Who Likes Bombs?

Remember the good ol’ days of the Cold War? You know the 40 year ideological conflict between the United States and the debunked USSR. I consider myself a historian as well as a political scientist (I have degrees in both fields) and one thing that almost any person with a background in history will tell you is that history tends to repeat itself. Being an avid subscriber to this theory and with thousands of years of evidence to support it, I fear as if we may find ourselves again in the midst of a Cold War.

Yesterday the Russians successfully (in their words) tested the “dad of all bombs.” Excuse the peculiar name of the device, but it appears as if it is the real deal. In essence, the Russian bomb is a counter to the U.S. made device termed the “mother of all bombs.” The Russians claim their bomb is four times more powerful than its American cousin and the most powerful non-nuclear bomb in history. Both devices are vacuum bombs, which act like a nuclear bomb in the sense that they consume massive amounts of oxygen to detonate and then push that oxygen back out with incredible force.

Does this new found bomb have any implication for renewed tensions between Moscow and Washington? Relations are strained between both President Bush and President Putin, some even calling their relationship “cold.” Bush like the rest of the world is concerned that Putin is reasserting the old “hard line” in Russia, i.e. taking countless steps away from democratization. To say that Russia is still in shambles is an understatement, but one needs to realize that they have the world’s largest oil reserves. I don’t believe anything imminent to be at hand; look towards the future for dicey relations to reassert themselves.

If the Third World War were to erupt between the U.S. and Russia in the future, I would not be concerned about “the dad of all bombs” or the “mother of all bombs.” Granted, each pack around 8 tons of TNT and are formidable, but both nations still have around 20,000 nuclear warheads sitting around. Nuclear weapons are still by far the most horrific means of killing people (and the planet for that matter) ever constructed. Even though the Cold War is over and world tensions are a shadow of what they use to be, it doesn’t mean the plutonium with its 29,000 year half life disappeared when the USSR collapsed, nor did human nature suddenly change.

We Shall Never Forget

It seems as if six years has been an eternity and for some, six years has indeed been an eternity. Yesterday the sixth anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon came and passed without incident. The Great Depression defined what we now refer to as the “greatest generation;” Vietnam defined the baby boomer generation; 9/11 has and will undoubtedly define my generation (usually considered to be generation x and generation y). Moments of hardship and despair forever brand us in this country, usually at the expense of those with the greatest potential.

That is what differentiates my generation from those of the past; those lost on September 11, 2001 were selected by fate if not just being at the wrong place at the wrong time. It was not the decision of a president that led to over 2800 lives being lost that day; it was the decision of those who despise what this great nation, this great melting pot stands for. The last six years have been the most tumultuous in the United States since the end of the Cold War. It seems as if the idea of hardship is what has defined every nation-state to have ever existed on this planet. Maybe that is a theory that need be explored.

Six years is not near enough time to even begin the healing process; I’m not sure if those who experienced and went through Vietnam have forgotten the sheer turmoil of the era. The mantra for 9/11 has been “we shall never forget.” I concur, as I will never forget the images that flooded through the television that day. Those that experienced first hand will never forget the sights and sounds of terror. It is my hope that the next generation, our children will never have to know the horror of a 9/11. But like most things in this world, it is never a guarantee that the worse will not happen.

Status Quo

War is defined as follows: “A conflict carried on by force of arms, as between nations or between parties within a nation; warfare, as by land, sea, or air.” Throughout pre-history and recorded history, taking up arms against each other has always been the only means of settling conflicts, not diplomacy. Immanuel Kant, an 18th century German philosopher struggled with the idea of humankind lacking the moral perception to create a cosmopolitan society; a society that would essentially integrate the world into a utopia of sorts. Kant died over 200 years ago and I fear that humankind has yet to make any progress towards that cosmopolitan society.

It’s as if the concept of war is encoded within our DNA; that it is predestined that we destroy ourselves over political agendas. Countless philosophers and everyday people have struggled with the question of why war is the only way to attain petty material items. War even finds common place within the Bible, Torah, and Koran; three respective pieces of literature that form the three major religions. The harshness of the text relating to war found in the Torah is one of, if not the major reason that Jews have been discriminated against for the past two millennia. Marx believed that every aspect of society revolved around the economy, which may be true to an extent, but I believe everything revolves around war.

The concept of war has become even more paramount over the past 100 years, as weapons technologies have advanced at a deadly pace. Humankind now has the means to forever banish ourselves from this planet on a permanent basis. No living creature on this planet cannot escape the wild beast that we call nuclear fission; the atomic bomb. My basement is not stocked with 50 years worth of food and water, nor am I an individual that constantly thinks about ‘doomsday.’ But we have created a beast that will surely lead to our demise. It may not happen tomorrow, it may not happen 100 years from now, but it will happen.

Life itself is not the status quo; the existence of life on this planet is dependent upon our actions as a race.

The Best of All Time?

ESPN is currently running an elongated “mini segment” on Sportscenter entitled “Who’s Now.” The goal is to decide who is the best current athlete using an NCAA basketball style bracket. It’s a hard task to decipher who is the best athlete with the deluge of stars in their respective sports. Who’s better, Tiger Woods or Jeff Gordon? It is impossible to decide because they are each the best in their respective sports. But I am curious as to who is the very best of all time, regardless of sport or era.

The ESPN series named each of their four “brackets” based off of the supposed best athletes of all time; Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, and Billy Jean King. These individuals are undoubtedly some of the best athletes ever. Arguably, ESPN could have picked countless other athletes for the honor, due to the fact that there is typically a super star athlete in every sport for every generation. But these are the ones I will analyze in my attempt to decipher who is really the best.

Michael Jordan dominated the game of basketball for almost 15 years in both college and the NBA. In three years at North Carolina, he averaged a human 17.7 points per game, but was definitely “Mr. Clutch.” His NBA career on the other hand was inhuman; 6 NBA championships, 5 MVP awards, 10 all-star selections (3 MVP’s), and 6 NBA finals most valuable players amongst countless other recognitions. He finished his NBA career averaging 30.1 points per game (the best ever), 32,292 total points, 2,514 steals, and a mirage of other “big numbers.”

George Herman Ruth is arguably the best baseball player to have ever played the game. Even though he started out as a pitcher, Ruth would go on to compile some of the best numbers ever seen in the game. Ruth was not a prototypical athlete, but actions speak louder than appearances. In 22 seasons Ruth hit 714 home-runs (3rd all time), collected 2,217 RBI’s, 3 MVP awards, a .968 career fielding percentage, and a .690 career slugging percentage. What is most impressive about Ruth is the fact that he was intoxicated half of the time; most people cannot even hit a ball 2 feet sober; he did it 2,873 times.

Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., Ali would change his name to Muhammad in 1964 after he “accepted” Islam. Always outspoken, brash, and rebellious Ali would back up his strong words with even stronger left jabs and right hooks. Like many modern athletes, Ali was known more for his mouth than for his craft. But he was successful in the craft of boxing. He would finish his career with 56 wins to 5 losses, 37 knock outs, and 3 reigns as world heavyweight champion. We may never know what his full potential was due to his protest of the Vietnam War in 1967, which he was stripped of his title and his license.

Billy Jean King is the lesser known of the previously mentioned athletes. But she is by far the best woman to have ever played the game of tennis. She will be remembered the most for motivating masses of female athletes to succeed in sports that were typically dominated by men. She is the holder of 12 grand slam titles, 16 grand slam doubles titles, 11 grand slam mixed doubles titles, 67 total singles titles, and 3 time she was ranked #1 in the world.

There are the numbers; you decide.

Pig Latin

On Saturday, Pope Benedict XVI issued a decree removing the restriction of using the traditional Latin mass. Otherwise known as the “Tridentine Rite,” the Latin mass has been part of the Catholic Church for centuries. But its use was restricted as a result of the Vatican II Council (1962-1965) and subsequently the local dialect of the area where a church was located was permitted. Besides allowing the use of the local language, Vatican II struck down the use of texts that were prejudiced against Jews. Predictably enough, liberals and Jews were the most outraged by the decree.

It seems as if the pope has taken a step back in time by giving into conservative Catholics who split from the Church after Vatican II. The pope believes that by using the traditional mass, the sacred aura of the church will be restored. Granted, there is a good chance that most Catholics will not be hearing the traditional mass when they arrive at church next Sunday, as no changes were made to the traditional missal used in every Catholic Church. But there will be cases of outrage that will arise from the decree, which may or my not influence the next pope’s stance on the issue.

Undoubtedly the appeal of Catholicism to the general public will be hurt by this decree and will chase the younger generation away from the church. On top of that, the decree will erase the good will and sense of tolerance towards other faiths that Pope John Paul II spread during his tenure as Bishop of Rome. Compared to John Paul II, Benedict is a hard line conservative who has brought forth the old feelings of ill will towards the Catholic Church. I’m not conjecturing that his election was a mistake. But if the church wants to be the “church of the 21st century,” the next pope will surely be younger and more liberal. Maybe then we can finally move on.

Are YOU Smarter than A 5th Grader?

I’m not a big fan of television game shows. But I happened across Jeff Foxworthy’s “Are You Smarter than A 5th Grader?” this evening while channel browsing and deciphering regressions pertaining to the gold standard. The concept of the show is rather simple and somewhat similar to “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” The contestant chooses questions ranging from 1st grade geography to 5th grade English, while five actual fifth graders simultaneously answer the same question. The contestant is provided three “lifelines” that involve obtaining the answer from one of the fifth graders.

Jeff Foxworthy is a funny man, but the inability of the adults (18+) to answer elementary questions is even more entertaining. I was shocked that a woman who was at least 30 was unable to answer the question, “What continent is a country unto itself” or something along those lines. Her first thought was that North America was a country, and then followed by South America being a country. Personally, I thought that she was going to spout out Antarctica. I would hope that a majority of the breathing population would know that the answer is Australia. Long story short, she had to quit the game on that question and admit that she was not as smart as a fifth grader.

Another contestant believed that there were 7 justices on the U.S. Supreme Court. But luckily he was bailed out by a ten year old who knew that the answer is 9 justices. Now I know why the show is such a hit! It is absolutely abysmal how incompetent this nation’s inhabitants are, especially involving common knowledge that every American without a learning disability should know. Is the populous of the U.S. this ineffectual? Are we so consumed with our own lives and vanity? The backbone of this country used to be out intelligence and education. But that aspect of America has left and went on permanent vacation.

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) ranked the United States 18th in the world in education. South Korea ranked number one, with just 1.4% of their 15 year olds not meeting international educational standards (set by the UN). I also happened upon statistics concerning average IQ (Intelligence Quotient) by country. The average IQ of an American is 90, wherein the world average is 100-110. Granted, the IQ standard is not exactly a means of deciphering education, but it is a firm example of how uneducated this country is. We use to have the best and the brightest, but it seems as if the best and the brightest have moved else where in the world. A solution must be found.

Reality TV Show Madness

Is it just me, or is America slowly becoming aggravated with reality TV? It maybe 4AM, but I have been watching the Bravo Network for roughly an hour and during that time I have encountered two reality shows: “Top Chef” and Kathy Griffin’s show. Is there no aspect of life that cannot be made into a reality TV show? From cooking to listening to someone shell off bad jokes, no one is safe from the latest fad in American society. Accordingly, it is not my intention to single out Bravo, as there are countless reality shows on countless networks; it just happened to be on.

“Top Chef” is a show that encompasses a “real life” competition between various chef wannabes, whose creations are judged by a panel of “professional” chefs. This is not riveting television people; it lacks any semblance of “must watch TV.” The only thought that I had while watching the show was of American Idol. The panel of “professional” chefs seemed to intimidate and shred what little confidence the budding chefs had left, just as Simon does to the singers on American Idol. Not to rip the cooking business, but what do these people know about what I or anyone else likes for that matter?

The working definition of a professional chef includes one who charges extravagant prices for “food” that can be thrown in the microwave at home for a tenth of the cost, they have a show on Food Network, and have an eating disorder. With that said, one needs to ask how much do we really need to know about the lives of others? Our elected officials on the national and state level are scrutinized and queried on every aspect of their personal lives, i.e. Bill Clinton. Because they are elected by the people, the people need to know what color sheets are on their beds.

My point is simple; reality TV is another fad that Americans are growing tired of. Personally, I do not habitually watch a single reality TV show (or any other show for that matter) due to the fact that I do not care what people like Kathy Griffin or “Simon” think. I’m sure they do perfectly fine in their selected professions. But most of these professions are entertainment based. The American public is firmly aware of what entertains them; we do not need to be told what we like.

Two Well Deserving Gents and Various Records

Two well deserving gentlemen entered the immortal history books of baseball today. Craig Biggo became the 27th member of the 3000 hit club with a five-for-six performance against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Earlier in the day Frank Thomas became the 21st member of the 500 homerun club with a blast off of the Minnesota Twins. Both of these men have both played out their respective careers with grace and class, a rare quality nowadays; their numbers maybe impressive, but their attitudes and actions both on and off the field will surely seal their fate as hall of famers in Cooperstown.

Which record is more impressive though? Personally, I believe that the 3000 hit club is monumentally harder to join than the 500 homerun club, even though as of right now, there are more members in the 3K hit club. On top of that, Biggio is a second baseman, a position that is not renowned for sluggers and has accrued the most hit by pitches in his career. Thomas will surely enter the hall of fame on the first ballot due to the fact that he has never been connected or accused of using performance enhancing drugs. He is has also hit the most homeruns of any DH in history (248). But as every year passes, especially this year, the 500 homerun club will gradually become less prestigious, but still monumental.

Unless an individual has officially or by their own admission been linked to performance enhancing drug use, I still envision 500 homeruns a sure ticket to the hall. As of right now, Gary Sheffield (473), Manny Ramirez (481), Jim Thome (482), and Alex Rodriguez (492) will undoubtedly join the club this year or next year, which will bring the total to 25 men. In the future other potential members may include Andruw Jones (354), Vladimir Guerrero (352), Albert Pujols (266), and Ryan Howard (100 and fastest to 100). The ultimate measure of the homerun hitter may in fact now be the 600 homerun club. Sammy Sosa (601) became the fifth man ever to hit 600 and Ken Griffey Jr. (584) will join by the end of the year.

On the other hand, only 4 active players are in range of obtaining their 3000th career hit; Barry Bonds (2894), Julio Franco (2575), Steve Finley (2548), Omar Vizquel (2531), and Ken Griffey Jr. (2484). But the likely hood of any of these men obtaining the feet is slim. Bonds may have the best shot if his body holds up (or if he isn’t indicted), but the others, especially Franco (who has been playing since 1982 and is almost 50) will fall short. Young greats such as Albert Pujols may approach the “big 3K,” but predicting such things isn’t an exact science.

Pitching milestones are also on the forefront of MLB records this year. Tom Glavine will be the next man to join the 300 win club, as he is currently at 297 career wins. Randy Johnson, who currently owns 284 career wins, will eventually join the club. But the 300 win club may not be the sure fire measure of electing modern pitchers to the hall. Johnson may be the last 300 win pitcher we see in the live ball era due to the fact that the 5 man rotation is severely cutting down on the amount of wins that pitchers obtain on a yearly basis. Roger Clemens is back in the league for his 24th season, but has only one win this season, which puts him at 350 wins. The ageless Greg Maddux just obtained his 340th career win and very well may reach 360 by the time he retires.

A Disturbing Trend

Today the world found out that Chris Benoit, a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star is dead. Benoit, 40 was found in his rural Atlanta, Georgia home along with his wife and seven year old son. Police reported that Benoit strangled his wife and suffocated his seven year old son (placing Bibles by their bodies) before hanging himself from a weight machine in his weight room. Investigators have yet to decipher why Benoit acted the way he did, but they did find anabolic steroids in the house, which have the potential to cause something known as “roid rage” amongst other issues.

Benoit, a former World Heavyweight Champion was one of the most popular wrestlers in the WWE and was even scheduled to wrestle Sunday at a PPV event, but he called off, citing “personal reasons.” Needless to say, we will probably never know what was going through his mind when he committed this heinous act. Yet, one has to notice the disturbing trend amongst professional wrestlers, specifically the countless names that have died far too young.

Professional wrestling is a tough business, by far the most taxing of any professional sport. Wrestlers are on the road over 300 days a year, not to mention the toll that the sport itself takes on their bodies. Anabolic steroid abuse, pain killer addiction, and other various drugs allow most wrestlers relief from their jobs and pain. Wrestling is a multi billion dollar sport, with viewers from all corners of the world; the risk is big, but the reward is worth the risk to many. Sadly though, many that set out to seek that reward never live to see their dreams come to fruition.

A common side effect of anabolic steroid use is heart disease. Since 1997, at least 20 professional wrestlers under the age of 50, most of which were known or confirmed anabolic steroid users died of heart related ailments. The most recent of which was Eddie Guerro (38), another popular WWE superstar who was found dead in his hotel room prior to an event due to apparent heart failure in 2005. The other frightening figure is that at least 20 more professional wrestlers have committed suicide in a variety of ways since 1997, another common issue with anabolic steroid use and stress.

Vince McMahon, chairman of WWE single handedly turned professional wrestling into the sport it is today. McMahon is known as a ruthless businessman and to many wrestlers, a callous soul who pushes his wrestlers to the limit and then some (obviously). I know that these men and women choose to wrestle; they are not forced into it. But if this disturbing trend continues, I have a feeling that professional wrestling in the U.S. and abroad may die a slow death. Government regulation may be the answer, but first, internal regulation needs to be attempted.

Are We Alone?

That is the very question that mankind has been trying to answer for countless millennia and up to this very moment in our history on this planet. From Galileo to the Hubble Telescope, our view of space has increased ten fold. Can you believe that it was just over 500 years ago that we believe the earth was the center of the solar system (Catholic Church propaganda)? Our current technology has given us an unprecedented view of our world and the worlds surrounding us, but we have a long way to go before we enter the “Star Trek” age of intergalactic exploration. Our view of the universe is still primitive, but progressive and that is what propels us forward in our search for the answer to the ultimate question.

But first, we have to scratch the surface of our own solar system. If you are alive and breathing there is a good chance that you have some basic knowledge of our solar system, i.e. the order of the planets, etc… We are just now investigating one of our closest neighbors, Mars (the red planet) more intensely and will undoubtedly be the first foreign world that mankind will visit. We didn’t get our first close up look at the outer planets until the early 1980’s with the Voyager missions. Voyager 1 is the furthest man made object from Earth (and still “talking”) at the very edge of the solar system, or the sun’s influence. Voyager 1 or 2 may very well be our introduction to a foreign world one day.

Oddly enough, I heard from one of Earth’s “outer cousins” the other night, Jupiter. Don’t worry; I haven’t completely lost it (yet). The next time you happen to find yourself on a deserted highway out in the middle of nowhere (where I’m at) and listening to AM radio, listen closely while browsing through the various stations. Mostly you will hear static, but on the off chance that you hear “radar like sounds,” pecking, pings, or other various high pitched sounds, it is indeed Jupiter “talking.” Specifically it is the remains of Jupiter’s massive 450 million mile magnetosphere. Bet you didn’t know that. Even one of Jupiter’s moons (there are 63 of them), Europa may harbor life in it’s oceans that are locked under ice.

Besides our own solar system, one needs to think even more abstractly to comprehend the odds that we are not alone. Our solar system is located on the edge of the Milky Way galaxy, an absolutely massive collection of stars and other space objects. If you think our own galaxy is massive, there are millions of other galaxies out there. Earth is not the center of the universe, Earth just happens to be a planet that happens to have the proper ingredients conducive to life. I’d be willing to bet every dime that I ever make on the fact that there is another planet out there that is swarming with life, maybe even intelligent life. I guess the universe doesn’t revolve around us.

A Review: Death of a President

While carousing the latest line-up of PPV movies early this morning, I came across a controversial cinematic production released in 2006 entitled, “Death of a President.” The best picture at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival is a story addressing the hypothetical assassination of George W. Bush. Originally released only in Canada, the film is a powerful depiction of the times we live in, especially the prejudice that Muslim Americans have experienced since 9/11.

Without spoiling the film for those who wish to view the flick, I will say that it was well done, even though there were a few amusing moments of botched proletarian editing. I am not condoning assassinating a political leader in any way, especially the president of the United States. I live by the creed that one does not have to respect the man in the office. But we should all respect the office of the president of the United States.

Obviously, I am not a fan of George W. Bush’s anomalous foreign and domestic policies, but I do respect the fact that he is president of the United States. It was again the will of the people in 2004 (not mine) that he remain in office for a second term (even though many of those people are regretting their vote); the very core aspect that this republic was constructed upon. The film is a marvelous representation of the frustration that a majority of Americans are experiencing with Bush at the helm of the executive branch.

Ironically, the “assassination” takes place in Chicago, Illinois (my home state), a revered democratic stronghold. I believe that the writers of the film chose Chicago due to that very fact. Through interviews with presidential staff, witnesses, and secret service agents we find out what happened on “September 19, 2007.” I did disagree with the depiction that the secret service, the best armed body guards in the history of mankind (maybe except for the Swiss Guard who is charged with the protection of the pope) was inadequate in the protection of the president.

As I stated earlier, I will not spoil the film. But I would recommend that anyone who feels the way I do about the current direction of the country, should check this flick out.

The Scapegoat?

Earlier this week the Chicago Cubs traded catcher Michael Barrett to the San Diego Padres for back-up catcher Rob Bowen and minor league outfielder Kyle Burke. The trade did not come as a surprise to most Cubs fans due to the fact that Barrett had been struggling behind the dish and his offensive numbers were down, at least in comparison to the last few years. Coupled with the fact that Barrett had not been getting along with the very men he was catching for; notably the scuffle with ace Carlos Zambrano and a heated discussion with Rich Hill.

Cubs GM Jim Hendry admitted that Barrett had “regressed” in his performance on the field and that a trade was the best move. Barrett had been catching a lot of the blame for the Cubs well documented impotence on the field, but to many, including me a trade was a bit rash, especially for two “no names.” Barrett has been a constant source of leadership the past few years on and off the field. I understand the business aspect of the trade, but Hendry needs to realize that baseball is a team sport. Yes, Barrett has cost the Cubs a few games this year, but what about the offense that has failed to drive in runs in key RBI situations?

Hendry might as well have traded the entire team if he is running the team along those lines. A leader is supposed to be contentious if you ask me, exactly what Michael Barrett was to the Chicago Cubs. As we know, the Cubs have had a long and rather ironic past when it comes to trading or letting players get a way. Do you remember a man by the name of Maddux? Yes, I realize that the Cubs also have had a bad history of waiting for players to come around (Wood and Prior) to no avail. But my gut tells me that they will end up eating this marvelous "business transaction."

Border Security and Immigration: My Two Cents

It seems as if everyone these days has an opinion concerning two transient issues pervading America: Border Security and Immigration. The most recent fire storm concerning these two issues has burnt down Capitol Hill and is about to enter the White House. President Bush was counting on a recent immigration bill to revive what was left of his political capital, but the measure was killed in the Senate by Democrats and Republicans a like. But the bill is back on the table and it is all Bush has to cling to.

Countless conservatives are foaming at the mouth over the focal point of the measure, which is to grant all illegal aliens amnesty. If you can recall, the last time that amnesty was granted to all illegal aliens occurred in 1986 under President Reagan. Under Reagan’s measure, all undocumented individuals who had been working in the U.S. prior to January 1, 1982, were now full U.S. citizens. This pathetic attempt by President Bush to bring back recollections of Reagan politics has done nothing but insight anger on both sides of the aisle and for good reason.

Immigration and border security have always been at the heart of many heated arguments over the past 200 years. But just like economic depressions, the arguments become more vital and heated. Conservatives want the president to concentrate more on border security, which the president has obliged by pledging $4.4 billion in the recent reform measure. Conservatives and liberals (for the most part) both disagree on any idea of amnesty, as it would depress wages and harm American workers. What is the solution to all of this you ask?

While I agree with Bush’s conservative critics that the president lacks credibility in both border security and immigration, the answer though, is not to strengthen border security. The president needs to understand that the only way to solve a problem is to go to the root of the problem: The Mexican Government. The Mexican Government has shown a blatant disregard for our sovereignty by encouraging their citizens to cross into U.S. territory illegally; the logical solution would be to put pressure on Mexico City to help resolve the issue.

Maybe using the “money and might” on Mexico that we are wasting in Iraq could help the situation? Sadly, even Mexico has lost respect for the Bush Administration and he cannot do a damn thing about it. But we need to remember that logic has no place in this current administration. Logic has been replaced by sheer futility. The president needs to check his political bank account before he suggests anymore “bright” ideas.

I Don’t Like You, Hillary (and George)

As the old saying goes, if I had a dime for every time I have heard the phrase “I don’t like you,” I would be worth a few hundred thousand. Sadly though, that pales in comparison to our current chief executive. George W. Bush’s approval ratings (which encompass his on the job performance) has been at a consistent 32-34% over the past year, especially due in part to his waning war in Iraq. But the question I am attempting to answer this time around is whether the voters actually like a candidate (or incumbent) as a person; not as a politician (is that an oxymoron?).

George W. Bush relates to a vast majority of the electorate based on his “down to Earth, everyday man” image (why do you think he relishes photo ops at his ranch?). The man use to be an alcoholic, he is a failed business man, he weaseled his way out of military duty in Vietnam, he owns a farm, and he has an IQ of 90 (the average American is around 100-110, I believe?). Whether we like it or not, most of us have one thing or another in common with this man (I to have a DUI, yes!). That may have won him the election in 2000 (he didn’t win), but in 2004 his leadership ability won him re-election.

That brings be to the real issue, what is the electorate looking for on the current slate of presidential contenders? Likability does help a candidate in any election, whether it is presidential or local. “Packaging” the candidate is a key component of any organized campaign; looks, personality, etc… all matter in the modern political arena (John Adams, a fowl looking man, would’ve never won if he were running today). Hillary Clinton is the least liked presidential contender (she can come off as quite cold and “unfeminine”). But on the flipside of the coin, she is also leading in the polls because voters believe her life experiences (her husband was president for 8 years, you know) have bestowed upon her above average leadership skills.

In many ways Hillary Clinton will never escape the shadow of her husband. Bill Clinton was one of the most popular presidents in history (whether or not you believe he did anything for the country, the electorate love his “nice guy image”) and is still immensely popular. There is a good chance that as the election approaches; the aggregate of opinions will not change towards Hillary due to the fact that we already know her life’s story and that she was incredibly capable while in the first lady’s post. Rudy Giuliani and Mit Romney have scored high “likability ratings” on the GOP side, while Barack Obama and John Edwards have scored the highest on the Democratic side of the coin. You may be a nice guy (or woman), but it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll win.

Tough “Love” Bud

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig is contemplating suspending New York Yankees DH Jason Giambi for uncomplimentary comments about his possible use of performance enhancing drugs. Giambi, a former AL MVP has been linked to steroid use since his December 2003 BALCO grand jury testimony, in which he admitted to using steroids. Giambi’s latest trite occurred on May 18th when he was asked about performance enhancing drugs in a post game interview. Giambi subsequently stated in that interview:

“I was wrong for doing that stuff. What we should have done a long time ago was stand up -- players, ownership, everybody -- and said: `We made a mistake.' We should have apologized back then and made sure we had a rule in place and gone forward. ... Steroids and all of that was a part of history. But it was a topic that everybody wanted to avoid. Nobody wanted to talk about it.”

Jason, that was not exactly in your best interest, especially when Bud Selig has “independent investigator,” former Senator George Mitchell probing those who have potentially used performance enhancers in the last few years. In essence, Mitchell’s job is to clean up the game of baseball (good luck). Giambi was asked by the commissioner to comply with the senator’s inquiry, but as you can tell, Giambi hasn’t been too revealing in his conferences with Mitchell thus far.

This leaves Giambi at the mercy of Bud Selig and his “get tough” attitude on steroids. The chances are that Giambi will in fact be suspended by the commissioner for not cooperating with Mitchell’s investigation. If Selig is serious about cleaning up the game, I would like to see Giambi dismissed for at least 30 games; yes, 30 games, the amount of games a player is suspended for under the current rules if he tests positive for performance enhancing drugs.

Selig has been rather lethargic on the issue of steroids. But due to pressure from Congress and the public, he has been forced to step up his perambulation on the game. It isn’t enough that a plague-ridden imbecile is going to break the all-time homerun record under Selig’s watch, so I can understand if Bud comes down hard on Giambi. The trouble is that Gimabi’s suspension will surely be overturned due to the fact that steroid suspensions that do not include a positive test are not covered under the collective bargaining agreement.

There’s always next year, Bud…go get em!'

Please Don’t Come Back Billy!

This past Friday, “former” University of Florida Head Coach Billy Donovan signed a 5 year deal with the NBA’s Orlando Magic for $27.5 million. Donovan, who has led the Gators basketball program to two consecutive NCAA national championships, seemed rather excited at the promise of a new start in the NBA at his introductory press conference on Friday. But all of that seemed to change Sunday when Donovan seemingly reneged on the deal with the Orlando Magic.

Evidently, Donovan has had second thoughts about going to the NBA because his heart is still with the gators. The trouble is that it is hard to extract yourself from a legally binding contract, especially one that you just signed three days ago. This is just another sickening example of how pathetic coaches in both professional and collegiate athletics have sunk. Integrity use to be the cornerstone of coaching, but now it seems as if indecision and dishonesty have replaced it.

Now granted, the Donovan saga is not the only case of indecision and irresponsibility in the college and professional athletics world. For example, the great Dan Marino resigned his post as Miami Dolphins Senior VP 22 days after taking job; Bobby Cremins took the South Carolina basketball coaching job, but changed his mind within 24 hours; or Nick Saban, who weaseled his way out of his Miami Dolphins contract to take the head coaching position for the University of Alabama football program.

I understand if coaches like Rick Pitino and Steve Spurrier have at least tried to coach in the professional ranks, failed, and went to back to the collegiate ranks. The point is that they tried! Billy Donovan needs to understand that there is a little thing called the real world outside of his fantasy world at the University of Florida. No one cares where “your heart is” Billy; you signed on the dotted line, now honor that agreement like a real man. Would you want to retain a man whose heart would not be in coaching your professional or collegiate team? I sure as hell wouldn’t! No matter what he does, he has lost all credibility in all worlds, even his own.

The Next Great Epidemic?

I live by a great peril of wisdom from one of the greatest minds of our times, Bullet Tooth Tony (from the cinematic flick “Snatch”). Tony states, “Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity” after being held up by three men with the words “replica” carved on the side of their guns. Sadly, the human species in general is not immune to such acts of stupidity, even when it involves highly contagious diseases that have the leeway to turn into the next great epidemic.

The media reported that a 31 year old man diagnosed with Tuberculosis (TB) was advised by his doctor not to travel. TB is a bacterial infection that can affect countless bodily system, but is commonly found in the lungs. But his doctor did not understand that this man (his name has yet to be released) had been planning his wedding in Europe, so the man traveled anyways. It wasn’t until he was in Rome that he was informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that he actually had acquired XDR TB, a rare drug resistant strain of the disease.

The CDC classifies the disease as drug resistant due to the fact that it is immune to first and second line drugs. Last year over 500K cases of XDR TB were reported world wide, occurring on all 6 of the inhabitable continents. Only around 30% of those who acquire the disease survive, which is why this act of stupidity is filling up our airwaves. TB itself is highly contagious and can be spread by talking, sneezing, or coughing; which is why the CDC is attempting to track down those who were on transatlantic flights with the man due to prolonged exposure.

Currently, the 31 year old is back in the U.S. and has been moved from CDC headquarters in Atlanta to a hospital in Denver that specializes in treating XDR TB. The media is undoubtedly going to blow this story out of proportion, confounding the masses into a state of perpetual paranoia. Chances are the disease was not spread to anyone on the transatlantic flights due to the air filtering mechanisms located in jumbo jets. Needless to say, anyone with the slightest bit of common sense should know the risks associated with TB and should listen to their doctors on the issue, not their conscience.

Ask And You Shall Receive

Today on the Stephen A. Smith (a piece of work in his own right) Show, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant demanded a trade from Lakers’ ownership. Evidently, Bryant learned that team management gave Phil Jackson and himself two differing accounts about the future of the team. Bryant just learned that the team is interested in rebuilding, while Jackson has known of the rebuilding scheme the entire time. It appears as if Kobe is mimicking his on court antics with 110% pure selfishness. Apparently we have all forgotten that it is the Kobe Bryant show.

As I typically state in my various ‘rambles,’ I do not doubt the athletic ability of Kobe Bryant what so ever. He has proven himself as one of the premier players in the league over the past decade by playing consistently and winning three NBA titles with the Lakers. But like most NBA stars, Bryant possesses one weakness: vanity. The true test of greatness by an athlete in any sport can be measured with a simple test of humility. Bryant’s humility reflex seems to have taken a back seat to the idea that once pervaded NBA halls; that he was going to be the next Michael Jordan, “the air apparent.”

Bryant has proven that he can score points like Mike, but that’s about all. Bryant’s style of play has more in common with a game of solitaire than that of a team sport. When Kobe takes the floor it is all about Kobe and no one else. My father told me of a line he heard Michael Jordan state after he dropped 63 points against the New York Knicks. Jordan said that if he scored 63 points every game, the Bulls were not going to win many games. That is an example of the key differences between humility and vanity; being great and being terrible. Hopefully Kobe is traded so we no longer have to listen to every word he says due to the LA media market. One can only hope that he ends up in Memphis.

Conspiracy Theory: A Russian Example

If you consider yourself to be a student of history or even pursue it as a “light” hobby, then you and the rest of mainstream society are probably familiar with conspiracy theories. It seems that as more time surpasses our present era, the more conspiracy theories pervade our social and popular cultures. In particular, the emergence of conspiracy theories as themes in popular works of literature and cinema has led the everyday ‘Joe’ to question the merits of actual history. I’ll provide an example or two in the coming paragraphs to prove my point.

The modern definition of the conspiracy theory took off in the 1790’s in France. Conspiracy theories about the monarchy were the cornerstone of the French Revolution. But it wasn’t until the advent of modern communications technology that conspiracy theories began to take hold in society. For example, in October 1917 (in western time it was November) the Bolshevik Revolution took hold in Russia, ending over 700 years of imperial rule. In the beginning months of the revolution, Tsar Nicholas II and his family (The Romanov mystery) were taken to a remote area in the Caucus Mountains and subsequently executed. It wasn’t until 1979 that family’s makeshift grave was discovered. Oddly enough though, the remains of Anastasia, one of the Romanov daughters was not located.

The remains were eventually exhumed and placed in St. Petersburg in 1998. An imposter, Anna Anderson paraded around claiming to be Anastasia for most of her life, but DNA evidence revealed that she was not in fact Anastasia. So what happened to Anastasia? Steve Berry took the question up in his book entitled “The Romanov Prophecy.” Even though the book is a novel (fiction), it reeks of conspiracy theory. Berry asserts that Anastasia and another of the Romanov children escaped their demise by playing dead in the room where the family was executed. After surviving the slaughter, he then has an under cover Menshevik (white) smuggle the remaining children out of the area. One can guess where the rest of the plot goes; at least one child makes it to adulthood to have children, hence carrying on the ‘royal’ bloodline.

I’ll admit that the book was rather compelling and hard to put down. But I do not for one moment believe that any of the Romanovs survived on the night of July 16, 1918 in that small cellar. The Bolsheviks were ruthless and sometimes sloppy, but it would be assumed that the bodies would’ve been checked after the massacre. Yet, people such as Anna Anderson stir up our wildest dreams; that Anastasia may have lived. In this specific case, I believe that people would hold onto such fallacies out of sheer curiosity of the past. Plus, it would be rather entertaining to know if one of the last dynasties on Earth has living blood relatives. Yes, there are Romanovs out there that are related to the royal family, but not in the way that any of us want.

The point is that conspiracy theories involving popular figures such as JFK (too many to count), Marilyn Monroe, Roswell, NM, Stalin, The Da Vinci Code, etc… fill most of us with excitement. What if these people and countless other did not really die or were killed in different fashion? These stories allow our imaginations run wild with the countless possibilities of ‘what if.’ I’m not claiming that every aspect of history is 100% correct by any means; some things we will never know. But there are some issues that have been studies over and over by countless prominent scholars and if they conclude what the previous scholars concluded, I am inclined to believe the legitimate historical version. Never the less, conspiracy theories are entertaining to say the least.

Bush: Iraq as Johnson: Vietnam

I’m sure that you have read it countless times over the past two years; Iraq is George W. Bush’s Vietnam. The actual “war” itself does not compare to the catastrophe that Vietnam was to a generation of Americans. But the political context of the comparison reigns true. Who supports the war? I mean more 70% of the American public disagrees with “King George’s War.” Yet, the president continues to defy those who put him in office. It is no secret that President Bush is paranoid about receiving a negative legendary status similar to that of President Lyndon B. Johnson, the war lord of the 60’s.

Johnson presided over a war similar to our current situation in Iraq. Johnson stuck his vain nose into a fire ant nest in which there was no way out. From 1959 to 1975, over 58,000 Americans lost their lives in the jungles of Vietnam. It was the first time in our nation’s history that our armed forces had to deal with a new style of warfare, that of guerilla warfare. Any traditional sense of warfare that had pervaded the upper echelons of the armed forces was thrown to the wind in favor of fighting a war “from the seat of our pants.” This is what is happening in Iraq today in a variety of ways that surpasses Vietnam.

The Bush Administration tells us that we are there to fight terror; to stop those who blew up the World Trade Towers from ever doing a heinous act like that again. But to many observers it seems as if we have exacerbated the situation even more so than before. Yes, we overthrew a horrible man by the name of Saddam Hussein, but at a cost that has yet to be determined. Our troops now find themselves not in the middle of fighting terror, but instead in between sectarian violence; a civil war. With Hussein and his regime out of power, it was simple a matter of time before someone started to vie for power.

As with the case of Vietnam, we have installed a “puppet government” in Iraq. The South Vietnamese government located in Saigon was less organized and even more powerless than the mafia. It is obvious that the “government” in Iraq is rather similar, if not worse. They have no real power; they do not control the country. Those who control the country generally have control of the hearts and minds of a public, this government does not. Instead, a majority of those in Iraq are more concerned with fighting for the Kurds, Shiites, and the Sunnis; factions that have been in place for over a millennia.

If “King George” is simple minded enough as LBJ to believe that American might and firepower can change centuries upon century’s worth of discontent, then we have truly elected a tyrant. History tells us that tyrants are not stupid people, but are vain and naïve; George Bush and those advising him fit this stereotype to the “t.” Vietnam went down as the biggest military debacle in out nation’s history; we left and the North Vietnamese stormed the south five minutes later. Richard Nixon had to clean up what LBJ did and I have a feeling that our next president, whomever that may be, will have to clean up “King George’s debacle” at the cost of this nation’s reputation.

I’m afraid that George W. Bush may very well be correct in his comparison with LBJ. The question is now, who destroyed America’s image and worldly spirit more? You decide.