Go, Go, Gophers!

I posted this last night, but it didn’t take:

How ’bout those Gophers? 42-35 double OT thriller over then-#11 Purdue! Biggest win in Glen Mason’s nine years (has it been that long already?!?!) in Minny.

The Gophers improve every year under Mason, but always seem to make mistakes and collapse at bad times. In the last three years, there’s been a 21-point lead squandered to Michigan, a 28-point lead squandered to those same Wolverines, and a game in Iowa that saw Minnesota gain over 600 yards, and get beat by 20 points due to 7 turnovers, all inside the red zone!

But finally, behind Laurence Maroney (700 yards in only four games after his 217 against Purdue), the Gophers win a big one.

Reggie Bush who? The best back in the land is from St. Louis, and plays for the University of Minnesota.

Vikes Finally Get One

Boy, does the NFC North look weak again. I didn’t think it would be that way, but right now it is. Minnesota got a win today, but they needed to bury the Saints about 45-7. It was 24-0 late in the first, and then 24-16 midway through the fourth quarter. Ouch. Much improvement needed.

What Is So Hard To Understand Here?

You go to a Chevy dealer to buy a car, not plywood.

You go to Home Depot to buy plywood, not a Chevy.

You go to Berean Bookstore to buy a bible, not a Penthouse.

You go to Swinger’s World to buy a Penthouse, not a bible.

You go to Aggatucci’s to buy pizza, not get your hair cut.

You go to Cost Cutters for a haircut, not to buy a pizza.

And you go to Walgreen’s Pharmacy to get your prescription filled. Not to be judged.

Fire These Guys

I’m late on this, but that makes me no less pissed. So I’ll bring it up again.

These pharmacists know damn well what their job will entail when they go to school for it. Insubordination. Plain and simple.

The complaint against the West Peoria Walgreens, located in Peoria at the time of the March 8 incident, alleges two counts of failure to provide pharmaceutical care and two counts of unprofessional conduct. A pharmacist refused to fill an emergency contraceptive prescription for a patient whose doctor then changed the prescription to another contraceptive. The pharmacist on duty then refused to fill that prescription because “it was being used as emergency contraception,” the complaint said.

Don’t push your “morals” on me, Mr. Druggist. Can’t you see that simply by performing the act of refusing to fill these prescriptions, you’re the one being “immoral” towards your fellow man?

A Road To Nowhere

Right now, with Katrina’s carnage and the impending carnage of Rita, right now would be a good time for Congress to get into action and take back all that pork they just doled out in the transportation bill. Step up, Dennis Hastert. Step up, Ray LaHood, let’s get that money back to Washington so it can be used where it’s needed.

And seriously, Senator Stevens from Alaska, you have the most glaring piece of pork in the bill, it’s time for you to show you’re a man. That $200 million that you got for one bridge from the mainland to an uninhabited island (the purpose of which, I’m sure, is to help your rich friends snap up some land and build a ridiculously lavish mansion or two or twenty on said island to the benefit of no one)? Give it back. Now. Every damn dime of it.

If our good congressmen and women don’t want to take a chance at ticking off selfish constituents, then there is another option: Tell the (p)resident that maybe it’s time to repeal his ridiculously one-sided and ill-advised tax cuts. There you go. Want to keep your trail? Want to keep your bridge? California, Arnie, hey, you want to keep that $1 billion-plus worth of pork? Repeal the tax cut and you can keep your pork. Deal?

Good. Get it done. One or the other.

Helping Those Who Help Others

Diane and I just had a tour of the St. Jude’s Midwest Affiliate at St. Francis tonight. As an employee of WXCL, where we host the St. Jude’s Country Cares For Kids Radiothon every year, I can assure you that these people do amazing work for kids and their families. And this coming Monday, all Chili’s Restaurants nationwide are donating 100% of their profits for the day to St. Jude’s. So we had a tour tonight, along with local Chili’s managers from Peoria and East Peoria.

Dana Pace from St. Jude’s spoke to the group after a local family and their beautiful little five year old girl gave their story.

Some facts that we Peorian’s may not realize:

1) There are three…three…satellite affiliates in the St. Jude’s system besides the main hospital in Memphis. Two of them are in Southern Louisiana (currently shut down, as you might expect, with all patients and families being relocated to Memphis), and the other one is right here in Peoria, IL.

Think about that. If there is anything that a young child who is diagnosed with cancer can feel lucky about in Central Illinois, it is the fact that St. Jude’s is right here to take care of them.

2) When a family comes to St. Jude’s with their child, they sign a piece of paper that basically gives St. Jude’s the right to do anything within their power to save the child, and to use anything they learn from that child on the next patient. All the parents have to agree to in return is…they will never spend a dollar of their own money on the treatment. St. Jude’s covers it. How incredible, in this day and age of corporate greed and individual selfishness, is that?

3) It costs over one million dollars a day…$1,000,000.00 per day…to run the hospital. Over $41,000 per hour. That is why they ask for your help. That is why they work so hard to raise funds while they are saving and curing children.

So go to Chili’s Monday. Have lunch, have dinner, and know that the profits go to those kids. You’re going to eat anyway, put the money you spend to good use.

Thanks.

Yet Another Well Spoken Minnesotan (Aren’t We All?)

A letter today from the Star Trib nails it:

Given the (unsurprising) news of Renee Zellweger and Kenny Chesney’s marriage annulment just four months after their widely publicized romance and beach wedding (Star Tribune, Sept. 17), I wonder: Perhaps to preserve the sanctity of marriage we need a constitutional amendment banning celebrities, and not gays, from marrying?

Laura Nisi, Edina.

Sure, Now The Twins Are Going To Beat Up On The Sox

My Twins are out of it. I don’t like this young Cleveland team. Arrogant, cocky, needs to be knocked down a notch. I’m rooting for the Sox, if only to further torment Cub fans.

Sox need to turn it on for two weeks. They need to do what got them to 90 wins quicker than anyone this year. C’mon, Ozzie, light ‘em up in the clubhouse. Chew some butt.

Missing The Point Again

CNN.com’s instant poll this morning:

If you were living in the projected path of Hurricane Rita, would you evacuate?

Change the word “would” to “could”. Then you’d have a relevant question.

And The Name Is…Sky?

So the Chicago WNBA team will be called the “Sky”.

Wow, that really represents the city of Chicago. When I think of The Windy City, “Sky” is the first thing that comes to mind. Not. How often can you even see the sky when you’re in Chicago? Plus, they made the team colors light blue and yellow. If they wanted to accurately portray the air above chicago, shouldn’t the colors have been a cold gray and possible an air-pollution light brown?

Montana, Wyoming, Idaho…they could all use “sky” as a nickname for a sports team, but Chicago?

I like my top 10 better.

Mike Helton Is An Idiot

If you’re a NASCAR (or “NAZICAR”, as I prefer to call the sanctioning body) fan, you know who Mike Helton is. And as such, you also know the five word headline to this post is redundant, as Mike Helton has become the definition of “idiot”.

After a rather exciting show Sunday that saw some tempers flare, he issued fines, took away driver points, and then spouted this gem:

“There have been a growing number of incidents lately where drivers have taken matters into their own hands,” NASCAR president Mike Helton said. “Such unsafe and inappropriate behavior has to stop.”

First of all, let’s address why there’s a problem of drivers feeling they have to take things into their own hands: because NAZICAR…and more specifically Helton…are clueless on how to police a race, levee fair penalties, or treat the teams and drivers even-handedly. What’s good for one doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for another. To say that “NASCAR officials play favorites” is like saying “ice hockey is played on ice”.

Secondly, let’s look at the hypocrisy of Helton’s words. He says this through a tough scowl, while underneath his hideous, walrus-like mustache is the huge grin of someone who has just seen the ratings from this past Sunday’s rock-em, sock-em race, and can’t wait to see how many more people tune in this week to see the sequel.

I heard him say this on the radio (on your Official NASCAR station, 104.9, WXCL!) and I could almost hear him winking during the words “has to stop”. The only thing amazing to me is that the Bush administration hasn’t found a job for this guy yet.

Letter I Wish I’d Written

In today’s Minneapolis Star-tribune, there was this gem:

As a Democrat, I would like to add my support to Rep. John Kline’s effort to put President Ronald Reagan on the $50 bill (Star Tribune, Sept. 17). I think we should make them collectors’ items and only issue 33,442,554,240 of them.

Why 33.4 billion? Simple; that is the number of $50 bills it would have taken to pay off the $1,672,127,712,041 increase to the national debt that took place while Reagan was president.

Now that’s prose. The adoration placed on Reagan has always puzzled me, particularly here in Peoria. The town almost shuts down, CAT almost goes away, economy fizzles, debt grows. In Minnesota, where I’m from, family farm after family farm shuts down in favor of mega (corporate) farms, same in Iowa. I saw it first hand, when my Grandfather, after 40 years of successful capitalism (bolded for Bill Dennis), has to not only sell his farm before he’s foreclosed on, but he has to sell his country general store (classic American store: gas, groceries, hardware, tools, etc.) because all the corporate giants (read: rich a-holes) put him out of business.

I thought the Reagan presidency was pretty lame, actually. I just don’t get the love. He wasn’t the worst, but he sure as hell wasn’t deserving of having his name put on airports and money. Now some wackos are talking Mount Rushmore. Gag me with a deficit.

I’m Giddy With Anticipation

The new WNBA (Women’s NBA) franchise in Chicago is having a press conference today to announce their new name and logo. The team’s president, Margaret Stender, says they are presenting a name that “truly represents the City of Chicago”.

That got the gears turning in my huge noggin. Let’s see, we all know White Sox, Cubs, Bulls, Bears, Blackhawks. There’s also been Fire, Wind, Steamers and countless others. But there’s got to be better ones. So…

Here are my Top 10 Chicago sports nicknames that would “truly represent the City of Chicago”:

10. Chicago Gridlock

9. Chicago Corrupt Cops

8. Chicago Detours

7. Chicago Overrateds

6. Chicago Wait Till Next Years

5. Chicago Multivoters

4. Chicago Deadvoters

3. Chicago Tollbooths

2. Chicago Drunks

and my #1 name for a Chicago sports team trying to capture the essense of the city…

1. Chicago Better Wait A Helluva Long Time Before You Ever Win Anythings. (or, if you prefer a shorter name, go with “Losers” here)

To Steal A Word From Dennis: Arrgh.

This story ran on the front page of the PJStar Monday.

Why?

What is the PJStar’s obsession with running religious-based stories on the front page? Isn’t there a section on Sundays for this crap?

BTW, who else thinks these people are not only doing things “differently”, but they’re also a little touched in the head?

Much Ado About Silence

About three years ago, I worked for a short while in Princeton, Illinois, driving up from my place in Morton every morning. I explored different routes…I’m anal that way, I like to know many ways to get somewhere…and found tiny Tiskilwa, Illinois. I found, at that time, while I would have to pay $1.19 per gallon of gas in Peoria, and $1.15 in Chillicothe, and $1.12 in Henry, that I could by gas at the Casey’s in Tiskilwa for $0.99 per gallon. It stayed this way for months. But I digress.

The point of this whole rant is this: While I was there, talk started of building a “wind farm” on high ground southwest of Tiskilwa…flat, treeless, ground. County board meetings in Bureau County became heated, sometimes physical, always loud. Much posturing, teeth gnashing, and snarling ensued as residents argued for or against the wind farm, now known as Crescent Ridge. The main beef…always…was the noise that would be generated from the giant blades and the generators below.

So, fast forward to this past Sunday…Diane, little Emily, and me are off to Rock Falls for a Sunday jaunt (actually, work for Di). After a necessary stop at Tanner’s Orchard on Route 40, just north of Camp Grove (everyone should visit Tanner’s!) it was off to Rock Falls. On the way back, a detour, over to Route 26, down through Ohio, Illinois - home of the Bulldogs - and into downtown Princeton, one of Diane’s favorite little Illinois cities. We then went south right through Princeton to Tiskilwa, and I decided on a little reconnaissance work at Crescent Ridge. I drove right up to one of the towers, and I mean right up to it. Almost nudged it with the car. I shut the car off, got out, shushed everybody and stood outside the vehicle.

The starlings in the distance? Yep, heard ‘em. Corn stalks brushing up against each other in the slight breeze? Heard that, too. My feet shuffling slowly back and forth, just grazing the crushed rock surface? I could hear that, too. All of those things were louder than the ever-so-slight “whoosh…whoosh…whoosh” of the giant blade turning rather swiftly overhead.

Noise pollution? Not.

It goes back to a fundamental problem we have in this country right now: Say it enough, and it becomes the truth. During the proceedings three years ago, one lady…ONE lady…who had relatives living near a wind farm in upper Wisconsin claimed that her daughter told her it was impossible to sleep at night due to the sound of the wind farm less than 2 miles from her house. Less than 2 miles?!?!?!?! I was underneath a tower within 2 feet and couldn’t hear it over the obnoxious sounds of corn stalks rubbing together. So, the lady in question keeps harping on the noise, and pretty soon she had half of Tiskilwa up in arms, thinking they wouldn’t even be able to sleep at night with this menace up on the hill. Say it enough, people believe it. Bush and Co. have been living by this credo since before the 2000 election. The masses are so stupid.

Final verdict: From Tiskilwa, you cannot hear, or even see, the giant towers to the southwest of town. Case closed. Energy being harnessed. Lady with daughter in Wisconsin? Shut up.

Police Departments Like Their New Toys

PJStar article on Taser guns today.

Wow. I’m glad everyone is having so much fun playing with these things. Damn, we’re a war-loving, violence-loving country, aren’t we? Thugs want to fight outside of bars to show how tough they are, police want to shoot high voltage through their bodies.

Why can’t we all just get along? I don’t get in fights. I don’t put myself in a position to get tased. Why? Because I’m not an idiot. Nor do I have the desire to “tase” someone. Why? Because I prefer not to inflict pain.

When talking and diplomacy don’t work, let’s just simulate sticking your tongue in a light bulb socket. How cool?

I’m not saying that there is never a time for a police or corrections officer to use force, that’s not what I’m saying. But I am wondering why, with all the joy being shown in this article about tasers, the reporter didn’t once call a physician and see what the side effects of being tased might be.

After being tased, do you walk around with Yahoo Serious’ hairstyle for a few days?
Do you crap yourself?
Can you turn on the lights by just waving your arm near a lamp?
Can you start a car by touching the steering column with your ear?
Are your muscles so relaxed that you can bend like Olga Korbut?

These are some of the questions I had about tasers before reading the story. I still do.

Ah, The Sounds, Smells, And Sights Of Football

I make no bones about the fact I despise most of what the NFL stands for. From the ridiculous number of commercial breaks to the choreographed TV presentations to the legalized assault and battery that’s committed every game to greedy players and equally greedy owners and obnoxious fans, the NFL is NOT where it’s at for me.

On the other hand, high school football. Ah, pure joy.

I haven’t attended many high school games since I moved to Peoria in 1996, and I regret that. I was the play-by-play voice of Carson High School in Carson City, Nevada, for six years from 1990 to 1995. Never missed a football game, never missed a boys basketball game, called dozens of girls basketball games, built a network of statewide radio stations and called the five state football championship games from Las Vegas four years in a row, served as P.A. voice for the combined boys and girls state basketball tournament, served as a part time volunteer pitching coach for the Carson High baseball program, coached Little League and Babe Ruth teams…I was involved.

I haven’t been since I moved here. The level of importance given to covering high school sports by TV and radio here in Central Illinois is something less than what I’m used to. Be that as it may, I still shouldv’e attended more games.

Friday was fun. Diane’s little girl, the precocious one, Emily, is in fourth grade. She was involved in a cheerleading clinic prior to the IVC-Metamora game in Chillicothe, and got to cheer on the sidelines for the Grey Ghosts during the game. So we went. Sat in the IVC bleachers. I knew what would happen on the field, having at least a passing knowledge for which programs are winners here in Central Illinois. But I also knew that the Ghosts have been improving. So the first quarter was a pretty good football game. Six-zip Redbirds until a long touchdown pass on the last play of the quarter made it 14-0.

I love the way the Redbirds play defense. Fly to the ball like a college team, punishing hits on every play. Gang tackling is a sign of great scouting and great coaching, and the Redbirds have it all. Meanwhile, the Ghosts have a QB who can flat throw. Kid looks good back in the pocket, and can throw the ball hard.

So it was fun. Much fun. And Emily was great. So were the other kids, and the varsity cheerleaders who took the time to teach them and show them how to do it. It was cool to see about 60 kids on the track in front of the bleachers, all cheering in unison, great school spirit.

I’m going to go to more games. Gonna make myself do it. And I don’t even care who’s playing, that’s the wonderful part. I’m just going to pull in where I see Friday Night Lights, grab a popcorn, and enjoy.

Like Paul Vitti, I’m Feeling Conflicted

I always want the Minnesota Twins to win. If they can’t, I allow myself to root for the White Sox on occasion. I know, I know, same division, how can you do that? Simple. Same reason I want the Vikings, then the Packers, to win. As long as it isn’t the Bears or Cubs getting the headlines and the glory, I’m happy.

So, I’m conflicted a bit. Johan Santana shut down the Sox again yesterday, trimming Chicago’s once huge lead over Cleveland by yet another game. I don’t want to see the Sox collapse. I don’t want to see Cleveland win the division. But yet I don’t want to see the Twins just roll over and let Chicago whup ‘em. So I was happy with Santana’s dominating performance yesterday (he IS the best pitcher in baseball), but worried that the Sox are blowing it.

I’m enjoying the Sox season, and particularly enjoy what Ozzie Guillen has said and done. He said (about the Twins): “If we can’t beat ‘em with that old power-based game, we’re going to play the way they play and try to beat ‘em.” That is what’s known as respect, and a compliment.

In the previous years, Sox players and staff have not respected the Minnesota Twins, and it’s gotten them their asses handed to them. The team has finally bought into what Ozzie is preaching, and look where they are this year. They’ve changed their game to mirror the Twins. Defense is better (still not as good as Minnesota) and they run more (Poscednik leads the AL in stolen bases…Nellie Fox and Luis Aparicio are smiling). But the main reason the Sox have stayed out front this season is a new pitching philosophy: Throw strikes, pitch to contact.

Minnesota has been doing that for years. They pitch to contact, in other words put the ball in a place where the hitter will make contact, just not solidly. Let the defense make the play. Don’t try to strike anyone out. And for pete’s sake, do NOT walk anybody. That’s how Minnesota has been winning. That’s what the Sox have tried to do this year, and so far it’s worked.

Twinsball. The way it should be played.

I Love It When People Don’t Get It

A letter to the editor in last week’s Sporting News wonders why “with gas prices skyrocketing in this country, shouldn’t the ’sport’ of auto racing be banned?”

First of all, let me address his inference that racing is not a sport (as evidenced by the little quotations aroudnd that word). Auto racing is a sport. Period. I normally let people speak their piece on anything, but if you’re going to say auto racing is not a sport, just shut the hell up. Really. Quick quiz: Where do you find the results of auto races in the newspaper? On what cable channels will you find race results? So let’s just drop that lame argument, okay? You could make a better argument that figure skating is not a sport, because it’s judged, there are no clear winners, just opinions of judges. But racing is a sport.

Do I like all forms of racing? Hell, no. I prefer stock car racing. BTW, that doesn’t automatically mean I like NASCAR, the sanctioning body, because I don’t. But I do prefer stock cars to open wheel.

Now, back to the letter. First off, the writer shows his ignorance in suggesting that stock cars and Indy cars must just pull up to an unleaded pump at Road Ranger and dump in 20 gallons of 87 octane crude. Whatever. To put pump fuel into a Nextel Cup car would be like putting Lipton Ice Tea in your street cruiser: Start it up, put it in gear, floor it, and BANG!

If this jackhole really wants to do something about gas usage, I have a better idea. How about major league baseball ending it’s season tomorrow, thus saving the gas of 10-20,000 street cars driving to 10-15 ballparks across the country every night for the next month.

Or, if that’s too drastic, how ’bout we say that no one can go to an NFL game in person this season, thus saving the drives of 60,000 people in 30 cities eight times each this fall. Or, (and this is my favorite, BTW) how ’bout every person in America who drives cannot start the car and move it until all seats are occupied, meaning every vehicle on the road is full, cutting down gas usage by 3/4 based on four occupants in one car replacing one occupant each in four cars, as you can see every freakin’ morning.

Ban racing to save on pump gas? Just shut up.

Facts About Nagin…Just Because

Another letter in the USA Today this morning blasts Ray Nagin (justified), but makes sure to identify him as a Democrat (political partisanship). This is not the first, nor will it be the last, letter that can’t wait to include the word “Democrat” and “blame” to take the heat off of the Bushies.

Again, for the 12 millionth time, they are ALL to blame, Democrats and Republicans alike, for the mess in the wake of Katrina.

But let’s get the facts out before we start accusing people. Do a little research. The internet makes it easy. For instance, here’s what Wikipedia’s bio of Nagin starts with:

Before his election, Nagin was a member of the Republican Party and had little political experience; he was a vice president and general manager at Cox Communications, a cable communications company and subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. Nagin did give contributions periodically to candidates, including President George W. Bush and former Republican U.S. Representative Billy Tauzin in 1999 and 2000, as well as to Democratic U.S. Senators John Breaux and J. Bennett Johnston earlier in the decade.

Shortly after taking office, Nagin launched an anti-corruption campaign within city government, which included crackdowns on the city’s Taxicab Bureau and Utilities Department. Nagin also made a controversial endorsement of current Republican U.S. Representative Bobby Jindal in the 2003 Louisiana Gubernatorial Runoff over current Democratic Governor Kathleen Blanco, and only reluctantly endorsed U.S. Senator John Kerry in the 2004 Presidential race.

Tom Coburn - Whoops

Jon Stewart and his astute staff at The Daily Show nailed Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn tonight.

Stewart started his story about the John Roberts Supreme Court hearings with some quotes from Democrats (Joe Biden and Ted Kennedy), and jokes about them. Then he moved onto Coburn, showing the freshman from Oklahoma apparently choking back tears as he pleaded for politicians to stop bickering. Coburn said “…my heart aches for less divisiveness, less polarization, less finger-pointing, less bitterness, less mindless partisanship.”

Stewart then said “you mean like this?”, and then showed Coburn’s face on the left hand side of the screen, with this Coburn quote on the right side:

“The gay community has infiltrated the very centers of power in every area across this country, and they wield extreme power … That agenda is the greatest threat to our freedom that we face today. Why do you think we see the rationalization for abortion and multiple sexual partners? That’s a gay agenda.”

Wild cheering and laughter ensued, but Stewart wasn’t through. “Maybe he was referring to this.” Again, shot of Coburn with another quote:

“I favor the death penalty for abortionists and other people who take life.”

Stewart’s show, while described as “comedy”, continues to offer the most relevant commentary on the hypocrisy in politics, and although it’s presented in a humorous way, it’s still stinging and effective (can you say George Carlin?), and simply the best “news” show out there. No other network picked up on, only showing Coburn’s seemingly heartfelt emotion in their reports.

Stewart ended the bit by saying (and I’m paraphrasing here), “maybe we can forgive Coburn, as he probably intently listened to the hearings and became so worked up…oh wait [video clip looking at the Senate from behind Coburn's shoulder, clearly showing him working on a crossword puzzle under the desk while another Senator spoke]…is that a crossword puzzle?” Only Stewart can pull off the incredulous “are you f’ing kidding me?” emotion with such timing and precision.

Knockout: Stewart. Still champions: The Daily Show.

Time For A Change

Why don’t we get the ball rolling RIGHT NOW? It’s probably too late to change the congressional district boundaries for 2006, but for 2008, changes need to be made. I’ve long been aware of the partisan maps that are drawn up. But I broke out the map of just District 17 the other night, and it is simply the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. Moline, Rock Island, and Decatur…all in one district? Jeezus, did Ronnie Milsap and Stevie Wonder have input on this thing?

Here’s the best and most simple solution, and one that the voters of this state, the people who HIRE these people, need to fix.

The 2000 Census says there are 12,419,293 Illinoisans. There are 20 congressmen and women from Illinois, right? Then each one should represent roughly 621,000 persons. Now, you take the map, and starting at the Northwest Corner of the state, you start drawing boxes…BOXES, not 752-sided, um, er, THINGSthat make no sense…but BOXES. Each box gets between 600,000 and 650,000 people. The districts around Lake, Dupage, Cook, etc, will all obviously be smaller, but they’ll be BOXES. You campaign in your BOX.

The downstate and WESTstate (why do you people call Rockford “downstate”?) districts will be larger. Go with county lines whenever possible, (yes, that will distort the “box”, but it’s a damn site better than what we have now) and make sure that the man/woman who represents the interests of Sterling doesn’t also pretend to represent the interests of Macoupin County 200 miles to the south (both currently in Lane Evans’ District 17, BTW). Lane lives in Rock Island. How do you think the good folks of Cahokia feel knowing they’re just a few miles from St. Louis, but their Congressman’s office is in Rock Island? Can’t just drop in and see him, can ya?

Evans won his most recent race 61-39. Ray LaHood and his self-designed district leave him with 70-30 victories. These victory margins assure them of getting elected again and again and again, and keep otherwise qualified candidates from even running, if indeed they’re from the “wrong” party for their district. Is this what people really want?

Why is this so hard to change? Who were the dopes that gave the legislative members the power to do this themselves? This is a job for people that do not run for office, and have no idea who is a Democrat or who is a Republican. It would be a perfect job for some geography and population experts teaching at some of our state universities.

Who do I talk to to get change started? I know what I’m up against, but you can’t change it if you don’t try at all.

And They Just Keep Dropping Like Flies

As I said in an earlier post, the older hockey players are finding they can’t get back into NHL game-shape. 44-Year old Mark Messier called it quits today, meaning that five of the six most experienced players in terms of games played through 2004 will not be back.

Net savings to the owners? 20+ million. Maybe baseball can take a hint and shut down for a year, so some of these 43-year old relievers can finally go away. But then, of course, Tony LaRussa wouldn’t know what to do with himself.

Monday, 14-year vet Trent Klatt, never a star but a veteran of nearly 800 NHL games, also called it quits.

Expect more retirements once camps open and 35+ year old players find out how much they lost sitting out almost 18 months. Add to that the list of European players who will decided not to return to North America, and many roster spots will be wide open this year. Good for AHL’ers from last year, and good for ECHL’ers from last year to move up to the AHL.

What The Hell Has Become Of This Country?

From the USA Today this morning, OpEd. It speaks for itself:

The editorial.

An excerpt:

“Jose Padilla, who was born in New York and grew up in Chicago, landed at O’Hare airport more than three years ago and hasn’t been seen since. He disappeared into a succession of jails and military prisons without being charged with a crime, without trial and without even a hearing on the allegations against him.

That sounds more like the power accorded a dictator than the president of the United States. Repeal of the Constitution’s Fourth, Fifth and Sixth amendments wasn’t part of the package when Congress passed that anti-terrorism resolution after the 9/11 attacks.”

This, my friends, is the definition of an “activist judge”, a term that the far-right fringe of the GOP has hijacked and applies only to so-called “liberal” judges. It goes both ways, people, it goes both ways. And this judge’s ruling sickens me.

The direction of the country MUST be reversed, before it’s too late.

I Agree With Vonster

We should never forget who “started this”.

We should also send a memo to Washington, because it’s not us who’ve forgotten who started it.