United We Stand...



We are not as divided as our politics may suggest…

 

The promise of Today, surrounded by the promise of tomorrow

These words rang hollow in my ears.  They were part of the President’s acceptance speech.    As is typical, they were words filled with hope and inspiration.  And as is typical, I felt as if he were speaking directly to me.  As if he’d looked into my living room and said, “Don’t be so discouraged Aagro.  We are not as divided as our politics suggest”

I wasn’t buying it.

I’d seen the map.  It was peppered in red and blue clumps.  There were no areas that were partially red, or partially blue.  If an area of the country voted one way, its neighbors did as well.  Sure within each state the vote may have been closer than this but that only made me feel more divided.  More isolated.  Six years ago a good friend suggested to me that we were drawing ever closer to a Civil War.  That the nation was so divided, so polarized, an actual physical Civil war was inevitable.  I argued for the better nature of humanity and our country, but sitting in my living room this Tuesday, I had to wonder if he was right.

This is how The Wool Omnibus begins

We are not as divided as our politics may suggest…

Two weeks before the election, a co-worker was near tears with the belief that Governor Romney would win the election.  I’d analyzed poll after poll and was certain at that time that it wouldn’t be close, and that she could rest easy.  I explained a few demographics, in certain key regions of the country to her.  By the time the conversation was over, she was confident in the chances that the POTUS would be reelected. 

Fast forward to Election Day where some things have changed, and I’ve managed to talk myself into believing that it’s closer than anyone could ever imagine.  I no longer trust the data that I’d studied for weeks.  I’ve drawn up realistic scenarios that have Governor Romney winning.  Ohio was obvious, but I’d boiled the entire election down to the state of Virginia.  At least a half dozen times during the day someone asked me what I thought was going to happen.  My answer was always the same, “the polls in Virginia close at 4 our time.” 

4 o’clock hits and polls begin closing.  Sitting in my living room, I anxiously await the results from Virginia.  I’ve done my best Eeyore impersonation all day.  I want this to be over with.  I want to sit with my glass of wine and relax and enjoy the circus that is election night.  But Virginia is ‘Too Close To Call’.  Other states roll in.  Red, red, red, red.  A tiny state in the north east goes blue.  The TV Networks plea to those watching to contact their friends and remind them to ‘Stay in Line’.  The battle has begun.

We are not as divided as our politics may suggest…

The election ends almost 4 hours later as Virginia finally gets called.  Some believe it happened when Ohio was secured but the truth is that the math would not have added up at that point anyway, as the remaining states were what the networks refer to as ‘blue leaning’ (a term I hate).  Virginia is called, and Ohio shortly thereafter.  The POTUS has won reelection.  The map of the nation resembles a post-apocalyptic science fiction map.  The kind where the country has been split into three or four separate nations.  It is a map that says, “we are as divided as our politics may suggest”.  Donald Trump proceeds to send out several tweets calling for a revolution.  He’s called for a  “march on Washington”.  Karl Rove has declared the results in Ohio premature, ignoring the math in the other states, and ignoring the results altogether.

We may be closer to this than any of us care to admit

Another hour goes by and there’s been no word from either the Romney camp or the Obama camp.  The image of the now almost full Electoral Map lingers.  My friends’ warnings of a civil war come racing to my mind.

We are not as divided as our politics may suggest…

Five days ago the President reiterated this theme.  He reminded us that there is work to be done but to not lose hope because we are not a conglomeration of red states and blue states.  We are the United States of America.  They were pretty words, but at the time seemed less weighty than in past years.

But five days later I can tell you that he’s right.  WE ARE NOT AS DIVIDED AS OUR POLITICS MAY SUGGEST!  I’ve revisited this election and the results.  More importantly, I’ve revisited the demographics of those that voted for the President.  Here are the percentages of particular voting populations that voted for the POTUS:
* Black 93%
* Asians 73%
* Latinos 71%
* Young voters ages 18 – 30 60%
* Women 55%
* White Males 39%

These numbers suggest to me that we are more unified than the red and blue stained map of our nation would indicate.  I see this list and I think, bring me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.  I look at these numbers and I see HOPE.  I see a representation of what our country is.  

The new Elecorate?

 We are not as divided as our politics may suggest…

There is still work to be done.  A lot of it.  We have a lot of problems that will require all of us working together to get them solved.  There is a prosperity gap.  A seemingly insurmountable National Debt.  Problems with our tax code.  A Medicare system that must be fixed sooner rather than later.  Same with Social Security. A looming Energy Crisis.  A “de-tarnishing” of the global brand known as the U.S.A.  No one side can fix all of these things alone.  No one side should have to.

But the good news is…we’re not as divided as our politics suggest. 

Humor Me

Branching Out

A little over a week or so ago, I was ranting with a friend at work about various little irritations.  You probably do this yourself from time to time.  Maybe it's some idiot that cut you off on your way in, or was tailgating you, or maybe wouldn't get out of your way.  Maybe it was the lady in front of you at the grocery store last night that had 30 items in the 15 Or Less aisle.

The point is, these little irritating moments happen to all of us.  So why not talk about them?  Better yet.  What if you could send them a letter?  That's what my friend suggested I do.  Whenever the "Inspiration of Irritation" strikes, share it with those you love.  Or as they put it, "post that sh*t yo".

This is the premise that sparked my new blog "Dear D-Bag".  I'm gonna let my angst out on all of life's little irritating moments.  Because I can. 

This probably isn't the most original of ideas.  I don't mind that.  In fact, to me it just reinforces the idea that it's the right thing to do.  Enjoy!!!

~Aagro

They left out Orlovski

It's been too long since I've offered up a Clip O the Week. But its been a while since something compelled me to do so. Without further adieu I give you this lil diddy. Enjoy!

May the Fourth be with you

Mild Irritation

Sort of silly but the Fan Boy in me is bothered by the Avengers movie poster. Why is Tony Stark's face being shown here?

He's in battle and the Armor should be completely on. Just sayin. I know that it's Robert Downy Jr. and he's famous, and (probably) deserves top billing for the movie but the Armor should be fully on.

End of rant!

2012 Mock Draft

We are exactly 1 week away from the 2012 NFL Draft and that means its time release my Mock Draft. None of this is gospel and I have no idea what is really going to happen next Thursday. Quite frankly, anyone that tells you they know what players are going where is full of sh*t. We’re all clueless. Let’s just be honest about it. But these are some guesses on what could
happen.

There are gonna be trades. I expect there to be more trades in the first round than we’ve seen in recent history. Some of you are going to laugh when you see Weedon’s name in the first round. But I’m sure that all of you that are laughing expected 4 QB’s to be drafted in the first 12 picks last year. QB’s get over valued. This year won’t be any different. Same thing goes for Wide Outs. Getting a good one is tough to do and teams are starting to reach for them earlier and earlier. Last year, Atlanta paid a hefty sum for the opportunity to draft Julio Jones. It happens.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed putting it together, and as always, feel free to comment. Let’s get to it!



1.1 Colts – Andrew Luck (QB, Stanford). This is an easy one really. Barring some sort of injury this has been the pick since about week 4 of last season. That’s about the time the fans in Indy started wearing Luck jerseys to the games. Any other pick would be a PR night mare.

1.2 Redskins – Robert Griffin (QB, Baylor). No surprise here. Many think he’s the best QB in the draft and is worthy of the number one overall pick.

1.3 Vikings – Matt Kalil (OT, Southern Cal). This is the last of the gimme picks in this year’s draft. Personally, I think that a strong case could be made for taking Richardson (RB, Alabama) here. Peterson continues to have injury issues and isn’t getting any younger. But there’s too much money tied up in Peterson, and Ziggy wants a new stadium so Kalil will be the pick.

1.4 Browns – Trent Richardson (RB, Alabama). Mike Holmgren is the Kingpin of the early portion of round 1. So this is where things get interesting. Having missed out on Griffin, Manning, Flynn, etc. they find themselves in the Colt McCoy business. There’s nothing worse than trying to talk yourself into believing a QB is good. Many believe that Tannehil (QB, Texas A &M) will be the pick here. I don’t think Holmgren will draft another project QB. And if he does it certainly won’t be with the 4th overall pick. Others believe that it makes more sense to give McCoy an offensive weapon at the wide out spot. This would mean drafting Blackmon (WR, OK St). I think Trent is the pick here. I grew up believing that a QB’s best friend is a solid running game. Having that in Cleveland should buy the Browns another year with Colt, or another Rookie, at the helm.

1.5 Buccaneers – Morris Claiborne (CB, LSU). This pick is one of the more obvious ones. If Richardson were still available it might give them pause but Claiborne still needs to be the pick. Aquib Talib is talented, but he’s a head case and has Pacman Jones type tendencies. Ronde is old. While his mind is still willing, his flesh is clearly weak. Add to this the rumored move to Safety (which should have happened 2 years ago). Bottom line, is that Claiborne becomes a no brainer at 5.



1.6 Rams – Justin Blackmon (WR, OK St). Personally I think the Rams need more help on the defensive side of the ball. But I also recognize that they won’t pass up an opportunity to add weapon at the Wide Receiver position. Particularly after losing Brandon Lloyd earlier this offseason.

1.7 Jaguars – Michael Floyd (WR, Notre Dame). Jacksonville needs everything. Hell, they could even use a solid back up at RB, since there’s no way Pocket Hercules can continue to carry this team without getting more help. Blain Gabbert is awful. There’s not much pass rush to speak of. Quite frankly this team is a mess. They could take Coples (DE, North Carolina) or Ingram (LB, South Carolina). It would be a solid move and probably what they should do. But the owner is in love with Gabbert and that means getting him some weapons to play with. It also means that drafting a QB here (namely Tannehil) won’t happen. So they’ll draft Floyd along with his drinking problem. Then somewhere around week 5 Henne will be brought in to pick up the pieces. Are there any Jaguars in Los Angeles?

1.8 Dolphins – Ryan Tannehil (QB, Texas A & M). To be honest I don’t think believe that Tannehil is worth a top 20 pick, let alone being drafted at 8. But having missed out on Manning and Flynn; and having settled on Gerard (?); they’ve painted themselves into a corner. They just don’t have a choice anymore. So Tannehil will find himself reunited with his HC from college and begin competing immediately for the starting role.

1.9 Panthers – Fletcher Cox (DT, Mississippi). This is a “Belief” pick. It’s another situation where Coples Ingram or possibly even Dontari Poe (DT, Memphis) could (and maybe even should) get drafted. But Carolina’s defensive middle was so soft last year that I just don’t know how they can pass up filling it with a big body Cox’s. He doesn’t have the work ethic questions that may have to be answered if they were to select Poe. Still in order to pick him at 9 someone in Carolina will have to “Believe” that he’s the real deal and as Mike Mayock likes to say, “be willing to pound the table in defense of drafting him over Ingram or Coples. I think the need for interior line play is strong enough to pull the trigger on Cox.

1.10 Bills – Riley Reiff (OT, Iowa). With the exception of possibly WR, the greatest need the Bills have is on the O-line. Quite frankly they can’t afford to pass Reiff up. David DeCastro (OG, Stanford) is also a possibility here but I think Reiff gets the nod.

1.11 Chiefs – David DeCastro (OG, Stanford). If you’re a Chiefs fan you’ve gotta be sick of seeing your QB get his tail handed to him every time he drops back to pass. Especially if it means that you end up sending your 3rd stringer out there because everyone else has gotten hurt. So unless Tannehil is still on the board, the pick should go to fixing the woes on the O-line.



1.12 Seahawks – Quinton Coples (DE, North Carolina). Seattle finds themselves in the unique position of not really being able to screw up the 12th pick (unless they reach for a QB). The biggest needs are on the defensive side of the ball. The specific needs are for a stud pass rusher or quality LB. I love Luke Kuechly (LB, Boston College), and if he’s the pick I’m ok with it. But it’s impossible to pass up Quinton Coples at this spot.

1.13 Cardinals – Cordy Glenn (OL, Georgia). Zona has needs. Lots of ‘em. Despite winning 7 games last year they have more holes than they can possibly fill. But they should start with fixing things up front. Glenn played both Guard positions and Left Tackle over the course of 36 games in college. He’s versatile and should still be there at 13.

1.14 Cowboys – Mark Barron (S, Alabama). Sort of a no-brainer here for Dallas. Too many issues in the secondary and not all of them could be addressed in Free Agency. You could make a strong argument for Dre Kirkpatrick (CB, Alabama) or Stephon Gilmore (CB, South Carolina) but I’m not sold on either them being as complete a player as Barron. Dontari Poe is also a possibility here but I wouldn’t count on it as the secondary just has to get fixed.

1.15 Eagles – Dontari Poe (DT, Memphis). Philly lost a lot of games last year where they simply rolled over against the run. In fact they let 3 NFC West teams embarrass their run defense last year, so finding a run stuffer really should be a priority for them. I’ve seen a few Mock Drafts that have Michael Brockers going to the city of brotherly love. But Andy Reid loves a project, and he loves to prove that he can mold a player that others are willing to pass on.

1.16 Jets – Melvin Ingram (LB, South Carolina). The only thing that the Jets need more than a Quarter Back, is a Safety. But since neither are available here at 16, their eyes should gravitate towards improving the pass rush. Coach Ryan will love having this someone around who’s hero is Ray Lewis.

1.17 Bengals – Jonathan Martin (OL, Stanford) I gave a lot of consideration to Mike Adams (OL, Ohio St.) at this pick but I think he’ll be there at 21 when the Bengals pick again. Andy Whitworth did a decent job last year. But if you’re in a division with the Ravens and the Steelers it can’t hurt to continue shoring up the O-line. I’m of the opinion that Adams is more of Guard at the next level, but he’s versatile enough to fill in at other spots if needed.

1.18 Chargers – Kendall Wright (WR, Baylor). Replacing Vincent Jackson won’t be easy. They’ve got a couple other solid options at wide out already with Brown, Floyd, and Crayton. But at the very least losing Jackson means losing quality depth. O-line is another position that will need to be addressed.

1.19 Bears – Michael Brockers (DT, LSU). Packer fans will hate this pick and that should be good enough reason for any Bear fan.

1.20 Titans – Dre Kirkpatrick (CB, Alabama). It was tough for me to avoid a WR pick here. But ever since the days of Pacman Jones there’s been a growing need. Kirkpatrick is as good a start to fixing this problem as will be available with the 20th pick.



1.21 Bengals – Mike Adams (OL, Ohio St.). This is a growing theme of mine for the Bengals. Protecting young Andy Dalton has to be a priority. Everything else will flow from there. I’m of the opinion that Adams is more of Guard at the next level, but he’s versatile enough to fill in at other spots if needed.

1.22 Browns – Brandon Weedon (QB, OK St.). We know someone is going to make a reach and none of us really believe that Cleveland has long term faith in Colt McCoy. Add to all of this the hubris that Holmgren has in his ability to make anyone a good QB (Seneca Wallace anyone?) and I can really see the Browns spending the 22nd pick on a Quarter Back.

1.23 Lions – Stephen Hil (WR, Georgia Tech). I know what a lot of you are thinking. They don’t need another Wide Receiver. What they need most is help in the secondary. You’re right. But there’s not one name in the secondary that I would trust at 23. But I’ll tell you what does sound familiar. A big Georgia Tech WR (Hill is 6 ft 4), with decent speed (he ran a 4:36 at the Combine), and good hands. Now I’m not saying that he’s another Calvin Johnson. Hill needs to work on his route running and, I’d love to see him develop more of a “my ball” mentality.

1.24 Steelers – Courtney Upshaw (LB, Alabama). Pittsburgh is notorious for taking the best available player on the board. Upshaw has been projected as high as 7th overall so seeing him still available at 24 is an easy fit. His football IQ is good enough to grasp anything that the Steelers will throw at him with their complex schemes.

1.25 Broncos – Whitney Mercilus (DE, Illinois.). After missing out on Jeff Saturday this off season it would be easy to see Denver select Peter Konz (C, Wisconsin) but where they really need help is on the defensive line. I know some don’t view it this way but currently they’re rolling with Ty Warren and Kevin Vickerson. The correct response to these names is “who?” If Mercilus is still there 25 he has to be the pick.

1.26 Texans – Reuben Randle (WR, LSU). Our final WR to be drafted in the first round will be Randle. It’s a reach, but this is the spot that they’ll want to address. They could also be leaning towards Coby Fleener (TE, Stanford) but I’ve never been a fan of drafting a Tight End in the first round.

1.27 Patriots – Jerel Worthy (DT, Michigan St.). I’m lying if I say that I have even the slightest inkling what Bellichick is going to do here. But I have to imagine that it will be something to help out the defensive line. Last year they tried fixing this hole with free agency. It’s time to get young again.



1.28 Packers – Luke Kuechly (LB, Boston College). The rich get richer. Clay Matthews needs some help on the other side. Enter Luke Kuechly. He’s smart and has a nose for the ball. He’ll be a nice addition to the green and gold.

1.29 Ravens – Peter Konz (C, Wisconsin). One of the easier picks at this stage of the draft. Getting help at Center is something that Baltimore has to do.

1.30 49ers – Coby Fleener (TE, Stanford). Captain Khaki knows the kid and what he’s capable of. And as much as I hate the premise of “he coached him in college so he’ll draft him in the pros…” Harbaugh has proven that he has an affinity for his guys. Why else would he pick up Josh Johnson as a Free Agent.

1.31 Patriots – Harrison Smith (DB, Notre Dame). Jan Jenkins was a possibility here but he’s way too fond of the ganja to spend a 1st round pick on. Bellichick has always been smart about the true value of a player.

1.32 Giants – Don’t’a Highttower (LB, Alabama). He’s as NFL ready as they come and defensive depth is a valued commodity in the Big Apple.

There you have it folks. My thoughts on how Round 1 of the 2012 NFL Draft could play out. Pass the chips please.

14 and 72. In Defense of Eldrick

This is bullshit

I’ve made a comment that requires clarification. The comment you ask? “Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer to ever play the game.”

You da man

A statement filled with hyperbole, such as this one, requires explanation. But in order to explain my stance on this I have to get you the reader to view the game of golf from a different prism. Golf has always been an exclusionary sport. Its very name is exclusionary in its origin. It literally stands for Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden. That’s right, women! Screw Title 9. You don’t belong. Now go make me a sandwich.

This is also a loose translation of what Vijay Singh said about Annika Sorenstam in 2003 when she became the first woman to compete on the PGA Tour since 1945. She didn’t belong and he hoped she missed the cut. Stay classy

Who's a gal gotta blow to get a tee time around here?

The PGA and the rest of the golfing world, is filled with this type of “class”. For example, Augusta National used to have a requirement that all of its Caddies be black. Up until 1990, persons of color were not allowed to be members. And, still to this day, women continue to be excluded from membership.

You can find this type of thing just about everywhere. The story of guys like Charlie Sifford, Pete Brown, and Lee Elder are extraordinary. These are guys that played in tournaments at clubs that on a normal day wouldn’t allow them to set foot on the tee unless it was to carry someone else’s bag. Walking alongside your fellow playing competitor watching as they receive applause. Dodging the objects being thrown at you, and ignoring the jeers and spittle being hurled your way. Turning the other cheek because, after all, “it’s a gentleman’s game”. This was their reality.

Jackie Robinson had it easy

This is the sport that Tiger stepped into in 1997. A young phenom with an infectious smile. He could do things with the golf ball that we’d only dreamed of. He had a Stanford education and “didn’t sound black” (another way of saying that black folk don’t talk proper). How delightfully un-racist of them to notice his grammar.

But this was 1997. The world is different than it was when Sifford was breaking the PGA Color Barrier. Things had changed. The environment would be different for young Tiger. Gone are the days when he would have to tread the path of racism and exclusion that Elder walked. Which is what someone should have reminded Fuzzy Zoeller before he opened his mouth.

Smile if you're a Douche

But faced with all of this how did young Tiger respond? He became what we all needed him to become. He became perfect. He had to. He was an icon to an entire race. An inspiration to an entire generation. Not only was he the most popular athlete in his profession, he was the best there was. It was indisputable. No golfer from 1997 – 2007 won more tournaments than Tiger. He was so good that we started inventing rivals for him. Montgomary, Duvall, May, Garcia, Els, Goosen, Harrington, Phil. A list of names that with the exception of the last one, looks like a where’s Waldo of golf professionals.

If only my arms were longer

But this post isn’t about those guys. It’s about Tiger. And he was perfect. He was poised and polished. He didn’t just win tournaments, he won them in such a fashion that everyone else was automatically playing for second. It happened so much that we were surprised when he didn’t win. And if enough time passed without a Tiger victory we started asking if something was wrong. 14 Major Championships and 72 PGA victories later, and we’re still asking.

But why does any of this make Tiger Woods the “greatest golfer to ever play the game”?

No seriously. I kicked your ass with a broken leg

It’s simple. He’s won 14 Major Championships and 72 PGA Events, while having to be someone that we forced him to be. At no point have we ever allowed Tiger to simply be a golfer. In this most cerebral of games, thinking about “just golf” was never an option for Tiger. 14 Major Championships have not changed this. If anything the expectation has become even harsher. He was instantly saddled with being the face of golf for African Americans. Guys like Ricky Fowler, Anthony Kim, Hunter Mahan etc. were all in grade school in 1997. How many of this new generation of golfers would be playing something else, if not for Tiger?

Get a haircut and get areal job

Tiger’s 72 PGA victories put’s him third on the all-time list. But none of the two gentlemen above him had to endure what Tiger has. They were much closer to being Fuzzy Zoeller than Charlie Sifford. In a game when even the smallest amount of pressure can cause a missed putt or a poorly executed shot, it is not hyperbole to say that Tiger has played with more pressure than any golfer in history. He has carried this weight without complaint.

Lately he’s begun to crack a little under the pressure. He seems to have grown tired with playing the role that we’ve demanded of him. A role that he never really asked for. He’s frustrated and it’s starting to show. Maybe in a kicked club here or there. Maybe it shows up in the middle of what was meant to be an internal monologue. After being “Perfect” for over a decade, he suddenly seems human. Almost as if to say he doesn’t want to play by our rules anymore.

What is it with this guy and rodents?

“But Aagro”, you cry, “We don’t dislike him for his golf skills. We dislike him, because he’s not a good person. No one of any true character would cheat on Elin. It’s absolutely shameful”.

Like YOU could have said no

I feel you. He got caught with his hand in the box…errr…jar. So to speak. It was an absolute shame that this happened. Two things come to mind though. First and foremost is that it’s none of my damn business. The second thing that comes to mind is that I didn’t care when Arnie cheated on Winnie (constantly, by the way). I didn’t care when Rocco left his wife and kids for his massage therapist (hey the guy had a bad back). So why should I care that Tiger was getting a little on the side?

Better question. Why do you? He’s a golfer. And if his 14 Major Championships and 72 PGA Victories are any indication, he’s a damn good one. Some might even say he’s the greatest to ever play the game.

Back To The Future

No not that one...This One!

Goin Off the Rails

One of the interesting things about being in my early 40s is the realization that my peeps are runnin shit. There's evidence of this in Politics and clothing trends. Movies and music. For example, last week I heard they were re-making Back To the Future. This past weekend they released the trailer for e upcoming summer "blockbuster" Total Recall. Go figure.

My point is that everywhere I look, things are being influenced by us Gen Xers.

Our influence is particularly noticeable in advertising. To wit...



Could this have been brought to you by any one other than someone that graduated high school in the 80s?



What about this one.

Any Dogs In Da House?

It's no secret that Ray Lewis is currently my favorite NFL player. So what does a guy in the twilight of his professional career do during the off season? Well if you're Ray-Ray, you may find yourself being invited to speak to the Stanford Cardinal basketball team before the NIT Championship game.

Been swimming lately?

If so, and if it was in a fresh water pool, it’s possible you could have encountered the fearsome “Brain Eating Amoeba”. Oh yes they’re real. So real that 3 people died last summer from it. Also the CDC even issued a warning as recently as this past February, when the dreaded B.E.A's showed up in a nasal spray. Good times!

For you sciency types here's the scoop. It's a little long but when I read through it there's a familiar sound to it. Wrath of Khan anyone.

Amphotercin B is effective against N. fowleri in vitro, but the prognosis remains bleak for those that contract PAM, and survival remains less than 1%. On the basis of the in vitro evidence alone, the CDC currently reccomends treatment with Amphotericin B for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, but there is no evidence that this treatment affects outcome. Treatment combining miconazole, sulfadiazine, and tetracycline has shown limited success only when administered early in the course of an infection.

While miltefosine had therapeutic effects during an in vivo study in mice, Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) showed to be the most effective substance - the autheros concluded: "Chlorpromazine had the best therapeutic activity against N. fowleri in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, it may be a more useful therapeutic agent for the treatment of PAME than amphotericin B."

Timely diagnosis remains a very significant impediment to the successful treatment of infection, as most cases have only been discovered post-mortem. Infection killed 121 people in the U.S. from 1937 through 2007, including six in 2007 (three in Florida, two in Texas, and one in Arizona). The illness killed one 2008 in California, one in 2009 in Florida, and in 2010 there were 3 reported cases; one in Arkansas, one in Minnesota, and one in Texas, with a fourth case of an unidentified amoeba in South Carolina. In 2011, there were 2 deaths in Louisiana due to the use of tap water (albeit, a rare infection medium) in a "neti pot." There were also individual deaths in 2011 in Virginia, Louisiana, Florida, and Kansas.

SYMPTOMS

Onset symptoms of infection start 1 to 14 days after exposure. The initial symptoms include, but are not limited to, changes in taste and smell, headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, and stiff neck. Secondary symptoms include confustion, hallucinations, lack of attention, ataxia, and seizures. After the start of symptoms, the disease progresses rapidly over 3 to 7 days, with death occurring from 7 to 14 days after exposure.

There are those that believe...

That life here, began out there.

Here's a nice video about some kids that are way smarter than I will ever be. We'll all be working for them some day soon.

For Kinipeli

Oh What A Rush

And now a message from the more Progressive side of our great nation. I'd bet you won't find this clip on Fox News.

Manning Up

So with Peyton Manning's career in Indy officially over, the Manning watch is on. Last night he visited Denver and this morning is still there. Word on the street, is that from Denver he'll fly to Zona, and then on to Miami.

As a Seattle Seahawk fan I'm hoping he signs with the 'Phins. Not because I'm afraid of what would happen if he went to the Cardinals (I'm not). I want Peyton in South Beach because that means that Seattle will be a solid front runner for Matt Flynn.

Don't get me wrong. Peyton is a first ballot Hall of Famer. But he's also 36 years old. I'm looking for a guy that can still be a quality starter 4 years from now. I'm not convinced that Peyton will be that guy at the age of 40. Not many play that long and he's got no reason to do so. So for my money, I want Flynn here in the Northwest.

As for Miami and the fans of Philben's Phins...

The Chant Ends With "Get Used To It"

Congratulations to California. Today Proposition 8 was overturned.

Sort of.

I say sort of because what really happened was closer to the
courts saying, “how in the hell did you guys let this thing pass to begin with?”

If you haven’t been paying close attention to this story it’s
been a little goofy and confusing but here’s the short version.

Once upon a time, some folks got together and decided that
it would be sorta nice if gay people could get married too. Some of them lived in California so they
worked hard to get it approved and oh what a glorious day it was. We’ll call them “The Happy Peeps” since gay
literally means happy.

Then some other folks got together and decided that it
really made them feel bad about themselves to know that “The Gays” were getting
married just like normal god fearin folk. After all, it’s really unnatural, and not what God intended. Let’s call this group “The Dumbshits”
because, well, sometimes this thing writes itself. So a few years after The Happy Peeps did
their thing, The Dumbshits had it reversed, and thus Proposition 8 was born.

Now I could go into some of the weird things that are in the
Bible that everyone, including The Dumbshits frown upon. I could also go into a little bit of the
Constitution and explain all the different reasons this was COMPLETELY AND
UTTERLY ILLEGAL. I could even go into
how the folks that backed Prop 8 worded things on the ballot in such a way as
to intentionally confuse those that would have voted against it. But this is supposed to be the short version.

Besides. I don’t have
to explain further, because today Appeals Court Judge Stephen Reinhardt announced
that the California voters violated the Constitution by “taking away from them
alone the right they had won to marry”.

In layman’s terms Prop 8 was completely and utterly illegal.

And so for now Prop 8 is dead. That is until the Dumbshits get together and
try something new, which they are bound to.

As a comedian once said, “If you don’t like Gay Marriage…don’t
get Gay Married”

They Have Cookies

Eli Manning is Darth Vader.

Join me, and together we will bake up a storm

I know this seems like a stretch. But stick with me for a miniute. I can back this up. Trust me. Just take a moment to open your mind and join me on this brief journey.

We've all seen Episide 1 where young Aniken Skywalker does his Pod Racing gig and in the end the real heroes do all the work to secure a critical victory. Ani is excited becase he gets to spend time with all these super cool, extremely gifted people. Maybe some if it, if he's lucky and pays enough attention, will rub off. Maybe.

One day soon I'm gonna give San Diego a big "Eff You"

Fast forward a little bit and Ani is still hangin with Obi Wan. They are an inseparable team. Whether its stopping plots led by the Sith or winning Oreo dunk championships against the Williams sisters (I'm pretty sure it was them) you can always find Obi & Ani hangin together.

Ani & Obi. The Sith don't stand a chance

Later in the series Ani seems more accomplished and although his side wins you're not really sure if he had a hand in it. For the most part he walked around whining about how he didn't really want to be there and all in all he seemed a little pathetic. What we do know is that a very wrinkled muppet looking creature played a key role and the special effects were good enough to hold your interest. But much like watching a game where the final score is 21 - 17, you're left with your jaw agape wondering what happened.

I've never seen him and Coughlin in the same place at the same time

In the final scene we find our protagonist standing victorious over the more accomplished Jedi. He's defiant and we all hate him. No one really understands how he made this miraculous ascent but there he is sitting at the top wearing a gold jacket and holding his shiny light saber. Sadly because we've all seen Episodes 4 - 6, we can be assured that the mouth breathing never ends.

Say what you will but this guy just wone a second Super Bowl

The good news is that we also know that there will be another. Oh yes, there will be...

Bright Lights Big City

I Need A Translation

Because the way I read this can't possibly be right

Super Bowl XLVI - And The Winner Is...

We’re only a few short days away from the official end of the 2011 – 2012 NFL season. This one will be closed out in grand fashion as the New England Patriots face the New York Giants. As Yogi would say it’s déjà vu all over again.

Before you even ask I'll say it up front. I'm picking the New England Patriots! They are not "my team". I'm not jumping on any bandwagon. I'm a Seahawk fan through and through. Good times, and most recently, bad. But I'm also a football fan. I like to think that I know a little about the game. Heck, at the age of 18 months I was sitting in front of the tube back in 1971 holding a tiny plastic football chanting "hut-hut-hut-hut". Some may say this is sad, but I hold no shame in this fact.

The Patriots are going to win this game. That's right. I said it.

Vegas has the Patriots as a 3 point favorite, but sports writers and expert Analysts everywhere contend that the G-Men will come out victorious. As I mentioned earlier, I don’t agree with the “experts” and I’m going on record as to why.

Here are my Top 5 Reasons Why the New York Giants will LOSE Super Bowl XLVI.

5. Eli Manning – With a little over 2 minutes to go in Super Bowl 42 Eli started what would become the game winning drive. He marched the G-men 83 yards to win the game by a final score of 17 – 14.

The problem and the reason the Giants won’t win: During this now infamous drive, the Patriots dropped not 1, not 2, but 3 “gimme” interceptions. All three where in their hands. This doesn’t even count the miracle catch by Tyree that was severely misplayed by Harrison. Raise your hand if you think that given a similar situation the Patriots will squander the same opportunities again. Yeah…me neither.

4. Ellis Hobbs – Even with those missed opportunities, the game winning TD to Burress never had to happen. Ellis Hobbs is playing an off coverage and bites hard on the worst slant fake of the game. Burress was hobbled all game and couldn’t cut as it was. The fake was W-E-A-K. Hobbs bites and Plex finds himself wide open in the corner of the endzone. I’d like to say that Hobbs shot himself in the foot but that joke is so old even Plexico thinks its worn out.

The problem and the reason this won’t happen again this year: Ellis Hobbs is no longer on the team. Most recently he was with the Philadelphia Eagles, but was forced to retire after a season ending injury in August. Now if you’re thinking that this Secondary isn’t as good as the one from 2008, I’d be inclined to agree with you but with that said it means a lot that Ellis won't be on hand to screw things up for them. But I know what you're thinking. "What about the rest of that horrible defense?" That's what we like to call a segue

3. The 31st ranked Defense – Many are pointing to the defensive ranking of the Patriots as a solid reason on why the Giants will win. After all there *are* only 32 teams in the league. These guys are ranked 31st. And we all know that New York's offense has been playing well this year. Heck, against the Ravens, Edellman was burned several times by Anquan Boldin, because they asked Julien to cover the slot receiver. If the Patriots ask Edellman to cover the slot receiver in this game (most likely Victor Cruz), it could be over before the coin toss right? Right? We all see this don't we? Right. And if we see it, the Hoodie sees it. He sees everything.

The problem and why the Giants will lose: New England is ranked 17th against the Rush (NYG is 19th). And before you say that it’s the NE Secondary that will cost them the most, I’d like to point out that the Patriots were ranked number 2 overall in Interceptions this year with 23. Which just happens to be the same number of Interceptions that the 49ers had. Translation: They aren't nearly as bad as the "experts" would have us believe.

By the way the Giants were the 27th ranked Defense this year. Anyone think that Tom Brady can’t navigate his way past the 27th ranked Defense? The Giants have allowed 37 total points the last 2 games. Now here's a pop quiz for ya. Name the leading post season past catcher for the San Francisco 49ers. If you guessed Vernon Davis, give yourself a gold star. Vernon Davis managed 112 yards and 2 TD's against the Giants. Well at least there's no one on the Patriots' roster that we can make a comparison to for this. Oh wait they have 2 guys don't they? And it won't be Alex Smith throwing them the ball.

One last note about the NFC Championship game. The Giants won the game in overtime. Congratulations. It took a muffed punt and an opposing QB that went ONE FOR FOURTEEN ON THIRD DOWN. And the 1 was the final play of regulation. I promise you that Tom will no problem convertng more than just one 3rd Down.

2. Eli vs. Tom vs. Peyton – Be honest. Remove all your personal bias for the actual people themselves. Take away from all of this your own personal love of whatever NFL team you root for each Sunday. Now ask yourselves one simple question. “Which one of these 3 would you like to have under center for your team?” 80% of you will rank Eli dead last. Consider this the wisdom of the masses. I’m not sayin…I’m just sayin.

And the number 1 reason why the New York Football Giants won’t win Super Bowl XLVI?

1. Myra Kraft – Last off season, when it looked like we were on the disastrous brink of losing pro football for a year, 1 man stood above the rest to keep the talks going in the right direction. And no, it wasn’t Roger Goodell. Players and Owners all agree that without Robert Kraft, there would have been no 2011 – 2012 season. What makes this so note-worthy is that Mr. Kraft did this all while splitting time with his terminally ill wife Myra.

The Patriots, and their fanbase, have dedicated this season to Myra and nothing short of a Super Bowl victory will make it complete. If you’ve ever played sports you know that a group of talented individuals is nothing compared to a Team. Well a Team is nothing compared to a family and that’s what’s happening in the north east corner of the country this year.

But there’s something a little mystical about it too, and it deserves recognition. There is an unforeseen force that his propelling the Patriots towards a win this weekend. I’m more skeptical than most so I’ll understand if you don’t agree but go ask Billy Cundiff what he thinks. You remember him don’t you? He’s the kicker for the Baltimore Ravens. Billy went 19 for 21 from inside 40 yards during the Regular Season, and he went 4 for 5 overall during the Playoffs.

But that 5th one…well I have to believe that Myra had a “hand” in the outcome of that kick. How else do you explain one of the leagues best kicker missing a chip shot that way? Lined up on the right hash he missed it wide LEFT from 32 yards out. Inconceivable.

If it comes down to a funny bounce of a loose ball, or if the game should start to resemble a Buffalo Wild Wings commercial that favors New England, just think of Myra. I know the Patriots will be.

So there you have it sports fans. My top 5 list of reasons the Patriots will emerge victorious. I'll leave you with one other bold prediction for this game. Should he be Active, look for Chad Johnson (cuz that's what his mama named him) to have 4 catches and a TD this weekend. I know he says he's just happy to be there but I have to believe that he wants this more than most and when Wes Welker said after the Week 1 win against the Dolphins that one day there would be a game where Chad would have to make some plays to help them win...well...now's the time lil bro!

Enjoy the game everyone!

Angry Black Man

Our President was on TV last night tellin it like it is. Unlike previous State of the Union addresses he sounded angry. It's about time!

Nuff Said

Things I wish I'd written - Courtesy of Wonkette.com

If you are at all interested in the comedy of Politics I encourage perusing Wonkette on a regular basis. If only this stuff was made up. Here's the official link to the below story.



Arizona Schools Ban Mex-Am Studies, Angry Kids Put On Janitorial Duty

In a page right out of Newt Gingrich’s alternate-history science-fiction wingnut-polygamy utopian epic Candyland Space Land, the school district in Tucson has completely banned Mexican-American studies, seized all the textbooks and even wall posters from the classrooms, and punished the students who protested by sentencing them to janitorial duty. The self-hating Latina lady who oversees the now-illegal ethnic studies program even comically told the kids, “Mexico is where Mexican studies is taught, not America!” Why oh why does the Newt have to be in stinky old South Carolina during such a historical moment in stomping the Mexican, for freedom?

The insanely racist Arizona law, HB 2281, specifically targets ethnic studies in the public schools. Tucson’s Mexican-American Studies program was specifically shut down to meet the law’s requirements, although administrator Lupita Garcia — who sure sounds like a Mexican to us — seemed utterly delighted to shut down the district’s program and shout racist idiocy at the students.

The students bravely marched five miles from Cholla High School (better change that name!) to the Mexican-American Studies headquarters … and as punishment for this crime against white society, they were all put on janitorial slave duty. Sounds like Tucson needs to be occupied! (Weather is very nice this time of year. It’s a good season for a Mexican-sounding revolution.)

The Bark Side

Thanks to Orb for this one

Future Possibilities

I love this time of year in football because either you're watching your team in the playoffs or you're looking ahead to how your team can improve. For my beloved Hawks there are still some glaring issues that need to be addressed. Chief among them are the Pass Rush and an improvement at QB. This post will not be an evaluation of Tavaris Jackson (I'll save that for another post later).



This post is dedicated to Carrol and Schneider and the quiet move they made last week when they signed Tyrell Sutton to a Reserve/Futures Contract. This is a good move considering that it is unlikely that Forsett will return next season.

Here's a nice clip of Tyrell against the Saints a couple of years ago. I love how he goes looking for work at the end of the run, instead of meandering out of bounds.

He graduated from Northwestern in 2009, can catch the ball out of the back field, and best of all, he runs behind his pads and knows how to finish.

Want some more? Here's some highlights of his college career at the school for smart people.