's kneeling. That's Gary Harrison, a.k.a. "Tough Guy." Look at those guns.
The former Marine's no longer shooting bad guys in Baghdad, so now he's taking out his aggression on the gridiron. Let's hope his game has improved since his Centre days. Hopefully the "No Hands" Harrison label didn't follow him to another continent.
Anyway, here's wishing Tough Guy and the boys much luck in the spring.
So why should you care about football-playing Swedes? Because the baddest, toughest, meanest man ever to walk the halls of Centre College plays for the Mean Machine, that's why. Check out the team picture and look at the first guy on the left that's kneeling. That's Gary Harrison, a.k.a. "Tough Guy." Look at those guns.
The former Marine's no longer shooting bad guys in Baghdad, so now he's taking out his aggression on the gridiron. Let's hope his game has improved since his Centre days. Hopefully the "No Hands" Harrison label didn't follow him to another continent.
Anyway, here's wishing Tough Guy and the boys much luck in the spring.
Stupid Is As Stupid Does
It appears that Canadian taxpayers are just as stupid as American taxpayers.
TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to buy SkyDome, the team's ballpark, for about $21.24 million.
The 50,000-seat stadium, which opened in 1989, cost about $375 million to construct and was mostly funded by taxpayers. The Blue Jays, who are owned by Rogers Communications, will acquire the ballpark from Sportsco International LP, a Chicago-based group of investors who bought SkyDome out of bankruptcy court in 1999 for about $74 million.
So let's review. Taxpayers agree to build a stadium for the multi-millionaire owners of a sports franchise in order to keep the team from leaving town (I'm assuming this was the threat levied against the City of Toronto; it worked for Mike Brown in Cincinnati). The pricetag: $375 million.
Now let's fast-forward 15 years. The multi-millionaire owners (yes, they're still multi-millionaires) decide to buy the stadium to improve their revenues. The pricetag: $21.24 million. Wow, now that's a bargain.
The taxpayers really got some bang for their buck with that $375 million dollar investment.
TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to buy SkyDome, the team's ballpark, for about $21.24 million.
The 50,000-seat stadium, which opened in 1989, cost about $375 million to construct and was mostly funded by taxpayers. The Blue Jays, who are owned by Rogers Communications, will acquire the ballpark from Sportsco International LP, a Chicago-based group of investors who bought SkyDome out of bankruptcy court in 1999 for about $74 million.
So let's review. Taxpayers agree to build a stadium for the multi-millionaire owners of a sports franchise in order to keep the team from leaving town (I'm assuming this was the threat levied against the City of Toronto; it worked for Mike Brown in Cincinnati). The pricetag: $375 million.
Now let's fast-forward 15 years. The multi-millionaire owners (yes, they're still multi-millionaires) decide to buy the stadium to improve their revenues. The pricetag: $21.24 million. Wow, now that's a bargain.
The taxpayers really got some bang for their buck with that $375 million dollar investment.
Say It Ain't So, Mash
Please, say it ain't so.
UK fans shouldn't be surprised if they see Mashburn carrying a briefcase around Lexington some day soon. His home is in Miami Beach, an area he grew to love when he played for the Heat. But he plans to move to Lexington in two years or so.
When asked why he'd leave sunny Miami for Lexington, Mashburn said, "As you know, the wife kind of rules everything in the house."
We knew that truism applied to, say, the lowly sportswriter. But even an all-time basketball great isn't king of his castle?
"We're like everyone else," Mashburn said. "I want a happy home."
Mashburn's wife, Michelle, is from Lexington. They have two children. Daughter Taylor is 8, son Jamal is 3.
UK fans shouldn't be surprised if they see Mashburn carrying a briefcase around Lexington some day soon. His home is in Miami Beach, an area he grew to love when he played for the Heat. But he plans to move to Lexington in two years or so.
When asked why he'd leave sunny Miami for Lexington, Mashburn said, "As you know, the wife kind of rules everything in the house."
We knew that truism applied to, say, the lowly sportswriter. But even an all-time basketball great isn't king of his castle?
"We're like everyone else," Mashburn said. "I want a happy home."
Mashburn's wife, Michelle, is from Lexington. They have two children. Daughter Taylor is 8, son Jamal is 3.
Tubby and Donna
Instead of the Smiths, they should be called the Cleavers.
So it's Thanksgiving evening. Donna Smith, the wife of UK Coach Tubby Smith, is watching the news on WKYT-TV, Lexington's CBS affiliate. She hears the new anchors' happy talk. The anchors talk about the team's meal at the coach's house and how the coach joked about slaving over a hot stove when asked if the meal would be catered.
The anchors wonder aloud about all that food. Donna picks up the phone and calls the station. She speaks to Cori Lake, a news reporter who happens to be dating Donna's nephew. "Are they really looking for some food?" Donna asks.
Next thing you know, Donna arrives at the station with a load of leftovers.
So it's Thanksgiving evening. Donna Smith, the wife of UK Coach Tubby Smith, is watching the news on WKYT-TV, Lexington's CBS affiliate. She hears the new anchors' happy talk. The anchors talk about the team's meal at the coach's house and how the coach joked about slaving over a hot stove when asked if the meal would be catered.
The anchors wonder aloud about all that food. Donna picks up the phone and calls the station. She speaks to Cori Lake, a news reporter who happens to be dating Donna's nephew. "Are they really looking for some food?" Donna asks.
Next thing you know, Donna arrives at the station with a load of leftovers.
Rousseau Was a Bad Man
I have always found Rousseau to be one of the more despicable characters in all of history. His writings have fueled totalitarianism throughout the years. I just discovered that the good doctor Samuel Johnson agreed:
Boswell: "Do you really think him [Rousseau] a bad man?"
Johnson: "Sir, if you are talking jestingly of this, I don't talk with you. If you mean to be serious, I think him one of the worst of men; a rascal, who ought to be hunted out of society, as he has been. Three or four nations have expelled him: and it is a shame that he is protected in this country."
Boswell: "I don't deny, Sir, but that his novel may, perhaps, do harm; but I cannot think his intention was bad."
Johnson: "Sir, that will not do. We cannot prove any man's intention to be bad. You may shoot a man through the head, and say you intended to miss him; but the Judge will order you to be hanged. An alleged want of intention, when evil is committed, will not be allowed in a court of justice. Rousseau, Sir, is a very bad man. I would sooner sign a sentence for his transportation, than that of any felon who has gone from the Old Bailey these many years. Yes, I should like to have him work in the plantations."
Boswell: "Do you really think him [Rousseau] a bad man?"
Johnson: "Sir, if you are talking jestingly of this, I don't talk with you. If you mean to be serious, I think him one of the worst of men; a rascal, who ought to be hunted out of society, as he has been. Three or four nations have expelled him: and it is a shame that he is protected in this country."
Boswell: "I don't deny, Sir, but that his novel may, perhaps, do harm; but I cannot think his intention was bad."
Johnson: "Sir, that will not do. We cannot prove any man's intention to be bad. You may shoot a man through the head, and say you intended to miss him; but the Judge will order you to be hanged. An alleged want of intention, when evil is committed, will not be allowed in a court of justice. Rousseau, Sir, is a very bad man. I would sooner sign a sentence for his transportation, than that of any felon who has gone from the Old Bailey these many years. Yes, I should like to have him work in the plantations."
God Help Northern California
I laugh to keep from crying:
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California teacher has been barred by his school from giving students documents from American history that refer to God -- including the Declaration of Independence.
Steven Williams, a fifth-grade teacher at Stevens Creek School in the San Francisco Bay area suburb of Cupertino, sued for discrimination on Monday, claiming he had been singled out for censorship by principal Patricia Vidmar because he is a Christian.
"It's a fact of American history that our founders were religious men, and to hide this fact from young fifth-graders in the name of political correctness is outrageous and shameful," said Williams' attorney, Terry Thompson.
"Williams wants to teach his students the true history of our country," he said. "There is nothing in the Establishment Clause (of the U.S. Constitution) that prohibits a teacher from showing students the Declaration of Independence."
Vidmar could not be reached for comment on the lawsuit, which was filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in San Jose and claims violations of Williams rights to free speech under the First Amendment.
Phyllis Vogel, assistant superintendent for Cupertino Unified School District, said the lawsuit had been forwarded to a staff attorney. She declined to comment further.
Williams asserts in the lawsuit that since May he has been required to submit all of his lesson plans and supplemental handouts to Vidmar for approval, and that the principal will not permit him to use any that contain references to God or Christianity.
Among the materials she has rejected, according to Williams, are excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, George Washington's journal, John Adams' diary, Samuel Adams' "The Rights of the Colonists" and William Penn's "The Frame of Government of Pennsylvania."
"He hands out a lot of material and perhaps 5 to 10 percent refers to God and Christianity because that's what the founders wrote," said Thompson, a lawyer for the Alliance Defense Fund, which advocates for religious freedom. "The principal seems to be systematically censoring material that refers to Christianity and it is pure discrimination."
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California teacher has been barred by his school from giving students documents from American history that refer to God -- including the Declaration of Independence.
Steven Williams, a fifth-grade teacher at Stevens Creek School in the San Francisco Bay area suburb of Cupertino, sued for discrimination on Monday, claiming he had been singled out for censorship by principal Patricia Vidmar because he is a Christian.
"It's a fact of American history that our founders were religious men, and to hide this fact from young fifth-graders in the name of political correctness is outrageous and shameful," said Williams' attorney, Terry Thompson.
"Williams wants to teach his students the true history of our country," he said. "There is nothing in the Establishment Clause (of the U.S. Constitution) that prohibits a teacher from showing students the Declaration of Independence."
Vidmar could not be reached for comment on the lawsuit, which was filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in San Jose and claims violations of Williams rights to free speech under the First Amendment.
Phyllis Vogel, assistant superintendent for Cupertino Unified School District, said the lawsuit had been forwarded to a staff attorney. She declined to comment further.
Williams asserts in the lawsuit that since May he has been required to submit all of his lesson plans and supplemental handouts to Vidmar for approval, and that the principal will not permit him to use any that contain references to God or Christianity.
Among the materials she has rejected, according to Williams, are excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, George Washington's journal, John Adams' diary, Samuel Adams' "The Rights of the Colonists" and William Penn's "The Frame of Government of Pennsylvania."
"He hands out a lot of material and perhaps 5 to 10 percent refers to God and Christianity because that's what the founders wrote," said Thompson, a lawyer for the Alliance Defense Fund, which advocates for religious freedom. "The principal seems to be systematically censoring material that refers to Christianity and it is pure discrimination."
Success is a Choice
Poor Traitor Rick. Seems he has some major problems down in the 'Ville. If I were him, I would just choose to succeed.
Bad luck and bad decisions have left Louisville without the perimeter depth it needs to play coach Rick Pitino's preferred style of controlled harassment.
The bad luck came when both of the Cardinals' best backcourt recruits, high school senior Sebastian Telfair and junior college transfer Donta Smith, entered the 2004 NBA Draft. Pitino was prepared for Telfair to go, but stunned by Smith's decision.
Because Pitino was prepared for Telfair to go pro, that suggests he made bad decisions on two other recruits.
Pitino didn't pursue either of his state's best two high school guards last season, both of whom most likely would have chosen Louisville if asked. Those were Chris Lofton, now playing a major role at Tennessee, and Rajon Rondo, the McDonald's All-American who is from Louisville but is starting for Kentucky.
How bad is the depth situation at Louisville? Former walk-on Brad Gianiny, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, is getting 13.5 minutes per game. He played 20 minutes in Louisville's loss to Iowa, when two of the team's three starting guards -- Taquan Dean and Larry O'Bannon -- had foul issues.
Bad luck and bad decisions have left Louisville without the perimeter depth it needs to play coach Rick Pitino's preferred style of controlled harassment.
The bad luck came when both of the Cardinals' best backcourt recruits, high school senior Sebastian Telfair and junior college transfer Donta Smith, entered the 2004 NBA Draft. Pitino was prepared for Telfair to go, but stunned by Smith's decision.
Because Pitino was prepared for Telfair to go pro, that suggests he made bad decisions on two other recruits.
Pitino didn't pursue either of his state's best two high school guards last season, both of whom most likely would have chosen Louisville if asked. Those were Chris Lofton, now playing a major role at Tennessee, and Rajon Rondo, the McDonald's All-American who is from Louisville but is starting for Kentucky.
How bad is the depth situation at Louisville? Former walk-on Brad Gianiny, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, is getting 13.5 minutes per game. He played 20 minutes in Louisville's loss to Iowa, when two of the team's three starting guards -- Taquan Dean and Larry O'Bannon -- had foul issues.
The 10th Brother
You won't see this on the nightly news. Instead of devoting 2 hours memorializing Tom Brokaw's 20 years of reading the news, maybe NBC could devote 60 seconds to this story.
Quote of the Day
"Academics such as the next secretary of state still decorate Washington, but academia is less listened to than it was. It has marginalized itself, partly by political shrillness and silliness that have something to do with the parochialism produced by what George Orwell called "smelly little orthodoxies." - George Will
Keep Your Fingers Crossed
From Bob Novak's column today:
To show that President Bush is serious about reducing government spending, the Office of Management and Budget is asking government departments to propose deep cuts.
Each agency is supposed to prepare a budget 5 percent lower than last year's request for all non-Defense and non-Homeland Security spending. They also are preparing an extreme option proposing 10 percent reductions.
If Bush can get this done, he'll be my hero.
To show that President Bush is serious about reducing government spending, the Office of Management and Budget is asking government departments to propose deep cuts.
Each agency is supposed to prepare a budget 5 percent lower than last year's request for all non-Defense and non-Homeland Security spending. They also are preparing an extreme option proposing 10 percent reductions.
If Bush can get this done, he'll be my hero.
"Mr. Diversity"
President Bush has made more high-profile appointments of blacks and Hispanics than anyone, anywhere, at any time.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush on Monday chose Carlos Gutierrez, chief executive officer of the Kellogg Co. (K), to be secretary of Commerce, administration officials said.
If confirmed by the Senate, Gutierrez would succeed Commerce Secretary Donald Evans, a Texas confidant of Bush's, who announced his resignation shortly after the Nov. 2 election.
Gutierrez, whose family fled Cuba in 1960 when he was 6, joined Kellogg in 1975. Known for having a strong work ethic and a seemingly endless stream of ideas, he worked all over the world for the company before being promoted to president and chief operating officer in June 1998.
Now, whether this is a good selection or not remains to be seen. If Gutierrez is a charismatic, energetic force with new ideas, then it will be good.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush on Monday chose Carlos Gutierrez, chief executive officer of the Kellogg Co. (K), to be secretary of Commerce, administration officials said.
If confirmed by the Senate, Gutierrez would succeed Commerce Secretary Donald Evans, a Texas confidant of Bush's, who announced his resignation shortly after the Nov. 2 election.
Gutierrez, whose family fled Cuba in 1960 when he was 6, joined Kellogg in 1975. Known for having a strong work ethic and a seemingly endless stream of ideas, he worked all over the world for the company before being promoted to president and chief operating officer in June 1998.
Now, whether this is a good selection or not remains to be seen. If Gutierrez is a charismatic, energetic force with new ideas, then it will be good.
Colerain Rolls...Again
Colerain's the best high school football team I've ever seen (I've watched them twice on TV). They're very good at EVERY position, and in high school that's freakish. Anyway, they destroyed Worthington Kilbourne in the state semifinals, but check out the second paragraph of this story.
DAYTON - The 2004 Colerain Cardinals remained unbeaten and unchallenged Saturday night, with a 34-3 destruction of Worthington Kilbourne in the Division I state semifinals.
The Cardinals (14-0) will play for the school's first Ohio football title at 7 p.m. next Saturday at Canton's Fawcett Stadium vs. Canton McKinley (11-3).
Ok, you're the best team in Ohio - possibly the best team in the country. You're beating your opponents by an average of 41 points every game. What's your reward? You get to travel to the other side of the state to Canton to play....yep....Canton McKinley. The fact that the Ohio high school championship isn't played in Columbus is a crime. There's clearly a Northeastern bias. It's the equivalent of the Kentucky championship being played in Paducah every year.
DAYTON - The 2004 Colerain Cardinals remained unbeaten and unchallenged Saturday night, with a 34-3 destruction of Worthington Kilbourne in the Division I state semifinals.
The Cardinals (14-0) will play for the school's first Ohio football title at 7 p.m. next Saturday at Canton's Fawcett Stadium vs. Canton McKinley (11-3).
Ok, you're the best team in Ohio - possibly the best team in the country. You're beating your opponents by an average of 41 points every game. What's your reward? You get to travel to the other side of the state to Canton to play....yep....Canton McKinley. The fact that the Ohio high school championship isn't played in Columbus is a crime. There's clearly a Northeastern bias. It's the equivalent of the Kentucky championship being played in Paducah every year.
Buy Nothing Day
I thought about writing a "Buy Nothing Day" post, but Andrew Sullivan beat me to the punch (and he's a much better writer than I):
BUY NOTHING DAY: I have absolutely nothing against capitalism, but I have to say I feel solidarity with the dissidents here. Watching images of people bursting through department door stores and trampling each other for a cheap DVD player at 5:30 am makes me wonder if I belong to the same species. Yes, I know there are bargains. But please. The sheer frenzy, the entire mania of consumerism, the notion that meaning is to be found in buying things and giving these things to other people or to yourself - it all leaves me cold.
That's one reason I'm such a Christmas-phobe. Each year, we have a communal campaign to persuade ourselves that we never have enough, the new things will assuage our real needs, that buying is the same as living. Yes, of course, some of this is fine, generous or even important. But the hysteria is a form of cultural disorder. And "Christmas" merely feeds it. If "Buy Nothing Day" helps assuage this a little, it's an excellent thing.
BUY NOTHING DAY: I have absolutely nothing against capitalism, but I have to say I feel solidarity with the dissidents here. Watching images of people bursting through department door stores and trampling each other for a cheap DVD player at 5:30 am makes me wonder if I belong to the same species. Yes, I know there are bargains. But please. The sheer frenzy, the entire mania of consumerism, the notion that meaning is to be found in buying things and giving these things to other people or to yourself - it all leaves me cold.
That's one reason I'm such a Christmas-phobe. Each year, we have a communal campaign to persuade ourselves that we never have enough, the new things will assuage our real needs, that buying is the same as living. Yes, of course, some of this is fine, generous or even important. But the hysteria is a form of cultural disorder. And "Christmas" merely feeds it. If "Buy Nothing Day" helps assuage this a little, it's an excellent thing.
Notre Dame Sorrows
As a fervent Irish hater, I took great joy in watching the USC Trojans wax the sorry Golden Domers. It was beautiful. I think Hugh Hewitt put it best:
Irish fans have glimpsed what election night at Kerry HQ must have been like --early promise, even confidence, followed by the steady accumulation of evidence that all is lost.
Irish fans have glimpsed what election night at Kerry HQ must have been like --early promise, even confidence, followed by the steady accumulation of evidence that all is lost.
My Holiday Viewing
In addition to the solid Friday night episode of 20/20, my holiday viewing also included parts of the 2-hour special on Tom Brokaw. Is there anyone less worthy of a 2-hour television special than Tom Brokaw. Granted he was a reporter for a number of years, but he's spent the past 20 years READING THE NEWS. That's right, READING THE NEWS.
NBC should be ashamed.
NBC should be ashamed.
Waterworld 2
Not only is Alexander on pace to be the biggest box office flop since Waterworld, but it was also partially financed by...you guessed it...the French.
Jeunet had pointed out that director Oliver Stone's Alexander the Great received funding from the French government despite not being filmed in France or in French.
Jeunet had pointed out that director Oliver Stone's Alexander the Great received funding from the French government despite not being filmed in France or in French.
Ukraine Update
Here's a good roundup of what's going on in the Ukraine. And here's Bush's pickle:
However the disputed election finally plays out, it has undermined the Bush Administration's cozy relations with Putin, at least behind the scenes. In his first term, Bush was willing to give Putin a free hand in what Russia calls the "near abroad," the states that spun off from the broken Soviet Union. At the same time, Bush has made encouraging democracy around the world a central pillar of his presidency. In Ukraine, those two policies clash mightily.
Washington spent much of Ukraine's bitterly fought presidential campaign studiously avoiding confrontation with Putin, and stuck to that line in the early days after the vote. But at midweek, Secretary of State Colin Powell made clear Washington's support for Yushchenko, saying the U.S. was "deeply disturbed by the extensive and credible reports of fraud." The following day, at an E.U.-Russia summit in the Hague, Putin emphasized that the dispute should be settled without outside interference. No other country has a "moral right to push a major European state to mass disorder," he warned.
The Kremlin regards countries like Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus as vital buffers between Russia and the West. Like Russian rulers for the past two centuries, Putin "equates security with well-defined 'zones of interest,'" says James Sherr, an Eastern Europe specialist at Oxford University. Those zones have shrunk in recent years as the Baltic states and Georgia turned sharply toward the West. Putin doesn't want to see the same thing happen in Ukraine.
But analysts in the U.S. worry that Putin may have overplayed his hand. If he were seen to be encouraging the east in its secessionist plans, the protests could turn violent.
However the disputed election finally plays out, it has undermined the Bush Administration's cozy relations with Putin, at least behind the scenes. In his first term, Bush was willing to give Putin a free hand in what Russia calls the "near abroad," the states that spun off from the broken Soviet Union. At the same time, Bush has made encouraging democracy around the world a central pillar of his presidency. In Ukraine, those two policies clash mightily.
Washington spent much of Ukraine's bitterly fought presidential campaign studiously avoiding confrontation with Putin, and stuck to that line in the early days after the vote. But at midweek, Secretary of State Colin Powell made clear Washington's support for Yushchenko, saying the U.S. was "deeply disturbed by the extensive and credible reports of fraud." The following day, at an E.U.-Russia summit in the Hague, Putin emphasized that the dispute should be settled without outside interference. No other country has a "moral right to push a major European state to mass disorder," he warned.
The Kremlin regards countries like Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus as vital buffers between Russia and the West. Like Russian rulers for the past two centuries, Putin "equates security with well-defined 'zones of interest,'" says James Sherr, an Eastern Europe specialist at Oxford University. Those zones have shrunk in recent years as the Baltic states and Georgia turned sharply toward the West. Putin doesn't want to see the same thing happen in Ukraine.
But analysts in the U.S. worry that Putin may have overplayed his hand. If he were seen to be encouraging the east in its secessionist plans, the protests could turn violent.
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