Rank Team Name Score Correct Best Score Best Correct Champion
1 greg erickson 460 31 734 53 Duke (122)
2 Jessie Hamilton 437 31 695 51 Kansas (150)
3 Phyllis Hodge 415 30 678 51 Kansas (178)
4 Hallie Richards 401 29 614 47 Pittsburgh (162)
5 Andrew Pitts 400 28 676 50 Duke (158)
6 Perry Griffin 392 28 661 49 Kansas (144)
7 Chuck Cruze 390 27 671 49 Connecticut (123)
7 Zane Duncan 390 28 658 49 Duke (148)
9 Kristen Hicks 387 28 609 45 North Carolina (143)
10 Whitney McGowan 381 28 641 49 Ohio St. (156)
11 Glenn Sharp 373 27 634 48 Ohio St. (117)
12 will akers 372 27 636 48 Ohio St. (147)
13 Alex Hodge 371 27 599 45 Duke (123)
14 Greg Gilbert 367 27 615 47 Ohio St. (145)
15 Steve Richards 365 27 626 48 Kansas (151)
16 Emily Sills 363 27 624 48 Ohio St. (131)
16 Jeff Hodge 363 27 591 45 Ohio St. (160)
18 Sandy Richards 362 26 624 47 Ohio St. (157)
19 Jim McCollum 358 24 576 42 Pittsburgh (135)
20 John Bailes 357 25 608 45 Ohio St. (159)
21 Daniel Kittrell 350 24 563 40 Ohio St. (154)
22 Sam Erickson 347 25 610 46 Kansas (151)
23 Daniel Fox 344 25 551 42 Pittsburgh (159)
23 david young 344 25 618 47 Ohio St. (152)
25 Jenna Campbell 339 25 556 43 Pittsburgh (141)
25 Tyler Morrow 339 25 591 45 Ohio St. (158)
27 Nelson Swainson 338 25 583 44 North Carolina (155)
28 andrew hartung 329 24 576 44 Kansas (131)
29 Matthew McGowan 326 24 574 44 Duke (167)
29 Melissa Cruze 326 24 606 46 Duke (114)
31 David Babb 320 24 580 45 Kansas (130)
32 Ben Alexander 318 24 557 43 Ohio St. (150)
33 Gina Swainson 302 23 575 44 Kentucky (162)
34 C Baxter 297 22 555 41 Kentucky (100)
35 Bill Kelso 295 21 529 39 Ohio St. (140)
Those who picked Pittsburgh - WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? They lost to Tennessee! No way they could win the title.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
A Mystery Bigger Than the Crappy Ending of LOST
How in the hell do you find that many people who know the whole Lord of the Dance routine together at the same time?
I think my friend Graeme is in the front row. The Aussie-looking guy in shorts and a tie.
A Moment of Silence, Please.
We've lost Cheryl Baxter's bracket.
I know, it was awfully young.
A real tragedy.
She'll be receiving friends next Saturday. Details to follow.
I know, it was awfully young.
A real tragedy.
She'll be receiving friends next Saturday. Details to follow.
Public Service
I am always surprised at how many people have not seen (or even heard of) so many really good - arguably even classic - films.
Because I am a caring guy, here's a compilation of the key scene from 71 great films. Now you can claim you've seen them. Sure, it might spoil it for you when you finally do see the film, but then again we both know that will never happen.
Because there are no Twilight scenes in here.
How many can you name?
WARNING: A little violent in parts, but no worse than the murderous rage tax season sometimes engenders.
It will make me feel a little better. Just do it. There will be a quiz.
Where It All Began
Some people ask me where my affinity for the NCAA Basketball Tournament began.
March 17, 1973.
Providence, led by Ernie DiGregorio, upset Maryland, led by Len Elmore and Tom McMillan, 103-89, in the East Regional Finals. Back then it was only a 24 team tournament and "March Madness" was just "March Slightly Craziness." DiGregorio, a short, slow, goofy-looking white kid (my hero at the time) was a remarkable basketball player and a true pure shooter, scored 32 despite being in foul trouble the whole game.
He fouled out with 5 charging fouls. Maryland's whole strategy was to bait him into driving and then flop when he made contact to try and draw the foul. It didn't work well, because most of the time he just scored and no foul was called. But it only had to work five times, and it did.
But Maryland still lost. Providence's real star that day was Marvin "Bad News" Barnes, arguably the original Dennis Rodman, who had beaten a man with a tire iron and been arrested multiple times for burglary and assault - not to mention multiple drug charges. Amazing, none of this impacted his eligibility at Providence. (Obviously he could have gone to Ohio State as well.)
I watched the game with my Dad while we hung tongue in grove pine paneling and finished the basement like a couple of pros. Well, I basically just handed dad nails and got him beers, but still. After the game we laid red shag carpeting squares. (It was the 1970s, damn it!) And at the end of the day we were really proud of ourselves and had our first beer together.
Okay, I was only twelve, so I didn't really have that beer. But it's a better memory if I did.
Miss you, Dad.
March 17, 1973.
Providence, led by Ernie DiGregorio, upset Maryland, led by Len Elmore and Tom McMillan, 103-89, in the East Regional Finals. Back then it was only a 24 team tournament and "March Madness" was just "March Slightly Craziness." DiGregorio, a short, slow, goofy-looking white kid (my hero at the time) was a remarkable basketball player and a true pure shooter, scored 32 despite being in foul trouble the whole game.
He fouled out with 5 charging fouls. Maryland's whole strategy was to bait him into driving and then flop when he made contact to try and draw the foul. It didn't work well, because most of the time he just scored and no foul was called. But it only had to work five times, and it did.
But Maryland still lost. Providence's real star that day was Marvin "Bad News" Barnes, arguably the original Dennis Rodman, who had beaten a man with a tire iron and been arrested multiple times for burglary and assault - not to mention multiple drug charges. Amazing, none of this impacted his eligibility at Providence. (Obviously he could have gone to Ohio State as well.)
I watched the game with my Dad while we hung tongue in grove pine paneling and finished the basement like a couple of pros. Well, I basically just handed dad nails and got him beers, but still. After the game we laid red shag carpeting squares. (It was the 1970s, damn it!) And at the end of the day we were really proud of ourselves and had our first beer together.
Okay, I was only twelve, so I didn't really have that beer. But it's a better memory if I did.
Miss you, Dad.
A Good Memory
Once, during a tax season many years ago when my boys were still very small, I came home after an especially tough day and pulled into the garage.
The boys were at the door to the garage and literally squealed with excitement when I opened the door to my car.
They ran over and gave me a big hug for no apparent reason other than the fact that they were happy to see me.
Sam said to me, "Dad, you are the best of life."
And a small tear formed in my eye. It still does whenever I think of that moment.
The boys were at the door to the garage and literally squealed with excitement when I opened the door to my car.
They ran over and gave me a big hug for no apparent reason other than the fact that they were happy to see me.
Sam said to me, "Dad, you are the best of life."
And a small tear formed in my eye. It still does whenever I think of that moment.
Jake Gyllenhall
I don't think there is a good Jake Gyllenhall movie. I watched Jarhead this morning. I mean, Donnie Darko was kind of interesting - if you are into scary rabbit masks and stupid LOST endings and all that - but the rest of his stuff is always angsty left wing garbage.
I think we should send him to Libya and see what happens. If he stops the violence there maybe I will give him another chance. But the odds are good there won't be anymore Jake Gyllenhall movies if he goes to Libya.
So it's really kind of a win-win.
I think we should send him to Libya and see what happens. If he stops the violence there maybe I will give him another chance. But the odds are good there won't be anymore Jake Gyllenhall movies if he goes to Libya.
So it's really kind of a win-win.
Odd
I was walking down the hall a few minutes ago and I passed John Bailes and he was singing " Aye-Aye-Ya-Aye, I am the Frito Bandito."*
I did a double-take as we passed, and I'll swear that just for a second he was wearing a poncho and a sombrero.
* No one under 30 has a clue what this means.
I did a double-take as we passed, and I'll swear that just for a second he was wearing a poncho and a sombrero.
* No one under 30 has a clue what this means.
In Which I Taunt My Son
This is the first year in the brackets for my oldest son, Sam. He knows my eye sight is pretty damn poor, which may explain why I cannot see where he is in the standings.
Oh, there he is.
Wow. Belmont? Really? Have I taught you nothing, my young padawan?
This is almost as scary as teaching him to drive.
Oh, there he is.
Wow. Belmont? Really? Have I taught you nothing, my young padawan?
This is almost as scary as teaching him to drive.
Meanwhile, In the High Stakes Bracket.
Rank Team Name Score Correct Best Score Best Correct Champion
1 Greg Erickson 26 26 114 57 Ohio St. (120)
1 Kristen Hicks 26 26 103 52 Ohio St. (134)
3 Andrew Pitts 25 25 111 55 Syracuse (159)
3 Jim McCollum 25 25 109 54 Ohio St. (135)
5 DL Belcher 24 24 110 54 Duke (151)
5 Kevin Mead 24 24 103 51 Duke (151)
5 Laura Belcher 24 24 110 54 Ohio St. (162)
5 LA Joseph 24 24 96 50 Ohio St. (126)
5 Pat O'Connor 24 24 101 50 Kansas (143)
5 robby vincill 24 24 110 54 North Carolina (145)
11 Jeremy Shoop 23 23 109 53 Ohio St. (126)
11 Tom Joseph 23 23 99 49 Pittsburgh (130)
13 Bette Brady 22 22 106 51 Ohio St. (136)
13 david young 22 22 108 52 Kansas (154)
13 gabe beck 22 22 108 52 Kansas (150)
13 jason brady 22 22 106 51 Kansas (152)
13 Jonathan Hart 22 22 108 52 Kansas (160)
13 Paul Burris 22 22 106 51 Pittsburgh (153)
13 Rachel McCollum 22 22 103 50 Ohio St. (144)
13 tom joseph 22 22 94 48 Ohio St. (169)
21 BJ Mack 21 21 102 49 North Carolina (118)
21 David Belcher 21 21 107 51 Ohio St. (146)
21 larry brady 21 21 107 51 Kansas (130)
21 shannon beck 21 21 103 49 Duke (145)
25 David Babb 20 20 102 48 Kansas (130)
25 Todd Bealer 20 20 99 47 North Carolina (190)
27 Bill Kelso 18 18 97 45 Ohio St. (140)
Nobody remembers who leads after Day One.
Just saying.
Audit appears to have locked up the bottom three positions, however. Now THAT is memorable.
1 Greg Erickson 26 26 114 57 Ohio St. (120)
1 Kristen Hicks 26 26 103 52 Ohio St. (134)
3 Andrew Pitts 25 25 111 55 Syracuse (159)
3 Jim McCollum 25 25 109 54 Ohio St. (135)
5 DL Belcher 24 24 110 54 Duke (151)
5 Kevin Mead 24 24 103 51 Duke (151)
5 Laura Belcher 24 24 110 54 Ohio St. (162)
5 LA Joseph 24 24 96 50 Ohio St. (126)
5 Pat O'Connor 24 24 101 50 Kansas (143)
5 robby vincill 24 24 110 54 North Carolina (145)
11 Jeremy Shoop 23 23 109 53 Ohio St. (126)
11 Tom Joseph 23 23 99 49 Pittsburgh (130)
13 Bette Brady 22 22 106 51 Ohio St. (136)
13 david young 22 22 108 52 Kansas (154)
13 gabe beck 22 22 108 52 Kansas (150)
13 jason brady 22 22 106 51 Kansas (152)
13 Jonathan Hart 22 22 108 52 Kansas (160)
13 Paul Burris 22 22 106 51 Pittsburgh (153)
13 Rachel McCollum 22 22 103 50 Ohio St. (144)
13 tom joseph 22 22 94 48 Ohio St. (169)
21 BJ Mack 21 21 102 49 North Carolina (118)
21 David Belcher 21 21 107 51 Ohio St. (146)
21 larry brady 21 21 107 51 Kansas (130)
21 shannon beck 21 21 103 49 Duke (145)
25 David Babb 20 20 102 48 Kansas (130)
25 Todd Bealer 20 20 99 47 North Carolina (190)
27 Bill Kelso 18 18 97 45 Ohio St. (140)
Nobody remembers who leads after Day One.
Just saying.
Audit appears to have locked up the bottom three positions, however. Now THAT is memorable.
In Which We Consider the Status of the Special Olympics Division
Rank Team Name Score Correct Best Score Best Correct Champion
1 A Pressley 374 26 719 53 Duke (146)
2 Connie Leggett 359 25 732 55 Kansas (89)
3 Phyllis Hodge 337 24 711 54 Kansas (178)
4 Buddy Hamilton 321 23 698 53 North Carolina (156)
5 Mark King 304 22 631 48 Duke (140)
6 Jeff Hodge 282 21 632 49 Duke (160)
7 Andrew Pitts 270 19 581 42 Ohio St. (160)
8 David Babb 269 20 617 48 Kansas (130)
9 LA Joseph 260 19 600 46 Notre Dame (132)
Allison Pressley and Connie Leggett continue to hang tough.
Still not sure what to do with this group. Nor am I clear how Phyllis ended up in both the "Can Follow Instructions" Division and the ADHD Division.
1 A Pressley 374 26 719 53 Duke (146)
2 Connie Leggett 359 25 732 55 Kansas (89)
3 Phyllis Hodge 337 24 711 54 Kansas (178)
4 Buddy Hamilton 321 23 698 53 North Carolina (156)
5 Mark King 304 22 631 48 Duke (140)
6 Jeff Hodge 282 21 632 49 Duke (160)
7 Andrew Pitts 270 19 581 42 Ohio St. (160)
8 David Babb 269 20 617 48 Kansas (130)
9 LA Joseph 260 19 600 46 Notre Dame (132)
Allison Pressley and Connie Leggett continue to hang tough.
Still not sure what to do with this group. Nor am I clear how Phyllis ended up in both the "Can Follow Instructions" Division and the ADHD Division.
And the Round of 64 is Complete
Rank Team Name Score Correct Best Score Best Correct Champion
1 greg erickson 373 25 777 56 Duke (122)
2 Chuck Cruze 365 25 765 55 Connecticut (123)
3 Jessie Hamilton 359 25 728 54 Kansas (150)
4 Andrew Pitts 348 24 717 53 Duke (158)
5 Phyllis Hodge 337 24 711 54 Kansas (178)
6 Perry Griffin 328 23 698 52 Kansas (144)
7 Zane Duncan 326 23 699 52 Duke (148)
8 Daniel Kittrell 325 22 668 47 Ohio St. (154)
9 Hallie Richards 323 23 684 52 Pittsburgh (162)
10 John Bailes 320 22 688 51 Ohio St. (159)
11 Alex Hodge 319 23 653 49 Duke (123)
12 Greg Gilbert 317 23 678 52 Ohio St. (145)
13 Sandy Richards 311 22 678 51 Ohio St. (157)
14 Glenn Sharp 309 22 667 51 Ohio St. (117)
14 Kristen Hicks 309 22 653 49 North Carolina (143)
16 will akers 307 22 669 51 Ohio St. (147)
17 Daniel Fox 305 22 653 49 Pittsburgh (159)
18 Whitney McGowan 303 22 674 52 Ohio St. (156)
19 Emily Sills 299 22 672 52 Ohio St. (131)
19 Jeff Hodge 299 22 650 50 Ohio St. (160)
19 Jim McCollum 299 20 661 48 Pittsburgh (135)
22 Tyler Morrow 288 21 639 49 Ohio St. (158)
23 Jenna Campbell 287 21 641 49 Pittsburgh (141)
23 Steve Richards 287 21 659 51 Kansas (151)
25 Sam Erickson 283 20 610 46 Kansas (151)
26 david young 280 20 655 50 Ohio St. (152)
27 Nelson Swainson 274 20 605 46 North Carolina (155)
28 Bill Kelso 269 19 570 42 Ohio St. (140)
28 David Babb 269 20 617 48 Kansas (130)
30 Ben Alexander 267 20 616 48 Ohio St. (150)
31 andrew hartung 265 19 609 47 Kansas (131)
32 Matthew McGowan 262 19 622 48 Duke (167)
32 Melissa Cruze 262 19 643 49 Duke (114)
34 C Baxter 259 19 592 44 Kentucky (100)
35 Gina Swainson 236 18 586 45 Kentucky (162)
I have seen this movie before, however. A strong start can dissipate oh so quickly.
How about Team Swainson! They have managed to secure 2 of the bottom eight positions. No easy task that. I believe the "Auto-Fill" option would be preferable. Consider that for next year, and thanks for playing.
1 greg erickson 373 25 777 56 Duke (122)
2 Chuck Cruze 365 25 765 55 Connecticut (123)
3 Jessie Hamilton 359 25 728 54 Kansas (150)
4 Andrew Pitts 348 24 717 53 Duke (158)
5 Phyllis Hodge 337 24 711 54 Kansas (178)
6 Perry Griffin 328 23 698 52 Kansas (144)
7 Zane Duncan 326 23 699 52 Duke (148)
8 Daniel Kittrell 325 22 668 47 Ohio St. (154)
9 Hallie Richards 323 23 684 52 Pittsburgh (162)
10 John Bailes 320 22 688 51 Ohio St. (159)
11 Alex Hodge 319 23 653 49 Duke (123)
12 Greg Gilbert 317 23 678 52 Ohio St. (145)
13 Sandy Richards 311 22 678 51 Ohio St. (157)
14 Glenn Sharp 309 22 667 51 Ohio St. (117)
14 Kristen Hicks 309 22 653 49 North Carolina (143)
16 will akers 307 22 669 51 Ohio St. (147)
17 Daniel Fox 305 22 653 49 Pittsburgh (159)
18 Whitney McGowan 303 22 674 52 Ohio St. (156)
19 Emily Sills 299 22 672 52 Ohio St. (131)
19 Jeff Hodge 299 22 650 50 Ohio St. (160)
19 Jim McCollum 299 20 661 48 Pittsburgh (135)
22 Tyler Morrow 288 21 639 49 Ohio St. (158)
23 Jenna Campbell 287 21 641 49 Pittsburgh (141)
23 Steve Richards 287 21 659 51 Kansas (151)
25 Sam Erickson 283 20 610 46 Kansas (151)
26 david young 280 20 655 50 Ohio St. (152)
27 Nelson Swainson 274 20 605 46 North Carolina (155)
28 Bill Kelso 269 19 570 42 Ohio St. (140)
28 David Babb 269 20 617 48 Kansas (130)
30 Ben Alexander 267 20 616 48 Ohio St. (150)
31 andrew hartung 265 19 609 47 Kansas (131)
32 Matthew McGowan 262 19 622 48 Duke (167)
32 Melissa Cruze 262 19 643 49 Duke (114)
34 C Baxter 259 19 592 44 Kentucky (100)
35 Gina Swainson 236 18 586 45 Kentucky (162)
I have seen this movie before, however. A strong start can dissipate oh so quickly.
How about Team Swainson! They have managed to secure 2 of the bottom eight positions. No easy task that. I believe the "Auto-Fill" option would be preferable. Consider that for next year, and thanks for playing.
Libya - A Solution?
Just thinking out loud here...Charlie Sheen as Ambassador to Libya.
Worst Case: Three and A Half Men!
Best Case:
Okay. Bad idea.
Worst Case: Three and A Half Men!
Best Case:
Okay. Bad idea.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Mascots
Florida beat UC Santa Barbara in round 1.
Nickname?
The Gauchos.
Bad, huh? Still, it is better than UC Santa Cruz.
The Banana Slugs.
Nickname?
The Gauchos.
Bad, huh? Still, it is better than UC Santa Cruz.
The Banana Slugs.
Excuses, Part I
Will Akers may not be doing so great in the tournament this year, and I think I might know why.
Lack.Of.Focus.
Just the other day he told me that his biggest career goal was to move to Pakistan or India and become a cab driver.
Lack.Of.Focus.
Just the other day he told me that his biggest career goal was to move to Pakistan or India and become a cab driver.
Obscure Factual Parallel
In the Wizard of Oz the Wicked Witch of the West (not Nancy Pelosi) is only actually on screen for 12 minutes.
Surprising.
But that's probably longer than Phyllis will be in the running to win this thing.
Surprising.
But that's probably longer than Phyllis will be in the running to win this thing.
If You Have to Be in Jail It Looks Like Chattanooga is the Place to Be.
We should do this at work.
Wait a minute, we already do. Because when we roll our sorry asses out of here we are kind of like zombies.
Meanwhile, In the Can't Follow Instructions Division
1 Connie Leggett 261 18 783 58 Kansas (89)
2 Phyllis Hodge 260 18 778 58 Kansas (178)
3 Allsn Prssly 257 18 752 55 Duke (146)
4 Mark King 227 16 714 53 Duke (140)
5 Buddy Hamilton 222 16 750 56 North Carolina (156)
6 Jeff Hodge 205 15 699 53 Duke (160)
7 Andrew Pitts 202 14 692 48 Ohio St. (160)
8 David Babb 192 14 700 53 Kansas (130)
9 LA Joseph 176 13 690 51 Notre Dame (132)
I'll have to score these guys manually. Connie Leggett, a former champion, is always tough to beat. Clearly, though, everyone in this division is a serious contender for the title.
Son of a Bee Sting.
2 Phyllis Hodge 260 18 778 58 Kansas (178)
3 Allsn Prssly 257 18 752 55 Duke (146)
4 Mark King 227 16 714 53 Duke (140)
5 Buddy Hamilton 222 16 750 56 North Carolina (156)
6 Jeff Hodge 205 15 699 53 Duke (160)
7 Andrew Pitts 202 14 692 48 Ohio St. (160)
8 David Babb 192 14 700 53 Kansas (130)
9 LA Joseph 176 13 690 51 Notre Dame (132)
I'll have to score these guys manually. Connie Leggett, a former champion, is always tough to beat. Clearly, though, everyone in this division is a serious contender for the title.
Son of a Bee Sting.
Duly Noted
Finally.
A contest Melissa Cruze is not winning.
Although her husband, Chuck, is certainly right there at the top of the leader board.
Bastard.
A contest Melissa Cruze is not winning.
Although her husband, Chuck, is certainly right there at the top of the leader board.
Bastard.
CBO: Obama Understates Deficits by $2.3 Trillion
I think that in all fairness that is probably just a rounding error. Or, as we say in accounting, NCM
We Have An Early Leader. But I Don't Know Who It Is.
Group Standings
Rank Team Name Score Correct Best Score Best Correct Champion
1 Jessie Hamilton 234 16 796 58 Kansas (150)
1 Phyllis Hodge 234 16 778 58 Kansas (178)
3 Chuck Cruze 221 15 799 57 Connecticut (123)
4 Hallie Richards 220 15 767 57 Pittsburgh (162)
5 Greg Gilbert 214 15 761 57 Ohio St. (145)
6 greg erickson 210 14 793 57 Duke (122)
7 Jenna Campbell 201 14 744 55 Pittsburgh (141)
8 Andrew Pitts 200 14 755 55 Duke (158)
9 Kristen Hicks 199 14 759 55 North Carolina (143)
10 Steve Richards 197 14 750 56 Kansas (151)
11 Alex Hodge 196 14 719 53 Duke (123)
11 Emily Sills 196 14 739 56 Ohio St. (131)
11 Jeff Hodge 196 14 717 54 Ohio St. (160)
11 Whitney McGowan 196 14 745 56 Ohio St. (156)
15 Sandy Richards 187 13 729 54 Ohio St. (157)
16 Daniel Kittrell 186 13 734 50 Ohio St. (154)
16 Glenn Sharp 186 13 717 54 Ohio St. (117)
18 Daniel Fox 183 13 702 52 Pittsburgh (159)
19 Perry Griffin 182 13 750 55 Kansas (144)
19 Zane Duncan 182 13 749 55 Duke (148)
21 Sam Erickson 177 12 680 50 Kansas (151)
22 John Bailes 174 12 724 53 Ohio St. (159)
23 Jim McCollum 173 11 730 52 Pittsburgh (135)
24 Nelson Swainson 167 12 692 51 North Carolina (155)
25 David Babb 166 12 700 53 Kansas (130)
26 Tyler Morrow 163 12 691 52 Ohio St. (158)
26 will akers 163 12 703 53 Ohio St. (147)
28 Ben Alexander 162 12 701 53 Ohio St. (150)
29 andrew hartung 156 11 698 52 Kansas (131)
30 Matthew McGowan 155 11 693 52 Duke (167)
31 david young 154 11 708 53 Ohio St. (152)
32 Melissa Cruze 151 11 718 53 Duke (114)
33 C Baxter 149 11 704 50 Kentucky (100)
34 Gina Swainson 146 11 709 52 Kentucky (162)
35 Bill Kelso 121 9 608 44 Ohio St. (140)
Gee, Kelso, only nine correct picks. That has to be some sort of record. I am calling ESPN to check.
Let's here it for rookie picker Greg Gilbert, who currently holds down 5th, right behind the soon to be married Hallie Richards, whose future husband, Zane Duncan, was just admitted to Fort Sanders as a result of the severe neck strain he suffered when he looked up and saw where Hallie was in the standings.
Andrew "Bottomless" Pitts is showing up with another solid effort this year and once again leads the way among the auditors. Which is no small accomplishment (it's a tiny accomplishment). Well done, Andrew.
And that stench you smell? That would be Cheryl Baxter's bracket. Cheryl will not be getting any pudding this year. (This is an obscure Ross Foreacre reference.)
Rank Team Name Score Correct Best Score Best Correct Champion
1 Jessie Hamilton 234 16 796 58 Kansas (150)
1 Phyllis Hodge 234 16 778 58 Kansas (178)
3 Chuck Cruze 221 15 799 57 Connecticut (123)
4 Hallie Richards 220 15 767 57 Pittsburgh (162)
5 Greg Gilbert 214 15 761 57 Ohio St. (145)
6 greg erickson 210 14 793 57 Duke (122)
7 Jenna Campbell 201 14 744 55 Pittsburgh (141)
8 Andrew Pitts 200 14 755 55 Duke (158)
9 Kristen Hicks 199 14 759 55 North Carolina (143)
10 Steve Richards 197 14 750 56 Kansas (151)
11 Alex Hodge 196 14 719 53 Duke (123)
11 Emily Sills 196 14 739 56 Ohio St. (131)
11 Jeff Hodge 196 14 717 54 Ohio St. (160)
11 Whitney McGowan 196 14 745 56 Ohio St. (156)
15 Sandy Richards 187 13 729 54 Ohio St. (157)
16 Daniel Kittrell 186 13 734 50 Ohio St. (154)
16 Glenn Sharp 186 13 717 54 Ohio St. (117)
18 Daniel Fox 183 13 702 52 Pittsburgh (159)
19 Perry Griffin 182 13 750 55 Kansas (144)
19 Zane Duncan 182 13 749 55 Duke (148)
21 Sam Erickson 177 12 680 50 Kansas (151)
22 John Bailes 174 12 724 53 Ohio St. (159)
23 Jim McCollum 173 11 730 52 Pittsburgh (135)
24 Nelson Swainson 167 12 692 51 North Carolina (155)
25 David Babb 166 12 700 53 Kansas (130)
26 Tyler Morrow 163 12 691 52 Ohio St. (158)
26 will akers 163 12 703 53 Ohio St. (147)
28 Ben Alexander 162 12 701 53 Ohio St. (150)
29 andrew hartung 156 11 698 52 Kansas (131)
30 Matthew McGowan 155 11 693 52 Duke (167)
31 david young 154 11 708 53 Ohio St. (152)
32 Melissa Cruze 151 11 718 53 Duke (114)
33 C Baxter 149 11 704 50 Kentucky (100)
34 Gina Swainson 146 11 709 52 Kentucky (162)
35 Bill Kelso 121 9 608 44 Ohio St. (140)
Gee, Kelso, only nine correct picks. That has to be some sort of record. I am calling ESPN to check.
Let's here it for rookie picker Greg Gilbert, who currently holds down 5th, right behind the soon to be married Hallie Richards, whose future husband, Zane Duncan, was just admitted to Fort Sanders as a result of the severe neck strain he suffered when he looked up and saw where Hallie was in the standings.
Andrew "Bottomless" Pitts is showing up with another solid effort this year and once again leads the way among the auditors. Which is no small accomplishment (it's a tiny accomplishment). Well done, Andrew.
And that stench you smell? That would be Cheryl Baxter's bracket. Cheryl will not be getting any pudding this year. (This is an obscure Ross Foreacre reference.)
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Butler. Again.
Wow. It only took two games before we had out first buzzer beater. Butler beats ODU 60-58 with 1 second on the clock.
Regrettably, I saw nothing.
Regrettably, I saw nothing.
Because That Make Sense
Help me out here.
We can't drill in Alaska, hundreds of miles from where anyone lives, because Democrats say we shouldn't.
We aren't drilling in the Gulf because Democrats say we shouldn't.
Too dangerous, they say. Global warming, they say.
Fine.
But now that gas prices are topping $4/gallon in parts of the country, guess what Democrats want to do? Fine oil companies for not drilling for oil.
Makes sense, I guess, since Obama's America is increasingly becoming Bizzaro World.
We can't drill in Alaska, hundreds of miles from where anyone lives, because Democrats say we shouldn't.
We aren't drilling in the Gulf because Democrats say we shouldn't.
Too dangerous, they say. Global warming, they say.
Fine.
But now that gas prices are topping $4/gallon in parts of the country, guess what Democrats want to do? Fine oil companies for not drilling for oil.
Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) along with Charles Schumer (N.Y.), chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee, touted a bill that would fine companies $4 for every acre of leased public land or water they have yet to drill.
Makes sense, I guess, since Obama's America is increasingly becoming Bizzaro World.
Things That Are Just Mean
I'll bet the term "speech impediment" is really hard to say if you have one.
Should Have Picked Michigan
Damn you Mike Hamilton!
Yesterday, when asked if Bruce Pearl would coach the Vols next year, he told Jimmy Hyams:
Everyone knows that when an owner or AD says he doesn't know if the coach will be back but that they are doing some soul searching that the coach will be fired within the next 48 hours.
Yesterday, when asked if Bruce Pearl would coach the Vols next year, he told Jimmy Hyams:
"We don't know the answer today," Hamilton said when asked if Pearl would be coach next season. "We've done a lot of soul searching about the direction of our program, and we'll continue to do that, and we'll decide after we're out of the NCAA Tournament what direction it is that we're going to go next."
Everyone knows that when an owner or AD says he doesn't know if the coach will be back but that they are doing some soul searching that the coach will be fired within the next 48 hours.
Advertising
GM is a big sponsor of March Madness.
Those are your tax dollars paying for those ads.
Kind of makes you feel better about your return this year, huh?
Those are your tax dollars paying for those ads.
Kind of makes you feel better about your return this year, huh?
Politics and Basketball
So I saw on the news that President Obama posted his brackets yesterday.
Some people were upset about that, because there are A LOT of really important stuff going on in the world at the moment, and he has done nothing with respect to any of them.
Well, that's not true. he wrote an op-ed on gun control in response to the stuff going on in Japan. And he did announce that the earthquake and tsunami were "potentially catastrophic."
I'm pretty sure he does not know what the word "potentially" means.
Some people were upset about that, because there are A LOT of really important stuff going on in the world at the moment, and he has done nothing with respect to any of them.
Well, that's not true. he wrote an op-ed on gun control in response to the stuff going on in Japan. And he did announce that the earthquake and tsunami were "potentially catastrophic."
I'm pretty sure he does not know what the word "potentially" means.
Very Unhappy With My Bracket
No confidence whatsoever. I have never been more disconnected from the Tournament.
So I stopped by Natalia's office the other day just to see how she was doing and she gave me a strange look. I asked her what was wrong. She said, "Nothing. I'm just working on a new character."
Working in an office is fun.
Except for the working part.
So I stopped by Natalia's office the other day just to see how she was doing and she gave me a strange look. I asked her what was wrong. She said, "Nothing. I'm just working on a new character."
Working in an office is fun.
Except for the working part.
In Which I Ponder getting a New Photo
So Kelly comes by the other day to remind me that my birthday also results in my official photo being on the firm website all week. Then she remarks that I look like someone sought in connection with an Amber Alert.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Obligatory Worthington Post
Yeah, right.
The final four will be Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and f
Florida.
In other news, Will Akers is really a fan of the BSB.
The final four will be Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and f
Florida.
In other news, Will Akers is really a fan of the BSB.
Meanwhile, Back at Tax Season
Daniel Kittrell was at Arby's today for lunch, and suddenly he said to himself, "&$;/! I should be taking someone's order."
Random Thought
At what age do you tell a highway it was adopted?
I think seven, because that's about the time he starts to think, "I don't look like Kiwanis club."
I think seven, because that's about the time he starts to think, "I don't look like Kiwanis club."
It's Time!
Tourney time, Baby!
You do not get the same intense response at an
Amber Alert.
Which is sad.
Then again, who bets on an Amber Alert?
You do not get the same intense response at an
Amber Alert.
Which is sad.
Then again, who bets on an Amber Alert?
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Priorities.
Earthquakes? Real.
Tsunamis? Real.
Hurricanes? Real.
Global warming? Might be real. Might not be real. But we sure have spent a lot of money on something that might not be real (or if it is real, that we cannot do much or anything about).
Wouldn't that money have better spent on known, undebatable phenomenon that imperil the future of mankind?
Like Charlie Sheen or Justin Beiber.
Tsunamis? Real.
Hurricanes? Real.
Global warming? Might be real. Might not be real. But we sure have spent a lot of money on something that might not be real (or if it is real, that we cannot do much or anything about).
Wouldn't that money have better spent on known, undebatable phenomenon that imperil the future of mankind?
Like Charlie Sheen or Justin Beiber.
He Was in the Shower?
From CNN:
A man who broke into a house in Portland, Oregon, called police -- afraid the homeowner may have a gun.
The suspect, Timothy James Chapek, was in the bathroom taking a shower when the homeowner returned to the house Monday night, Portland police said in a statement.
Accompanied by two German shepherds, the homeowner asked Chapek what he was doing in the house.
Chapek locked himself in the bathroom and made an emergency call, police said. He said he had broken into the house, the owner had come home, and that he was concerned the owner might have a gun.
The homeowner also called the police to report that he had found a man in the house.
Police with dogs took Chapek, 24, into custody "without incident," they said. He was booked for criminal trespass.
They did not say if the homeowner did in fact have a gun.
A man who broke into a house in Portland, Oregon, called police -- afraid the homeowner may have a gun.
The suspect, Timothy James Chapek, was in the bathroom taking a shower when the homeowner returned to the house Monday night, Portland police said in a statement.
Accompanied by two German shepherds, the homeowner asked Chapek what he was doing in the house.
Chapek locked himself in the bathroom and made an emergency call, police said. He said he had broken into the house, the owner had come home, and that he was concerned the owner might have a gun.
The homeowner also called the police to report that he had found a man in the house.
Police with dogs took Chapek, 24, into custody "without incident," they said. He was booked for criminal trespass.
They did not say if the homeowner did in fact have a gun.
Oh No! The Zune is Dead!
Microsoft's answer to the iPod. I think the only person I know who owned one is President Obama.
Which figures.
Do's and Don'ts of Bracketology
Courtesy of CBS Sports- which obviously thinks you might be retarded:
DON'T: Be afraid to pick teams from the same conference to go to the Final Four. In the past 26 seasons since the field expanded to 64 teams, 18 of those years have featured two teams from the same conference in the Final Four. Since 2000, it has happened eight times, but only once since 2006.
Duh.
DO: Look for one of last year's Final Four teams to return to the Final Four again. Since 1985, 17 teams have been to Final Fours in back-to-back years, including each of the last four years -- Michigan State in 2010, '09; North Carolina in 2009, '08; UCLA 2008, '07, '06; Florida 2007, '06.
DO: Pay attention to the two above trends. Since the field expanded, at least one of those two trends has happened all but one year. Picking one of the two to occur -- or both -- is a pretty safe bet.
Duh.
DON'T: Pick a team because you think the town in which it resides would be a nice place to live. Santa Barbara and Colorado might be fine and beautiful places, but UCSB and Northern Colorado are two of the weakest teams in the field.
Duh.
DO: Listen to your significant other that doesn't know anything about basketball. Sure, their picks might sound crazy and they might like Wofford over BYU because it has a cooler mascot or prettier uniforms, but never underestimate the power of beginner's luck.
As if.
DON'T: Listen to your significant other who is a competitive basketball aficionado. They're not trying to help you, they're trying to sabotage you and your bracket so they can get all the glory and make fun of you later. And no, this isn't from a bitter, bitter personal experience.
DO: Find a German zoo animal to help you decide the 8/9 game and the 7/10 game. Paul the octopus and Heidi the cross-eyed possum didn't let the Germans down during the World Cup or the Oscars. Or you can do what last year's bracket champion Jake Johnson did -- have your guinea pig make your picks. Seriously.
Time honored decision making is based on coin flips. Everyone knows that.
DON'T: Sacrifice your entire bracket because a team played tough in its conference tournament. There are some teams that take the conference tournament seriously and some that would rather rest players in anticipation of the NCAA tournament. Just because UConn won five games in five days doesn't mean it will be able to cruise through the NCAA tournament the same way.
Finally, some decent advice.
DO: Ignore the 16 seeds. Yeah, yeah you hear this every year, but this year won't be any different. No. 16 seeds are 0 for 104 in the tournament, and while some have made valiant efforts, there's very little reason to believe that UT-San Antonio, Alabama State, Boston University, Hampton, UNC-Asheville or Arkansas-Little Rock are going to start a new trend.
Duh.
DON'T: Be tempted by the No. 15 seeds. Similar to 16 seeds, 15 seeds might be fun to look at, but they rarely pay off. No. 15's have only won four times since the conference field expanded to 64 in 1985.
Which means there is a 16% chance in any year that a 15 could win. Not likely, but not zero, either.
DO: Look at the No. 12 seeds over the No. 5 this year because there are some pretty favorable matchups and the 12 seeds tend to make worthwhile runs. With the new play-in system, the winner of the Alabama-Birmingham-Clemson game could present a challenge to West Virginia. And you can't discount Memphis, Utah State and Richmond, all winners of their conference tournaments.
I always go by this rule. Vandy v. Richmond. Uggh.
DON'T: Fall in love with AP-ranked teams. Since 1985, 41 teams started the season unranked and then went into the tournament ranked in the AP Top 10. Those teams, which were often seeded either No. 1 or No. 2, are 0-41 in Final Four appearances.
Valuable intel. If only I had the time to do the research.
DO: Tell all your friends after you've finished your bracket how you think Akron could be the next Butler and how Villanova has just been misunderstood this season. Keep them on their toes, don't show them your hand and be sure to throw in something about "feeling really good about Belmont winning it all."
Yeah, that will work.
DON'T: Hesitate to give that Kansas-Boston University game a second look. I know this is contrary to the "never pick a No. 16" rule, but Kansas has a tumultuous history playing teams that start with the letter "B" in the first round. Kansas lost to Bradley and Bucknell in back-to-back seasons.
Yeah, that's a trend. Kansas has lost two first round games in 25 years, so you better pick against them.
DON'T: Be afraid to pick teams from the same conference to go to the Final Four. In the past 26 seasons since the field expanded to 64 teams, 18 of those years have featured two teams from the same conference in the Final Four. Since 2000, it has happened eight times, but only once since 2006.
Duh.
DO: Look for one of last year's Final Four teams to return to the Final Four again. Since 1985, 17 teams have been to Final Fours in back-to-back years, including each of the last four years -- Michigan State in 2010, '09; North Carolina in 2009, '08; UCLA 2008, '07, '06; Florida 2007, '06.
DO: Pay attention to the two above trends. Since the field expanded, at least one of those two trends has happened all but one year. Picking one of the two to occur -- or both -- is a pretty safe bet.
Duh.
DON'T: Pick a team because you think the town in which it resides would be a nice place to live. Santa Barbara and Colorado might be fine and beautiful places, but UCSB and Northern Colorado are two of the weakest teams in the field.
Duh.
DO: Listen to your significant other that doesn't know anything about basketball. Sure, their picks might sound crazy and they might like Wofford over BYU because it has a cooler mascot or prettier uniforms, but never underestimate the power of beginner's luck.
As if.
DON'T: Listen to your significant other who is a competitive basketball aficionado. They're not trying to help you, they're trying to sabotage you and your bracket so they can get all the glory and make fun of you later. And no, this isn't from a bitter, bitter personal experience.
DO: Find a German zoo animal to help you decide the 8/9 game and the 7/10 game. Paul the octopus and Heidi the cross-eyed possum didn't let the Germans down during the World Cup or the Oscars. Or you can do what last year's bracket champion Jake Johnson did -- have your guinea pig make your picks. Seriously.
Time honored decision making is based on coin flips. Everyone knows that.
DON'T: Sacrifice your entire bracket because a team played tough in its conference tournament. There are some teams that take the conference tournament seriously and some that would rather rest players in anticipation of the NCAA tournament. Just because UConn won five games in five days doesn't mean it will be able to cruise through the NCAA tournament the same way.
Finally, some decent advice.
DO: Ignore the 16 seeds. Yeah, yeah you hear this every year, but this year won't be any different. No. 16 seeds are 0 for 104 in the tournament, and while some have made valiant efforts, there's very little reason to believe that UT-San Antonio, Alabama State, Boston University, Hampton, UNC-Asheville or Arkansas-Little Rock are going to start a new trend.
Duh.
DON'T: Be tempted by the No. 15 seeds. Similar to 16 seeds, 15 seeds might be fun to look at, but they rarely pay off. No. 15's have only won four times since the conference field expanded to 64 in 1985.
Which means there is a 16% chance in any year that a 15 could win. Not likely, but not zero, either.
DO: Look at the No. 12 seeds over the No. 5 this year because there are some pretty favorable matchups and the 12 seeds tend to make worthwhile runs. With the new play-in system, the winner of the Alabama-Birmingham-Clemson game could present a challenge to West Virginia. And you can't discount Memphis, Utah State and Richmond, all winners of their conference tournaments.
I always go by this rule. Vandy v. Richmond. Uggh.
DON'T: Fall in love with AP-ranked teams. Since 1985, 41 teams started the season unranked and then went into the tournament ranked in the AP Top 10. Those teams, which were often seeded either No. 1 or No. 2, are 0-41 in Final Four appearances.
Valuable intel. If only I had the time to do the research.
DO: Tell all your friends after you've finished your bracket how you think Akron could be the next Butler and how Villanova has just been misunderstood this season. Keep them on their toes, don't show them your hand and be sure to throw in something about "feeling really good about Belmont winning it all."
Yeah, that will work.
DON'T: Hesitate to give that Kansas-Boston University game a second look. I know this is contrary to the "never pick a No. 16" rule, but Kansas has a tumultuous history playing teams that start with the letter "B" in the first round. Kansas lost to Bradley and Bucknell in back-to-back seasons.
Yeah, that's a trend. Kansas has lost two first round games in 25 years, so you better pick against them.
Monday, March 14, 2011
If You Care About America At All You Will Read This
3 Essential Facts About the Current Moment: We're Out of Money, The Public Sector is Overpaid, & We Can't Tax Our Way Out of This.
read the whole thing, but here are the key parts. Facts are stubborn things.
1.
2.
3.
president Obama is black, and by popular convention that makes him a minority. I disagree. Not that he is black - of course he is - but rather that he is a minority.
You see, President Obama is reality challenged (as was President Bush to some degree), and the reality challenged are clearly in the majority in this country.
Maybe it's just human nature.
read the whole thing, but here are the key parts. Facts are stubborn things.
1.
We are in fact broke. We can quibble about semantics - it's not exactly clear what it would mean for the federal or a state govenment to declare bankruptcy - but there's no question that the cash flows at every level of government are more screwed than Moll Flanders ever was. Under President Barack Obama's rosy-till-it-hurts-and-completely-unbelievable scenarios in his 2012 budget proposal, the feds will be running deficits larger than any incurred between 2002-2008 forever and ever amen. And that's best-case, Hail-Mary accounting. And on top of $14 trillion total federal debt, which will double over the next decade under the best-case scenario.
2.
Public-sector workers are compensated better than similar private-sector workers. Nobody contests this claim anymore when it comes to federal workers and similar private-sector employees. They used to, of course, or made sideways explanations for the (nonexistent!) differentials by claiming that federal workers were smarter or did tougher work or had fresher-smelling breath or were congregated in high-cost areas, you name it. The single-largest category of public-sector workers are K-12 teachers (there's more than 3 million). Nationally, they make on average $14,000 a year more than private-school K-12 teachers, a gap that gets even bigger when benefits are added to the total. Studies such as "The Grand Bargain is Dead," by Ohio's Buckeye Institute extensively document "state workers today are paid much more than their private-sector neighbors in 85 out of 88 counties" and The New York Times' recent writeup on the issue make it clear that public-sector employees are doing well by any measure:
Surveys by the Bureau of Economic Analysis show that public workers’ annual compensation — salary plus benefits — is higher on average than private sector workers, and they suggest that the gap is growing....Public workers also put in significantly fewer hours per week. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, their compensation per hour is much higher....Most of the advantage is in benefits. They cost state and local governments $14 an hour on average, about 70 percent more than private employers pay for their workers.
That's The New York Times, mind you. Not the Heritage Foundation, or the John Birch Society, or anybody liberals and progressives want to dismiss out of hand. And what the Times is doing is verifying analyses that came out of the Cato Institute and the American Enterprise Institute and Heritage (I don't surf the JBS site, so I've got no idea what they think on the topic).
You don't need to introduce the related but distinct (and, to my mind, largely irrelevant) issue of collective-bargaining rights for public-sector workers to understand why state and local governments are trying hard as hell to reduce employment costs (and why public-sector workers are calling in sick or taking personal days to rally against cuts). There's big money at stake. The Buckeye Institute estimates that bringing state-worker compensation packages into line with the private sector could erase almost 30 percent of Ohio's projected $8 billion shortfall over the next two years. State expenditures ballooned by 80 percent in inflation-adjused dollars over the last decade and the cutting is going to have be big and ubiquitous. It's going to happen in states with collective bargaining, states without, and in states where the governors are not questioning that sort of activity. That public-sector jobs have been largely shielded from the broad layoffs that took place in the private sector only makes the imbalance greater. Between January 2008 and May 2010, the private sector lost almost 8 million jobs. Over the same time frame, public-sector employment actually increased by a net 590,000 jobs.
3.
We can't tax our way out of this. Commentators ranging from Michael Moore to CNN host (and former New York governor) Eliot Spitzer point to any sort of tax cut in the past 60 years as the real reason why governments are cash-strapped today: If we had just kept the top marginal rate at 92 percent like it was in 1953 we could still pay for cowboy poetry readings! Why did Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.) cut business tax rates if he says his state is broke? How can Barack Obama extend the Bush tax "cuts," which overwhelmingly go to the rich and richer? Why not just tax the Koch Bros. and be done with this talk of deficits and shortfalls (leave aside for the moment that expropriating all the wealth of all the billionaires in the U.S. would not cover the federal deficit for a single year)?
Such ideas rest upon any manner of empirically shaky assumptions, including the idea that there's an correlation between tax revenues and financial solvency. Between 2002 and 2007, for instance, state governments increased revenues by about 81 percent, or about four times faster than price inflation and population growth. Had the states kept their outlays constant while allowing for inflation and population growth, they would have been sitting on $2 trillion in reserves when the recession hit. Instead, they were broke heading into the recession and are in even worse position now. When governments get more money coming in, they don't pay off debt - they start new programs, increase existing ones, and kick fiscal responsibility down the road a bit more. It's an exceptionally rare case when governments actually balance this year's - and especially the coming years' - budgets because of new revenue. Indeed, if that were the case, states should never have needed bailouts since the 1970s, when most of them started taxing income for the first time. Governments are like compulsive gamblers who never pay off the loan shark with a windfall. Instead, they keep doubling down and find themselves ever-more on the hook. That's one of the reasons federal revenues could grow year-over-year for most of the Reagan presidency while annual deficits continued and national debt grew.
Leaving aside the still-sluggish economy, the notion that tax revenue can be jacked up (or reduced!) with ease is simply wrong. Since 1950, the federal government has passed through periods where Congress raised and lowered all manner of income, excise, and other taxes. Yet whether FICA taxes were relatively low and top marginal income taxes high or vice versa, federal revenue has clustered tightly around 18 percent of GDP. Some years, it's been higher (as high as 20.9 percent for one year under Bill Clinton) and lower (just around 14.4 percent currently), but it has never strayed far from the 18 percent mark for any length of time. When collections get much higher than that, pressure builds for reductions. In the late 1990s, the too-rare combination at the federal level of relatively restrained spending increases, tax increases (in 1993) and tax cuts (in 1997), and broad economic growth produced at-least-on-paper surpluses. Federal revenue came to a record-high of 20.9 percent of GDP in 2000 while spending came in at just 18.4 percent (see table 1.2). Surplus cash explains why both Al Gore and George W. Bush in 2000 ran on substantial tax cuts, differing on the size and targets (go here for a summary of the budget plans of both candidates; yes, Gore projected smaller spending). What remains most stunning about the Clinton years is not the increases in revenue as a percentage of GDP (though they are notable) but the willingness to substantially reduce spending as a percentage of GDP despite growing piles of cash on hand.
president Obama is black, and by popular convention that makes him a minority. I disagree. Not that he is black - of course he is - but rather that he is a minority.
You see, President Obama is reality challenged (as was President Bush to some degree), and the reality challenged are clearly in the majority in this country.
Maybe it's just human nature.
This Is a Real Headline.
Glossy 'Jihad Cosmo' combines beauty tips with suicide bombing advice
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1365806/Glossy-Jihad-Cosmo-combines-beauty-tips-suicide-bombing-advice.html#ixzz1GaMc9jQu
Makes you wonder.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1365806/Glossy-Jihad-Cosmo-combines-beauty-tips-suicide-bombing-advice.html#ixzz1GaMc9jQu
Makes you wonder.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Behold The Awesome Power of Obama!
The last few weeks President Obama has demonstrated the awesome power of wishful thinking, and as a result of his brilliant tactical thinking and crack leadership team that fool - Colonel Gaddafi - is left with only two options.
In one he crushes the rebels quickly.
In the other he crushes them slowly and painfully.
In one he crushes the rebels quickly.
In the other he crushes them slowly and painfully.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Un-freaking-believable.
From the Delaware Supreme Court's ruling in Boggerty v. Stewart (Del. Sup. Ct. Feb. 17, 2011) - AND I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP:
Government employees are not all bad, of course. But an awful lot of them are.
And those who were offended by this announcement should be publicly humiliated in some way.
[Appellants claim] that [theater manager] Stewart “insulted, humiliated, and demeaned” them by making a public announcement asking a movie theater audience to turn off their cell phones, remain quiet, and stay in their seats before a movie showing at the Carmike Cinemas Dover location. After conducting a hearing, the Delaware State Human Relations Commission (“Commission”) found that Stewart’s conduct violated Section 4504(a) of the DEAL, and awarded [the 23 separate] Appellants $1,500 each in damages, and attorneys’ fees [$21,510 –EV] and costs [$194 –EV]; and also ordered Carmike Cinemas to pay $5,000 to the Special Administration Fund .... On appeal, the Superior Court reversed the Commission’s decisions, and the Appellants appealed to this Court. For the reasons next discussed, we affirm....
On October 12, 2007, the Appellants, all of whom are African-American, went to Carmike Cinemas in Dover, Delaware, to see a new Tyler Perry movie, “Why Did I Get Married?.” Anticipating a large turnout based on the number of advance ticket sales, Stewart, who was a Caucasian male and the theater manager, scheduled the movie to be shown simultaneously in three auditoriums. The largest auditorium seated 130 people; the other two each seated 50 persons. When Appellants arrived at the theater, they handed their tickets to the ticket agent and received a ticket stub in return. Approaching the auditorium, they saw two security guards. The security guard standing outside the door to the largest auditorium asked to see Appellants’ ticket stubs. Appellants displayed their ticket stubs and were admitted into the largest auditorium. That auditorium was full. Of those attending, 90–95% were African-American.
Before the show, the theater screen displayed messages reminding patrons to turn off their cell phones and to refrain from talking during the movie. Before the movie began, Stewart also made a live announcement to the same effect. He asked the patrons to turn off their cell phones, to stay quiet, and to remain seated throughout the movie. After that announcement, Stewart left the auditorium. After Stewart left, Appellant Larry Bryant followed him outside and told Stewart that his remarks were not well-taken. Stewart immediately returned to the auditorium and apologized to the audience, explaining that he did not mean to offend anyone and that he was required to make the announcement under Carmike Cinemas’ current policy.
At some point during this episode a woman, who later was identified as Juana Fuentes-Bowles, the Director of the State Human Relations Division, stood up and told everyone that she felt that Stewart’s announcement was racist. After identifying herself — not by her official title but as an attorney or someone who worked for an attorney — Fuentes-Bowles circulated a sign-up sheet and asked all audience members who were offended by Stewart’s announcement to write down their contact information. The Appellants all did that, after which the audience then proceeded to watch the movie in its entirety without further incident. After the movie ended, Stewart waited at the auditorium exit door to say “good night” and thank the audience members for attending the show....
[Some of the Appellantes testified] that they were offended by the tone and manner in which Stewart made his announcement (but not by his actual words), and that Stewart’s tone was offensive and condescending, as if he were speaking to children. Those three testifying Appellants also believed that Stewart made the announcement because the audience was primarily African-American and who, therefore, would not know how to behave properly in a theater. None of the Appellants had ever heard such an announcement ever made before. Nor was the presence of a security guard checking their ticket stubs anything that they had ever experienced in previous Carmike Cinemas showings....
[T]he Commission found that although all Appellants were permitted to watch the movie, the circumstances under which they did that were “hostile, humiliating, and demeaning,” and thereby constituted “receiv[ing] services in a markedly hostile manner and in a manner which a reasonable person would find objectively unreasonable.”
The Commission also concluded that nonmembers of the protected class [blacks –EV] had been treated more favorably. The Commission arrived at that conclusion first, by finding Stewart’s and Bridgman’s testimony concerning the announcement policy (and its non-racial purpose) to be “not credible,” and second, by then inferring that the announcement must have been racially motivated....
Government employees are not all bad, of course. But an awful lot of them are.
And those who were offended by this announcement should be publicly humiliated in some way.
Must Read
if you only read one thing today, read this.
It mentions Charlie Sheen, so on that basis alone you have to read it.
Why are we in Afghanistan?
Why do we worry so much about collateral damage during war time? We sure as hell didn't worry about at Hiroshima or Nagasaki. What's really changed?
It mentions Charlie Sheen, so on that basis alone you have to read it.
Why are we in Afghanistan?
Why do we worry so much about collateral damage during war time? We sure as hell didn't worry about at Hiroshima or Nagasaki. What's really changed?
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