Osario Situation - More Conspiracy Thoughts for MLS?

It's no secret to long-time MLS fans that the league is really concerned about putting powerful teams into both New York and Los Angeles, and the relative lack of success (well, not when compared to the Crew, but not what the league would like) that the MetroStars and Galaxy have had (the Metros more than the Galaxy, obviously) obviously frustrates the league.

So when I hear that Chicago coach Juan Carlos Osario resigned from the Fire earlier this off-season and is suddenly hired at New York.... I wonder if the hand of the league isn't in action here. Chicago gives the always questionable "he determined that he needed to leave Chicago for family and personal reasons" explanation for his departure... and then a couple weeks later he's hired in New York. Fishy.

The league has interfered in teams' player acquisitions on many occasions, such as Lothar Matthaeus and Roberto Donadoni playing at New York in the past and Luis Hernandez in his stint at the Galaxy. Osario is a former assistant with the MetroStars, which might explain his comfort at taking over the Cabbies (does anyone still call them that?) at Chicago's expense.

Pushing a coaching change might seem to be a bit much for even MLS, especially to pull a coach away from one team and put him with another, but MLS has done some fishy stuff in the past. Frankly, I wouldn't put it past them. Or, it could just be New York working behind Chicago's back.

It'll be interesting to see what happens in Chicago now.

Get Started Being Green!

Many people would love to be green, but other than changing their incandescent light bulbs for CFL bulbs they have no idea where to begin. Well, the folks at New American Dream have an answer for you: the C³ campaign.

Each month, another challenge is suggested by the folks at New American Dream for you to try out - they've done things like getting bottled water out of your life, stop driving for one day a week, sign up to reduce your junk mail, etc.

This month the challenge is to bring your own reusable bags to the store instead of using paper or plastic bags from the store!

Great program. Click the link below to get started! It's free to join in the fun.

Fight Bush's Fight Against Real Change in Bali

Many of you may know that the UN's Climate Talks are underway in Bali, Indonesia right now. Naturally, the Bush Administration is doing what it can to derail any significant change.

That's why it's important to let the other representatives at that conference know that Bush does NOT speak for us as Americans in this matter.

Let them know here.

Robert Baer is My New Hero

I listen to a lot of podcasts, one of my absolute favorites being SpyCast, the podcast of the International Spy Museum. In the past, they've talked to such legends of the intelligence world as Oleg Kalugin, former major general of the KGB, about what was going on in the USSR during the Cuban Missile Crisis; Bob Rayle, former case officer with the CIA who facilitated the defection of Svetlana Alliluyeva, daughter of Josef Stalin; and Eric O'Niell, who was the FBI agent that went undercover to expose Robert Hanssen (as depicted in the movie Breach).

The latest one, though, was the tour de force for the podcast, as Peter Earnest (the museum's executive director and a former CIA case officer himself) interviewed Robert Baer, the 21-year veteran of the CIA whose primary beat was the Middle East and about whom the George Clooney character in Syriana was based.

Baer's discussion of the Middle East was absolutely fascinating, and I wish the podcast had gone on three or four times as long! Baer's take on the Middle East is disturbing and pessimistic, but truly an insider's look. He points out that Iran, via the Hezbollah uprising of a couple years ago in Lebanon, is the first Middle Eastern country to beat the Israelis in an armed conflict, and that this could put Iran on the fast train to superpower status. He discusses the techniques used to recruit suicide bombers, and gives his opinion of the value of torture as an interrogation and information-gathering technique. And he does all this without taking political sides, which is rare in this day and age.

The podcast is just about a must-listen for everyone. I plan on buying his two books See No Evil, about his experiences at ground level in the "War on Terror"; and Sleeping with the Devil: How Washington Sold Our Soul for Saudi Crude just as soon as I can get my grubby hands on them.

Listen to the podcast. It's a great look at the real dangers of the Middle East.

Beauty, Eh?

Twellman Goal Brings Back Memories

I just watched the Taylor Twellman goal that put the Revolution into MLS Cup and let's just say it brought back some memories... of getting a free kick called against me!

First, watch the goal. It's fantastic. You may have to search around a bit on MLS's site for the video, depending on when you read this post, right now it's on the front page.

Now, my story. When I was playing rec ball, I was in a similar situation where I took a bike to keep a ball in bounds, and there was a player as close to me as both of those Fire players were to Twellman. I nailed the ball with the bike, got it to one of our players, and then had a penalty called against me for dangerous kick, as my foot came too close to the opposing player's head. Sigh...

Of course, MLS refs are too chicken shit to call that sort of thing on such a fantastic goal. Still, it was a great shot! Congrats Revs, on beating the hated Chicago Fire.

My Inner European... Huh?

From Dale's blog.

I'm sort of surprised it's not Irish... I suppose Dutch is sort of happy medium between German and Irish, though. A little more laid back but similarly anal about certain things.

Plus... they love their bikes in Holland. And they play great soccer.

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Your Inner European is Dutch!

Open minded and tolerant. You're up for just about anything.

Who's Your Inner European?

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Inspiring Words - BE A REBEL

I subscribe to a few mailing lists from different folks I admire, many of them fitness and motivation mavens. Vince Palko is one, and I wanted to share this message with you because it struck a chord in me. He hits a lot of areas in this message, but still, I think the point is clear. Read for yourself.

"Your job is not to make friends with everyone in your class or kiss up to your teacher.

"Your job is to learn as much as you can and then go out into the world, and test what you've learned against the realities of life."

Those were the words spoken to my oldest daughter when I found out she has never gotten one yellow card, red card, or black card for any bad behavior our last parent teacher conference.

I soft peddled the approach a bit but you get the gist of my message to her.

This might shock you that I think this way.

Yet, you have to be willing to take risks and step outside the boundaries a bit in order to reach your true potential.

And Sophia is petrified of how others will view her when she gets slapped with a yellow card. I speak from a lifetime of experience. Fear keeps her in line. Yet, at the same time, it is who she is.

So I will use this as a point to my email and let her be for now. Trusting her self-awareness will serve her as mine has done me.

I'm reminded of something way back when in art.

In graphic design class, my gay professor (not that theres anything wrong with being gay) always told us, sometimes you have to break the rules. Design is heavy on rules and formulas that you may or may not know. "When you do so," he'd say, "thats when the artwork pops from the background your mundane competition who follows all the rules."

Its the same with life.

Yet, if our school system is rewarding this get in a single file line and stay there... like emotionless robots ... this is very bad for this here thing called LIFE.

I have to watch what I say because I come from a family of teachers (Yes, more people pleasing). And teachers are about the worst paid professionals on the planet. Who wants to teach a class full of monkeys jumping off the wall. I know, I know.

However, this robotic-like behavior reminds me of being in Germany back in the late nighties and going to a bank to deposit a check for cash. Everyone stood in a single file line and never once crossed over the yellow painted box signifying the person speaking with the tellers space.

No one so much as stood out of line or dared put their shoe laces over that yellow
line.

Those Krauts are awesome fine tuners and great engineers but horrible original thinkers and creators.

Those words written at the top of this email often get repeated to myself in the mirror from time to time.

Instead of fighting the fact I have always been a people pleaser. I have adopted a new approach. I've found it to be apart of my success system and you can use it as well -- if you tend to be one of us.

In football, I never wanted to be the weakest link in the chain and let others on the team down with anything that resembled sub par performance. So, I played like I had hot coals in my drawers. And pinned my ears back trying to make every tackle. And more times than not, I did.

Today, projects get done a lot faster when I know someone is depending on me to accomplish them by a certain date.

My health becomes paramount knowing my family is depending on me to support them for a loooong time.

Yes, your health is important to you too. And if you play around with this a bit you will see that if you go with the flow of your essence you can make the people pleaser in you into a positive.

The interesting thing is by observing myself and others in people pleasing modes, I've learned to forgive myself and others when I recognize it.

So if your health immediately becomes more important because your family is depending on YOU. Go with that thought and see where it takes you.

I've long said that everyone loves the rebel, until they have to face them in person. Then, suddenly, they're an outcast.

Here's the reason for this: no one likes to see anyone else not following the rules that they feel compelled to follow. It shows their cowardice and lack of self-determination. When the rebel in question isn't right in front of them, it's easy to distance yourself from their situation. And to see that rebel succeed by not following the same rules as you? What could POSSIBLY be worse??

I put myself into a lot of situations where I'm that rebel - biking instead of driving, wearing kilts as normal clothes, etc. Obviously, there are practical reasons for these things, such as saving money on gas, or being more comfortable. But the other side of that is that I have learned that being a rebel in one thing leads to having a freer mind. The more you stop thinking of society's rules as absolute, the more you're going to succeed.

The greatest question a man can ask himself is "WHY?" And if you can't get a good answer (and that good answer is never "because everyone else is doing it"), then that rule can be thrown out. Question yourself in all things, it's the best way to succeed.

Olbermann: Bush Fires Assistant AG Who Proved Waterboarding is Torture by BEING WATERBOARDED!

American Hero Keith Olbermann talks about another American Hero, Daniel Levin. Watch and weep.

Crew Season Review

The Crew's beat writer, Shawn Mitchell, did a fair assessment of the team's season, in which they once again failed to make the playoffs. My comments are below each section.

Top performers

Alejandro Moreno (seven goals, seven assists), Guillermo Barros Schelotto (five goals, 11 assists), Eddie Gaven (five goals, seven assists)

Agreed on all counts. Moreno and Schelotto were the no-brainers here, but I was impressed with Eddie Gaven this season - he has given his all since coming to the Crew, and it was nice to see him produce this season. I'd be interested in seeing how his numbers improved after the arrival of Schelotto - that obviously took a lot of pressure off him to be "the man" after his fantastic start in the league at the MetroBulls.

High point

Juiced by a healthy Schelotto, the Crew reeled off three consecutive wins June 20 through June 30 and was 5-1-3 from June 16 through Aug. 4. On July 27, Schelotto scored twice and Columbus dominated Toronto FC in a 2-0 victory in Crew Stadium. It put the Crew three points out of first place, and it would get no closer.

"It's just like them to do real well and give us hope!" (paraphrased from Colin Firth in Fever Pitch)

Low point

The Crew looked to be playoff shoo-ins midsummer but fell hard after the all-star break. It blew a late lead and lost at FC Dallas on Aug. 11, beginning a stretch in which it went 1-6-2 and gave up a tying or winning goal in the 75th minute or later five times.

So much for that hope. The temporary loss of Schelotto was too much to overcome.

Point of order

The presence of expansion Toronto probably kept Columbus from finishing in the Eastern Conference basement for the third consecutive season. To be fair, Columbus played much better soccer than it did last season and had higher totals for wins (nine), points (37) and goals (39) despite playing two fewer games. In 2006, the Crew had eight wins, 33 points and 30 goals.

And you could see the improvement on the field, too - especially after Schelotto took over things. It was much more fun to go and watch these guys than it was last season. Last season, I think I uttered my famous (among my friends) quote: "So, this is what it feels like to be a Browns fan.

In and out

Longtime keeper Jon Busch was waived in the preseason, Joseph Ngwenya was traded to Houston for Moreno, and Danny Szetela departed to Racing Santander of Spain. The arrivals of Moreno and Schelotto, who more often than not were a potent offensive pairing, overshadowed the absences.

I thought losing Busch would be harder on us than it was. Ngwenya wasn't nearly as much of a loss, I think - his penchant for being offside wasn't ever overcome by any sort of goal-scoring ability, IMHO. I feel bad about this... but I didn't even know Szetela was gone. Chalk that up to having a kid part way through the season, I guess - my attention was elsewhere at that point.

Hurting kind

Winger Jacob Thomas was supposed to be the Crew's speediest threat, but a calf injury kept him out of the first 13 games, and a variety of other injuries limited him to a total of nine games. Andy Herron, projected to be the Crew's top scorer, started only 10 games and missed most of the season because of injury or suspension. Brandon Moss started 17 games as a rookie in 2006 but suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason.

I missed Thomas. I love watching that guy play, and I hope he'll be around and healthy next season. Herron was fun to watch, but I never saw much enough of him to form an opinion other than he runs hot and cold. Moss always struck me as a hack - good as a defender, but not so much as a player who's supposed to make the transition from defense to offense.

One for the team

After starting 16 games the previous two seasons, keeper Bill Gaudette did not play a single minute. Kudos to him and fellow backup Andy Gruenebaum for remaining stoic in their roles after Will Hesmer took the starting job from Gruenebaum in June.

Gruenebaum and Hesmer were both good - I felt solid (not fantastic, but solid) about our keepers this year. Gaudette was too tentative, IMHO.

Helpers

Ngwenya's trade to the Dynamo for Moreno helped both teams, but the Crew might have come out ahead. Unless Ngwenya lights up the playoffs, Moreno's seven goals and seven assists were worth more to the Columbus than Ngwenya's seven goals and three assists were to Houston.

Houston didn't need the help as much as we did, I think. And I already mentioned that I think Ngwenya's offsides frustrated things more than his goals ever helped.

World class

Storied Aston Villa looked impressive in its 3-1 exhibition win on July 28 in Crew Stadium, but Schelotto conducted a skills clinic all season long. Starting with his home debut May 12, he almost always was the best player on the field.

Schelotto was the story this season. End of story. Who gives a rat's ass about the Villa game? It was just a friendly.

Odd but true

The Crew was one of three teams to score more goals on the road (22) than at home (17). Only Kansas City (23) scored more road goals.

Perhaps a commentary on the negative nature of Columbus sports fans? I know that Crew fans are among the most negative bunch I've ever encountered. I stopped visiting the Crew forums several years ago because of this and it's only gotten worse, especially in the section I'm in at the stadium.

I actually sat and listened to one guy say "why do I pay money for this shit, every season?" over and over. And yet, he was back the next game.

Hey, if you don't like it, don't come. But spare us your complaining.

Blue Jackets fans seem similar, though not quite as bad. And OSU fans do nothing BUT complain (mostly about how they get no respect). But this isn't about OSU or the Jackets, so here endeth that rant.

Odd but true, part 2

It took 364 games and more than 11½ seasons, but the Crew finally won a game on the road after trailing at halftime. On Sept. 22, Toronto took a 1-0 lead in the second minute, but second-half goals by Jacob Thomas and Jason Garey helped Columbus to a 2-1 victory in BMO Field.

At least we're not paying attention to when we win or lose at RFK any more.

Healthy Hejduk

Defender Frankie Hejduk should be the Major League Soccer comeback player of the year. After missing most of last season because of a torn knee ligament, he re-established himself as one of the league's top two-way players at right back. He scored against Canada, his first international goal since 2000, and helped win the Gold Cup.

Hejduk had, the past couple of seasons he was active, not impressed me. He had a tendency to think that playing harder and running faster was enough. This season, though, he slowed down but played smarter. Absolute kudos to Frankie this season.

Busy bodies

The Crew front office had a hectic year. It secured Glidden paints as a jersey sponsor, made plans for a suburban training facility and soccer park, expanded its juniors program and began work on a concert stage in the stadium. It also has to secure a postseason exhibition to fulfill ticket-package requirements. Expect the Crew to play Nexaca of Mexico in November.

All good point... though I wish the jersey sponsor thing hadn't been as big a deal. That's just a personal thing, though: I hate advertising.

And it's Necaxa. C before X.

Digital

16,770: Average MLS attendance, the highest since the 1996 inaugural season

15,230: Average Crew Stadium attendance, the highest since 2004

93: Fouls suffered by Moreno, most in MLS

65: Fouls suffered by Schelotto, second most in MLS

5: MLS games played by David Beckham

18: MLS games in which Beckham was eligible to play

-- Shawn Mitchell

smitchell@dispatch.com

I'm surprised average attendance was so high. It never seemed to be that many folks. And Moreno should talk to McBride about getting fouled so much... let's just hope it never leads to him having a robot face like Bake did.

Beckham? Much ado about nothing... though I wish he'd kicked Jesse Marsch's face in after that stupid foul.

What Political Leader/Classic Movie Are You?

I'm sort of surprised at mine... never pictured myself as a Kennedy.

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Now THIS is a little more like it...

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

The Best Argument I've Seen for Taking Action Against Global Warming

I've put forth a few arguments in favor of taking action against climate change. I've mentioned that any action we take to fight global warming is a positive action elsewhere as well, whether it fights pollution, reduces the obesity rates, increases the health of our populations, etc.

But here's an argument that I can't believe hasn't made the rounds yet. Well, it will now.

CAFE Standards: Going at It the Wrong Way?

Many of you probably know about the fight over CAFE standards in automobiles. CAFE stands for Corporate Average Fuel Economy, and basically it's the average fuel economy rating in miles per gallon for all the cars in a company's lineup. A great explanation of it can be found here.

If you read this, you can see that the standards are sort of flawed - they only count cars up to a certain weight, which most certainly doesn't account for ALL the cars on the road, only the more fuel-efficient smaller models. SUVs, trucks, etc. all get ignored.

But that's neither here nor there for the purposes of this post. My thought is this: instead of trying to govern the mileage of various car companies, but not do anything to improve road safety, why not kill two birds with one stone by installing some sort of mechanism that would set a maximum speed at which motorized vehicles can travel?

This would do a couple of things: 1) people wouldn't be able to waste gas by going too fast, and 2) roads would be safer because people would be going at a more reasonable speed.

I know that many people will say that this is fascist rubbish, but is it really? I would say that the greater evil is continuing to allow for (and even subsidize) a road system that allows 43,000 deaths per year for the sake of going faster.

Obviously, emergency vehicles would be allowed to go faster, but if no one else could go faster then you wouldn't have many of the issues that emergency vehicles have when trying to get to the scene of an incident quickly.

Anyway, it's a thought, what do you think?

Finally...

Best National Anthem Ever

This is almost enough to make me want to be a Red Sox fan.

If you've ever stood near me at a sporting event, you know that I'm a connoisseur of singing the the National Anthem of the US. I'm a firm believer that if you're going to have a live singer or singers performing the Star Spangled Banner, or ANY country's anthem, you should sing it in a way that allows the crowd to sing along. Not everyone has operatic voices, nor the ability to hold a note for ten minutes.

And it's not a song that you should be experimenting with bizarrely styled ad-libbing of the notes, either. It's a song that means a great deal to our country and its citizens. No matter whether you're a Democrat, a Republican, pro- or anti-war, etc., you can sing the anthem and it means something to you. America is a place of which to be very proud, as is just about every country for different reasons (yet, for some reason, the same reason when you get right down to it).

I have been known to heckle singers who play around with it and make it impossible to sing along - they have no business leading the crowd in singing a patriotic song. It's not meant to be a performance, it's participatory. You SING ALONG.

I also have no time for people who stand there and look around at everyone else, or talk, or just don't even try to sing during the anthem. We sing the anthem to honor our home. Get on the stick and be proud of where you live.

That being said, here is possibly the GREATEST singing of the Star Spangled Banner that I've ever experienced. And I wasn't even there. The description of the clip on YouTube reads:

It was Disability Awareness day and the folks at Fenway did a lot of great things for kids with challenges..here is one who sang and when he got nervous the Fenway Faithful helped him out

And help him out they do. Simply fantastic.

Nerd Tests

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New Addition!

Jennifer and I added a new member to the family over the weekend. Moira Torunn Fellrath was born on Friday morning at OSU Hospital. She's in great health and is cute as the dickens.

She's 7 lb. 6 oz., 19 1/2" long, and did I mention she's cute as the dickens? :)

Moira is an anglicization of the Gaelic Máire or Mary. Torunn is Scandinavian and means "Daughter of Thor" (and no, this does not mean I have delusions of grandeur).

Mom is also doing well, she came home from the hospital a day early.

I may be scarce for a while on the old blog, for obvious reasons. I'll catch you up later.

Ne'er Forget, Me Hearties...

Talk Like A Pirate Day is nearly upon us! Arrrr!!!

Here's Duncan talking like a pirate during breakfast on TLAPD last year. Cute guy.

Tax the Gas, Lose the Ass

A great post on the Sierra Club's Compass blog about how to push the results of the study regarding gas prices and waistlines. I had to share...

Worst Movie Trailer Ever

If you're wondering what Wolfpack's comments are about on this post, here's the story.

Wolfpack (my wife) and I were at the movies and this trailer came on. Keep in mind, I'm a HUGE Batman fan. And after Batman and Robin, I was feeling pretty betrayed.

The trailers came on, and this one starts with the Warner Bros. logo, and it started winding up through this creepy house, and the voice over was something like this (heavily paraphrased - I can't find the trailer online anywhere): "For decades, he has protected us from the forces of evil. He has prowled through the night, searching for evil and exposing it wherever it was found...." Meanwhile, the camera's still going up stairs, around corners, until it gets to an open window with the moon outside. And the camera stopped behind this very familar silhouette - what looked like a head with two bat-ears coming out of the top.

I was sitting on the edge of my seat, getting totally geeked out. I hadn't heard about any new Batman movie being in the works! How did this one get past me? Would it fall into the cartoony crap-trap that the original Batman movies did? Who was playing Batman? WHEN WAS IT COMING OUT? Meanwhile, Jenn was sitting next to me and shaking her head.

The voiceover continues: "And now, after years of waiting, to bring his justice to the night!" And then, just as you're expecting the Batman music to start, or something like that, the figure turns around... and it's FREAKING SCOOBY DOO!

I seriously let out a howl, right there in the movie theater! A soul-wrenching "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" Meanwhile, my wife, who's a big Scooby Doo fan, let's out with a "YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

So there's the story of the worst movie trailer ever. And now you're in on the joke.

Edit: "Thanks" to Matt: Here's the stupid trailer.

Scooby Doo - Batman Trailer
Uploaded by Leeowen

Makes Me a Little Bit Weepy

I don't even know what to say about this. It's absolutely beautiful. I'm already agog.

Save the Haka!

The NCAA is sticking its nose where it doesn't belong... AGAIN. This time it's in reference to the University of Hawai'i's practice of performing a Polynesian Haka dance before the game.

You may know if you've been reading this blog for a while that I love the Haka. I don't know how long Hawai'i has been doing it, but I love the New Zealand Rugby team's performance of it. They do it before every match, right in front of the opposing team, and it's a real great show of spirit and pride.

That being said, the NCAA wants to get rid of it because apparently someone got offended. Well, that person needs to shut up. No one has the right to not be offended in a land where we have a freedom of speech. You can dislike it, and not go to games where it's performed, but you can't ban it because you're offended. That's simply immature and ridiculous.

Keep up the Haka, Hawai'i! I hope you guys play ND soon so I can see it too!

Iron Man!

You know, I was never really a fan of this comic, but this looks really freaking cool!

Amazon.com's Mental Leaps

Here's the text of one of those "if you liked this, you'll like..." messages I got today.

James Fellrath,

As someone who has purchased or rated books by Alexandre Dumas, you might like to know that Finance for Sport and Leisure Managers: An Introduction will be released on September 21, 2007. You can pre-order yours by following the link below.

Finance for Sport and Leisure Managers: An Introduction Robert Wilson Price: $48.95 Release Date: September 21, 2007

Book Description

Sport and leisure managers need to understand the financial side of their industry in order to offer the most cost-effective facilities and to make sound business decisions. However, to the non-expert the language and practice of finance is often bewildering and perceived as complicated, difficult and impenetrable. This textbook guides the reader through the maze of financial terms and concepts, illustrating theory with examples drawn specifically from sport-based contexts to make this the most relevant, transparent and helpful handbook for students of leisure management available.

Written by experts in accounting and sport management, this book enables readers to work through the subject at their own pace, with case studies, ... Read more

Um...

Ah...

Er...

What exactly does my appreciation for The Count of Monte Cristo have to do with managing sports? I suppose there's some sword-fighting in it, which is sort of like fencing... which is a sport... no, even that's too much.

There's a High Rate of Exercise-Induced Asthma, Says Study. Jamie Says "Why?"

The results of a study was released recently by OSU's sports medicine department recently that speaks to the high rate of exercise-induced asthma in college varsity athletes. The department used a "eucapnic voluntary hyperpnea testing" procedure, where basically people hyperventilate themselves and then their lung function is measured. 42 of 107 athletes were diagnosed with the condition as a result. 39 of them had never had asthma diagnosed in them before.

Interesting study. It goes on to say that the rate of exercise-induced asthma (I'm just going to say asthma from now on, assume I mean this specific form of the condition) is probably higher than originally thought due to this test never having been used before.

But I think that what this test is failing to consider is that maybe the rate of asthma has actually increased, instead of just lying undiagnosed for all this time. This study could be a benchmark for a study of air quality in our city. All the athletes diagnosed were from OSU, and therefore are breathing Columbus air (which isn't the best in the world, by a long shot).

If they'd never been diagnosed before, it's possible that they come from a cleaner environment than Columbus and they didn't develop it until they got to OSU...

I'd like to see this study become a larger study - it really could be a great example of just how bad things are with air quality in the city (and around the country).

Daily Roundup: "Diet" Pop, Great Anti-Klan stuff, Miss Scarolina puts herself on the map

As I've been saying for a long time, diet pop doesn't do much for actual dieting. In fact, quite the reverse. See this article from WebMD. Drop the pop - drink water. Tap water will do just fine, too.

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Possibly the greatest anti-Klan/Nazi/Ignorant bastard rally I've ever heard of.

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Miss Teen Scarolina redeems herself in a big way. Sure, she looked silly here, but you have to give her props for learning from her gaffe. I consider myself knowledgeable about Geography, but I only got 6 out of 7 right on this quiz (which gave me the ranking of "Crown Cartographer!").

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John Edwards Starting To Set Himself Apart From Merlot Democrats

John Edwards is starting to show himself as the populist candidate he's claimed to be all along, after a speech in Hanover, New Hampshire where he called for an end to the corporate lobbying culture of America. Full text here of the speech is here.

I have to admit, I'd sort of bought the lines about Edwards being something of a vapid individual until now... but he's saying all the things I've been saying for years... and he's a presidential candidate with some pull. Perhaps not as much as Clinton or Obama, but he's been a VP candidate, he's getting money from donors, and he's in a position to make real waves.

I'm not saying I'm going to start pounding the Edwards drum, but I'm going to start paying serious attention to the beat.

Holbrook Being Harassed For Telling Truth

Poor Karen Holbrook. It seems that people aren't allowed to tell the truth any more if it's going to be seen as offensive to someone.

From WBNS-10TV's website:

Paper: Holbrook Bad-Mouthing Buckeyes
Aug 29 2007 6:51AM

NAPLES, Florida - Former Ohio State University President Karen Holbrook reportedly told trustees at a Florida university that some who lived in OSU's campus area had "a culture of rioting" and were looking for any excuse to have "drunken orgies."

The Naples (Fla.) Daily News reported the comments came during Holbrook's recent interview for the president's job at Florida Gulf Coast University. Holbrook later dropped out of the job search.

"I went to Ohio State and had no idea there was a culture of rioting," Holbrook told the trustees. "Any good excuse gets some of the people on the street and they think it's fun to flip cars and have absolute drunken orgies."

During Holbrook's first year as OSU president in 2002, a campus-area riot after the Buckeyes' football victory over Michigan brought national attention to the university. The alcohol-fueled melee, in which cars were overturned and set on fire, resulted in more than 50 arrests.

Holbrook, 64, retired June 30 after five years as Ohio State's president.

Watch 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for the latest developments on this story.

Hey, OSU? It's true. It's been happening ever since I moved here in 1996. Get over it, do something to fix the problem, and move on.

Cheney - Not Willing To Take His Own Advice

Words can't even describe how angry this makes me...

Former ND Kicker Harry Oliver Passes Away

There are certain moments when you remember exactly where you were at that moment. 9/11 and the Challenger explosion are the two biggies for my generation: I was sitting in my living room, late for work, when I heard about 9/11, and I was in our high school library after lunch when the Challenger exploded.

Another one I remember vividly is when Notre Dame beat Michigan in 1980. ND was down to Michigan 27-26 with something like two seconds on the clock. I was sitting in our car in the Kroger parking lot in Alma, MI because my folks had gone in to Kroger shopping and I wanted to listen to the Mutual Radio broadcast of the game.

Yeah, I know... even when I was only 11. Ask my friends, I was annoying back then, too.

Anyway, the Irish were going for a 51-yard field goal against the wind, and this little kicker named Harry Oliver was taking the kick. Miraculously, the wind stopped just as the kick was taken... it was up and it was good. I jumped out of the car and was running around it in the parking lot... my dad was so excited when he got back in the car and I told him... finally, something to stick in the faces of all the U of M fans in his office.

Anyway, Harry Oliver passed away yesterday in Cincinnati, where he was living and had spent the last two years battling cancer. Harry, thank you so much for a little slice of happiness and decades of nostalgia.

Here's the kick as described by Tony Roberts of the Notre Dame Football Radio Network:



And just for fun (well, my fun) here's U of M's Bob Ufer with the same call (he's so distraught he can't even get the score right until the third try):

Daily Show Captures "Horror" of Nantucket Wind Farm Project

No commentary necessary. Just watch.

RIP: Tommy Makem

As much as many of them cringe to hear it, the music of most children's memory is that stuff their parents listened to during their early years. For me, that consists of lots of Neil Diamond, Burt Bacharach... and Tommy Makem. My dad is a bit tone-deaf due to a bad ear infection he had as a kid, and he always gravitates to lyrical music over instrumental because of that. And one band he loved dearly was the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem.

So I grew up listening to them - and when I was old enough I actually bought a couple of their albums myself. Tommy Makem is the consummate musician - passionate, respectful of those who've come before him and appreciative of those who've come after him, and humble about his skill and fame. He has a golden voice (golden as a dram of Irish Whiskey) and a wonderful presence about him, that makes you feel as if you're having a conversation with him as he sings or talks about his music.

Tommy died yesterday, but he'll never be missed. This weekend's Dublin Irish Festival will be a bit sadder for the loss of one so great, but in typical Irish fashion I'd imagine that this is going to be one heck of an Irish wake!

Elcock Back to Crew?

Okay, not really, but now that Chicago's lineup features Mexican forward Cuahtemoc Blanco, I think the Crew should look into re-signing Elcock just to give him the heebie-jeebies.

Pathetic Suburbanites

On my biking blog, I recently addressed a Dispatch interview with Mark McCullers, the general manager of the Crew. He was talking about Crew Stadium and the need for improvements around it. I discussed the need for bike racks and a better cycling infrastructure, as it is a biking blog.

One of the comments I received was from a fellow who calls himself "Adrock", but left no contact information. And frankly, it pissed me off. Here's his first comment:

They would also have to relocate the stadium somewhere that is acceptable for most people to take their families to, especially if by bike.

I don't go to Crew games for the same reason I don't go to Clippers games or go shopping at City Center.

Once the new baseball stadium opens though, I'll probably be cruising down there on my bike all the time. I'd definitely go to soccer games too if the stadium weren't in such an awful location. I can't imagine what our international visitors must think of Columbus when they see it.

Huh? My answer:

What's wrong with the location of Crew Stadium? It's centrally located and easily accessible from both the expressway and surface streets. Plenty of families come to Crew games all the time - in fact, crowds seem to be made up mostly of families.

And he responded just now with this:

well, for me personally, it's not a place i'd choose to go unless i had to. i grew up in hilliard and live in grandview and have friends & family that live all around other suburbs. i can tell you that a good number of us suburban folk don't find the state fairgrounds or anywhere else in the majority of the city of columbus an appealing place to go visit.

sure, call me sheltered or ignorant or anything else, but that's the way it goes.

Okay. You're sheltered and ignorant - and a bit stuck up. First of all, most of the Crew's audience is suburban families. So you really can't say that "They would also have to relocate the stadium somewhere that is acceptable for most people to take their families to" - as it's obviously perfectly acceptable for most people to take their families to. I take my family there for almost every game. My friends all do the same. Just because YOUR little enclave won't go doesn't mean MOST people won't.

Second, your need to cling to the suburbs is cultural elitism of the very worst. You don't wish to see how anyone outside your little pre-fab environment lives, so you hide and partition yourself from the real world.

Third, you're a sprawlist of the worst sort - instead of visiting something, you insist that it be brought to you instead. So you're spoiled, on top of sheltered, ignorant, and stuck up.

Not taking advantage of the things your city has to offer because of the location is just sad. And it's people like this who are responsible for much of the environmental degradation we see today via the magic of sprawl.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Reasons to be very scared... from an AP report:

Bush to Have Colonoscopy at Camp David
By DEB RIECHMANN
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush will have a routine colonoscopy Saturday and temporarily hand presidential powers to Vice President Dick Cheney, the White House said.

That's it, we're done.

I'm Not An Addict, Baby. That's a Lie

68%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Mingle² - Online Dating

I Wish They All Could Be.... Vermont Senators?

Senator Patrick Leahy hits the nail right on the head. Time to start impeachment procedings against the Cheney/Bush government.

Must Have Been a Slow Night...

The Lies That Led To War

CBC's documentary show The Fifth Estate produced a program on the lies that led to the War in Iraq. It should be required viewing for all Americans, though it's pretty obvious that many won't watch it because it's not produced in the US.

This is 44 minutes long, but please watch it.

In the Garden of Eden

I love the Simpsons...

Apologize to World for Bush's Actions

President George Bush has made the USA the only country in the G8 nations that did NOT agree to a goal of preventing the rise of the average temperature of the world by 2 degrees Centigrade, stating that it was against our policies.

"The treatment of climate change runs counter to our overall position and crosses multiple 'red lines' in terms of what we simply cannot agree to... We have tried to 'tread lightly' but there is only so far we can go given our fundamental opposition to the German position."
- White House document; 5/14/2007

The president obviously doesn't speak for the majority of Americans, who in poll after poll say they want the government to address climate change as the hard science that it is, and do something to reduce it.

Friends of the Earth is sending a petition that basically states just that:

On behalf of the United States of America, I apologize for the actions of our president, George W. Bush. His rejection of global warming measures to be endorsed at the upcoming G8 meeting is shameful, and does not represent my views or those of the American people.

Please visit the link and sign this petition!

Bush Administration Wants To Let Beef Kill You

According to the International Herald Tribune, the Bush Administration is fighting to keep meatpackers from testing all their animals for Mad Cow Disease, which has killed 150 people worldwide (3 in the US thus far).

Read the article, but apparently Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, a Kansas company, wants to test all their cows regularly for the disease, a move that larger companies say will force them to do the same. So the Bush Administration appealed a federal court decision that denied the larger companies attempts to stop Creekstone from carrying out its new policy.

So let's sort this out: Creekstone wants to do the right thing and ensure that its product is fit to eat and won't kill the consumers. Larger companies want to stop Creekstone from doing this because they don't want to have to do it themselves. And the Bush Administration is helping the big companies get their way.

So, in essence, the Bush Administration wants to let the bigger companies kill their customers.

Nice, eh?

Campaign Ads on Television

I have a question for all of you out there, especially those from outside the United States. It concerns the prevalence of television advertisements for political office campaigns.

The question is: Do you have them? And do you feel that they affect your nations' influence by special interest groups?

Please respond in the comments on this post. This is not a scientific poll or anything like that, it's more just my own search for information.

26 Global Warming Myths Debunked

Britain's magazine New Scientist takes 26 different "reasons" to doubt global warming and debunks them. It's a good read, though a bit technical in parts.

My Rant About the Worst Anti-Science Excuse: "I Don't Believe In It"

A couple of scientific issues that are continually in the headlines these days are evolution and global climate change. And the thing that irks me continually is to see the people who come out publicly saying "I don't believe in" one or the other.

You know what? We don't have the luxury of not believing in these things, because they're not belief systems. They're science. And both of them are so strongly considered to be consensuses by the scientists that study them that they're can be considered fact.

Science is a process of researching, hypothesizing, experimentation, analysis, and then the same again, over and over. It's the fact-based, empirical search for truth. Scientific consensus is not a matter of opinion. If scientists say something works a certain way, and the theory has been tested and re-tested in numerous ways the way that both evolution and global warming have at this point, then it's truly folly to say you "don't believe in them."

When you hear pundits on the radio and elsewhere talk about how these things are matters of opinion because they have the tag "theory" on them, that's not valid questioning. A "theory" is a tested and verified hypothesis, which is an educated guess to begin with. So subjective evidence supports the claims of these theories. These pundits have a misunderstanding of what a theory actually is, and have attempted to spread that misunderstanding to the world through their "outrage."

Now, if you have an actual scientific reason, based on data, experimentation, and analysis, for questioning a theory, that's a whole different issue. That's the purpose of scientists reporting their data to peer-reviewed journals throughout their discipline - to invite more research and experimentation. It's part of the scientific method - the system of research, hypothesis, experimentation, and results reporting - that all reputable scientists use.

Such concepts as intelligent design and the like, which are proposed as "competing theories," are actually nothing of the sort. If you read them, they are philosophy at best - a "what if" scenario that doesn't have any experimentation to actually back it up. And what they strike me as is the last-gasp attempt of someone, who thinks his belief system is under attack by real evidence, to hold on to something that's given them comfort.

To Anyone Who Doubts That Cheney's Halliburton Is Crooked...

... you can stop wondering. Read this article and start calling your Representatives and Senators.

Moreno to Crew - So Long, Joseph Ngwenya

In a fairly big trade, the Crew grabbed forward Alejandro Moreno from Houston and traded Joseph Ngwenya to the Dynamos in return.

I'll be very honest, I've only seen Moreno play a couple times as I generally don't have time to watch non-Crew games on TV (I don't always have time to watch Crew games on TV, for that matter). But from what I've seen, he's a much cleaner player than Carlos Ruiz (not that that's too hard), who was rumored to be coming to Columbus. And he's a big, physical presence up front, a good holder of the ball, and he's scored a lot of goals in the rather limited number of games he's been in. He seems to have always been behind a top-notch scorer on the depth chart wherever he's been, so he's probably chomping at the bit to be the number one guy.

So I like this move. I liked Ngwenya, but have to admit I agree with those who say he was offside too much. He was starting much better this season, but the fact remains that we need a scoring punch, and with only one true forward on the roster (and a crappy one at that in Jason Garey) we needed to do something. And now we have.

Also interesting - our trades recently have been much more about skill than about "hustle," "pace," or being a good practice player. That was a curse we were under in the Fitz/Andrulis years. With Sigi Schmidt as the big kahuna on the bench, we're moving in a much more offensive, skill-based direction. I like it. We'll see how things pan out if we can ever get Moreno and Herron on the field simultaneously. I'm excited!

150 Things You've Done In Your Life

One of my favorite cycling blogs had an entry today with a list of 150 things you've done with your life - mark off the ones you've done, that sort of thing. I thought I'd post it here and see just how I did...

The whole list is down in the comments so that I don't take up too much room on the main blog page. I've apparently done 64 of these. Not bad:

3. Climbed a mountain
8. Said "I love you" and meant it
9. Hugged a tree
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
15. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
22. Watched a meteor shower
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Bet on a winning horse
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
34. Ridden a roller coaster
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
42. Had amazing friends
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
67. Started a business
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
74. Crashed a party
77. Made cookies from scratch
84. Performed on stage
87. Eaten shark
91. Bought a house
94. Been on a cruise ship
95. Spoken more than one language fluently
97. Raised children
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
110. Broken someone's heart
113. Broken a bone
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
118. Ridden a horse
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey
135. Selected one important author who you missed in school, and read
137. Skipped all your school reunions
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
148. Shaved your head

American Poultry Literally Swimming in Feces

Did you know that most of the so-called "First World" will not buy poultry from the U.S. because it is literally swimming in feces, pus, and other waste products? This is the state of the U.S. poultry industry, particularly the factory farms and such.

More reason to buy organic meats...

Raider Nation Distributing Shields to Fans To Ward Off Errant Russell Passes

Oakland Uber-fan group the Raider Nation is reportedly distributing protective shields to their members in an attempt to protect them from the wild passes of #1 draft pick Jamarcus Russell.

"Mr. Russell, though blessed with a rocket for an arm, has been known to have trouble connecting with his recievers in a big way," said Gregory Baker, head of the Raider Nation Human Resources Department. "These shields will allow our fans to remain safe while watching games."

When asked what sort of protection the Raiders players will get in regards to this situation, Raiders owner Al Davis reportedly said "Have you seen this guy throw? The players have nothing to worry about! It's the fans that need to watch out, and I'm proud of the Raider Nation for stepping up and making these protective devices available to its members."

The shields are reportedly made of a carbon-fiber material, making them light enough for a toddler to hold but strong enough to withstand the bullets of Russell.

"We recommend that two fans be reponsible for the wielding of each shield," said Baker. "This guy could throw a pass through a 747 - he's that strong."

The FTSB is apparently recommending that air traffic patterns be altered during game days to go around Oakland's McAfee Colisseum.

Some ire did remain for coach Lane Kiffin and his staff despite this humanitarian gesture by the Raider Nation.

"What do they think they're doing?" asked one irate Raider Nation mother. "I take my kids to those games - do they think a ten-year old can stand up to one of those passes?"

Baker and the Raider Nation Research and Development team are now looking at new ways to help defend the smallest Raiders fans from the gatling-gun like prowess of Russell. "We're looking at a kids' section that has a protective guard around it - sort of like the Popemobile. A cheaper option would be to hand out free t-shirts to all the kids with targets on the chests - Russell's sure to miss those!"

Ruiz to Crew? Er...um...

Okay, I'm not really sure how I feel about this one. Allen Hopkins at ESPN reports:

Reunion: Vol. 2?

First it was Clint Mathis and Bruce Arena. Now could it be Carlos Ruiz and Sigi Schmid?

There are growing rumblings that the Crew could make a move to pry Carlos Ruiz away from FC Dallas. Ruiz has been substituted in two of the past three matches by first-year head coach Steve Morrow and that hasn¹t sat well with the FCD captain.

Ruiz and Schmid were a very successful pairing in 2002 leading the Galaxy to their first MLS Cup after three previous championship-game losses. And to say Schmid has a place in his heart for Ruiz is an understatement. The Crew are quietly unbeaten and seem to be only a proven goal scorer away from making noise in the East.

An MLS coach told me this week, "It doesn't make a whole lot of sense the way they're [Dallas] playing tactically right now in that formation. To be playing Ruiz up top by himself and Cooper out wide really hurts them quite a bit." Stay tuned.

The article is absolutely right. We are a goal-scorer away from being a power at this point. We have solid defense, a midfield that has been able to get the ball forward, and even lots of shots. But we only have three goals on the season. THREE! Granted, Andy Herron is still trying to work himself into play and the crap suspension against him doesn't help. But there are another ten guys out there to score and they're just not doing it. Eddie Gaven is on leaderboard for shots but not shots on goal. So we could sure use a proven forward.

On the other hand, though... Ruiz is a diving mess. I don't feel as strongly about him as I do Ante Razov, but I sure as heck don't like him. He's too much a Central American player (who's not from Costa Rica - I never see them diving as much as I do other C.A. players, it seems) in that he's constantly flopping and throwing out the histrionics. And I can't support that. Even when it's our player, and you're supposed to be able to support your players... I can't do it here. He's all that is wrong with soccer.

Damn... what's a Crew fan supposed to do?

Ingenuity? Perhaps.

You have to appreciate the work that went into such a project. Look for this at soccer matches and award shows coming soon.

One Day Blog Silence

Apple's New Product

Introducing.... the iRack!

Try Petrolius... It'll Give You That Warm Feeling All Over (the World)

Brilliant video... and visit the link after you watch!

VideoVets.Org

Like any other community, the community of military veterans and their families is not homogeneously for the war in Iraq. Click here for more information.

Best Commercial Ever

And it actually makes me want to buy the product!

Tank McNamara Gets It Right

What's true for the NBA is most certainly true in MLS...

Okay, Who's Been Giving Clocks to the Trees?

Here's a letter to the editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette from Connie M. Meskimen, of Hot Springs, Arkansas. Apparently she thinks Congress has a little more power than they do...

Seriously, I pray that this is a joke. But somehow I don't think it is...

UPDATE: It is a joke. But it's a darned funny one. See Matt's comments below.

Finally, a Serious Look at Caffeine

US News and World Report is running an article this week on the health risks of caffeine and other uppers, an addiction that is afflicting our nation at an alarming rate.

And thank goodness. It's been apparent to me from the beginning that those things are bad news.

Remember Jolt Cola? When that stuff came out in the 80s, I was amused by the ads for it: "All the sugar, twice the caffeine." Then, I tried it - and my heart started palpitating. I never tried it again. I didn't see the point.

I tried a Red Bull once before I realized what it was... the stuff tasted like crap and made me feel about the same... it was hard to tell because I had it with vodka. I never tried that again, either. Then I actually looked at the label... and I figured why I felt the same. And there's another reason to question MLS's "family-friendly" ideals when they accept money from Red Bull to change a team name to that of their drug drink.

Those so-called "energy drinks" are nothing of the sort. They're uppers, plain and simple. They disrupt sleep, cause heart problems, increase stress, and basically wreck your life.

I have a cup of coffee now and then, and I take Excedrin Migraine for my migraines. And that's about it. I rarely drink caffeinated pop, and I get my "upper" from exercise and deep breathing. That's all you really need. There's no better upper than a vigorous round of good exercise - like my daily bike ride into work.

And as for all those drug drink "energy drinks," they need to have warnings on them like cigarettes and alcohol. Because there's really very little difference.

Urlacher Slapped On Wrist Over Choice of Beverage

Brian Urlacher was fined $100,000 for wearing a Vitamin Water hat and drinking the aforementioned beverage publicly at a Bears media day event. Apparently it's against the rules for players to appear at official events wearing logos for non-NFL sponsors.

This makes me laugh until you think about how un-American it is. If we are a country that stands up for the freedom of choice, then what business is it of the NFL or its sponsors which beverage Brian Urlacher or any other player chooses to drink, no matter where he is?

I hope Urlacher takes this just as far as Jim McMahon did back in the day of the whole Rozelle headband thing.

Corporate Named Teams SUCK

I know, I know, any money coming into MLS should be welcomed and all, and to some extent I agree with that. But... renaming a team after your corporate name? Hmmm...to me, that's just....

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling...

Makes me pine for the old country...

Bush Set To Disobey Supreme Court

The Supreme Court's landmark case regarding the Environmental Protection Agency and global warming is near to being totally defied by the Bush Administration - predictably.

From the Los Angeles Times:

President Bush, while acknowledging Tuesday that he took "very seriously" the Supreme Court's ruling that the Environmental Protection Agency must regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles as pollution, set up a potential conflict with Congress by attaching two conditions to comply with the decision.

Bush said that any regulatory program should not slow economic growth, nor should its benefits to the atmosphere be offset by mounting emissions from China, India and other growing economies.

So, let's sort this out:

First, Bush says that a regulatory program should not slow economic growth. Obviously, the Bush Administration continues to follow the mindset that environmental policy enforcement means slowing the economy, when most reports today indicate that such enforcement will actually HELP the economy in the long run. Otherwise, why would companies like Wal-Mart be attempting to go green? The big box store giant announced late last year that it was attempting to produce zero waste and use entirely renewable fuels. And companies like DuPont and General Electric have announced similar goals, as a SMALL example.

So it seems the encouragement and enforcement of environmental policies is actually a PRO-economy move... unless you're in an industry that makes its living from being a polluter, specifically energy, oil and coal industries. And guess who put Bush into the White House!

Second, Bush says that our efforts should not be offset by China, India, and other developing countries. So, in other words, Bush is applying the playground mentality of "Joey doesn't have to do it, why do I have to?" Grow up, Mr. President. The economic issue isn't valid, therefore neither is this issue - we don't have to pollute to keep up with developing nations like China and India economically. And the US is the number one polluter in the world - our reduction in emissions can't help but make an impact, no matter WHAT China and India do.

And one final note: the President doesn't have the legal option to defy the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court's decisions are final, they are the Constitutional law of the land. He, as the head of the executive branch, is constitutionally bound to enforce the law of the land - no matter what. But, given his flouting of his constitutional responsibilities throughout his administration, should we be surprised?

You May Be The One Out Of Ten...

NASA satellite data estimates that one person in ten would be affected directly by rising sea levels due to global warming.

Want to see if you're one of those folks? Check out Flood Maps, which uses Google Maps to show the influence of the oceans' rising one meter at a time.

Hope you don't live in New York City or Florida...

Lack of News

The boys at JibJab are at it again... take a look at this one. This is particularly ironic because I was just about to post about a conversation I had with some of my co-workers about this very topic.

What We Call the News | Send To Friends | Funny Animations at JibJab

However, the conversation we had was more disheartening. Everyone was admitting that there was too much celebrity news on TV and that they knew more about Brittney Spears than Iraq, the environment, etc. But no one really seemed to care much about it.

Sigh...

I Suppose It's Only Fair...

Funding Elections

If you're like me, the inequities that exist for people trying to run for public office scare you. The electoral system has caused itself to be set up so that only the richest folks can run.

Well, there is a bill being proposed in Congress that would help to limit that. More information here, and you can sign a petition to support this bill here.

Crew On A Turnaround?

Normally, I don't put any stock into pre-season matches of any kind, as they don't mean anything. They're made up of games where the rules are bent to let many more players get some field time than a normal game would allow, the players themselves are in varying degrees of fitness (and availability), and the coaches are trying out different strategems and tactical ideas in a game environment.

That being said... this pre-season's Crew has got me excited. They are 6-1-1, with their loss and tie coming in the first two games of pre-season. They beat Dallas in Dallas in the inaugural Pioneer Cup in honor of Lamar Hunt. They're SCORING GOALS. Note that last one: SCORING GOALS. Their last four games have been 4-1, 3-1, 3-0, and 4-1 scorelines. I think that's more goals than we scored all last season.

Okay, seriously - we scored 30 goals in 32 games last season. In FOUR preseason games, we've scored 14. At that rate, if we were to do that in league play, we'd have 112 goals for the year. The most ever scored by a team in a year is 85 by the Gals in 1998 - the past few years it's barely gotten above 60.

Now I'm fully aware that a pre-season goal means precisely jack, as do pre-season goal totals. But the fact that it's this high in pre-season, even if it's cut in half, is still in the range of the top totals for the past few years!

Not since a smiling Trini named Stern John graced our field have we had a scoring threat, and the interesting thing is that our supposed new scoring leader, Andy Herron, hasn't even been in camp yet (due to Visa issues, I think). So... I'm cautiously optimistic.

Let's face it - this club has disappointed me so much in the past that I've looked to the native Ohioans around me at games and asked "so, is this what it feels like to be a Browns fan?" (and gotten some nasty looks). But it feels different, finally. I'm looking forward to April 7th.

Stop Changing the Subject

A huge pet peeve of mine is people who think that they can win an argument by changing the subject ever so slightly.

Case in point: on a bike forum I'm on, I pointed out the Bush Administration's poor environmental record and the weakening of environmental protection standards by the Bush EPA.

Some guy replied to me that this was a total misconception, and that Al Gore has three houses without any sort of environmentally friendly sources of energy or other features, while Bush's ranch down in Texas uses solar and geothermal. He responded with "Score one for Bush."

NEVER in our discussion did he actually address my point - he just pointed out that ONE house owned by Bush is sort of green. And I responded with a link that listed all the Bush Administration environmental woes.

The attitude that you can rebut criticisms about "your side" by pointing out the faults of the "other side" is absolutely laughable to me. You should rebut by pointing out the faults in the original argument if you can, otherwise you need to shut up.

All Crew Away Games To Be Televised in 2007

Good news for Crew fans - we won't be shackled to the radio as much this season because ALL the away games are being televised! Thanks ONN, FSC, HDNet, etc. for their efforts.

There are three games that are ONLY on HDNet, but I think that can be handled.

COLUMBUS CREW PRESS RELEASE

ONN-TV TO CARRY 10 CREW GAMES THIS SEASON
All 15 Crew regular-season road games will be televised by either ONN – the Dispatch
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Contact: Dave Stephany, 614-447-4190, or Jason Smith, 614-447-4176

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Crew and ONN-TV today announced the network’s 2007 Crew broadcast schedule, which will ensure that all 15 Crew road games in 2007 will be televised. For the third straight season, ONN will televise the majority of Crew road games, totaling at least 10 this year, beginning April 14 at Real Salt Lake. The complete schedule follows.

Dwight Burgess, the original “Voice of the Crew,” will handle play-by-play duties for all ONN broadcasts and Bill McDermott returns for another season as lead analyst. Katie Witham returns for her third season as sideline reporter.

Fox Soccer Channel will air two more Crew road games nationally and HDNet will televise the other three (in addition to two ONN is carrying, as well), meaning that Crew fans will be able to see all 15 Crew road games live this season.

“ONN has continually increased it sports programming over the past few years and has evolved into a sports programming destination for many fans,” said Crew VP of Corporate Sales & Broadcasting Chad Schroeder. “The Dispatch Printing Company relationship is significant, as it links the Crew with the strongest promotional partner in central Ohio and substantially increases our ability to create awareness for our game broadcasts and our brand.”

The broadcast agreement is the lynchpin of a larger integrated partnership that positions the Dispatch Printing Company and its affiliated properties as a cornerstone partner with the Crew. As such, The Dispatch Printing Company receives a significant presence within Crew Stadium, hospitality, promotional rights, media rights and a community outreach platform with the Crew. The Crew benefits by having an established television broadcast home with a statewide footprint and reciprocal promotional and advertising assets.

“ONN’s commitment to Ohio sports has been a core value since the day we began,” said Tom Griesdorn, President and General Manager of ONN-TV. “Anyone who’s been to a Crew game knows the energy, excitement, and enjoyment the fans experience. This is a great fit with our other local sports franchises and we’re very pleased to be Ohio’s television home for The Crew.”

Burgess returns for his 12th season behind the microphone for the Crew and his 17th calling professional soccer play-by-play. A 26-year broadcast veteran, Burgess was a two-time soccer collegiate All-American at DePauw University and was twice selected to developmental camps for the United States National Program. He also currently serves as the head men’s and women’s soccer coach at Capital University.

ONN is Ohio’s channel for news, weather and sports and is available in 83 of 88 counties. ONN is a member of the Dispatch Broadcast Group, which includes WBNS-TV, WBNS-AM/FM, ONN and Radio Sound Network in Columbus, Ohio; WTHR-TV and SkyTrak Weather Network in Indianapolis, Indiana. For a complete ONN channel listing, please visit the website at OhioNewsNow.com. In Columbus, ONN is available on all Wide Open West and Insight cable systems, while Time Warner customers should upgrade to digital to get ONN.

Single-game tickets for the 2007 home season went go sale to the general public on Saturday (March 10) at the Crew Stadium Box Office, all Central Ohio Ticketmaster retail locations, via Ticketmaster phone at 614-431-3600 and on-line at TheCrew.com. Fans can still become Crew Soccer Nation members, as well, by purchasing full-season ticket packages or partial plans. Group tickets are also available for all 15 home games. All ticket packages and plans are available by calling 614-447-CREW and at TheCrew.com.

Founded by Lamar Hunt, the Columbus Crew is Ohio's Major League Soccer club, anchoring a diverse sports and entertainment enterprise. One of the league's Charter Members, it will open its 12th season overall and ninth in first-of-its-kind Columbus Crew Stadium on Saturday, April 7, when it plays host to Claudio Reyna and the New York Red Bulls.

Crew Road Television Schedule

DAY	DATE	GAME	TIME (ET)	NETWORK
Sat.	April 14	at Real Salt Lake	6 p.m.	ONN/HDNet
Sat.	May 5	at Kansas City Wizards	1 p.m.	ONN
Sat.	May 19	at New York Red Bulls	7:30 p.m.	ONN
Sun.	June 3	at Chicago ire	7 p.m.	ONN
Sat.	June 16	at N.E. Revolution	6:30 p.m.	FSC
Sat.	June 23	at Los Angeles Galaxy	10:30 p.m.	ONN/HDNet
Wed.	July 4	at Colorado Rapids	9:30 p.m.	ONN
Sat.	July 14	at CD Chivas USA	10:30 p.m.	HDNet
Sat.	Aug. 4	at Chicago Fire	8:30 p.m.	HDNet
Sat.	Aug. 11	at FC Dallas	8:30 p.m.	FSC
Sat.	Aug. 25	at Houston Dynamo	8:30 p.m.	ONN
Sat.	Sept. 15	at Kansas City Wizards	8 p.m.	HDNet
Sat.	Sept. 22	at Toronto FC	3:30 p.m.	ONN
Sat.	Oct. 13	at N.E. Revolution	7:30 p.m.	ONN
Sat.	Oct. 20	at D.C. United	7:30 p.m.	ONN

— Eastern Times listed, Schedule is Subject to Change —

... And Busch Ain't Happy About It

The Dispatch reports today that Jon Busch is very unhappy with the way that his waiving was handled by coach Sigi Schmidt of the Crew.

"We did not have one conversation," he said. "We did not talk about how my knee was doing, how I was training, how I was playing. I assumed either everything was fine or it was a tough-love situation and he had more important things to worry about.

"This wasn’t even on my radar screen that this would happen."

Busch said he had discussions with general manager Mark McCullers about finishing his career in Columbus and eventually becoming the team’s goalkeepers coach. That won’t happen under Schmid.

"I will never work for Sigi again," Busch said. "I will never play for him, never join his coaching staff. He is a very good tactics coach. He knows the game like very few do. But I question his management skills and the way he handles professional players. I think they are poor."

I can't blame Busch one iota for feeling the way he does. And I think Schmidt has made a big mistake in waiving Busch. His reasoning:

"Jon is a tremendous worker and a good pro," Schmid said. "But when Jon plays, it changes how we play as a team. He has a tendency to like to play longer balls out of the back, and that’s different from how we want to play.

That may be true. And if you've paid any attention to my soccer comments on this blog over the years, you know how much I hate long-ball. But goalkeeping comes down to one thing, in all seriousness: keeping the ball out of the net. And Jon Busch does that better than Bill Gaudette or Will Hesmer - especially if they've been injured through the preseason.

I gave Sigi Schmidt the benefit of the doubt last season as his team was basically an expansion team and he had injury problems like I've never seen in any sport. But this preseason is making me seriously question his abilities... getting rid of Busch and Jose Retiz, one of the bright spots of last season, is the primary reason for that.

Busch Waiving Makes No Sense

According to the Columbus Dispatch, the Crew is planning to waive goalkeeper Jon Busch. No reason was given in the article other than it's thought that the development of Andy Gruenebaum as a potential starter for this season has made Busch expendable.

I'm no longer on the inside at all with the Crew, so I don't know much about Gruenebaum nor his skill and leadership on the field (he's one of the few keepers in MLS who DIDN'T see time in goal for the Crew last season as I remember). And Jon Busch's knee situation is a bit scary, as he's had two ACL injuries in two seasons.

But I think waiving Busch is the wrong move. Busch is one of the primary leaders on the field - his on-field communication is great, and with the experience he's gained at multiple levels of professional play, he'd be an asset back there if he was in a wheelchair. He takes heat due to his size, but he plays so well positionally that his size hasn't ever been a factor.

The other two keepers with the team right now, Bill Gaudette and Will Hesmer, aren't the quality backups that we could need if we have another injury-plagued season like last season. Gaudette is a fair keeper. He's better than all the keepers we saw last season (except Busch), but that's not saying a lot. Hesmer is untested.

If Sigi has some big signing in the works that makes Busch's services unnecessary, then yes, this move is good. But until we hear more, I don't see this as a positive change.