Sarah Palin must be one of the prettiest politicians in our history.
Whew.
But her looks aren't the only thing that has Republicans and conservatives excited.
Palin is a strong opponent of abortion, a true reformer who talks the talk and walks the walk, and a tax-cutter and champion of self-sufficiency.
Her speech in Dayton was fantastic, sounded like it came from a genuine person and not a bloviating ideologue.
McCain-Palin.
I'm starting to think that's the winning ticket this November.
It's true that VP's are not terribly influential.
In 1988, Dan Quayle looked terrible in the debate and Bush still won office.
But when you get right to it, I think Obama swung and missed with Biden, and McCain knocked it out of the park with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
We'll have to track the Hillary Voters Effect in the weeks to come, that's for sure.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Live Blogging the Obama Speech in Denver
UPDATE 9:55: Barack Obama will take the mic shortly after 10. Right now, the audience is enjoying a fine selection of disco music and dancing lights!
9:57: Here comes Dick Durbin for the introduction. He sounds hoarse. Durbin says Obama is weary of the "politics of deadlock."
9:59: Durbin just touted Obama's values and judgement. Sure, like the brilliant racist and anti-Semitic pastors to whom Barack turns for worship, right Dick?
10:01: A faint "Yes We Can" just broke out. As in...yes we can kill infants that are born as a result of botched abortions!
10:02: Oh, look, there's Barack as a baby! Thank goodness Mommy didn't have an abortion.
10:05: They're playing a puff video on the big screen right now. Barack says he "didn't know a soul" when he first got to Chicago. And then along came Bill Ayres!
10:08: (Crying.)
10:09: Barack: "Americans can do anything when we put our minds to it." Except drill for our own oil and coal, of course.
10:10: Fasten your seatbelts. The savior has surfaced.
10:13: He just said "Thank you" about 28 times.
10:14: Thank you to Hillary, who is an "inspiration to my daughters."
10:18: The "American promise has been threatened." By what, Barack? What exactly threatens the American promise?
10:19: The obligatory Bush bashing. I guess the Democrats have been manacins for the past 8 years. I guess the fact that they control almost every major city in America, 30 of the 50 governorships, the majority of state legislatures, is totally irrelevant.
10:20: "Eight is enough." Now the zombie crowd is chanting it.
10:22: Obama's calling McCain a Bushie again. I guess I just imagined the times McCain told the Bush aministration where they're wrong.
10:23: We ARE a nation of whiners, Barack! And guess who's doing the whining? Your damn party!!
10:24: Class warfare time. Once again Barack has distorted McCain's 5 million remark that any objective person knew was clearly a joke.
10:26: (Sighs.)
10:27: "We Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in America." Yeah, you're right Barack. Like how many more people you can get dependent on the federal gov't!
10:28: (Slams head on desk.)
10:28: Ohh, Barack's grandfather marched with General Patton. Of course, had Barack been president at the time, Patton wouldn't have been going anywhere.
10:29: What do you know about hard work, Barack? Did handing out leaflets and circulars on the south side of Chicago wear you out?
10:31: I'd like to see the section of the Constitution that outlines the obligations of businesses to the American people.
10:32: You idiot! Do you know why our companies send jobs overseas? Because morons like you continue to raise their taxes higher and higher! When you tax capital, it's going to go elsewhere! That's Economics 101!!!
10:33: Uhh, Barack how are we going to "end our dependence on oil from the Middle East" if we can't drill off our own shores? Where the hell is it going to come from? The sky?
10:34: He'll find ways to "harness nuclear power." Yeah, right. I guess his anti-nuclear resume just happened by accident.
10:35: It is NOT a right to go to college, Barack! I don't want to pay for my neighbor's crack-smoking kid to go to college! Do you?
10:37: Universal health care drives up costs, Barack, not lowers them! Ask the Canadians and the British and the Germans. Facts...they're so inconvenient.
10:38: Equal pay for equal work? What is this, the Seneca Falls Convention?
10:39: The audience is smiling and applauding this lunacy.
10:40: Biden's wife looks bored. Aren't we all.
10:41: Barack is playing the Bin-laden card again. Democrats have done that over the years to try and make themselves look tough. Really, it just makes them look phony. (I guess Bin-laden's infrastructure and network has somehow been totally unharmed the last 7 years.)
10:42: Removing Saddam Hussein didn't make America safer? What brilliance, what intellect, what courage, what wisdom is this man Barack Obama!
10:44: Obama talking favorably about the military is akin to the Bloods talking favorably about the Crips. Barack, you're virulently anti-military and you know it! You want to cut their budget more deeply than Clinton did!
10:45: Barack: "We all put our country first!" Except most of us do not call befriending a man who bombed the Pentagon putting your country first.
10:50: I'm sorry, did Barack just say that someone else lacked a record to run on? That is priceless.
10:51: "The election isn't about me." That's right, Barack. It's about a country that is swamped by a deficit and a debt crisis that can't afford the trillions of dollars in additional spending that you propose!
10:52: Just what change have you seen in Chicago, Barack? Do you see streets free of crime and drugs, civility, black males graduating high school, people working hard and getting off the welfare?
10:53: "Our universities are the envy of the world." No they're not, they're an embarrassment. None of us can even speak Spanish!
10:54: Obama invoking the name of Abe Lincoln is like a bench scrub invoking the name Babe Ruth.
10:56: America cannot turn back? That's exactly what you would have us do, Barack! All of your policies are straight out of the 1960's!
10:57: Mercifully, the end. Let me sum it up: "Vote for me, be miserable."
10:58: Country music? The lyrics say, "Born in America." We don't even know if he was! There's a lawsuit being filed (obamacrimes.com) that asserts Obama is a fraudulent American citizen!
Of course, all Barack has to do to end that nonsense is present a real copy of his birth cirtificate, but he won't do it! If there's nothing to hide, show the American people!
11:01: Obama outlines his plan for Jimmy Carter's 2nd term, and people applaud. I tell you what folks, we are in some deep doo-doo if this man defeats John McCain.
Out of 9 Republican candidates, McCain with me was probably #8 or 9, but he looks like the second coming of George Washington compared to this Bolshevik nominee of the Democrat party.
11:09: That airhead Pelosi just adjourned the damn thing. Not a moment too soon, either.
11:10: Now Springsteen's "Born in the USA" is playing. This cannot be a coincidence, two songs that refer to being born in America. Hilarious.
And what's even more funny, half the damn loons at this convention likely are NOT proud to be born in the USA!
(Great song, though. Springsteen may be a lefty but he can sure write a tune.)
11:14: The place is emptying out. That's a wrap for the Bark.
9:57: Here comes Dick Durbin for the introduction. He sounds hoarse. Durbin says Obama is weary of the "politics of deadlock."
9:59: Durbin just touted Obama's values and judgement. Sure, like the brilliant racist and anti-Semitic pastors to whom Barack turns for worship, right Dick?
10:01: A faint "Yes We Can" just broke out. As in...yes we can kill infants that are born as a result of botched abortions!
10:02: Oh, look, there's Barack as a baby! Thank goodness Mommy didn't have an abortion.
10:05: They're playing a puff video on the big screen right now. Barack says he "didn't know a soul" when he first got to Chicago. And then along came Bill Ayres!
10:08: (Crying.)
10:09: Barack: "Americans can do anything when we put our minds to it." Except drill for our own oil and coal, of course.
10:10: Fasten your seatbelts. The savior has surfaced.
10:13: He just said "Thank you" about 28 times.
10:14: Thank you to Hillary, who is an "inspiration to my daughters."
10:18: The "American promise has been threatened." By what, Barack? What exactly threatens the American promise?
10:19: The obligatory Bush bashing. I guess the Democrats have been manacins for the past 8 years. I guess the fact that they control almost every major city in America, 30 of the 50 governorships, the majority of state legislatures, is totally irrelevant.
10:20: "Eight is enough." Now the zombie crowd is chanting it.
10:22: Obama's calling McCain a Bushie again. I guess I just imagined the times McCain told the Bush aministration where they're wrong.
10:23: We ARE a nation of whiners, Barack! And guess who's doing the whining? Your damn party!!
10:24: Class warfare time. Once again Barack has distorted McCain's 5 million remark that any objective person knew was clearly a joke.
10:26: (Sighs.)
10:27: "We Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in America." Yeah, you're right Barack. Like how many more people you can get dependent on the federal gov't!
10:28: (Slams head on desk.)
10:28: Ohh, Barack's grandfather marched with General Patton. Of course, had Barack been president at the time, Patton wouldn't have been going anywhere.
10:29: What do you know about hard work, Barack? Did handing out leaflets and circulars on the south side of Chicago wear you out?
10:31: I'd like to see the section of the Constitution that outlines the obligations of businesses to the American people.
10:32: You idiot! Do you know why our companies send jobs overseas? Because morons like you continue to raise their taxes higher and higher! When you tax capital, it's going to go elsewhere! That's Economics 101!!!
10:33: Uhh, Barack how are we going to "end our dependence on oil from the Middle East" if we can't drill off our own shores? Where the hell is it going to come from? The sky?
10:34: He'll find ways to "harness nuclear power." Yeah, right. I guess his anti-nuclear resume just happened by accident.
10:35: It is NOT a right to go to college, Barack! I don't want to pay for my neighbor's crack-smoking kid to go to college! Do you?
10:37: Universal health care drives up costs, Barack, not lowers them! Ask the Canadians and the British and the Germans. Facts...they're so inconvenient.
10:38: Equal pay for equal work? What is this, the Seneca Falls Convention?
10:39: The audience is smiling and applauding this lunacy.
10:40: Biden's wife looks bored. Aren't we all.
10:41: Barack is playing the Bin-laden card again. Democrats have done that over the years to try and make themselves look tough. Really, it just makes them look phony. (I guess Bin-laden's infrastructure and network has somehow been totally unharmed the last 7 years.)
10:42: Removing Saddam Hussein didn't make America safer? What brilliance, what intellect, what courage, what wisdom is this man Barack Obama!
10:44: Obama talking favorably about the military is akin to the Bloods talking favorably about the Crips. Barack, you're virulently anti-military and you know it! You want to cut their budget more deeply than Clinton did!
10:45: Barack: "We all put our country first!" Except most of us do not call befriending a man who bombed the Pentagon putting your country first.
10:50: I'm sorry, did Barack just say that someone else lacked a record to run on? That is priceless.
10:51: "The election isn't about me." That's right, Barack. It's about a country that is swamped by a deficit and a debt crisis that can't afford the trillions of dollars in additional spending that you propose!
10:52: Just what change have you seen in Chicago, Barack? Do you see streets free of crime and drugs, civility, black males graduating high school, people working hard and getting off the welfare?
10:53: "Our universities are the envy of the world." No they're not, they're an embarrassment. None of us can even speak Spanish!
10:54: Obama invoking the name of Abe Lincoln is like a bench scrub invoking the name Babe Ruth.
10:56: America cannot turn back? That's exactly what you would have us do, Barack! All of your policies are straight out of the 1960's!
10:57: Mercifully, the end. Let me sum it up: "Vote for me, be miserable."
10:58: Country music? The lyrics say, "Born in America." We don't even know if he was! There's a lawsuit being filed (obamacrimes.com) that asserts Obama is a fraudulent American citizen!
Of course, all Barack has to do to end that nonsense is present a real copy of his birth cirtificate, but he won't do it! If there's nothing to hide, show the American people!
11:01: Obama outlines his plan for Jimmy Carter's 2nd term, and people applaud. I tell you what folks, we are in some deep doo-doo if this man defeats John McCain.
Out of 9 Republican candidates, McCain with me was probably #8 or 9, but he looks like the second coming of George Washington compared to this Bolshevik nominee of the Democrat party.
11:09: That airhead Pelosi just adjourned the damn thing. Not a moment too soon, either.
11:10: Now Springsteen's "Born in the USA" is playing. This cannot be a coincidence, two songs that refer to being born in America. Hilarious.
And what's even more funny, half the damn loons at this convention likely are NOT proud to be born in the USA!
(Great song, though. Springsteen may be a lefty but he can sure write a tune.)
11:14: The place is emptying out. That's a wrap for the Bark.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Biden' his time?
The Bark was stunned to see the Joe Biden selection come to fruition. (Hey, we told you not to take our odds to Vegas.)
Some people have called the pick "safe."
I call the pick "stupid."
Biden does not play well politically outside the state of Delaware, even among Democrats. And Delaware itself carries a mere 3 electoral votes and was probably already a blue state.
Then you have the gaffe factor.
See, Biden likes to run his mouth a lot. And when he does so, the 65 year-old senator has been known to make an embarrassing blunder every now and again.
Even Saturday: Biden mispronounced Obama's first name and later introduced the candidate as "Barack America."
There's more where that came from.
I believe Obama made a veep mistake and, obviously, there's no going back now.
But selecting Hillary Clinton could've won the election.
Some people have called the pick "safe."
I call the pick "stupid."
Biden does not play well politically outside the state of Delaware, even among Democrats. And Delaware itself carries a mere 3 electoral votes and was probably already a blue state.
Then you have the gaffe factor.
See, Biden likes to run his mouth a lot. And when he does so, the 65 year-old senator has been known to make an embarrassing blunder every now and again.
Even Saturday: Biden mispronounced Obama's first name and later introduced the candidate as "Barack America."
There's more where that came from.
I believe Obama made a veep mistake and, obviously, there's no going back now.
But selecting Hillary Clinton could've won the election.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
The Veepstakes: Democrat Edition
With the convention getting underway this Monday in Denver, the time is near for Senator Barack Obama to decide on a running mate. In fact, we don't yet know who, but Obama has just told USA Today, within the last hour, that he has in fact made a VP decision.
Now the Bark will be watching and posting this week on the convention proceedings, but for now we'll resort to a little speculation, oddsmaking, if you will.
Several factors go into picking a VP. Among them are geography (who could potentially deliver a key swing state?), buzz (a "name" candidate), compatibility (a person who would offset weaknesses of the head guy), and clout and experience (does he/she have a successful record in politics?). Obama no doubt considered all of the above as he made his choice.
That out of the way, let's lay some odds on who that choice is (take them to Vegas at your own risk).
Joseph Biden (10:1): Biden is the rumor du'jour of late, but I can't possibly believe he would be Obama's choice. Way too many skeletons in the closet. You may've heard of Biden's '88 campaign in which he was caught red-handed plagiarizing, not the work or words, but the actual biography, of a British socialist in the Labor Party. Yes, he stole from someone else's life. And among other things, Republicans could throw Biden's "clean, articulate black man" remark back at him. Connecticut will go Democrat anyway. Obama has no need for Biden.
Evan Bayh (5:1): Bayh is a more moderate Democrat from right here in Indiana. Would Obama pick someone who supports the Iraq War? Good question. I think he could. Bayh has the experience both as an executive and in the realm of foreign policy that would make for a stronger ticket. He is not, however, a nationally-known name.
Hillary Clinton (15:1): David Gergen of CNN said yesterday that Obama needs a "game-changer" and that picking Hillary could "galvanize" the party while shifting the momentum of the election (which has currently swung in McCain's favor). Now, still...highly unlikely. The Obama's don't really seem to like the Clintons at all, and I can't imagine Barack would want Bill Clinton anywhere near the White House. Should Obama lose, Hillary is the clear front-runner for 2012, but she won't be VP. (Even in this crazy campaign season.)
Tim Kaine (4.5:1): Kaine is the Gov. of Virginia and an enthusiastic campaigner. He could bring home the Electoral votes from his home state.
Rev. Jeremiah Wright (off): For one thing, we're not sure where the Good Reverend went. He may be having tea with Ahamdinejad for all we know. But Dems know he would accept the job!
John Edwards (off): Hey, a little philandering never stopped William Jefferson Clinton's career.
Kathleen Sebelius (11:1): The Gov. of Kansas might or might not help Obama glean the Hillary leftovers of the women vote. But did he see her delivery of the Dem. Response to Bush's last State of the Union? Sebelius could not have been more dull and boring. In terms of charisma, she's the total opposite of Obama. Still, he might favor her administrative experience.
Jack Reed (6:1): The Rhode Island senator is a West Point grad who would help Obama immensely on national security.
Paris Hilton (off): Both candidates seem to be persona non grata with the heiress these days. But her ingenius satirical response to McCain's ad did outline the sort of forward-thinking energy policy Obama might like!
Anyone Else (3:1): The Dem Veepstakes are more wide-open and difficult to forecast than are the Repubs'. We'll know the answer by Saturday, but don't be shocked if Barack's choice is someone beyond the speculative radar.
Now the Bark will be watching and posting this week on the convention proceedings, but for now we'll resort to a little speculation, oddsmaking, if you will.
Several factors go into picking a VP. Among them are geography (who could potentially deliver a key swing state?), buzz (a "name" candidate), compatibility (a person who would offset weaknesses of the head guy), and clout and experience (does he/she have a successful record in politics?). Obama no doubt considered all of the above as he made his choice.
That out of the way, let's lay some odds on who that choice is (take them to Vegas at your own risk).
Joseph Biden (10:1): Biden is the rumor du'jour of late, but I can't possibly believe he would be Obama's choice. Way too many skeletons in the closet. You may've heard of Biden's '88 campaign in which he was caught red-handed plagiarizing, not the work or words, but the actual biography, of a British socialist in the Labor Party. Yes, he stole from someone else's life. And among other things, Republicans could throw Biden's "clean, articulate black man" remark back at him. Connecticut will go Democrat anyway. Obama has no need for Biden.
Evan Bayh (5:1): Bayh is a more moderate Democrat from right here in Indiana. Would Obama pick someone who supports the Iraq War? Good question. I think he could. Bayh has the experience both as an executive and in the realm of foreign policy that would make for a stronger ticket. He is not, however, a nationally-known name.
Hillary Clinton (15:1): David Gergen of CNN said yesterday that Obama needs a "game-changer" and that picking Hillary could "galvanize" the party while shifting the momentum of the election (which has currently swung in McCain's favor). Now, still...highly unlikely. The Obama's don't really seem to like the Clintons at all, and I can't imagine Barack would want Bill Clinton anywhere near the White House. Should Obama lose, Hillary is the clear front-runner for 2012, but she won't be VP. (Even in this crazy campaign season.)
Tim Kaine (4.5:1): Kaine is the Gov. of Virginia and an enthusiastic campaigner. He could bring home the Electoral votes from his home state.
Rev. Jeremiah Wright (off): For one thing, we're not sure where the Good Reverend went. He may be having tea with Ahamdinejad for all we know. But Dems know he would accept the job!
John Edwards (off): Hey, a little philandering never stopped William Jefferson Clinton's career.
Kathleen Sebelius (11:1): The Gov. of Kansas might or might not help Obama glean the Hillary leftovers of the women vote. But did he see her delivery of the Dem. Response to Bush's last State of the Union? Sebelius could not have been more dull and boring. In terms of charisma, she's the total opposite of Obama. Still, he might favor her administrative experience.
Jack Reed (6:1): The Rhode Island senator is a West Point grad who would help Obama immensely on national security.
Paris Hilton (off): Both candidates seem to be persona non grata with the heiress these days. But her ingenius satirical response to McCain's ad did outline the sort of forward-thinking energy policy Obama might like!
Anyone Else (3:1): The Dem Veepstakes are more wide-open and difficult to forecast than are the Repubs'. We'll know the answer by Saturday, but don't be shocked if Barack's choice is someone beyond the speculative radar.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Pass me the bottle, Mr. President
No, not that president!
Get this story from the AP:
College presidents from about 100 of the nation's best-known universities, including Duke, Dartmouth and Ohio State, are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying current laws actually encourage dangerous binge drinking on campus.
The movement called the Amethyst Initiative began quietly recruiting presidents more than a year ago to provoke national debate about the drinking age.
"This is a law that is routinely evaded," said John McCardell, former president of Middlebury College in Vermont who started the organization.
"It is a law that the people at whom it is directed believe is unjust and unfair and discriminatory."
Other prominent schools in the group include Syracuse, Tufts, Colgate, Kenyon and Morehouse.
_________________________________________
How bout that?
This is rich. College presidents asking for more legal drinking! Isn't this sort of like the warden saying the inmates don't have enough couches?
I never thought I'd see the day.
Now our crack research staff here at the Bark has been all over this (once they took a break from scanning the ground for coins with their metal detectors).
And guess what?
Butler's own President Bobby Fong is one of the signatories!
If you're not convinced this isn't a hoax (and I wouldn't entirely blame you), you can see what he and 114 of his peers had to say at amethystinitiative.org.
Get this story from the AP:
College presidents from about 100 of the nation's best-known universities, including Duke, Dartmouth and Ohio State, are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying current laws actually encourage dangerous binge drinking on campus.
The movement called the Amethyst Initiative began quietly recruiting presidents more than a year ago to provoke national debate about the drinking age.
"This is a law that is routinely evaded," said John McCardell, former president of Middlebury College in Vermont who started the organization.
"It is a law that the people at whom it is directed believe is unjust and unfair and discriminatory."
Other prominent schools in the group include Syracuse, Tufts, Colgate, Kenyon and Morehouse.
_________________________________________
How bout that?
This is rich. College presidents asking for more legal drinking! Isn't this sort of like the warden saying the inmates don't have enough couches?
I never thought I'd see the day.
Now our crack research staff here at the Bark has been all over this (once they took a break from scanning the ground for coins with their metal detectors).
And guess what?
Butler's own President Bobby Fong is one of the signatories!
If you're not convinced this isn't a hoax (and I wouldn't entirely blame you), you can see what he and 114 of his peers had to say at amethystinitiative.org.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Election Issue #1: the Rebirth of the Bear
From now through election day, the Bark will break down assorted matters of importance to you the American citizen.
They may be time-sensitive, as is this first issue, or they may be eternal and generational matters, such as the budget and the Supreme Court.
But let's begin with the ongoing Russian rape of the republic of Georgia.
The conflict may seem worlds away, but, rest assured, this is a deadly serious matter.
A sovereign, democratic nation is being raped and brutalized by a bunch of barbaric KGB soldiers and revolutionaries who have extended their killing and mayhem to defenseless civilians.
It is unthinkable.
The Russians have blown up swimming pools, blown up airports, blown up railroads and factories and schools, and left the bodies of Georgian soldiers out to rot in the August sun.
The Bear is again on the march, and the world's response is...well, nothing.
Unless you believe words can deter a man like Vladimir Putin.
Putin, of course, no longer holds the Presidency, but the Russian "democracy" that "elected" Putin's underling Dimitry Medvedev knows the country is in the grip of fascism.
Indeed, Putin is the most powerful ruler in Russian history, even more powerful than Stalin.
And he's on a mission. A mission to restore the Soviet Union.
What does that mean?
That means that Ukraine is next, Latvia is next, Poland is next.
We once thought the Cold War was over. That no longer appears to be the case. Mikhail Gorbachev said so himself on one of the cable news networks last week.
So, in the worst of times, as we deal with China, as we deal with Iran, as we deal with ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and with terrorists everywhere, the Russians emerge once more.
What they have done to an American ally is a display of where the intentions of the former KGB really lie.
What does the USA need?
Someone who can stare down Putin eyeball to eyeball.
Any takers?
They may be time-sensitive, as is this first issue, or they may be eternal and generational matters, such as the budget and the Supreme Court.
But let's begin with the ongoing Russian rape of the republic of Georgia.
The conflict may seem worlds away, but, rest assured, this is a deadly serious matter.
A sovereign, democratic nation is being raped and brutalized by a bunch of barbaric KGB soldiers and revolutionaries who have extended their killing and mayhem to defenseless civilians.
It is unthinkable.
The Russians have blown up swimming pools, blown up airports, blown up railroads and factories and schools, and left the bodies of Georgian soldiers out to rot in the August sun.
The Bear is again on the march, and the world's response is...well, nothing.
Unless you believe words can deter a man like Vladimir Putin.
Putin, of course, no longer holds the Presidency, but the Russian "democracy" that "elected" Putin's underling Dimitry Medvedev knows the country is in the grip of fascism.
Indeed, Putin is the most powerful ruler in Russian history, even more powerful than Stalin.
And he's on a mission. A mission to restore the Soviet Union.
What does that mean?
That means that Ukraine is next, Latvia is next, Poland is next.
We once thought the Cold War was over. That no longer appears to be the case. Mikhail Gorbachev said so himself on one of the cable news networks last week.
So, in the worst of times, as we deal with China, as we deal with Iran, as we deal with ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and with terrorists everywhere, the Russians emerge once more.
What they have done to an American ally is a display of where the intentions of the former KGB really lie.
What does the USA need?
Someone who can stare down Putin eyeball to eyeball.
Any takers?
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Mitchell Bows Out, Thinks About 2012
Earlier this week the Bark brought to your attention the Olympic hopes of a former BU grad named Victoria Mitchell.
Competing with a collection of athletes known as Team Darfur (not Australia, as was reported by BU), things didn't exactly go the way Ms. Mitchell hoped they would Friday.
In the initial 3,000-meter women's steeplechase in Olympic history, the 26 year-old Aussie native failed to survive the first heat, finishing 32 out of 51 overall with a time of 9 minutes, 48 seconds.
Via the Indianapolis Star:
Mitchell won the NCAA steeplechase in 2005, becoming the Bulldogs' first individual national champion in any sport in 73 years.
Before the Olympics, she received encouragement from Marty Meyer, a Butler education professor. Over the summer, she reunited with former Butler track coach Joe Franklin, who was recruiting in England for the University of New Mexico.
"It was part of my journey," Mitchell said of her days in Indianapolis. "Everything that's led up to this moment has had an impact of some sort. Butler was a great experience."
The Bark congratulates Ms. Mitchell on a job well-done and is happy to see her optimism for 2012. She stood for a worthy cause on the world stage where so few ever get the chance to compete. We're proud she's a Bulldog.
Competing with a collection of athletes known as Team Darfur (not Australia, as was reported by BU), things didn't exactly go the way Ms. Mitchell hoped they would Friday.
In the initial 3,000-meter women's steeplechase in Olympic history, the 26 year-old Aussie native failed to survive the first heat, finishing 32 out of 51 overall with a time of 9 minutes, 48 seconds.
Via the Indianapolis Star:
Mitchell won the NCAA steeplechase in 2005, becoming the Bulldogs' first individual national champion in any sport in 73 years.
Before the Olympics, she received encouragement from Marty Meyer, a Butler education professor. Over the summer, she reunited with former Butler track coach Joe Franklin, who was recruiting in England for the University of New Mexico.
"It was part of my journey," Mitchell said of her days in Indianapolis. "Everything that's led up to this moment has had an impact of some sort. Butler was a great experience."
The Bark congratulates Ms. Mitchell on a job well-done and is happy to see her optimism for 2012. She stood for a worthy cause on the world stage where so few ever get the chance to compete. We're proud she's a Bulldog.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
National Madden Day
We're an hour in to what should one day be a federal holiday.
We can dream anyway.
It's Tuesday, August the 12th, and that means the release of Madden 2009.
It's a good thing classes haven't started yet, because if they had I might not be attending any.
Let's have a look at the team ratings:
Patriots 97
Cowboys 96
Chargers 95
Colts 95
Giants 94
Steelers 94
Jaguars 93
Packers 91
Eagles 91
Bucs 91
Vikings 90
Browns 88
Redskins 88
Seahawks 87
Saints 87
Panthers 86
Broncos 84
Titans 84
Bills 82
Ravens 81
Bengals 80
Bears 80
Cardinals 78
Texans 78
Lions 78
Rams 77
Jets 76
49ers 72
Chiefs 71
Raiders 71
Falcons 67
Dolphins 67
The Giants at 94? Really? I mean, I know they won the Super Bowl, but no Strahan, no Shockey. The Raiders got shafted a little bit with only a 71. They actually have quite a bit of talent.
I can't really quibble with the 97 they gave New England, despite the Pats losing Asante Samuel and having major questions at corner. The Chargers are loaded. But so are the Colts. I thought maybe you'd see New England ahead of Indy, but not the Cowboys, too.
Meanwhile, the Colts individually are about what you'd expect. Peyton is a perfect 99 rating (Bob Sanders too). Reggie's at 97, a new high for him. Marvin dips to a 94, nothing for a 36 year-old WR to be ashamed of. Dallas Clark was sort of a surprise, with a 93, and Antoine Bethea received the same. Matching 95's for Mathis and Freeney, interesting that the producers now put those two on equal footing (that says a lot for Robert Mathis, doesn't it?)
So there you have it. Madden 2009 is out. Happy gaming everybody. Don't stay up too looooong. (It'll affect your field vision, ya know!)
We can dream anyway.
It's Tuesday, August the 12th, and that means the release of Madden 2009.
It's a good thing classes haven't started yet, because if they had I might not be attending any.
Let's have a look at the team ratings:
Patriots 97
Cowboys 96
Chargers 95
Colts 95
Giants 94
Steelers 94
Jaguars 93
Packers 91
Eagles 91
Bucs 91
Vikings 90
Browns 88
Redskins 88
Seahawks 87
Saints 87
Panthers 86
Broncos 84
Titans 84
Bills 82
Ravens 81
Bengals 80
Bears 80
Cardinals 78
Texans 78
Lions 78
Rams 77
Jets 76
49ers 72
Chiefs 71
Raiders 71
Falcons 67
Dolphins 67
The Giants at 94? Really? I mean, I know they won the Super Bowl, but no Strahan, no Shockey. The Raiders got shafted a little bit with only a 71. They actually have quite a bit of talent.
I can't really quibble with the 97 they gave New England, despite the Pats losing Asante Samuel and having major questions at corner. The Chargers are loaded. But so are the Colts. I thought maybe you'd see New England ahead of Indy, but not the Cowboys, too.
Meanwhile, the Colts individually are about what you'd expect. Peyton is a perfect 99 rating (Bob Sanders too). Reggie's at 97, a new high for him. Marvin dips to a 94, nothing for a 36 year-old WR to be ashamed of. Dallas Clark was sort of a surprise, with a 93, and Antoine Bethea received the same. Matching 95's for Mathis and Freeney, interesting that the producers now put those two on equal footing (that says a lot for Robert Mathis, doesn't it?)
So there you have it. Madden 2009 is out. Happy gaming everybody. Don't stay up too looooong. (It'll affect your field vision, ya know!)
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Bulldog in Beijing
Courtesy a BU press release:
Butler University 2005 graduate and standout cross country runner Victoria Mitchell has been named to Australia’s 2008 Olympic field and track team.
Mitchell will compete in the 3000 meter steeplechase, the same event for which she won the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I championship title in 2005. Finishing in 9:54.32 minutes, Mitchell became the first Butler athlete to capture an individual national championship in 73 years. In 2005 she was ranked as high as 7th in the world.
The 26-year-old Mitchell now lives in Ettaogah, Victoria, Australia, and is under contract with NIKE. Mitchell’s personal best time in the 3000m steeplechase is 9:54.81, in the St. Mary’s Classic in Australia this past June.
The Beijing games mark the first time that women’s steeplechase will be an Olympic sport.
While earning a master’s degree in education at Butler, Mitchell captured five Horizon League individual track championships. She was named the league’s 2004 Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and 2004 Cross Country Athlete of the Year.
So, there you have it. The Bark wishes Ms. Mitchell all the best and will post results once track and field events get underway this Thursday.
Butler University 2005 graduate and standout cross country runner Victoria Mitchell has been named to Australia’s 2008 Olympic field and track team.
Mitchell will compete in the 3000 meter steeplechase, the same event for which she won the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I championship title in 2005. Finishing in 9:54.32 minutes, Mitchell became the first Butler athlete to capture an individual national championship in 73 years. In 2005 she was ranked as high as 7th in the world.
The 26-year-old Mitchell now lives in Ettaogah, Victoria, Australia, and is under contract with NIKE. Mitchell’s personal best time in the 3000m steeplechase is 9:54.81, in the St. Mary’s Classic in Australia this past June.
The Beijing games mark the first time that women’s steeplechase will be an Olympic sport.
While earning a master’s degree in education at Butler, Mitchell captured five Horizon League individual track championships. She was named the league’s 2004 Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and 2004 Cross Country Athlete of the Year.
So, there you have it. The Bark wishes Ms. Mitchell all the best and will post results once track and field events get underway this Thursday.
O-lympic O-verkill?
My eyes are just sore from watching this neverending barrage of international spectical that is the Summer Games in Beijing.
Well, actually, I can't say I've watched much of it, because I'm not the biggest Olympic guy.
I'll keep track of the medal count, the USA basketball team, and that's about it.
Team LeBron took on Team Yao this morning at 9 am and I did manage to set my alarm, but by the time it buzzed I thought better of waking up.
Good decision, I guess, because our guys pummeled China 101-70.
But I digress.
The Olympics work in some ways. Good publicity and revenue for the host country. Good showcase for the less-than-mainstream sports. Chance of a lifetime for the athletes (like a former Butler star I'll update you on in a future post
But good television? I don't think so.
You go ahead and get your fill of Bob "The Brain" Costas and Jim Lampley sitting in that same room he always sits in.
I'll get back to channel surfing.
Well, actually, I can't say I've watched much of it, because I'm not the biggest Olympic guy.
I'll keep track of the medal count, the USA basketball team, and that's about it.
Team LeBron took on Team Yao this morning at 9 am and I did manage to set my alarm, but by the time it buzzed I thought better of waking up.
Good decision, I guess, because our guys pummeled China 101-70.
But I digress.
The Olympics work in some ways. Good publicity and revenue for the host country. Good showcase for the less-than-mainstream sports. Chance of a lifetime for the athletes (like a former Butler star I'll update you on in a future post
But good television? I don't think so.
You go ahead and get your fill of Bob "The Brain" Costas and Jim Lampley sitting in that same room he always sits in.
I'll get back to channel surfing.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Edwards forced to confess to affair
What reports former Dem VP candidate John Edwards once declared "completely untrue and rediculous" he finally today confirmed as true.
He did indeed cheat on his cancer-stricken wife.
Fortunately, he couldn't keep the story down forever, as much as the media tried to help him. (Can you imagine if this had been Dick Cheney or Mike Huckabee? Talk about front-page news!)
But you have to really feel such a sense of sadness for his wife, Elizabeth, whose limited time on earth will be spent carrying the scar of her husband's infidelity. Just horrible.
Now we know Edwards the Husband isn't much more honest than Edwards the Politician.
Remember the "Two Americas" campaign he was running just 5 months ago? You listened to the man talk and could have sworn he was running for the presidency of Bangladesh rather than the USA! That, or it was the 1930's all over again, soup-lines and vacant houses everywhere, 20 people living under everybridge.
This whole story reveals 2 things:
A) the network media, CBS, NBC, and most big-time newspapers, are still as biased as ever
and
B) John Edwards is still a charlatan, a hypocrite, a fraud, and a phony.
He did indeed cheat on his cancer-stricken wife.
Fortunately, he couldn't keep the story down forever, as much as the media tried to help him. (Can you imagine if this had been Dick Cheney or Mike Huckabee? Talk about front-page news!)
But you have to really feel such a sense of sadness for his wife, Elizabeth, whose limited time on earth will be spent carrying the scar of her husband's infidelity. Just horrible.
Now we know Edwards the Husband isn't much more honest than Edwards the Politician.
Remember the "Two Americas" campaign he was running just 5 months ago? You listened to the man talk and could have sworn he was running for the presidency of Bangladesh rather than the USA! That, or it was the 1930's all over again, soup-lines and vacant houses everywhere, 20 people living under everybridge.
This whole story reveals 2 things:
A) the network media, CBS, NBC, and most big-time newspapers, are still as biased as ever
and
B) John Edwards is still a charlatan, a hypocrite, a fraud, and a phony.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Favre to the J-E-TS Jets Jets Jets
Brett Favre is staying in green but moving on to the Big Apple.
The New York Jets obtained the longtime star in a trade according to reports late Wednesday night.
That's a winner for the Jets and the culmination of an offseason revamping of their roster following 2007's disastrous 4-12 campaign.
This, of course, will punch Chad Pennington's ticket out of town, and probably cements the idea that Kellen Clemens just isn't ready to be a starting QB yet, if he ever will be.
It's a good fit for Favre, and it's a good fit for the Jets.
Yes, Eric Mangini was going to go heavy on the run, but you don't pass up Brett Favre when the alternatives are Pennington and Clemens.
The endgame is that the Jets will most certainly be better than the Dolphins and Bills and in contention for a playoff spot in the AFC.
From the Packers' perspective, I think they're just glad not to see #4 on their schedule.
Alas, the drama is over...now back to your regularly-scheduled preseason programming!
The New York Jets obtained the longtime star in a trade according to reports late Wednesday night.
That's a winner for the Jets and the culmination of an offseason revamping of their roster following 2007's disastrous 4-12 campaign.
This, of course, will punch Chad Pennington's ticket out of town, and probably cements the idea that Kellen Clemens just isn't ready to be a starting QB yet, if he ever will be.
It's a good fit for Favre, and it's a good fit for the Jets.
Yes, Eric Mangini was going to go heavy on the run, but you don't pass up Brett Favre when the alternatives are Pennington and Clemens.
The endgame is that the Jets will most certainly be better than the Dolphins and Bills and in contention for a playoff spot in the AFC.
From the Packers' perspective, I think they're just glad not to see #4 on their schedule.
Alas, the drama is over...now back to your regularly-scheduled preseason programming!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Some cheese with that whine?
The Midwest is saying goodbye to a sports icon today, as the Brett Favre Era in Green Bay has finally met its ugly end.
Both sides, management and Hall of Famer alike, came away looking poorly after this debacle.
Favre, for expecting the Packers not to have taken him at his word when he retired and then to roll out the welcome mat the minute he got an "itch."
Ted Thompson and Co., for turning their backs on a legendary QB who had served the team so well for 16 years.
Make no mistake about it, the loss is Green Bay's. Not only is Favre's time in Wisconsin forever tarnished by the fallout, but the Pack just threw a chance at the 2008 Super Bowl hurtling down the proverbial drain.
It's not that the outlook is totally bleak--Green Bay still has an abundance of talent and could win 10 games.
But an elite team they are no longer, and barring some sort of A-Rod miracle, there's no way they could make it all the way through the playoffs.
Only Favre could pull that off.
The same prematurely-retired Favre the Packers just showed the door.
Ted Thompson and Brett Favre just wrote the book on how not to handle this.
Let's just hope Bill Polian and Peyton Manning were taking notes.
Both sides, management and Hall of Famer alike, came away looking poorly after this debacle.
Favre, for expecting the Packers not to have taken him at his word when he retired and then to roll out the welcome mat the minute he got an "itch."
Ted Thompson and Co., for turning their backs on a legendary QB who had served the team so well for 16 years.
Make no mistake about it, the loss is Green Bay's. Not only is Favre's time in Wisconsin forever tarnished by the fallout, but the Pack just threw a chance at the 2008 Super Bowl hurtling down the proverbial drain.
It's not that the outlook is totally bleak--Green Bay still has an abundance of talent and could win 10 games.
But an elite team they are no longer, and barring some sort of A-Rod miracle, there's no way they could make it all the way through the playoffs.
Only Favre could pull that off.
The same prematurely-retired Favre the Packers just showed the door.
Ted Thompson and Brett Favre just wrote the book on how not to handle this.
Let's just hope Bill Polian and Peyton Manning were taking notes.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Time to blog!
Welcome Week is less than 3 weeks away, so it's time to get started here at the Butler Bark.
You know, the strangest thing about your first post on a blog is always the fact that you don't yet have an audience, so it feels like you're talking to yourself. But everything has a beginning, doesn't it?
For me, it's the beginning of what will hopefully be a great experience in Indianapolis. Although not a native, I have a lot of ties and a lot of pride in the state of Indiana, and I'm happy to have wound up at Butler.
But I don't want the blog to be about me, about what I had for breakfast, about how many times I've lost my wallet, etc.
No, I want to put out something that's a bit more of a product, more of an informative contribution to our story here on campus.
The Bark can be a lot of things. I'm not going to pigeon-hole it. I certainly may use it as a supplement to the work I do for our newspaper, the Collegian.
But nevertheless there are a couple of primary running narratives I want to cover here.
One is the world of sports, both nationally and locally. That means the best collection of information I can put together on Butler teams and it means all you need to know about the Pacers and Colts. It means you get to hear my never-humble opinions on the goings-on.
And it means what I hope will be one of the Bark's main attractions--Live Blogging the Bulldog basketball games.
The other thing I want to keep track of here is the 2008 presidential campaign. Freshmen like myself are pretty fortunate to have turned 18 in an election year, and it's something I want more people to be informed about.
We're in college at a time in which America is sort of at a crossroads, politically, economically, culturally, and in terms of our safety.
So hopefully I can examine all that and be informative and entertaining at the same time. That's a little bit of the idea behind the blog.
For the full story, you'll have to read the Bark and find out. Shout-outs always welcome, and good luck to everybody this school year.
You know, the strangest thing about your first post on a blog is always the fact that you don't yet have an audience, so it feels like you're talking to yourself. But everything has a beginning, doesn't it?
For me, it's the beginning of what will hopefully be a great experience in Indianapolis. Although not a native, I have a lot of ties and a lot of pride in the state of Indiana, and I'm happy to have wound up at Butler.
But I don't want the blog to be about me, about what I had for breakfast, about how many times I've lost my wallet, etc.
No, I want to put out something that's a bit more of a product, more of an informative contribution to our story here on campus.
The Bark can be a lot of things. I'm not going to pigeon-hole it. I certainly may use it as a supplement to the work I do for our newspaper, the Collegian.
But nevertheless there are a couple of primary running narratives I want to cover here.
One is the world of sports, both nationally and locally. That means the best collection of information I can put together on Butler teams and it means all you need to know about the Pacers and Colts. It means you get to hear my never-humble opinions on the goings-on.
And it means what I hope will be one of the Bark's main attractions--Live Blogging the Bulldog basketball games.
The other thing I want to keep track of here is the 2008 presidential campaign. Freshmen like myself are pretty fortunate to have turned 18 in an election year, and it's something I want more people to be informed about.
We're in college at a time in which America is sort of at a crossroads, politically, economically, culturally, and in terms of our safety.
So hopefully I can examine all that and be informative and entertaining at the same time. That's a little bit of the idea behind the blog.
For the full story, you'll have to read the Bark and find out. Shout-outs always welcome, and good luck to everybody this school year.
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