Super Loss

I have finally been had; my prediction for the Super Bowl was immensely off. The Bears suffered their final demise of the season with a 29-17 loss at the hands of the Colts. Let’s face it, Peyton Manning ruled the day again with solid play that thwarted the Bears defense on every level. The Bears did start out strong in an obvious sense, as Devin Hester ran the opening kickoff back 92 yards for a touchdown. That touchdown was then complimented by a Colt’s turnover which turned into a Rex Grossman touchdown pass to Muhsin Muhammad. After that it was downhill. The Bear’s offense turned into an impotent pile of sludge and Peyton Manning ruled the day.

With the offense unable to stay on the field for an elongated period of time which meant that Peyton Manning was on the field. The Colts controlled the ball for a little over 38 minutes compared to the Bears’ 21 minutes. Grossman could have performed a lot better, but he never had the opportunity to find a rhythm. Plus, accruing five turnovers did not help matters, especially two interceptions on the part of Grossman who just did not have the touch on this day. The defense played admirably by forcing three turnovers, but when you are on the field for more than half of the game, it is a futile fight. The Colts garnered 430 total yards, compared to the Bears’ 265, which equaled defeat for the Bears.

Most of the blame for the loss will more than likely have to be shouldered by Grossman, which is an unfair assessment. Like Lovie Smith stated countless times over the course of the season when Grossman was struggling, the team made it to the Super Bowl with him as quarterback. But there will be resounding “what if” statements flying around Chicago until next season. What if Brian Griese was at the helm all season? Would he have been more consistent? Defense and Special teams performed marvelously all season, which leaves the offense as the weak link in the chain. Will Grossman return next year as the starting quarterback?

Either way, the Bears had a great season. They made it to the Super Bowl against all odds, which is commendable on any level of professional sports. They probably should not have made it this far, but defense can only do so much in any sport. A good defense has to be complimented by a solid offense. I am not talking Michael Jordan like numbers here, but something respectable. Hopefully team management can keep the core of the team together in the offseason and even bring in further pieces that will allow the team to finish the puzzle and win the Super Bowl. Wishful thinking? You never know, as the Bears showed us all this year.

Angry Earth

A group of top climatologists meeting in Paris, France have released a compelling report that officially puts the blame on humans for global warming. The scientists are 90% certain that we are to blame for increasing global temperatures and rising ocean levels. The most haunting aspect of the report states that global warming is a runaway process; there is nothing we can do to halt it. It is essentially like a large train with no brakes speeding down the tracks at 100mph and no one can stop it. What is worse, the climatologists believe that Earth’s median temperature will increase 3.5-7 degrees by 2100. When global temperature increases, ocean levels rise, which by 2100 may rise by 23 inches. This truly alarming report is an eye opener to what mankind is capable of doing; ruining our home.

Of course with any new report on global warming, many conservatives are going to allege that the idea of humans screwing the Earth up is not conceivable. I am not one to take such reports at face value, but I am alarmed by this latest premonition. Some would argue that this is just a natural Earth cycle and that this is just a warming cycle. But the evidence tells the tale for us in this particular case. How can anyone counter the fact that CO2 levels have rose exponentially since 1700; the eve of the Industrial Revolution? With more CO2 in the atmosphere, that means the sun’s rays are forever trapped in our atmosphere, hence warming the planet. One cannot forget the stunning pictures of ancient icebergs breaking off of glaciers due to the increased temperatures at both the extreme northern and southern latitudes.

The damage is already done; there isn’t anything we can do in the short term to repair what we have taken for granted. Obviously there are actions that can be taken to help lessen the severity of the onset of extreme global warming conditions. The U.S. and other industrialized countries are heading in the right direction in concern to lessening CO2 emissions. Following the Kyoto accords is vital in maintaining what we have now. Either way, the effects of global warming are more far reaching than we think. Coastal areas are especially vulnerable, as we have witnessed the last few years with the occurrence of countless intense hurricanes and typhoons. Cities like New Orleans that are already below sea level may have legendary status like the fabled lost island of Atlantis when our children grow older.

Super Sunday Mania

It is indeed that time of the year, the most prestigious sporting event ever crafted is upon us; the Super Bowl. Who knew that a simple game envisioned and named by Lamar Hunt in 1967, would pit the champion of the American Football Conference (then the AFL) and the National Football Conference (then the NFL) would turn out to be what it is today? The Super Bowl is the most watched TV program of the year, usually garnering 80-90 million viewers with over 140 million people world wide tuning in at some point in the game. Obviously, Americans are enamored with the Super Bowl and the events surrounding it for many reasons, mainly the simple fact that it is the middle of winter. What else do we have to do besides sit on our duffs stuffing our faces with Tostitos?

There is also the added bonus of viewing the countless new and highly “original” commercials. It is the only time of year when Americans are able to experience an onslaught of new material all at once and usually underscored by a comedic twist. Personally, I enjoy the Anheiser-Busch commercials. Who knew that beer would seem more tempting after watching a pilot jump out of an airplane without a parachute to retrieve a cold one? This year 30 second advertisements will cost companies roughly $3 million. Every year the cost goes up, as do tire sales. We even get to witness over 670 pounds of confetti fall from the sky after the winner of the game is decided. If you are lucky and have $5-10K to blow on a ticket, you get to witness it all in person. Hot damn!

Finally onto the most overlooked part of the Super Bowl, the game. The Colts are a 7 point favorite, which was bound to happen. But with the success of the AFC in the past 7 of 9 games, there is no doubt that those in Vegas are going to play it safe. But I believe that it should be a classic game of a high powered offense versus a powerful defense. We all know defense wins championships, so it is rather obvious where my allegiance lies. With all of the hype surrounding Peyton Manning, Rex Grossman has been severely overlooked. Grossman has had 7 games with a quarterback rating over 100. Guess who also had the same statistic? That’s right, Peyton Manning himself! As with any Bears game it is a matter of whether the good Rex Grossman shows up and if the defense plays like they are on a planet with less gravity, especially Brian Urlacher’s.

Flem’s Super Bowl Prediction: Colts 10, Bears 21

Is Vista the End All of Operating Systems?

Microsoft officially released Windows Vista yesterday, along with its new Office system. Most of the “tech crowd” is apprehensive about the new operating system and for good reason. Even though the OS is stable and has an assortment of new gadgets such as Aero Interface, which essentially streamlines the desktop allowing for a glass like appearance. But on the downside, the more technologically sound aspects of Vista are only included in the higher end versions, which comes with the added bonus of paying even more money ($649 for “ultimate”). The other added bonus included the one license that come with any version of Vista. This means that a user can install the product only once on one machine. For those of us who own more than one machine, looks like we are SOL.

Vista took roughly five years to be developed, which led many of us to expect more from Microsoft. The added features are new, but are comparable to what many have called “Windows XP service pack 3.” In sum, the new features are not exactly worth the added cost. Speaking of cost, Vista comes with the joy of having to upgrade your current machine. For example, let’s take a look at my machine. It is a solid machine as far as Windows XP is concerned: 3.2GHz P4 with HT, 1GB of single channel RAM, 160GB hard drive, 128MB ATI Radeon graphics card, and various other aspects. After running a variety of programs that tell a user whether they should upgrade, the results suggested that the “home basic” version was adequate for me, which does not have the new components advertized by Microsoft.

For users with baseline machines like mine, the cost of upgrading the hardware is monumental. To operate the “ultimate” edition, I’ll tell you exactly what you need: either a Pentium D or Duo Core processor, 2GB of memory, at least 40GB of hard drive space, and 256MB of graphics memory. This is a case of false advertisement if you ask me, but welcome to the world of IT. The basic consumer really does not have any of this, unless they have happened to spend a pretty penny on a new computer in the past few months. Dell is already marketing Vista basic and home editions with their new computers, which will open the market up for the new OS. But for those of us who do not need to upgrade, Windows XP will suffice or MAC OS 10.4, which is about the same thing as Vista.

Hitch-Up The Horses: Tehran Here We Come!

Over the past few days the world has not ceased to surprise anyone, much less myself. In the foreign arena, Iran has been a bit “busy.” The Pentagon is investigating the likely hood of an Iran connection to the January 20th attacks in Karbala, Iraq on a military compound. Five U.S. soldiers died in the attacks which were originally thought to have been the work of Iraqi insurgents. Yet, further review of the attacks suggests that Tehran may have been involved in the attacks. U.S. officials believe that the attacks were far too sophisticated for any Iraqi insurgent group to have carried out, which suggests that the Iranians were involved on some level. Iran is by far the most powerful nation in the Middle East with the most refined military capabilities, especially the Iranian Revolutionary Guard who are a highly trained military force similar to U.S. Special Forces.

If Iran is behind the U.S. deaths, there will be a good possibility the U.S. may aim to punish Tehran. A habitual ground war is not likely due the massive strain the U.S. military is under, but other options are available, including strikes on their nuclear facilities. Even though many of Iran’s nuclear facilities have been relocated underground since the international community has spoke out in defiance, the U.S. does have the capabilities to take out such subversive structures. But the downside is an attack on Iranian soil would disrupt the world’s oil supply, as they have the capabilities for an offensive within the Persian Gulf. If that were to occur, the price of oil could easily make it over $100 a barrel. Oil prices that high could quite literally leave the U.S. “high and dry.” The U.S. has moved more fire power to the Persian Gulf in the form of more warships in a show of force, signaling a possible strike.

Obviously, a military strike against Iran would not be a keen move right now. If we are drawn into a ground battle with the Iranians, we are going to be overwhelmed even more so than we are now. Congress and EU countries have suggested that the Bush Administration engage in diplomatic talks with Iran to work out an understanding. But the Bush Administration refuses to engage in talks with Tehran, which is rather typical of the president. His love of the status quo is even detrimental to his own war with Iraq. It is imperative that we deal with one rouge nation at a time; not the whole damn world at once. Never the less, it would be tidy to deal with the Iranians in specific concern to Iraq. Washington has been accusing Iran of training and arming Shiite insurgent groups, which is why diplomatic talks may facilitate better relations.

Is Restraint Plausible?

Democrats are considering a revision of the bill that allowed President Bush to go to war in 2002. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (the second ranking Democrat in the House) suggested the revision of the bill to allow more Congressional oversight and influence over presidential policy. Hoyer believes that a revision of the bill is quite plausible because the original language of the bill suggests that U.S. forces were to enter Iraq on a “nation building” mission; not conflict resolution. The solution in these terms would in theory arise out of military spending bills (the power of the purse) for military and diplomatic action in the war torn country.

If this bill is passed by Congress, there is no doubt that the president’s power will be curtailed in a policy making role. Even the president is in need of money these days. But restricting the president’s power as commander-in-chief is not a feasible option. Evidently, the Constitution does not allow for such actions. Congressional hearings about the U.S.’s actions in are to begin in haste. For the first time since 2003, the American public and Congress will finally receive some answers. If more detrimental information comes out of these hearings, there is a good chance that Congress will have more concrete evidence in which to restrain the president’s personal war in his sandcastle known as Iraq.

Stepping up diplomatic pressure on the Iraqi government is another vital part of this proposed bill. It is obvious to both the president and Congress that the Iraqis need to take over their own security operations. Their prime minister has promised more troops to the cause, but one has to question the commitment of the Iraqi people. Just like other human beings, people tend to become irritated when a bad situation does not change in due time. The status quo is not acceptable to those living through this atrocity, much less those with a comfortable view from 3000 miles away. I have stated the answer to this quandary countless time, but like most Americans whose opinions do not count to this administration, I have to ask this question instead: what’s the use?

Reaction: State of the Union Address

As it is tradition and law, President Bush gave the American public the state of the union before a joint session of Congress. This was Bush’s sixth state of the union address, but his first before a Congress dominated by Democrats. Also for the first time in our nation’s history, the president began his speech with the words, “madam speaker.” Bush spelled out four major points throughout the speech, none of which seem feasible, especially in concern to the operations occurring in Iraq. But he did spell out both a foreign and domestic policy for the next year; a vital year for the president. If Bush is unable to shore up the operations going on in Iraq and follow through on his domestic agenda, he will be spending the last year of his term as a “lame duck.”

The president spelled out a long term plan to reduce our dependence on oil by 20% over the next ten years. He also called for the production of 35 billion gallons of renewable energy sources (ethanol) by 2017 to help cut down on global warming and our dependence on oil from abroad. In theory, this new plan would take roughly 26 million cars off of the road and reduce our dependence on Middle Eastern oil imports by three-quarters. This new initiative sounds admirable from the president’s mouth, but in theory it will never work. Cranking up the fuel mileage required per company is not going to happen in the foreseeable future, as the American consumer is tentative and the major manufacturers are not going to spend their marginal profits (at best) to develop new vehicles to use alternative fuel sources.

Finally, the president met with silence when he discussed his latest strategy for dealing with Iraq. The past few years he has been met with great applause from the GOP side of the aisle. But this latest escalation has created many doubters in both GOP and Democratic ranks. He essentially begged Congress and the American people to give his latest plan a chance to succeed or the whole Middle East will go to hell in a hand basket. The brightest idea of the night was the potential creation of a Civilian Reserve Corp., or what would best be described as an American mercenary force not under the direct control of the military. He ended his Iraq tirade by giving the Iraqi government an ultimatum of shoring up security, as this U.S. assistance is not an open ended commitment.

In the domestic arena the president proposed more far fetched ideas that will take a complete miracle to work the way in which he envisions. The health care system needs reform; there is no doubt about that. 47 million Americans live without health insurance, which is indeed a big problem. His plan is to turn taxable income into health benefits, but there is no chance that this policy would extend coverage to the countless Americans that need health insurance. Their income is low enough, hence the reason why they cannot afford health insurance. A tax break will not generate enough money to provide adequate insurance premiums and even raise taxes for many more Americans. He even touted his no child left behind agenda…what a success! His approval numbers are the lowest of any president in the past fifty years; this speech is a snapshot of why.

Will the Real Nominees Step Forward

For the first time in over a half century the American public will not be voting for an incumbent president or vice presidential candidate. The presidential field is wide open for 2008, which signals the changing of the guard in Washington, which many would agree is a much needed change. The list of candidates for the GOP and the Democrats is expanding by the week, which will make for a fierce and highly contested primary season. We are too early into the process, but the front runners for each party will have to distinguish themselves and run away from the pack by late in the year. Undoubtedly, the campaign for the general election will be intense, but the fight for party nomination has already taken on a life of its own, which calls for concern when the primary campaigns kick into full swing.

The first punch was thrown recently by Senator Hillary Clinton (D- NY) towards her chief challenger in the Democratic Party, Barack Obama (D- IL). Clinton’s people dug up some dirt on Obama, which alleged that he had attended a fundamentalist (radical) Muslim school while living in Indonesia from 1967-1971. Originally reported by Insight Magazine, the article caused a stir in the corridors of Washington. But the article was debunked by CNN, which looked into the report and clarified that Obama had never attended such a school during his time in Indonesia. Insight’s editors stated that they had received the information from someone on Sen. Clinton’s staff. Clinton called the reports “a right-wing hit job.” This claim may or may not be true, but it signifies how intense this election is to become.

Clinton is the front runner in the race thus far, with 50% of potential Democratic voters stating that they view her in a favorable light. Obama is second with just around a 24% favorable rating. Clinton officially declared her candidacy last week, which signifies how important it is to declare candidacy early and the effect that such a statement of intent has on potential voters. Obama has yet to officially declare his candidacy, but it is extremely likely that Obama will officially enter the race at anytime. On the GOP side of the coin, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani leads Arizona Senator John McCain by a 28% to 20% margin of potential GOP voters. The onslaught has already begun on the GOP side as well, with negative ads connecting McCain to President Bush’s plan to escalate troop numbers.

Riding the president’s “coattails” this election season will not be a favorable action by any potential GOP candidate. Bush’s approval ratings are dismal, as only 38% of Americans believe that Bush is doing a decent job in the White House (out of 1500 voters). With an essential lame duck president who has minimal political capital as your party’s leader, the GOP is in serious contention to cede power to the Democrats on the executive level. The reactionary response by voters during the 2006 midterms signals that if the status quo does not improve under the guise of Bush, the GOP may very well be at a disadvantage from the get go. GOP leaders in the Senate are attempting to resurrect their party’s stature by proposing a resolution disagreeing with Bush’s policy of sending more troops to Iraq. I am sure that will get the point across to the president; just like the opinion of American public.

Super Sunday Here We Come!

It is official; the Bears are not as inept as the “experts” would have us believe. The Bears defeated the Saints 39-14, in what can only be described as a one sided game on Sunday. Rex Grossman played a solid game, even though his accuracy was not exactly dead on (he admitted to it after the game). Thomas Jones carried to offense with two scores and 123 yards rushing (the man runs angry). Oddly enough, it was not the offense that won the game though. The “Monsters of the Midway” returned to early season form by pressuring Drew Breeze throughout the game and the secondary managed to rangle in the speedy New Orleans recievers. A game that was suppose to be one sided ended up being one sided indeed, but in favor of the Bears. Shocking, isn’t it ESPN?

The Bears will face off against the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI (41) in two weeks. The Colts defeated the daunting New England Patriots in what can only be described as a game for the ages. After falling down by as much as 21-3 in the first half, the Colts led by Peyton Manning tore back into the game, with power running, staunch defense, and of course, Peyton Manning’s arm. Tom Brady just about rose to the occasion again. But an interception with 30 seconds left in the game sealed the Patriot’s fate (finally). Even though I was off by 10 points in my prediction, the Colts won the game 38-34. Surprisingly enough, my prediction for the Bears game was spot on, but slightly off of course. If I was a betting man, I would be rich. But sadly I am not a betting man.

The Colts are already a 7 point favorite in the Super Bowl, which does not surprise me. Even though the Bears did win one more game in the regualar season. I guess this “under dog status” can be attributed to the AFC’s dominance in the big game, as AFC teams have won seven of the last nine Super Bowls. Needless to say I believe the Bears will be a formitable challenge for the Colts and their sky high offense. If the Bears defense makes another showing like they did on Sunday, I believe that Lovie Smith will become the first African American coach to win a Super Bowl. Either way an African American coach will finally win a Super Bowl, as Tony Dungy is also African American. It is indeed a monumental step in the NFL and society that two coaches from a race that have never won a Super Bowl will simeltaneously be competing for the honor. I guess it is a win-win situation for once.

Ass-Backward Nation

I recently read an article in Time Magazine about how Americans tend to “live dangerously,” which in retrospect makes you really think about how blind we are to the world around us. Americans and people in general (especially those in the industrialized world), tend to weight short term risks in higher standing than long term risks, especially risks that have a direct bearing on our health. The article does indeed raise some incredibly valid questions about our life styles and why we as people, tend to self destruct. Now I am not saying that every American is guilty of this habit. But I would bet a fair amount of money (which I don’t have) on the fact that some of us are guilty of these habits.

According to this article, the cause of our lapses in judgment occurs because of how our brains are wired. The brain is wired in what the article calls a “prehistoric” manner, which was a vital asset to our ancestors. These individuals weighed risk in terms of survival, hence being able to pass their genes along to the next generation. That does not mean that prehistoric humans did not take risks; most had to. How would you feel about killing a mammoth with a spear instead of your trusty elephant gun? Chances are that no competent individual in the modern world would attempt such a feat without the assistance of alcohol (mammoths are extinct by the way). The question is then, how does out prehistoric brain wiring effect us in the modern world?

Gamblers are masters of calculating probabilities. They know their exact chances of success and failure based on what cards they received in the deal, for example. Your average Joe, on the other hand is not exactly a Vegas casino attendee. Take smoking for instance. Over 30 million Americans smoke or use some form of tobacco, which results in over 1200 deaths a day and over 650,000 in a year. In the short term, yes, smoking will probably not kill you, hence why people start in the first place. Fast forward 20 years later, that very person is still smoking (if they made it that long). There is a good chance that their health is suffering immensely from smoking in some form. That first cigarette did not kill the person, but the 6,000th very well may put that person in the lung cancer category.

A better example in this case is AIDS and diabetes (or some other nasty disease). I am not saying that AIDS is something that everyone should go out and get, because it will kill you eventually. But if treated in its early stages (HIV), there is a good chance that the individual will go on to lead a normal life span. Diabetes on the other hand is a bit different from AIDS. I understand that some people inherit it or are simply unlucky. But what about those that cram thousands of calories of pure “crap” down their gullets each day? Are they not thinking about the risk that unhealthy foods will pose to them down the road? It is a fact that better nutrition reduces the likely hood that someone will develop a degenerative disease down the road.

The article pointed out that after 9/11; more people were driving to their destinations instead of flying (which was understandable). But what many people did not know is that even though countless people perished in the attacks, especially aboard the planes (in this case), that the likelihood of perishing in a plane crash were still considerably less than being killed in a car accident. You still have a better chance of being struck by lightening that dying in a plane crash. The simple fact of the matter is that we are more concerned with short term risk and not the things in everyday life that will affect us down the road. Steroids may help an athlete right now, but liver tumors are not exaclty a pleasant thing to deal with down the road.

Let the Predictions Spur Forth

Championship Weekend looms; the Bears will play the New Orleans Saints this Sunday in Chicago at Soldier Field. The Saints have never made it this far before, as the organization has been one of the tragic stories of the NFL since they first joined. The Bears on the other hand, after fighting through a largely disappointing decade of the 1990’s, return to the NFC Championship for the first time since 1989. On the AFC side of the coin, it will be a rematch of an ever evolving rivalry; Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady. Surprisingly, these two teams defeated the top two seeds in the AFC (Chargers and Ravens) with convicting victories in two games that were rather close. Being that everyone and their mother is making a prediction about Championship Weekend, I figure that I might as well join the club.

New Orleans Saints (11-6) vs. Chicago Bears (14-3)
The Bears are the favorite in this game, at least as far as the Vegas’ bookies are concerned. But many of the “professional analysts” and the Saints themselves argue that they should be the favorites. I would beg to differ on that point. Somehow the Saints lost 6 games during the regular season; I wonder why? The Saints are not the “hulks” of the football world, as many “analysts” would argue. The team is on a collective roll, which was confirmed over the course of the last few weeks of the season. Drew Brees, Deuce McCallister, and Reggie Bush are all at the top of their respective games right now. Drew Brees is the real deal in my opinion; the man knows how to pass with great efficiency and explosiveness. McCallister is running over everyone in his path and Bush is running all over the field like he did at USC.

Plus, the Saints have the collective moral support of the nation, as they hail from the devastated New Orleans. I completely agree on this aspect of supporting the Saints. It would be an awesome sight to see the Saints go to the Super Bowl after enduring a year away from the Super Dome and giving more hope to the begrudged citizens of New Orleans. I believe that the “analysts” are on board the “moral support train” as well, which has a tendency to cloud judgment. I agree that the Bears are not the team we witnessed during the first half of the season, as injuries have decimated the Monster’s of the Midway. But the Bears did win 13 games during the regular season, which to me shows that they did something right. Even with the train wreck of Rex Grossman at the helm, the Bears managed to put a high-quality season together.

With any game that the Bears have played over the second half of the season, the first issue to come to mind is whether the superior or ghastly Grossman will show up on Sunday. Grossman proved himself last weekend with solid play and poise. He did not make any mistakes that took his team out of the game. Basically, he shone through when the game was on the line. I believe the Grossman of weeks one through seven’s past will show and rise to the occasion. The defense is due for a superior game, as they have been giving a lot of points up over the past five games. I smell a Brian Urlacher-Lance Briggs domineering effort on Sunday. I also smell a Devin Hester run back at some point. He did it last weekend, but was called back after a poor call from the officials. Contrary to belief, I believe the Bears will win the NFC Championship.
Flem’s Prediction: New Orleans 17, Chicago 34

New England Patriots (13-5) vs. Indianapolis Colts (13-5)
The AFC Championship game relights the most recent and entertaining NFL rivalry between two of the league’s top quarter backs. It has been recognized that Peyton Manning has been unable to win “the big game” to solidify his place as one of the game’s all time greats.’ On the other side of the coin, he faces the current reincarnation of greatness itself, Tom Brady. The Colts destroyed the Patriots earlier in the year, but like the Bears, the Colts were a different team then. The Patriots have been the same old’ Patriots throughout the playoffs, as they have shown the resilience of a coach and a quarterback that have won three out of the last four Super Bowls. Manning has been haunted by “big game” losses to the Patriots throughout his career, but I have a feeling that he is due. He is too damn good not to ever make it to a Super Bowl.
Flem’s Prediction: New England 24, Indianapolis 28

The War Is Over

Oddly enough I am not referring to the current war in Iraq. Instead, I am referring to the American Civil War. Yes, the Civil War that ended in 1865, almost 142 years ago. Indeed, the Civil War where more than 620,000 American lives were lost at the hands of their own countrymen. I bring this up today on the eve after Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) day in the United States. The entire country celebrated the legacy and accomplishments of the greatest civil rights activist in the history of this great country. Undoubtedly, King's work and life has affected the lives of countless African Americans in life and in death.

On this most auspicious day, Senator Joseph Biden (a presidential hopeful) of South Carolina, stated that he wants the Confederate flag completely removed from the grounds of the Columbia state house. He deemed the flag’s presence as a persevering reminder of racism in this country. Six years ago the NAACP successfully lobbied for the subsequent removal of the Confederate flag from the dome of the statehouse in Columbia. Even though the flag was removed from the statehouse itself, it still remains on the grounds in the form of a tribute to the confederacy.

This “tribute” is indeed a mockery of those who lost their lives in the Civil War, much less the millions of African Americans that are descended from the very slaves that were emancipated through blood, sweat, and tears. A group of 35 individuals protesting the movement to remove the Confederate flag from the state house grounds gathered today in what can only be described as a “consorted” charade to “maintain their heritage.” These people want to maintain the heritage of their ancestors, the ones who illegally succeeded from the nation in 1861?

These “neo-Confederates” as I have termed them, are in severe denial. I live in the state of Illinois, the very state that Abraham Lincoln resided in upon his election to the presidency in 1860. This was also the man who lost his life at the hands of a rouge confederate by the name of John Wilkes Booth who disagreed with Lincoln’s emancipation of the slaves (I am firmly aware of the fact that Lincoln was rather indifferent on the issue of slavery). It sickens me to still see bumper stickers and various other ornaments decorating countless vehicles (mostly pick up trucks from 1970 that somehow still run) of those who “maintain their heritage.”

It is an insult that we should be having this debate 142 years after the end of the Civil War. The war was won by the North, not the South, plain and simple; these individuals need to deal with it. Slavery has long been outlawed in this nation. But there are those that still maintain the appalling beliefs of the secessionists. That flag represents a time in American history that many would assume forget. The Confederate flag should be removed from any governmental building in the South, much less from the psyche of the American people.

"We The People..." Right?

Today President Bush told 60 Minutes that he has the authority to act in any matter that he feels necessary in concern to sending more troops to Iraq; much less his handling of the entire war. Facing stern opposition from both parties in Congress, the president sent his chief crony, Dick Cheney on national television to reiterate the point. Cheney believes that it is the president’s responsibility to run the war, not Congress. Furthermore, Cheney said that opposition from critics in Congress would not influence decisions made by the president.

This defensive stance by the White House is nothing new, but it does come just days before both the House and Senate plan to vote on a non-binding resolution combating the president’s plan to send 21,500 more troops to Iraq. The non-binding resolution would in no way affect the way in which Bush will continue to handle the war. But it is by far the biggest stance from Congress over the Iraq issue. Bush maybe the commander in chief of the armed forces, yet as every new day passes, his administration seems to be imitating a dictatorship.

The last time I read the Constitution, I was under the impression that we lived in a federal republic, not a dictatorship. The backlash against the president against his own war by the people of this country should signal to Bush that enough is enough; just drop it. We elect the president to follow through with the will of the people, not his own will. When a president’s own party takes a stance against its own leader, one must assume that there is something seriously wrong. What is this war really worth to the American people?

This war is worth nothing and like the Vietnam conflict, this pointless variance is further destroying the reputation of a great nation. The resistance in Iraq may not be able to break the will of the George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, but when there was no will or legitimate reason to be there in the first place, well I do not see the harm in pulling out. I feel sorry for the Iraqis, as when we do pull out we will be leaving those who want a stable country high and dry. Instead of defeating the terrorists, the president is further infuriating and giving life to those who choose to participate in this global “jihad.”

There are many critics to the war, but Cheney does have a point when he says that the Democrats do not have a better alternative for dealing with the war. I have an alternative; impeach the president. The notion has been thrown around before and even introduced to the House, but obviously, to no avail. If the Democrats are to gain a full grasp on the war and reign in presidential power, they need to show the White House that they are not afraid to stand up to this dictator of sorts. They may not act tomorrow, but when they figure out that talking to the president is comparable to talking to a wall; they will act.

A Bit of Evenhandedness

Today the Senate attached an amendment to the ethics reform bill that would strip “ethics challenged” members of Congress of their federal pensions. If passed by the House and signed into law by the president, the bill would only apply to future violators of Senate and House ethics rules. The new ethics rules are a complete overhaul in comparison to the GOP rules, which remained relatively unchanged since 1994. Like the Constitution, the law is a bit vague on what it would consider an offense worthy of pension suspension. But the basic premise of the amendment would consider offenses such as bribery and conspiracy worthy of losing the tax payer funded “retirement plan.”

The measure, introduced by John Kerry passed the Senate 87-0 today. The bill is a response by the Democrats due to the past 12 years of Republican corruption that has permeated on all levels of the federal government. But one peculiarity of the bill is that it only applies to future violators. If the Democrats wanted to make a colossal impact on the system itself, they would have been inclined to have the bill take effect retroactively. For example, ex-Congressman “Duke” Cunningham collects $64,000 annually from his federal pension, even though he confessed to bribery charges by pleading guilty. At least future violators will be deterred, as it typically is not in a Congressman’s best interest to throw away his “pocket change.”

In other news, the vault on the Gerald Ford interviews has been completely unlocked, especially in regard to his opinions on past presidents. For over 25 years, Ford gave interviews to a local Michigan paper in which he gave rather pointed opinions of those who preceded him in the Oval Office. Like his taped interviews with Bob Woodrow of the Washington Post, the interviews were only to be released after his demise. The most unsympathetic outlook was directed towards Jimmy Carter (whom he compared to Warren G. Harding), who in 1981, Ford called a “poor president.” He adjusted his view of Carter in 1998, when he stated that Carter was a better president than some were led to believe.

Ford also believed that Reagan was overrated, at least in concern to opinions believing he ended the Cold War via an arms build up. He believed that NATO and the Marshall Plan (aid to Europe after WWII ended) were key contributors to ending the Cold War. Many would beg to differ, including myself that it was Mikhail Gorbachev who was responsible for ending the Cold War. But that point is for another time and place. Surprisingly he was rather fickle on the presidency of Bill Clinton, who he called average. Who escaped the ex-president’s criticisms? Dwight D. Eisenhower, a moderate Republican, much like himself, was his favorite president, at least in a policy making role. Even though this was a man who committed the nation to MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction) during the Cold War. Basically, if the Soviets or the U.S. fired upon one another, both countries would simply take the destruction and move on. But again, that is another discussion all in itself.

Extreme Overkill

Today one of the richest sporting contracts in history was signed by soccer “legend” David Beckham. The contract is worth a reported $250 million over the next 5 years. To put it into perspective, Beckham will earn roughly a million dollars per week for the next five years. He will be playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy who are apart of Major League Soccer (MLS), which was founded in 1996. The league is comprised of a various teams all over the US, especially in major cities. Beckham, who hails from England, has most recently played in Spain for the New Madrid team. But one wonders, is this man really worth $250 million in a country that is not exactly known for its enthusiasm for soccer?

Soccer main allegiance of fans pervade from other parts of the world, more specifically throughout Latin America and Europe. By nature, soccer is a “poor man’s sport,” which is why it has never taken hold in the United States. But obviously, as shown with Beckham’s exodus to the United States, soccer is gradually taking hold as one of the premier sports in the country. Now, I do not doubt Beckham’s ability, as it takes an extraordinary athlete to play the game for as long as he has, much less play the game at all on a competitive level. But isn’t this massive contract just a bit much for a sport that isn’t exactly on in prime time?

A recent survey conducted on ESPN.com suggests that Americans are not interested in Beckham joining the Galaxy. Out of 45,000 individuals, almost 36% do not even watch soccer. But 68% report that they are a bit more interested in watching a soccer game as long as Beckham is on the field. Even though the number is staggering, I really do not see what all of the fuss is about? His contract even trumps Michael Jordan’s $30 million or so a year when he was playing for the Chicago Bulls. But he was worth it, as he was able to draw both an audience in wherever he played as well as on TV. He was a revenue maker on an extraordinary level, as well as the most talented person to ever play the game of basketball.

Beckham may be renowned on a world wide scale, but the United States has a tendency not to acknowledge international superstardom. People in the United States are more concerned with events and people that are occurring in their backyard; we are very selfish in essence. I have a feeling that Beckham’s presence will not substantially affect viewership of MLS in the United States. Last year, Nielson reports that on average 687,000 people viewed MLS games. Compare that to the NFL, the richest sport in the U.S. Just last week, FOX drew a total of over 17 million people watching playoff football. CSI draws more viewes than MLS soccer! Americans a re stubborn by nature, which signals to me that all of the hype over Beckham will pass soon and Beckham will be added to the list of international superstars that have been swallowed up by American popular culture.

A Lack of Faith

Tonight, President Bush announced his latest strategy in concern to the war in Iraq. This “refreshed” strategy of sorts sounds a bit familiar to most, which is the reason why many doubt the sincerity of his message. Starting Monday, Bush plans to send roughly 21,500 more troops to the war zone. The additional troops, along with the troops already there will now be charged with training Iraqi forces in a more “hands on manner.” Now Iraqi troops will be embedded with American trainers as well as missions consisting of both American and Iraqi forces working together.

So what does this mean for the over all scheme of Iraq? Bush said that he would pull American support out of Iraq if the Iraqis do not start to maintain order within their own borders. He even said that he is taking responsibility for all of the wrongs that have occurred with Iraq. The president has two years left in his term and his latest strategy is more than likely his last great chance to affect the outcome of his personal war. Personally, I believe that this strategy is a case of more bark than bite. Military experts agree that sending more troops over will not fix the situation, but instead, make it even worse.

Even Lt. Colonel Oliver North, a staunch GOP member, disagrees with the new strategy. He belies that the addition of troops will not encourage the Iraqi forces to fight, but instead to rely on American forces even more. Even those of the president’s own party are starting to falter in their support of Bush and his foreign policy. How did the new Democratic Congress respond to all of this? They refused to “zip up” the pocket book on this new endeavor. The only power that Congress has over the executive in this case is the power of the purse. I am shocked by the lack of action from Congress. Something needs to be done in order to curtail this president’s dangerous assault on the Constitution.

But there lay in the danger of opposing a Bush policy, especially in concern to Iraq. If the Democrats were to challenge this latest plan, Bush could easily turn the tables. He would do this via a smear campaign of calling democratic congressmen and women “un-American” and slinging a variety of other propaganda. Either way, we are in a no win situation and it appears as if Congress will not take the impeachment route, at least not yet anyway.

Cooperstown: The Enduring Joke Continues

The baseball writers inducted two new members into the baseball Hall of Fame; Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. Gwynn received 97.6% of the vote, while Ripken garnered 98.5%, the third highest percentage of all time. These two men were the cream of the crop throughout the mid 1980’s to the late 1990’s. Gwynn ended up with a lifetime batting average of .338, which is incredible in any era. Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s record game streak of 2,130, which he would extend to over 2600 games, an incredible feat in any sport. These two men deserved the sport's highest honor, but evidently, some were not for reasons that are yet unclear to me.

The annual induction into the hall did not come without controversy. Mark McGwire did not make it in his first time on the ballot. McGwire, who is 7th all time in homeruns with 583, and a 12 time perennial all-star, only appeared on 23.7% of the submitted ballots. What is odd about McGwire’s situation is that every person who has ever been at least a 12 time all-star is a member of the hall. He also holds the all time record for home runs per every 100 at bats with a staggering 10.6 and is 9th all time in slugging percentage. His career numbers are more than sufficient to get him into the hall. So why in the hell didn’t McGwire make it into the hall?

Personally, I am a fan of McGwire, as him and Sammy Sosa single handedly resurrected the game of baseball in the summer of 1998 with their prolific chase of the single season home run record. Yet, the writers will not allow McGwire entrance due to his alleged use of steroids. He admitted to using a legal supplement called androstene in 1999 after it was discovered in his locker. Granted, the supplement is now banned by MLB, but at the time it was legal. The metaphorical nail in the coffin for McGwire occurred in 2005 at a congressional hearing concerning steroids in baseball. At the hearing he stated that he did not want to talk about the past, which led many to believe he was guilty of ingesting steroids at some point in his career.

The writers vote is based off of heresy, plain and simple. McGwire never failed a drug test while active in MLB. He has never admitted to using steroids, even though it may seems to many that he is guilty of it. The baseball writer’s community needs to show the man some respect, as their constant badgering and belittlement of his great career has forced him to live a life of perpetual exile. No one deserves that, not after the career he had. I am unsure as to why it is up to the writers to vote on who should get into the hall. Who made these people judge, jury, and executioner? They may write about the sport, but their logic is based off of opinion. Every person in America knows as much about baseball as some of these idiots.

Look at some examples from the past. Joe DiMaggio did not make it into the hall until his third time on the ballot. This is Joe DiMaggio, not your common every day no name. Evidently the writers did not vote him in because he retired at age 37, which signaled to them that he may have made a come back. Even the all time leader in wins, Denton True Young, otherwise known as “Cy” Young did not make it in until his second time on the ballot in 1937. Lee Smith, second all time in saves with 478, did not make it in this year as well. I really do not get it? What are the criteria that these hacks use to decide who makes it in? Obviously, opinions are biased in this case and something needs to change. Maybe we should have computers do it like we have them do everything else! A more subtle solution would be to establish a firm set of criteria that all of the writers or those whom are selected to vote should follow.

Football Fest: It’s That Time of Year

As I sit in front of the TV with my laptop watching the Florida vs. Ohio State melee, otherwise known as the National Championship contest. I wonder why in the hell another Florida team will win a prestigious sports championship again? Last year it was the very same University of Florida that won the NCAA college basketball title (I am bitter, as the gators are in the same conference as my beloved Kentucky Wildcats). Ohio State had a great year, but the 51 days in between games tends to kill a team. They need to have the bowl games sooner than later. Needless to say the controversy will begin to swirl around the BCS system after the game is completed tonight. Believe it or not, I actually believe the system worked this year.

The computers got it right in a year that was competitive as ever. The sheer amount of one loss teams vying for the coveted spot in the BCS National Championship Game was staggering. Florida was the correct team for the big game, as Ohio State did indeed defeat Michigan handily in November. That was Michigan’s chance and they blew it. The only pick I have with the system is the favoritism that is still shown to Notre Dame. Obviously, Notre Dame is a big name school which in theory tends to draw a lot of viewers. They only lost two games coming into their BCS bowl, but were utterly humiliated by LSU 41-14. The “experts” are now labeling Notre Dame as “BCS pretenders,” which sounds right to me.

Besides college football, the NFL is out in full force, as it is playoff season. The divisional round did not disappoint, as all of the games were rather competitive and chalked full of emotion that any football fan would love. The Dallas vs. Seattle game was one for the highlight reels for years to come. Tony Romo’s drop of a perfect snap on a field goal attempt will go down in league lore for the remainder of time. I feel for the man, as I am sure it is a humiliating thing to blow a game on national television on a simple hold. The Giants almost beat the damn Eagles, but to no avail. The Eagles will play New Orleans next week in what should be a very interesting game. Who in the hell cares about the AFC, well at least until Super Bowl time?

The Bears will play the Seahawks again next Sunday at noon. The first game was a blow out in the Bears’ favor, as the times were merrier with both offense and defense playing on all eight cylinders. Now both entities are playing like a Geo with a burnt out manifold. In the season finale against the Packers, Rex Grossman again impressed us all with a steady diet of interceptions and fumbles, which again allows concerns of his consistency to creep back into talks. He best pull his head out of his ass on Sunday. The defense is in shambles as well. I do not believe that they have the ability to stop a sloth attempting to make it to the goal line. Ron Rivera better fix it before he leaves for Arizona to commit career suicide. Needless to say, I do not want a replay of last year’s loss to Carolina at home.

Bitter Differences: Bipartisanship in a Democratic Congress

Today a new Congress will be sworn in, with the Democrats now holding the majority in both houses. Will this Congress be able to work with the Bush Administration? The first day of the new Congress will be filled with so much bipartisanship that it will make even John McCain sick to his moderate stomach. But from there on out there will be an all out assault on the Bush Administration, and rightly so.

The president published an editorial in the Wall Street Journal yesterday essentially bowing to the Democrats wishes, or in other words trying to appease the beast that wants to destroy him. He called for more attention on small businesses and the “regular” consumer. He also asked for the line-item veto, which would have to be approved by Congress. Is “W” wacked out of his gore? What in the hell happened to him supporting multi-national corporations and their massive conglomerates? “W” evidently changed his policy over night in a feeble attempt to keep the new Congress off of his ass so that he can conduct his personal war in Iraq.

The Democrats swept the midterms because they have an agenda that the nation feels is proper for the times and if there is no bipartisanship, well so be it then. The GOP has been using war like tactics since 1994 and frankly it is time that they receive a taste of their own medicine. I am sure that the Democrats will not buy the president’s last minute changes to his policy, as “W” has a tendency to shift his policy views every 5 minutes, especially in the domestic arena.

Two border patrol agents who shot a Mexican drug smuggler are set to begin their prison sentences in the coming days. Are you kidding me? Is that not the goal of even having the border patrol in the first place, to stop the illegal flow of drugs into this country? Over fifty-five members of Congress have signed a letter aimed at persuading the president to grant these two men a pardon. Yet those Congressmen and other various insiders calling for the pardon have been shunned by the White House. I guess that it is now acceptable to allow illegal aliens and those supporting the “drug industry” in America to come on over whenever they feel like it. This is the most ass backwards domestic strategy to date by the Bush Administration.

There is a huge controversy brewing across the Atlantic over the cell phone video that was recorded during Saddam Hussein’s execution. The Iraqi government (majority Shiite) is “looking into it,” but I highly doubt anything of substantial reckoning will come out of it. Saddam, who was a Sunni, was heckled by the Shiites who were charged with executing him before the actual event took place, which is evidently wrong. I am not an Iraqi, but was not he the one who killed thousands upon thousands of Shiites during his time in “office?” I believe that those present had every right to blast the man, as he deserved it as much as he deserved to be executed. That video helped to heal the wounds of many who experienced his wrath first hand.

Finally, Pat Robertson, a prominent evangelical has predicted through his “conversations with God” that there will be an event of cataclysmic proportions sometime at the end of 2007. The “700 Club” host believes that millions in the U.S. will be affected in a massive terror attack. This coming from a man who said that the U.S. was going to be hit by a tsunami in 2006, that Ariel Sharon was stricken by a stroke because he ceded lands to Palestine, and that the president would find a solution to the social security problem in 2005.

A prophet by definition is someone who is right 100 % of the time, not occassionally. I am a religious person and I believe that prophets do exist, but not this lunatic. If I said something catastrophic was going to happen to the US at the end of 2007, I would be in jail right now; no shit. This man simply wants attention so that he can further his agenda on his little TV show, plain and simple.

A Year in Review: 2006

As is the case with the passing of another year, new events, people, and stories permeate into our lives regardless of who we are or where we may reside in this world. 2006 distinguished itself with an array of innumerable measures that surely cannot be compared to any other time in history. The American presidency again dominated the headlines, but for all of the wrong reasons. George W. Bush plunged America even further into his “War on Terror” on the other side of the globe with tragic effects on both the Iraqi and American psyche, not to mention the countless lives that have perished on both sides. Immigration issues once again came to the forefront of America, as over 500,000 people marched in Los Angeles in late March to protest Bush’s crackdown on illegal immigrants to a country that prides itself on being the melting pot of all people, regardless of race or nationality. The American presidency made headlines again with the passing of our 38th President Gerald Ford late this month. Ford’s presidency further demonstrated the resolve of America and the very Constitution that binds this great republic together.

For the first time since 1994, the U.S. Congress will now be controlled by the Democrats. Voters turned out in mass to appraise the actions of the GOP controlled Congress and the voters articulated their disenchantment in resounding numbers and giving us hope for a sincere Congress starting in January 2007. Samuel Alito was sworn in as the newest justice of the Supreme Court in January, the latest conservative added to the highest court in the land by the Bush Administration. Dick Cheney showed us that even vice-presidents are human by accidentally shooting a friend in the face with a shotgun while on a hunting trip in late February. The nation’s economy also prospered, with the DOW Jones Industrial soaring to new heights on a monthly basis and hitting a new high of over 12,500 in December.

The digital music revolution further helped the economy to flourish with the 1 billionth legal song sold on Apple’s ITUNES which occurred in late February. The economy and corporate world also was served justice with the sentencing of Jeffery Skilling to 24 years in prison for his role in the biggest corporate bankruptcy and fraud case to ever strike the world in the Enron debacle. The Southern United States managed to further the healing process from the devastating hurricane season of last year, with a little help from mother-nature herself. The New Orleans Superdome reopened its doors for the first time in over a year in September with an inspiring performance from the Saints.

In April the U.S. lost a valued ally in Ariel Sharon, as he was removed from the office of the prime minister of Israel after succumbing to a stroke in January. A new coalition government would take their seats in May, a monumental change in the government of Israel. Israel also engaged in a conflict with Lebanon, which ended in a ceasefire in August under the guise of the United Nations. A close neighbor of Israel, Iran made headlines throughout the year with the government’s firm resolve to be apart of the exclusive nuclear power club. A country that is nowhere near the stature of Iran, Sudan, more specifically Darfur made headlines throughout the year for all of the wrong reasons. Over 400,000 Sudanese people have been mercilessly slaughtered to date, with no end in sight. A constant source of tension in Somalia was subdued, as the Union of Islamic Courts taking power in the capital city of Mogadishu in early June.

America’s hottest enemy, North Korea furthered its nuclear weapons ambition with a semi-successful detonation of a 100 kiloton nuclear device below ground in October. Prior to that test, the North Koreans test launched a long range missile that could in theory carry a nuclear warhead to America in July. Our long time nemesis, Fidel Castro seeded power to his brother Raul in late July, the first time since 1959 that Castro has given up control of Cuba. It appears as if the 80 year old Castro will not make it through 2007, as many in the intelligence business have agreed that he faces a hopeless battle with terminal cancer. In December Fiji, a small island nation was overrun by a coup d’état, with the military taking control of the small country.

The space shuttles Discovery and Atlantis made successful visits to the International Space Station, the first launches since the tragic Columbia disaster in 2003. America’s space program still proved that it is indeed a leader and innovator in the exploration of the heavens and beyond. Microsoft, the world’s leader in software technology released a new Internet Explorer, Windows system, and Office system to further back up their stature. Currently, more than 90% of computers world wide run some sort of Microsoft product. The United States’ population reached the 300 million plateau for the first time in history in October and still maintains the world’s third most populous nation status. A dictator was finally brought to justice in November with the conviction and subsequent execution of Saddam Hussein. An international crime mystery of James Bond like stature occurred in late November with the assassination of Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB officer. Litvinenko, an outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin of Russia was silenced via polonium 210, a highly radio active substance, which raises questions of the Russian’s involvement in the plot.

As you can see, 2006 was indeed a monumental year in the history of humanity. Countless events in various strata’s of the world undoubtedly had some bearing in our lives, whether we simply glanced at those very events on the news or felt them first hand. Needless to say, one can only expect more untamed and outrageous events in 2007.

The Legacy of Saddam Hussein

Saddam Hussein will undoubtedly go down in western history as one of the most immoral men to ever walk the planet. Saddam’s demise is now imminent, as the Iraqi government plans to execute the former dictator at the gallows early Saturday morning (Iraq time). Saddam was captured by coalition forces in the early morning hours on December 13, 2003 in an emergency bunker near his hometown of Tikrit.

This seemingly unromantic capture of a man who murdered thousands of his own citizens while in power best sums up the last few years of his life. “W” made it a priority to capture this man, who in retrospect never did anything specifically against the United States. Many have criticized “W’s” father, George H.W. Bush for not subduing the dictator while he had the chance in 1991 after Iraqi forces were defeated in the first Gulf War. Saddam received a simple slap on the wrist for his actions in invading Kuwait and was left in power. Basically, if the U.S. and their UN allies would have deposed Saddam in 1991, we would not be going through this second tirade in the Persian Gulf.

The irony behind Saddam’s rise to power is that he received help from our very own Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 1964. He was even trained by the CIA in an attempt to help overthrow Abdul Karim Quassim, the leader of Iraq at the time. Quassim evidently began to make stronger ties towards Communist big wigs in the USSR, which in turn led the U.S. to support the Ba’athist party, which Saddam was apart of until his demise in late 2003. By 1967, Saddam was the strongman of the Ba’athist party, as he was known to have a wicked temper and would not hesitate to slay any opponents of the party. He stayed loyal to the party and assumed his role of the number two man in the country. On July 16, 1979 Saddam succeeded al-Bakr as president of Iraq after he forced the ailing Bakr to cede him the presidency.

From there Saddam would begin his reign of terror that would last for more than two decades. Soon after taking power, Saddam began a war with Iran that lasted until 1988. During that time he ordered the use of nerve agents and a variety of illegal chemical weapons to be used on the Iranians and even his own citizens. This use of chemical weapons led to his conviction of crimes against humanity on November 5, 2006. He was charged with the killings of 148 individuals with illegal chemical weapons that occurred in 1982. This case falls within the top twenty of the alleged 500+ times Saddam committed crimes against humanity.

There is no doubt that Saddam was an evil man and this is one of the first times since the Nuremburg trials after WWII that a leader(s) of a belligerent regime will be executed with the help of the west. Saddam’s legacy as one of the worst people of the twentieth century will not doubt travel on through the ages of history. Personally I believe that executing him is the best solution to the problem, as even if he were left alive, the high level of violence would still continue in Iraq. He must pay for his crimes, as many former totalitarian leaders never did in the 20th century. It is well known that I disagree with the legitimacy of the war in Iraq, but people like Saddam Hussein have no place or right to kill thousands upon thousands of their own people just because they disagree with the current state of affairs in a country. May the Lord have some sort of mercy on Saddam’s soul; he’ll need it.

The Passing of a President

Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr., the 38th president of the United States passed away today at the age of 93; the longest living president in history. As is typical with the passing of former presidents, the media will be in a perpetual frenzy over the coming days. I feel that it is proper to pay tribute to our fallen leaders, but in a low key manner. The book has long been closed on Ford's presidency, but his legacy still remains firmly engrained into the American psyche. But Americans tend to thrash about when a leader is not paid proper tribute (probably going back to the days of monarchies and such). Never the less, Ford will go down in history as the most “unlikely” man to ever call 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue his address.

It is a truly remarkable feat to become president in the modern age, as it takes over a year of campaigning, massive amounts of capital, and the undivided loyalty of a sanctioning political party. Yet Ford was never elected to the presidency, the only president in our nation’s history to have never run a national campaign to seek the office (the first time around). Ford began his political career in 1948 out of Michigan when he was elected to the House of Representatives. He would be appointed to the Warren Commission, the group that investigated and concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald was the sole shooter in the assasination of John F. Kennedy. He managed to work his way up through the ranks of the Republican Party to become minority leader of the house (even though his dream was to become speaker). In October 1973, then Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned after pleading no contest to tax evasion. Richard Nixon saw it fit to appoint the congressionally popular Ford to the post of the vice presidency to distort the clout of corruption that had been shadowing his administration since the infamous Watergate Scandal.

By August 1974 it was becoming obvious to Nixon that he would not survive the remainder of his 2 years left in office due to the ominous impeachment hearings that were to begin in Congress. Richard Nixon is the only president to resign from the office, which in turn left Ford as the default president. In his first month as president, Ford pardoned Richard Nixon for his actions during the Watergate scandal, which would cost Ford the presidency in the election of 1976 (saving Nixon the trouble of going to prison). Ford would lose one of the closest presidential elections in history to former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter. Even before the general election Ford barley received the nomination of his party, but managed to win a closely fought battle with a man by the name of Ronald Reagan. His legacy will forever be associated with the pardoning of Nixon.

In hindsight his pardoning of Richard Nixon seemed to help heal the massive wound that pervaded the country. The Watergate scandal made many Americans question the authenticity and honesty of the entire political stratum. Ford’s candor while in office helped to heal the gaping wound in the political world of Washington D.C. Nixon was a president whose time and attention was closely guarded by his handlers and even himself. Ford was known for his “open door policy” and un-bureaucratic office structure. Essentially, he was open to everyone, even two women, whom would try to assassinate Ford on two separate occasions. His time in the oval office was not without his handling of major crises that pervaded the country at the time, including inflation, an economic recession, massive unemployment numbers, and of course, the energy crisis. Yet, the country survived those days with the leadership of President Ford. You ever hear of Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld? Well, they got their start with President Ford, as chief of staff and defense secretary, respectively.

After losing to Carter in 1976, Ford would lead a quiet life out of the public eye. He spent most of his time in either Colorado or California, as do most former presidents. Surprisingly, he has been a closet opponent to "W's" Iraq war. A 2004 interview he did with Bob Woodward of the Washington Post was released this week, but no one ever knew about it, as Ford insructed Woodward to release it only upon his death. In the interview he criticizes the Bush Administration's imperial notions about even going to war in the first place. Needless to say, he has gone down as the most implausible president in our nation’s history. But the man himself truly managed to silence his doubters while in office, as it takes a special sort of man to take on the responsibility of president of the United States. You do not have to respect the man, but you should respect the office.

The Essence of Christmas Relived

First, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a truly prosperous new year. As I sit here tonight watching “A Christmas Story,” I cannot help but think of the true meaning of Christmas. One word best sums up Christmas in 2006: consumerism. Americans have turned this truly religious holiday into a rampant binge of consuming billions and billions of dollars of pure crap. Obviously Christmas has not always consisted of standing in line at your local Wal-Mart fighting vying for a limited number of Playstations or going to bed at 7PM in the hopes that Santa Clause did not pass up your house. So what in the hell happened to celebrating the birth of Christ?

The first evidence of Christmas turning into “Consumeras” occurred in 1822 when a poem entitled “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” was penned by Clement Clarke Moore. In his poem, Moore emphases exchanging gifts to help the spirit of Christmas prosper. I am sure that his intentions were noble, but no one could have predicted what Christmas would turn into. Now such super retail giants like Wal-Mart, Target, JC Penny’s, Macy’s, and countless other chains rely on holiday season to increase their profits ten fold. Even stores like Pet Smart publicize massive ad campaigns cater to owners of dogs and cats to buy more crap for their beloved pets.

Instead of spending time with our families and those we love, going to church, or even taking it easy, we now froth at the mouth when shopping season begins. I would not be surprised to learn that more people have heart attacks at this time of the year than any other. I would have a heart attack if I had to buy “my woman”(praise the lord I am single and loving it) a $10K dollar diamond ring from Kay Jewelers, as they tend to run a rather sappy ad campaign in the attempt to con people into buying their merchandize. As we get older the spirit of Christmas tends to diminish, as another fact of getting older includes becoming cheaper and conceded (welcome to my world).

I am sure that most of us can recall those days of when we were youngsters and we could not wait to get up at 7AM and see what “Jolly Old Saint Nick” brought us. Now all I want for Christmas is to sleep until noon (the joys of not having kids or young kids around!). I am simply baffled as to why people want to spend hours upon hours in a godforsaken shopping mall to spend money? What is it worth? Trying to buy your loved ones love? The concept sickens me. Now I can see why Scroucge despised Christmas. Granted, I am not exactly a church going man, but at least I make an appearance and understand the original objective of Christmas.

The Ludicrous Beliefs of Holocaust Deniers

Recently, a story of a Holocaust denier has hit the news. British writer David Irving was imprisoned in Austria for his beliefs concerning what “actually” happened in Germany from 1939-1945 at countless Nazi concentration camps. These individuals that deny that the Holocaust never occurred blame those who were wrongly imprisoned for what happened to them. Currently Austrian and German law makes it illegal to deny the Holocaust. There is really no better way to put it, but what in the hell is wrong with these people?

The actions of Adolph Hitler and his zombie like Nazi Party during World War II is by far one of, if not the biggest atrocity of the 20th century. Over 6 million Jews were wrongly imprisoned and murdered in concentration camps simply based on the preposterous theory that Jews were an inferior race to the Aryans (i.e. blue eyed, blonde Germans). Hitler subscribed to the Social Darwinist theory of one race being superior to another based on skin color and country of origin. His goal was to make the German race hegemonic on a world scale, i.e. the Third Reich. The ironic fact is that Hitler was quarter Jewish, as many of his descendants were practicing Jews (this interesting tid-bid never got out during his time in power). Hitler was a mental case and this goes to show the sheer madness that pervaded his peculiar though process.

History tells us that Hitler ran countless concentration camps throughout Germany and many of the lands his army invaded from 1939-1945. Many in the west were oblivious to the fact that these camps even existed, much less the appalling acts that were being committed behind the closely guarded gates. It was not until late in the war when the allied powers began entering German territory to discover the masses of ravenous Jews, POWs, and countless other races being kept against their wills. Many of those responsible for these atrocities were subsequently convicted of crimes against humanity at the infamous Nuremburg trials that followed the allied victory.

I would not consider these individuals that deny the Holocaust ever happened as “neo-Nazis.” But instead I would consider them individuals that are not exactly in touch with humanity, anti Semitic so to say. There is not a shadow of a doubt in my mind, much less the minds of millions that the Holocaust happened. It has been the subject of many publications and is something that we learn throughout our years of primary and secondary education in the United States. There is simply no denying the facts of what happened in Nazi Germany during WWII. The myriad of video footage, accounts of those that experienced it firsthand, the stories of the allied troops that liberated the camps, the Nuremburg trials themselves when Nazi officials even admitted their actions, the decrepit presence of where the camps once stood, and even Hitler’s own words in Mien Kampf further detail evidence to the contrary.

This is surely not the act of mass propaganda that has pervaded our western societies over the past sixty years; it is simply stating the truth. Blaming those who were wrongly imprisoned in camps such as Austerlitz, Birkenau, Belzec, etc… is sheer madness. I really haven’t the slightest clue of how these people have come to these conclusions when the facts outweigh their misconstrued view of the past. Their beliefs of the past are insulting to the families of those who experienced one of the lowest points in humanity, much less those who perished in the camps for their beliefs. Some events of the past are best left untouched and this is one of them.

The Significance of Population Numbers

Today the Japanese government released alarming statistics concerning their future population growth, well, rather decline. Within the next 50 years their population will decline by almost 30%. The elderly population (those over 65) will rise by 40.5%, which will strain the welfare system of the state. Japan is the only industrialized nation with a declining population. Currently Japan’s population is a little over 127 million people. One would assume that falling population numbers may in fact be a good thing, as the Earth’s total population is expected to rise to almost 12 billion people by 2050, which will put further tension on a variety of social and environmental resources. But the significance of the Japan numbers is concerning because Japan is obviously an ally of the United States and a large contributor to other various western nations.

In reviewing population numbers, it is critical to assess the fertility rate of the women in a particular country to gage the sustainability of a country. In the case of Japan, that number is estimated at 1.4 children born per woman. The other vital number to look at is of course, population growth rate. Japan’s current number is around .02% a year, which is low in comparison to other nations. To point out the disparities in population growth, it is vital to look at a prospering nation, at least in the context of population. India is to become the most populous country in the world within the next few years, overtaking China in the process. It was estimated that India’s population in July 2006 was around 1.1 billion and growing. India’s population is growing at 1.38% a year, which in the milieu of 1.1 billion people, their numbers are steady and on the rise. Their fertility rate is 2.73 children per woman, which is a solid number.

The United States on the other hand is the third most populous nation on the planet, with 300 million people as of October. Our growth rate is around .91% a year and on the rise, with our fertility rate at 2.09 children per woman. A steady flow of new people is vital to any nation, as the economy of any nation is dependent on population growth (a pseudo-Marxism theory of sorts). A good analogy would be this: A nation with one person attempting to run every aspect of the country, or a nation with 2 people trying to run every aspect of a country. Obviously, the country with two people would have the advantage, at least in a capitalist system.

Essentially, the more people a nation possesses, the more likely that nation is likely to succeed. In a communist system such as Chinas', it is the reverse (not as much as it use to). China as of now is still the most populous country on the planet, but the government’s infamous law concerning only one child per couple has staggered their population. In their case, the more people, the more unlikely the government can maintain control. This is not an argument of communism vs. capitalism, but is simply pointing out why population helps to fuel a country in this day and age.

-Source of population numbers: CIA World Factbook 2006

The Assault on Christianity

Recently Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen sent out his annual holiday greeting card. No shocker there, as many governors and politicians mail countless greeting cards to their constituents. But of course, with this issue, controversy has arisen. The card features a picture of a young Muslim girl that the governor encountered last year while in Afghanistan. The greeting card has riled many conservatives because the card’s context is of wishing those whom received the card “Merry Christmas.” “Merry Christmas” evidently does not mix too well with the Islamic faith, at least according to the conservatives. The back of the card states the following:

"May the peace and joy of this Christmas season be with you and your loved ones throughout the coming year. While it may seem odd to put a portrait of a young Muslim woman on a Christmas card, this Season reminds us that He loves His children most of all. May the miracle of Christmas help bring peace to this young woman and her wounded land.”

Reverend Maury Davis, a conservative minister has been the governor’s most outspoken critic in reference to the card and its substance. He believes that the card is not clear enough in stating that Jesus loves all people. He also disagrees that Christmas is not about honoring all religions. I am not putting words into the good reverend’s mouth, but my definition included honoring all religions, as the goal of Christianity is to bring people together as one, especially around the holiday season regardless of faith. I believe that Governor Bredesen’s goal was filled with good intentions and not that of malice in insulting other people’s faith, including Christians.

This is a case where politics has stammered into the way of religion. The depiction of a Muslim woman on a holiday greeting card is not wrong; it is further emphasizing the position of Christianity. In the age of vilifying politicians based on their personal beliefs, words from those like Rev. Davis are absolutely uncalled for. Granted, the man is the governor of Tennessee, but I am sure that he disclosed his religious beliefs at sometime during his campaign. People knew what they were receiving when they voted the man into office. Picking apart a simple greeting card wishing everyone a Merry Christmas is utterly ridiculous (not to many people can spell that word for some odd reason) because there is a Muslim woman on the front of it.

The American public has received the wrong idea about Islam in “W’s” war on terror. Only a slim number of those belonging to the faith are apart of the radical sect that perpetrates acts of terror against us “infidels.” The Bush Administration would have you believe that everyone of the Islamic faith is evil and hell bent on dominating the world. I disagree with some aspects of Islam, but I do not despise those who are apart of it. The last time I checked, both Christians and Muslims worship the same God, whether it is “Allah” or Jesus Christ. The basic disagreement between Christianity and Islam is over whether Christ was the true savior. I do not want to debate religious doctrine, as that battle is constantly waged in our own minds. But the point is that conservatives like Rev. Davis are skewing the fine line between politics and religion. His words are an insult to Christians and Muslims alike. Can’t we all just get along and drop the rhetoric? I know that is impossible, but it is the principle that counts, especially from those claiming to tout their beliefs on the "Christian right."

Defense and "Thuggery"

The Rex Grossman controversy is over, but there is a new controversy brewing in Chicago. The Bears clinched the number one seed in the NFC (and home field advantage throughout the playoffs) on Sunday with a 34-31 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Isn’t that a problem though? A three point victory over a 3-10 team coming in is a bit concerning. The defense is a shadow of its former self, at least in comparison to the early season defense. The absence of Mike Brown, Tommy Harris, and Tank Johnson (lets say he has a few legal issues right now), has affected the Bears’ ability to quell the run and caused the pass rush to become moot. Granted, the defense only gave up 57 yards on the ground Sunday, but 300 yards through the air, especially three break away plays, all of which occurred in the second half. The secondary is depleted as well, but something needs to be done to stop the leaking. Essentially, the defense blew a 24-3 lead, but luckily the offense brought home the prize. People need to start regaining their health or there maybe a problem come play off time.

On the bright side Grossman had a marvelous game, becoming the first Bears passer in 73 games (that’s quite a few seasons) to pass for over 300 yards. He ended up with 339 yards (a career high) and 2 touchdown passes. He held strong in the face of adversity and guided the offense, which this time, had to win the game. The normally solid Robbie Gould has been off of late as well. After making his first 24 field goals, he has missed three of his last six attempts, one of which could have won the game early in overtime. Luckily the defense held and gave him another chance, which he converted from 25 yards. All I can say is that I hope he regains his confidence, as he will play a major role down the stretch and in the playoffs. Devin Hester also had a shaky game, with one major fumble that turned into a touchdown for the Bucs in the fourth quarter. He did not run any back, but the Bucs kicked away from him most of the game, which goes to show that he is on the minds of Bears’ opponents, hence altering the make-up of the game.

The other topic of this discourse concerns the melee that occurred on Thursday evening between the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks. Conjuring up memories of the debacle that occurred in 2004 between the Pacers and Pistons, this hideous display of belligerence has again tarnished the NBA’s reputation. Ten players were ejected with a 1:15 left in the game, basically all of whom were on the floor at the time. Carmelo Anthony (a cornerstone of the NBA elite) managed to humiliate himself; getting in a cheap shot blow to the face of Mardy Collins after the brawl was quelled. Evidently this brawl occurred due to Isiah Thomas warning Carmelo Anthony not to go to the “paint,” as the game was over by then, with the Nuggets leading big. Thomas evidently was irritated that Anthony and Marcus Camby were still on the floor in a blow out. What kind of behavior for a head coach-president of the Knick’s organization? Real classy!

Essentially this latest brawl has embarrassed the NBA again, relegating the league to “thuggery” status. I am sure that David Stern (NBA commissioner) will take stern (no pun intended) action against those involved in the melee. The sheer number of games that the players involved will accumulate in suspensions should be staggering. The NBA is slowly going down hill, as TV ratings are down and revenues are shrinking. Why is this? Because of these fights that are occurring on a consistent basis! Kids looks up to a lot of these NBA stars. But their actions on the court are not fitting of a role model, but instead they have more in common with a gang on the streets.