Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Pic

How to tell if a Catholic is driving too fast:
From Ol' Broad


Loved it.

UT vs AL

Tennessee wins at Alabama for the 2nd time in the last 18. Hard fought game that up until the end could have went either way. Hot 3-point shooting and timely free throws were the difference in the end.


Around the Rim

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Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Florida Primary

Looks like McCain is going to take Florida (grumble). Now he'll have momentum going into Super Tuesday. At least it wasn't Huckabee :)

(CNN) -- Sen. John McCain will win the Florida Republican primary, CNN projects based on election results and exit polling, edging out rival Mitt Romney.

art.mccain.gi.jpg

John McCain stops at a St. Petersburg polling station with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist Tuesday.

With 55 percent of Republican precincts reporting, McCain held a 36-32 percent lead over Romney. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani trailed with 15 percent of the vote, followed closely by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee who held 13 percent.

Sen. Hillary Clinton will win the largely uncontested Democratic primary, CNN projected.

With about 54 percent of Democratic precincts reporting, Clinton had 51 percent of the vote. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama was in second with 31 percent, and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards was in third with 15 percent.

The Democratic vote may have little impact on the presidential race, however, because the party's national leadership said it would not allow Florida's delegates to participate in the national convention because of a squabble over scheduling.

Republicans penalized the state as well, but took away only half of their 114 delegates.

"I am thrilled to have had this vote of confidence that you have given me today," Clinton told supporters. "I promise you I will do everything I can to make sure not only are Florida's Democratic delegates seated, but Florida is in the winning column for the Democrats in 2008." Video Watch how Clinton won in Florida »

Clinton has called on the Democratic Party to formally lift sanctions on the state.

Robert Gibbs, communications director for Obama campaign, downplayed the Florida results and got a dig in at Clinton.

"Mike Gravel is going to get the same number of delegates as Clinton," Gibbs said, referring to the former Alaska senator who has yet to earn a single percentage point in earlier contests.

Gibbs said he thought the results would have little effect on the race heading into Super Tuesday.

"You can't gain momentum in a state that everyone but Hillary Clinton pledged not to campaign in," Gibbs said.

Turnout was high for the Democratic race even though no delegates were at stake. Florida Sen. Bill Nelson said about 2.5 million voters cast ballots, and nearly 400,000 people cast early or absentee ballots ahead of the primary.

The economy is overwhelmingly the top issue for voters in Florida's primary, according to early exit polls.

Among Republicans and Democrats, the economy dwarfed other issues affecting their vote. Forty-seven percent of Republicans said the economy is the most pressing issue, as did 55 percent of Democrats.

McCain and Romney appear to be neck-and-neck in the Republican primary. If McCain wins in Florida, his status as the national front-runner will be cemented.

CNN
Hard to believe with 47% of R's thinking the economy is the #1 issue that McCain still won...Expect Guiliani to drop out tomorrow after his disastrous 3rd place showing.
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Monday, January 28, 2008

College Basketball

My first article at Helium is up! I did one on the 2008 college basketball season instead of politics. I'm not much of a writer so I thought I'd jump in the shallow end first.

Go here and read it and let me know what you think (comment here on tDR if you can).



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Cyber Media Blitz

In the essential "Rise of the Vulcans" James Mann shares that the Great Satan's 30 year in the future Military was actually a crazy cool chaotic orderly march set in motion way back in the last millenium. Back in the day, when Ex Def Sec Donald Rumsfeld was Pres Ford's White House Chief of Staff he literally wore people out about a new magical future thinking missile. Way over the top, peers and subordinates joked about
"...sending Rumsfeld on a cruise..."
Still cruising in service to something larger than self, the Ex Sec is still at it, with an au currant demarche' that is totally in sync with the idea of constant confrontation and selective intervention. Since Great Satan cannot change what she is (and honestly would never want to) and since certain Axis', blocs, Caliphating fanboys, leagues, Presidents for Life and rocket rich rejects fear everything Great Satan is all about (and they honestly should) - all of these unfree regimes and their intolerant resistence movements, militias and bombsquads use their unfree state controlled media to diss Great Satan and her irresistable ideals.The ex Navy Fly guy and Regime Changer Rumsfeld is absolutely correct in his latest idea championship that it's time to put the 'world' in
"...America ain't what s wrong with the world..."
Essentially, since no one can defeat Great Satan on the Battlefied - and they all know it, perhaps it's time to pump up the volume in communications using every trick in the book to increase, maintain and crank down pressure on self imposed media that tends to glorify destructive penchants like
"... the fact that they blow up mosques, kill women and children and
publicly behead their foes..."
The outgoing #3 at State, R. Nicholaus Burns agrees and points out that would be easy to
"explain who we are and to show the goodness of America to the rest of theworld.
I mean, there are some countries where the state-controlled press
in authoritarian countries spew out lies about us; I mean, pictures of us that
you would not recognize."
No doubt! After all, certain blocs have a bizarro double standard like in Pakistan where it's ok for girls to learn to fly military jets but totally controversial for girls to drive cars in Saudi.

Totally flipping off any foreign concerns about Great Satan imposing alien ideas on hapless time traveling intolerants Ex Marine and supersmart guy Gary Anderson of GW University disses any reasoning of 'blowback' or publicising inner ethical wrestling matches

"A big part of the reason is that we spend too much time wanting to be
likedrather than turning Muslim anger on our enemies.
We preach some values that are viewed as alien and threatening to the traditional order of things. Our popular culture is seen as decadent at best and downright threatening at worst in traditional cultures.

We can't change what we are, nor would we want to. No matter how much the government may disapprove, the government's official propaganda will be overwhelmed by the deluge, both positive and negative, from the popular media. We need to accept this fact and move on, rather than waste more millions on strategic communications "charm campaigns."

Hitting them where it hurts, Ex Sec Rumsfeld is correct that Great Satan is irresistable and just like her ideals, a super cyber www all media campaign would include a
"21st-century agency for global communications, a valued tool to help tell the story of a nation that was carved from the wilderness and conceived
in freedom"
Not only that - Dr. Anderson insists on taking it a bit further - using the enemies own words against them is a battle of ideas that would a sure thing for sure.
"...collecting photos of the Muslim innocents al-Qaeda has killed and putting below them quotations from the Koran decrying such practices. These advertisements would appear in every newspaper and TV station in the
Muslimworld where I could buy print space or air time..."
In the New Millenium, Great Satan could checkmate old school, played rhetoric and put the "O!" in offensive cyber blitzes that would render any counter truly counter productive - winning friends and influencing people in a way that ye olde 'Hearts and Minds" campaign with it's find a friend frenzy that never really took off . Deploying everything from blogs, online dating social networks to old school radio and TV. Like the Ex Sec says
"Necessity is the mother of invention. And the necessity is there."
Cross posted at GSGF.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

PGA

Tiger roared through the field at Torrey Pines in what will have to be termed 'scary' ease by his would-be competitors.
LA JOLLA, Calif. -- Unlike the Southern California weather prognosticators, Tiger Woods was on target all week at the Buick Invitational.

The doom and gloom predictions had Torrey Pines a saturated mess and the PGA Tour event's conclusion in doubt. But overnight rain turned out to be a mere nuisance, and although Woods did not stroll as much as slosh around the course Sunday, it was an easy victory, nonetheless.

An eight-shot lead at the start of the final round quickly turned into 11 before he settled for a final margin of eight, a result that appeared inevitable as early as Friday. The weekend left no suspense -- only worry about whether the storms that have been in the forecast every day would spoil an otherwise glorious day for Woods.

With a fourth straight victory at the Buick and third in a row on the PGA Tour dating to last year, all the offseason chatter about this having the potential to be a monster year for Woods takes on more validity.

After the opening day where he was in 3rd place, Tiger pretty much decided he was going to win and went out and did it. But that is how Tiger plays. He is (or will be) the best player to ever play the game of Golf.

That is what Tiger should be doing, winning golf tournaments. While everyone at ESPN cries and moans because he doesn't feel like they do on social issues (a woman was actually suspended and had to apologize because she said the word lynch); Tiger plays golf.
Woods also won his first tournament of the year after his name was at the center of controversy for three weeks after remarks by Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman that got her suspended and had commentators calling for him to take more of a stand on social issues.
ESPN
Some at ESPN (on air) were calling the use of the word lynch (and a subsequent front page on Golf mag) equivalent to using terms about the holocaust to Jews. Of course, the 3400 or so black people (and roughly 1300 whites) that were lynched in the U.S. [source] are equal to the 6 million Jews that perished in WWII... keep telling yourself that.

The best and easiest way to defeat the 'rampant' racist stereotypes that seem to inhabit the minds of the TV world is by simply stop thinking the racist, stereotype thoughts that they seem to think everytime anything is said on the air. Much like Bill Clinton being talked about for using the term 'fairy tale' and it being racist (please, where in the world did that come from), racial issues would go further toward obscurity if thick-skin were more rampant.


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Saturday, January 26, 2008

South Carolina Democrats

Everyone called it for Barak (early, like before any results were in) thanks to a large 'black' vote coming in. Roughly 80% of the black vote went to Obama and he picked up 1/4 of the white vote.
Click for the rest of the story
COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AFP) — Senator Barack Obama won an invigorating victory over White House foe Hillary Clinton in South Carolina on Saturday, riding a massive wave of support from African-Americans in his bid to become the first black US president.

US television projected Obama as the winner in the key contest for the Democratic Party nomination, with Clinton in second place trailed by former senator John Edwards in third.

Obama, who badly needed a win to keep his hopes alive, was projected to win with 81 percent of the black vote, while Clinton, who would be the first woman US president, took 17 percent of that segment according to a CNN exit poll.

The South Carolina vote marked a second key victory for Obama and evened the score with Clinton, who has also won two key state primaries ahead of a blitz of nearly two dozen nationwide contests on February 5.

CNN said early indications were that the charismatic Illinois senator had won 53 percent of the state vote, after the earlier dropping contests in New Hampshire and Nevada following his shock triumph in Iowa.

Exit polls showed the vote was divided along racial and gender lines, in a state where African-Americans make up half the Democratic electorate.
AFP
Seems that Silky(TM) came in 3rd in his birth state. Of course he will stay in the race because the media and pundits won't tell him he has to drop out (even though he has as much a shot as I do). heh

Love the way it's reported. I wonder if the media (and people) realize that as long as we report the black and white vote, we will continue to think of black and white people as different groups.


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Friday, January 25, 2008

Mitt in FL

MITT ROMNEY

Confidence Within Team Romney About Florida

It's not surprising that Team Romney is saying this — you rarely hear a campaign saying, "we're doomed, we're doomed" four days before voters go to the polls — but I hear from Middle Cheese, placed between the Big Cheeses and the Little Cheeses in the Romney camp, that "looks like Mitt is going to win Florida."

Some polls have McCain up a bit, some polls have Romney up a bit, one has them tied.

NRO
It's not my Fred, but it's (to me) the best thing left to vote for at this time.

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Update for Bloggers

Guys, if you post, you'll notice that instead of your name, there is a pic (my signature and for you guys a pic of your name).

If there is something else you want to use instead of what I have for you (find one of your posts to see) then please send it to me (120x70).

And... post more!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Alvin!

Went and saw Alvin and the Chipmunks with little bit tonight. It was very funny. I loved it and she couldn't stop laughing.

It follows the cartoon story very well in parts, and is updated to 'now' in other parts. It has morals (a moral) and has great animation for the 'munks.

Except for ticket prices, there was nothing to complain about. This is one movie you need to take your kids to. Heck, I'd take a date to this movie; it was that funny.

Severe Cold Spell

Be very careful outside tonight global warming is here. (all temps are in F)

Look out for pets, old people, kids; make sure you cover faucets and let some water run so pipes don't freeze.

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Data Recovery

Need to find out what's on your kids computer? Need to recover data on an 'accidental' delete? You need a computer forensic company to help. These guys can find whatever you need/want on any old hard drive.

Of course you may need to ask the computer forensics people if it is actually legal for you to be snooping on that computer (if it isn't strictly yours) and they (while not being legally bound) can offer you sound advice on how to proceed. They can also teach you how to secure your computer and ensure the utmost in privacy (except from other computer forensics possibly).

Basically these guys can do whatever it is you need to do to or with data. Whether finding deleted data, or retrieving 'hidden' data that you don't know is there. Each of their examiners holds multiple certifications including the Certified Forensic Computer Examiner .

If you are looking for a professional, easy-to-use and reasonably priced experts to help you with your computer data needs, shop around and then call the best.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Iran

In the Holy Sh!t department:

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday she believed the nuclear stand-off with Iran could be resolved diplomatically but that Tehran must not be allowed to become a nuclear weapons power.

Just one day after getting agreement on a draft U.N. Security Council resolution against Tehran, Rice offered the incentive of a "more normal relationship" and expanded trade if Iran gave up sensitive nuclear work, according to the prepared text of her speech to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.

"Ultimately, though, we believe that we can resolve this problem through diplomacy," Rice said according to the text, which was distributed by conference organizers.

"If Iran would suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities - which is an international demand, not just an American one - then we could begin negotiations, and we could work over time to build a new, more normal relationship," she said.

Reuters

I wish I could find people that would trust me as much as the US government trusts Iran after the way it has acted.

heh and to make this 'special', this is my 666 post (cue eerie music)

Republican Candidates

Got an email yesterday from someone in the Romney camp asking me to switch my support over. (must have seen my name on a list or something, I don't have enough visitors for them to make the effort really)

I have not decided yet whom to vote for when the primaries come to my state (2/5) but I'm leaning heavily to the anti-Huck vote. While this may be Romney, it could be anyone not Huck (heh) so at this moment, Romney has not got my vote. He is more than welcome to earn it, but simply asking for it won't get it just now. I will be responding with the same to his camp and see what they say.

As for the candidates, lets look at who we have out there and what they 'rate' to me.

(5 very, 0 not)Fiscal conSocial conWoTBorderRightsTotal

Romney
3.5444318.5

Guiliani
3.5154.5216

McCain
3.5351214.5

Paul
4302.5413

Huckabee
250219


So we got that for who I think is the best conservative candidate left. Note: RuPaul wouldn't get my vote no matter what I scored him on there, he's a freaking lunatic. Also, Huckabee wouldn't get my vote if I was his VP; but I did want to rate him. (note Hunter would have gotten a 23 and Thompson a 24 on this board if they were still in)

Bowling

Shot a nice 621 (226, 174, 221) for a 207 average last night. Had 2 opens in the 2nd game and that was it. Of course, team sport still and last night, the team was on; we won them all.

No problems bowling without nicotine :)

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Kentucky takes down #5 Tennessee

#5 ranked Tennessee Volunteers came into Rupp Arena tonight to take on a struggling University of Kentucky Wildcats.

I missed the first 10 minutes or so of the first half. But after I joined in UK was giving Tennessee a good game. Several times UT had a 10 point lead but never was able to put it away. UK would keep battling back but never could get the lead.

Until the second half. UK never did lay down and let a very tough Volunteer squad walk over them. Tennessee went cold and allowed UK to make a comeback, take the lead and hang onto a HUGE win in the SEC.

66 - 72 UK FTW!!!

I honestly didn't expect UK to play them close. Tennessee is a very good ball team. UK has not had a good season to say the least. However, since they started SEC play they have been a completely different team. They are hustling, fighting, and WANTING TO WIN. I am encouraged more and more when I see them playing like they have been since the start of 2008. They survived a previously unbeaten Vanderbilt in 2 overtimes. They lost a close game to Mississippi State. And an overtime loss to Florida. Then this big win against Tennessee.

Folks we are starting to see what Gillispie has been trying to tell us was coming. Their record now is 8- 9 overall and 2-2 in the SEC. Go Cats!

Fred leaves the Race

I got the same email that most FredHeads got and it basically said Fred was withdrawing.

He thanked everyone and hopes the party is better off for his attempt. It's not :)

BTW, I can't see or reply to disqus comments from work, they are blocked (heh), I do get them in my email so I can read them, it will just be much later before I reply (Ruthie).

Can't get the Fred statement to load up, but you can go here to see it. Guess now I have to remove the sticker from my car :(

I hope Huck's still in it when Super Tuesday hits now, so I can basically vote against him heh

Monday, January 21, 2008

Pic

MLK Day

Have to agree with the sentiments in this story, but not in the way the speaker would want me to.
DALLAS, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- A Dallas minister who marched with civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., said Monday's birthday observance holiday is an insult to his legacy.

The Rev. Peter Johnson, 62, director of the Texas operations for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, told The Dallas Morning News the holiday should be on April 4, the anniversary of the date King was assassinated.

"We have ignored the essence of his life and the horror of his death," said Johnson. "We've allowed white America to escape the guilt of his assassination and we've allowed black America to drift back into a coma."
UPI

I agree that the holiday is a waste; it is a waste to have a holiday celebrating one man when we don't celebrate any other 'single' person. The two greatest presidents in history have to share a day and MLK gets his on.

MLK marched against racism and for equality, something the good Rev. Johnson seems to have not achieved, his talk of 'white' and 'black' America should be a hint to all those that would follow him that the good preacher isn't into all this equality talk. 'White' America didn't kill MLK, I believe he was killed by One (1) American who happened to be a white person.

Racists are the people that seem to look for race in everything. Regardless of how 'tolerant' you are, you will never convince me that because of history, any class or group of people deserve preferred status.

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Saturday, January 19, 2008

Email humor

From email:heh Sorry to all the buckeyes out there, but it is a funny logo

Friday, January 18, 2008

Elite Business



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--Small Business Administration
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Funny Video

From the email:

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Locks for Love

I realize that no one really knows me or my family, so you have to take my word on something if I tell you. So, when I tell you that my lil girl loves her long hair, you know I'm telling the truth.

She turned 6 this year and is a 'big' girl now :) so she one day decided she wanted to do something different.

She wanted to help these people out (here). Just like reading, this makes me so proud I don't really know what to say.


Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Bowling

224, 214, 236 for a nice 674 (224 average for the night). Again though, it is a team sport and we won 1 out of 3 :(

Havn't felt good for the past couple of days, so not any activity from me; I'll get back later.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Crazed Man Kills Kids

This man needs to be shot... repeatedly in the legs, arms, wherever (yes I'm upset).
Luong, 37, a shrimp boat worker who lives in Irvington, was being held without bond on four counts of capital murder. If convicted, he could be sentenced to death or life in prison without parole.

District Attorney John Tyson Jr. said Luong had confessed to throwing Ryan Phan, 3, Hannah Luong, 2, Lindsey Luong, 1, and Danny Luong, 4 months, off the three-mile-long bridge after an argument with his wife.

Luong later recanted, claiming two Asian women took the children and never returned them. But a witness saw Luong on the 80-foot-tall two-lane bridge with the children, and another saw him leave the area without the children, Cochran said Friday.
Yahoo News
I hope that after the trial (in which I hope he is found guilty [if he actually is...]) they send him to death row in a non-Huckabee state (heh).

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Bye Bye Huckabee?



Hat tip: everyone it seems

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fredmentum

The Thompson campaign emails to announce they’ve had to shut down the doors at a couple of today’s campaign events because of overcrowding.

As I said, I think we’re about to see what will later be described as an “amazing turnaround” for Fred in South Carolina.

Of course, it will only be amazing to the mainstream media, which hoped that ignoring Thompson would make him go away.
Daily Pundit

Not much to add, I just hope that finally people will see that it's the candidate that matters and not the campaign ...

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Friday, January 11, 2008

The difference between victim and victor

This story actually happened back in November but it has just come to my attention. I wanted to post it and add a few comments.

911 audio (may not be suitable for all listeners): http://www.nbc5.com/download/2008/0110/15020797.mp3

Original story:
Hammond woman fatally shoots alleged stalker

A northwest Indiana woman shot her alleged stalker to death.

Police say 41-year-old Ryan Lee Bergner broke into the woman's home in Hammond Monday night. The 51-year-old woman called 9-1-1 and hid in a closet with a gun she had been given for protection. She says she shot him when he opened the closet door and started choking her.

His family says Bergner was a good man. Neighbors say the woman's action is understandable.

"There is no way there should be any charges on her. It is justifiable homicide. She was on the phone with police. They told her exactly what to do. What more are you asking for when some guy's coming at you? I mean, that's defense," said Alison Joseph, woman's neighbor.


Story update can be found here:

She said she was watching television when she heard a window break and called 911. She was hiding in a closet when she says 41-year-old Ryan Bergner came into the room. That's when she shot him with a gun she acquired that day. (emphasis added by EMB)

"What are you doing? Stop it. Stop it, stop it," the victims says in the emergency call.

"He's in the room with her," the 911 operator says.

"Stop it, stop it," the victim continues, then a scream is heard.

Earlier this week, the prosecutor decided not to charge the woman. (emphasis added - EMB)

This is a prime example of how a person turned the tables on her attacker and refused to be a victim. By defending herself she very well may have saved her own life.

As good as the police are, they simply cannot be everywhere. As the 911 audio shows, it can take several minutes for the police to get to you when you need them most. This woman did everything she could to avoid this man. Everything that all of the anti-gun people tell you to do. Call 911. Lock the doors. Retreat to another room. Hide.

None of which did any good. He still came after her. Locked doors did not stop him. Locked windows did not stop him. A call to 911 did not stop him. An armed citizen did.

From the email

Fox Hunting





Too good not to pass on.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Comedy and Campaigning

H/t Misha: Video of Robin Williams in Kuwait after the jump

Click for the video


Also some Fred love over at Stop the ACLU:
One last Fred post for the night. Once again, Fred releases a well thought out plan. He seems to be the only candidate that has any plans.
In 2007, the federal government's spending rose to an astounding $2.8 trillion– the equivalent of $22,000 per household. Growth in federal government spending, however, rarely translates into better services for the American people. Solutions for many public policy problems are best found in the private sector, and then at the State and local level–not in Washington, DC. Indeed, the federal government loses billions every year due to ineffective programs, poor management, waste, and fraud. And, the problem is getting worse. Within the next five years, federal spending is expected to reach more than $3.2 trillion, or about 20 percent of our economy; more than half of this amount is mandatory spending for entitlements. Increasing government spending is not the answer to our country's problems. It is time to get it under control with better solutions and better management of our federal government.

Balance the Budget and Eliminate Underperforming Programs

Congress has consistently refused to balance the budget and address the deficit. In fact, federal spending continues to grow at rates double inflation. This rate of growth in federal spending is not sustainable and must be brought under control. The following actions will result in better control of the growth of non-defense discretionary spending:
Stop the ACLU

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Wednesday, January 9, 2008

UT vs Ole Miss

Tennessee vs Mississippi in basketball.

Ole Miss is one of the 6 unbeatens in the country coming in (ranked #15) and UT only has 1 loss and is ranked #9/8 and it is at UT.

Ole Miss averages 86+ points a game and UT averages 87+ so it should be a great game (it was a great game).

Mississippi 83 at Tennessee 85

New Hampshire

Because James wanted me to post on it.

New Hampshire. does. not. matter.

On the D side, Hillary could have been dealt a death blow but wasn't and on the R side, Huck could have shown he had more than the evangelicals on his side but didn't.

That is all :)

Bowling:

Had a 590 last night (187, 177, 226) for a 196 average per game... of course it is a team sport and we lost em all ;(

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

BCS

Ohio State has heard all year how they aren't good enough to beat an SEC school. After the pasting they got last year from Florida, they had to endure the media, the fans and probably their families expecting them to fail.

That made them mad. They came into this championship game with a chip on their shoulder and the backing of almost the entire ESPN staff (not that matters much, ESPN picked them last year too). They brought the #1 rated defense in all football and 'beanie' wells, the running back who made Michigan go away. They were ready to take it all.

LSU 'backed' into the game, some even say didn't deserve to be there (Oklahoma, USC, Georgia certainly would say it), much like Florida last year. ESPN hyped up the fact that LSU was playing basically a home game (Lee Corso ran hard with this, pumping up the Buckeyes) and was too 'fast' for OSU. LSU had the 3rd ranked defense, but lately they had given up quite a few yards and points to some 'low' competition.

The game kicked off and less than a minute and a half in, OSU had a 7 point lead ...

NEW ORLEANS -- Through an entire season of upsets and upheaval, teams moved in and out of the top of the polls as if it were a fleabag motel instead of the Ritz-Carlton. No one stayed long, and the ones that claimed they belonged didn't exactly look the part.

Until the last night of the season, that is. On the last night of the season, college football found an occupant for its penthouse.

LSU
Doug Benc/Getty Images
For the second time in five years, the Tigers are holding the crystal football.
The LSU Tigers are a dominant champion. They are a deserving champion. And as a fitting end to a season that never followed its script, they are college football's first two-loss champion.

LSU rolled over Ohio State 38-24 in the BCS Championship Game, becoming not only the first two-loss champion but the first two-time champion in the 10-year history of the BCS. That the Tigers managed to achieve both distinctions captures the uneven nature of their season, in which they lost two games in triple overtime and won three others in the final 90 seconds of regulation.

There would be no such thrills Monday night because LSU cut way down on its mistakes. The team that finished the season 118th in the nation in penalties per game (8.7) committed only four in the last, most important game. The Tigers (12-2) committed only one turnover. Ohio State (11-2), the team known for not beating itself, committed seven and three, respectively.

ESPN
It was a great game and a needed one ;) that win was the difference between being tied for 4th and tied for 1st in the 'pool'.

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Monday, January 7, 2008

NFL

Some good games over the weekend. My brother's favorite team, my mother's favorite, my dad's favorite and my favorite team are in.

The Tennessee Titans (dad) lost a good game to San Diego. Just like the last time the two teams played, SD took control in the second half and the Titans 'rolled over' and let them.

The NY Giants (brother) totally beat up on the Tampa Bay Bucs. NY plays Dallas (mine) next week for the 3rd time this season (with Dallas taking the first 2) in what should be a great game.

[Seattle beat Washington and will play Green Bay (mother) next week / Jacksonville beat Pittsburgh and will play New England]

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Home

Ok, I've been at my parents for the past few days just hanging out and not really doing any blogging, but now I'm home. Tomorrow I should get into it again.

No nicotine in my system since the morning of the 2nd and I'm about to go crazy ;)

I'll get around to visits and all and maybe post something if I find anything interesting; hope everyone has a great night and talk to you later.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Chechen Caveat

Dr Yossef Bodansky returns after his super controversial "Secret History of the Iraq War" with a very interesting nonfiction docu drama about the future of Jihad. Using history, high level contacts and a bit more open on sources, Bodansky shares lessons, tactics and strategies that the Russians used to salvage an almost total defeat in Chechnya (despite leveling the capitol Grozny - twice) into a managable draw and a likely marginalization of the destructive appeals of militant mohmmedism. It's "Chechen Jihad - Al Qaeada's Training Ground and the next wave of Terror."

When the Soviet Union regime changed herself into the Russian Commonwealth, Chechnya became a laboratory in the past decade featuring a weird hook up of native Chechen separatists and militant jihadists. From all over Central Asia and the ME, rejectionists with an evil penchant for victims, sharia law and explosives have joined forces to replenish al Qaeda and to march the mohammedist movement to continue the attack on anything not remotely resembling a romanticsed reactionary 8th century fantasy.
"Chechens are professional fighters—disciplined and responsible, with a combination of skills, expertise, and character that has made them the most sought-after 'force multipliers' in the jihadist movement."
Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Kurdistan, the Balkans, Caucasas, Algeria, Sudan, Kashmir and Azerbijian. Chechens appear wherever Jihadi mini theocracies are in danger of collapsing. Chechens also appear wherever Jihadi theocrcies are exporting murder, mayhem and torment to their neighbors. Chechens appear whenever Vlad needs some mafia style head knocking or military style dark arts influence in old school Soviet Republics that have splintered into an astounding numer of provinces, peoples and independence movements.

Bodansky shares secrets and actually does the kiss and tell routine with secret histories of the two Chechen wars, Caveats about "Chechenization" - a Russian style 'hearts and minds' campaign that failed and transformed the fight from a secular nationalist campaign into a holy war against Mother Russia and the secular, wicked, woman worshipping West.

And, in the most instructive message for Western audiences, he reveals how the Chechen rebellion was eventually crippled by a schism between the jihadists and the Chechen people whose nationalist rebellion they had co-opted—an object lesson in the vulnerability of imposed Caliphatic campaigns around the world.

Great writing, action and plot twists that rival anything from Hollywood, including a sweet scene where Vlad exacts revenge on El Bastardo of the Beslan School Massacre, Bodansky presents a convincing pic from military and intelligence sources from throughout the ME and Central Asia, as well as senior officials in many of the affected nations.

"Chechen Jihad" offers an intimate look, chilling possibilities and possible solutions.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Voting

I'm sure no one that votes in Iowa actually reads my blog, but if you happen to and are planning on voting Republican. Please, pretty please do not vote for Huckabee.

Considering his positions and actions as governor of Arkansas, it's hard to believe that he has as much 'poll' support as is claimed now that his positions should be filtering into Iowa. I realize that 'evangelical' voters are pretty 1-issue people, but you would think that if they don't give a rat's ass about conservatism, they'd already be democrats and would be voting for Obama by now.

Some Huck-facts:
The truth is that violent crime was higher at the end of his term than when he took office, and he raised taxes more than he cut them.
Summary
In the run-up to the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, Huckabee is running a TV ad featuring graphics that claim he was "tough on crime" and "brought Arkansas' crime rate down," and that he "cut taxes over 90 times as governor."

In fact, the violent crime rate was higher at the end of his tenure than it was the year he took office. And the tax cuts he claims credit for were minor compared with the large increases he approved, which included an increase in the state sales tax.
FactCheck.org

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SeeDub starts it all

SeeDub is causing a firestorm in the blogosphere by pointing out that not everyone is enamored of the phrase "fire in the belly". Of course he doesn't take credit for this phenomena but everyone knows it started on his blog :)

I've had pretty much this discussion with quite a few others, why is it that we only want to vote for people that CAMPAIGN well instead of people that will you know, govern well? It is absolutely idiotic to vote for someone based on how they approached the run-up to the Iowa caucuses instead of their stands on the issues that are important to the voter. That would be like voting for Hillary because she has more experience heh.

Click the link below to read seedub's post on all this.
Click for the rest of the story
My grousing about the "fire in the belly" MSM moron-meme is resonating* around the blogosphere. Michael Bates had talked about it here, and Anwyn linked me in this post. Even Allah admitted I had a point, but he's such a drooling wild-eyed Fredhead fanboy it's hard to take him seriously on the issue.
JunkYardBlog
Seedub also talks about the actual voter that asked the question about ambition and what he thought of the answer (as opposed to what the press thought), you may be surprised, or not, since I seem to be in slow motion.


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Tuesday, January 1, 2008