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UPDATE VII: More than a month til election and "Rubio commands a double-digit lead among likely voters in Florida's U.S. Senate race, harnessing a split among Democrats over their nominee Kendrick Meek and independent Gov. Charlie Crist." Read The Associated Press, Rubio leads Crist big in Fla. Senate race.
UPDATE VI: More on those Florida Republi-CON fiscal CONservatives. Read the Sarasota Herald Tribune, Senate hopeful Rubio plagued by money problems and the Sunshine State News, Audit Nails Charlie Crist, Jim Greer For 'Inappropriate' Spending.
UPDATE V: "Florida's three-way Senate race between former state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R), Gov. Charlie Crist (I) and Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) is one of the marquee contests of the 2010 election cycle.
It also appears to have moved in Rubio's favor since the Aug. 24 primary and, as a result, we are moving the Senate contest from "toss up" to "lean Republican".
Read the Washington Post, Florida Senate race moves to "Lean Republican".
UPDATE IV: "Gov. Charlie Crist is the man in the middle in Florida's high-stakes race for the Senate, a candidate without a party whose hopes of moving from Tallahassee to Washington depend on his ability to fend off a squeeze play from his Democratic and Republican rivals. " Read the Washington Post, Florida Senate race starts without a clear favorite.
UPDATE III: Support is dwindling for Crist. Read the Pensacola News Journal, Crist losing ground in Senate race, poll shows.
UPDATE II: Who will Crist's opponents be? Read the Pensacola News Journal, Poll: Scott, Greene lead in races.
It would be ironic if he rode the national anti-incumbent, anti-establishment wave to D.C.
UPDATE: The title says it all. Read Reuters, Crist leads 3-way Senate race in Florida.
UPDATE II: The "new documentary 'Waiting for Superman' for ratcheting up the interest level" in education. But charter schools are not the whole answer. A "study by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes found that only 17 percent did a better job than the comparable local public school, while more than a third did 'significantly worse. . . The best charter schools are laboratories for new ideas. But the regular public schools are where American education has to be saved. " Read The New York Times, Waiting for Somebody.
And Randy, the article also notes that "there’s no evidence that teachers’ unions are holding our schools back. Finland, which is currently cleaning our clock in education scores, has teachers who are almost totally unionized. The states with the best student performance on standardized tests tend to be the ones with the strongest teachers’ unions. "
UPDATE: And another article about education. Read The New York Times, Studying Engineering Before They Can Spell It.
UPDATE II: "There’s a big difference between Republicans who have pledged to cut the deficit and true fiscal conservatives." Read The New York Times, Imagining a Deficit Plan From Republicans. The article includes a graph showing the magnitude of the problem:
UPDATE: "Banana republic, here we come." Read The New York Times, Downhill With the G.O.P., which confirm what I've said, "the only way to balance the budget by 2020, while simultaneously (a) making the Bush tax cuts permanent and (b) protecting all the programs Republicans say they won’t cut, is to completely abolish the rest of the federal government: 'No more national parks, no more Small Business Administration loans, no more export subsidies, no more N.I.H. No more Medicaid (one-third of its budget pays for long-term care for our parents and others with disabilities). No more child health or child nutrition programs. No more highway construction. No more homeland security. Oh, and no more Congress.' (Quoting Howard Gleckman of the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.)
America's political meltdown, the road to poverty.
UPDATE: Of course, it begs the question, what is the common good? Read the Washington Post, When do rules for the common good cross the line?
Do you believe that Social Security and Medicare are unconstitutional?
Do you believe that American identity is undermined by immigration?
Do you believe that gun rights are relevant to the health-care debate?
UPDATE II: "Will the rhetoric of the House Republicans’ Pledge to America win over Tea Party members?" Read The New York Times, The Seduction of the Tea Partiers."Extravagant promises and bluster are the stuff of campaign rhetoric, but the House Republicans’ “Pledge to America,” which promises a lot but is devoid of tough policy choices, goes far beyond the norm." Read The New York Times, The G.O.P.’s ‘Pledge’.
UPDATE: Jon Stewart on GOP déjà vu:
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c Postcards From the Pledge
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party
# 10 -- Golfer: "Think I'm going to drown myself in the lake."
Caddy: "Think you can keep your head down that long?"
# 9 -- Golfer: "I'd move heaven and earth to break 100 on this course."
Caddy: "Try heaven, you've already moved most of the earth."
# 8 -- Golfer: "Do you think my game is improving?"
Caddy: "Yes sir, you miss the ball much closer now."
# 7 -- Golfer: "Do you think I can get there with a 5 iron?"
Caddy: "Eventually."
# 6 -- Golfer: "You've got to be the worst caddy in the world."
Caddy: "I don't think so sir. That would be too much of a coincidence."
# 5 -- Golfer: "Please stop checking your watch all the time. It's too much of a distraction."
Caddy: "It's not a watch - it's a compass."
# 4 -- Golfer: "How do you like my game?"
Caddy: "Very good sir, but personally, I prefer golf."
# 3 -- Golfer: "Do you think it's a sin to play on Sunday?"
Caddy: "The way you play, sir, it's a sin on any day."
# 2 -- Golfer: "This is the worst course I've ever played on."
Caddy: "This isn't the golf course. We left that an hour ago."
# 1 -- Best Caddy Comment.... Golfer: "That can't be my ball, it's too old."
Caddy: "It's been a long time since we teed off, sir."
UPDATE XI: "Instead of addressing the dismal unemployment picture during Wednesday’s press conference, Ben Bernanke bent to the inflationistas." Read The New York Times, The Intimidated Fed, which notes:"Lately the inflationistas have seized on rising oil prices as evidence in their favor, even though — as Mr. Bernanke himself pointed out — these prices have nothing to do with Fed policy. The way oil prices are coloring the discussion led the economist Tim Duy to suggest, sarcastically, that basic Fed policy is now to do nothing about unemployment 'because some people in the Middle East are seeking democracy.'
But I’d put it differently. I’d say that the Fed’s policy is to do nothing about unemployment because Ron Paul is now the chairman of the House subcommittee on monetary policy."
UPDATE X: Another told ya so (originally posted in April 2009). "While data zealots have declared the end of the Great Recession, its pain is still very real for millions of Americans." Read The New York Times, We Haven’t Hit Bottom Yet.
UPDATE IX: In the future, will this time be known as 'The Great Unemployment?' Read The Atlantic, How a New Jobless Era Will Transform America.
UPDATE VIII: "Those in the lower-income groups are in a much, much deeper hole than the general commentary on the recession would lead people to believe." Read The New York Times, The Worst of the Pain.
UPDATE VII: From the Washington Post, Digging out of a deep hole:
And who dug the hole, Bush or Obama?
UPDATE VI: The unemployment rate jumped to 10.2 percent in October, the highest since 1983. Read The New York Times, U.S. Unemployment Rate Hits 10.2%, Highest in 26 Years.
But "the truer measure of unemployment -- a total count of everyone who should be working full time but is not -- hit 17.5 percent in October, the highest level in modern times."
UPDATE V: From The New York Times, Comparing This Recession to Previous Ones: Job Losses;
But thank God we saved Government Sachs.
UPDATE IV: Pity the non-government worker, unemployment is still bad, bad, bad. Read The New York Times, A Scary Reality.
UPDATE III: If Obama don't watch out, the unemployed fat lady might crush his presidency. Read the Washington Post, Shaky Economy May Dislodge Obama's Footing.
UPDATE II: How come the fat lady still ain't got a job? Cause there ain't none to be had, unemployment rose last month to 9.5%, and that number is probably an understatement. Read the Washington Post, Job Losses Dampen Hopes for Recovery.
Obama shouldn't have given all the money to the robber banks.
UPDATE: The fat lady still ain't got a job, and her prospects ain't good. Read The New York Times, G.M.’s Latest Plan Envisions a Much Smaller Automaker and Workers Walk the Plank. The later article notes that "[w]hile Wall Street is breaking out the Champagne, the rest of the economy is beyond terrible, and will be for the foreseeable future."
You can thank those Republi-cons and their war on the middle class.
UPDATE II: Rubio's defense for charging personal expenses to the state Republi-con party credit card, he "spent less in 4 years than Sansom did in 2." Read the Miami-Herald, Marco Rubio charged $4K in home remodeling work on GOP credit card.
You remember Sansom -- over 2½ years, a 25-year-old junior Sansom staffer, who was given a party American Express card, spent nearly $1.3 million. Thousands were spent "on jewelry, sporting goods and in one case $15,000 for what's listed as a monthlong stay at a posh Miami Beach hotel." The Florida Republi-cons spent "$650,000 in lodging, $60,000 in airfare — mostly commercial airlines — and $66,000 for charter planes."
According to a former supporter, Rubio never met a perk he didn’t like and is "ust another career politician looking to line his own pocket."
Now you know why I call them Republi-Cons!
UPDATE: What will he do when he gets a hold of the federal government credit card? St. Petersburg Times, Marco Rubio charged kitchen flooring on GOP credit card?
Follow-up: held hostage to the Republi-CON reaction to Nuts and their pimps of fear, anger and hatred;
Local and regional: the big health care lawsuit showdown begins; and Happy 200th Birthday to the Republic of West Florida;
Nation and international: a Republi-CON civil war told ya so; is Palin a 'Democratic double agent'?; the race to November is on; will Crist win?; will it be déjà Miller the Republi-Con Fiscal Conservative Hypocrisy all over again?; not one, not two, but three Republi-con fiscal CONservative with money problems; who wants the Nuts to rule?; those racist Republi-CONs; who wants a religious war?; American political meltdown, the road to poverty; don't furlough, cut federal government pay and benefits; road trip anyone, liar, liar, are your pants a liar?; and are you ready for some football!
and
Donate to a good cause: this week support Pace FL's Woodbine United Methodist's Ray Of Hope Wheelchair Ramp Ministry, as reported recently at the Pensacola News Journal, Ramping it up: Pace church makes wheelchair ramps for people in need.
"The 1920s opened with an 18-month recession, an eerie parallel to the 2007-9 experience. It ended with the Great Crash of 1929."
UPDATE" Clothing makers lie because people don't want to knowe the truth, "[t]wo-thirds of people in this country are overweight or obese; about a third of adults — more than 72 million — are obese, which is roughly 30 pounds over a healthy weight." Read USA Today, USA is fattest of 33 countries.
As I said before, to pay for the health care cost associated with obesity, tax fats, sugars (especially high fructose corn syrup), processed/prepared foods, and alcohol to pay for basic health care for all.
UPDATE: Will it be déjà Miller the Republi-Con Fiscal Conservative Hypocrisy all over again? Could there be another Miller in congress who "who believes the federal government is on the brink of bankruptcy and has called for an end to the 'welfare state,' received federal farm subsidies for land that the fiscal conservative owned. . ." Read the Washington Post, Miller acknowledges getting farm subsidies.
If so, it will be "just another hypocritical politician with one set of rules for himself and one for everyone else."
"why is there something wrong with not being on the stimulus bill? led by our congressman, there is a proud tradition of pensacola not taking federal handouts–for example, not getting any katrina/rita money (although northern alabama did). Our congressman, who represents us, has railed against the stimulus as wasteful spending. Same for health insurance for poor chldren. Let Miller take a stand. If he’s against it, and he’s at the federal level, then the money shouldnt come here."
| 1 | Griswold Farms ∗ | Milton, FL 32571 | $3,503,019 |
| 2 | Walker Farms ∗ | Mc David, FL 32568 | $2,331,538 |
| 3 | Diller Farms ∗ | Walnut Hill, FL 32568 | $2,136,600 |
| 4 | Jerry Jones | Jay, FL 32565 | $1,888,322 |
| 5 | Paul M Griswold | Milton, FL 32570 | $1,850,718 |
| 6 | Doyle M Hunter | Jay, FL 32565 | $1,594,075 |
| 7 | J W Bauldree Estate | Jay, FL 32565 | $1,544,569 |
| 8 | Hendricks And Son Inc ∗ | Jay, FL 32565 | $1,503,484 |
| 9 | B D Hendricks | Jay, FL 32565 | $1,494,659 |
| 10 | Robert G Evers | Baker, FL 32531 | $1,423,623 |
| 11 | Alesia Griswold | Milton, FL 32570 | $1,403,854 |
UPDATE II: "Republicans are threatening to force a tax increase on the middle class unless they get paid off with tax breaks for the wealthy. It’s an offer Democrats must refuse. . . [Democrats] need to highlight their differences with the G.O.P. — and it’s hard to think of a better place for them to take a stand than on the issue of big giveaways to Wall Street and corporate C.E.O.’s." Read The New York Times, The Tax-Cut Racket.
Time to call the Republi-con bluff!
UPDATE: "Contrary to popular belief, this week’s Tea Party victories haven’t hurt the electoral prospects of Republicans in November. . . [their] damage is all in the future. Right now, the Tea Party doesn’t matter. The Republicans don’t matter. The economy and the Democrats are handing the G.O.P. a great, unearned revival. Nothing, it seems, is more scary than one-party Democratic control. " Read The New York Times, The Backlash Myth.
Not yet anyhow.
And therein lies the Naive-crat election strategy.
UPDATE II: What effect will this civil war have in November? Will independent voters abandon the Republi-con party? Not so says one pundit.
"Contrary to popular belief, this week’s Tea Party victories haven’t hurt the electoral prospects of Republicans in November." Read The New York Times, The Backlash Myth.
UPDATE: For more analysis of the meaning of the last group of primary election read the Washington Post, Republicans ride the tea party tiger, Righty pundits on 'suicide' watch, and Bill Clinton: New-look GOP makes Bush look liberal.
A Preview of the 2010 Republi-CON Cat Fight
Are You Ready for Some Republi-CON Smack Down
UPDATE III: Watch the absolutely hilarious Colbert Report on Tuesday's primary results:
The Colbert Report Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c Libertea
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election Fox News
As unlikely as a reasonable person might think, O'Donnell may win in November. She is "poised and telegenic, with a sparkle that her Democratic opponent, Chris Coons, will be hard-pressed to match. She has mastered what should be called the Sarah Palin Affect -- the perkiness, the folksiness, the religiosity, the occasional flash of bared fangs -- and she performs it well."
God help us all.
UPDATE II: And how would the Tea Party rule? "Tea Party candidates this year have voiced opposition to masturbation, support for prohibition and a fear that bicycle-sharing would lead to world government. " Read the Washington Post, The Tea Party: More than just white tea?
UPDATE: This week marks end of primary season, with seven states voting. And not everybody is happy about the way it is ending. "Victories in Republican primaries on Tuesday by Tea Party-backed candidates may complicate Republican efforts to gain control of Congress." Read The New York Times, G.O.P. Braces for More Discontent in Final Primaries.
Also read Politico, Charles Krauthammer rips 'irresponsible' Palin and the Washington Post, The Tea Party: From rebellion to absurdity, with a great quote -- "I could buy a parrot and train it to say, 'tax cuts.'"
Pretty much sums up the Republi-cons.
UPDATE: Show canceled, ask Mike why!
Follow-up: held hostage to the Republi-CON reaction to Nuts and their pimps of fear, anger and hatred;But I'll discuss anything. Disclaimer: the host reserves the right to end any discussion and hang up on you.)
Local and regional: the big health care lawsuit showdown begins;
Nation and international: a Republi-CON civil war told ya so; is Palin a 'Democratic double agent'?; the race to November is on; who wants the Nuts to rule?; those racist Republi-CONs; who wants a religious war?; Third World America; Restore Truthiness, liar, liar, are your pants a liar?; and are you ready for some football!
and
Donate to a good cause: this week support Pace FL's Woodbine United Methodist's Ray Of Hope Wheelchair Ramp Ministry, as reported recently at the Pensacola News Journal, Ramping it up: Pace church makes wheelchair ramps for people in need.
"A federal judge says he likely will let go to trial portions of a lawsuit by Florida and 19 other states, including Washington, challenging (Obamacare). But U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson said [today] that he expects to dismiss other parts. Vinson didn't specify which parts of the lawsuit likely will go to trial but said he will issue a ruling by Oct. 14." Now, speaking of clairvoyance, The New York Times and the rest of the political cognoscenti said that the state lawsuits against Obamacare wouldn't go anywhere. Now, who is this judge? Judge Clyde Roger Vinson is a Ronald Reagan appointee. Judge Clyde Roger Vinson is an avid hunter. He's an amateur taxidermist. Do you know what a taxidermist is?
That's right. For our liberal caller today, this would not be good news. A taxidermist stuffs dead game. If you go into a big, all-male club, you'll see some moose head over the fireplace. A taxidermist is responsible for it. "After a 2002 hunting trip during which he killed three brown bears, Vinson had their heads mounted over the door through which defendants must pass to enter the courtroom. At the time Vinson said the sight of the severed bear heads would 'instill the fear of God' into the accused. The heads were removed in June 2003," it didn't even take a year (laughing) "following complaints by local defendants' rights groups."
(laughing) The prosecutors didn't complain. The defendants' rights groups complained. (laughing) The judge "said the sight of the severed bear heads would 'instill the fear of God' into the accused." (laughing) "He was appointed to serve a seven-year term on the Federal Intelligence Surveillance court." That's FISA. He was appointed to serve a seven-year term on the FISA court effective May 4th of 2006. So he's still on the FISA court. Yes. Judge Clyde Roger Vinson. And remember The New York Times told us along with all the rest of the DC cognoscenti that these lawsuits against Obama, they're not gonna go anywhere. Just like we're being told that Christine O'Donnell cannot win.''
UPDATE II: A great analysis of recent events by Bush's former chief speechwriter from 2001 until June 2006:"Since the days of Russian anarchist Mikhail Bakunin, radicals have talked of the "propaganda of the deed" -- the use of dramatic, usually violent, acts to inspire the masses and topple the existing order. The method -- targeting symbolic landmarks to create powerful images -- is now familiar. The killing of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The first World Trade Center attack. The Oklahoma City bombing. And 9/11 itself.
These events required murder and suicide to gain the global media stage. But the Rev. Terry Jones achieved something new, something that will be studied for generations: the propaganda of the idiotic gesture.
This development was made possible by a number of enabling conditions. . ."
Read the remainder of the article at the Washington Post, The Internet: Enabling Pastor Terry Jones and crazies everywhere.
UPDATE: "America was not built on hate." Read The New York Times, Is This America?
"The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, succeeded far beyond anything Osama bin Laden could possibly have envisioned. This is not just because they resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths, nor only because they struck at the heart of American financial and military power. Those outcomes were only the bait; it would remain for the United States to spring the trap.
The goal of any organized terrorist attack is to goad a vastly more powerful enemy into an excessive response. And over the past nine years, the United States has blundered into the 9/11 snare with one overreaction after another. Bin Laden deserves to be the object of our hostility, national anguish and contempt, and he deserves to be taken seriously as a canny tactician. But much of what he has achieved we have done, and continue to do, to ourselves. Bin Laden does not deserve that we, even inadvertently, fulfill so many of his unimagined dreams. . .
In a 2004 video message, he boasted about leading America on the path to self-destruction. "All we have to do is send two mujaheddin . . . to raise a small piece of cloth on which is written 'al-Qaeda' in order to make the generals race there, to cause America to suffer human, economic and political losses."
Through the initial spending of a few hundred thousand dollars, training and then sacrificing 19 of his foot soldiers, bin Laden has watched his relatively tiny and all but anonymous organization of a few hundred zealots turn into the most recognized international franchise since McDonald's. Could any enemy of the United States have achieved more with less?"
UPDATE: "Ordinary American families no longer have the purchasing power to build a strong recovery and keep it going. . . There was plenty of growth, but the economic benefits went overwhelmingly — and unfairly — to those already at the top. Mr. Reich cites the work of analysts who have tracked the increasing share of national income that has gone to the top 1 percent of earners since the 1970s, when their share was 8 percent to 9 percent. In the 1980s, it rose to 10 percent to 14 percent. In the late-’90s, it was 15 percent to 19 percent. In 2005, it passed 21 percent. By 2007, the last year for which complete data are available, the richest 1 percent were taking more than 23 percent of all income." Read The New York Times, A Recovery’s Long Odds.
But thank God we saved the Banksters!
UPDATE VII: From the Washington Post:
UPDATE VI: "Terry Jones did it again--jerked the media's chain, as he's done since the start of this bizarre little episode." Read the Washington Post, Pastor's mosque bluff transfixes media.
The media should "not to provide coverage of events that are gratuitously manufactured to provoke and offend."
UPDATE V: "As Sept. 11 approaches, the displays of intolerance just keep getting more and more outrageous." Read The New York Times, The 5 Percent Doctrine.
UPDATE IV: Maybe Jesus wants a religious war. Read the New York Daily News, Pastor Terry Jones says Jesus Christ would burn Korans, will go ahead with controversial 9/11 event.
UPDATE III: Does God want a religious war? Read USA Today, Fla. pastor: Buring Quran is 'direction God wants us to go'.
UPDATE II: OBL is lovin it! Read the Washington Post, Petraeus condemns Fla. church's plan to burn Korans.
UPDATE: "Hysteria about Islam is but a modern echo of past American worries about Catholics, Jews and others." Read The New York Times, America’s History of Fear.
Followup: WEBY's very own Pastor Truthiness's delusion birther rants, the deliberate distortions continue and he is the one who should be embarrassed, so many lies, but who needs elitist facts when you have Truthiness;But I'll discuss anything. Disclaimer: the host reserves the right to end any discussion and hang up on you.)
Local and regional: do architects, taxi drivers and the like have oil spill claims?; local delusions of grandeur; who's gonna protest;
and
Nation and international: blaming God for pandering to fear, anger, and hatred and outing the CONristian hypocrites; cha-ching, baby, cha-ching, and taking a chance to monetize to a new low; was the mission accomplished? and who won in Iraq?; stupid is as stupid does, Obama style; has the economy turned the corner?; who is the real Christian and other Republi-CON election-time fear-mongering; are Republi-CONs sacrificing workers to appease their imaginary inflation God?; Restore Truthiness, liar, liar, are your pants a liar?; and are you ready for some football!
#1. 'Football is only a game. Spiritual things are eternal. Nevertheless, Beat Texas.' Seen on a church sign in Arkansas prior to the 1969 game.
#2. 'After you retire, there's only one big event left... and I ain't ready for that.' Bobby Bowden / Florida State
#3. 'The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely to be the one who dropped it.' Lou Holtz / Arkansas
#4. 'When you win, nothing hurts.' Joe Namath / Alabama
#5. 'Motivation is simple. You eliminate those who are not motivated.' Lou Holtz / Arkansas
#6. 'If you want to walk the heavenly streets of gold, you gotta know the password, 'Roll, tide, roll!' Bear Bryant / Alabama
#7. 'A school without football is in danger of deteriorating into a medieval study hall.' Frank Leahy / Notre Dame
#8. 'There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you.' Woody Hayes / Ohio State
#9. 'I don't expect to win enough games to be put on NCAA probation. I just want to win enough to warrant an investigation.' Bob Devaney / Nebraska
#10. 'In Alabama , an atheist is someone who doesn't believe in Bear Bryant.' Wally Butts / Georgia
#11. 'You can learn more character on the two-yard line than anywhere else in life.' Paul Dietzel / LSU
#12. 'It's kind of hard to rally around a math class.' Bear Bryant / Alabama
#13. When asked if Fayetteville was the end of the world. 'No, but you can see it from here.' Lou Holtz / Arkansas.
#14. 'I make my practices real hard because if a player is a quitter, I want him to quit in practice, not in a game.' Bear Bryant / Alabama
#15. 'There's one sure way to stop us from scoring-give us the ball near the goal line.' Matty Bell / SMU
#16. 'Lads, you're not to miss practice unless your parents died or you died.' Frank Leahy / Notre Dame
#17. 'I never graduated from Iowa , but I was only there for two terms - Truman's and Eisenhower's.' Alex Karras / Iowa
#18. 'My advice to defensive players: Take the shortest route to the ball and arrive in a bad humor.' Bowden Wyatt / Tennessee
#19. 'I could have been a Rhodes Scholar, except for my grades.' Duffy Daugherty / Michigan State
#20. 'Always remember... Goliath was a 40 point favorite over David.' Shug Jordan / Auburn
#21. 'They cut us up like boarding house pie. And that's real small pieces.' Darrell Royal / Texas
#22. 'Show me a good and gracious loser, and I'll show you a failure.' Knute Rockne / Notre Dame
#23. 'They whipped us like a tied up goat.' Spike Dykes / Texas Tech
#24. 'I asked Darrell Royal, the coach of the Texas Longhorns, why he didn't recruit me and he said: 'Well, Walt, we took a look at you and you weren't any good.' Walt Garrison / Oklahoma State
#25. 'Son, you've got a good engine, but your hands aren't on the steering wheel.' Bobby Bowden / Florida State
#26. 'Football is not a contact sport - it is a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.' Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers
#27. After USC lost 51-0 to Notre Dame, his postgame message to his team: 'All those who need showers, take them.' John McKay / USC
28. 'If lessons are learned in defeat, our team is getting a great education.' Murray Warmath / Minnesota
#29. 'The only qualifications for a lineman are to be big and dumb. To be a back, you only have to be dumb.' Knute Rockne / Notre Dame
#30. 'Oh, we played about like three tons of buzzard puke this afternoon.' Spike Dykes / Texas Tech
#31. 'It isn't necessary to see a good tackle. You can hear it.' Knute Rockne / Notre Dame
#32. 'We live one day at a time and scratch where it itches.' Darrell Royal / Texas
#33. 'We didn't tackle well today but we made up for it by not blocking.' Wilson Matthews / Little Rock Central High School
#34. 'Three things can happen when you throw the ball, and two of them are bad. Woody Hayes / Ohio State University
#35. 'I've found that prayers work best when you have big players.' Knute Rockne / Notre Dame
#36. 'Gentlemen, it is better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football.' John Heisman / Auburn
UPDATE: In any case, it is clear that truth was the loser in Iraq, and still is.
Read The New York Times, Freedom’s Just Another Word, which argues that "President Obama’s bloodless speech on the “end” of the Iraq war showed how the whitewashing of our recent past is well under way."
UPDATE V: Bush's former chief speechwriter from 2001 until June 2006 outs the CONristian hypocrites:"President Obama’s Clintonesque casuistry is making a bad situation worse." Read The New York Times, Our Mosque Madness."Christianity, as an Abrahamic faith, sets out another vision -- an assertion of human worth and dignity that transcends tribe and nation. . . In light of this belief, the purpose of social influence for Christians is not to favor their own faith; it is to serve a view of universal rights and dignity taught by their faith. It is not to advance their own creed; it is to apply that creed in pursuit of the common good. This is what turns religion into a positive social force -- a determination to defend everyone's dignity.
Freedom of religious worship and expression is essential to human dignity -- which makes blocking the construction of a mosque for religious reasons a violation of Christian belief. And laws preventing the building of churches in Mecca or Riyadh do not make this principle less important here."
Read the Washington Post, In mosque controversies, some Christians undermine their own faith.
UPDATE IV: Three Al Qaeda cheers for those binLadi-cans (formerly known as the Republi-cons). Read The New York Times, U.S. Anti-Islam Protest Seen as Lift for Extremists and U.S. News & World Report, Why Are Palin, Gingrich, and Fox News Doing Bin Laden's Work?
UPDATE III: From This Modern World, A mosque near ground zero? I'm offended even thinking about it! On earth and parallel earth alike, the wingnuts escalate the crazy:
And to understand why the mosque must be built, read the Washington Post, No compromise on religious freedom and The right-wing, blinded by its own hysteria.
UPDATE II: U.S. politics has a long history of religious bigotry. Read the Huffington Post, Obama a Muslim! Lincoln a Catholic! FDR a Jew! Why Americans Don't Like Their President's God
UPDATE: "Opposition to the proposed Islamic center near ground zero is one topic on which Sarah Palin and Osama bin Laden apparently agree." Read The New York Times, Taking Bin Laden’s Side.
And "[t]he rage over the “ground zero mosque” is not motivated by a serious desire to protect America, but by a desire for an election-season payoff." Read The New York Times, How Fox Betrayed Petraeus.
Local and regional: do architects, taxi drivers and the like have oil spill claims?; andBut I'll discuss anything. Disclaimer: the host reserves the right to end any discussion and hang up on you.)
Nation and international: was the mission accomplished? and who won in Iraq?; stupid is as stupid does, Obama style; has the economy turned the corner?; who is the real Christian and other Republi-CON election-time fear-mongering; Third World America; and are Republi-CONs sacrificing workers to appease their imaginary inflation God?.
UPDATE II: Vanity Fair's Sarah Palin Profiler: 'The Worst Stuff Isn't Even In There'. Nevertheless, Sarah Palin is everywhere -- and going nowhere.
UPDATE: "As the worlds of Alaska and reality TV collide, maybe the next new program should be entitled 'Shooting With the Stars.'" Read The New York Times, Sarah’s Amazing Race.
