Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Home Cooking

Big game in the SEC tonight was Tennessee versus Florida in Knoxville.

Florida, the defending NCAA champions lost 2 in a row coming in and were 'angry' and focused for this one. Pat Summitt (UT women's coach, 940 career wins) came out as a cheerleader during the first TV timeout and cheered the men's team on.

Whatever it was, it worked. UT dominated the game, at one point were up 25 and if they could hit some free throws (20-31 I believe) they'd have walked out early. As it was, the gators went down 10 and saw their stock in the NCAA's slip. Tennessee's of course will go up and if they can close out on the road against Georgia this weekend, win at least one in the SEC tourney, then they may look at a 5 seed.
SEVENTH-LARGEST ARENA CROWN SEES VOLS DEFEAT NO. 5 FLORIDA, 86-76

Feb. 27, 2007

AP Photo Gallery

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Chris Lofton scored 21 points, and Tennessee pulled away from No. 5 Florida in the first half and held on for an 86-76 victory Tuesday night.

The Gators (25-5, 12-3 Southeastern Conference) continued a troubling trend for the defending national champions, who have lost three of four after a 17-game winning streak. Their chances for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament are slipping away after easily wrapping up the SEC regular-season title last week.

But this was the Volunteers' night.

With Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt dressing as a cheerleader and singing "Rocky Top" and Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning watching his alma mater, Tennessee (21-9, 9-6) finished the season 16-0 at home. (link)

Also note the home record... last time perfect was the Bernie and Ernie show in '76.
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Reason to cheer!

Damn Surge

More bad news from the Surge front:
Middle East
This is the most recent version of this article. View article history.
Death Squad Leaders Seized in Baghdad

A man passes by cars destroyed in a car bomb explosion in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2007. A parked car bomb went off in central Baghdad's Karradah neighborhood, killing at least two people and injuring another four, police said.  (AP Photo/Mahmoud al-Badri)
(AP Photo/Mahmoud al-Badri)
A man passes by cars destroyed in a car bomb explosion in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2007. A parked car bomb went off in central Baghdad's Karradah neighborhood, killing at least two people and injuring another four, police said.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S.-led strike forces seized suspected Shiite death squad bosses Tuesday in raids that tested the fragile bonds between the government and a powerful militia faction allowing the Baghdad security crackdown to move ahead.

The sweeps through the Sadr City slum were part of highly sensitive forays into areas loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who has ridiculed the 2-week-old campaign for failing to halt bombings by suspected Sunni insurgents against Shiite civilians.

Al-Sadr withdrew his powerful Mahdi Army militia from checkpoints and bases under intense government pressure to let the security push go forward. But the U.S.-backed government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki also worries that al-Sadr could pull his support if he feels his militiamen are being squeezed in Baghdad. (link)

Of course you have to look at in context... it's bad news for the retreat crowd. Just another day in the life I guess.
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Reason to surge

Monday, February 26, 2007

Goredom

How do you spell hypocrite? G - O - R - E would be a very good way to do it. He of the 'Inconvenient Truth' global warming cooling climate change fame really needs to look introspectively before he preaches to the masses.

Al Gore’s Personal Energy Use Is His Own “Inconvenient Truth”
Gore’s home uses more than 20 times the national average
Last night, Al Gore’s global-warming documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, collected an Oscar for best documentary feature, but the Tennessee Center for Policy Research has found that Gore deserves a gold statue for hypocrisy.
Gore’s mansion, located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES).
In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home.
The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average.
Last August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh—guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average American family uses in an entire year. As a result of his energy consumption, Gore’s average monthly electric bill topped $1,359.
Since the release of An Inconvenient Truth, Gore’s energy consumption has increased from an average of 16,200 kWh per month in 2005, to 18,400 kWh per month in 2006.
Gore’s extravagant energy use does not stop at his electric bill. Natural gas bills for Gore’s mansion and guest house averaged $1,080 per month last year.
“As the spokesman of choice for the global warming movement, Al Gore has to be willing to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use,” said Tennessee Center for Policy Research President Drew Johnson.
In total, Gore paid nearly $30,000 in combined electricity and natural gas bills for his Nashville estate in 2006. (link)

This is just one of his homes, does not include his jet-setting or other transportation costs. Amazing how the 'key' to the survival of the planet is cutting back and it's being harped by someone who is revving up.
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Reason to laugh

Oil

Since we fought this 'war for oil', it's good to finally see the Iraqis doing something about the vast oil wealth that they do possess.

It would be easy for the Shiites and Kurds to exclude the Sunnis in this area and it would even be somewhat justified for what happened in recent history in their country. But the oil draft will protect ALL Iraqis and we'll have to see if it will really work as intended.
Iraqi Cabinet approves draft oil law

35 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Iraqi Cabinet approved a long-awaited draft oil law on Monday, sending it to parliament for consideration, the prime minister said, calling the agreement "another founding stone in state-building."

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government had promised a new oil law by the end of 2006 but missed the deadline due to objections from the Kurds, and it faced pressure from the Bush administration to come through. Many of Iraq's vast oil reserves can be found in the Kurdish north and the Shiite south, and the Kurds wanted a greater role in awarding contracts and administering the revenues.

Al-Maliki said Monday's agreement was an important step toward encouraging investment in the country's battered oil industry.(link)

This is a major step in the setting up a real government for Iraq and maybe a vital step into returning the U.S. military home (without the 'honor' of a Democrat retreat).
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Reason to hope

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Detentions at the border

The U.S. issued a rapid apology for the detention of Al-Hakim's son on a return trip from Iran, but should they be that sorry?
Shiites decry detention of leader's son

By SAMEER N. YACOUB, Associated Press Writer 54 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Thousands of Shiites rallied in the holy city of Najaf on Saturday to protest the nearly 12-hour detention of the eldest son of Iraq's most influential Shiite politician as he crossed back from Iran.

Amar al-Hakim, who was taken into custody on Friday, complained Saturday that U.S. soldiers handcuffed and blindfolded him before his release and "strongly abused" his bodyguards.

"Is this the way to deal with a national figure? This does not conform with Iraq's sovereignty," he said.

He said cell phones, licensed weapons and two-way radios were among items confiscated. (link)

Sounds like a case of a needed apology and maybe a change in the procedures doesn't it? But if you read on down the article, you'll see some more relevant details emerge:

The U.S. military said Saturday that al-Hakim was stopped in an area where smuggling between Iraq and Iran is common and detained after members of the convoy "did not cooperate with coalition forces and displayed suspicious activities." He was released to Iraqi authorities and his possessions were returned after further investigation, the military said.

Now it sounds more like simply the U.S. forces doing their job. I understand people in positions of power (in all countries) act and think they are above the law, but they shouldn't be. If you or your company will not cooperate with authorities when stopped in a suspicious area, then you will be detained and questioned. Seems like a simple concept.

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Reason to stop

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

WHY ISN"T ART MONK IN THE HOF ???!!!!!!!

I am still extremely upset by the NFL Hall of Fame (HOF) selections for this year. Not so much by who made it in ... but by who DIDN'T.

Art Monk ... once again was snubbed by a bunch of fat newspaper columnists who probably never strapped on football pads in their entire lives.

Art Monk - WHO RETIRED AS THE NFL's ALL TIME LEADER IN RECEPTIONS as well as in the top 5 of all major receiving categories - was ONCE AGAIN, left out of the HOF.

Why?? Why was this man, who teammates nicknamed "Money" (because they knew that whatever the circumstance - Monk would come down with the ball), kept out of the HOF?

I'm still scratching my head on this one.

While I detest Michael Irvin as a person I think he had the #'s to make it in...

HOWEVER... if Irvin was to be let in eventually...Monk should've gone first IMHO.

Lets look at the stats shall we?

Michael Irvin career stats

750 receptions - 20th all time
11904 receiving yards - 14th all time
15.9 yards per catch
65 touchdowns - 37th all time
3 Super bowl rings
5 time Pro Bowler

Art Monk career stats

940 receptions - 6th all time (190 more than Irvin)
12721 receiving yards - 11th all time (817 more than Irvin)
13.5 yards per catch - (2.4 less than Irvin)
68 career touchdowns - 30th all time (3 more than Irvin)
3 Super Bowl rings
3 time Pro Bowler

Now one the typical arguments against Monk getting in are that Monk was a product of the system he played in.

Really?

No such arguments were used against Irvin however.

How many HOF QB's threw to Monk ? Do the names Thiesmann, Williams, Schroeder or Rypien show up on a bust in Canton? Didn't think so...

How many HOF QB's threw to Irvin? Troy Aikman - a first ballot HOF inductee

How many HOF RB's played with each player? 1 each - Emmitt Smith with Irvin and John Riggins with Monk.... BUT Riggins played only a few of Monk's seasons with him where-as Smith ( THE NFL'S ALL TIME LEADING RUSHER !!!) continued to play long after Irvin hung his cleats up.

How many great WR's also played on the same team and demanded the ball more ?

Irvin = NONE. Whereas Monk also played with Gary Clark who lined up outside and was used to stretch defenses.

Now - you might say;

"Really Thai? Gary Clark was good?? "

MMHMMMM...he was. And he took recptions. yards and TD's from Monk.

Anyone know what Gary Clark's career NFL #'s are?

699 receptions
10856 yds
65 TD's

Now lets bring up Irvin's #'s again and compare Clark side by side...

Irvin: 750 rec, 11904 yds, 65 TD
Clark: 699 rec, 10856 yds, 65 TD

So Clark had a HOF career as well... why hasn't he been included as a HOF candidate yet?? I know why (it is anti-Redskin bias amongst sportwriters like "Dr. Z")

Lets add in that towards the end of Monk's career he also played alongside Ricky Sanders AND Clark.

While those guys racked up the stats and the glamor, Monk simply piled up 3rd down catches that extended drives and led us to 3 Super Bowl victories. Never once did Monk bitch about not getting more catches or TDs (as Irvin did REPEATEDLY and admitted he switched places on a play with Alvin Harper in a playoff game so he could get a "highlight play"), and he always blocked like an extra TE (so effectively that opposing players were amazed at how good a blocker a WR could be).


Seems like both teams had "systems" but think of the fact that Monk didn't have a HOF QB or the NFL's All-Time leading rusher helping him out.

Another knock was that he wasn't the leading receiver on his team;

I call BS on this one !!!

Another person ( I forget where) said this;

"He led the Redskins in receptions in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1989, and 1991. He led the team in receiving yards in 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985. He was not far behind Ricky Sanders or Gary Clark in most other years. He was not a selfish player who asked for the ball on every play, and he played alongside other great receivers, yet he still led his team in receptions for most of a decade"

Lets take a look at the #'s shall we?

1980 - Monk led the team in receptions (1)
1981 - Monk led the team in receptions (2)
1982 - Monk led the team in receptions (3)
1983 - Missed four games, second on the team in receptions
1984 - Monk led the team in receptions (4)
1985 - Monk led the team in receptions (5)
1986 - Second in the team in receptions, Monk had 73, Clark had 74
1987 - Strike season & missed a few games to injury, second on the team in receptions
1988 - Second on the team in receptions again by one catch, Sanders had 73, Monk 72
1989 - Monk led the team in receptions (6)
1990 - Second on the team in receptions to Clark (75 to 68)
1991 - Monk led the team in receptions (7)
1992 - Second on the team in receptions to Clark at the age of 35
1993 - Second on the team in receptions to Sanders at the age of 36
1994 - At the age of 37, moves to the Jets, second on the team in receptions
1995 - At the age of 38, only plays in three games.

Remember - not until 1990 (when Monk was 33) did Clark start to outperform Monk and then Monk (at age 34) still led the team in receptions the year after.

When you examine Ricky Sanders and Clark's #'s - you'll see that after they left Washington their performance dropped considerably. I have no doubts that the reason was that they didn't have a "Money" , that opposing teams needed to account for, allowing them to get open deep like they did in Washington.

So much for the myth about Monk not being the best WR on his team.

I have heard Monk be called a pioneer - this description is apt.

Monk played for so long that people forgot what the NFL was like when he joined.

Monk caught 106 passes when NOONE was doing it. I mean NOONE. The previous record was 93. He obliterated it. Was this a flash in the pan?? Hardly... The next year Monk had 91 receptions (he was 2nd in the NFL) the nearest receiver in 3rd place didn't even have 80.

His record of 106 in a season stood until 1992 when Sterling Sharpe caught 108 (only 2 more). But when Sharpe broke his record the game had changed in a fundtamental way to allow more receptions and more yards by WR's( the pass interference rules had been changed, changes had been made about hitting and holding recievers and protecting QB's., etc..). So not only did Monk get his #'s and end up in the top-5 in all major categories and end his career with the most receptions and most consecutive games with a reception - he did so mostly in an era where it was tougher to get those flashy #'s. Unlike Irvin and others who got their #'s in an era when it was easier to do so. Monk's 940 receptions was so far and above what other WR's could even hope to achieve that it took Jerry Rice (a sure first ballot HOF'er) to break it

A walkthrough on the evolution of the WR position can be found here...

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/4-17-2003-39189.asp

The next argument these biased sportswriters use is his lack of Pro Bowls

Really???

They want to hang their hat on the fact that a popularity contest (which is the Pro Bowl) should decide who was the better WR??

Steve Largent went to a total of 3 Pro Bowls - but he's in the HOF. How many Superbowl rings did Steve earn?

Lets take a look at 4 years where Monk got robbed out of a Pro Bowl...

1981 Pro Bowl Roster
Dwight Clark (SFO) 85-1105-4
Alfred Jenkins (ATL) 70-1358-13
James Lofton (GRB) 71-1294-8
Ahmad Rashad (MIN) 58- 884-7
----- Art Monk (WAS) 56- 894-6

1982 Pro Bowl Roster
Charlie Brown (WAS) 32- 690-8
Dwight Clark (SFO) 60- 913-5
John Jefferson (GNB) 27- 452-0
James Lofton (GNB) 35- 696-4
----- Art Monk (WAS) 35- 447-1

1988 Pro Bowl Roster
Anthony Carter (MIN) 72-1225-6
Henry Ellard (LAR) 86-1414-10
Eric Martin (NOR) 85-1083-7
Jerry Rice (SFO) 64-1306-9
JT Smith (PHO) 83- 986-5
John Taylor (SFO) 14- 425-2
----- Art Monk (WAS) 72- 946-5


1989 Pro Bowl Roster
Mark Carrier (TAM) 86-1422-9
Henry Ellard (LAR) 70-1382-8
Jerry Rice (SFO) 82-1483-17
Sterling Sharpe(GRB) 90-1423-12
John Taylor (SFO) 60-1077-10
----- Art Monk (WAS) 86-1186-8

So in 1981 and 1982 it could be argued that as a young WR he didn't have the name rcognition as Ahmad Rashad and Jefferson. Still the point could be argued that he deserved tobe in based upon his play.

In 1988 and 1989 someone really needs to explain to me how in 1988 JT Smith (with inferior YPC) and John Taylor ( with INFERIOR #'s) gets in the Pro Bowl while Monk is kept out. And in 1989 Taylor (with mostly inferior #'s) gets the nod again. I thought being the #2 on your team was bad (at least thats what the HOF committee tells us about Monk not being the feared WR on his team), yet the guy playing opposite Jerry Rice got in with inferior #'s to Monk two years in a row??? What gives ???

So you can see why the Pro Bowl should have no bearing on HOF selection. It is a popularity contest. Nothing more.

Another roadblock the Sportwriters like to throw up is that he disappeared in the playoffs.

Really??

Look at the video at the end of this post and you'll see this is not true.

But lets look at something - Thurman Thomas was voted into the HOF on this ballot.

Anyone remember the SuperBowl in January 1992 between Washington and Buffalo...

Thomas ran for 13 yards on 10 carries.

All Monk did was rack up 113 yards receiving on 7 receptions. And his play helped the team win the game.

Yeah... nice disappearing act Art.

And yet Thomas gets voted in ??

If you don't want to listen to me - then listen to some of the people who played with him and against him.

Joe Thiesmann recently spoke about Monk where he said the following;

"Art was always the guy I looked for when we were in trouble."

Theismann went further to say;

"Art bailed me out of more jams...The year he caught 106 a lot of people forget that in the last game against St. Louis, which we had to win to make the playoffs, Art caught 11 passes (for 136 yards). And he made the biggest play of the game on fourth and-20. Art got 21 (and the Redskins won 29-27)."


Ronnie Lott, HOF inductee;

"Art Monk was an example for Jerry Rice. That's what Jerry always told me."
"There's nothing negative to say. He has the numbers, the catches, the championships."
"You have a Hall of Fame for all it represents. I know he represents all that it's about. Integrity, love and passion for the game, community, what he gave back. Look how he conducted himself. Nobody I know deserves it more."

Bill Polian, President Indianapolis Colts

"I believe he's a Hall of Famer. I was a pro scout when he was playing, so it was my job to know who those guys were. I would put Art in that category, but apparently there are a lot of Hall of Fame voters who don't feel Art Monk was in that category. It's hard for me to believe they ever saw him play."

But the best quote comes from another Sportswriter named Thom Loverro ( who writes for the Washington Times)

Thomas Loverro,Washington Times;

"He embodied the old school, and for that alone he should be enshrined so that when a father takes his son through the Hall of Fame, he can say, "Son, here is a man who once caught 106 passes in a season when no one was catching 100 passes. Here was a man who caught a pass in 183 straight games. And not once did he ever pull a cell phone out to make a call after any of those catches."

Judge for yourself on this video. Until Monk is on the HOF it will be forever the Hall of Shame.

http://www.redskinsdb.com/resources/Monk4theHall.wmv

If you objectively look at the facts presented and watch how Monk played the game in this video (which is by no means all of his highlights) I cannot understand how anyone could say he is not deserving.

P.S. - one other point to make - and its made by one of the best sports broadcasters on the radio today (Steve Czaban). Here http://czabe.com/daily/archives/2007/02/index.html he writes this ;

the 1970’s Lions (no playoff wins) have 3 HOFers, the 70’s Cardinals (no playoff wins) have 4 HOFers, and yet the 80s/90s Redskins with FOUR FREAKING SUPERBOWLS (with 3 Lombardi trophies) have just John Riggins and Joe Gibbs.

The Hogs deserve to be in the HOF, Grimm and Jacoby more than the others but they all should be given their shot. Yet they are repeatedly passed over along with other teammates who won 3 Superbowls and went to a 4th while consistently making the playoffs in the 80's and early 90's.

The anti-Redskins bias of the HOF committee stinks to high heaven.

P.P.S. - While I detest Irvin personally - I do think his on-field #'s were good enough to warrant HOF selection. I just think Monk should've made it in before he did. And Irvin agrees with me.




Sunday, February 18, 2007

Posts

Sorry guys, you'll notice I haven't posted in a couple days (and havn't visited other sites). I was out of town this weekend and hurt my back, so I'm going to lay low a day or two more.

Unless Thai or EMB post heh

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Iraqi War

I don't know what the surge is going to do, but since it's inception, there's been alot of good news from the war front. The latest:

Sgt. Marcus Gibbs, 26, from Pensacola, Fla., stands guard with the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment of the Second infantry Division during a search operation in the Shaab neighborhood in Baghdad, Iraq Thursday,  Feb. 15, 2007. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
AP Photo: Sgt. Marcus Gibbs, 26, from Pensacola, Fla., stands guard with the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry...
5 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The leader of al-Qaida in Iraq was wounded and an aide was killed in a clash Thursday with Iraqi forces north of Baghdad, the Interior Ministry spokesman said.

The clash occurred near Balad, a major U.S. base about 50 miles north of the capital, Brig. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf said.

Khalaf said al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri was wounded and his aide, identified as Abu Abdullah al-Majemaai, was killed.

Khalaf declined to say how Iraqi forces knew al-Masri had been injured, and there was no report on the incident from U.S. authorities.

Deputy Interior Minister Maj. Gen. Hussein Ali Kamal said he had no information about such a clash or that al-Masri had been involved. (link)

Of course if you take out the leader, there will be another one to take over, but sooner or later it will be harder to fill that position if you keep targeting them.
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Reason to fight

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Day

This post is for EMB, Falen and all the other true-bluers I know (heh)
Lofton scores 23; Tennessee knocks off Kentucky
Associated Press

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee celebrated the return of one of its greatest all-time players and his teammates with a victory over its biggest rival.Chris Lofton scored 23 points and Duke Crews added 18 to help the Volunteers upset Kentucky (No. 18 ESPN/USA Today; No. 20 AP) 89-85 on Tuesday night.Tennessee (18-8, 6-5 Southeastern Conference) had plenty of motivation with the school's big promotion of the game -- "Paint the Town Orange" -- and a halftime ceremony to retire No. 53 worn by former All-American and NBA All-Star Bernard King.Not to mention the opponent was border rival Kentucky (18-7, 7-4), which as usual had its share of Big Blue fans who made the trip to Thompson-Boling Arena."It's a great night for Tennessee basketball and Bernard King is still beating Kentucky. That's six in a row for Bernard," said Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl, who was again wearing that blinding orange blazer."I thank Kentucky and (coach) Tubby Smith and his basketball team for helping us celebrate this with a tremendous basketball game. It wouldn't be the same without them." (link)

Love the money quote from Coach Pearl thanking the Kentucky squad. I guess Lofton does make a huge difference for this team, luckily he's only a junior and will should be back for his senior season (when all the freshmen have some experience with the system).

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Tuesday Night Video

Courtesy of Glumbert of course:



This wasn't the funniest one, but I live in Alabama and it was funny to watch these guys run.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Living Wage

Suprise news from the economic front. It seems that raising the minimum-wage has indeed created a living wage ... for the people that didn't get fired or have their hours reduced.

Why is it that no one on the left will ever understand that if a business must pay more to make a product, they will raise prices or cut costs. To cut costs, you get rid of people or hours (hence killing the effect of raising pay). And most business (initially) will cut costs instead of raising prices so they dont' damage their market share. Later businesses will begin to increase prices after the cuts to costs have been finished (economics 101) and then the people making the new 'living wage' will be just as poor as they were before government intervention into supply and demand.

New wage boost puts squeeze on teenage workers across Arizona

Employers are cutting back hours, laying off young staffers

Chad Graham
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 10, 2007 12:00 AM

Oh, for the days when Arizona's high school students could roll pizza dough, sweep up sticky floors in theaters or scoop ice cream without worrying about ballot initiatives affecting their earning power.

That's certainly not the case under the state's new minimum-wage law that went into effect last month.

Some Valley employers, especially those in the food industry, say payroll budgets have risen so much that they're cutting hours, instituting hiring freezes and laying off employees. (link)


Of course this is only in Arizona, but if a nation-wide bill passes, this will be the result nationwide. Yes the minimum wage is a very poor wage to make and will not support a family. Lost in this statement is the fact that most people making the minimum wage did NOT support a family and also that most (probably 99%) business that pay the minimum also offer raises after a certain amount of work time (or improvement). So the 'workers at minimum havn't had a raise in 10 years' meme is shot also. If someone had been working for that rate for 10 years, they seriously need to look into that business and their pay practices. Also the person needs to be looking into other employment.
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Reason to think
Filed: , , , , ,

Nothing to See Here

After all the worrying and posturing against Iran's nuclear program, we can all finally breathe easy. According to Iran, they mean Israel no harm (heh):
Envoy: Iran poses no threat to Israel

By SLOBODAN LEKIC, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 35 minutes ago

MUNICH, Germany - Iran's nuclear program is not a threat to Israel and the country is prepared to settle all outstanding issues with the International Atomic Energy Agency within three weeks, its top nuclear negotiator said Sunday.

Ali Larijani, speaking at a forum that gathered the world's top security officials, said Iran doesn't have aggressive intentions toward any nation.

"That Iran is willing to threaten Israel is wrong," Larijani said. "We pose no threat and if we are conducting nuclear research and development we are no threat to Israel. We have no intention of aggression against any country."

Iran insists it will not give up uranium enrichment, saying it is pursuing the technology only to generate energy. The United States and some of its allies fear the Islamic republic is more interested in enrichment's other application — creating the fissile core of nuclear warheads. (link)

Now that the question of Iran and the Middle East is settled, maybe we can tackle the really big problems like Global Warming Climate Change (heh).
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Reason to yawn

Saturday, February 10, 2007

800 Years

In the "that's more like it" department:
Convicted Child Molester Gets 800 Years
1 hr 38 ago
Fred Everts is escorted in a Santa Clara County Superior Courtroom in San Jose, Calif., Friday, Feb. 9, 2007, before his sentencing. Everts, the former roommate of Dean Arthur Schwartzmiller, who authorities say is one of the most notorious child molesters in U.S. history, was sentenced to 800 years to life. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
Fred Everts is escorted in a Santa Clara County Superior Courtroom in San Jose, Calif., Friday, Feb. 9, 2007, before his sentencing. Everts, the former roommate of Dean Arthur Schwartzmiller, who authorities say is one of the most notorious child molesters in U.S. history, was sentenced to 800 years to life.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The former roommate of one of the nation's most prolific child molesters was sentenced Friday to at least 800 years in prison for sexually abusing three boys.

Fred Everts, 36, was convicted last year of molesting the youngsters, ages 3, 9 and 11. He was sentenced to 800 years to life.

Police discovered the crimes two years ago while investigating Dean Arthur Schwartzmiller, who authorities say may have molested hundreds of youngsters over decades and kept detailed logs on the children.

Schwartzmiller, 65, was sentenced in January to 152 years in prison for abusing two 12-year-old boys. He and Everts had met in prison on earlier molestation charges and eventually moved in together in San Jose. (link)

This is the kind of sentencing that needs to be done to stop these pedophiles. Note if they had been sentenced this strongly after their previous convictions, these other boys would not have been molested.

Thursday, February 8, 2007

Anna Nicole Smith

Un-verified reports have placed Anna as deceased. Her lawyer reports that she collapsed and died today.
Anna Nicole Smith dies

8 minutes ago

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -

Anna Nicole Smith, the former Playboy playmate whose bizarre life careened from marrying an octogenarian billionaire to the untimely death of her son, died Thursday after collapsing at a South Florida hotel, one of her lawyers said.

Smith, 39, collapsed and was unresponsive while staying at the Seminole Hard Rock Cafe Hotel and Casino, said the attorney, Ron Rale. She was rushed to a hospital.

"She checked in Monday at 8 p.m. as a guest. She was due to check out tomorrow," said Danielle Giordaano, a spokeswoman for the hotel. (link)

Her life was a roller-coaster from the first day she hit the news. As weird as it was though, it didn't deserve this ending at only 39.

RIP
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O.o

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Fillibusters

A lot of people have been covering the unique phenomena that is the MSM coverage of politics. The assumption by the press to say that a Republican fillibuster is a debate-killer and a Democrat(ic) one is a debate-enhancer.

With the 'stalemate' in the Senate raging on, Pelosi decides that if the Democrats in the Senate can't do their job correctly, the House will have to show them how:

House Schedules Vote on Iraq Resolution

Feb 06 3:12 PM US/Eastern



WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Democratic-controlled House will vote next week on a nonbinding measure opposing President Bush's decision to dispatch additional troops to Iraq, officials said Tuesday, hastening a postelection clash between Congress and commander in chief.

The precise nature of the measure remains to be determined, the officials said, although Brendan Daly, a spokeswoman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said, it will be "our opposition to the surge" in troops.

The Pentagon is in the midst of implementing Bush's order to raise troop levels by 21,500, part of a plan to help quell sectarian violence in Baghdad.

Bush's revised strategy has sparked strong opposition among Democrats, and officials said that Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., had both pledged to their rank-and-file that next week's vote would merely be the first attempt to pressure the president to shift course in the war. Other legislation will be binding, they said.

Under House rules, Democratic leaders have the authority to advance a measure to the floor for three days of debate and a vote.

That stands in contrast to the Senate, where Republicans have so far blocked an attempt by Democrats to hold a full-fledged debate on a war that has claimed the lives of more than 3,000 U.S. troops.

House Democratic leaders charted their course as Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a Senate committee that U.S. forces might be able to start leaving Iraq before the end of the year _ if daunting conditions including subdued violence and political reconciliation are met. (link)

Notice the bolded paragraph. The AP is actually claiming that the Republicans are thwarting debate by fillibust'ing the vote on a senate bill. Before the current congress was installed, any fillibuster by Democrats was called opening up debate (as it is truthfully), so what gives? I'll leave that question to you, if you don't know the answer, you probably don't like what I write anyway.
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Reason to go hmmm
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Monday, February 5, 2007

Spainish civil war

From the Spanish front of the war on terror (heh) comes word that a convicted murderer wants to talk peace. Of course the plan probably would call for prisoners to be released when it's over (they always do) so maybe he is serious (about getting out of jail).
World News
ETA supporters back Chaos
ETA supporters back Chaos

ETA Man Wants Peace Talks

Updated: 15:35, Monday February 05, 2007

A convicted ETA killer has called on the Spanish government to reopen talks with the Basque separatist group, it has been reported.

Inaki de Juana Chaos is appealing against a 12-year jail sentence for making terrorist threats in a Basque newspaper.

He has already served a 20-year term for murdering 25 people in a series of attacks.

Chaos told The Times: "I am completely in agreement with the democratic process of dialogue and negotiation."

The government called off talks after ETA bombed Madrid's Barajas International Airport in December, killing two people.

The militant group says it did not mean to kill anyone in the attack, and still regards the peace process as ongoing.

Spain's socialist government has rejected talks, and 200,000 anti-ETA protestors marched in Madrid on Saturday, in support of that stance. (link)

So far the Spanish government is standing it's ground. But I expect (looking at recent history) for that to change and them to cave.
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Reason against the terrorists

Thursday, February 1, 2007

The (anti) Surge

"We don't have a plan, but we don't want you to have one either." That seems to be the word from the Dems (and some 'republicans') in the Senate. Not only are they going to attempt to pass their non-binding resolution, they've taken out the part about it 'not being in the interest of the U.S.' on the surge.

Since the nbr was specifically against the surge, now exactly what is it for? Oh yeah, votes. That's what drives most politicians. They legislate with polls and voter sentiment. The democrats I can (sorta) understand, Bush's numbers are low and support for the war is low. But for the 'republicans' it's really hard to figure. Three out of four Republicans support the war, the President and the Surge; so what's the thinking behind alienating your voters? Who knows, but hopefully these politicians will pay the ultimate price for their shenanigans: ie. loss of job.
Senate corners Bush over troop increase

Mark Tran
Thursday February 1, 2007
Guardian Unlimited


US marines, west of Baghdad
US marines patrol west of Baghdad. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images.
George Bush was today facing further political isolation over his policy on Iraq after top Senate Democrats and Republicans agreed on a provisional resolution opposing a troop increase.

The White House has been lobbying fiercely to head off such a resolution and its failure to do so underlines the unpopularity of Mr Bush's plan to send an extra 21,500 troops to Iraq.

Several proposals had been circulating in the Senate, but the Democratic chairman of the senate armed services committee, Carl Levin, and his predecessor, the Republican senator John Warner, have managed to craft a resolution designed to attract maximum support from both parties.(link)

The article didn't give a specific list of 'republicans' who support this measure (and the one that will go around the House), but I'm sure it's the same thugs who were signing on earlier (represented in the Pledge). If you haven't signed up for the pledge, do so now. Let these politicians (and the NRSC) know that we do not support these people.
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Reason to care

Warzone

 Recently played a few games on Caldera (warzone) and then... Lots of luck in this one, but satisfying