Former Iraq Interrogator: Torture Doesn't Work and Endangers Our Troops

For whatever reason, our government (all the way up to our current president) is endorsing the use of torture to get information out of suspected enemies. But former Air Force officer and interrogator Matthew Alexander was responsible for finding the location of Al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi using interrogation techniques straight out of the official military interrogations manual and NO torture.

The Washington Post ran an Op-Ed piece by him recently... read it and wonder what our government is trying to prove by torturing people!

US Soccer Players Comments on US/Mexico Game at Crew Stadium

Gotta love this. Crew Stadium is the real home of US Soccer... and has been ever since 2001!

I remember interviewing Jeff Agoos after that first US Mexico game in February, 2001, and his comment of "all our games should be played here." I agree!

Read on...

Perfect Setup

By Graig Carbino -- “Man, that’s gonna be cold,” was my first thought when the US Soccer Federation announced yesterday that the US Men would be playing their February 11th World Cup qualifier against Mexico in Columbus, OH. Shocked? Surprised? Disgusted? Come on, you didn’t really think they were going to play this thing in Salt Lake City, did you?

In case you were wondering, the average high temperature for Columbus in February is a balmy 38-degrees. The low? Try 21 degrees. In anybody’s world that is chilly. Keep in mind that I am a native of the Northeast. Imagine how the Mexican team must feel. Then consider the history of “El Tri” at this stadium and you get the sense that they might not be looking forward to their impending stay in Franklin County.

Even a passing fan of the US team knows why the Fed higher-ups decided to stage this heavyweight fight on the frozen tundra of Crew Stadium. Just look at the US Men’s history at this fabled (in MLS terms) ground and it’s pretty easy to figure out what made this decision.

The US has a 4-0-3 all-time record at Crew Stadium and is 3-0-2 in World Cup qualifying at the venue. We all certainly remember the “Guerra Fria” match played in February 2001 where goals from Josh Wolff and Earnie Stewart led the US to victory over Mexico in the first match of the final round of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup. The game-time temperature that day hit a high of just 29 degrees.

If you remember, Wolff had entered the match for Brian McBride who had to come off after banging heads with another Mexican player. The golf ball sized welt around McBride’s eye is an image I have yet to shake from my memory.

The US played Mexico in Columbus again in September 2005 and the same score line held up as goals from Steve Ralston and DaMarcus Beasley saw the States through. Certainly not as cold, but the atmosphere around the stadium was just as good. This was the famous “Onyewu Stare” game where he put Jared Borgetti in his back pocket and didn’t let him out until the final whistle.

US Soccer President Sunil Gulati said, “Our first priority is to give our team the best chance to be successful and achieve the goal of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, and Columbus Crew Stadium has always been a great venue for the national team.” Ya think? The conditions for this game are going to be down right nasty at best. Temperatures will most likely be in the 30’s or lower and there is always the chance of snow or a wintery mix to add to the setting. Beyond the weather though, here’s arguing that Columbus Crew stadium is the best venue for the US to play any meaningful qualifying match.

Forget the “Cathedral of American Soccer” out in Los Angeles. If you want a US Soccer home field advantage you hop a flight to Port Columbus International Airport and head over to the State Fairgrounds. That’s where you will find what I affectionately like to call the “mini Azteca in the 8th best large city in the U.S. to inhabit”?. Ok, so the name might need some tinkering, but you get the idea.

If you want fans of the US team, and the US team only, you go to Columbus. It is middle America at its best. Diverse? Not really, but for rooting purposes only I would argue that US Soccer officials don’t really care about the demographics. Sure, ideally they want the support of Mexican-Americans and Asian-Americans and every other ethnic group you can think of. In reality, they still do not have that vote.

It is going to take many more years of continued success from the US Men in order to draw the larger diverse groups of this country to their own National Team. Facts are facts, even when they come off a bit harsh.

This country is a melting pot and that’s what makes it great. When it comes right down to it though, the US Soccer Federation is looking for results and it’s easier to get them in Columbus than it would be in New York or Chicago or LA. The reason? There are more diverse populations in those larger locations, period.

For those of you who still believe players when they say home field advantage doesn’t really matter, just remember a few things. The US team almost never wins in Europe. Unless the game happens to be in or against Poland, you can usually chalk up an “L” in the results column. They also do not win in Mexico, ever. Let’s think for a second here. A rough record in Europe and seemingly unable to scratch a result Mexico. Could the atmosphere and crowd play some sort of role in these results?

Look, I am not trying to make Columbus Crew Stadium out to be the US version of Wembley. It’s not Camp Nou or Hampden Park. The Home Depot Center is much nicer and who wouldn’t rather travel to New York or Miami to watch a game. Heck, I’d rather suffer through a few hours at RFK Stadium in DC than go to Ohio in February.

What Crew Stadium offers can’t be seen or calculated in building costs. It isn’t fancy or equipped with what we’ve come to expect from the latest on soccer-specificity.

No, Crew Stadium has more of a grittier feel, a place where you go to battle. That’s why, when the results are really on the line, it is the perfect place for the US National team to fight for 90 minutes, to scrap for a result when nothing else matters. Make your travel plans now and bundle up. It will be cold, but well worth the trip.

A Charlie Brown/OutKast Christmas

This is great... as much as I love the Vince Guaraldi classic... this rocks.

Longhorns Get Hosed, Bring Back Nasty Memories of 1993

In 1993, the two top teams in the country were Notre Dame and Florida State. Damn, that seems like a long time ago... but I digress.

Notre Dame beat Florida State that year, head to head, during the regular season. They lost to Boston College the next week, and both ND and FSU ended the season with 1 loss. Not being in the BCS like we have now, they each played their bowl game, won, and that was that. And then FSU was awarded the top spot in the country, despite the obvious head-to-head battle that, to me, proved which team was actually better. ND got hosed.

Fast forward to 2008. Earlier this season, Texas beat Oklahoma, and then later lost a close one to Texas Tech. Both teams finish the regular season with one loss. Yet Oklahoma is voted #1 and gets put into the Big 12 Championship and later the national championship game. Same situation: the two teams had the same record, one beat the other, and yet the pollsters decided that they didn't like that so they just ignored it. So Oklahoma's playing for an undeserved national title and Texas is stuck playing #10 Ohio State.

This is why the rankings system does not work. I'm for a playoff. It's not a huge issue for me, I don't lose sleep over it (I have my daughter and her head cold to thank for that). But it amazes me that the college sports world has stood for this as long as they have. The obvious "popularity contest" nature of the rankings system should have gone by the wayside decades ago... yet it hasn't for whatever reason. Head to head play is and should be the deciding factor when records are equal. And the best way to assure head to head play is to have a playoff.

Get Your Poster of the Dispatch Front Page

From Shawn Mitchell's blog at the Dispatch:

Poster prints of The Dispatch

from Covering the Crew by Shawn Mitchell

I've gotten a couple of emails from readers wanting to know how to get extra copies or PDF images of today's A1 and sports sections (Crew coverage on C1 and C9).

You can purchase poster-quality reprints of any page published in the paper from the Dispatch's online page store.

Crew Celebration at State House Tonight!

From the Columbus Crew (updated at 11:20 am):

Governor to Welcome Columbus Crew to Ohio Statehouse for Victory Celebration Today

Columbus, Ohio - Governor Ted Strickland will welcome the 2008 Major League Soccer champions – the Columbus Crew – to the Ohio Statehouse for a community celebration of the team’s succesful season and victory against the New York Red Bulls on Sunday.

"The Columbus Crew’s MLS Cup victory marks a significant moment in Ohio sports history," Strickland said. "On behalf of all Ohioans, I congratulate the players, coaches and fans of the Crew on a dynamic season."

All Columbus Crew fans and community members are invited to attend the celebration at 5 p.m. today at the Ohio Statehouse.

WHO: Ohio Governor Ted Strickland
Columbus Crew team members and fans

WHAT: Columbus Crew MLS Cup Championship Celebration

WHEN: 5:00 PM

WHERE: Ohio Statehouse, West Plaza, Columbus, OH 43215

Welcome Our Champions Home!

Everyone who can is invited to meet the Crew as they return home from Los Angeles after their decisive MLS Cup win over the New York Red Bulls!

Meet at the Port Columbus baggage claim between 10:30 and 11:00 PM and greet our heroes!

Crew 3, New York 1: The Culmination of All Our Soccer Dreams

Yesterday, the Columbus Crew beat the New York Red Bulls 3-1 and took home their first MLS Cup.

I've been following the Crew since 1997, the year after I moved to Columbus. I have to fully admit I wasn't aware of the Crew until I moved down here in 1996, just after the MLS Cup of that year. My first game was a shootout win against the San Jose Clash in April of '97. I was confused as hell by the shootout (which I didn't realize even existed), but enjoyed the game. The next year, I bought season tickets. I've been a season ticket possessor since then (not always having paid for them, as I was on the Crew's website staff for several years and got free tickets for that).

I think it's safe to say I've seen this team through thick and thin since then. I was in the stadium for all the losses to DC United in the conference finals (including the deciding game in DC in '99) and have travelled to a few other games as well, in Chicago, New York, and a couple of friendlies against A-League teams in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. I've exulted in Open Cup wins and Supporters' Shield victories, and despaired to watch us give it up in the playoffs. I've bemoaned our coaching situation as we went from league-leaders to the laughing stock of the league before the term of our current coach, Sigi Schmidt. I've put up with the fans who can only see the negative with the team, and exulted with the fans who love them no matter what.

I was there for the rise of the North End fan section with uber-fan Matt Bernhardt and made lifelong friends there. I witnessed the fall of it with the rise of V-Army. I've watched from afar as the North End was reborn in the Nordecke and smiled with appreciation for this fantastic group of fans.

I've played recreational soccer with my friends from the North End and met my wife on that team. I've interviewed players and coaches, made some friends among those folks, and gotten an appreciation of the down-to-earth nature of US soccer players, players who are genuinely happy to meet their fans and appreciative of the effort that the fans make in a country where their sport is considered second-level.

This past season I probably attended fewer games than I ever have before, due to family commitments and some unforseen circumstances. But the Crew was always in my sights. I hesitantly got excited as this team excelled, did things that in the past would seem impossible for a Crew team (like regularly come back from being down a goal and hold on to a lead in the last 5 minutes), and then watched in awe as the team rolled through the playoffs and took the league in a way that couldn't have been better.

1. We kept DC United out of the playoffs in the last game of the season, getting revenge for years of them keeping us out of MLS Cup.

2. We beat the hated Chicago Fire in the conference finals.

3. And we won the whole darned thing! After a shaky start in the game, the team took over in the second half and showed the form that had led them to victory after victory all season long.

This post would be absolutely remiss without the mention of Guillermo Barros Schelotto, the midfield wizard from Argentina, who came here last year and transformed the team with his incredible vision and creative passing. I can't say anything about him that hasn't already been said, but he absolutely deserves to be remembered with the great athletes of Columbus history.

We don't know what the future holds. Coach Sigi Schmidt's contract is up this year and apparently hasn't been renewed yet (RENEW IT NOW!). Schelotto is a bit older and may not be around with us much longer. And an expansion draft for the new team from Seattle may take key personnel away. You never know .

But now, in this year, and on this day, the Crew is the MLS Champion. Finally. The long suffering fans of Columbus can relax a bit now and enjoy the fruits of victory. Let the talk of MLS's conspiracy against Columbus fade for a bit. Let's ignore the awful pro-New York coverage of the game go. We beat them all - the Crew won the whole darned thing. Enjoy.

Michael Arace from the Dispatch captures this season perfectly.

And On the Not-So-Light Side of Things...

ND Football Goes Green... And Not in the Usual Way

There are times when my alma mater gets me down, like when they forget the Catholic legacy of supporting social justice and side with conservatives too much. But there are also times when I absolutely love the place. This is one of those times.

For the first time in history, ND football will be carbon neutral for a game. The school really seems to be taking things seriously in not only greening the function of the university, but in ensuring that the students are going to be learning how to be green in their daily lives as well.

Knowing the ND student body, I'm sure there are many who are bristling over the need for green tech and attitudes as a "liberal issue." But seeing the university taking it seriously will hopefully open some eyes and minds and move things on the right path toward a greener society.

Post-Election Ponderings and Thoughts

Some ruminations on the election of Barack Obama last night. Don't expect too much structure... this is just going to be some bullet points. I'm a little too emotional right now to be very coherent.

• I actually got a little bit misty watching Obama's victory speech today (I can't stay up too late, or else I'm useless at work). Seeing the faces of hope in the audience, and the power of his words as he talked about how hard we all worked to get him into the White House, and most importantly how hard we're all going to HAVE to work to make our country truly great again were so inspiring.
  
  
• I watched Jesse Jackson weeping openly as he heard the good news. Can you imagine having worked on something for basically your whole life, having seen the lowest points of it, and then to have this happen? The culmination of his dreams is here, and like him or not, you can't deny the power of the feeling that this sort of event would have on him. Amazing.
  
  
• McCain's concession speech was elegant, and a return to the McCain of old, the one I used to like before he got caught up in election politics. I especially liked his recall of President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to the White House, as Roosevelt is one of my personal heroes.
  
  
• Listening to the McCain supporters booing the mention of Obama early on in the speech (and Biden later on) disgusted me. And I got the impression that it disgusted McCain, too. But I was touched by the applause at the mention of how far our country has come in the election of an African-American president.
  
  
• I said over ten years ago that our first African-American president was going to be a conservative. I didn't think Americans were progressive enough at the time to vote for a liberal candidate when race came into it. I'm so glad and proud that I was wrong on this one.
  
  
• But to continue on that last thought, it's interesting to me just how many people I know don't think of Barack Obama as African-American, nor of ANY minority. To me, he's simply an American. And it catches me off-guard when people talk about that issue... as if my brain is saying "oh, yeah... he is African-American." In saying this, I'm trying very hard not to seem to be trying to strip him of his proud heritage, as he should be proud. I guess that what I'm saying is that I don't see his heritage as having played any role in whether or not I supported him. I did, and that's that.
  
  
• Reading reports from around the world about this election, it's clear that the world had almost given up on the American people. I don't get to travel internationally as much as I'd like, but spending a night in a Scottish pub talking to folks who were hesitant to discuss politics with me almost five years ago, I got to see how much those folks appreciated seeing that not all Americans are hateful, insular, greedy, fearful, and cynical, as our national policies for the past eight years have been. And now I get that same feeling from other places that I'm reading about. It's a new day for not only America, but the whole world.
  
  
• My third grade teacher, Mrs. Rhoda Massanari, talked to us a lot about her personal experiences and participation in the American South during the Civil Rights struggle. That passion and optimism about Americans stuck with me over all these years, and has given me a certain impression about how to make change happen in the world. I can credit her with much of my ability to look at what seems like a hopeless task and take it on, as I've done with my bike commuting and other issues. And I see that same passion in the supporters of Barack Obama. You have to do these things in small steps, but not in steps that go backward. You may go off to one side for a while, but eventually your path will lead to its goal. Thanks, Mrs. Massanari.
  
  
• Pundits are picking out the problems that the McCain campaign had and some of the errors it made. But as McCain himself pointed out, this election was not about politics. It was about unity and positive change. And the candidate who was and always has been about unity and positive change won the day. That's really all you need to know.
  
  
• Exactly four years ago, I was chatting with my friend Shane about my first child coming into the world. I looked at the recent Ohio vote to ban gay marriage and was bemoaning the world that Duncan was being brought into. Duncan turns four today, and I think that's he just recieved the greatest birthday present a little boy can imagine: hope. He doesn't understand, naturally, but he will someday. I bought a newspaper on the day he was born, for him to be able to look at when he gets older. I'll buy one for him today, too. Because this is going to be a day that I want him to remember.
  

So Much for Liberal Media Bias

Here's the ad that ABC refused to run during the debates, while still running all sorts of propaganda for Big Coal and Big Oil:

Sierra Club Ready to Expose Big Coal Lies During Debate

From the Sierra Club:

Sign Up for Mobile Coal Alerts During the Presidential Debates
From The Sierra Club

The dirty coal industry is planning to launch a major advertising blitz during the presidential debates. The Sierra Club will be keeping them accountable by monitoring the ads for ‘bogus coal moments’ where they attempt to spread misinformation.

Sign up to receive a mobile alert when a ‘bogus coal moment’ occurs during the debates. The Sierra Club will text you updates throughout the debates.

Text the keyword DIRTY to 69866 from your mobile phone.

If a VP Candidate Lies at a Convention and Everyone Ignores It, Is It Still a Lie?

Those of you who are afflicted by Palinmania, here's what I don't understand... is anyone actually paying any attention to this liar? Or are we leaving her alone because it's not nice to pick on a woman (which is, ironically, the same complaint the GOP was making about media treatment of Hillary Clinton)?

Follow the Oil Money

Why Won't McCain Sign the GI Bill?

Why won't McCain co-sponsor the new GI Bill? Why won't the champion of national defense support those who are doing the defending?

McCain's Spiritual Guide

He's joining up with the biggest poison in our society - racism and ignorance born of racism. Anyone who supports those who use the Bible to sow hatred needs to be rejected outright.

John McCain vs. John McCain

He'll say anything to get elected. And he can't keep up with what he's said before. It's pathetic.

What is this 'Iraq war' charge on my bill?

Do you want to be paying for a war that isn't of any benefit to our country? I sure don't. And I certainly don't want our men and women dying for it!

McCain's YouTube Problem Just Became a Nightmare

And the GOP accused John Kerry of waffling. McCain will say ANYTHING to get elected, even if it's not true and even if he said the opposite before!

John McCain: Reformed Maverick

It's sort of sad, really. I used to like McCain, before he sold out to get the GOP nomination. Now he's just another GOP party apparatchik.

Notre Dame Football Primer 2.0

Learn it. Live it. Love it.

Pledge to Stop Using Bottled Water!

Earlier I posted about how much money you can save by not using bottled water. Now, I'm going to ask you to pledge to not use bottled water! You can do so at the New American Dream website... please join those of us who no longer use bottled water, and use refillable bottles with tap water (which is pretty much the same as bottled water, don't let the marketers fool you!).

Joe Biden - Riding the Rails Daily

I have to admit, though I know the name Joseph Biden, I don't know much about him. And I'm trying to improve on that so I know who my choices are in the upcoming election. But watching this video is almost enough to make me ink him in NOW. He's truly among the people. Take a gander:

This says a couple things to me. First, he's taking a form of transportation that has low impact on the environment, and doing it daily. Second, he's taking a form of transportation that puts him in touch with his constituents (and anyone else who wants to listen) daily. He's concerned both about the environment and about being in touch.

Compare this with the impressions of the public that John McCain has, and his talk about the recession we're in being "psychological."

There's really no contest.

Reasons Not to Drill Offshore

There's been a lot of talk in the news lately about opening up our coastlines to offshore drilling for oil, and it absolutely astounds me that people are actually taking this suggestion seriously. I can think of no reason that this is a good idea, and plenty of reasons that the idea should be kicked to the curb:

1. We need to be moving away from the use of oil, period. It's damaging our very livelihood on this planet, as has been indicated by all the research on global warming and its causes, not to mention health risks associated with oil use.

2. Drilling offshore won't produce any oil for ten years, much like drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It won't do a thing to alleviate the fuel issues we're having now.

3. Allowing drilling offshore WILL increase the hold that Big Oil companies have on our public lands, which opens them up to all sorts of other development. Big Oil has enough of a hold on this country as it is, it's time to start reducing that hold.

4. Big Oil already has 68 million acres of leases that they're not even drilling. If they haven't used all the land they've already been given, there's no point in giving them more. Here's a frightening map of that land.

So do what you can to encourage your representatives and senators to quash any idea of giving up our shorelines. It's only what's right!

Olympics Moments

Despite my intentions, I didn't get to see nearly as much of the Olympics this year as I wanted. This was partially due to just being busy, and partially due to NBC's coverage of the Olympics.

First, my favorite moments of the Olympics, in order (and the things I actually saw):

1. The men's 400 freestyle relay, where Jason Lezak overtook France's Alain Bernard after being a body length behind to win the gold. That was easily the best race ever - in any sport.
   
   
2. The men's 100 butterfly, where Michael Phelps ran down Serbia's Milorad Cavic to win by .01 seconds. That showed just how technical swimming and stroke work can win you a race. And it was inspiring, too.
   
   
3. Jonathon Horton's performance in men's gymnastics. Here's a guy who was suddenly called upon to be his team's leader after the Hamm brothers pulled up lame, and he rose to the occasion admirably, having a wonderful performance and keeping his team's mind on the prize.
   
   
4. Alexander Artemov's pommel horse routine in the men's gymnastics team competition. He took some risks with a high-difficulty routine and nailed it, cementing a medal for the men's team. Beautiful work.
   
   
5. Team USA Men's Volleyball winning the gold medal on the final day. This team, whose leadership in coach Hugh McCutcheon was possibly on the rocks due to the tragedy involving his father-in-law in Beijing, rose to beat the world's best on the way to their gold medal. And watching McCutcheon have to step out of the gymnasium for a moment after being gang-hugged by his assistant coaches, and then step back in fully composed to enjoy the ceremony was moving beyond belief.
   
   
6. Team USA's Lebron James and Kobe Bryant watching Michael Phelps win his final gold medal. A lot is said about how the USA Basketball team is nothing but a group of pampered millionaires playing for some glory. Well, this sight proved that wrong for me. Lebron and Kobe were absolutely jubilant in the crowd watching that historic moment, and it showed me that deep inside, we're all just fans, no matter what the sport. And it also showed me the pride they feel for their country.
   
   
7. To continue: Team USA's gutsy win against Spain in the final. This was an actual team, not just a collection of superstars, with the best coach in the country leading them. And the pride they showed to be wearing USA on their jerseys was palpable.
   
   
8. Usain Bolt's double-take at the camera before one of his races. The guy's a character. I got a bit tired of his posturing after the two wins he had, but loved that.
   

I also watched a lot of handball this time. I love watching the sports I don't normally get to see, and that's obviously one of them. I particularly enjoyed the gold medal match between France and Iceland. I was pulling for Iceland, not because I share the typical American's dislike of France but rather because Iceland hadn't won a gold in a summer games...ever, I think they were saying. Still a great game, and with some fantastic athleticism.

I didn't watch some of the stuff this time that I watched last time - I missed almost all the rowing, unfortunately. I love the whitewater kayaking and saw just a little bit of it. I also didn't see any wrestling or judo, two sports I've never done but have ultimate respect for. I watched some of the cycling, but the coverage was so spotty that it was hard to watch after experiencing the Tour de France.

I saw WAY too much gymnastics, diving, and more shots of divers and gymnasts stretching and standing around than I care to talk about (but will anyway). I understand that NBC is trying to increase viewership and that many of the ladies' demographic watch the Olympics for these sports. But I'd really love to see them pay more attention to the variety of sports than the ones that are their cash cows. At least show highlights of great performances, no matter what the sport! And having the constant shots of Shawn Johnson or Laura Wilkinson waiting around for their turn to compete on an event was so annoying. Show the sports, please, not the stories. Let the stories get created by themselves. That's what journalism and especially sports journalism is about.

Stop Drinking Bottled Water, Save Hundreds of Dollars

As is becoming very clear, bottled water is a total rip-off. It's more expensive than gasoline, it creates unnecessary waste, the plastic in the bottles permeates the water inside with phthalates and puts our health at risk, and it's not any safer to drink than normal tap water.

Yet somehow, the bottled water industry has created this impression that it's much better than tap water.

Let's see just how much money you can save per year by avoiding tap water by using the bottled water cost calculator at New American Dream:

Now let me preface this by saying I haven't been drinking bottled water for over a year, so this isn't actually money I'll be saving as I've already kicked the habit. I drink from a 40 ounce stainless steel bottle, at least one bottle full per day. Figuring that into bottled water terms, it's about 913 sixteen-ounce bottles per year.

According to the calculator, I save $1367 per year. Plus I'm not putting anything into landfills or poisoning myself. Plus, I have this impact:

Impact
Total Water Consumed:	143 gallons
Extra Water Required for Production and Purification:	285 gallons
Energy Required for Manufacturing:	92 megajoules
Oil Required to Produce the Plastic Bottle(s):	23 gallons
CO2e to Manufacture Plastic Bottle(s):	171 pounds

I got my bottle at Whole Foods, it's an Enviro Products bottle. It's sturdy and holds plenty of water, so I don't have to refill it all the time (which is good, as I sweat a lot and can put down a sixteen ounce bottle in two swigs most of the time). My wife and son use bottles from Sigg and they both love them. The necks are a bit smaller for Jenn's, which is 1 liter, and Duncan's is .4 liters and has a twist-top that allows him to drink more easily and close it more easily. Plus it's got glow-in-the-dark astronauts on the outside and he loves that. Moira will be getting hers as soon as she's out of sippy-cups.

We got ours at Clintonville Outfitters on High Street - support local business and get yours there!

Why Geography Courses Are Necessary in the USA

I fear for our country.

Dispatch Shows Irresponsibility in Crew/West Ham Fracas Aftermath

It's official - the Dispatch is not interested in improving things at all in the City of Columbus.

In the online version of their article about the fisticuffs being thrown between rival groups of fans during halftime of the Crew/West Ham match yesterday, the Dispatch included a poll with the following title: "Does hooliganism make soccer more interesting to you?"

For those who only know about soccer via the hooligan problem, this may seem to make perfect sense. But as someone who has witnessed hooliganism first hand and seen friends affected by it (including a good friend of mine getting punched in the face because he wouldn't give a Chicago Fire "fan" a banner or scarf with a Crew logo), I can only recall the efforts that I and other US soccer fans have made to keep US soccer hooligan-free.

Let me ask you this: if the Dispatch had run such a poll after Buckeye fans showed just what wonderful fans they are when the Texas Longhorns came to visit several years ago, would the Buckeye Nation have stood for it? Not at all. So why do we stand for it when it's the Crew? They represent Columbus just as much as the Buckeyes; more, in some people's opinion.

Hooligan fans everywhere need to be treated as what they are: terrorists. They should be rounded up and sent to prison camps for causing terror for decent people who just want to attend a sporting event, but instead have to deal with issues of public safety.

And the Dispatch needs to be censured for their exhortation of such behavior.

That's One Short Plunge...

The AP is reporting that oil prices have "plunged" by $10 a barrel! Wow! We're saved! Now oil only costs...

Um... $138.00 a barrel.

I'm sorry, but this is the same stupid snow job that the oil companies have been trying to foist on us for years. Gas is up from around a $1.50 a gallon to over $4.00... but in the meantime, we've seen them raise it up to say... $2.50, then back to $2.25 in a HUGE cut! Then up to $3.00, then back to $2.75...

Folks... there's no price cut going on here. Oil is going up and it's going to stay that way. They oil companies are just waiting till we get used to a certain price level and then they lower it to a level that would previously have gotten us up in arms. It's a big joke and a snow job.

I'm Voting Republican

And the scariest thing is... I actually used to BE a Republican. Guess you get smarter as you get older.

Unless... well... oh, never mind.

What Kind of Fish Are You?

Watch it, I'm armed!


I'm Jamie and
I'm a Swordfish.

I've Been Meme-Tagged...

What can I say, Dale got me.

So here goes.

1. I was in ROTC in college, and was commissioned into the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant of Armor. Then the first Bush conducted the post Gulf-War-Reductions in Force and I was unable to find even a reserve unit, and I spent the majority of my term of service in the Individual Ready Reserve. I was officially discharged in October of 2001. I took advantage of the time and attended both Basic Parachuting School and Armor Officer Basic Course. Good times, good times.

2. I was drafted onto my high school quiz bowl team after a trivia contest in one of my classes caught the attention of the team's captain.

3. I didn't own my first car (actually OWN, that is - not got as a hand-me-down from my parents) until I was out of college. It was a 1987 Mercury Lynx wagon and was possibly the best deal I've ever gotten on a vehicle until my current vehicle - my bike.

4. In fifth grade, I played Winthrop Paroo in our community theater version of The Music Man. Yeah, the Ronnie Howard role. According to my dad in the audience, I was so convincing that one of the old ladies watching the production said that it was too bad I had that awful lisp, otherwise I'd have been a fine singer.

5. When I was 11 or 12, I got two stitches in my face when I ran into a friend's brace while playing football. According to hearsay, he hit me so hard that it pushed his orthodontia schedule forward by six months (he was a bit bucktoothed at the time). I never saw a cent of it.

6. I used to be a lifeguard at Alice's Wonderland in Alma, a waterslide park that has gone under at this point (my brother refers to it as "Alice's Eyesore" now). That was my first real summer job.

7. I took classes after graduating from Notre Dame to try to get a teaching certificate, but got so fed up with living at home that one day I scoured the newspapers for a real job just to get out. I found one as a computer trainer... and that's what led to my current position.

How Long Has It Been?

I've been a Columbus Crew fan for a long time. Not as long as most of my friends, since I didn't move here till after the end of MLS's first season, but from the time I saw my first game in April 1997 I've been hooked.

And it's been an up and down ride with them. After being one of the better teams in the league the first two seasons I followed them, getting to the conference finals in 1997 and 1998 before losing to DC United (both times,the bastards), they started to lose it. Sure, they'd GET to the playoffs, and even back to the conference finals one year, but they really haven't been a team with any gusto. And I'm not asking for constant wins... well, maybe I am... but I would like to see them play with some fire under them. And in the Tom Fitzgerald and Greg Andrulis years, that just didn't happen.

Now, things are different. After a couple tough years of getting the players he wants and the system he wants, coach Sigi Schmidt has put together a team of hard playing winners. And for the first time in... a few years, honestly, I sat up on a weeknight and watched a whole MLS game. And it felt good!

I was looking forward to this game (Columbus at Washington DC) all day. For a couple days. My son and I wore our Crew shirts to school/work today. He watched the beginning of it before heading to bed - we let him stay up for a while so he could see it. He was excited. I was excited. Jenn would have been excited if she didn't have a headache... and honestly, she was still excited! I'm surprised I didn't wake the kids up when Ale Moreno scored the first goal.

It just felt so nice to be excited about the Crew again... makes me feel like I'm ten years younger. And this team plays like... well, like I used to play. One hundred percent, all the time. Rushing the keeper. Running through people. A nose for the goal - a hungry need to score. Too often we've seen Crew teams pass it around, afraid to score. No longer. Moreno, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Robby Rogers, Adam Moffet, and Eddie Gaven are all up there dying to put the ball in the ol' onion bag.

No game this weekend, unfortunately - the price of having the weeknight ESPN game. But next weekend they'll be back against the Houston Dynamo. I'm thinking about making a flag, even. That's how fun this is again.

Go Crew!

I'm Learning More About Myself Every Day

8

Useful to know, in case I ever become a Kindergarten teacher and the kids get ornery.


41%

Also useful to know, in case Mike Huckabee ever gets elected president (proof that we're surrounded by zombies!).


93

Not bad... I was hoping to break 100 but typos kept screwing me up.


78% Geek

Oh, I'm definitely a geek.

36

Apparently I need to brush up on the Land's End Catalog a bit.

$4325.00
Um... is this good?

Indiana Jones is Returning!

Two years ago? Batman. Last year? James Bond. This Year? Indiana Jones!

This is my Graceland!

How Much of a Boozehound Are You?

Labels can be so nasty sometimes...


95%ALCOHOLIC

Workout Tips!

Yeah, that's right, here I am to share with you a workout tip that I have been running with since the beginning of the year. It's really simple, but it's a tip that I've used to build an exercise habit that I actually feel the NEED to continue with.

Too often we take on exercise routines as a New Year's Resolution and it's too much to do all at once. We get sore, we take a day off, and then we lose the habit of exercise. This tip removes a lot of that.

What I did: on January 1st I did one pushup. I kid you not.

On January 2nd? 2 pushups.

January 3rd? You guessed it: 3 pushups.

And every day, I've added a pushup. So here it is, March 14, and last night before going to bed I did 73 pushups. I don't do them all at once, but I try to do them in no more than four sets. Usually I do them in three, right now.

If I miss a day? Yep, you guessed it. Make them up at some point. I missed a couple days somewhere in the 60s and did 100 a day for a few days to catch up. It wasn't easy, but I did it.

What are the benefits of this? Well, obviously, pushups are good for you. That's one. The gradual progression helped me not get sore and demoralized early on. That's two. And the consensus I've heard from many self-improvement experts is that it takes 21 days to make something a real habit. So without the soreness and need to rest a day early on to remove the habit, I've kept going almost nonstop for 2 1/2 months. It helped me create a habit, and now I get antsy if I don't do my pushups before going to bed.

It's worked so well that at the beginning of March I started doing Hindu Squats (adding two a day) and Situps (adding one a day) as well. That means that by the beginning of March, 2009, I'll be doing 730 Hindu Squats a day and 365 situps, as well as whatever number of pushups I'm up to by that point. My goal is to get to 500 pushups per day before I stop adding so much.

Next month I want to add pullups to the mix as well. As they're a little harder, my goal will be to add a pullup every week - doing one a day for the first week, two a day for the second week, etc. till I'm doing 52 a week.

And I mix up the types of pushups I do from day to day. Some days I do all Hindu Pushups. Some days I do a set of 20 narrow armed pushups, 20 wide-armed pushups, 20 diamond pushups, etc. Some days I just do regular drop-and-give-me-20 pushups! The variety is endless.

I've put together a spreadsheet for myself to keep track, too - keeping records of your workouts is another great motivational tool.

I list:

• the day
• the number of exercises I'm supposed to do that day
• the number that I should have done thus far for the year
• the number I've actually done per day
• the number I HAVE done thus far for the year
• the number I am behind (to remind me to keep going)
• Any notes I want to make (# of sets, how many per set, what kinds of pushups I've done, etc.)
  

It's a pretty easy spreadsheet to put together, but if you'd like a copy I've published it to Google Documents and you should be able to download a copy.

Let me know how this works for you! It's working great for me so far...

Spider-Man if I'm a Good Guy, But...

Your results:
You are The Joker

The Joker 46% Venom 46% Juggernaut 45% Dark Phoenix 44% Dr. Doom 43% Riddler 40% Apocalypse 40% Lex Luthor 38% Catwoman 37% Kingpin 34% Mr. Freeze 33% Poison Ivy 32% Magneto 31% Mystique 21% Green Goblin 9% Two-Face 9%

The Clown Prince of Crime. You are a brilliant mastermind but are criminally insane. You love to joke around while accomplishing the task at hand.

Click here to take the Supervillain Personality Quiz

McCain '08: Like Hope, But Different

This cracked me up... and scared the living bejeesus out of me. I do not want my children having to fight in a war that we're in because of Bush and McCain being too stubborn to realize when it's time to stop.

I Kind of Figured This

Your results:
You are Spider-Man

Spider-Man 75% Superman 70% Robin 65% The Flash 65% Hulk 60% Iron Man 45% Catwoman 45% Supergirl 45% Green Lantern 30% Batman 30% Wonder Woman 20%

You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

Today in History: Miracle on Ice

There are a number of events in our lives when you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when you heard about it. For our parents, it was the assassination of President Kennedy, for our grandparents it might be the attack on Pearl Harbor.

For us, I can think of three: 9/11 (duh) and the Challenger explosion are two of them. But the third is the only one that's a GOOD thing: the US win in hockey over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.

Today is the 28th anniversary of that event. We were at the Otsego ski club in Gaylord, MI, on a week-long skiing vacation. The Olympics were going on at the same time, and we were all marveling at the accomplishments of Eric Heiden and his race toward all five speed skating medals.

But the night of February 22, 1980, we were at dinner with friends at the club's dining room. I finished early, and like most 11 year olds, I wanted to get up and go out to the lobby to play video games. While we were out there (my brother and I), we were watching the US/USSR game on the TV. The US won! I walked in to the table where my parents, grandparents, and some friends were eating and told Mom that the US beat the Soviets, 4-3. Mom stood up and announced it to the ENTIRE DINING ROOM!

Anyway, here's the History Channel's recounting of the event:

February 22: General Interest
1980 : U.S. hockey team makes miracle on ice

In one of the most dramatic upsets in Olympic history, the underdog U.S. hockey team, made up of college players, defeats the four-time defending gold-medal winning Soviet team at the XIII Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York. The Soviet squad, previously regarded as the finest in the world, fell to the youthful American team 4-3 before a frenzied crowd of 10,000 spectators. Two days later, the Americans defeated Finland 4-2 to clinch the hockey gold.

The Soviet team had captured the previous four Olympic hockey golds, going back to 1964, and had not lost an Olympic hockey game since 1968. Three days before the Lake Placid Games began, the Soviets routed the U.S. team 10-3 in an exhibition game at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Americans looked scrappy, but few blamed them for it--their average age, after all, was only 22, and their team captain, Mike Eruzione, was recruited from the obscurity of the Toledo Blades of the International League.

Few had high hopes for the seventh-seeded U.S. team entering the Olympic tournament, but the team soon silenced its detractors, making it through the opening round of play undefeated, with four victories and one tie, thus advancing to the four-team medal round. The Soviets, however, were seeded No. 1 and as expected went undefeated, with five victories in the first round.

On Friday afternoon, February 22, the American amateurs and the Soviet dream team met before a sold-out crowd at Lake Placid. The Soviets broke through first, with their new young star, Valery Krotov, deflecting a slap shot beyond American goalie Jim Craig's reach in the first period. Midway through the period, Buzz Schneider, the only American who had previously been an Olympian, answered the Soviet goal with a high shot over the shoulder of Vladislav Tretiak, the Soviet goalie.

The relentless Soviet attack continued as the period progressed, with Sergei Makarov giving his team a 2-1 lead. With just a few seconds left in the first period, American Ken Morrow shot the puck down the ice in desperation. Mark Johnson picked it up and sent it into the Soviet goal with one second remaining. After a brief Soviet protest, the goal was deemed good, and the game was tied.

In the second period, the irritated Soviets came out with a new goalie, Vladimir Myshkin, and turned up the attack. The Soviets dominated play in the second period, outshooting the United States 12-2, and taking a 3-2 lead with a goal by Alesandr Maltsev just over two minutes into the period. If not for several remarkable saves by
Jim Craig, the Soviet lead would surely have been higher than 3-2 as the third and final 20-minute period began.

Nearly nine minutes into the period, Johnson took advantage of a Soviet penalty and knocked home a wild shot by David Silk to tie the contest again at 3-3. About a minute and a half later, Mike Eruzione, whose last name means "eruption" in Italian, picked up a loose puck in the Soviet zone and slammed it past Myshkin with a 25-foot wrist shot.

For the first time in the game, the Americans had the lead, and the crowd erupted in celebration.

There were still 10 minutes of play to go, but the Americans held on, with Craig making a few more fabulous saves. With five seconds remaining, the Americans finally managed to get the puck out of their zone, and the crowd began counting down the final seconds. When the final horn sounded, the players, coaches, and team officials poured onto the ice in raucous celebration. The Soviet players, as awestruck as everyone else, waited patiently to shake their opponents' hands.

The so-called Miracle on Ice was more than just an Olympic upset; to many Americans, it was an ideological victory in the Cold War as meaningful as the Berlin Airlift or the Apollo moon landing. The upset came at an auspicious time: President Jimmy Carter had just announced that the United States was going to boycott the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and Americans, faced with a major recession and the Iran hostage crisis, were in dire need of something to celebrate. After the game, President Carter called the players to congratulate them, and millions of Americans spent that Friday night in revelry over the triumph of "our boys" over the Russian pros.

As the U.S. team demonstrated in their victory over Finland two days later, it was disparaging to call the U.S. team amateurs. Three-quarters of the squad were top college players who were on their way to the National Hockey League (NHL), and coach Herb Brooks had trained the team long and hard in a manner that would have made the most authoritative Soviet coach proud. The 1980 U.S. hockey team was probably the best-conditioned American Olympic hockey team of all time--the result of countless hours running skating exercises in preparation for Lake Placid.

In their play, the U.S. players adopted passing techniques developed by the Soviets for the larger international hockey rinks, while preserving the rough checking style that was known to throw the Soviets off-guard. It was these factors, combined with an exceptional afternoon of play by Craig, Johnson, Eruzione, and others, that resulted in the miracle at Lake Placid.

This improbable victory was later memorialized in a 2004 film, Miracle, starring Kurt Russell.

The Mind of a Baby's Father

No better way to say it!

Herron Back to Chicago.... Is Something Else in the Works?

According to USSoccerPlayers.com, the Crew just traded forward Andy Herron back to Chicago. Herron was good here, when he was healthy. But he didn't make much of an impact. Still, on a team that has a dearth of talented forwards (in fact, I can only name one, Ale Moreno), a backup is good.

So... does this mean that we're still in the running for Lars Ricken or Roman Friedli? I realize they're middies, but I recall Ricken scoring a goal in the Champions League final for Dortmund against Juventus about a decade ago. I don't know anything about Friedli, but any Euro attacking midfielder would be a benefit to us, as attacking mid isn't a real strong position for the Crew.

Be Still My Heart... Jeff Bradley Waxes Nostalgic About Something Involving Columbus. Postively.

I don't think much of Jeff Bradley's First XI column for MLSNet. He's a raving DC/New York/LA fanboy, in other words, exactly what the league wants him to be. And they're the ones paying him to write for them, so it makes sense to kiss up to the boss. But he's positively negative most of the time about the Crew.

So when I read his latest column for MLSNet, I was shocked. The subject, about things he misses in MLS, included this:

3. Stern John in Columbus. Stern John's time in MLS was brief but memorable. I put him on this list because, when it comes to MLS strikers, he's the guy who immediately pops into my mind. Strong and quick with a hunger to score goals. I imagine we'll see him again some day in the league, but it won't be the same. I also think of Damani Ralph when I think of Stern. These are the kind of strikers I like to watch.

Be still my soccer loving heart! Of course, he still had this tidbit with which to kick the Crew a bit:

7. Eddie Gaven in New Jersey. He was traded away from his home state for Edson Buddle, who lasted about a month with the Red Bulls. Sad, really, that this kid who showed so much promise as a teenager, who grew up watching the MetroStars at Giants Stadium, didn't get to hang around longer. He's still a youngster, but I can't help but get choked up when I watch some of his dribbling exhibitions from 2004 and 2005, when he was considered the Next Big Thing. And I hope he finds his way back home some day.

Though I suppose I can't blame him for being upset at losing him to Columbus for Edson Buddle...

Crew Releases 2008 Schedule

The Columbus Crew released their 2008 schedule today.

I took the step of setting up a Google Calendar for the Crew's schedule. I'll keep it updated with changes, etc.

If you want to link to the schedule I made, just click here (I believe this requires a Google Account):



Here's their press release if you like that sort of thing:

COLUMBUS CREW PRESS RELEASE

CREW ANNOUNCES 2008 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE, WHICH FEATURES 12 SATURDAY HOME GAMES
Single-game tickets scheduled to go on sale Friday, Feb. 15, at Noon;
Crew to appear on national TV 14 times, local TV info to be released later
For Immediate Release: Thursday, Feb. 8, 2008
Contact: Dave Stephany, 614-447-4190, or Jason Smith, 614-447-4176

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Columbus Crew today announced its schedule for the 2008 Major League Soccer season, which it opens at home on March 29 vs. Toronto FC and features a home date against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Oct. 4.

The Crew’s home schedule features a total of 12 Saturday games, two ESPN2 Primetime Thursdays and one Sunday. The two Thursday games, as well as one more to be announced, will be the popular “Bob Evans Buck-A-Brat Nights” at Crew Stadium.

Single-game tickets are scheduled to go on sale to the general public on Friday, Feb. 15, at Noon, at the Crew Stadium Box Office and all central Ohio Ticketmaster retail locations, via Ticketmaster phone at 614-431-3600 and on-line at TheCrew.com and Ticketmaster.com. In the meantime, the both the Home Opener and Oct. 4 game against L.A. are part of all full-season, half-season and 5-pack ticket plans, which are currently available by calling 614-447-CREW (2739) and at TheCrew.com. Both of those matches are also currently available through group packages.

In the league’s 13th season, each of the 14 clubs – including the expansion San Jose Earthquakes, who return after a two-year hiatus – will play 30 Regular Season games over 31 weeks, 15 at home and 15 on the road, between March 29 and Oct. 26. All 14 teams will play each other twice (home and away), for 26 games. The remaining four games will be played against different intra-conference teams (two home and two away), with consideration given to rivalries. The Crew’s additional intra-conference games are against New England and Kansas City at home and at New York and Toronto.

MLS and its national television partners, ABC/ESPN, Univision, Fox Soccer Channel/Fox Sports en Español and HDNet, also unveiled the national TV schedule today. The Crew is currently scheduled to appear on national television 14 times, three times on ESPN2 Primetime Thursday, six times on FSC (with five of those also on FSE), four times on HDNet and once on Univision’s TeleFutura. The Crew’s local TV information will be released at a later date.

The 2008 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game is scheduled for Thursday, July 24, at 7 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2 and TeleFutura, when the MLS stars will play host to an international opponent to be announced at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada. MLS Cup 2008 will cap year 13 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 3:30 p.m. on ABC and TeleFutura.

The complete 2008 Crew regular-season schedule follows, with all national broadcasts noted:

2008 Columbus Crew Schedule
Date Day Opponent Time (ET) TV

3/29 Sat. Toronto FC* 4 p.m.

4/5 Sat. New York Red Bulls* 7:30 p.m. FSC/FSE

4/12 Sat. Chivas USA 7:30 p.m.

4/17 Thurs. D.C. United* 8 p.m. ESPN2

4/26 Sat. Houston Dynamo 7:30 p.m.

5/3 Sat. Kansas City Wizards* 7:30 p.m. FSC

5/10 Sat. San Jose Earthquakes 10 p.m.

5/17 Sat. Toronto FC* 3:30 p.m.

5/24 Sat. New England Revolution* 7:30 p.m. FSC/FSE

5/31 Sat. Chivas USA 10:30 p.m.

6/7 Sat. San Jose Earthquakes 7:30 p.m. HDNet

6/14 Sat. Kansas City Wizards* 8 p.m.

6/21 Sat. Los Angeles Galaxy 10:30 p.m.

6/28 Sat. Colorado Rapids 7:30 p.m. FSC/FSE

7/5 Sat. Chicago Fire* 8 p.m. FSC/FSE

7/12 Sat. Real Salt Lake 9 p.m. HDNet

7/17 Thurs. Kansas City Wizards* 8 p.m. ESPN2

7/27 Sun. Colorado Rapids 9:30 p.m.

8/2 Sat. Houston Dynamo 8:30 p.m.

8/16 Sat. FC Dallas 7:30 p.m. FSC/FSE

8/23 Sat. Real Salt Lake 7:30 p.m.

8/30 Sat. FC Dallas 8:30 p.m.

9/6 Sat. New England Revolution* 7:30 p.m. HDNet

9/13 Sat. Toronto FC* 3:30 p.m.

9/18 Thurs. New York Red Bulls* 7 p.m. ESPN2

9/28 Sun. New England Revolution* 7:30 p.m.

10/4 Sat. Los Angeles Galaxy 7:30 p.m. HDNet

10/12 Sun. Chicago Fire* 3 p.m. TeleFutura

10/18 Sat. New York Red Bulls* 7:30 p.m.

10/26 Sun. D.C. United* 5 p.m.

HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS

* Eastern Conference Opponent

— Eastern Times listed, Schedule is Subject to Change

2008 MLS National Broadcast & Schedule Highlights:
· Four national broadcast partners scheduled to air 113 Regular Season matches.

· Every regular season game will be televised, either through national or regional broadcasts and MLSnet.com.

· ESPN2 is scheduled to air 27 MLS Primetime Thursday Regular Season contests, beginning with a doubleheader on April 3. ESPN2 will also broadcast three playoff games and the MLS All-Star game, all on Thursdays. With the exceptions of the MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup, all Primetime Thursday games are exclusive telecasts.

• All MLS Primetime Thursday games on ESPN2 will also be broadcast live on ESPN Deportes (save All-Star) and ESPN360.com.
• All games on ABC and ESPN2 will be offered in high definition. · On June 29, ABC is scheduled to broadcast a unique soccer doubleheader: Los Angeles Galaxy at D.C. United at Noon ET, followed by the UEFA European Championship 2008 title match. ABC will also broadcast MLS Cup 2008 on Nov. 23 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
  

· Fox Soccer Channel is scheduled to broadcast its complete slate of 32 Regular Season games with 30-minute pre- and postgame shows for a standard three-hour programming window called “MLS Saturday on FSC.” The same format will be utilized during Fox Soccer Channel’s three playoff match telecasts, also on Saturdays.

· Most Fox Soccer Channel MLS games are also scheduled to air live in Spanish in two-hour programming windows on sister network Fox Sports en Español – the largest Spanish-language all-sports network in the United States – with several airing on a tape-delayed basis. · HDNet is scheduled to air 29 games of its 30-game broadcast schedule on Saturday, and one game on Friday (July 4).

· TeleFutura is scheduled to broadcast 24 Regular Season games live on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET. TeleFutura’s MLS game will be book-ended with Mexican First Division games, Univision’s successful and popular sports programming.

· The MLS Direct Kick television package will return in 2008. The schedule will be announced at a later date.

About the Crew

Founded by American sports pioneer 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 and U.S. Open Cup champion in 2002, it will open its 13th season overall and 10th in first-of-its-kind Columbus Crew Stadium on Saturday, March 29, when it plays host to Eastern Conference-rival Toronto FC.

Could an Increase in Renewable Energy Lead to More Terrorism?

This post is designed as more of a rambling thought process than as any sort of quantifiable or supportable hypothesis. Keep that in mind - the point here is to discuss, not to define or state fact.

Despite the fact that I think the idea of converting as much of our energy in the US (and yes, around the world) to renewable sources such as solar, tidal, wind, etc. is the necessary step for us to take to improve the environment and get out of the quagmire that is the Middle East, I'm also concerned that such a step will open the floodgates to a whole new set of problems. This is a discussion of some of those problems as regards terrorism.

During what is commonly called "the Dark Ages" in Europe (when in fact it was hardly any sort of dark age, from what I've been reading recently), the Middle East and Muslim culture was soaring forward on the academic and cultural fronts. Much of the learning of ancient Greece and Rome was absorbed by Muslim scholars and improved upon, and many new sciences were developed as well. The number system we use today comes directly from that used by Muslim scholars; indeed the number zero was created by the Muslim mathematicians who found need for a placeholder in their system. Truly brilliant work was done during this time, and the Muslim world was the greatest center of learning in the world during that period.

Fast forward to the discovery of oil in the Middle East. Suddenly (or not so suddenly, given the imperialist nature of European powers in the 18th and 19th centuries), the value of the Middle East was no longer in the quality of its scholars and its position as a center of learning, but rather in its location and the black, oozy mess that was under its sands.

Since that discovery, and the sudden wealth that the sheiks and shahs and the like were bringing in based on nothing more than blind luck (that the oil was under their territories), the culture of the Middle East has been in a sharp decline. Instead of centers of learning, we now had centers of power, where those who controlled the flow of oil controlled the politics as well. Learning was taken out of the equation and pure capitalism was embraced in its stead.

So we now have a once-great culture, renowned for repositories of knowledge and institutions of learning, and now simply the distributors of a product. One product - crude oil. And in that time, the Muslim world has gone from a peaceful, mostly tolerant area of the world (and despite traditional views of the Crusades, it was an invasion by the Christian world of the Muslim world) to a very factionalized area, with rampant terrorism and intolerant regimes of all sorts. Let's face it - the globalized world has not been kind to the Middle East, for the most part. Sure, there are great centers of capitalism in the Middle East such as Dubai, but how many of those people are actually benefiting from that money rolling in? That's right: very few.

Now, the primary consumers of that one product, the western world (America and Europe), are trying to move away from an oil-based energy system. A system that our demand for a single product has put in place in the Middle East is now basically going to be abandoned, now that we're increasingly done with the product. What will the outcry of that be in the Middle East?

If I was a resident of that part of the world, and I'd seen my entire country revolve around the sale of oil for decades based on the demand of the western world, only to have that demand vanish over the span of a few years, I wouldn't be a particularly understanding person. In fact, what I'd see is that the West took my country and used it up, then leaving it on its own after it served its use.

What kind of resentment is going to remain in those countries after we leave and take our money with us? And what kind of revenge are they going to seek against us after we leave?

As I see it, the one thing we'd have going for us is that no more money would be flowing out of our coffers and into theirs, so there would be less money for terrorism (and let's face it - terrorism costs money, otherwise they wouldn't need to get oil money from Arabian sheiks).

Other than that, the necessary step we are taking to reduce our use of oil is going to result in a whole new set of problems. Keep your eyes open.

I welcome your comments - please keep it civil. I don't mean to offend anyone with my comments, just to stir up some debate.