It was really only a matter of time
From Tuesday's Santa Rosa Press-Democrat:

Responding to a question on his Web site asking why he doesn't "just play the cards you were dealt?" Owens responded, "Sometimes you have to do what's in your heart to do, just can't settle for whatever. Rosa Parks didn't! You have to stand up for your rights and that's what I plan to do, win or lose!" (Owen's chatroom shorthand has been edited for clarity.)

Tony

Bring me the head of Otis Spunkmeyer
An anti-smoking group has recently published a report which argues that PG-13 films which depict characters smoking should be given an "R" rating in order to prevent children from viewing such images. The report, which nearly made me vomit, raised concerns about the number of PG-13 films last year (80) that contained scenes where characters smoked. From the article:

He'd like to see more PG-13 movies that feature smoking - like "Matchstick Men," "Seabiscuit" and the Oscar-winning "Chicago" - get slapped with an R rating

Note that two of the above films where set in a time and place where smoking was both widespread and acceptable. The group said it would be willing to grant exemptions to films which depict historical figures, who actually smoked, smoking. So at least we wouldn't have to see a movie where Winston Churchill sits in his bathtub downing packs of M&M's.

You know, there are legitiment criticisms to be hurled at the tobacco industry. It's likely that they kept the negative side-effects of smoking a secret for a long time. It's also likely that they did, at one time, aim advertising at children. But is there a mad rash of children lighting up because they saw Chicago? (Why, I'd think you'd be more concerned with children getting ideas about murdering abusive husbands, but I guess that's just me.) This isn't about protecting children, it's about legislating against bad habits. And it's really fucking scary.

It seems to never fail that every time I read a newspaper there is an article like this one. Obviously there are free speech conerns out the ying-yang here, but that's not what's bothering me today. Every day, in every corner of this country, armed with what I can only imagine is a fistful of government dollars, activist groups are going out of their way to limit our personal freedoms and seek to put the burden of child-rearing where they feel it should belong: on the elite that knows best.

Smoking is just the beginning. Soon, Baby Boomers will realize that they can no longer eat the way the want to. And, they'll go about making sure everybody's life is as miserable as theirs by legislating and litigating against "Big Fat." You can already see the seeds of this movement. Today's Washington Post, in fact, has an article about a recent study saying that obesity is rapidly approaching smoking as the number one cause of preventable death. Don't think for a second that the same people who waged the war against smoking aren't gearing up for a battle against Big Macs and Twinkies. A "fat tax" anyone?

Is smoking bad for you? Certainly. Is over-eating and not exercising a sure-fire way to an early grave? Without a doubt. Is it the government's place, (or anybody's place, for that matter) to tell me what substances I can put inside my own body? It certainly seems that way.

And the worst part is, this isn't even a debate. There are no pro-smoking lobbies. There are no organizations dedicated to making sure the public can eat at McDonalds. Outside of maybe NORML, there are no organizations dedicated to protecting bad habits. (In the course of researching this article I did find a website against the numerous public smoking bans. www.bantheban.org, but I think they were more concerned with the economic impact of the smoking ban, rather than the infrigement on personal freedom)Plus, the demographics of this debate suggest that the game is already played and won. Boomers are reaching the height of their power, and there will be no stopping them.

First it was restaurants. Now bars. Could apartment buildings be next? Or how about bus stops? Surely a second-hand smoke argument can be made here.

I'll tell ya, I don't think of myself as a "gloom and doom" kinda guy, but this is going to be a really scary country in another twenty years or so.

Tony

John Kerry: Superfraud
Blogger's Note: This started out in the comment section, but then grew to post-size proportions.

"He is saying that he wants to be an activist president resolving many issues that are important to the African American community," Meeks said. "Kerry was simply stating that he wanted to follow in the footsteps of Clinton in addressing issues that are important to African Americans."

Actually, what I think Kerry is saying is: "I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing or how I got here."

Like a number of other Kerry moves, this comment strikes me as either exceedingly stupid or exceedingly cynical. Either he's too dumb to realize that, as a former Bonesman, he's going to look disingenuous at best, ridiculous at worst, if he portends to being able to understand the plight of black America. (Clinton, remember, was at least poor and from the South. Joe is more black than Kerry.) If Kerry's not that dumb then his comment is an example of pandering of the lowest kind.

It's good to see a black leader call one of these liberal, elitist, whiteies out. I'be been saying this for a while now, but one day it's going to be true: there will come a day when black people in this country will wake-up to the fact that the Democratic party takes them for granted.

Black Americans will grow tired of John Kerry's (who is just the latest example) pandering for votes and offering nothing in terms of ideas. They will realize that their cultural values are much more in line with the Republican Party than the Democratic Party. And they will look around their neighborhoods and notice that the Democratic welfare-state has failed them.

I honestly believe that Black America will continue to put itself in a precarious position if they continue to allow themselves to be in the back pocket of white Democratic candidates. Candidates that never seem all that concerned with black issues until they are running for something. I'm not saying that this calls, neccessarily, for defection from the Democratic Party. But as long as the party continues to act in such an insulting manner, defection could emerge as the only alternative.

I realize that these comments are a little controversial and I can imagine that I'm coming off as just another white guy who knows best. But my thoughts on this come from a look at reality, something John Kerry would be best to check in on.

Tony

None More Black
I saw this Kerry quote a few days ago, but forgot to post it.

President Clinton was often known as the first black President. I wouldn't be upset if I could earn the right to be the second.

Marc

Working For A Living
Welly, welly, well. My first two days of training have gone pretty well. Most of what I will be doing at the circulation desk is on the computer, and I have a big head start on my fellow circulation assistants there. Along with a anime fan who is younger than me, I am the only person under 35. I am also the only male.

Lest you think everyone who works in a library is a stuffy old maid, read this month's issue of BUST, which features a piece on hipster librarian chicks (and some nice pictures of Tina Fey). The story also mentions a few library-related blogs, such as The Lipstick Librarian and Librarian.net, and a picture of a "library action figure". The male librarian stereotype is not much more flattering. Linda Absher of Lipstick Librarian envisions a male library action figure "wearing a spotty, yellow knit tie and a sweater vest".

Come to think of it, I did wear a sweater vest on my interview (but with a brown tie!).

Marc

A little hero worship and a real life example of the Orndoff principle.
Back to back posts from me? Yes, the apocolypse is upon us.

Anyway, I've been looking through too many old family photos that I received from my aunt after my Grandma died. She archived everything and put them on CD. Though, not sure how good of an idea that is when 3/4 of the family of West Virginians.


Anyway, I was looking at these pictures and damnit if my Grandpa wasn't the classiest guy I've ever known. But then I was thinking, maybe it wasn't just him, maybe it was the time, you know, everyone wore suits, shined there shoes, acted like adults long before we will ever get there. I guess I just got a little bit nostalgic, a little bit sad, because of how far the fruit has fallen from the tree.

Here's to best intentions

Draper

The NFL Players Assciation pulls a Leon. (Or why sports Unions suck.)...and other things.
Apparently, a perfectly legal deal isn't good enough because crybaby Terrel isn't happy. Looks like the players association is going to file a "special master case" to try to get the trade to Baltimore overturned.


How does this work? I mean, this guy had a legal contract with a team that realized that he was hurting more than helping and so they sent him away. Simple, you sign the contract you live with the contract. He had the ability to declare as an unrestricted free agent, but he didn't. So, he's fucked. If this trade gets overturned because of a lot of whining, well fuck him. Whoever ends up with him, either back in SF or in Balt. should just deactivate him, fucking whining wanker, shithead.

Argh. I wish guys like Lambert, Nietchke, and Butkus were still in the league so that they could get a cheap shot in on this guy.

Leonism at its best (worst.)

Quickly, other things...

Water Taxis. Ooops.

Paris Nice started today, yes it is a bicycle race but it is an important one, for those of us who know these things. Paris Nice is the traditional start of the season for riders gunning for early season success or for the second tier Grand tour contenders such as Kazakstanian Alexandre Vinokourov and Tyler Hamilton to show what they're going to do this season. And OLN will be covering every stage. Hooray for cable.

Multiple choice time.
Is this person
a.)a Yugoslavian political refugee
b.)suffering from a rare skin disease
c.)Tyler Hamilton professional cyclist
d.)dead

Draper

More off-season wackiness
In the comment section of one of the Leon posts I mentioned that 6 High School kids have declared themselves eligible for the NFL draft. I also expressed my desire to see one of them drafted and then broken in half. Alas, I don't think that dream is going to come true. Check out this description from an article on ESPN.com about the High School prospects:

None of the high school players is [sic] among the top 25 college prospects by position, according to Tom Lemming, editor of Prep Football Report and ESPN.com's recruiting guru, who said Friday he had heard of none of them. And, no wonder. They appear to be more suspect than prospect.

Running back Ethan Mitchell of Springdale, Md., and Flowers High School, never played for the varsity, while running back Joe Banks is from New Directions Academy High School, a Baltimore school for developmentally disabled children, according to the Post.

Quarterback John Belisle of Capac (Mich.) Community High School and defensive tackle Earl Fields of Appling County High School in Baxley, Ga., were not on their school's 2003 rosters, while wide receiver Joe Lee of Tacoma, Wash., lists Gates High School, an alternative school that doesn't even have a football team, the Post reports.

In more NFL draft news, the deal to bring the Deactivated Leon to Dallas has stalled because the Bucs cannot come to an agreement with Cowboys WR Joey Galloway. Also, Eagles RB Duce Staley will be visiting with the Steelers on Sunday.

Tony

What the hell am I doing reading the National Review?
This is an interesting little piece from the National Review Online (2-18-04) about trying to find the Billy Beane of educaton policy. (I love when my two nerd worlds collide.) Look for the reference to Colorado Governor Bill Owens. Expect to see his name again in about three years.

Tony

The rubber grits circuit
John Kerry's flirtation with writing off the South in his bid for the presidency this fall may be coming to an end. The Massachusetts Senator and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee began a campaign swing through the South that included a lunchtime meeting with Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu (a possible Veepstakes winner) yesterday.

This is a good sign for Democrats, who risked losing any chance they had at Southern Congressional seats, particularly in the Senate, if Kerry's campaign decided not to pursue southern voters. It's also good news for Kerry, who would have faced tremendous difficulty cobbling together a winning coalition if he chose not to compete in the South. Not only would he need to capture every state that Al Gore won in 2000, but he would also have to pick off one of the red states, no small task against a sitting president. Complicating matters even more is the prospect that a non-southern electoral srategy could put Kerry on the wrong sides of a number of issues (particularly cultural issues) that are as popular in suburban Ohio and Pennsylvania as they are throughout the South.

Kerry aides indicated yesterday that their focus on the South could result in a southerner being put on the ticket. This would probably be a wise move on Kerry's part, as the last Democratic ticket to win without a Southern was in 1944 (Roosevelt - Truman, for the curious).

Kerry has an advantage in the upcoming election that Democrats haven't had in a long time. The liberal base is energized and focused on winning, and has been willing to put some differences aside in their efforts to oust President Bush. If Kerry takes advantage of this and doesn't let Bob Shrum whisper in his ear too much, (and with the economy still struggling) he just might have a fighting chance.

Tony

Leon Sez
I just signed up for Terrell Owens' website. Here a few nuggets of wisdom from the man himself:

On the trade to Baltimore:

YEH, THEY BACKSTABBED ME AGAIN, BUT I AIN'T GOIN AWAY LIKE THAT, I'LL FIGHT THIS N COURT IF I HV 2! MY RIGHTS WERE VIOLATED! AS 4 AS I'M CONCERNED, I LEFT MEMORIES N SAN FRAN BUT MY HEART IS N PHILLY!

Responding to criticism about his behavior:

U MUST HV HAD A RUFF ENCOUNTER, IF SO, I APOLOGIZE! I TRY 2 LIVE MY LIKE A REGULAR HUMAN BEING REALIZING THT I MUST ENCOMPASS WHT COMES MY WAY DUE 2 MY OCCUPATION! I'M REALLY NT A MEAN PERSON @ ALL, DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION! SO WHAT IF PEOPLE CRITICIZE ME, I CN TAKE IT, @ THE END OF THE DAY I GO HM 2 MY FAMILY & FRIENDS! BTW, THEY TALKED ABOUT JESUS AS WELL!

I love it. And it only gets better...

The Baltimore Ravens are among several NFL teams negotiating with seven-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Warren Sapp, sources familiar with the talks said yesterday

Marc

John Kerry: He's Not Always Wrong
So as not to sound like a broken record, here's something John Kerry said that I agree with:

"Howard Stern does have the right to say whatever he wants anywhere, but he doesn't necessarily have the right to say it on that station if the people who run the station don't want him to," Kerry said while campaigning in New York, where Stern's show is broadcast.

A questioner at the town hall meeting in Brooklyn asked Kerry to stand up for Stern's right to say what he wants because the Republican-led government is repressing his right to free speech.

Kerry said he disagrees that Stern faces repression.

"If you are working for somebody and they have a set of rules, that's the deal," Kerry said. "And it doesn't mean he can't go out and say it somewhere if somebody else wants to have him say that."

Kudos to Kerry for not caving in to the lunatic left on this one.

Marc

BREAKING News: Leon a Raven. (Fuck!)
Yeah, that's right, all next season we're stuck watching Terrel Owens, as a Raven.

Billick said, that he seemed to be a good fit for the team. Has he committed and gotten away with a felony lately?

Looks like all a Leon is worth these days is the 51st pick in the upcoming draft.

Look on the bright side, at least he didn't go to the Redskins.

Inside The Cocoon
I watched a show on PBS last night that really set off the old outrage.

It was an episode of "The Morrow Report" about the impact of Proposition 13 on California public schools (Prop 13 limited property taxes and required supermajorities to raise them). The message was essentially "raise taxes or the kids get it" - a message delivered by ACLU lawyers, journalists, and leftist non-profits.

So here we have a perfect example of the liberal cocoon at work: a program funded by rich liberals, quoting rich liberals in order to persuade the rich liberals watching the show, who can tell their rich liberal friends about it, and they can agree that "everyone" knows taxes are too low.

Liz told me about a coalition meeting she attended full of union types and liberal non-profits. Someone from the teacher's union said, "Governor Ehrlich has abandoned his responsibility to raise taxes." This is what passes for common sense inside the cocoon.

Marc

The greatest website ever.
Okay, so I got tired of looking at Herzog's headshot. And I thought, well, let's not forget about Pittsburgh's longtime football anouncers, Myron Cope, Bill Hargrove and former Steeler O lineman Tunch Ilkin (I think he is Turkish). Anyway. I found this site of Myron Cope soundclips.

This shit is great...take time out of your day and listen.

Cope is credited with inventing the terrible towel, coining the phrase Steel Curtain and using the phrase Immaculate Reception, referring of course to the most amazing play in NFL history. The Raiders are still pissed about this.


And if you don't have time, though I know all of you do, at least listen to this. Take that Maurice Clarett.


Gold!

Draper