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The Donnybrook
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
 
A Nice Step Toward Eliminating The Electoral College...

My take on the election of U.S. Presidents can be boiled down to one simple sentence:
Whomever a majority of American voters want to be their President should become their President.
That's it.

No anequated system that renders entire states unimportant come election time. Just a majority of American voters choosing their leader.

Toward this end, the California state assembly has taken a big step toward using the national popular vote to cast its state's electoral votes in future Presidential elections.
The California State Assembly became the second legislative body behind Colorado Tuesday to approve their plan to change the way Americans elect a president.

It started as a dream for these two bay area men. Now, people are actually listening.

Barry Fadem of The National Popular Vote: "If a bill were to be passed and signed into law in California, then we think that would provide significant momentum for this effort."

Like most states, California currently has a "winner-take-all" approach, giving 55 electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins in this state. The proposal would instead give those 55 electoral votes to whoever won the popular vote nationwide, regardless of who Californians voted for.

Assemblyman Tom Umberg sponsored the bill to make the golden state count.

Tom Umberg: "The 11 or 12 battleground states largely determine who's president of the United States. So a very small number of people in the country make a decision for all of us."
Amen.

Check out National Popular Vote for more information...

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And Now, For Something Completely Different...

The unbelievable Eric Johnson.


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Tuesday, May 30, 2006
 
Which Sport Has The Best Logos?

I say without a hint of consternation, that hockey (on all levels) has the best logos. My favorite current logo would have to be that of the Minnesota Wild.

On a related aside, if you're a sports-uni geek like me, you're gonna love Paul Lukas' new Uni Watch blog.

Paul writes for ESPN.com as well, but the new blog is a virtual encyclopedia of sports uniform minutiae...

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"You Mess With The Bull, You Get The Horns."

The passing of an 80's pseudo-legend.

“That's the last time, Bender. That's the last time you ever make me look bad in front of those kids, you hear me? I make $31,000 a year and I have a home and I'm not throwing it all away on some punk like you. But someday when you're outta here and forgotten about this place and they've forgotten about you, and you're wrapped up in your own pathetic life, I'm gonna be there. That's right. And I'm gonna kick the living shit out of you.”

---Paul Gleason as Principal Vernon in 'The Breakfast Club'
I'm not sure if he was buried in one of Barry Manilow's suits...

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Why Does History Insist On Repeating Itself?

Especially when entrenched leaders with bad ideas refuse to be realistic.

The alleged massacre of Iraqi civilians by U.S. Marines in Haditha is about to become this war's My Lai Massacre.

Pentagon sources said the killings began after a roadside bomb killed 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Miguel Terrazas at 7:15 a.m. on November 19 in Haditha, a city along the Euphrates River in western Iraq.

The Marines originally reported that 15 civilians also died in that blast. But according to the Pentagon sources' account, the Marines immediately suspected four Iraqi teenagers in a taxi and fatally shot them, along with the driver, when the Marines said they failed to lie on the ground as ordered.

The hunt for the bombers then moved to a nearby house, where seven people -- including two women and children -- were killed. Then eight people, including six women, were shot and killed next door, while women in a third house were not harmed, the sources said. In a fourth house, four men were killed.

Rep. John Murtha, appearing Sunday on ABC's "This Week," alleged a cover-up and said the fallout could be "worse than Abu Ghraib."

"We don't know how far it goes," said Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat and a retired Marine colonel. "Who ordered the cover-up?"

When the fuck will we ever learn?

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North Carolina Powerball Begins Today...



That's right!

In spite of the News & Observer's constant sniping (when they're not busy claiming that Vernon Robinson is a legitimate politician), the North Carolina Education Lottery is continuing to roll out new games.

Play if you want to. Don't play if you don't...

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Monday, May 29, 2006
 
Latrobe, Pennsylvania Needs Your Help!

A good cause brought to my attention by regular Donnybrook reader, Bill "Gumby" Gombita:

Anheuser-Busch purchased the Rolling Rock name 2 weeks ago from In-Bev but not the historic 67-year-old brewery located in Latrobe.

If a buyer can't be found by July 31st, In-Bev will cut their losses and close the brewery, putting over 200, mostly union, workers on the street. AB will then start brewing Rolling Rock in Newark, NJ at one of their Bud plants that has excess capacity.

From Allegheny Mountain spring water to the East River, I find it hard to believe that the beer itself won't suffer. But I do know that Latrobe, losing its largest taxpayer, and 200+ workers, in the already depressed region, will.

Please find the time to go to
www.petitiononline.com/save33/petition.html and sign the petition slated to be sent to A. Busch IV. This is a last ditch effort to save the plant, the jobs, and the town.

Thank you,

Gumby

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Friday, May 26, 2006
 
Are You A "Smart" Driver?

Take the test, and find out.

I got an 85%. I'm not proud of it, but that's life!

P.S. Have a great Memorial Day weekend and be safe out there on the roads.

Oh, and please be extra-careful when you're gassing up your car. Heart attacks are still one of the leading causes of death here in the U.S. of A....

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To My Philly Peeps: Max Cleland Will Be In Media Next Tuesday...

Former Senator Max Cleland will be at the Iron Hill Brewery on May 30th at 2:30pm campaigning for Bryan Lentz, a candidate for PA State House.

Check it out if you can get an afternoon off.

Oh, and stop by Riddle Memorial Hospital on the way and thank them for assisting me on my journey onto this Earth.

At least, I think that's where I was born...

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Bush Acknowledges He Shouldn't Talk Like A Drunk In A Pool Hall...

This is your president, everybody. I hope you're proud of him.

After almost 60 years on this planet, about 5 of those being spent as the most powerful man on the planet, he's finally realizing that the crap spewing from his mouth can have actual repercussions.

I'm fairly sure I learned that lesson in elementary school.
Bush shared some of his regrets in how he handled the war in Iraq, namely that he wishes he hadn't told the terrorists to "bring it on."

"I think in certain parts of the world it was misinterpreted," Bush said, adding that he has learned how to express himself in a more "sophisticated" manner.
To be fair, I don't think the comment was misinterpreted. It seems to me that many insurgents have taken the President up on his challenge...

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Thursday, May 25, 2006
 
BREAKING: Ken Lay And Jeffrey Skilling GUILTY



String these scumbags up by their toenails...

UPDATE: Sentencing for Lay and Skilling has been set for September 11th. Why?

I really need to find out why these two guys who are now convicted felons get to wait almost 4 months to be sent to prison? The same thing happened with Martha Stewart, and I didn't understand it then...

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Republican Speaker Of The House Under Investigation?

In an act of outright defiance against the laws of gravity, the river of shit in the Republican House of Representatives seems to be running uphill.

Federal officials say the Congressional bribery investigation now includes Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, based on information from convicted lobbyists who are now cooperating with the government.

Part of the investigation involves a letter Hastert wrote three years ago, urging the Secretary of the Interior to block a casino on an Indian reservation that would have competed with other tribes.

The other tribes were represented by convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff who reportedly has provided details of his dealings with Hastert as part of his plea agreement with the government.


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Wednesday, May 24, 2006
 
A Quick Prediction...

=

Thoughts?

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Lil' Ricky Is The Least Popular Senator In The Country...

Ouch.

Considering the anemic level of popularity that the Republican-controlled Congress currently enjoys, this is roughly like being named the least popular prison guard at Auschwitz.

Who would've thunk that an extremist Republican from a moderately blue state who's taken more money from lobbyists than anyone else in Congress would be so unpopular.

Some people just can't get a break.

Help Bob Casey send Ricky to an early retirement.

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Tuesday, May 23, 2006
 
The Great Donnybrook Pop Culture Quiz

Everyone knows I'm a huge pop culture buff, but I want to see just how sharp my game is, so this quiz is gonna be a little different than my usual quizzes.

This time, I want my readers to quiz me.

In the comments section, post questions from the areas of music, movies, sports, and anything else considered pop culture-ish. I'll sift through my encyclopedia of useless knowledge (my brain) and try to impress all of you.

For my part, I promise not to consult Google or Wikipedia for answers as long as you don't ask me ridiculous questions like "Who was Bert Convy's hair stylist on Win, Lose, or Draw?" Fair enough?

LET'S GET IT ON!!!

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Monday, May 22, 2006
 
Our Trip To Philly: A Photographic Essay...

Boy, did we luck out. Not only did I get catch the Phils vs. the Red Sox (more on that later), but this past weekend also included the Italian Festival on 9th Street in downtown Philly.

Where else can you find two fellas that bothered to not only wear, but actually make these shirts?



Or a lady wearing this?



You can't put a price on stuff like that, or my wife and her bestest friend getting to hang out. Good times.

As far as the game goes, it should be noted that I went to the game with a die-hard Sawx fan, as evidenced here:



That's me on the right, in case you didn't know.

As soon as we headed down that subway entrance, I got smacked in the face by a dose of reality I wasn't expecting. Philadelphia had been overrun by Red Sox fans.

Don't believe me?



Yup, that's an old lady wearing a Sox babushka.


It's a pretty surreal moment when you realize supporting the Phillies actually puts you in the minority in Philadelphia.

That being said, the many Sox fans that made the trip were delightful. Not a Masshole in sight, thankfully.

Here's the view of the field from our seats:



It wasn't as far away as it looked. Trust me. Now, here's the impressive Phillies' scoreboard.



If you haven't been to Citizens Bank Park, I highly recommend checking it out. It's state-of-the-art and classic all at once.

In case you didn't know, the Phillies lost 8-4 that night. Luckily, I came out a 2-0 winner in the matchup of Me vs. Cheesesteaks. Moral victory, I guess.

The Phils won 10-5 the next day...When I was in my car heading back to North Carolina.

Still, it was great trip for my lovely wife and me, even if we were bad luck for the Phils!

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How Is Saying That You're Ashamed Of The President Considered "Radical"???



Seriously, that's radical???

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Thursday, May 18, 2006
 
A Sneak Peek Into My Future...



Philadelphia Phillies vs. Boston Red Sox

Saturday, May 20th at 7:05PM
Citizens Bank Park
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Section 310, Row 1

Probable Starters: Brett Myers, RHP (2-1, 2.73) vs. Josh Beckett, RHP (5-1, 4.24)

Go for the game, stay for the cheesesteaks...

UPDATE: I'll have a full report on my Phillies experience complete with pictures tomorrow...

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Some New iPod Gems...

"White Unicorn" by Wolfmother
Cool Australian band. Think Styx, Led Zeppelin, and Steppenwolf all rolled into one.

"A Life Of Illusion" by Joe Walsh
Opening song to "The 40-Year-Old Virgin". Classic Joe Walsh sound.

"Good Time" by Leroy
You may remember this tune from an early episode of "Scrubs".

"You Don't Know Me" by Jann Arden
Yeah, it's from "My Best Friend's Wedding". Sue me if you must.

"Poetry and Sin" by Jon Shain
I'm taking guitar lessons from this guy. He has a great sound and writes phenomenal tunes.

Enjoy!!!

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Wednesday, May 17, 2006
 
It's Gonna Be Kat Vs. The Hick...

My guess is that this American Idol thing is locked up: Katharine McPhee vs. Taylor Hicks.

Elliot tried hard, but brought pretty much nothing to the table last night. I say the road ends for him tonight.

A vaginaface can only take you so far.

On a rather strange note, what's wrong with Katharine lately? Every time she's faced the judges over the last few weeks, she's up there shaking like a dog shitting razor blades.

It was pretty funny when she shot down Randy's song choice criticism. He's such a fucking eunuch.

As usual, this Rickey dude has the skinny on last night's performances...

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GOP'ers Cannibalizing Each Other: It's Not Just For NC Anymore!

From my home state of Pennsylvania:

The two top Republicans in the state Senate conceded upset defeats tonight.

State Sen. Robert Jubelirer, (R., Blair), the state's longest-serving president pro tempore, conceded defeat to Blair County Commissioner John Eichelberger, who led in a three-way primary.

Earlier, Senate Majority Leader David J. Brightbill, (R., Lebanon) who helped pass the legislative pay raise that spurred an anti-incumbency movement, conceded his loss shortly before 10 p.m. He was defeated by Mike Folmer.
In other PA primary news, Bob Casey, Jr. took the first step toward sending Lil' Ricky Santorum to the private sector with his tail between his legs.

Well done, sir...

UPDATE: In a strange turn of events, I just noticed that Chuck Pennachio's campaign has claimed that I endorsed his candidacy for the Democratic nomination to face Rick Santorum in November.

As you can probably tell by the "Bob Casey For U.S. Senate" button on my front page since Casey announced his candidacy, I made no such endorsement.

Chuck is a good Democrat with good ideas, but I never endorsed his candidacy.

Geez, I'm really in demand lately!

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Tuesday, May 16, 2006
 
A Viewpoint That Few People Are Considering...

I've often wondered why Mexican President Vicente Fox seems to be getting off scot-free for outsourcing his country's massive unemployment problem.

Illegal immigration to the United States is "Mexico's disgrace," caused by the government's failure to create enough jobs, the country's leftist presidential candidate said on Tuesday.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who trails conservative Felipe Calderon in polls ahead of July 2 elections, accused President Vicente Fox's administration of causing the flight of millions of Mexicans to the north, which prompted President Bush to order National Guard troops to the border.


"They are the ones mostly responsible for what is going on because there is no employment, there are no jobs in Mexico so people need to emigrate," Lopez Obrador said on his morning television show."
Put simply: Any true solution to immigration issues cannot be one-sided.

As it stands, President Fox has done nothing to stem the flow of his people to the United States, and has been more than happy to turn a blind eye to the exodus of his fellow countrymen...

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Fear Of A Blue Planet...



SurveyUSA's newest 50-state poll shows that only three states have a positive view of Bush.

Also, several states with vulnerable Republican-held Senate seats on the line this November (Rhode Island, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania) have Snoopy circling the toilet bowl...

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Monday, May 15, 2006
 
Does This Still Scare The Shit Out Of Anybody Else?


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"I Love You Too, Johnny Cakes..."

Consider this a post in praise of Joe Gannascoli, the guy that plays Vito Spatafore on the "The Sopranos".

This is a guy that is truly dedicated to his craft. So much so, he's teamed up with David Chase to make every homophobic Sopranos' fan on the planet cringe for an entire season.

In addition, he's made the most of his (lets be honest, here) limited acting skills this season and done a fine job of portraying a mafioso dealing with his sexual confusion.

For a funny little diversion, check out Joe's official website, where you can find many pictures of Joe and his wife.

I think he really wants us to know he's not a fan of the Johnny Cakes in real life...

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Somebody Get Gary Bettman A Valium Or Seven...



In the Eastern Conference finals, you've got Carolina vs. Buffalo. In the West, you're gonna have Anaheim vs. San Jose or Edmonton.

Big market action, baby! The biggest market left is Anaheim since it's right by Los Angeles, but that doesn't mean much since people in L.A. could care less about the Kings, much less the Ducks.

I personally love to see some new teams competing for Lord Stanley's Cup.

Especially when the Hurricanes are now actually the favorite to win it all.

Impressive...

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Saturday, May 13, 2006
 
Oh Man, This Is Just Too Good...

Thanks, CNN!!!

In a new poll comparing President Bush's job performance with that of his predecessor, a strong majority of respondents said President Clinton outperformed Bush on a host of issues.

The poll of 1,021 adult Americans was conducted May 5-7 by Opinion Research Corp. for CNN. It had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Respondents favored Clinton by greater than 2-to-1 margins when asked who did a better job at handling the economy (63 percent Clinton, 26 percent Bush) and solving the problems of ordinary Americans (62 percent Clinton, 25 percent Bush).

On foreign affairs, the margin was 56 percent to 32 percent in Clinton's favor; on taxes, it was 51 percent to 35 percent for Clinton; and on handling natural disasters, it was 51 percent to 30 percent, also favoring Clinton.

Moreover, 59 percent said Bush has done more to divide the country, while only 27 percent said Clinton had.

When asked which man was more honest as president, poll respondents were more evenly divided, with the numbers -- 46 percent Clinton to 41 percent Bush -- falling within the poll's margin of error. The same was true for a question on handling national security: 46 percent said Clinton performed better; 42 percent picked Bush.


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His "Word" Is "Xenophobia"...

Am I mistaken, or is this commentary from Fox News anchor John Gibson the same kind of language that white supremacists use?

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Friday, May 12, 2006
 
Jack Cafferty Breaks Down Bush's Bullshit On Phone Surveillance...



Jack goes off on a tirade that's sure to piss off those who think it's peachy that millions of Americans are having their phone records involuntarily turned over to the federal government.
We all hope nothing happens to Arlen Specter, the Republican head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, cause he might be all that stands between us and a full blown dictatorship in this country. He's vowed to question these phone company executives about volunteering to provide the government with my telephone records, and yours, and tens of millions of other Americans.
That's just a taste. It gets even better...

UPDATE: Fox News' Neil Cavuto has jumped to the front of the "Fuck my rights, keep me safe, Daddy!!!" crowd:
Yes, it is not great to necessarily hear they're collecting our phone records, but it's a heck of a lot better than collecting our remains.
Yuck. Even Newt Gingrich won't stoop to defending this shit...

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So, Who Else Saw "The Office" Last Night?



I know, a 29-year-old guy shouldn't be this into a TV show, but who cares?

That was some season finale...

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Thursday, May 11, 2006
 
Kentucky's Republican Governor Has Been Indicted...

What the hell is wrong with these people???

Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher was indicted Thursday on misdemeanor charges alleging that his administration hired and fired state workers on the basis of politics, not qualifications.

The first Republican governor since 1971, Fletcher is the first Kentucky governor to be indicted. He entered office on a pledge to cut “waste, fraud and abuse” in state government.

The charges: Criminal conspiracy, official misconduct in the first degree and violating the prohibition against political discrimination.
Kos has it right: "At this point, it's easier to count the clean Republicans than the dirty ones."

UPDATE: A SurveyUSA poll shows that 54% of Kentuckians want Fletcher to resign.

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There Is No Justice...



Forget this whole "the government is compiling millions of Americans' cell phone calls" thing, there is no joy in Mudville this morning, as the mighty Chris has struck out...

UPDATE: Has anyone else heard the rumors that Chris might be getting an offer to take over as lead singer for Fuel, now that Brett Scallions has left the band???

2nd UPDATE: Here's a clip from Ryan Seacrest's radio show hinting at Fuel making an offer to Chris on Extra! tonight...

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Proof That I've Always Been Right About David Lee Roth...

Here he is doing covers of "Jump" and "Jamie's Cryin" on a bluegrass album called "Strummin' With The Devil".

Since I was 9 years old, I've been telling people he was a worthless loser.

Enjoy the proof...

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006
 
Which Songs Make You Want To Kill Yourself?

I don't mean that in a bad way.

The new book, I Hate Myself and Want to Die : The 52 Most Depressing Songs You've Ever Heard takes a look at the most depressing songs of all time.

Now, I don't mean "depressing" as in "most country music makes Brian want to commit murder and is therefore depressing".

I'm talking about good songs that just happen to be a little on the dark/demonic/patently unhappy side of things.

A few examples I can think of:
"Traveling Soldier" by The Dixie Chicks
"Angel" by Sarah McLachlan
"Fade Into You" by Mazzy Star
"How Soon Is Now?" by The Smiths
What you got?

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How Sensible Governments Do Business...

SENSIBLE

In the face of a large budget surplus, North Carolina's Democratic Governor Mike Easley has proposed cutting the state's sales tax, increasing the state's minimum wage, increasing pay for state employees, and increasing spending for education.

NOT-QUITE-SO-SENSIBLE

In the face of enormous budget deficits and skyrocketing national debt, President George W. Bush and the Republican leaders of the House and the Senate agreed on $70 billion worth of additional tax cuts over the next 5 years that will benefit mostly wealthy Americans.

Also, in the Senate, Republicans are looking to pass a bill that will make it easier for small employers to ignore state mandates for a standard of quality healthcare, enabling them to offer sub-standard healthcare to their employees...

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Tuesday, May 9, 2006
 
"Right Man...Critical Time...Our Nation's History..."

Just watch the clip from CrooksAndLiars...



Is this gonna stop being fun anytime soon?

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It's Time To Start Asking The Question...



However, things can get better for Bush.

His annual month-long vacation is only two and a half months away, so he'll have plenty of chances to snag himself an even bigger fish...

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Monday, May 8, 2006
 
God Bless Philadelphia...

The home of the greatest sports fans in the world.



Suck it, Mr. Bonds*.

P.S. The Phillies still won the game in spite of Barry's bomb...

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I Couldn't Agree More...

When you're right, you're right.

U.S. President George W. Bush told a German newspaper his best moment in more than five years in office was catching a big perch in his own lake.

"You know, I've experienced many great moments and it's hard to name the best," Bush told weekly Bild am Sonntag when asked about his high point since becoming president in January 2001.

"I would say the best moment of all was when I caught a 7.5 pound (3.402 kilos) perch in my lake," he told the newspaper in an interview published on Sunday.
I agree 100%. That is definitely the best thing George W. Bush has done in his 4+ years in office.

UPDATE: Rubber Nose has the responses given by two other presidents to the same "greatest moment of my presidency" question:

Jimmy Carter: The Camp David Negotiations
Bill Clinton: Resolution of the Kosovo crisis

George W. Bush: Catching a fish on his ranch...

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Overrated/Underrated

It's late, I'm bored and I was watching a show on ESPN last night that got me to thinking about who are some of sports overrated and underrated stars. Everybody's got their own opinions on this, so share yours as I will share mine.

Overrated

Peyton Manning: Throw all the stats out there that you want but the bottom line is this guy has yet to win a really big game in college for the NFL. He's 3-6 in the playoffs and still found a way to bite the big one last year when he lead a team that some foolishly were trying to say was the best ever when they were 13-0, that had home-field advantage and that did not have to worry about the Patriots again. As the Steelers showed, all you have to do is pressure Manning and she craps herself...and then she throws her offensive linemen under the truck afterward. This guy is so great that Tennessee went undefeated, beat Florida and won the national championship the year after he left.

Underrated

Jake Delhomme: He may not have gaudy stats but the guy wins. True, he was horrible in the NFC title game last January but that was the first time he played bad in the playoffs. In two postseasons, this guy has led less-talented teams than Manning-led Colts to a 5-2 playoff record, winning four of those games on the road and coming within a whisker of winning the Super Bowl. In a big game I'll take Delhomme over Manning any day. If it's a regular-season AFC South game, though, against the Texans Manning is the guy I want.

Overrated

Alex Rodriguez: This guy is the Peyton Manning of baseball. Think about the last time he flourished in the postseason. Stumped? It doesn't happen. Remember his pathetic karate chop on a swinging bunt in a key situation against the Red Sox in the 04 ALCS? How about last year in Game 5 against the Angels when he grounds into a ninth-inning double play after Jeter led the inning off with a single. This guy does his best work when the Yankees are way up or are playing the likes of the D-Rays, Orioles and Royals. I think New York fans get it because they boo him a lot because they know he chokes under pressure but I don't know if the rest of the country gets it. When you get the kind of money this guy does you should dominate come playoff time. Also think about this: Every team A-Rod has left immediately has had a better season in his first season not there. Think about how awful those Ranger teams he was on were. Well, the year he leaves they have a huge turnaround and finish above .500 and nearly win the division. The year he leaves Seattle they win 116 games!

Underrated

Omar Vizquel: If Ozzie Smith is in the Hall of Fame then this guy has to go as well. Laugh if you want but check the numbers. Omar beats him across the board in offense and is the best defensive shortstop of the last 10 years. They both have a ton of gold gloves. Ozzie has more but Vizquel has a better fielding percentage and has never made more than 20 errors in the season while Ozzie used to do that quite often. Surprising, but true. Omar also has played on two teams that reached the world series so if the writers reasoned that Ozzie should go then Omar should get his call soon after he retires.

Overrated

Pat Riley and Phil Jackson: First, Riley. Why was the media so excited when this guy forced his way in this year? What had Riley done with the Heat when he was there. In his last seaosn with the Heat they were embarrassed after getting swept by the lower-seeded Hornets in the first round. Before that they lost to the Knicks every year...even when the Knicks were the No. 8 seed! He always lost to MJ's Bulls when he coached the Knicks and he has been to one finals that he lost since leaving the Lakers...and that came when Jordan retired the first time. And come on, like he really had to do a lot of coaching on those Lakers teams. Magic, Kareem, Worthy, Scott, Cooper, Thompson...Yeah, Riley's the reason they won. Please. Paul Westhead coached that team to a title...Paul Westhead!

Jackson meanwhile showed what a fraud he is this year. If he's the genius everyone makes him out to be then the Lakers should have done better than a No. 7 seed and should have been able to hold onto a 3-1 lead against a depleted Suns team playing without one of its most important players...and two of its key players in Game 6 when Bell was out. But like I always said when he coached the Bulls and the Kobe/Shaq teams, if you don't suround this guy with at least two mega superstars he's going to struggle. Look at what happened when Jordan retired the first time. The Bulls lost in the second round to the Knicks then were headed for a 6 or 7 seed the following year and a first-round loss before Jordan came back late in the season, helped them get a 5 and win a first-round series. But since Jordan wasn't completely back in shape yet and Phil's a fraud they lost in the second round to the Magic. Great coaching, Phil. I especially loved his strategy in Game 6 against the Suns when the Lakers were down by about 6 with 50 seconds to go and he had the Lakers let the Suns run about 15-20 seconds off the shot clock and then foul...Steve Nash! Brilliant!

Underrated

Greg Popovich: Why this guy doesn't get more respect, I don't know. All he's done is win three championships since 1999. This team is always tough in the postseason because it is discplined and mentally tough which he deserves a lot of credit for. Unlike Jackson, he did not inherit players like Jordan or Shaq or Kobe as they were entering their primes. Instead, he helped build Duncan up upon his arrival into the league and has helped him become one of the league's most dominant players. He's also helped Tony Parker and Ginobili come out of nowhere to become one of the league's top backcourts. What all-stars other than the ones he inherited in Chicago and L.A. has Jackson developed? Riley and Jackson walked into great situations and could sit back and watch the good times roll. Popovich has built a team and has built them into a powerhouse.

Here are some other quick hits:

Overrated: the home run; Underrated: the stolen base and the sacrifice bunt

Overrated: (as a commentator because he couldn't be rated anything but a bum as a quarterback), Sean Salisbury; Underrated: Darren Woodson and James Hasty

Overrated: running backs; Underrated: Offensive linemen

Overrated: Rocky IV; Underrated: Rocky I

Overrated: John Cena; Underrated: Bret Hart

Overrated: Hulk Hogan; Underrated: Ric Flair

Overrated: Joe Torre; Underrated: Jim Leyland

Overrated: Joe Namath; Underrated: Bart Starr

Overrated: Katherine McPhee; Underrated: Elliott Yamin

Overrated: Pamela Anderson; Underrated: Elisha Cuthbert

Painfully overrated: Stuart Scott; Underrated: Fred Hickman

Overrated: ESPN's anchors stupid catch phrases that Stuart helped foster and that are painfully unorigininal; Underrated: Just showing the sports highlights

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Friday, May 5, 2006
 
BREAKING: CIA Chief Porter Goss Resigns...

Gee, I wonder if it has anything to do with this.

To learn more about the Republican bribery/hooker scandal, check this out...

P.S. Has anyone heard a single word about the Republican hooker scandal on CNN? MSNBC? Fox News?

I'm not being a smartass here, I'm just wondering 'cause I ain't heard shit about it anywhere...

UPDATE: Atrios has a first look at the impending right-wing spin over Goss's abrupt exit:
According to Tim Russert, this is all perfectly normal, a CIA director suddenly resigning with no advance warning to anyone and without a replacement chosen.

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This Day In History...

Some interesting events:

1862 - Cinco de Mayo in Mexico: Troops led by Ignacio Zaragoza halt a French invasion in the Battle of Puebla.

1925 - Scopes Trial: Dayton, Tennessee, biology teacher John Scopes is arrested for teaching Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution.

1944 - Mohandas Gandhi is freed from prison.

1978 - Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds hits his 3000th major league hit.

1987 - Iran-Contra affair: Start of Congressional televised hearings.

1994 - American Michael P. Fay is caned in Singapore as punishment for spray-painting two cars.

As well as some noteworthy births:
1818 - Karl Marx, German political philosopher
1942 - Tammy Wynette, American musician
1943 - Michael Palin, British writer, actor, and comedian
1948 - Bill Ward, British drummer (Black Sabbath)
1981 - Craig David, British R&B singer
1987 - John Gotti Agnello, son of columnist and author Victoria Gotti and grandson of mobster John Gotti
1977 - THIS GUY RIGHT HERE!!!

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Thursday, May 4, 2006
 
Sidney Lowe: Why I Like The Pick...

I've got two big reasons:

1.) His NBA coaching experience. True, he wasn't a successful head coach (79-228???), but then again neither were Rick Pitino or John Calipari. The reality is that most college ballplayers want to take a crack at the NBA someday. What better recruiting tool is there than a coach who has an intimate knowledge of that game and how to get a spot on an NBA roster?

2.) At the very least, it always feels good to bring back a member of the program that was responsible for some truly wonderful memories. It's indefinable and probably not based in reality, but I really feel that counts for something in sports. Maurice Cheeks, notwithstanding.

Best of luck, Coach Lowe...

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Has This Ever Happened Before?

In the NHL playoffs, a funny thing has happened.

In the Eastern Conference, the top 4 seeds won every opening round series (Ottawa, Carolina, New Jersey, Buffalo).

However, out in the Western Conference, the top 4 seeds LOST every opening round series (Detroit, Dallas, Calgary, Nashville).

Has that ever happened in the NBA or the NHL?

Here are my 2nd Round Predictions:

EAST

Ottawa over Buffalo in 6
Carolina over New Jersey in 7

WEST

San Jose over Edmonton in 6
Colorado over Anaheim in 5

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Republican House Passes Toothless Lobbying Reform...

They talked a good game, but when the time came to do something about Abramoff-style influence-peddling, the Republicans didn't have the guts to do anything real.

Check out the roll call...

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Wednesday, May 3, 2006
 
Easily The Most Pathetic Attempt By A Right-Winger To Use 9/11 As A Crutch...

WARNING: What you're about to witness is a piece of mental gymnastics that makes Kerri Strug look like Mabel King.

"The greatest thing about this man is he's steady. You know where he stands. He believes the same thing Wednesday that he believed on Monday, no matter what happened Tuesday."
That was a very funny line from Stephen Colbert's performance over the weekend at the White House Correspondents Association dinner, but it's one that has at least a few conservatives upset.

On Lou Dobbs show, conservative radio host Martha Zoller had this to say about Colbert's line:

"What came to mind after seeing "United 93" this weekend is 9/11 was a Tuesday, so that was -- and he probably didn't even think about a that, but for me, having lost friends in the World Trade Towers that was the first thing I thought of."
Comedians of the world beware!!!

If you dare mention Tuesday again, your pre-9/11-worldview-having ass is in deep dog shite...

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Greatest Sports Uniforms Of All?

I tried to get this thread going once before, but I think it might have been a holiday weekend or something, so nothing got rolling.

Watching the Hurricanes-Canadiens' series over the past week got me thinking about the best sports uniforms out there right now. I mention this because I think the Canadiens have the best uniforms in any of the four major North American sports.



It's a classic look, and they don't change their style every few years to pump up their merchandising take like some franchises I could mention...

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Tuesday, May 2, 2006
 
Michelle Malkin Thinks I'm A Sexist...

Man, the things you miss when you aren't paying attention!

Back on August 10th of last year, I posted a clip of Florida Republican Senate candidate Katherine Harris behaving like she just took 3 tabs of ecstasy on Hannity & Colmes. Here's the video, if you care to watch it again.

Anyway, the title of that post was "Katherine Harris Shakes Her Tits All Over Fox News". Clever, eh?

I made my points about the Congresswoman's unintentionally hilarious appearance and a spirited discussion about human anatomy ensued.

And for all this, I got cited as an example of "Liberal Sexism Unleashed" by one of the right-wing's most vocal defenders of internment and racial profiling.

Good times for all.

If Michelle Malkin thinks describing exactly what happened in the clip is a qualification for being a sexist, so be it.

At the end of the day, she certainly has more status than me, and a much bigger platform than I do for making such an accusation.

After all, I've never suggested a woman's dead son would be ashamed of her for trying to find out why he died. I've never incited death threats (intentionally or otherwise) against people I'd consider my political opponents, and I've certainly never argued that innocent people should be locked up for no reason because our nation is at war.

Oh well, my conscience is clean even if my language sometimes isn't.

Thanks for the bump in readership back in August, Michelle!

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A Great Gift Idea For The Lady In Your Life...

...courtesy of Ron & Fez on XM Satellite Radio.


She'd better be a classy broad to wear this treasure...

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Top Ten In-Game Dunks Of All-Time...

Dr. J gets absolutely robbed here. His dunk over Michael Cooper in the 1983 NBA Finals should be #1, #2, and #3.

Instead, the geniuses that made this list put Vince Carter dunking over some French hack in the Olympics at number 1 and the Doctor at #2. That is fucked up...


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This Could Get Interesting...

Tonight, the 5 remaining finalists on American Idol will be singing two songs: One from the year they were born, and one from this week's Billboard Top 10.

I don't have the time to figure out when all the contestants were born, so I won't even go there.

However, I do have easy access to this week's Billboard Top 10:
1. Daniel Powter "Bad Day"
2. Sean Paul "Temperature"
3. T.I. "What You Know"
4. Chamillionaire Featuring Krayzie Bone "Ridin'"
5. Natasha Bedingfield "Unwritten"
6. LL Cool J Featuring Jennifer Lopez "Control Myself"
7. Dem Franchize Boyz Featuring Lil Peanut & Charlay "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It"
8. James Blunt "You're Beautiful"
9. Bubba Sparxxx Featuring Ying Yang Twins & Mr. ColliPark "Ms. New Booty"
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers "Dani California"
Now, a few choices seem like common sense: Katharine should do "Unwritten", Chris could do "You're Beautiful" (good tune, btw), and Elliot the vagina-face can sing "Bad Day".

Then what?

Can you see Taylor Hicks pulling his Joe Cocker schtick on "Ms. New Booty"? Maybe he could come out with a sock on his junk and sing the Chili Peppers' tune.

Will lil' Paris Bennett break down Dem Franchise Boyz? And if so, what about Lil' Peanut and Charlay? Won't someone please think of them???

P.S. If I have the wrong Billboard Chart, please let me know...

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Monday, May 1, 2006
 
Three Years Later...



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My Top 3 Brews From The World Beer Festival...

To those inquired, the Raleigh World Beer Festival was awesome. Thanks.

The place was set up well, the beer vendors were cool, and everything went off without a hitch.

Of the many beers I sampled (and I do mean many), 3 stood out above the rest:

SweetWater Blue from SweetWater Brewing Co. #1 with a bullet right here. If you ascribe to the notion that fruit beers are a little "fruity", you may not like this one, but this may be my favorite beer of all. Delicious blueberry tones. Very smooth. Amazing.

BridgePort Brewing Company's India Pale Ale I'm not a big fan of IPA's, but this one was fantastic. Very crisp and smooth, not too hoppy. Portland, Oregon is still the epicenter of American microbrewing.

Redstone Meadery's Mountain Honey Wine Not everyone is into mead, but I think it kicks ass. For more about mead in all its glory look here.

For future reference, the Durham World Beer Festival is on October 7th. Start making your plans A.S.A.P...

UPDATE: I'm such a silly goose, I forgot another great unique beer. Tommyknocker's Maple Nut Brown Ale. Five words: Maple syrup in the brew...

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