Stuart Scott must be stopped...A Rant

I was sitting here at my desk, zoning out and watching some Sports Center clips when I realized something must be done. It has been fomenting for months, with the progam taking metoric steps into the toilet and I realized it's cause.

Stuart Scott.

The man must be stopped. He is a menace to sports fans everywhere, and is turning ESPN into ESPMTV. It stinks. The only worthwhile programming besides live sports is Pardon The Interruption, and that's because Kornheiser is a crusty old genius, and the 5 pm Sports Center when Dan Patrick is on, because that man can deliver sports.

I will not go into all the reasons I despise Stuart Scott, from his googly eyes to his "booyah's" the list is essentially endless. Every day he says something stupid. Anyway, I have taken two steps in the past week to combat this problem. Earlier in the week I encouraged my friend to start a I hate Stu web page. I am assuming he will read this at some point today, so get to work on the site. I want it operational by March Madness (when that jag will undoubtedly unleash some more pseudo-slang on the unsuspecting sports world).

Secondly, I wrote an email to Keith Olbermann. His show is terrible. It gets 16 viewers on the average night. Before his show is in the toilet, I wanted to enlist his help. After all, Sports Center began its decline with the exodus of Kilbourn and Olbermann over money and ego. (wise decision by both...) Since they left SC has tried to go after new emerging demographics, so they brought in the obnoxious Stu. He was terrible before he got hit in the eye with Chad Pennington football, and he is even worse now. To hear him makes my ears pop and to see him makes my eyes pop out of focus trying to follow those zigzagging eyes.

From time to time I am liable to go off like this on Stu. I mean no harm to anyone but him, for he has seriously inhibited my abilities to receive sports news and highlights in a timely and enjoyable fashion.

This is what I wrote Olbermann (remember his departure started this disgusting slide into mediocrity at sc), and I encourage you to do the same. Eventually I will find other contacts and people more immediate to Stu, but for now I figure Olbermann's show is bad enough, and his ratings are so in the toilet, that perhaps he will pursue another blogger fueled media personality hit. (The first part is off topic only because I wanted to make it pertinent to his new post today. Also, it seems any mention of Bill O'Reill makes KO all hot and bothered).

Mr. Olbermann,

Although I still can’t get over the anger at
your leaving SC (nice career move by the way, now instead of hundreds of
thousands, dare I say millions of viewers nightly you get seventeen vegans in
tin-foil hats pissed that you aren’t still talking about Rove’s computer vote
machine hacking program) I do enjoy your one person feud will Bill
O’Reilly. Has he gotten the memo that you guys are fighting, because I
want this to blow up. Nothing impresses me more than when news people make
themselves the news. Definitely a sign of professionalism.

Is there any way you can do a story about how Stuart Scott is an
idiot who needs to just go away? Make that one of your Countdown
segments…Stuart Scott stinks, and is ruining Sports Center. Come on, do a
hit piece on him. Bring him down like Dan Rather. Instead of
fixating on a gay prostitute, lets focus on important issues.
Guckert/Gannon is gone, the next Bloggerman target (get your DU boys on this
too) has to be the removal of Stuart Scott from Sports Center.

I know you have no say, and have some weird grudge/sexual tension
with Kilbourn, but please, step up to the plate. Get your 18 viewers and
their four hundred malnourished canines on the case.

Mr.
Olbermann, I envision a day in which hugs and hand pounds are frowned upon,
where booyah brings on a beat down, and the only person “getting swoll” will the
man on the stretcher who got “jacked up” for saying “get swoll.”

You can help me sir, perhaps you can invite your crush O’Reilly in
on the fun (seriously Keith, fixate much?)

Thanks for your time
Olbermann email screeners,

ESK

Carpenter verbally "bitch slaps" McGee Jr.

No link or solid story yet, but TMJ just reported openly gay Tim Carpenter got in the face of Mike McGee Jr (the racist African American flamethrower who called cops accused of assault "faggots") at City Hall. Apparently Carpenter launched into his diatribe, demanding an apology to the gay community from McGee Jr. at some sort of "hate whitey" rally. Actually, I think it was more about his call for a boycott, and more outraged vitriol demanding the accused officers be condemned without trial.

The exchange supposedly ended when McGee fled to the Alderman offices with Carpenter following close behind. I expect JSOnline to get their Daywatch updated with the story, and this will surely be big news in a few hours, at least by tonight. I only hope TV cameras were there (at least tell me we got audio...ten to one says McGee called Carpenter an evil racist bigot for daring to question a man of color).

Vodkapundit's must read...

damn it, when are these guys not right about a must read? Of course, they pull the money quote as well.

"I was cynical about Iraq. But when I saw the Iraqi people voting three
weeks ago, 8 million of them, it was the start of a new Arab world." Jumblatt
says this spark of democratic revolt is spreading. "The Syrian people, the
Egyptian people, all say that something is changing. The Berlin Wall has fallen.
We can see it."

Sports News...seriously, this made me tingle! (And Diener ends MU's hopes for respectibility this season)

Packers eye hockey on green and gold pond

The franchise is in talks with the Western Collegiate Hockey Association to
stage the main event: a match featuring the University of Wisconsin Badgers
hockey team and another WCHA opponent.

Humiliating the Gophers at Lambeau Field in front of 35000 fans would possibly be the greatest moment of my hockey-fan life. Screw the McNaughton Cup, screw the NCAA championship, lets humiliate the Gophers live on NATIONAL television.

The only disappointing this about this is that they aren't going to try and pack the stadium, like they did up in Ann Arbor a few years back for the Michigan Michigan St. game.

Marquette press conference sometime today

Announcing the end of the MU basketball world, TD is hurt, most likely for the season (why else the press conference?) Hurt his hand in practice (we talkin bout practice? come on man, practice?...practice?) When there is a story I might link to it, might not. It's not really newsworthy, they were in the toilet long ago.

Most used headline over the last few years?

Governor promises to veto bill

I feel like I've seen this one before. It looks like Doyle is going to, shockingly, veto any tax freeze proposed by Republicans. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that had the republican's proposed the exact same bill to the governor that he is touting now last year, Doyle would have broken out that well worn veto pen.

The Legislature Tuesday handed Gov. Jim Doyle a three-year freeze on
property tax bills, but the governor promised to veto it today...The 20-13
Senate vote sent the governor a bill locking in the current annual statewide
property tax levy for public schools, now $3.6 billion, for three more years.
The measure would also require local governments to limit property tax levy
increases to an amount equal to new construction in their communities. That has
averaged 2.6% statewide in recent years.

We can be assured of the same headline Friday when the guv decides that it is much too much of an imposition to force people to show who they are when they vote. [As an aside, I live in an apartment complex. As such, my name is grouped with all the other people (overwhelmingly young) who live in that complex and have registered to vote. I can see who has and has not voted yet with a cursory glance at the open binder on the table at the polling place. The past three election, I literally could have voted a dozen times, using a dozen names who had yet to come and vote. If you go at the end of the day with a group of like-minded hoodlums, you could stuff a ballot box. Enough boxes stuffed, the vote is tilted. Since Wisconsin is one of the dwindling states that encourages such felonious fraud you can be damn sure that organizations like MoveOn (and similar right leaning groups) will take full advantage of this and begin focusing on the inner city and Madison, where questioning a minority's motives is akin to flying the stars and bars].

The voter ID bill will be passed and vetoed, and yet again Doyle will be undercutting the will of the people. I want an ad, starting this fall, that just runs a list of all the bill's Doyle has vetoed. End it with a link to an info website. Cheap and informative, as long as it is run early and often it could be extremely effective in laying the groundwork of "Doyle as oppressor."

Too busy to post...

But I did just have time to check up on our favorite nutters over at democraticunderground.com just now over a quick working lunch. I figured they would have some very choice things to say about the purported assassination attempt. While I was wrong, I wasn't the only person thinking that way. It seems some at DU were also worried their compadres would make fools of themselves and cheer the news (or bemoan the fact that it wasn't successful). It's not a farfetched fear, since they cheered the passing of President Reagan with gusto and exuberance.

Biting my tongue - till it bleeds

Careful with your responses, people.

I almost didn't post this for fear of someone saying something
asinine

Please do not post messages or jokes that could be construed as advocating
harm or death to the president, or that could be construed as advocating violent
overthrow of the government of the United States.

Oh well, they behaved themselves today, and I personally am surprised. OF course, they do think the news is a "Rovian plot" to take attention away from a story that died two weeks ago, but hell, they can have their fantasies.

This story does not pass the smell test. They just want another "terraist"
to crucify.

In the Rove campaign-to-take-heat-off-shrub, this is another sympathy ploy.
Pathetic.

As soon as I heard the story I thought it was another Rovian ploy to gain
sympathy for our dear president. They can say anything they want and get away
with it. Why, who is going to actually check and investigate the story? Our news
media?

Just another day in tinfoil paradise...

"Russian Scientists Develop Tablet to Prolong Drunkeness"

The headline says it all. Who said that abject national poverty never lead to innovations that benefit all of humankind?

Russian scientists have developed a product that can keep a person drunk,
Britain’s Daily Telegraph wrote.The tablet called RU-21 Red was developed in
Spirit Sciences, a laboratory based in California but with research facilities
in Russia. The same scientists had earlier worked on secret programs for the
Kremlin and had made the famous RU-21 product that cures hangovers.If you take a
tablet you need less alcohol to stay drunk, the scientists were quoted by the
paper as saying. “RU-21 Red prolongs drunkenness and enhances intoxication,” the
company co-founder, Emil Chiabery, born in the ex-Soviet republic of Georgia
said.

Sadly, the four paragraph story managed to make me jump with glee, and only seconds later curse our American bad luck...

“I’m not sure I’m going to market it in the U.S.A. I don’t want it to
become a party drug. We are for responsible drinking,” Chiabery said.

Chiabery you magnificent bastard, don't hold out on me!

Paris Hilton's Phone Book (sorry, I couldn't resist)

In the latest dumb blonde posting, I found a solid link to the "big story" on todays slow news day. (WARNING: Link contains nudity).

There are even some text messaging conversations on the page, damn does she suck. Anyway, there's nothing real interesting, I just figured I'd give everyone a bit of a diversion on this slow President's Day.

Sample of photos taken from Paris Hilton's phone:

President's Day

Since the marktes are closed today and there is no mail, I have off today. I'm a little upset that I am awake this early, since I was out downing wild turkey with my Hunter S. Thompson obsessed roommate last night. It really is a shame, but it doesn't seem anyone has any insights so far as to why. The democraticundergrounders are claiming another Bush hit while more reasonable people are looking to his breakneck life and adulation of Hemingway. Who knows? Unlike some, it is not difficult for me to appreciate and enjoy artists with divergent political position from mine (Dylan anyone??) so I was shocked to hear it on Drudge radio last night. Fittingly, I heard it on my way to a bar on a Sunday night, to drink with a guy who read two of Thompson's more obsure works in the last week. Being the bearer of bad news is never great, but he took it well, ordered shot after shot, and eventually stopped saying "Holy shit!"

Moving on, I found some President's Day arts and crafts for everyone to enjoy, since I will be busy all day (no work usually means no posts) you will have to entertain yourselves.

Three Cornered Hat
Cut three 12" X 3" strips of construction paper for
each child. Let the children make three-cornered hats like the ones worn in
George Washingtons Day. Have each child staple together the ends of the three
strips of construction paper(making a triangle). Children can then wear their
hats for their other activities.

Lincoln's Bracelet
Provide children
with 3-6 pennies. Cut clear contact paper in half, enclosing the pennies. Adjust
bracelet to slip on child's wrist.

Cherry Trees
Glue twigs on
sheets of sturdy white paper to make trees. Let children attach small red circle
sticker "cherries" or use finger prints dipped into red finger paints.

Game - Chop Down The Cherry Tree
Sit in circle. One player is the
Cherry Tree, who stands in center of circle with eyes covered. Adult chooses one
player to touch Cherry Tree & say,"Chop, chop." Cherry Tree falls down
gently & player returns to place in circle. All players then say with deep
voices, "Who chopped the cherry tree?" Cherry Tree opens eyes & guesses who
it was. That player then becomes Cherry Tree, & the game is repeated. We
laugh a lot while playing this!

Enjoy these wildly stimulating activities with all your friends!

Damn Hippies

Found this doozy at socialsecuritychoice.com, but for some reason their trackbacks aren't working. Anyway, it makes a good point.

Leftist Math

I sat down yesterday to write a long winded inspired piece about the new social security calculator put out by the dems. Long story short, I ended up at the bar. Luckily there are more responsible (and knowledgeable) men and women out there.

#1. Democrats assume that current Social Security systems can pay promised
benefits, but, in fact, benefits would be cut 27 percent by 2042 if nothing is
done. (Source)
#2.
Democrats assume final plan will include price-indexing when price indexing is
not in plan president laid out in State Of The Union address. (Source)
#3. Democrats do not account for investment gains. (Source)
The Washington Post: “Personal Accounts Would Boost
Benefits For The Average Retiree” Because Real Rate Of Return Is Expected To Be
4.6 Percent. (Source)
#4. Democrats make up “Privatization Tax” -
President’s plan merely prevents “double-dipping” by allowing workers portion of
traditional benefits if they choose PRAs. President Bush’s plan “would require
those who opt for a personal account to forgo some of their regular benefits.
It’s simply a trade-off - and it’s necessary to prevent double-dipping by both
having a personal account and drawing full benefits.” (Source)

Friday Sports Roundup

Inspired by this incredibly terrible article in the Urinal.

"My sole purpose is to try and have him remain coach of the Green Bay
Packers," LaMonte said Thursday. "I'm very positive about what I think will be a
good outcome.

Madison Memorial lost a shocker in OT to Janesville...boy things have changed since my HS hockey days...

Badger hockey has a MONSTROUS series this weekend, and as always, I am going to make the attempt to get in. (saturday is sold out, Friday close.) Some good (and strange) UW Hockey articles...As an aside to the strange article, we (Waukesha Memorial) worked Talafous and #1 Superior in 98. So how big is this weekend for the Badgers McNoughton Cup hopes?? Only 5 points separate the Badgers from CC, who has to play second place Denver the final weekend. A Badger sweep puts Bucky only 1 point behind CC, and easily within Cup grasp!



USCHO.com had this fun fact:

Talking trivia: Wisconsin is averaging 12,615 fans for its home games this season — a figure that is better than last season's home averages of which two NHL teams? Answer below. Wisconsin's attendance average is better than last season's average of the Carolina Hurricanes (12,171) and Pittsburgh Penguins (11,871).

An even better fact? Minnesota has won just once in its last eight home games (1-6-1). Gophers still suck.

NASCAR news...hometown boys Kenseth, Wimmer, Kvapil will start 14, 16, and 24th respectively at Daytona.

Rooting for the enemy...

Kurt Anderson has a fascinating story in the New Yorker Magazine. Mr. Sykes read it on the air and I felt I had to put a few excerpts on here. It really is amazing that an avowed lefty would write things so honestly and openly.

Seriously: The success of the [Iraqi] elections poses a major
intellectual-moral-political problem for people in this city. The cognitive
dissonance is palpable...Now the people of this Bush-hating city are being
forced to grant the merest possibility that Bush, despite his annoying manner
and his administration’s awful hubris and dissembling and incompetence
concerning Iraq, just might—might, possibly—have been correct to invade, to
occupy, and to try to enable a democratically elected government in
Iraq...Of course, for all but a nutty fringe, it is not a matter of actually
wishing for an insurgent victory, but rather of hating the idea of a victory
presided over by the Bush team.

As this last U.S. election cycle began, however, a new subspecies of
liberal guilt arose—over the pleasure liberals took in bad news from Iraq, which
seemed sure to hurt the administration...[He finally comes out and says it,
liberals were HAPPY about bad news coming from Iraq. As we all know, bad
news means dead Americans and innocent Iraqi's]...Each of us has a
Hobbesian choice concerning Iraq; either we hope for the vindication of Bush’s
risky, very possibly reckless policy, or we are in a de facto alliance with the
killers of American soldiers and Iraqi civilians...

It is a brutally honest piece of journalism unlike much you'll see from democrats. If the left keeps being this honest, they might actually have a shot in 4 years. Good thing Dean and the Deaniacs will piss off everyone in the country by then.

"Hey, black people, get back in the kitchen! YEEEEEAHAAAAHHAHA"

One week in office and he his foot is firmly lodged in his mouth...this guy is AWESOME!

My first tech-geek post

X-Box 360 revealed. My only question is will I be able to hack it so I can upload games for free...not that I do that. The question is purely for research purposes.


Honestly.

Our inside source says that the console is a sleek silver device worthy of
countertop display, and features an inhaled design that turns the harsh angles
of the original Xbox into sweeps and curves. The device will also be able to
stand upright or on it’s side, much like the Playstation 2. The side of the 360°
is dominated by an oversized, back-lit power button called the ring of light,
and the rest of the case can be customized with colorful designer face plates
that pop on and off. The 360°s dashboard will also be customizable, making each
console a thing totally unique to its owner.
Some of the inner workings of
the 360° have also been confirmed. The device will feature high definition audio
and video and wireless controllers, and will come in two flavors—one with a hard
drive and one without. The biggest shock is that while Microsoft wants to make
their 360° backwards compatible, they haven’t yet been able to pull it off.

They don't all have ear necklaces??

NRO via Vodkapundit...

It seems we don't turn our men and women out on the unsuspecting world to rape and pillage. Interestingly enough, Mary Beth Sheridan of the WaPo didn't find a single Colonel Kurtz when hanging with the troops in Iraq. Personally, I think she wrote such glowing words out of fear. She's seen Full Metal Jacket and didn't want a soap wuppin...

First of all, she said she was "overwhelmed by the military," but she did learn
by being embedded that members of our armed forces were not "blood-thirsty
maniacs." Yes, she really did say that.
In fact, she said, they were "really
decent people." And even "sweet." Of course, after being shot at they were eager
to shoot back — a military attitude that seemed to surprise her.
She also
reported that when she asked soldiers why were they in Iraq, every single one
told her, "to help the Iraqi people." Again she was surprised that the military
could create such a unity of purpose even though, she said, she didn't see any
"brainwashing" going on

Incredibly, Mary Beth couldn't find one single Kilgore over there to tell her he "loved the smell of Napalm in the morning." Rumsfeld must have gotten to her...this needs to be investigated!

Good news for Hillary

With the new class-action limiting law suits, trial lawyers will have less money to throw at their puppy Edwards, giving Hillary more room...Honestly, the thought of Hillary or Feingold running in 08 just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Dick Morris aside, Hillary would get swamped. She does not play well over time. She is decent in small doses but starts to become grating over long stretches. Since the 08 campaign will basically begin in 2006, the American public will be far too exposed to her for too long a time. I liken her to George Karl. She'll come out strong, showing some fire, intensity and have early success. Eventually everyone will tire of her antics and just want her to go away. I'm speaking obviously on a national level, I will never claim to understand New Yawkas.

greedy lawyers have taken advantage of the state class action lawsuit
system by filing frivolous lawsuits in certain state courts where they know they
can win big dollar verdicts. Meanwhile, those lawyers’ clients get only small
sums or coupons giving them discounts for the products of the company they just
sued, lawmakers said.
“Frivolous lawsuits are clogging America’s judicial
system, endangering America’s small businesses, jeopardizing jobs and driving up
prices for consumers,” said House Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo.
Moving those
cases to federal court will ensure that state judges will no longer “routinely
approve settlements in which the lawyers receive large fees and the class
members receive virtually nothing,” he added.

Jose Canseco

I have spent a lot of time thinking about this (seriously, I think this is all Dan Patrick is ever going to talk about on his radio show until April) and have formed a few conclusions.

First, there is no way any other whistle blower is treated this harshly by the media. It is disgraceful that for some reason they are questioning Jose Canseco's credibility. It is especially appalling that 60 Minutes ran a piece essentially questioning Canseco's credibility. You would think they would possibly question Bill Burkett's credibility in an issue with far-reaching election implications as harshly as they cirticized Canseco? CBS news continues to be a joke. I don't remember them questioning that idiot weapons inspector Ritter's credibility (even though he was an obvious partisan hack, proven over and over) when he was trying to blow a whistle on the Bush administration.

Second, the real reason Canseco wrote the book is not because he needed money. He simply wanted to change his legacy. He did not want people to remember his for that Carlos Martinez ball bouncing off his head for a home run. (I apologize for my inability to find a picture of that fantastic moment in MLB history).

Negroponte named National Intelligence Director

Who in their right mind would want this job? It is a toothless figurehead position with no real control and no real "foot soldiers." In addition, Mr. Negroponte will be the first person expected to fall on his sword if, God forbid, something would happen on our soil.

Confirmed as ambassador on May 6, 2004, Negroponte had earlier been the U.S.
permanent representative to the United Nations since Sept. 18, 2001.
From
1997 to 2001, Negroponte was executive vice president for global markets at The
McGraw-Hill Companies.
Negroponte was a career diplomat from 1960 to 1997,
serving at eight different posts in Asia, Europe, and Latin America, according
to his State Department biography. He also held important positions at the State
Department and the White House.
A Member of the Council on Foreign Relations
and the American Academy of Diplomacy, he is a graduate of Yale University.

The main reason I like this choice however, is because the lunatics over at democraticunderground are going nuts!

What a scary evil douchebag.

Holy shit--that guy is a CRIMINAL

Be VERY afraid...DITCHES full of corpses...

A Murderer And Nefarious Operator Is Now In Charge Of Our
Intelligence

NOW, I REALLY, REALLY WANNA GET THE HELL OUTTA' THIS INSANE
COUNTRY!!!

Seriously, these people are hillarious. I am convinced some day the moderator will jump up and say "Ha, wasn't this site a funny satire!" It's like an Onion of the Leftists for me.

The Pentagon Channel

pretty darn cool. Streaming 24 hours a day supposedly. Haven't seen any breaking news or anything in the twenty minutes I'vebeen watching, but still pretty cool.

The Carter Attack Sub: Some Gems from The Corner

over at NRO's The Corner, they are having a field day with the news that the Navy is naming an attack sub after the inept former President Jimmy Carter:

Will battle sound like this?:
Skipper: Load tubes 1 and 3!
Ensign: Tubes 1 and 3 loaded
sir.
Skipper: Release the diplomats!

The USS Jimmy Carter?!? My mind is starting to explode with all of the
comedic possibilities. What, will the sub break down in the middle of the ocean
on its way to rescue operations? Will everyone on the sub have to wear sweaters?
Instead of a morale officer, will the boat feature a "malaise official?" What if
the sub comes across a rabbit in the water? Will there be a "moral equivalent to
combat operations" on this sub? These jokes just write themselves.

According to Jim
Dunnigan's "How to Make War" web site the USS Jimmy Carter will be the
designated SPY SUBMARINE for the US Fleet, taking the place of the USS Narwhal
and others. That means that Jimmy Carter's namesake will creeping about
violating other nations sovereignty and SPYING on them! Considering Mr. Carter's
credentials, I believe that this is the cruelest and best revenge possible by
the Navy on one of its alumni.

My favorite:

"Will the U.S.S. Jimmy Carter be hammered together by weekend volunteers?"

Damn

Incredible article, ridiculous quote...

New robotic soldiers WILL have large role in US military in next ten years. Of course, this leads the NY Times to search for a lunatic to quote. Enter Bill Joy (Sun Microsystems co-founder):

21st-century robotics and nanotechnology may become "so powerful that they
can spawn whole new classes of accidents and abuses...As machines become more
intelligent, people will let machines make more of their decisions for them,"
Mr. Joy wrote recently in Wired magazine. "Eventually a stage may be reached at
which the decisions necessary to keep the system running will be so complex that
human beings will be incapable of making them intelligently. At that stage, the
machines will be in effective control."

Did he steal that from Terminator? Come on, that has to be a Terminator quote..."the machines will be in effective control!" We Must destroy Skynet!!

I am always curious as to why the scientists are so bent on making the robots appear human-like. Personally, I liked this idea:

Robots in battle, as envisioned by their builders, may look and move
like..hummingbirds, tractors or tanks, cockroaches or crickets. With the
development of nanotechnology - the science of very small structures - they may
become swarms of "smart dust."

Seriously, a swarm of "smart dust" nano robots at our disposal...slip a squadron into a Mid East dust storm and "adios Ayatollah!"

Badger Hockey Update

Nice article with a few Bruckler quotes.

"I was on there and I was grinding my teeth and I was still thinking about it a
little bit," Bruckler said. "But more, already thinking about the next thing. It
takes me a couple days after a loss or just a bad performance where I'm not
playing that great. I have huge pride in that, and I just want to come out there
and do the best I can for my team. The bottom line is to win games, and the last
three games we didn't do that."

Another huge weekend for the Badgers, and I will be at Friday nights game for sure, and possibly get myself into the Saturday game as well. I will also be in the Belly of the Beast (Madison) Friday afternoon watching some prep games, checking out some Badger prospects and a Gopher prospect who just happens to be dating my little sister. Perhaps he'll make it home...

We'll know Dagenhart's status this afternoon or tomorrow morning (shoulder).

** The Badgers' magic number to clinch at least third place in the final standings is five points.

I apologize in advance, but we all need a good laugh

Jesus, is anybody really this friggin stupid?

The comments really are the best, except of course, for this:

ON BRITNEY'S BENJAMINS
Details: People think Kevin is with you for your money.
Kevin: Oh, yeah.
Britney: Well, time will tell, motherchuckers...
Kevin: What you hear about in all those bullshit-ass magazines is bullshit.

Yes, she is quoted as saying motherchuckers.

Okay, so this was all just an excuse for this picture...

Kim Johnson of Milwaukee, our Idiot of the Week

After all the fervor over the "little Eichmanns" quote from Ward Churchill's
essay "Some People Push Back," I decided, unlike most critics, to read the essay
in full ("UW-Whitewater expected to decide today on permitting speech /
University fields calls, e-mails on professor, Feb. 10").
I thought it was
impassioned, flawed and poorly reasoned, much like the "rationale" given for
going to war, for the unlawful holding of human beings in Guantanamo Bay and for
the so-called Patriot Act. But the essay was certainly not without
merit.
Anyone who has any knowledge of Nazi trials knows that Adolf Eichmann
was convicted not of being a mass murderer but of enabling the Nazi war machine
to run smoothly and so contributing to the deaths of millions. Which was the job
of some who worked at the Twin Towers; to help a system run smoothly that was
responsible for the deaths of so many innocents across the ocean.
I do not
feel those people got what they deserved. They deserved a job that provided for
their families without having to worry about the utter lack of any ethics or
compassion or humanity of the company they worked for. But because of the sick
society we live in, not many people get what they deserve.

Kim Johnson

Milwaukee

Kim, I too read the essay, and found it absurdly simplified and have since found it oddly defended. Churchill himself has said he wasn't talking about the broom pushers and cafeteria workers. This puzzles me. Aren't they "part of the machine?" Would those evil stock brokers and numbers crunchers have been able to perfrom their jobs with such efficiency if not for those individuals? What about the firefighters and policemen that Mr. Churchill, the fraudulent Indian, so kindly absolves from any Nazi refrence? Would these men and women who were massacred in the WTC have been able to even have a place of work if not for the protection given by those brave men and women of the NYPD/FD? Isn't it those very heroes that allow men and women to leave their children in the hands of others, because of the laws the police enforce and the amount of protection provided by their services?

Kim's logic is as flawed as that Churchill fraud. "Anyone who has any knowledge of Nazi trials knows that Adolf Eichmann was convicted not of being a mass murderer but of enabling the Nazi war machine to run smoothly and so contributing to the deaths of millions. Which was the job of some who worked at the Twin Towers; to help a system run smoothly that was responsible for the deaths of so many innocents across the ocean." In essence, because they were part of the machine, they are a valid target. Who then, isn't a valid target? To begin with, our teachers empart the knowledge that allows these men and women to function as machinery cogs. Our service workers allow the men and women time and energy to perform these evil tasks that allow our nation to brutalize people across oceans. Obviously politicians are evil. Any consumer I suppose is equally as culpable according to Ms. Johnson, after all, they feed the fire of capitalism.

In short, every one of us is "part of the machine" that Ms. Johnson and Mr. Churchill so desperately despise. No wonder I don't find it difficult to find Mr. Churchill and like minded individuals so contemptable.

Email updates

For some absurd reason the updates I have been sending in via email have not been posting. I am working on it but since that is how I mainly post, things could remain slow for a day or so.

Can Howard Dean be far behind?

Rael to bestow Honorary Priest title to Ward Churchill


Rael to bestow "Honorary Priest" title to Ward Churchill for his essaythe
60,000+ members of the Raelian Movement send Churchill their supportMiami, Feb
10, 2005. Rael, leader of the International Raelian Movement (www.rael.org) has
just given the "Honorary Priest" title to Ward Churchill (University of Colorado
professor) for his essay which most of the US is decrying as insensitive or
unpatriotic. Ricky Roehr (leader of the US Raelian Movement) is quoted: "Mr.
Churchill is exactly right in what he wrote! If we are to have peace, we must
take responsibility for our part in the violence and stop handing out blame as
if we have done nothing. Quite the contrary, we have done terrible things to
countless people. Churchill addressed the cause of the 9-11 attacks and people
want to shoot the messenger. Fox news and the right wing would have him thrown
out of the US for being unpatriotic and insensitive to the innocent people
killed in the 9-11 attacks. It is precisely Churchill's compassion for loss of
innocent life that prompted his essay - his words so easily twisted by the
right-wing who dare not think anything which conficts with the what the Bush
administration is spoon feeding a public blinded by the rhetoric of fear and
intolerance. Blind patriotism is precisely what created Nazi Germany by
instilling the same "culture of fear" which allows the normally peace loving
public to justify attacking countries who never attacked them. The current air
in America is eerily like that of pre-Nazi Germany.

(nod to little green footballs)

Breaking news from democraticunderground.com!!

It seems that the author of such classics as Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huck Finn was not actually named Mark Twain. Rather he was a GOP plant whose real name is Samuel Longhorn Clemens. Using his diabolic time machine, evil genius Karl Rove went back in time to convince Twain/Clemens to pepper his writings with racial and ethnic slurs. It seems this was all a plot by the Bush cabal to "keep the black man down." Obvioulsy this is incredibly important news, and we expect President Bush's resignation at any moment.

According to Daily Kos, the leftist bloggers are also frantically working on a rumor that William Shakespeare's real name was not in fact William Shakespeare.

In a lesser story, Dear Abbie is not really Dear Abbie. In fact, there have been multiple Dear Abbies over the years, and it seems Bush has installed nefarious neocon Paul Wolfowitz in the coveted position.

Mike Adams Tackles MU

Gotta love the Town Hall daily email, lots of great editorials daily...

Anyway, Mike Adams, a guy who is simply hillarious in dealing with his own academic persecution at UNC has taken a look at our very own Marquette (written as a letter to Dean McCarthy)...

You have, according to my research, at least two gay organizations on
campus. Both organizations seem to enjoy “unfettered pursuit of truth” at
Marquette. They are allowed freedom of speech on your website and freedom of
association on your campus. Although, as a private school, you are not bound by
the First Amendment, you seem to grant these organizations certain rights
voluntarily, in the name of academic freedom.
So, how are we to resolve the
university’s position that, a) pro-abortion speech is permissible, b) pro-gay
speech is permissible, and c) pro-war speech is impermissible?
The answer is
simple: Marquette University is not committed to serving God or the Catholic
Church. It is committed to advancing the policies of the Democratic Party.

Big Badger Weekend!

Another HUGE weekend for Badger hockey, with #4 Bucky heading to Denver to take on the #3 ranked Bulldogs. I thought it would be somewhat difficult to get up for this weekend because of the let down in the last minute of last Saturday's game, and while it has taken an extra day, I am pumped! Badgers need these games much more than last weekend, a sweep would put them in the drivers seat for the WCHA title:

This weekend's Wisconsin-Denver series has plenty of title implications. Both
teams also face Colorado College in the final three weeks of the season, so if
either can sweep this weekend, they'll likely go into that series with
everything on the line.

The top three teams in the division are on a razor thin margin, with each team having a series against the other remaining on their schedule. The good news for BAdger fans is that we get Colorado College at home next weekend. Basically these four games can make or break the mighty Badgers. I'm not positive about video, but you can definitely listen to the game here.

"Fake" reporter quits...Is Helen Thomas next?

I imagine the White House pool reporters for the NY and LA Times are quaking in their boots. It is only a matter of time (probably later today) until someone finds questions as biased and loaded against the President and administration coming from those camps. Will those reporters then quit as well?

How about the guy who simply made up the booing coming from people in West Allis when President Bush wished an ailing Slick Willy well? Someone check his credentials, how the heck did he get a job with AP?

What about the "fake" teacher down in Colorado? Teaching history while being a Holocaust denier? Seems like a strange way to teach. Anyone else remember the flap over Mel Gibson's dad denying the extermination of Jews and the demand from the leftists in Hollywood that he denounce his own father?

Paging Helen Thomas, Helen Thomas to the hack reporter phone. Mr. Gannon is waiting to share a cab to Partisan Alley with you. Seriously though, Helen must be shaking in her curled up little elfin boots right now...

"Her loathing for Bush is palpable. "This is the worst president ever," she
told the Torrance, Calif., Daily Breeze in January. "He is the worst
president in all of American history..."
Thomas to Fleischer: Will you
state for the record, for the historical record, why [Bush] wants to bomb Iraqi
people? —March 5, 2003
Thomas to Fleischer: [W]hy is [Bush] going to
bomb them? I mean, how do you bomb people back to democracy? This is a question
of conquest. They didn't ask to be "liberated" by the United States. This is our
self-imposed political solution for them. —Feb. 26, 2003
Thomas: At an earlier briefing, Ari, you said
that the president deplored the taking of innocent lives. Does that apply to all
innocent lives in the world?Fleischer: Well, Helen—Thomas: And I have a
follow-up.Fleischer: —I refer specifically to a horrible terrorist attack in Tel
Aviv that killed scores and wounded hundreds. And the president, as he said in a
statement yesterday, deplores in the strongest terms the taking of those lives
and the wounding of those people, innocents in Israel.Thomas: My follow-up is,
why does he want to drop bombs on innocent Iraqis?—Jan. 6, 2003

I expect Rep. Louise Slaughter's letter about Helen Thomas to be coming any moment now

Okay, I'll give you my take on Ward Churchill

American Indians brought it on themselves. If they would have just let the early settlers and pioneers roam free without ever trying to protect themselves, then they would have never had any problems. In essence, the fate of the Indian is the fault of the Indian...

I wonder if I went to Mr. Churchill's class and started talking about these things what he would have to say? If I told him that since he claims to be a Native American, it would be okay for people to kill him and his relatives? Native American's probably wiped out Jamestown and Roanoake, so all Native American's should be killed. Well, maybe not all of them, but enough so that they "get it."

Isn't that basically what he is saying? All American's deserve to die because there have been people killed by American actions abroad? His comments are as ridiculous and heinous as those I wrote above (which I obviously do not believe, no thinking person could).

Firing him would not take away his freedom of speech, it would simply be taking away his tax payer funded income. Mr. Churchill would still be able to spout his American hate speech on the street corner or in the town square, Coloradoans just shouldn't have to pay for it.

Doyle's Budget

First, did anyone see on the Urinal online they had a live web cast of
the governor's speech? It was pretty cool aside from the gigantic
picture of Doyle that accompanied the video screen. Personally I have
no idea how much it costs (Badger hockey has live web casts from time to
time) and would be very interested to know, since both Doyle and UW
obviously are spending our money for these things.

Secondly, the budget is almost not worth commenting on since it will be
revamped and rewritten and argued over in every corner of the state for
the next few months. The thing I am most concerned about is the
elimination of the QEO for public school teacher negotiations. Without
these caps I can only imagine what MPS teachers will be acting like in
the next contract negotiations. I envision illegal strikes and "sick
days" and more childish behavior from a union which will be granted far
too much power with out the much needed cap of the QEO. While Doyle
calls this a tax "freeze" it is anything but. Teacher salaries alone
would skyrocket in the coming years, because Doyle will have backed
local governments into a corner.

The Deaniacs in a nutshell

Postitive outlook for Bush's SS plan?

Dick Morris has a compelling article in today's NY Post. He argues that the President's plan actually has a pretty good chance to get through, based on the will of the people (well, the will of the people under 50). It is nice to finally see someone (even if it is Morris) actually saying this impotant legislation has a shot. I will admit that some of the things I have been hearing are troubling (molasses slow phase in, mandatory annuities...) but all in all this plan must pass, the sooner the better for those of us in our early twenties.

Pollster Scott Rasmussen reports that support for private investment skews
dramatically by age group. Those aged 18 to 29 back it by 65 percent to 22
percent. Thirtysomething voters support it by 63-28; those in their 40s,
59-30. But voters between the ages of 50 and 64 oppose the
private-investment option by 49-41, and those over 65, by 63-27. So the
only voters who oppose private investment are those whom the reforms won't
touch. Those for whom the changes are real, generally support them...It is not
that these programs are likely to fail. Democrats fear them because they suspect
that they will succeed — that government-run Social Security will henceforth
only be for those so poor that they could not amass much in their retirement
accounts...Democrats will rant and rave. But they won't find any mass
constituency for their passion — and the program will pass. Bush could
still get shipwrecked by the cuts he proposes in benefits to avoid bankruptcy. But his privatization proposal should pass easily.

Post pulls a Seinfeld: "Breathtaking"

Another impressively negative budget article from the impartil folks at the Washington Post.

the fiscal 2006 budget proposed yesterday by President Bush is breathtaking
-- in the first approach as farce, in the second as tragedy...cuts as draconian
as the administration proposes are not necessary and would fall too heavily on
those who can tolerate it least...maddeningly blinkered mindset ignores the
impact of the Bush tax cuts, which were at once unaffordable and tilted to the
wealthiest Americans...those priorities are flat wrong.

Wow, it's been something like seventeen minutes since I heard the tax cuts benefitted only the wealthy, very original indeed. The fact is the Post wants there to be no war spending and a tax increase ("roll back" means tax hike). The fact that Americans don't want to pay high taxes (notice the Republican majority) and want to be safe (again, that Republican majority thing) seems to go right over the Post editors heads.

A heartfelt thank you to our men and women

It turns out that Michelle Malkin wasn't the only reason I have been inundated (with extreme gratitude) today. A poster on www.snipershide.com reposted her post, which included the blurb about me.

I am not exactly sure who visits the sniper web site, but I have a pretty good idea they are mostly men and women who have served or are serving in our Armed Forces.

I just wanted to point out that these people have been personally insulted and I wanted to offer my utmost gratitude to each and every person involved with all United States military branches. It is truly an honor to have even a few of you read this page, and even a bigger honor that in some way, I am able to help (if only slightly) right this ridiculous wrong. I urge you to write Dr. Brower, if only to express your outrage at the comments he made.

I can't imagine the sacrifices, discipline, and courage it takes to be a forward scout and sniper. If I could I would thank each and every one of you personally, but for now this will have to do.

To all who are protecting me and our country on the front lines and here at home...thank you.

Very shrewd indeed

It seems that Governor Doyle can do more than veto sound legislation. In a shrewd political move he has proposed an enormous $850 million dollars on top of the normal public school (in other words failed schools) funding. In effect, he is going to be able to say that Republican legislators (who cannot let this stand) cut out nearly a billion dollars in new school funding. While all who follow this little political game understand that the additional money will be like throwing a gold fish at the enormous bureaucratic whale that is Wisconsin public schools (what do we have, seventy eight public universities? I swear, someone once told me they graduated from UW - Village of Elm Grove).

Thing is, this ploy will probably work, because of the media. The Urinal will lead the charge, blaming Republicans for effectively burning the kindergarten books (while at the same time stealing their illegal prescription drugs from their mail boxes). This is the time we in Wisconsin who understand the political gamesmanship must do everything we can to jump on this issue early and often. The louder the better. The path this absurd spending will take is obvious, so it is important to point out the absurdity of it now.

All the SB ads over at USA Today

Comprehensive page featuring all the ads and a chance to vote on best and worst. I thought the troop applause was one of the best advertisements I have ever seen personally...okay, I like the godaddy.com ad too.

They also have some clips of ads that weren't able to be aired, along with some Miller Lite ads that Fox yanked for poking fun at Anheiser Busch.

Scathing rhetoric from the Washington Post

Remember the Poor



"depressing numbers"
"budgetary times that try the nation's soul"
"In the face of this unhappy fiscal reality, the risk is that the budget
ax will fall most heavily on the poorest and most vulnerable"
"reckless tax cuts"
"we think the president's pledge to cut the deficit in half in five
years is a sham -- an inadequate target achieved by misleading
budgeting"
"cruelly disproportionate share of the cuts"


Hmm, that didn't take long at all.

I am shocked, shocked that there is this much waste...

In the federal budget. 150 programs are going to be eliminated or
"vastly scaled back."

I think it will be incredibly interesting to see how much of this is
slashed in the end. In particular, Feingold was on Q&A last night (not
at all interesting or exciting) talking about cutting the deficit. We
will see if he was being sincere or just paying lip service. I want to
see if he'll support ending the federal funding for Amtrak, basically
killing the program if I read their financial situation correctly.

The other interesting political fight to watch will be the cuts to farm
subsidies. Practically speaking it makes sense, paying farmers to rot
their crops and dump their milk has never made sense to me, from a
consumer standpoint. Already the leftists are making their age old
pitch "You're hurting farmers while giving tax cuts to your "fat cat"
cronies.

"This budget is part of the Republican plan to cut Social Security
benefits while handing out lavish tax breaks for multimillionaires,"
said Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

I have to believe that the dems understand this argument isn't working
anymore, since almost all taxpayers in America got a break from this
president. It seems they haven't had a chance to get the spin machine
revved up and pumping out more "personal account's are like Vegas
gambling" style lies.

William Brower Update

Well, it's not really an update but since the popular Michelle Malkin has thrown a link to my site in one of her posts, I have seen a spike already (yes, for me ten people is a spike).

Anyway, I emailed professor Brower on Saturday morning and have yet to hear back from him. Specifically I asked him where he is getting his research funding from and if he is still receiving money from NASA. When I receive answers to these questions I will obviously let everyone know.

Here is my letter:

Dr. Brower,

I recently became aware of your statements and feelings about the recent
controversy surrounding Marquette University and the adopt a sniper
program. It seems in discussing this topic with a class you referred to a
bracelet, upon which you wrote "Adopt A Nazi." I was just curious as to
who it was you feel the Nazi's are? I have been thinking about it and can
only imagine you were talking about those of us who have supported this
important program, and those men and women performing as snipers and forward
scouts.

I am not quite sure if you were just taking this
opportunity to attack the current administration (which is your
right, while a bit tasteless to do it on the students dime) or if you
really feel that snipers and those of us who have supported them with donations
really are Nazi's. I am curious to find out however. I am also
curious to know whether or not you are still receiving money from
Briggs & Stratton or Johnson Controls. What really puzzles me
though is the fact that you took money from NASA. Wouldn't that
make you, in your terms, Nazi funded?

As a proud alum of Marquette
I plan to explore this topic further.

Thank you for
your time,

Feingold on C-Span at 7 tonight

On the program, Q&A. I plan to record it since I'll obviously be watching the Bowl.

I'll watch it sometime in the next week, and if it's interesting maybe I'll write a bit about it.

Program description: Senator Feingold will discuss the influence of money in politics, his campaign finance reform legislation, his position on different policy issues and if he will run for president in 2008.

All in all, a great game

After a few months of beating up on mediocre competition, Bucky proved this weekend that it has what it takes to take on the big boys. They played fairly well last night despite the poor result (5-3 loss, with a Gopher goal in the final 41 seconds and an empty netter to close it), and I am liking the future. I have already started formulating plans for the Frozen Four in Columbus and will hopefully be there to see the Badgers bring home another title!

Side note: if you're the girl sitting behind me at the game, I apologize for leaving so quickly and will give you a call next time I hit Madison.

Keeping with the sports theme, I'll be at a downtown dive enjoying the crappy game with some friends. I'll try to remember as much as I can about the commercials, and root for Freedy Mitchell and Dorse the Horse (my last miserable attempts at winning the playoff fantasy football).

William E Brower Jr.

It seems that Dr. Brower has a bit too much times on his hands. Instead of teaching his class he decided to insinuate that either the Young Republicans or snipers or those who support snipers are Nazi's.

During today's Mechanical Engineering 060 class, Professor Dr. William Brower
began by sharing a joke about the current sniper situation. He then lifted up
his arm and revealed a yellow, Lance Armstrong-style bracelet. He read what he
had written onto the bracelet - Adopt A Nazi - to the class.Two different
students in the class confirm this story.So, in the name of not offending
members of the Marquette community, Marquette confiscates our CR supplies and
table. Then a professor tosses aside all political correctness and basic
standards of human decency to say and show this in a class!?!? AMAZING! Someone should have attended yesterday's speech in the Varsity Theatre by Gandhi's
grandson, who talked about respect for others!

Well I decided I would look into this brilliant engineering mind. It seems he has been highly rewarded for his academic efforts, with grants and awards from the likes of Briggs and Straton, Johnson Controls, and yes, even our own "nazi" government, in the form of NASA. I will surely try and contact these organizations to find out if they condone this type of behavior, and if they currently have dealings with Dr. Brower.

Contact info:

William E. Brower, Jr., Ph.D. & P.E.
Professor
Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
Marquette University
Haggerty Engineering 229
P.O. Box 1881Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-1881
Phone: (414) 288-5657
Fax: (414) 288-7790
Email: william.brower@marquette.edu

Department Chair:

Kristina M. Ropella, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of Biomedical Engineering
Marquette University
Olin Engineering Center, Room 338B
P.O. Box 1881
Milwaukee WI 53201-1881
Email: k.ropella@marquette.edu

Marquette University President:


Wild S.J., Rev. Robert A.
(414) 288-7223
President
Office of the PresidentProfessor; Theology
O'Hara Hall 101
robert.wild@marquette.edu

Resuming the Badger kick: Heatley gets sweet deal

I have been following this case with some interest, because usually I think it's absurd what happens when celebrities screw up. In this case, I was a little worried that Dany would get the book thrown at him because he was a celebrity.

The MVP of the 2003 NHL All-Star Game, Heatley was driving his Ferrari
convertible on a curved road in a residential area when it ran into a brick
pillar and iron fence. Authorities said Heatley had consumed some alcohol but
was not intoxicated. Snyder, a passenger, died after several days in a
coma..."As a parent, it's hard to explain how you feel about losing your son. My
pride in Dan was immeasurable," Graham Snyder said. "We will all miss him. So
how do we move on from here? Forgiveness in our hearts has helped us move on. We
forgive because Dany has shown remorse to his family."

I know it seems petty, but damn it, not one mention of Badger hockey.

A few questions from me for anyone paying attention

First, I got Mozilla's firefox a few weeks ago and love the tabbing and the live bookmarks...simply wonderful. However, I can't seem to get Java to work at all.

Second, can anyone help me jigger the template to put another sidebar on the right of the screen?

Third, is this not the winning team?


Fourth, has anyone ever finished Gravity's Rainbow...I mean honestly, I'm attempting it again tonight (my day off yesterday was your average Wisco twenty-something day off, I drank...a lot) but I know I won't get but a few pages and Slothrop will again become dull.

Fifth, Has anyone ever seen The Great Sinner with Gregory Peck? I loved it, saw it one morning about 6 years ago on AMC...I thought it was a fantastic film, but it isn't available on DVD or VHS (according to imdb.com).

THat's it, that's the list. Thanks in advance for any and all response.

Wisconsinites looking to relive the glory from a few hours ago

The game is being replayed right now WMVT. For me, downtown (Timewarner) that means channel 16.

Badgers Win!!! 3-1

Badgers win, 3-1, in a tense and physical match. Wisconsin got outplayed most of the first and third periods, but they dominated the second, scoring 2 in the second and the third in the first few minutes of the final period.

I waited til I got home for this one...

Talking at length about his political plans and the future of his party, Sen.
Russ Feingold said he would consider running for president in 2008 if there is
enough encouragement and interest from Democrats and if he thinks he has a real
shot at winning the nomination... Feingold is in the process of setting up what
is known as a leadership PAC, or political action committee, a common vehicle
for potential national candidates to make campaign donations and fund travel...
"It's the person people can relate to, the person that makes them feel
comfortable, seems to be sincere, maybe has some of the straight-type qualities
of McCain," Feingold said.
"That's the kind of person I want to be our
nominee. Whether or not I would ever fit that bill I think is a very open
question," said the senator, although he said, "I hope that's my strength."

Read that last quote again, because it is the single biggest problem faced by leftists like Feingold. "seems to be sincere" Are you kidding me? Russ doesn't want a candidate who actually believes in what he says, he just wants someone who can lie well to America, say nice things while raising taxes and granting huge federal hand outs. What a ridiculous thing to say.

As to Feingold actually running, I so hope he does. It would be twenty times better than Howard Dean running. Dean actually did some decent things in Vermont, but Russ has done nothing. He is to blame for the ridiculous 527's. The only bill with his name on it was an utter failure, let's nominate him for president! The reason I know it would be a boon for the GOP is because the crazies over at democraticundergound are begging for a Feingold nomination. As long as the dems are making the nut fringe happy, the right will continue to dominate the country's political landscape.

The Great Border Battle!

I can barely sit here at work with all of this excitement. No, I don't really care who wins the Super Bowl, it just reminds me of sitting in the cold and wet when Moss came in and humiliated the Pack at Lambeau, what I care about is the Border War between our beloved Badgers and the hated Gophers. I cannot put this hatred into any real words, it has been ingrained into my skull from the moment I was old enough to understand what was going on. My cousins and I have gotten into countless verbal wars and scuffles with backwoods Gopher fans throughout the years (sitting amongst their student section and calling for the death of Doug Woo was perhaps the fondest memory). This year, despite having a far superior team Bucky got swept in the Cities, so it is time for revenge. I'm not saying anyone should take their skate off and try to cut Briggs, but a little Derksen-esque, skate-over-the-goalies-hand-in-the-crase never hurt anyone..except Dwayne Derksen)

I predict two close games, but with the Badgers coming in riding a six game win streak and the Gophers struggling with some injured defensemen, I am confident of a Badger sweep. The insanity of the sold-out Kohl Center and the outrageous fans (originators of the Sieve chant thank you very much), not to mention the best PP and penalty kill units in the country, the Badgers could easily cruise in both games. I'll be sitting tonight's game out and watching it on FSN, but I will be there tomorrow in all likelihood.

Puck drops at 7 folks, Go Big Red!

Schuster weighs in

The prominent MSNBC newsman David Schuster decides that the Congressmen
who stained their fingers with ink for the State of the Union speech
"diminished the true significance of what happened last weekend in
Iraq." Mr. Schuster feels that since they aren't in Iraq, they
shouldn't be able to attempt a show of solidarity.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5445086/

"The fact is, few members of Congress have a son or daughter serving in
the
U.S. military. And few lawmakers have actually ever served
themselves.
Furthermore, in Washington, D.C., even "political courage,"
(never mind the
real stuff) is exceptionally rare. Am I being too
cynical? Probably. (And
I'm sure I'll get a ton of nasty e-mails from
some of you.) But, if members
of Congress want to show "solidarity"
with the Iraqi people... they are
welcome to head to Baghdad, put on a
flak jacket, and help/advise the new
assembly on writing the
constitution."

It seems to me that it is incredibly important that US lawmakers show
they are with the Iraqis. The hard stuff isn't over and while the
Iraqis are facing challenges from insurgents, US lawmakers are facing
challenges from the kook leftist fringe, headed by Ted "the
Chappaquiddick Killer" Kennedy. It is important that we show every
Iraqi we will not listen to the lunatics who want us to shout our troop
withdrawal plans from on high for every terrorist and murdered to hear
and scheme for. If we follow Teddy the lush and tell the world we are
pulling troops out on x day, obviously the terrorist will wait till the
day after x to kill people with no protection. They won't even need to
be suicide bombers; they can massacre people with no repercussion.

While the ink stained fingers may have been part political theater, it
wasn't unnecessary nor did it do anything to diminish what Iraqi's
accomplished on Sunday. Instead it was a fantastic "shout out" on a
global scale, telling the world that we will not abandon the Iraqi's.

Another Garofalo update

Find video and full transcript at the media research center here...

http://www.mrc.org/cyberalerts/2005/cyb20050203.asp#5


Watch some of it, especially when she talks to Ron, she is unhinged even
when talking to fellow leftists...unbelievable.

Garofolo update...

Confederate yankee has an update on her MSNBC appearance that I talked about the other day.
(http://rightingwisconsin.blogspot.com/2005/02/jeanine-garofalo-on-weakest-show-ever.html)

http://confederateyankee.blogspot.com/

"The inked fingers and the position of them, which is gonna be a 'Daily
Show' photo already, of them signaling in this manner [does the Nazi salute], as
if they have solidarity with the Iraqis who braved physical threats against
their lives to vote as if somehow these inked-fingered Republicans have
something to do with that."

Social Security cowards

Obviously Olympia Snowe was going to be against this, and I anticipated the media drumming up as much GOP opposition as they possibly could, but why are congressmen playing into their hands so readily? Obvisouly any little sound bite they give about their concerns or doubts are going to be like gas on a flame to leftists, so why do it?

It is also telling to see how they are talking about reform and personal accounts. It's not, this would be bad for the country, or this is a terrible mistake...no it's "this is "politically speaking...not doable."

Screw politics Mr. Domenici, do what is RIGHT. A personal account would help millions of families around the country build lasting, meaningful, and transferrable wealth. That's what this is about, helping all of American's built a financial foundation.

Republicans Question Social Security Plan

Congressional Republicans are expressing doubt that President Bush (news
- web
sites)'s plan for personal accounts in Social Security (news
- web
sites) can win approval, saying lawmakers fear the political consequences of
voting major change to the popular retirement program...Her Maine colleague,
Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe (news, bio, voting
record), has said outright that she opposes diverting the program's taxes to
pay for personal accounts. Snowe serves on the Senate Finance Committee that
would handle any Social Security legislation, making the task before Republicans
more daunting. ..."Politically speaking, right now it's probably not doable,"
Sen. Pete Domenici (news, bio, voting
record), R-N.M., said Thursday, citing lack of Democratic support. (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&e=3&u=/ap/20050204/ap_on_go_co/social_security)

This is so damn frustrating...

Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore Award

I've sort of been ignoring this story, because I am afraid I may be a little over the top when I say I am glad this guy is in our armed forces. The DUer's have been up in arms about this story for a few days now, and I thought it was pretty damn funny.

http://reuters.myway.com/article/20050203/2005-02-03T223637Z_01_N03420928_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-IRAQ-MARINES-GENERAL-DC.html

I know that in today's PC world, he went waaaay too far, but I think it was right on. Basically, some people deserve to die, and he takes pleasure in being the one who gets to do it.

"Actually it's quite fun to fight 'em, you know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun
to shoot some people. I'll be right up front with you, I like brawling," Mattis
said.
"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five
years because they didn't wear a veil," Mattis said during a panel discussion.
"You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a
lot of fun to shoot them."

I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

Apologies

For my lack of updates yesterday, I had the day off and it was unusually
nice up here in Wisco so I decided to get some errands done and go
bowling. I also picked up a copy of A Case for Democracy, which I will
not begin reading until Sunday and if you don't know why you haven't
been paying attention. Badgers-Gophers, at Madison...it's a beautiful
thing.

Because of the monstrosity of the game, the Urinal had this great
story...

Eighth-ranked Minnesota is four points behind UW after splitting a home
series with Minnesota-Duluth last weekend. Ryan Potulny has a team-high
32 points (20 goals) for the Gophers, who are 6-5 on the road. Minnesota
swept UW by a total of three goals on Nov. 5-6. . . .UW trails
first-place Colorado College by three points. Both games this weekend
are sold out, a first for a series at the Kohl Center since it opened in
1998.
That's it, that's the list. The entire story right there. God do I
hate the Urinal. As disgusted as I am, I'm forced to route you to the
(Anti-)Capital(ist) Times.

http://www.madison.com/tct/sports/uw/hockey/index.php?ntid=27150

Good story on Badger men's hockey in general. The game is on FSN, if
you watch it, you will become a Badger zealot and watch again Saturday,
then you will buy a ticket to a game, then you will buy season tickets.
Don't believe me? Then watch tonight and find out.

Jeanine Garofalo on the weakest show ever

State of the Union, Late Night...What the hell is that? I guaranty that fool Ron Reagan loved the name of the show.

Any way, Jeanine came on about halfway through the show last night, and immediatley begins screaming. I was dumbfounded. I remember seeing her on TV a few years ago ranting and raving about the war (I was not aware that at the time she was auditioning for a job as a talk jock...good move though, the film career is really zooming) and I remember thinking she was just a nutty leftist. Well, since then she has become a "big star" on the struggling Air America Radio. I figured that since she is now paid to talk about politics she would have some intelligent and thoughtful things to say.

Instead she derided republican congressmen who raised their ink-stained fingers (homage to Iraqi voters) alluding their ink-finger salute was akin to the stiff armed Nazi salute. Very classy Jeanine, very classy indeed. Next she went on to scoff at the beautiful emotional display between the Norwoods and the Iraqi woman. After that she ranted and raved about lying, ranted and raved at Pat Buchanan. To top it off, Ron Reagan, her leftist compatriot asked her a question about the lefts plan for social security. She cut him off mid sentence and started shouting about how they do have a plan, and it's to do nothing.

At that point Ron basically tried to talk her down and tell her he was agreeing with her, but she kept shouting and raving until they either cut her off or she ran out of ideas. Cut to commercial.

All in all it was one pathetic performance by someone who is supposed to be a professional commentator. I cant imagine what her show must be. She had no idea about social security, had no real idea about anything. No wonder it's been a few years since I've seen her on TV.

People like Jeanine Garofalo and Howard Dean are going to ensure a long reign at the top for the GOP.


(If anyone knows where to find a transcript of the Garofalo appearance let me know, I am looking).

Hmmmm (lieberman Lincoln applaud privatization)

I thought so, but DeLay just said that Lincoln and Lieberman stood during the personal account portion of the speech...good things are brewing!

All you need to know about the left's response

Withdraw, surrender, LAME...thanks Vodkapundit! (http://vodkapundit.com)

UPDATE: It's time to kill the SOTU response. It's lame. Just lame. And also
it's very lame.
I don't care if it's Gingrich coming on after Clinton, or the
dead guy talking right now. It's just bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad. And
also lame.
UPDATE: This guy makes Pelosi seem lifelike, and I don't mean in a
Death Becomes Her Way. Except that maybe I do mean it in that way.
UPDATE:
Did he just say "groundhog?" Did I say "lame" already?

Simply wonderful

First, let me say, I had a fantastic post written and ready to post when poof...and it was gone.

Overall the speech was great, he brought everyone along on the social security reform, and while privatized will be a difficult sale to any democrats, I had a feeling that Republicans are lock step with the president. The rest of what he said (other than immigration reform) I thought was good as well. (I know, I know, short and sweet...I'll read the transcript and get more up tomorrow on the nitty gritty). He made a very compelling case for reforming social security, without pounding on the personal account issue. I thought he handled that very deftly.

I want to make special note of the wonderful moment for all of America, the hug and ovation for the Norwoods. Is there a better symbol of "what it's all about" than a newly freed Iraqi woman embracing the parents of a man who sacrificed his life for her? It was a beautiful moment that will literally be remembered forever. It is an indelible image that touched my heart and sent chills down my spine. I cannot imagine how many men and women were brought to their feet and moved to tears by this display.

Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Norwood, and thank you to every American family who has made and will make the ultimate sacrifice. (special note: please go to http://www.bobbywarns.com/)

Bravo Mr. President, Bravo.

Insertion test (it's an image pervert)

On Edit: Talk about a quick freakin' learner! Look out Instapundit, here I come

Your humble SotU servant

I will be dilligently watching tonights monstrously important state of the union address, eagerly anticipating some juicy details about social security reform. I understand that some of you will be otherwise engaged or perhaps just not paying as close attention as you should so I will be providing commentary following the speech (perhaps during, alas I don't know how to "live-blog") focused especially on SS. I will also try and caputre the feeling of the "heads" and their analysis which will undoubtedly pale in comparison to mine.

Basically this whole post was an excuse to point my readers (who am i kidding?) to a fun interactive game that can be played along with the monumental speech.

http://www.drinkinggame.us/

You folks get drunk while I pay attention.

If you wanna be a Badger...

Allright, who isn't excited for this weekend? If you don't know, then you just don't know. Badgers-Gophers, hockey. I know it's a bit premature, but browsing USCHO.com I came across this great nugget about the STRUGGLING gophers!

Gophers' First Line Struggling To Pull Team Out Of Slump
if Minnesota's men's hockey team is to permanently pull itself out of its
January slump, both players said they know their scoring droughts need to end
immediately...That's about all Irmen offered for reasons behind the slump,
however. He said concentrating on the struggles makes it harder for him to end
the drought. "We've had a bad couple weeks, but once you worry about
it, that's when it gets longer," he said. "It's frustrating, but you've got to
work with it."... (http://www.uscho.com/news/uwire.php/men/JEMZ020220055695877)

Who doesn't love reading about struggling Gophers.

By the way, Gopher hockey sucks.

Badger Football recruiting verdict = tragically mediocre

Lame. They made zero imporvements today (signing day for those uninformed). Their prize is probably Travis Beckum, Oak Creek homegrown monster (6-5 220) linebacker.

The Urinal has an article, but it doesn't take into account today's signings, but here is what i've been able to gather...Alvarez sat in his palace and did nothing today. Dion Foster (5'8'' 190 4.4 40yd) commited awhile ago, ESPN has him listed as the 22nd tailback in the country. Other than that it looks fairly uneventful, www.rivals.com has UW ranked 6th in the Big Ten and 31st overall (tells how good a year the conference had). Right now it looks like they missed out on McDermott (QB Alvarez liked) and a CB named Derrick Smith.

I think it may be time to ask the recruiting guru (Czar Barry) where the heck he has been the last few years.

Trackback enabled

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

See...I am getting the hang of this blogging stuff, again thanks to Confederate Yankee for the idea.

Fukuyama-esque

In an almost as astonishing statement as "the end of history", Confederate Yankee makes the claim (not totally without merit) that yesterday we "won the war on terror." He makes a complelling argument; basically out fearhas cracked and we are able, for the first time, to really laugh at our enemy.

Amid all the jeers and laughter yesterday surrounding the “capture” of a
children’s action figure, a funny thing happened:We won the War on
Terror...thanks to the stellar fact-checking of the mainstream media and the
apparent desperation of terrorists reduced to threatening toys, the cloud of
terrorism threatening us has been lifted, if but for a time.We laughed at
them.And in that, we can find a special victory. (http://confederateyankee.blogspot.com/)

So far so good (social security proposal)

According to sources, SS reformwon't affect those 55 and above. That is a key point, especially for AZ and FLA lawmakers.

Social Security benefits promised to workers currently 55 and older would
remain unchanged under President Bush's call for voluntary personal accounts for
younger Americans, Republican congressional officials said Wednesday, citing
information provided by the administration.
These officials said they had
been told of the decision during a preview of Bush's State of the Union address,
including his call for far-reaching Social Security legislation. (http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050202/D880I3K81.html)

In other news, the Klansman Byrd is back up objecting to and insulting a minority (www.c-span.org). Old habbits huh Mr. Byrd??

Doyle stinks, so does this slogan

'Wisconsin-Life's So Good'

http://www.jsonline.com/news/daywatch.asp#6124

It's weird, weren't the leftists just telling us how terrible life was in Wisconsin for the last four years? I suppose now they will tout the fantastic economic figures and attribute them to all of Doyle's vetoes (er, accomplishments).

Wisconsin - Life's So Good...unless a Republican incumbent is seeking reelection, then the bread lines are full and republicans are eating black kids...stay away! stay away!

Oh, the election is over and Doyle needs a boost? 'Wisconsin-Life's So Good'

Free the generic special ops soldier!!

This is turning into a ridiculous boon for humor, and I am sure it is lifting the spirits of American's everywhere. Talk about running out of ideas.

Here is the diary of our poor captured doll.
http://techcentralstation.com/020205F.html

update: woody and the gang from Toy Story are joining forces with GI Joe to provide some logistical support. RC has his dune buggy tires on and is prepping his engine for resistance to the harsh Iraq elements. (Yes leftist nuts, he has been fitted with armor plating).

The most important speech of the next four years

Assuming that there is no national disaster and that the war in Iraq continues it's present trend toward the positive, the State of the Union address President Bush will be delivering today is the single most importnat speech he will give for the rest of his presidency.

I say that without hesitation because the president has basically mortgaged his political future and his legacy on giving America the opportunity to make social security work for them, instead of working for social security. I am excited and apprehensive when I think about the speech tonight. We know he is going to focus on this issue, and as such this will be the first time all of America will be able to hear his vision. It is vital that he nail it, and that he puts seniors at ease and paints a picture of an ownership society that all intelligent Americans desire.

Here are a few articles to check out:
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050202/D880CIA00.html

Brendan Minter offers some advice to the president at www.opinionjournal.com

inside Washington the conventional wisdom is that Mr. Bush needs to embrace
a "bipartisan" solution. The hard reality is that Mr. Bush will have to be
"partisan," because the Democratic Party is not negotiating in good faith. ..By
2030 there will be barely two workers for every retiree drawing a Social
Security check. That's a system that cannot long financially sustain itself. The
way out is to take advantage of what Albert Einstein called the eighth wonder of
the world: compound interest. By creating personal retirement accounts--allowing
Americans to steer a sizable portion of their Social Security taxes into a
401(k)-type account, where individuals can pick which mutual funds to place
their money in--Social Security can start harnessing the power of the economy.
..But until those serious Democrats return, President Bush is left with the
reality that the only way to save Social Security is to pursue a partisan bill,
while continuing to take his message to the people. By stirring up the voters,
the president may get as many as two dozen Democrats to come along in the House
and the half dozen he needs in the Senate. But he'll get that only if the
doesn't cede ground on the fundamental reform--large personal accounts, funded
and controlled by individuals. Partisanship gets a bad wrap, but sometimes it's
essential. (http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/bminiter/?id=110006237)

Leftist Action Alert!!

You guys better get someone on the horn to Dan Rather, I am sure he is already out interviewing Duke and Wetsuit to get their reactions to their brothers kidnapping. I hope Dan gets the juicy backstory behind the alliance of Cobra Commander and Zarqawi. I'll bet there is some great stuff there.

Don't worry John Adam, Bazooka and Sgt. Slaughter are forming a team of commandos right now to come get you!

http://www.jquinton.com/archives/002444.html

Say it ain't so...

From The Corner over at NRO
Harry Reid just said, according to Fox, that President Bush can "forget
about privatizing Social Security."

What a crock. I have a feeling Mr. Bush is plenty ready for a fight,
and I think this debate can be framed well in the eyes of the American
people, and some personal accounts will be set up. Mr. Reid can forget
about filibuster after filibuster, or he can forget about have a leftist
party with any real power.

Driver on Favre: "he's pretty much going to hang 'em up"

I am a little shocked, and very much saddened. I hope Driver is talking out of turn, but he seems like a thoughtful and intelligent guy, so who knows...

Green Bay Packers receiver Donald Driver said in a radio interview this
morning that he believes Packers quarterback Brett Favre will decide to retire
and not play another season in the National Football League.Driver made his
comments on Sirius NFL Radio on "The Opening Drive" show with Dan Reeves and
Chris Moore. Sirius is a satellite pay radio service.Driver, who is in
Jacksonville for a Super Bowl promotion, was asked if Favre will return to play
next season."I don't think so," Driver said. "Everyone has been asking me that
question. He's a real close friend of mine and we've been talking back and
forth, and I think he's pretty much going to hang 'em up. I always told him, if
you're coming back just because of that playoff game, don't show up. But it
you're going to come back to try and win another Super Bowl, we'd love to have
you."

Driver said he thinks Favre has made up his mind and said the Packers'
request to know his intentions before the draft, April 23-24, forced Favre to
decide on retirement. (http://www.jsonline.com/news/daywatch.asp#6097)

An editorial that isn't leftist? "Social security is a SCAM"

I know, it's probably a small specialty paper, but heck it still has an intelligent editorial board.

Social Security is a scam...Unlike the piddling or negative returns of the
payroll tax "investment," privately-owned retirement accounts would show the
remarkable effect of compounding over a lifetime of work, even with conservative
rates of return.
And, unlike Social Security, any money left at death would
be a personal asset to pass on to one's heirs..A system that fosters dependence
on a government check is despicable. Worse, it sets up an expectation among
older Americans that they are entitled to a retirement subsidized by younger
workers. How dare any adult demand a living from another? [I love that
line]...Denying our young people the best opportunity to amass a personal nest
egg and in so doing establish personal financial security is beneath
contempt. But that's what Social Security does. [Fantastic finish]

Short, concise, and to the point. Bravo Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Bravo.

In response to the W2 or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Kiss an Entire Paycheck Goodbye

Alright, I have only had a full time job for half a year (I know, I lived a life of spoils and sloth) and I just received my first meaningful W2 tax form. I cannot believe how this has crystallized the issue for me. The worst part of it is, this really is only half of our costs. The FICA reported tax on the W2 does not show the employer match, which employers rightly factor into the compensation given to any employee. Kerry Kerstetter points this out at the fantastic http://www.socialsecuritychoice.com/ (seriously, check it out, NOW).

My point is that the 6.2% FICA tax that is matched by the employer don't
just come from nowhere. It is money that effectively belongs to and is part of
the cost of employing the workers. The actual total being taken from workers is
12.4% of earned income...The White
House description of the situation does mention the growth in the SS tax
from 2% to more than 12%. This makes the two percent figure that is most often
mentioned as being allowed to be set aside into personally owned accounts a much
smaller percentage of the total than if it were to be compared with just the
6.2% figure.

Considering I used the Heritage SS return calculator to figure what this money was doing for me, consider me incensed that it is losing me .75% every year. Wonderful. By the time I retire this money will be practically worthless under the current system.

Andy Roth basically says the same thing (about the W2 wake-up call) over at http://www.socialsecuritychoice.com/. He lays out the two choices before us:

1) Do you want that money going to the government with no guarantee of ever
getting it back? Are you willing to forego ownership rights on it? Either by
premature death, higher taxes, or lower future benefits, are you okay with the
fact that you might never ever receive that money (or a large portion of it)
back?
2) Do you want that money (or a large portion of it) going into a
personal savings account? One that is YOUR money. You own it. You control the
assets in this account and you control who will receive it upon your
death.

Honestly people, let's wake up and support the president on this one. It is time we take a page from the nutters over at democraticunderground and put some serious pressure on our representatives (especially those up in 06) to get this thing done. In reality, the GOP is probably going to require some intelligent (and safe) democrats since this will be tough for any Senator or Congressman from Florida and maybe even Arizona to back strongly, since the elderly go into cardiac arrest anytime touching social security is suggested.

They almost had it (actually the Times did OK)

The first sentence was good:

Courageous Iraqis turned out to vote yesterday in numbers that may have
exceeded even the most optimistic predictions.

However, only one sentence before the negative:

the impressive national percentages should not obscure the fact that the
country's large Sunni Arab minority remained broadly disenfranchised

By the way, whose fault is it that the Sunni's didn't vote?

Then back to positive! (Who let this stuff slip by?):

But even in some predominantly Sunni areas, turnout was higher than expected.
And in an impressive range of mainly Shiite and Kurdish cities, a long silenced
majority of ordinary Iraqis defied threats of deadly mayhem to cast votes for a
new, and hopefully democratic, political order.

It's mixed with a few barbs amidst the positive for the next paragraph, which ends with this gem:

For now at least, the multiple political failures that marked the run-up to the
voting stand eclipsed by a remarkably successful election day.

Capturing Saddam, freeing Iraq, capturing his sadistic sons, facing down Libya...Terrible political failures. The editorial continues in the same vein, but hell, the almost got it. This was an earth-shattering day for the Middle East, and a turning point the likes of which has never been seen. I heard (on Sykes) that even Al-Jazeera was being optimistic and a little less vehemently anti-American.

NYT editorial: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/31/opinion/31mon1.html?oref=login (requires registration)

Ted Kennedy's head would explode

The new mayor of Baghdad is proposing to build a statue for President
Bush, proclaiming him "the symbol of freedom." (THE symbol of freedom!)
I love the idea, but it just might cause Michael Moore to actually mimic
his puppet from Team America and suicide bomb the statue.

I hope this happens, just imagine what the left would do!

"We will build a statue for Bush," said Ali Fadel, the former provincial
council chairman. "He is the symbol of freedom."
(http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/39526.htm)

(FYI, super busy today, probably won't get much posted).

Mam, you are too stupid for words

This letter appeared in today's Urinal Sentinel.

Commercials could be eliminated from networks
The Jan. 23 "Parade"
magazine contained the article by Norman Mailer that was interesting and
challenging. ("Our young people are America's future: Why do we make it so hard
for them to learn?"). I agree with Mailer that numerous commercials on
children's TV programs detract from their learning. I disagree that consumers
should pay for TV they want to see. Many people only receive network TV and PBS.
This would not help the poor.
Advertisement

My idea is to have the
very wealthy subsidize network TV, as they do with public broadcasting.
Since
our president proclaims "Christian values," that should remind all Christians
and others of goodwill that the Bible calls for people to aid the poor in many
texts, in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament.
Catholic Charities
has researched and found that the combined assets of the world's three richest
people are greater than the combined gross domestic product of the world's 48
least-developed countries. It is quite obvious that rich people could eliminate
commercials on networks - ABC, NBC or CBS - quite easily as they do for PBS.
Problem solved!

Marie J. Davis
Crandon

(http://www.jsonline.com/news/editorials/jan05/297086.asp)

alright, Marie believes that rich people should pay so that she isn't inconvenienced by commercials on television? If this isn't a joke it is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read. You know what most inconveniences me, having to cook my own food. I think if I didn't have to cook I would have much more time, and be much healthier thus giving me the opportunity to perhaps help children learn? Marie seems to think that somehow taking commercials off of TV would lead to her kids being more intelligent. I honestly cannot even begin to fathom where this type of mentality comes from it is so utterly stupid. How did this moronic bit of drivel get printed in the paper? I can only think that Ricardo Pimentel and his cohorts at the Urinal thought Marie deserved to be made a fool of for writing this letter in, so they printed it so she could be taunted mercilessly by those who know her.

Marie J. Davis, if I had a weekly award for leftist lunacy, I do believe your bit of socialist schlock would take it in a landslide.