What better way to say goodbye to the year that was, than to look forward to the year ahead. With that in mind, I'm breaking out my inner Nostradamus to share some of my predictions for 2008...
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With that, I bid you a Happy New Year.
I'm not exactly sure how to introduce this next list, courtesy of Blogcritics Magazine. Perhaps the title says it all.
The Top Ten Douche Bags of 2007
10. OPRAH WINFREY
This year, Oprah has the distinction of being the most annoying white woman on the planet. In February, Oprah’s latest publicity stunt included posing with kids at her new “school” in Africa for a television special. Oprah and her mindless, middle-aged housewife cult thought Oprah would surely become the new messiah she promotes herself as. Unfortunately, Oprah’s publicity stunt backfired on her as it was revealed that her school had become a haven for child abuse.
Here I was thinking that she made the list for selling out her principles and deciding to campaign for presidential contender, Barack Obama.
9. LARRY CRAIG
Beloved Senator Larry Craig from Idaho has always been a staunch opponent of gay rights. It’s sort of ironic that Mr. Craig was caught playing Dorothy Footsie in a bathroom stall on June 11, 2007. Since the arrest, several gay men have come forward to give detailed descriptions of their sexual escapades with Larry Craig.
I personally would have awarded a much higher place on this list for the distinguished horse's ass from Idaho.
8. BILL O’REILLY
Apparently, Mr. O’Reilly wasn’t content with referring to Mexicans as “wetbacks” a few years back. Everybody’s favorite right wing extremist told the world how surprised he was when going to a soul food restaurant in Harlem called Sylvia’s. “You know, I mean, everybody was — it was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun. And there wasn't any kind of craziness at all.”
I would have thought that Bill O'Reilly would have had his name retired from this list. How about a little respect for this guy? Surely, he belongs on the Douche Bag Hall of Fame by now.
7. KATIE COURIC
Watching Katie Couric try and perk it up for her newscast is the equivalent of staring at the clock minute by minute and second by second. Watching her perk it up in Iraq made me actually long for the days of seeing Connie Chung on the news.
How much must Katie be kicking herself for giving up that gig on the Today Show? She went from being an cultural icon on morning television to national punchline on network news. I'm thinking that Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira are going to keep their mouths shut and enjoy their good fortunes as long as they can.
6. DENNIS MILLER
Dennis Miller has turned from an intelligent, witty comedian to an angry, self-hating, right wing fanatic - but he is still relevant. Look up the word “failure” in the dictionary and you will certainly find Mr. Miller’s career next to it.
While I generally consider myself to be somewhat educated, I have to confess that many of Dennis Miller's analogies and references went way over my head. It's unfortunate to see such an intelligent and funny guy transform into a bitter troll.
5. AL SHARPTON
To the loving members of the liberal media, Al Sharpton is a hero who represents racial harmony, especially after representing Tawana Brawley. After all, he brought down Imus, correct? But where was Mr. Sharpton when Halle Barry, the half-white actress who pretends to be black, made anti-Semitic remarks on Jay Leno’s show?
Is there an implication of a double standard here? The heck you say. Not from a fine, upstanding individual like Al Sharpton. Why he is a pillar of moral integrity.
4. HILLARY CLINTON
Just six months ago, it seemed almost certain that Hillary would become our next president. At a time when illegal immigrants are marching through the streets waving their own flags, chanting anti-American slogans, committing violent crimes, and stealing identities, Mrs. Clinton gave her support for giving illegal immigrants drivers licenses, a privilege not even granted towards all legal citizens.
I'm not exactly sure that she was endorsing the practice of just giving out drivers licenses to illegal immigrants...I mean, they still have to pass that bonehead test like us legal citizens. Still, for being the experienced politician that Clinton says she is, she should have figured out that there was no way that this was going to end up well for her campaign.
3. BRITNEY SPEARS
After her divorce from K-Fed, her comeback was literally handed to her on a silver platter, but Britney had to screw it up with the non-stop partying, the stints in drug rehab, the military haircut, the hit and runs, and losing custody of her children. Her biggest crime is that her behavior overshadowed her album Blackout, one of the best musical releases of the year.
Britney really has become the living embodiment of the train wreck that everyone hopes will be avoided but cannot look from when the wreck actually occurs. The real tragedy is that the public seems to want more for Britney than she wants for herself.
2. MICHAEL NIFONG
District Attorney Michael Nifong successfully charged three white Duke Lacrosse players who raped an African American stripper. There was just one problem: there was no actual evidence of this supposed crime. Not only did the stripper keep changing her story, but Nifong admitted to not actually interviewing her until six months after charging the so called “criminals” with the false crime.
I know what happened. Nifong was out sick the day they taught law. I'm sure it was an honest mistake, one that anyone out for publicity and a potential run for political office might be guilty of committing. I'm sure those boys who were wrongfully accused have already moved on from this unfortunate incident.
1. GEORGE W. BUSH
No explanation needed.
And I think that says it all.
I thought I'd devote today's postings to some of the highlights and low lights of the year that was 2007. I hope you enjoy.
News Stories of the Year - According to the Associated Press these were the top new stories of 2007:
1. VIRGINIA TECH KILLINGS: Seung-Hui Cho, 23, who had avoided court-ordered mental health treatment despite a history of psychiatric problems, killed two fellow students in a dormitory on April 16, detoured to mail a hate-filled video of himself to NBC News, then shot dead 30 students and professors in a classroom building before killing himself. It was the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
Deservedly so, unfortunately for all the wrong reasons.
2. MORTGAGE CRISIS: A record-setting wave of mortgage foreclosures, coupled with a steep slump in the housing market, buffeted financial markets, caused multibillion-dollar losses at major banks and investment firms, and became an issue in the presidential campaign.
Call me a pessimist, but this time next year don't be surprised if you see Recession on this list.
3. IRAQ WAR: The "surge" that sent more U.S. troops to Iraq was credited with helping reduce the overall level of violence. But thousands of Iraqis and hundreds of U.S. personnel were killed nonetheless during the year, and Iraqi political leaders struggled to make meaningful progress toward national reconciliation.
This probably ranks as the most frequently reported story of 2007. It certainly got onto my blog quite a bit. We can only hope that the "surge" of 2007 is replaced with the "draw down" of 2008.
4. OIL PRICES: Oil prices soared to record highs, at one point reaching nearly $100 a barrel. The high prices, which burdened motorists and owners of oil-heated homes, nudged Congress to pass an energy bill that ordered an increase in motor vehicles' fuel efficiency.
Funny how this story follows the Iraq War. Surely this must be a coincidence. I mean, it's not like we went to Iraq for its oil. No way, we went there because the Iraqi people were screaming for us to free them from oppression.
5. CHINESE EXPORTS: An array of Chinese exports were recalled, ranging from toys with lead paint to defective tires to tainted toothpaste and food. Despite the high-profile problems, America's trade deficit with China was running at record-high levels.
Aside from some political rhetoric on both sides, this story pretty much changes nothing related to the flow of goods from China into the United States. The irony is that if we did slow the import of goods from China into America, we'd probably already be in a recession.
6. GLOBAL WARMING: Warnings about the consequences of global warming gained intensity with new reports from scientific panels and a Nobel Prize to Al Gore for his environmental crusading that included the film "An Inconvenient Truth." Across the U.S., many state governments sought to cap emissions blamed for global warming.
Experts have said from day one, that fundamental environmental change will likely require several smaller grass roots movements to build up the momentum necessary for national governments to act. Perhaps we're seeing the beginning to see those movements appear in 2007.
7. BRIDGE COLLAPSE: An Interstate 35 bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis collapsed during the evening rush hour on Aug. 1, killing 13 people and injuring about 100. The disaster fueled concern about possible structural flaws in other bridges nationwide.
Bridges are just a symptom of a much broader problem that isn't getting much public attention, that of our nation's infrastructure. If you think that terrorism represents an economic threat, that's nothing compared to the devastation that would occur if our country's highways aren't looked after with a bit more urgency.
8. PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: In a yearlong drama with shifting subplots, large fields in both major parties battled for support ahead of the caucuses and primaries that will decide the 2008 presidential nominees. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama led among the Democrats; some polls showed five Republicans with double-digit support.
So like this is a 2007 top story. The actual election year is still 3 days away. At this rate the campaign's for 2012 will be kicking off before Inauguration Day (January 20, 2009). Someone get me some aspirin.
9. IMMIGRATION DEBATE: A compromise immigration plan, backed by President Bush and Democratic leaders, collapsed in Congress due to Republican opposition. The plan would have enabled millions of illegal immigrants to move toward citizenship, while also bolstering border security. The issues remained alive in the presidential campaign.
For me the story here is how useless Congress has been in 2007. I remember how folks thought that things would be different after the Democrats won control of Congress in the 2006 elections. What a disappointment.
10. IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM: Worried that the ultimate goal is a nuclear arsenal, the United States and other countries pressed Iran to halt uranium enrichment. Iran said it never had a weapons program. A U.S. intelligence report concluded there was such an effort, but it stopped in 2003.
A fascinating list to be sure not just for what made the top ten, but for those stories that didn't. Not a single mention of the ongoing conflicts in Africa (take your pick; sadly there are many to choose from). Nothing on the the crackdown by the junta in Myanmar either. And what about Pakistan and Afghanistan. I seem to recall that the war on terrorism was initially waged in Afghanistan with the objective of capturing Osama Bin Laden. Last I heard, dude was still free. On the bright side, the absence of any tabloid headliners from this list--Anna Nicole Smith, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears--gives me a glimmer of hope that there is still some sanity in the world. Though, for all the headlines that she made this year, you have to think that Britney came awfully close to making the list.
If you think about it, we invaded Iraq because we thought they had a weapons program too--of course, back then we called them 'weapons of mass destruction.' I suppose we should be thankful that Bush decided not to invade Iran as well. I guess there is an upside to having a depleted military, after all.
Quote of the Year - Miss Teen South Carolina Lauren Caitlin Upton, third-runner-up in the Miss Teen USA pageant, was asked the following question at the Miss Teen USA pageant, "Recent polls have shown a fifth of Americans can't locate the U.S. on a world map. Why do you think this is?"
This was her answer: "I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uh, some people out there in our nation don't have maps, and, uh, I believe that our education, like such as in South Africa and, uh, the Iraq, everywhere, like, such as. And I believe that they should, our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S., uh, or, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries, so we will be able to build up our future for our children."
If anyone was in need of a scholarship, this broad gets my vote. The surprising thing is that she actually got third runner-up. What does that say about the standards we have for education?
I'll be back with some more insights on 2007 tomorrow.
Well, I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Here I was thinking that it was going to be a quiet week, what with the holiday and all. However, much like my College Football Bowl picks, I was clearly wrong.
Pakistan - Benazir Bhutto was killed in Pakistan yesterday when a suicide attacker shot at her and then blew himself up as she left a rally in Rawalpindi. Authorities initially said she died from bullet wounds, and a surgeon who treated her said she died from the impact of shrapnel on her skull. Today, hundreds of thousands of mourners thronged the mausoleum of Pakistan's most famous political dynasty in an outpouring of emotion for Bhutto. The government said al-Qaida and the Taliban were responsible for her death, claiming it intercepted an al-Qaida leader's message of congratulation for the assassination. Many of Bhutto's furious supporters blamed President Pervez Musharraf's government for the shooting and bombing attack on the former prime minister, Musharraf's most powerful opponent. Thursday's attack on Bhutto plunged Pakistan into turmoil and badly damaged plans to restore democracy in this nuclear-armed nation, a key U.S. ally in the war on terror. Yes, by all means, let's focus on what this tragedy means to U.S. foreign policy and its interests in this region. No need to waste time on what this means to the Pakastani people. I tell you, it never ceases to amaze me how our government sets its priorities at times like this. It comes as no surprise to me why there is so much animosity directed at the United States when the first thing that our leaders are concerned when a tragedy befalls another country--one that we consider an ally, no less--are the repercussions on our interests.
Congress - President Bush plans to veto a sweeping defense policy bill on grounds that it would derail Iraq's efforts to rebuild its country. This sounds familiar... Bush's action, which apparently caught congressional leaders off guard, centers on one provision in the legislation dealing with Iraqi assets. Sadly, so does the fact that Congress seems surprised by Bush's veto... The provision that is causing problems would have allowed the victims of the executed Iraqi dictator Saddam to seek compensation in court. The Iraqi government has warned that former U.S. prisoners of war from the first Gulf War might cite this legislation in an attempt to get money from the Iraqi government's reported $25 billion in assets now held in U.S. banks. Overall, the bill authorizes $696 billion in military spending, including $189 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, for the 2008 budget year. It aims to provide more help to troops returning from war and set conditions on contractors and pricey weapons programs. The measure reflects the best Democrats could do this year on their national security agenda while holding such a slim majority. Powerless to overcome GOP objections in the Senate, the bill does not order troops home from Iraq, as Democrats would have liked. While it does not directly send money to the Pentagon, the bill is considered a crucial policy measure because it guides companion spending legislation and dictates the acquisition and management of weapons programs. I find myself in the unfamiliar position of siding with the President on this one. I'm not sure I see how it is Congress's mandate to write legislation that includes provisions for suing a foreign government. Now please don't confuse this with me not agreeing that former U.S. prisoners of war should not be entitled to some sort of compensation for what they were forced to endure. However, it was the U.S. that put these soldiers in harms way and it seems to me that the U.S. should bear the responsibility for making sure that it takes care of its own. It just doesn't seem right that all of this other legislation--that unexpectedly appears to make sense--should be held up because of this one provision.
Economy - The housing market plunged deeper into despair last month, with sales of new homes plummeting to their lowest level in more than 12 years. New-home sales tumbled 9% in November from October; many economists were predicting sales to decline by just 1.8%. The housing and mortgage meltdowns have raised the odds that the country will fall into a recession. The big worry is that the housing and credit troubles will force individuals to cut back on spending and businesses to cut back on hiring and capital investment, throwing the economy into a tailspin. In technical terms, tailspin pretty much means recession. Funny how this threat hasn't been making it into very many of the soundbites that the Presidential candidates have been throwing at us for the past...to tell you the truth, I've lost count of how long this pre-election season has been dragging on, but it's been a long time. I don't think the candidates will be able to ignore the growing possibility of the R-word for much longer.
France - One of France's most iconic institutions — the smoky cafe — will be but a hazy memory. The extension of France's smoking ban to bars, discotheques, restaurants, hotels, casinos and cafes on January 1 marks a momentous cultural shift in that country. The Health Ministry says one in two regular smokers in France dies of smoking-related illness, and about 5,000 nonsmokers die each year of passive smoking. About a quarter of France's 60 million people are smokers. Many bartenders and restaurant staffers are looking forward to breathing easier and to clothes that don't stink of seeped-in odors from the clouds of smoke where they work. Just about anywhere indoors will be off-limits for smoking, except homes, hotel rooms, and sealed smoking chambers at establishments that decide to provide them. Many restaurateurs, cafe owners and disco operators fear lost business: Smokers who light up with a countertop morning coffee, on the dance floor or after a meal make up a huge customer base. A national union of disco owners has said it expects a 5% to 8% decline in business initially, and has urged the government to send pamphlets to police to show "understanding" in their enforcement of the ban. I have mixed feelings on this one. I'm a non-smoker and anything that allows me to avoid having to breathe in someone else's bad habit, I'm generally in favor of. The inner-conflict that I have with this, is just how far can you go in curtailing an individual's rights? One could argue that alcohol is every bit as dangerous in the hands of an excessive drinker--perhaps more so--than cigarettes are, yet there are no laws preventing people from drinking wherever they like. That said, I do believe that the fears of less business among nightclub owners are rather unfounded. If all nightclubs are faced with the same restrictions, it isn't as if any of these places are going to be at an advantage or disadvantage over any other place of business.
College Football - I mentioned earlier that I wasn't doing so well in my college football bowl game picks. Lest you thought I was kidding, here are my results so far. Out of the 8 bowl games played so far, I am a staggering 1 out of 8. Somehow I managed to pick Cincinnati over Southern Miss in the Papajohns.com Bowl. My strategy of picking WAC and Pac-10 teams to win hasn't exactly paid off. Boise State, Nevada, UCLA and Arizona State all lost their respective bowl games. It would have been something if I could have gone 0 for 32, but no, I had to get one right.
I'm taking a few days off to go south of the border. Here's wishing all my friends and loved ones, including that one loyal reader, a very merry Christmas and happy holiday season. Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo.
France - French President Nicolas Sarkozy has gone public with his new girlfriend, model-turned-folksinger, Carla Bruni (click here for her web site). Bruni, 39, has been romantically linked in the past with rock stars Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton. Sarkozy, 52, announced his divorce from Cecilia, his wife of 11 years, just two months ago. From what I can see, it looks like Sarkozy traded up for a newer model. And on another note, this is why the French are so cool. We had a President, who shall remain nameless--though, coincidentally his wife is currently after his old job--who could have taken up with any woman that he wanted, and he goes out and nails a rather homely looking intern. Sarkozy, is totally taking advantage of his position and bagged himself a babe.
Germany - Germany is launching a new TV station dedicated to old age and death, featuring vido obituaries and documentaries about graveyards. The network will also run how-to shows that provide tips on such issues as choosing a retirement home and making an apartment handicap-accessible. You may laugh, but think about some of the genre specific channels that are available on cable now. This is not as far-fetched as you may first think. As an added bonus, I did some digging and got ahold of some of the shows under consideration for the new cable network: "Law and Order: DOA", "Saturday Night Death", "The Old and the Dying", "As the Dialysis Machine Turns", "Survivor: Not This Time", "Grey's Autopsy" and "Dancing with the Morticians".
India - An Indian holy man who claimed his right leg had magical power has had the limb amputated and stolen by thieves Like I could make this story up...The man insisted that his leg could grant wishes to anyone who touched it. Police say this may explain why two strangers arrived in his village, got him drunk, hacked off his leg with a sickle and made off with it. I seriously don't get this country. Some dude is making money of people paying to sit in an airplane that doesn't fly, killer monkeys whacking public officials and now this. I'm trying, I really am, but I just don't get it.
2008 Presidential Race - The Concord Monitor broke with political tradition telling readers in New Hampshire, the state with the first presidential primary, why they should not vote for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney instead of whom they should support. In a scathing anti-endorsement that called Romney a "disquieting figure," the New Hampshire newspaper's editorial board said he looks and acts like a presidential contender but "surely must be stopped" because he lacks the core philosophical beliefs to be a trustworthy president. In particular, the newspaper noted the former Massachusetts governor's change of heart on such issues as abortion rights, stem-cell research and access to emergency contraception, as well as on signing an anti-tax pledge. I don't care how the Romney campaign tries to spin this story; this has to sting. Dude is the first presidential candidate ever to get an anti-endorsement. How much must that suck?
Marriage - A recent survey found that two-thirds of the middle-class women and half of the men polled said they would marry for money. The average base price was $1.5 million. A University of Michigan sociologist said in response to the survey, "I'm a little shocked at the numbers. It's kind of agains the notion of love and soul mates." I don't mind saying that I'm a bit shocked as well. $1.5 million? That's it. I don't know about that. A cool million doesn't go as far as it used to. Me, I'd hold out for at least $10 million, though in the interest of respecting the institution of marriage, I would accept that amount in any combination of cash, stocks or bonds.
Pets - Executives and other professionals are choosing to rent pets rather than own them. Offering what it calls "a unique alternative to full-time pet ownership," FlexPetz rents out its dogs for $39.95 per day. I'm all for free enterprise and enterprenurial ingenuity, but this is bordering on ridiculous. If you are going to have a pet, you should have a pet and not just when it's convenient. What's next flex-spouses--having that special someone when it is convenient for you schedule?
Foreign Policy - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice held out the prospect of improved relations with the remaining two members of President Bush's "axis of evil," Iran and North Korea, as long as they meet international demands over their nuclear programs. Rice said the Bush administration in its remaining year would welcome fundamental changes in its dealings with the two countries, as well as with Syria, and as an example pointed to warming ties with Libya, which renounced weapons of mass destruction in 2003. "The United States doesn't have permanent enemies, we're too great a country for that," she said. Is it just me, or is it difficult to read this without laughing? Forget for a moment that there are plenty of actions and words (mostly by President Bush) that contradict Rice's statements. The kicker for me was the 'we're too great a country for that' line that she made. See, it's stuff like this, where our nation's leaders hold us up on some pedestal over the rest of the world, that makes the rest of the world get pissed off at us. I'm not saying we're not great, but truly great countries don't have to constantly remind the rest of the world that they are great. All I'm saying is that actions speak louder than words.
Texas - Texas is about to make it more expensive to watch a little bump and grind. In what some have dubbed the "pole tax," the Lone Star State will require its 150 or so strip clubs to collect a $5-per-customer levy, with most of the proceeds going to help rape victims. The tax goes into effect on New Year's Day. The strip clubs are suing to block the tax saying nude dancing is protected by the First Amendment and the state can't selectively tax it, even if it is conduct some may find offensive. State officials estimate the tax will raise more than $40 million a year, based on liquor sales figures. If accurate, the estimate suggests at least 8 million people a year go to Texas strip clubs to get a lap dance or watch women pole-dance in a G-string. 8 million? No way. They must have miscounted. Surely, its higher than that. But wait, there's more... Most places will probably raise drink prices and cover charges, or start charging a cover if they don't do so already. Strip clubs occupy a mythic place in Texas lore as a spot where young women can work their way through college and small-town girls with dreams of Hollywood stardom get their start on the lowest rung of show biz. And finally... Utah enacted a 10 percent tax on topless clubs in 2004. That same year, the Texas Legislature considered a $5-per-head fee, with the money going toward schools. But lawmakers didn't like the link between strip clubs and kids — the idea was mocked as "Tassels for Tots" — and the proposal died. Isn't it horrible how God-fearing Christians, as these choirboys must be, are being singled out for unfair taxation simply for patronizing well-meaning establishments, like the local nudie bar? Funny how no one got all bent out of shape every time a new cigarette tax was passed. Frankly, the real injustice isn't the $5 tax...heck, no. It's the $10 they charge you for a freaking soft drink at these joints! Talk about your highway robbery.
War Veterans - J. Russell Coffey, the oldest known surviving U.S. veteran of World War I, has died. The retired teacher, one of only three U.S. veterans from the "war to end all wars," was 109. Coffey never saw combat because he was still in basic training when the war ended. The two remaining U.S. veterans are Frank Buckles, 106, of Charles Town, W.Va.; and Harry Richard Landis, 108, of Sun City Center, Fla., according to the Veterans Affairs Department. Among the other World War I veterans who died this year were Emiliano Mercado del Toro, 115, who ranked as world's oldest person for the last weeks of his life, and Charlotte Winters, 109, the last known American female veteran of the war. I don't remember where I heard this, but I think its some of the best advice I've ever heard...If veterans of war were in charge of deciding when to go to war, there would be a lot less wars. I cannot fathom the horrors that men and women in the field of combat are faced with everyday, and I thank my lucky stars everyday for that good fortune.
Pop Culture - You all may want to be sitting down for this one... Sacha Baron Cohen announced that he's retiring Borat, the clueless Kazakh journalist, as well as his alter ego, aspiring rapper Ali G. "It is like saying goodbye to a loved one. It is hard, and the problem with success, although it's fantastic, is that every new person who sees the Borat movie is one less person I `get' with Borat again, so it's a kind of self-defeating form, really." Baron Cohen brought Borat Sagdiyev — an anti-Semitic buffoon in search of Pamela Anderson — to the masses last year with his smash comedy, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." So much for hopes of a sequel. On the other hand, I have to give it up to Baron Cohen for doing the right thing and not compromising his artistic integrity in favor of commercial gain. I'm pretty sure, given the same choice, I would have taken the money. Artistic integrity never ranked that high on my priority list anyway.
Christmas Spirit - There is something about this time of the year that gives me reason to believe that there is still some hope for the human race. Read on and see for yourselves...
Susan Dahl had spent four months homeless in Colorado and just been on a harrowing 10-hour bus trip through sleet and snow. Hungry and broke, all she wanted to do was get back to family in Minnesota. That's when a tall man in a red coat and red hat sat next to her at the downtown bus station, talked to her quietly and then slipped her $100 on that recent December afternoon. The man was doing the work of Larry Stewart, Kansas City's original Secret Santa who anonymously wandered city streets doling out $100 bills to anyone who looked like they needed it. Stewart died of cancer at age 58 earlier this year, but his legacy lives on. During about a quarter century, Stewart quietly gave out more than $1.3 million to people in laundromats, diners, bus stations, shelters and thrift stores, saying it was his way of giving back at Christmas for all the wealth and generosity he had received in his lifetime. For years, Stewart did not want his name known or want thanks or applause, but last December he acknowledged who he was and used his last few months while battling cancer to press his message of kindness toward others. He even trained some friends in the ways of Secret Santa. This Christmas, a friend who told Stewart in the hospital that he would carry on for him is out on the streets, handing out $100 bills, each one stamped with "Larry Stewart, Secret Santa." Between Kansas City and several other cities this Christmas, the new Secret Santa will give away $75,000 of his own money, mostly in $100 bills. The new Secret Santa has also started a Web site (click here), and is trying to recruit other Secret Santas across the country. Merry Christmas, Larry. And thanks for showing us what Christmas spirit is all about. You know, if we are capable of this sort of thing at Christmas, you could say that it might be possible to perform similar gestures of kindness the other 364 days of the year. I know, I know. Crazy talk. I'm just saying.
Congress - President Bush, successful in forcing the Democratic Congress to bend to his will, complained that lawmakers had wasted time and taxpayers' money. I'm sorry, since when hasn't Congress wasted time and taxpayers' money? Bush used a year-end news conference to scold lawmakers for stuffing 9,800 special-interest projects into a $550 billion spending measure. What began as a troubling year for Bush, facing a new, energetic Democratic Congress, ended in triumph for the president as frustrated Democrats nursed their losses. Democrats failed in their top objective to stop the war in Iraq and bowed to Bush and his veto threats on tax policies, energy legislation, children's health insurance and general spending. Democrats conceded Bush's success. "President Bush's veto pen prevented the kind of significant change our country needs," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, head of the House Democratic Caucus. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, "Next year, I hope the president will stop trying to block progress and work with Congress to deliver for the American people." I think Rahm Emanuel hit the mark a bit more than Pelosi did. President Bush didn't exactly block progress, he merely progressed that which he wanted, and quite effectively at that. I'm not saying I agree with what Bush did, but you cannot argue that he pretty much got his way on pretty much everything he wanted despite a record low approval rating and Democratic control of both chambers of Congress. How many of us would have seen this coming after the bludgeoning the GOP took in the 2006 elections? Honestly, I still don't get how he pulled it off.
2008 Presidential Race - Two weeks before the first vote is cast in the state-by-state process to select party candidates for the U.S. presidential election Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado dropped his long-shot bid and endorsed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Tancredo, an advocate of tougher immigration laws who entered the campaign to highlight the issue, had languished at the bottom of a big Republican presidential field but said he had accomplished his task. I find it amusing that the first caucus is still 2 weeks away and we've already had a bunch of candidates drop out of the race. And how about the stones on this Tancredo dude saying that he accomplished his task? And what might that have been, to be the last drop out before primary season actually begins? Here is that latest tally of candidates for both parties:
Republican Party - 7 still in the running; 4 withdrawn
Candidates with national campaigns
Rudy Giuliani former mayor of New York City
Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas
Representative Duncan Hunter (California)
Senator John McCain (Arizona)
Representative Ron Paul (Texas)
Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts
Fred Thompson, former Senator of Tennessee
Candidates who have withdrawn
Senator Sam Brownback (Kansas)
Jim Gilmore former Governor of Virginia
Representative Tom Tancredo (Colorado)
Tommy Thompson, former Governor of Wisconsin
Democratic Party - 8 still in the running; 1 withdrawn
Candidates with national campaigns
Senator Joe Biden (Delaware)
Senator Hillary Clinton (New York)
Senator Chris Dodd (Connecticut)
Former Senator John Edwards (North Carolina)
Former Senator Mike Gravel (Alaska)
Representative Dennis Kucinich (Ohio)
Senator Barack Obama (Illinois)
Governor Bill Richardson (New Mexico)
Candidates who have withdrawn
Former Governor Tom Vilsack (Iowa)
Literature - Philip M. Parker is the author or editor of more than 300,000 books. Software he created wrote the books automatically. Parker recently won a U.S. patent for his invention which searches databases for the content for his formulaic genres. He sells his volumes in digital or print-on-demand form via outlets such as Amazon.com. The books tend to be ultra specific such as 'The 2007-2012 Outlook for Rollerball Pens in Greater China,' priced at $495, and a volume of crossword puzzles in Zarma, a language spoken in southwest Niger for $14.95. Parker declines to say how many books he has sold. No kidding. You could argue that this guy is cheating by using software to compile content and that he's not actually writing anything, but that's not that aspect of the story that caught my attention. What I want to know is first, how did this guy manage to find 300 pages worth of information on the sales prospects of ballpoint pens in China, and secondly, what idiot would spend nearly $500 to read said content?
Finally, another in our ongoing holiday themed news items...
Kyrgyzstan - Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic, has mountains honoring Communist and Russian leaders. Just in time for Christmas, authorities say they plan to name a snowy peak "Mount Santa Claus." Three climbers set off yesterday to scale the designated peak and bury a capsule containing the flag of Kyrgyzstan at the summit on Christmas Eve. Why is a predominantly Muslim and former Soviet land honoring the jolly old elf? "We want to develop tourism, and Santa Claus is an ideal brand to help us do this," said an official with Kyrgyz tourist authorities. If you think I'm making this up, keep reading. It gets better... Plans are afoot to hold an international Santa Claus congress in Kyrgyzstan next summer. The country also intends to hold annual games in which Santas from all over the world will test their chimney-climbing, sled-racing and tree-decorating skills. If nothing else, you have to give the Kyrgyz government credit for its creativity. Call me a skeptic, but I'm not sure this ploy will actually increase tourism here. How many of us could actually find this joint on a map in the first place (click here if you want a hint)? They don't even have a motto (seriously, I checked). But hey, I've been wrong about these things before. Maybe it will work.
We'll start today off with a little something different, something in the spirit of the holiday season.
Santa Claus - Experts have shown just how remarkable Santa Claus' annual feat of delivering presents to the world's children really is. Assuming that Santa visits 2.5 billion homes every Christmas, he has 34 microseconds per household to get in and out; that's about a tenth of the time it takes for a housefly's wing to flap once. To complete his task in 48 hours, Santa's reindeer have to travel at a speed of 3,604 miles per second. What makes this all the more astounding is that the weight of Santa's sleigh (along with all the presents) traveling at supersonic speed, would encounter such massive air resistance that it should burst into flames within 4 milliseconds of takeoff. The experts were unable to explain how Santa manages to defy the laws of physics. Well, duh. He's Santa. If he can manage 34 microseconds per house and steer eight tiny reindeer going Mach-4 (4.69 to be precise), the defying the laws of physics should be a piece of cake.
Venezuela - Venezuela created a new time zone for itself as President Hugo Chavez ordered that all clocks in the country be set back a half-hour. Chavez said that an earlier dawn would improve the performance of the country, since more people would wake up in daylight. "I don't care if they call me crazy," Chavez said. Well, that's good because that's exactly what we're going to do. Critics of the plan say this will be confusing for Venezuela to be out of sync with its neighbors, and that the move was motivated by Chavez's desire to be in a different time zone from the United States. Most of the political maneuvers that Chavez has undertaken so far could be linked to his desire to create a socialist state, but this time zone deal is beyond rational thinking of any kind. Hey Hugo, why stop at a new time zone? You should come up with your own calendar while you are at it. You don't want to use the same dates that us capitalist pigs in America use, do you?
Canada - For those of you that didn't know, Canada is officially bilingual recognizing both French and English as its official languages. A recent column in the Calgary Sun, suggested that bilingualism has failed. Despite billions spent trying to make Canadians proficient in both official languages, the proportion of English speakers who are conversant in French has risen from 7.1% to 7.4% in the past 5 years. The problem is that there's just no opportunity to practice the second language because French speakers and English speakers simply don't mix. In the French-speaking province of Quebec, language laws promoting French make it hard for kids to get adequate instruction in English. Outside Quebec, English-speaking Canadians are exposed to French, but even those who graduate from French-immersion schools may well never use French again. They could always do what we do in the states--one official language and a bunch of translations on government-related stuff reflecting the make up of the local population. In California, our state ballots and driver's license tests are translated into 4 or 5 languages.
Divorce - The Supreme Court of Rhode Island, where same-sex couples are not allowed to get married, ruled that they cannot get divorced either. A same-sex Rhode Island couple got married 3 years ago in Massachusetts. When they filed for divorce in their home state the petition was denied because Rhode Island state law defines marriage--and thus divorce--as being between a man and a woman. The couple are officially trapped in their marriage. Oh, there are so many directions that I could go on this one, but I'll go with the one that will most likely get me in hot water with the missus. Who among us married couples has not at one time or another felt trapped? How much must it suck for these two individuals that legally they can do nothing to rid themselves of each other? I'll say this for that poor couple--they'll certainly know what it means to have taken the other for better or for worse.
Joke - Once in a great while, I stumble upon a joke that's both funny and clean. We'll end today's posting with this...
One night on a camping trip, Sherlock Holmes wakes up Watson and says, "Look at the stars. What do you deduce?" Watson thinks for a minute and says, "Well, I see millions of stars, many of which resemble our sun, which most likely have their own planets, which most likely have life-forms like us, so I deduce that there is life on other planets." And Sherlock says, "No, you idiot, someone has stolen our tent."
I'm still playing a bit of catch up from this past weekend, so these first couple of items are a bit dated. What can I say, there is way too much stuff going on in the world.
Climate Change - The U.N. climate change conference ended in Bali Saturday with a last-minute deal that sets the terms of a "roadmap" for a new climate change treaty. The talks were described as emotional, with discontent directed toward U.S. objections to specific emissions caps. The Bush administration refused to accept a plan backed by Europe and many other countries calling for all industrialized nations to cut their own greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent to 40 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2020. Under the Bali road map deal, the delegates essentially agreed to negotiate a treaty by 2009. The agreement says significant cuts in emissions will be required of industrialized countries, but does not specify the size of those cuts or whether they will be mandatory. Well there you have it. Two weeks of posturing and finger pointed culminating with an 11th hour agreement on a roadmap that includes no accountability. I suppose it is better than nothing. And if you are big on U.S. nationalism, it certainly looks like we got everything we wanted. I'm not sure that bodes well for the planet, but that's another discussion altogether.
Russia - Russia started delivering nuclear fuel to Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant this week as part of a compromise effort to alleviate concerns over Iran's nuclear intentions while supporting Iran's right to a nuclear energy program. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Iran had provided additional written guarantees that the fuel can only be used at and for the Bushehr plant, and that the spent fuel will be returned to Russia for utilization and storage. The United States supports the Russian plan to enrich uranium on its soil, which is a compromise effort to alleviate Washington's concerns over Iran's nuclear intentions and Russia's support for Iran's right to a nuclear energy program. President Bush said he voiced his support for the program in a phone call to President Vladimir Putin earlier this month. "One of the interesting tactical decisions that Russia has made -- that the United States supports -- is the notion that Iran has a sovereign right to have a civilian nuclear power program," Bush said. Maybe it's just me, but it kind of sounds like Bush is flip-flopping on this whole Iranian nuclear program. Wasn't it just last week that Bush said Iran was still dangerous and that it needed to explain why it had a nuclear weapons program in the first place? Now, he's cool with Russia shipping nuclear fuel to Iran. Don't get me wrong. This all seems legitimate and appears to make sense for all parties concerned. All I'm saying is that its getting a little hard to keep track of Bush's position on these things.
Alright then, back to the events of the day...
Turkey - U.S. military commanders in Iraq didn't know Turkey was sending warplanes to bomb in northern Iraq until the planes had already crossed the border, said defense and diplomatic officials, who were angered about being left in the dark. Americans have been providing Turkey with intelligence to go after Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq. And a "coordination center" has been set up in Ankara so Turks, Iraqis and Americans can share information. Yeah, right. We gave them all the intelligence on who and where to strike, but we knew nothing about the actual airstrike. Please let this be a case where the military just isn't very good at coming up with a reasonable lie, as opposed to being completely stupid.
Meanwhile...
Turkey sent approximately 300 troops across the border into the frigid mountains of northern Iraq today, claiming it inflicted heavy losses on Turkish Kurd rebels in the small-scale incursion and from the air strikes two days earlier. In its statement, the Turkish military said ground forces based close to the border crossed "a few kilometers" into northern Iraq after spotting a group of rebels trying to infiltrate into Turkey overnight. Rumor has it that this was pretty much a publicity stunt staged by the Turkish government to show its people that it has the capability to take on the PKK anytime it wants. A tad extreme if you ask me, but most publicity stunts usually are.
U.S. Nuclear Arsenal - President Bush has approved "a significant reduction" in the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, cutting it to less than one-quarter its size at the end of the Cold War. The Energy Department also announced plans to consolidate the nuclear weapons complex that maintains warheads and dismantle those no longer needed, saying the current facilities need to be made more efficient and more easily secured and that the larger complex is no longer needed. The government will not provide any numbers on the overall size of the nuclear stockpile, but there are believed to be nearly 6,000 warheads that either are deployed or in reserve. Separately, under terms of a 2002 arms control treaty with Russia, the U.S. is committed to reducing the number of deployed warheads to between 1,700 and 2,200 by 2012. Three years ago, Bush said he wanted the overall stockpile reduced to half by 2012, but officials said that goal now has been reached so further reductions are being made. A couple of thoughts on this story. First, anytime someone reduces the number of nuclear weapons in the world, I say that's something to cheer about. Second, while this is good news to be sure, let's not forget that we'll still be able to blow up the planet several times over with the nuclear bombs that remain. Third, and most shocking of all, did I read correctly that the U.S. government actually managed to finish something ahead of schedule? I never thought I would live to see that day.
And in keeping with that theme for just a moment longer...
Fuel Economy - Congress by a wide margin approved the first increase in automobile fuel economy in 32 years and President Bush plans to quickly sign the legislation, accepting the mandates on the auto industry. The energy bill, boosting mileage by 40 percent to 35 miles per gallon, passed the House 314-100 and now goes to the White House. The centerpiece of the bill is the requirement for automakers to increase their industrywide vehicle fuel efficiency by 40 percent to an industry average of 35 mpg by 2020 compared to today's 25 mpg when including passenger cars as well as SUVs and small trucks. Congress has not changed the auto mileage requirement since it was first enacted in 1975. Seriously, don't be surprised if you look outside your window and see pigs flying. Admittedly, 32 years is a long time to wait to increase fuel economy standards, but rarer still is the fact that Congress and the President seem in step on this.
Jamie Lynn Spears - Like sister, like sister, especially when it comes to the Spears clan... Another Spears baby is reportedly on the way — and it's not Britney's. Jamie Lynn Spears, the 16-year-old "Zoey 101" star and sister of Britney, announced that she's pregnant and that the father is her longtime boyfriend, Casey Aldridge. Spears is 12 weeks along and initially kept the news to herself when she learned of the pregnancy from an at-home test and subsequent doctor visit. "It was a shock for both of us, so unexpected," she says. "I was in complete and total shock and so was he." Just out of curiosity, Ms. Spears, you do know that he had to be wearing the condom for it to actually work, right? So you 16 and expecting your first child, huh? Boy, your parents must be gushing with pride. Seeing as your older sister has been the posterchild for good parenting, who could blame them.
Apologies to that loyal reader who pointed out that I didn't provide any fresh content over the weekend. In my defense, I'd like to point out that Christmas is right around the corner, and for those few people whose wills I still have a chance of being included in, I wanted try to get them something good.
Saudi Arabia - A woman sentenced to prison and a public lashing after being gang-raped has been pardoned by the Saudi monarch in a case that sparked an international outcry, including rare criticism from the United States. The woman, known only as "the Girl of Qatif," was convicted of violating Saudi Arabia's strict Islamic laws against mixing of the sexes because she was in a car with a man she was not related to when the seven men attacked and raped them both in 2006. in past weeks, Saudi officials have bristled at the criticism of what they consider an internal affair — but also appeared wary of hurting their nation's image in the United States. In October 2006, she was sentenced to prison and 90 lashes for being alone with a man not related to her. The seven rapists were also convicted. When her lawyer appealed the sentence and made comments about it, he was removed from the case, his was license suspended, and the court increased the woman's penalty to six months in prison and 200 lashes. The sentences for the seven men were also increased to between two to nine years in prison, up from the initial sentence of 10 months to five years. One presumes that this will stoke the criticisms of Islam and claims that it is barbaric. While not well-versed in the the Qur'an, I'm pretty sure there is nothing in it that suggests a woman should be punished for having the audacity to let herself be raped. This is all about how some have chosen to interpret and practice their faith. I'm sure if we did some investigating we could find some questionable interpretations of Christianity that would raise a few eye brows. All that being said, this isn't the first time a story like this has come up in Saudi Arabia. One might be tempted to say that the United States is turning a blind eye in deference to an ally. How might our official reaction be different if a country that we weren't so chummy with was charged with allowing the same actions to occur?
Economy - President Bush tried to reassure an edgy public that the economy is "pretty good" despite the dreary mix of a failing housing market, a national credit crunch and surging energy costs. This sounds like one of those, "the sky is falling, but everything in fine" moments... Bush's appearance reflects the administration's push to show that the president is actively trying to solve the problems — and ready as ever to blame Congress for moving too slowly to help him. As for the collapse of the housing market and the severe credit crunch that threaten to drag the country into a recession, Bush acknowledged "there are some challenges." Either the dude is remarkably optimistic or he's completely lost touch with reality. Guess which one Congress thinks it is? "What world is President Bush living in to be so out of touch with the economic realities families and markets are facing?" said Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, chairman of Congress' Joint Economic Committee. Of course, I'm not sure Congress should be jumping to the front of the line to criticize the President. Bush and Congress, stuck in a budget stalemate for months, have blamed each other for not acting fast enough to help families. Bush said lawmakers could help ease the burden by passing measures to expand the energy supply and make health care more flexible and affordable. Perhaps, I'm missing something here, but I was under the impression that Congress was trying to do just that, but President Bush didn't like any of the proposals that they had come up with.
Iraq - Iraq's parliament condemned the bombing of suspected Kurdish rebel bases by Turkish jets — an attack that seemed to carry tacit U.S. approval — and denounced the raid as an outrageous violation of Iraqi sovereignty. Before we go any further, I have to stop for a moment here. Are these guys not paying attention or what? No one has been less enthused about a Turkish incursion into Iraq than the United States. Heck, Kurdistan is the only region in Iraq that the U.S. wasn't having a problem with. Okay, on with the rest of the story... Turkey said the attack was aimed at rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, and that U.S. intelligence had been used in the bombing. The PKK has battled for autonomy for southeastern Turkey for more than two decades and uses strongholds in northern Iraq for cross-border strikes. Washington is trying to balance support for two key allies: the Turkish government and the Iraqi Kurds. Despite their apparent support for a limited raid, the United States remains firmly opposed to any major Turkish military operation into northern Iraq — which could disrupt one of the calmest areas of Iraq and run the risk of destabilizing the entire region. In Washington, a Pentagon official said the U.S. military had "deconflicted the air space" in Iraq for the strikes — that is, the U.S. made sure Turkey would have clear use of the skies to enable the bombings. Another Pentagon official said the U.S. military has been sharing intelligence with Turkey, but that he did not know exactly what information was given to aid with the air strikes or when it might have been given. Apparently, Iraq does not have a monopoly on idiots in the employ of the government. What exactly did this Pentagon official think Turkey was going to do with the intelligence that we gave them? It's not like the Turkish government was going to invite the PKK over for some tea and cookies, now that they knew where to find them. And I do have to reluctantly concede one point to the Iraqis. If the U.S. military knowingly 'deconflicted the air space' (what is it with the military and all these funky terms?), clearly they knew what the Turks were planning and were seemingly okay with letting it take place.
Russia - Vladimir Putin assured his political party that Russia's age of Putin is far from over, pledging to accept an offer of the prime minister's post when he leaves the presidency next year. Gee, that's awfully noble of the guy. Putin finally settled on one of his many post-presidential political options, which had ranged from altering the Russian constitution so he could run again to outright retirement. It's always nice to have options. Plus I think it'll be a nice change of pace for Vlad. The Russian president has pledged to accept a job that is, at least on paper, a demotion — perhaps confident of the power conferred by his enormous popularity and by the loyalty of the fellow KGB veterans he placed in many of the Kremlin's most important jobs. Many in Russia believe Putin would remain the real leader of Russia, whatever his title. But the incumbent pledged not to undermine his successor, likely to be United Russia candidate Dmitry Medvedev, by strengthening the prime minister's job and weakening Russia's strong presidential system. While Putin cautiously vowed not to usurp power, Medvedev stressed that Putin will continue to wield "enormous" influence over Russia's affairs. Well if Medvedev, is just going to roll over and be Putin's...well, you know...then who could blame Putin for taking what's being offered to him. Dude, isn't exactly shy about taking whatever power is given to him.
Sports - Here's a couple of highlights for this past weekend's action in my own words...
Football - The New England Patriots continued their perfect season, going 14 and 0 by beating the New York Jets 20-10 in Foxboro. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, the Miami Dolphins screwed up their shot at notoriety by beating the Baltimore Ravens 22-16 in overtime to improve their season record to 1 and 13. With 2 weeks to go in the regular season, the playoffs are starting to come into focus. In the AFC, the Patriots and Indianapolis Colts have clinched first round byes and the San Diego Chargers have clinched their division. Meanwhile over in the junior varsity division, otherwise known as the NFC, the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Bucaneers and Seattle Seahawks have all clinched their division titles. As for my home town teams...let's just say that there is always next season.
Golf - The story here isn't about Tiger Woods winning the Target World Challenge by 7 strokes and claiming his eight victory in 16 outings this year, though both are rather impressive. This is about a classless move on the part of last-place finisher Rory Sabbatini. In a move that left players shaking their heads, Sabbatini withdrew from the final round of the Target World Challenge citing "personal reasons," making him the first player in the nine-year history of the event to leave early. Sabbatini still received $170,000. He was in last place heading into the final round, 28 shots behind. A locker room attendant said Sabbatini cleaned out his locker Saturday afternoon and gave away sweaters and shoes. He told them he was headed to Maui, where he spends his Christmas vacation. Later, Woods was asked if he minded that Sabbatini left, and a cold stare spoke volumes. Sabbatini is a big boy and can certainly handle himself, but what was going on in that pea brain of his to pull a stunt like this? It's a charity tournament for heaven's sake and one sponsored by Tiger Woods at that. Does Rory think that Tiger is going to let him live this down...ever?
Global Warming - This is sort of a good/news bad news deal. Delegates at the U.N. climate conference in Bali extended closed-door talks into an extra day Saturday, nearing resolution of a dispute over how far future negotiations should go in trying to cut emissions of greenhouse gases. The negotiating agenda set at Bali, and the results of two years of negotiations to follow, will help determine for decades to come how well the world can hold down its rising temperatures. Delegates had sparred for days over the wording of the conference's main decision document. The most contentious point was the European Union's push to set a goal of reducing industrial nations' emissions 25 percent to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020. Trying to break the deadlock, the conference president, Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar, proposed revised language dropping explicit mention of numbers while substituting a reference to a U.N. scientific report suggested the 25-40 percent range of cuts. Witoelar's proposal provided a basis for a long-expected compromise, producing a relatively vague mandate for the two years of negotiations. As worded, his draft "Bali Roadmap" would not guarantee any level of binding commitment by any nation. On developing countries, including such big emitters as China and India, the draft would instruct negotiators to consider incentives and other means to encourage poorer nations to voluntarily curb growth in their emissions. Okay, so the good news is that it would appear that despite their best efforts to remain deadlocked, that the delegates have found some common ground from which they can build a plan for the future. The bad news is that compromise is in the form of an accord that contains almost no meaningful language nor accountability for countries to commit to anything. Oh and one more thing. Because the conference was extended for another day, you all will probably be subjected to at least one more of my rants on this subject. Hey don't blame me, blame them for not finishing on schedule.
North Korea - Just when you think you have seen and heard everything... President Bush said that he got North Korea's attention by writing Pyongyang a letter and that Kim Jong Il can get his attention by fully disclosing his nuclear programs and proliferation activities. The letter, the president's first to the leader of the communist regime, was viewed as a personal gesture from the president, who once branded North Korea as part of an "axis of evil." Senior U.S. officials aid North Korea's response contained what appeared to be a pledge from Pyongyang to follow through on its denuclearization deal as long as the United States held to its end of the bargain. Setting aside the fact that I'm stunned by these development, I have to offer up my kudos to Kim Il Jong and President Bush. Seriously, did like hell freeze over and someone forget to tell me?
Golf - Tiger Woods shrugged off any hint of rust after a two-and-a-half month break to charge four shots clear in the second round of the Target World Challenge second.
Hunting his eighth victory of the year, the world number one fired a sparkling 10-under-par 62 to equal the course record at Sherwood Country Club where he is the tournament host and defending champion. That gave Woods a 13-under total of 131 and ideally placed to win his fourth title in the elite 16-man event. Tell me, is anyone actually surprised by this? For most guys, taking a two and a half month break might result in a couple of sub-par rounds as they shake of the rust. For Tiger that lasted all of one hole--a double bogey on the 18th hole yesterday. Dude is wicked good.
Britney Spears - Where have you been, Britney? It's been ages since you last made an appearance. So like, what up, girlfriend? Running out of patience with Britney Spears, Kevin Federline's attorney said he plans to ask for sanctions against the pop star for calling in sick to her court-ordered deposition. Spears didn't show up to testify on Wednesday as scheduled, and said later that she wasn't feeling well. Spears was photographed later that day driving with a friend. Spears had missed at least three previously scheduled depositions for various reasons. Spears and Federline have been wrangling for months over custody of their sons. Federline has temporary custody of the children because Spears, who has limited visitation rights, has defied court orders. Attorneys for Spears and Federline, married in October 2004, have repeatedly been in court about custody since they split. Their divorce was final in July. Oh, so you have been busy. And what about those darned paparazzi? Can't a girl get a minute's peace? Clearly, your friend was driving you someplace because you were too ill to drive yourself. As for the rest of us living in the real world, I never thought I would say this, but those children are so much better off with K-Fed than they would ever be with Ms. Spears.
I don't usually start with sports stories, but today I'm making an exception.
Baseball - Seven-time Cy Young Award winner, eighth on the all-time list with 354 victories, an MVP and All-Star himself and once a lock for the Hall of Fame, Clemens now has another distinction: the biggest name linked by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell to illegal use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. In all, the 409-page report identified 85 names to differing degrees. Barry Bonds, already under indictment on charges of lying to a federal grand jury about steroids, Miguel Tejada and Andy Pettitte also showed up in the game's most infamous lineup since the Black Sox scandal. The report was unlikely to trigger a wave of discipline. While a few players are subjects of ongoing legal proceedings, many of the instances cited by Mitchell were before drug testing began in 2003. The report took issue with assertions that steroids were not banned before the 2002 collective bargaining agreement. They had been covered, it said, since the 1971 drug policy prohibited using any prescription medication without a valid prescription, and were expressly included in the drug policy in 1991. So there you have it. 20 months in the making and the popular consensus is that nothing will change, that these players were unfairly singled out and that the investigation never should have been conducted in the first place. Frankly, I not inclined to disagree with any of these conclusions. Despite the fact that Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig ordered the investigation, he made it clear that he was the ultimate authority and would decide what was best. MLB Player Union chief Donald Fehr basically blew off the report findings saying that each player had to decide for themselves how to comply with the recommendations contained in the report. Sounds rather arrogant of these folks until you consider the fact that baseball has enjoyed 3 consecutive years of record breaking attendance. If the fans don't care what the players do to themselves, why should baseball. There is, of course, that little issue with impressionable young children emulating their idols, but pish-posh. Let someone else deal with that problem.
And now we return to our regularly scheduled rants on what ails the world...
Global Warming - I'll preface this by saying that the U.N. Conference of Global Warming concludes tomorrow, so you only have to suffer through one more day of this stuff before we can refocus on the Middle East and the upcoming Presidential election.
European nations threatened Thursday to boycott U.S.-sponsored climate talks next month unless the Bush administration compromises and agrees to a "road map" for reducing greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. With the U.N. climate conference in its final hours, Nobel laureate Al Gore said the United States was "principally responsible" for blocking progress here toward an agreement on launching negotiations to replace the Kyoto Protocol when it expires in 2012. The United States, Japan, Russia and several other governments refused to accept language in a draft document suggesting rich nations consider cutting emissions 25% to 40%by 2020, saying specific targets would limit the scope of future talks. European nations and others argued that numerical goals are essential reference points in efforts to curb global warming. All sides agree it is impossible to deal with climate change unless the United States is involved. It is the world's leading emitter of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and the only major industrial country that did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol requires 37 industrial nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions an average 5% below 1990 levels by the pact's expiration in 2012. Australia was the latest industrial country to ratify the pact. Bush rejected the Kyoto pact on the grounds it would harm the U.S. economy and its provisions did not apply to poorer but fast-developing nations such as China and India, whose emission levels are growing fast. China and India have called on the West to take the lead in cutting emissions and insist they will not agree to any targets that would slow the pace of development. But neither publicly says whether they would support emission targets. A couple of thoughts here. Do you think Gore would be so vocal in his criticism of the U.S. if he were President or a candidate for President? I think we can agree that Bush is no saint, but it must be nice for Gore to stand on his soapbox knowing that he has nothing to lose. Secondly, I have no interest in torpedoing the U.S. economy or anyone else's for that matter, but just how bad would the economic impact be if we took steps to curb greenhouse emissions. Considering the alternatives--none of which seem that pleasant--maybe it wouldn't be as bad as some folks would have us believe. Plus I'm not sure what good it will do me to have a fat bank account if my house is underwater due to the increased sea level brought on by global warming.
It also occurs to me that I have not been giving equal time to those out there who believe that all this climate change stuff is a bunch of hooey. To those individuals I offer my apologies and this next item...
The head of the U.N. panel on climate change compared him to Hitler. Another leading scientist called him a parasite. A third described his latest book as a "stealth attack" on mankind. The list of allegations against Bjoern Lomborg, one of the world's leading climate change skeptics, almost reads like an indictment for war crimes. As Al Gore shows off his Nobel Peace Prize and world policy-makers hammer out a new strategy for saving the planet, climate change contrarians say they have been elbowed out of the debate. They say mainstream scientists have stifled healthy intellectual discourse by demonizing dissenters as oil industry lobbyists or lunatics. Lomborg says global warming isn't a big threat and that international treaties requiring sharp and immediate cuts in carbon emissions would cost a lot but do little good. He accepts that the Earth is warming because of man, but says a changing climate, including the threat posed by rising sea levels to small island nations, is a less urgent problem than, for example, AIDS or malnutrition. Lomborg irks his opponents partly because he looks at global warming from an economist's perspective. He's not a climate scientist nor does he claim to be. Critics say he misleads nonscientific audiences about the dangers of a warmer world with crude cost-benefit analyses, like his contention that if warming means more people will die from heat waves, then it must also mean fewer will be dying from cold. I think two things can clearly be said for Lomborg. He certainly offers a contrarian view, no doubt about it. And, I'm not sure he'll be in the running for the Nobel Peace Prize anytime in the foreseeable future. Now the Nobel Prize for Economics, well that's always a possibility.
Pakistan - President Pervez Musharraf will end emergency rule on Saturday as promised, but first he will amend the constitution to protect his decisions from court review. Government legal experts are finalizing the amendments and the changes will be announced before the state of emergency is lifted. Musharraf, who has acknowledged breaching constitutional protections, purged the judiciary, jailed thousands of opponents and silenced television news channels after he suspended the constitution and declared emergency rule Nov. 3. Musharraf, who seized power by ousting Sharif in a 1999 coup, stepped down as army chief last month and was sworn in as a civilian president, meeting a key demand of the opposition and his foreign backers. Washington has been a strong supporter of Musharraf since he dropped Pakistan's support for the Taliban in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks and joined the U.S.-led campaign against extremist groups. In a new poll taken of likely Pakistani voters, most of those surveyed listed economic matters as the most important aspect of the campaign in this poor nation: 53% cited inflation, 15% named unemployment and 9% chose poverty. Only 6% listed terrorism. First on the end of emergency rule--if Musharraf amends the constitution to his liking, he really won't need emergency rule anymore. What was considered emergency rule this week will be legal next week. I don't really see that much changing. Next, this poll is kind of interesting isn't it. If you didn't read the headline, you might believe this was a poll conducted right here in the good old U.S. of A. It goes to show that maybe out two countries aren't that dissimilar. The Pakistani people appear to care more about their lot in life than the political aims of some other country. Sound familiar?
Congress - The House approved an intelligence bill Thursday that would prohibit the CIA from using waterboarding, mock executions and other harsh interrogation methods. The 222-199 vote sent the measure to the Senate, which still must act before it can go to President Bush. The White House has threatened a veto. Most of the bill itself also is classified, although some portions were made public. One provision requires reporting to the committees on whether intelligence agency employees are complying with protections for detainees from cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment. Another requires a report on the use of private contractors in intelligence work. The White House threatened to veto the measure this week in a lengthy statement, highlighting more than 11 areas of disagreement with the bill. The administration particularly opposes restricting the CIA to interrogation methods approved by the military in 2006. That document prohibits forcing detainees to be naked, perform sexual acts, or pose in a sexual manner; placing hoods or sacks over detainees' heads or duct tape over their eyes; beating, shocking, or burning detainees; threatening them with military dogs; exposing them to extreme heat or cold; conducting mock executions; depriving them of food, water, or medical care; and waterboarding. I find it rather disappointing that Congress has to actually pass a spending bill that includes protecting U.S. detainees from torture at the hands of U.S. captors. What does that say about how our country has evolved since Sept. 11? I find it even more disappointing that the President plans to veto the bill, because Congress wants to prohibit the use of torture in the interrogation of terrorism suspects. Here I am under the mistaken impression that we've flung our military to the far-reaches of the planet to protect those values that we hold so near and dear to our hearts, when our nation's leadership is freely tosses those values aside when they get in the way of protecting our national interests.
CIA - The Bush administration was under court order not to discard evidence of detainee torture and abuse months before the CIA destroyed videotapes that revealed some of its harshest interrogation tactics. Normally, that would force the government to defend itself against obstruction allegations. But the CIA may have an out: its clandestine network of overseas prisons. While judges focused on the detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and tried to guarantee that any evidence of detainee abuse would be preserved, the CIA was performing its toughest questioning half a world away. And by the time President Bush publicly acknowledged the secret prison system, interrogation videotapes of two terrorism suspects had been destroyed. The CIA destroyed the tapes in November 2005. That June, a U.S. District Judge had ordered the Bush administration to safeguard "all evidence and information regarding the torture, mistreatment, and abuse of detainees now at the United States Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay." At the time, that seemed to cover all detainees in U.S. custody. But Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, the terrorism suspects whose interrogations were videotaped and then destroyed, weren't at Guantanamo Bay. They were prisoners that existed off the books — and apparently beyond the scope of the court's order. While this might be enough of a legal loophole to let some officials off the hook, I doubt if this will do much to quell criticisms that the U.S. knowingly conducted interrogations of terrorism suspects using techniques that could arguably be considered as torture.
U.S. Budget - Republicans say it's OK not to cover the $50 billion in revenue losses from Congress' annual alternative minimum tax fix to save millions of families from higher taxes — even as the GOP president counts on revenues from that higher levy to reduce the red ink in his budget. Democrats look at it as smoke-and-mirrors budgeting, the kind that has allowed the federal debt to swell to more than $9 trillion. The AMT, which disallows most exemptions and deductions, was initiated in 1969 to catch some 155 super-rich people who weren't paying any taxes. But unlike several other taxes, Congress opted not to index the AMT for inflation. Consequently, every year more people are subject to it. The number was 4 million in 2006 and that could grow to 25 million, many in the $75,000 to $200,000 income range, if Congress doesn't act. The average increase for each of those taxpayers would be about $2,000. The problem is that the administration must adhere to current law in drawing up it long-term budgets. That means a steady growth of AMT revenues that will contribute to its goal of balancing the budget by 2012. The White House did include an AMT fix in this year's budget proposal, but assumes more than $500 billion in AMT revenues through 2012. So if I understand this correctly, the AMT that was originally conceived to make sure that 155 super-rich people paid their fair share of taxes is now expected to impact some 25 million people? And furthermore, Congress is at an impasse because Republicans and Democrats cannot agree on how to make up the shortfall in revenues. Is it possible, that we are overly complicating the issue? If this AMT deal served its original purpose back in 1969, can we not just recalibrate it to the present day. I'm not saying that the top 155 wage earners will make up for the $50 billion revenue shortfall, but surely there must be some sort of middle ground between 155 and 25 million. Alternatively, we could put a moratorium on funding for the war on terrorism. Given the current outlays, I'm thinking a month or two would cover that $50 billion.
Health - For the first time in nearly 50 years, the average cholesterol level for U.S. adults is in the ideal range, according to a new government report. Results from a national blood test survey found the average total cholesterol level was 199. Doctors like patients to have total cholesterol readings of 200 or lower. The growing use of cholesterol-lowering pills in people 60 and older is believed to be a main reason for the improvement. The survey collects data in two-year intervals. The new results are based on a national sample of about 4,500 people 20 and older from 2005-06. The new 199 level compares with 204 in 1999-2000. When the survey first began in 1960, the average cholesterol was at 222. Researchers also found that the percentage of adults with high cholesterol, of 240 or higher, dropped to 16 percent, down from 20 percent in the early 1990s. Good news to be sure, though I'm not exactly sure that we should be cheering from the rooftops just yet. We just barely made it under the threshold. And another thing. I don't want to sound like a killjoy, but this finding seems somewhat at odds with the fact that a growing segment of the U.S. population is considered obese and that life expectancy rates are expected to decrease for the first time.
Language - Here is another example of the decline of Western civilization as we know it. "W00t," a hybrid of letters and numbers used by gamers as an exclamation of happiness or triumph, topped all other terms in the Merriam-Webster's online poll for the word that best sums up 2007. The dictionary publisher said "w00t" was an ideal choice because it blends whimsy and new technology. Gamers commonly substitute numbers and symbols for the letters they resemble creating what they call "l33t speak" — that's "leet" when spoken, short for "elite" to the rest of the world. The 2006 pick, "truthiness," also has its roots in pop culture. It was popularized by Comedy Central satirical political commentator Stephen Colbert. Some also-rans in the 2007 list: the use of "facebook" as a verb to signify using the Web site by that name; nuanced terms such as "quixotic," "hypocrite" and "conundrum"; and "blamestorm," a meeting in which mistakes are aired, fingers are pointed and much discomfort is had by all. So like I'm a little confused here. If I go out and buy myself a new dictionary, will "w00t" appear as an actual word. I'm not exactly an expert linguist, but I've been operating under the assumption that words tend to consist mostly of letters. I have a hard enough time spelling my words correctly just using letters. If they start adding numbers to the mix, I'll really be in a bind.
CIA - CIA Director Michael Hayden, testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee behind closed doors, failed to answer central questions about the destruction of secret videotapes showing harsh interrogation of terror suspects. The hell you say. Today's hearing came as a former CIA agent who was part of the interrogation team went public with his account, saying the waterboarding of a top al-Qaida figure was approved at the top levels of the U.S. government. According to the former agent, waterboarding of terror suspect Abu Zubaydah got him to talk in less than 35 seconds. The technique, which critics say is torture, probably disrupted "dozens" of planned al-Qaida attacks. Well here's an interesting dilemma. On one hand you have questionable tactics--probably amounting to torture--being employed to obtain information and on the other you have evidence suggesting that these tactics may well have thwarted dozens of terrorist attacks. What is a moralist to do? Can it be said that the ends justify the means or that the needs of the many outweigh the rights of the few? Difficult questions to be sure. However, one question seems simple enough. If waterboarding is considered torture and torture is deemed illegal by the U.S., who gave the order to break the law?
2008 Presidential Campaign - This is what happens when you make the mistake of becoming a front runner for your party's presidential nomination. The U.S. shouldn't try to kill Saddam Hussein in Iraq, Mike Huckabee declared when he first ran for office. No women in combat anywhere. No gays in the military. No contributions in politics to candidates more than a year before an election. His statements are among 229 answers Huckabee offered as a 36-year-old Texarkana pastor during his first run for political office in 1992. Now that he's a front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, he's being asked anew about some of the views and comments he expressed in that survey. He said he wouldn't retract answers in which he advocated isolating AIDS patients from the general public, opposed increased funding for finding a cure and said homosexuality could pose a public health risk — though he said he might phrase his answers "a little differently." Huckabee's vocal opposition to gay marriage and abortion have attracted evangelical Christians' support and vaulted him to the top of the field in Iowa. But some of his earlier comments offer a harder-edged presentation of those stances than he has presented as he's tried to portray himself as a conservative who won't "scare the living daylights" out of moderates and independents. Speaking strictly for myself, I can confidently say 'too late, Senator.' That said, I applaud the man for resisting the urge to flip-flop on his views in hopes of pandering to moderates. First of all, he probably still holds those views that he spoke so emphatically about back in 1992. Secondly, given what Huckabee said, he would likely have a snowball's chance in hell convincing anyone that he had changed his views. Huckabee is entitled to his opinions and I'm sure he has a lot of folks that agree with him. I just don't happen to be one of them. And unless I'm very much mistaken, it certainly appears that the Christian conservatives may have finally found a candidate that they can rally behind. Certainly not good news for the other GOP contenders.
Global Warming - Hopefully this U.N. Climate Change Conference will end soon. I'm not sure how much more doomsday news I can take. An already relentless melting of the Arctic greatly accelerated this summer, a warning sign that some scientists worry could mean global warming has passed an ominous tipping point. One even speculated that summer sea ice would be gone in five years. Greenland's ice sheet melted nearly 19 billion tons more than the previous high mark, and the volume of Arctic sea ice at summer's end was half what it was just four years earlier, according to new NASA satellite data. Melting of sea ice and Greenland's ice sheets also alarms scientists because they become part of a troubling spiral. White sea ice reflects about 80 percent of the sun's heat off Earth. When there is no sea ice, about 90 percent of the heat goes into the ocean which then warms everything else up. Warmer oceans then lead to more melting. Scientists in recent days have been asking themselves these questions: Was the record melt seen all over the Arctic in 2007 a blip amid relentless and steady warming? Or has everything sped up to a new climate cycle that goes beyond the worst case scenarios presented by computer models? I'm reminded of a a classic REM song, "It's the end of the world, and I feel fine." I suppose there is a bright side to all this. Based on these latest predictions, we'll all be dead and gone long before Iran can develop a working nuclear bomb.
Algeria - Lest you may have thought otherwise, Al-Qaida appears to be alive and well, despite the progress being made against it in Iraq. Two truck bombs set off in quick succession sheered off the fronts of U.N. offices and a government building in Algeria's capital Tuesday, killing at least 26 people and wounding nearly 200 in an attack claimed by an affiliate of al-Qaida. The bombs exploded 10 minutes apart around 9:30 a.m., devastating the U.N. refugee agency and other U.N. offices. Although it is thought to have only several hundred fighters, the al-Qaida affiliate has resisted security sweeps to organize suicide bombings and other attacks as its shifts its focus from trying to topple the government to waging holy war and fighting Western interests. Al-Qaida has been urging attacks on French and Spanish interests in North Africa. In September, Osama bin Laden's chief deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, called for jihad in North Africa to "cleanse (it) of the children of France and Spain." Today's date — Dec. 11 — suggested an Islamic terror link. Al-Qaida has struck on the 11th in several countries, including the Sept. 11, 2001, attack in the U.S. Al-Qaida in Islamic North Africa claimed responsibility for attacks last April 11 that hit the Algerian prime minister's office and a police station, killing 33 people. Dec. 11 itself has meaning for Algerians. On that date in 1960, pro-independence demonstrations were held against the French colonial rulers. Yet another example of why it is so difficult to wage a war on terrorism. You aren't fighting a sovereign state with easily identified borders. Rather, you are fighting an idealogy and a rather flawed one at that. I'm not sure there is a manual that you can refer to on this one. I think we're learning as we go.
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