Puhhhhhhlease

I love when Republicans get all righteous about these things:

"We, unlike Nazi Germany or Mussolini's Italy, have never stopped being a nation of laws, not of men," Byrd said. "But witness how men with motives and a majority can manipulate law to cruel and unjust ends."

Byrd then quoted historian Alan Bullock, saying Hitler "turned the law inside out and made illegality legal."

Byrd added, "That is what the 'nuclear option' seeks to do."

The nuclear option is the nickname for the proposal to end filibusters of judicial nominations because of the devastating effect the plan, if enacted, would have on relations between Democrats and Republicans.

Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, said Byrd's remarks showed "a profound lack of understanding as to who Hitler was" and that the senator should apologize to the American people. He called the comparison "hideous, outrageous and offensive."

"With his knowledge of history and his own personal background as a KKK member, he should be ashamed for implying that his political opponents are using Nazi tactics," said Matt Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition.

What is the purpose of politics if not to convince other people to do what you think is the right thing? If that's the case, and it is, then why is Senator Byrd is consistently criticized for being a KKK member AGES ago? Shouldn't he be complimented for having seen the err in his ways, and having displayed a VOTING RECORD that has consistently tried to create equality?

Don't get me wrong, Senator Byrd will never have a good enough excuse for why he was in the Klan in his 20s, but in life you are supposed to be able to make good on your mistakes, especially according to JESUS! However, I think living in West Virginia is sorta excuse enough.

Anyway, I suspect if you Google "Byrd KKK" you will find hacks across the world creating nicknames for him, and continuing to use it as a moniker before any argument about what policies he's advocating for/against are even mentioned. I expect nothing less, of course.

Now take Trent Lott, a man who doesn't have such a voting record, and who very recently was speaking on behalf of Strom Thurmond (thank goodness he's dead) who was a hypocritical racist til the day he died. There's a difference.

As for Byrd's recent comments, well, they make total sense. Abe Foxman can suck me.

It just so happens that rules and laws become obsolete, and are abused by the worst types of people. Good people don't do these things; the bad ones do. In order to make a comparison about what the Republicans are doing wrong, Byrd is almost forced to use examples like Hitler and Mussolini. Would Pol Pot suit you better? What about Stalin? What's the difference?

Well, if he had used Pol Pot I'm sure Abe Foxman would have nothing to say.

In pointing out the types of persons who change laws for political gain we have to shine the light on the types of people who have done it in the past. We should always focus on the worst types to put on display what theoretically could happen.

As a JEW and an ITALIAN, I'm not the tiniest bit insulted that a former Klan member used Mussolini and Hitler to make his point about certain Americans in our government. In fact, some of our congress people would have goose-stepped right along with Hitler and Mussolini had they been in those countries back in the day, and THAT'S THE REAL ISSUE.

What Would Jesus Do?

I bet he'd take his money elsewhere:

The president of Michigan's American Decency Association is encouraging Christians not to stand by while disguised pornography gets a foothold through local checkout stands. Bill Johnson says now that the yearly Sports Illustrated "Swimsuit Edition" is in retail outlets everywhere, it is an opportunity to let those stores know the magazine's special edition does not agree with Christian standards and values. Johnson suggests believers ask store managers to remove the issue altogether or at least place it out of sight of young children coming through the stores. Also, he adds, "It's important to tell the manager you're a regular shopper and that you have other friends who, if they were made aware that the store is carrying this magazine, you're certain they would stand together with you." Johnson says the kind of exhibition of women as sex objects that takes place in the popular sports magazine's swimsuit issue should bother Christians, because that is the starting place for the lust that drives millions into eventual addiction to hardcore pornography.

Be Happy

President Bush is spending your money to push a program that 70% of America is against.

A "conservative."

Is He Kidding?

Shorter Bonds: I used steroids and it's everyone else's fault.

Much like his highly publicized news conference from the week before, Bonds touched on a variety of subjects. This time, though, while never using the word steroids directly and speaking in general terms, Bonds seemed to acknowledge that its existence was prevalent.

"You're talking about something that wasn't even illegal at the time,'' Bonds said. "All this stuff about supplements, protein shakes, whatever. Man, it's not like this is the Olympics. We don't train four years for, like, a 10-second (event). We go 162 games. You've got to come back day after day after day. We're entertainers. If I can't go out there and somebody pays $60 for a ticket, and I'm not in the lineup, who's getting cheated? Not me. There are far worse things like cocaine, heroin and those types of things.

"So we all make mistakes. We all do things. We need to turn the page. We need to forget about the past and let us play the game. We're entertainers. Let us entertain."

Bonds said he didn't know what cheating was at his recent news conference.

On the subject of cheating, Bonds had this to say:

"You want to define cheating in America? When they make a shirt in Korea for a $1.50 and sell it here for 500 bucks? And you ask me what cheating means? I'll tell you how I cheat. I cheat because I'm my daddy's son. He taught me the game. He taught me things nobody else knows. So that's how I cheat. I'm my daddy's son."

Bonds said he was equally disgusted by what he says is exploitation of young steroid users in news reports. At the same time, he said he would reign down with fury if his teenaged son, Nikolai, ever experimented with steroids.

"It busts me up when they show some teenager who's been on steroids and his life is suddenly messed up,'' Bonds said. "It's the parents job to be a parent to that kid. It's like when my son says to me, 'aren't you my friend?' Hell no, I'm not your friend. I'll be a friendly dad, but I'm not your best friend. I love you. The system doesn't love you. You think the system is going to do for you what I will? I want what's best for you. I tell my boy, if I see you doing steroids, I'll bust you up. And I mean it. "

Ridiculous.

Just for the record, steroids are illegal! Maybe baseball didn't have separate rules for them, but there are things called federal laws!

And last time I checked protein shakes are not illegal.

Weekend

If you're looking for something to do tonight head down to PIANOS in NYC to see The Capitol Years.

It will sellout.

You will not be disappointed.

WTF?

Weird stuff:

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Dressed in white and clutching statuettes of their beloved skeleton saint, followers of Mexico's fast-growing Santa Muerte death cult marched across the capital on Friday to demand recognition of their faith.

Angered by the Roman Catholic Church's disapproval of their ghoulish cult and a government bid to strip their main shrine of its license, housewives marched alongside petty criminals chanting: "Listen, government, the Saint is fighting."

Prepare to be assaulted with wooden spoons!

The SS Bullshit Has Left Port Again

And it's in Jersey!

"I didn't run for office to dodge problems," Mr. Bush said in Westfield, N.J., where he once again promoted the idea of optional private investment accounts within the retirement system for younger workers.

No. You obviously ran for office to create them.

That's not even a joke.

Create problems, like deficits, and them act like you're fixing them by cutting spending (even though he never vetoes a bill).

Talk about Social Security, and it's problems, then claim the only fix is these private accounts. So dishonest these people are.

Check out this comment:

The audience for the "conversation" about Social Security was a friendly one, with several people praising Mr. Bush's proposals. Olivia Mitchell, who described herself as a teacher at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton business school, told Mr. Bush he was on the right track. Alluding to the coming deficit, she said, "This is not Social Security, this is social insecurity, and we have the responsibility to fix it."

Nowhere does she praise Mr. Bush's plans. Nowhere does she says he's "on the right track." Her comment is about fixing Social Security, and I don't know of anyone who doesn't believe some fixing is needed. In addition, I looked this woman up and she is a Professor at Penn who teaches "pension reform." Basically, this woman spends her career figuring out ways to fix pensions, so she naturally has ideas about how to fix SS. She doesn't mention any, but is it surprising that she would want to fix this program, or any other? Does not every expert believe they have as good, if not better ideas than whatever system he/she is looking at? That's just normal.

Go Liberal Times! GO! GO!

Allies

These people.

Hacktacular

Krugman:

Four years ago, Alan Greenspan urged Congress to cut taxes, asserting that the federal government was in imminent danger of paying off too much debt.

On Wednesday the Fed chairman warned Congress of the opposite fiscal danger: he asserted that there would be large budget deficits for the foreseeable future, leading to an unsustainable rise in federal debt. But he counseled against reversing the tax cuts, calling instead for cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Does anyone still take Mr. Greenspan's pose as a nonpartisan font of wisdom seriously?

I sure don't.

Apparently Harry Reid doesn't either:

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan generally gets accolades for his public pronouncements. Yesterday he got a brickbat from Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), who blasted Greenspan as "one of the biggest political hacks we have here in Washington."

Have we underestimated Mr. Reid? That's the type of rhetoric I'm looking for.

Hey Now

That's a first. A non-border state Republican echoing reality:

At a congressional hearing yesterday, Rep. John N. Hostettler (R-Ind.) said he was "deeply disappointed" that Bush is not fighting for the large increase in border patrol agents called for by the bipartisan commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. "We need more agents, and we need to do a smarter and better job," Robert C. Bonner, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said at the hearing.

Good for you. Now you don't have to goto church.

Odd

God's country:

NABLUS, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian militants fired on a Palestinian police station on Friday in an incident that underscored difficulties new President Mahmoud Abbas faces in trying to impose law and order in the West Bank and Gaza.

I'm much more down with them shooting other Palestinians than Israelis.

It should be the Palestinians who control their own people, not the rest of the world.

Insanity

Check this guy out.

And He Would Know

Doctor Frist had a change of heart:

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Thursday that Congress must confront Social Security's problems this year, dialing back comments earlier in the week that action might have to wait.

``We need to do it this year. Not the next year,'' Frist said Thursday on the Senate floor. ``We are working towards this goal.''

Two days ago, Frist noted intense Democratic opposition and suggested he might not be able to move a bill to the Senate floor this year, as Bush has pushed for. ``I want to be realistic,'' Frist said on Tuesday.

Other Republicans have expressed skepticism about the Bush plan, and polls have shown public support falling.

That's left opponents feeling optimistic about how the debate is shaping up, a month after Bush laid out his ideas in his State of the Union address.

On Thursday, Frist said he would work to move the legislation forward.

``This president and this Congress are facing this challenge and the challenge is to fix Social Security for seniors, for near retirees, and for that next generation,'' he said. ``And we need to do it this year.''

If anyone knows about the problems seniors are facing when it comes to health care, retirement, Social Security, it would certainly be someone like Senator Frist.

Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn., whom The New York Times has taken to calling Dr. Frist), the Senate majority leader and President Bush's new fair-haired boy, wants to fix Medicare. This is the same Bill Frist whose father founded a for-profit hospital chain, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA). Headed by Frist's brother, HCA merged with another hospital chain, Columbia, to form the behemoth Columbia/HCA. After riding high for a few years, Columbia/HCA (now again called HCA) came crashing down when it was charged with massively defrauding Medicare and other insurers. So far it has paid $1.7 billion in fines to settle those charges, and its legal troubles are not over.

Down south we have a word for that. We call it "compassion."

Gone but Refusing to be Forgotten

This guy is out of New York yet he's trying to stay in the press as much as possbible because he doesn't want to be in Miami.

At some point he'll run for office, and wants to be seen and heard as much as possible, which is why he'll continue to have a segment on Michael Kay's ESPN show in New York.

Coincidentally, there are two jackasses who always have something to say about New York and baseball, both are pitchers, and both do not play in New York. They also have something else in common: Both will run for Congress one day (1 & 2)

If She's Lookin'

For a stay home dad, I think I know someone:

Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen is suddenly minus a woman.
Denise Richards filed for divorce from Sheen Wednesday after nearly three years of marriage.

According to the divorce petition posted on CelebrityJustice.com, Richards cites irreconcilable differences for the split.

The couple have a daughter, Sam, who turns one next week, and Richards is six months pregnant with the couple's second child, who is due in early June. The actress wants custody of the children and is seeking spousal support payments from Sheen.

Never saw this coming!

King Scum

From Sugarland:

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), struggling to protect his Washington power base as legal and ethical issues fester, also has to watch his back on the home front.

Though the change has received little notice, DeLay's strength in his suburban Houston congressional district of strip malls and housing developments has eroded considerably -- forcing him to renew his focus on protecting his seat.

DeLay garnered 55 percent of the vote in the November election against a relatively unknown Democrat, an unusually modest showing for a veteran House member who is one of the most powerful politicians in Washington. Some Republican officials and DeLay supporters worry that with President Bush absent from the top of the ticket next year, liberal interest groups might target the conservative majority leader and spend millions of dollars on campaign ads to try to defeat him.

The outspoken and hard-charging DeLay, 57, got into trouble last year when the House ethics committee admonished him three times and three of his Texas associates were indicted by a Travis County grand jury on charges of illegal fundraising related to a controversial redistricting plan that DeLay helped push through the state legislature. Testimony began this week in a civil case brought in Austin by five Democrats who allege that a political action committee begun by DeLay improperly spent about $600,000 in corporate contributions to implement the plan and unseat them.

House Republican leaders responded to DeLay's problems by changing rules and tightening their control over the ethics committee, to discourage future cases against DeLay and other GOP members. National conservative groups rallied to DeLay's side. DeLay has denied any wrongdoing.

Fun country.

Easytree.org

Once again another amazing Torrent has been added.

The Talking Heads outtakes from the albums '77, Remain in Light, and Fear of Music.

Life During Wartime w/ Robert Fripp.

It's Official

John Kerry is French:

Americans say President Bush does not share the priorities of most of the country on either domestic or foreign issues, are increasingly resistant to his proposal to revamp Social Security and say they are uneasy with Mr. Bush's ability to make the right decisions about the retirement program, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

I have no other answers for Kerry.

This is notable:

The number who thought private accounts were a bad idea jumped to 69 percent if respondents were told that the private accounts would result in a reduction in guaranteed benefits.

Anytime you hit 70% that means the nation is wholly against it. 30% of this country agree with Bush regardless, so basically the entire left, and middle, are against his plan, with his goose-steppers nodding, as is the norm.

And:

Notwithstanding Mr. Bush's argument that citizens should be given more control over their retirement savings, almost four out of five respondents said it was the government's responsibility to assure a decent standard of living for the elderly.

Don't remove those bumper stickers. Let them be a reminder.

Is It Me?

Or is it him?

DeLay also criticized the AARP, which claims a membership of 35 million people 50 and over and opposes the central tenet of Bush's proposal. The Texan said it was "incredibly irresponsible of AARP to be against a solution that hasn't been written yet," and he accused the group of hypocrisy for selling its own mutual funds to its members.

Damn old people! Always against things that don't exist!

Wow

I was just re-reading this paragraph from the Washington Post and I thought to myself, "YOU CAN'T BE FUCKING SERIOUS!"

President Bush renewed his commitment yesterday to promoting social welfare through religious groups with taxpayer funds, calling on a balky Congress to lift its "roadblocks" and implicitly rebutting critics who say he has shirked his "compassion agenda."

Just read it! Liberal media my ass.

The first sentence comments on Bush's commitment to "promoting social welfare." AS IF!

and then it continues about how he's going to do this through tax dollars flowing to religious groups. The entire sentence describes the plan as a positive thing the President is doing.

But guess what? No, GUESS WHAT? A "balky congress" is slowing him down! That's right, the same Congress elected on the back of President Bush and other Conservatives are slowing him down! How dare they? How dare the balky Republican Congress with their Supreme Court in tow slow him down?

Oh my, and to mention there are people who think he hasn't been a "compassionate" man. He, the man who came from the state with the worst education record under his command, who then continued his failing policies nationally, he who is a failed businessman, he who has run the most dishonest administration of all time, he who doesn't even see a Constitution, is a compassionate man, oh yes he is.

How can you not see it? It's laid out for you in the first paragraph of an article talking about how our President wants to disregard this nation's history and constitution.

Yeah He Is

 

However

CNN:

NEW YORK (CNN) -- U.S. officials are playing down a Spanish newspaper report that Spanish authorities had uncovered a terrorist plot to attack New York's Grand Central Station.

The El Mundo, one of Spain's largest circulation newspapers, reported that Spanish authorities uncovered evidence of the plot -- a rough sketch of the train station -- during their investigation of the deadly March 11, 2004, bombings in four Madrid train stations.

"We have no information to indicate that these drawings were part of an operational plan to attack Grand Central station," New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told reporters.

However, we reserve the right to use this information if there's bad economic news forthcoming.

Yeah, Boyeeeeee

That's what I'm talkin' about!

With all the subplots, storylines and hype surrounding the Superbowl matchup of the Patriots and the Eagles, many times certain key players get overlooked. It's not until something goes wrong when these players are placed in the spotlight, and that is a shame.

One performance which had a significant impact on the outcome of the game was completely lost in the Mitchell - TO hype, New England's punter Josh Miller. For more on the Miller story, read below.

Just One

One independent analyst would be nice.

Bump in the Road

WaPo:

President Bush renewed his commitment yesterday to promoting social welfare through religious groups with taxpayer funds, calling on a balky Congress to lift its "roadblocks" and implicitly rebutting critics who say he has shirked his "compassion agenda."

Setting out a second-term blueprint for advancing his faith-based initiative, Bush highlighted legislation, heading to the House floor today, that would allow religious charities to hire and fire based on religious beliefs even while receiving federal funding. If Congress does not follow his lead, Bush warned that he would try to circumvent lawmakers by using executive powers.

And by "roadblocks" he means "the Constitution."

I swear, if we were all God fearing Christians this would be so much easier!

Kobe's Beef

Seems to me Kobe Bryant is getting just what the doctor ordered. Too bad it's not what his doctor ordered when he sent him to the Cordillero.

Rumor has it he's going to be out about $5 million in the civil suit. I know when you have a $140 million NBA contract it probably won't kill you, but when you add that to his legal fees, the loss of the Nutella contract, most likely Sprite, McDonald's, and any future deals, it starts to add up. Lets not forget the $4 million ring he bought his wife to show her he cares, A LOT!

While I totally believe the girl who entered his room to take it in the poop shoot is a two-bit whore, I'm not upset seeing Kobe get ruined for this.

Ever since he came into the league he's been a fake, and a jackass.

Initially he refused to play for Charlotte, who essentially, ended up having to deal him for Vlade Divac. This was a kid out of high school making demands.

Then he acted as if he was the golden boy, the next Michael Jordan, while his teammate Shaq O'Neal was made to look like an oversized buffoon. We've since learned that Shaq is as standup a guy as standup can be. We've also learned Kobe is no Jordan. In fact, he's not even Lebron James.

If you're gonna cheat on your wife and kids, you're gonna pay the price, and this guy is certainly paying it. You get what you deserve when you cheat other people (assuming she's not cool with it).

Take it Down

Take this whole MP3 down, put it on the iPod, and take it to parties.

Here it is.

leroy sibbles - express yourself - coxsone/soul jazz
n.w.a. - express yourself (extended mix) - priority
dj shadow (with the gift of gab) - count and estimate - olesides/quannum
ultramagnetic mcfs - give the drummer some - next plateau
james brown - funky president (people its bad) - polydor
nerd - things are getting better - virgin
beastie boys - body moving (fatboy slim remix) - capitol
dizzee rascal - fix up look sharp - xl
hydroponic sound system - lagos, michigan - bomb hip-hop
eric b. and rakim - i know you got soul (acapela) - island
indeep - last night a dj saved my life - fools prayer
blue boy - remember me (sure is pure 12 mix) - zomba/541
mr scruff - shelf wobbler - ninja tune
kid and play - rollinf with kid nf play - select
dj spinna - rock - rawkus
fatback - u.f.o. (unindentified funk object) - spring
cameo - word up - polygram
eddy grant - electric avenue - cbs/jci
detroit grand pu bahs - sandwiches (krafty kuts remix) - zomba
le tigre - deceptacon (dfa rmx) - mr. lady
radio 4 - dance to the underground (prance mix by the faint) - astralwerks
!!! - intensifieder sunracapellectrohshit mix 03 - touch and go
fischerspooner - emerge (junkie xl remix) - capitol
chemical brothers - morning lemon - astralwerks
tiga - hot in herre (accapella) - stint
eric b. and rakim - no omega - mca
basement jaxx (feat dizzee rascal) - lucky star (extended version) - xl
uberzone - bounce - astralwerks
dead prez - radio freq (a cappella - dirty) - columbia

Ahhh

Remember this place? We used to deal with it.

Nigga Pleez!

Who are you kidding?

Chris Rock jokingly welcomed viewers to "the 77th, and last, Academy Awards" last night but this Oscar show, nervously televised from Hollywood on ABC, will more likely turn out to be the first, and last, to be hosted by Rock. Though a brilliant and caustic stand-up comedian, Rock's stint as an Oscar host was strangely lame and mean-spirited.

Before I even respond to this, take a look at the photo of the "Style Columnist", Tom Shales. I've never seen a less sytlish photo of a someone supposed to be stylish, nor have I seen a guy who looks more like a high school principal from Kansas than this cat.

As for Rock, I thought he was great.

I only watched the Oscars because he was doing it. Unfortunately, due to time constraints (as pointed out by my friend) his role is diminished towards the end. When he was on the stage he was as good as you can expect. Remember, as he pointed out on Oprah the next day, he was working for ABC. It wasn't his own gig. If it was, forget about it, it would have to be on cable.

This part, deemed offensive by Principal Shales, was the highlight!

But the only real controversy generated by Rock came during a so-so monologue in which he insulted several actors, Jude Law among them, as being small-timers who got parts only when better actors were unavailable. Rock had also pre-taped a peculiar bit of man-on-the-street comedy in which a collection of Hollywood moviegoers, most of them African American, said they hadn't seen or even heard of many of this year's nominated films. It was unclear if this routine was some sort of commentary on racism or a gratuitous slap at Hollywood, but either option is hardly encouraging.

What was better than the guy who could only choose "Riddick" for best film of the year?

As for it being a commentary on racism, or a slap in the face, I think those two things are the same if I'm reading what Shales is getting at. Btw, it's not just Shales. I've been told a lot of publications took a shot at Rock.

Even if he did point out some sort of hidden racism, who cares? He is who he is, and he's funny because of some of the issues he brings up. The only ones who seem to be bothered by the possibility of "racism" are probably racists, and people who like denying that racism exists.

To all of those people I say, "Nigga Pleez."

Not saying he's better than Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, Robin Williams, or Carson, but I'd rather watch Chris Rock, or Dave Chappelle host the Oscars any day over those guys (and Conan). They're all great, but the humor I'm looking for, the edge, comes from these characters.

The NFL

So much going on in the NFL these days!

First off, my boy, no, not Maurice Clarett, but my actual boy Jay Fiedler may end up backing up Eli Manning in New York. I think it would be a perfect situation for Jay. No one is going to sign him up to make a Superbowl run because of his average numbers. Coming back home to work with Manning would be great. Plus, if Eli suffers he gets to play with that great offensive line and wide receiver corps!

Second, my boy, yes, Maurice Clarett, apparently had a rough day running at the NFL combine clocking at 4.76, which isn't exactly fast. Then again, Emmitt Smith wasn't much faster when he came out. Then, then again, Mo Clarett is no Emmitt. However, some guys are much faster on the field than they are on a track. I happened to be one of those players. On a track I never blazed, but on the soccer field I never had a problem running anyone down, and don't remember getting caught too often. It's adrenaline, for sure.

People said in 2002 Sean Taylor if the Miami Hurricanes was the fastest man on the team. Miami is viewed as one of, if not the fastest team in the country. Clarett came from behind in the national title game and caught Taylor. That type of speed cannot be measured. That's the heart he will show again.

He'll slip on draft day, but he'll have his day in the sun.

As for free agents, I will not be happy when the Raiders sign LaMont Jordan. This is the thickest crop of running backs we've seen in years. There are at least 3-5 guys who will go off the board in the second round that could all be stars, namely Frank Gore, Eric Shelton, and T.A McClendon. I believe TA and Gore will be stars, but both have injury problems.

Any Jets fan who wants to tag Jordan a "franchise player" for one year is making a mistake. The "fp" receives the average salaries of the top 5 players at his position, which would make Jordan one of the highest paid players in the league, and this for a guy who has never started, nor carried the ball more than 100 times, and is a BACKUP. The Jets will be well served to nab a RB in the second or third round of the draft.

Finally, the Giants should jump all over the chance to get underachiever David Terrell who was just released by the Chicago Bears.

Terrell has never fit in Chicago, yet when the game was on the line it seemed to me QBs used to look for him in the endzone. The kid is 6'3", 220 lbs, and fast. His work ethic is lacking, but pair him with Eli Manning and you may get a real surprise. Plus, fellow Michigan Alum Amani Toomer is on the Giants, and Terrell followed in Amani's shoes at Michigan. He needs a mentor, and Toomer could be that guy. You won't find a WR on the cheap like Terrell.

The Giants would make a huge move to go get Terrell and Plaxico Burress, solidifying their WR corps for the next 5 years at least, and giving Manning two big, fast, and athletic targets.

So relaxing to write about sports once in a while...

Thank Goodness

It's about time:

The Supreme Court, in a landmark death penalty decision, today barred executions of people under 18 years of age at the time of their crimes.

By vote of 5-to-4, the court said in a case from Missouri that there is now a "consensus" in American society that juveniles, along with the mentally retarded, are "less culpable" for their crimes because they lack sound judgment.

Execution is therefore a "disproportionate" sanction that violates the 8th Amendment's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment, the court ruled, with Justice Anthony Kennedy writing for the majority.

The court had already barred executions of the mentally retarded and of children under 15 at the time of their crime. It had declined to go further until today, however, letting stand its 1989 decision that the execution of individuals who commit crimes when they are 16 or 17 did not offend the constitution.

Today the court reversed the 1989 ruling.

Take a guess who the 4 dissenters were.

Letters

Dear US Government:

I'm very excited you've decided to investigate abuses in Iraq by the Iraqi Government. What they've done is very bad. Thank goodness we're there to set an example; show them what's right, and what's wrong.

Sometimes I get confused and wonder, "What kind of government would actually torture people?" but then I quickly realize these people are savages, or worse yet, A-Rabs! Clearly, they need Jesus to show them the way.

I appreciate our looking into this matter. I say "our" because as a citizen I feel the military represents all of us, especially with regards to this scenario. So you keep digging, and every time you find out about some abuse, or scandal, make sure you shine the light on them damn Arabs ,and let the world know without the guidance of a great and moral nation like the United States these people can never be trusted.

Keep up the good work!

BeLOW Me,

Weinish

Syria/Lebanon

I'm not expert on Lebanon. In fact, the basis of my knowledge is Tom Friedman's book "From Beirut to Jerusalem," which is more a discussion of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Beyond that, I follow what goes on, generally.

I'm waiting for the discussion on FOX News and talk radio about the "domino effect" of the Bush Foreign Policy. Sorry, not buying it.

Of course, the Bush team is always willing to take credit for things remotely connected to what they've done, and never willing to admit a mistake for things they've directly done.

The Syrians are certainly being pressured by the US because of the Iraq War, but at the same time they are apparently willing to assassinate a Lebanese leader, regardless. Doesn't seem like they're too scared of anyone. Not saying the Syrians aren't more worried today than they were two years ago. I'm sure they are, but just because they're shutting down shop in Lebanon doesn't mean a) democracy is about to take hold in Lebanon and b) US Foreign Policy is the reason.

The Syrians clearly caused their own problems (assuming they conducted the assassination). Also, if you read the news it seems the Lebanese are taking their cue from the Ukranian protests in December.

Lebanon has had problems between their Muslims, Christians, and Druse for years. Just because the Syrians won't control the country doesn't mean the country is going to stabilize.

We've got a long way to go, and I hope, as do most people, to see Lebanon become a flourishing democracy. Do I actually believe it will happen? Uhh, well, first we have to define what that democracy is. Lebanon borders Israel, so even if it's a democracy will it become a source for peace in the Middle East? It's not as if the Lebanese are going to fall in love with the Israelis, and that is the source for all hell in the Middle East. There's a lot of defining that needs to go on.

Meanwhile, cheers to the Lebanese for taking the first step toward reclaiming their country. As far as I can see all they've done is remove an occupying power, which is certainly a start. But wouldn't It be ironic to see us claim credit for that?!?!

How Come

George Bush smoking weed lasted about as long as getting high does, but Bill Clinton "not inhaling" has lasted longer than his presidency? Must be those liberals running the media, again.

Btw, there are MANY PEOPLE who tried pot, and didn't inhale. It's called "Not Knowing How to Do It Because You're Not a Smoker."

Then there's the other guy, who just lies about it.

Coincidentally

On the same day of the biggest attack in Iraq since Saddam's capture, we learn this:

A classified bulletin has been sent by the Department of Homeland Security to state homeland security advisers and others regarding "credible but non-specific threat information" that "reiterates the desire by al Qaeda to target the homeland," officials said.

The officials stressed that there is nothing in the information to indicate when, where or how an attack might be carried out.

One official described it as "vague." Others said it was a "reaffirmation" of al Qaeda's goal of hitting the United States.

Questions:

1) What the fuck is "the homeland?" What is that!?!? When did "the homeland" become the term for the United States of America? Did our current ruling party enjoy Nazi Germany's usage of it so much they needed to claim it for themselves? Sheeszus!

2) As asked to me by a Republican this weekend, "What happened to bin Laden?"

3) While Zarqawi is certainly a major terrorist, has Team Bush convinced you that he's equal to bin Laden? I mean, that is the point. When they catch him they can wax poetic about how he's really the #1 guy. I'm still not convinced. Are you?

4) How do you expect to catch bin Laden who could be anywhere when you can't catch Zarqawi who you know is in one of three cities in Iraq? Is there not an Iraqi crazy enough to go for the $25 mill?

5) Did the media stop announcing how many US troops have been killed since we crossed the 1,000 threshold? I'm sure they mention it, but clearly not with the fervor of the 1,000 run up. So you know, the number is at 1,500, and for what?

6) Do you believe in coincidences?

A Balance

Robert Reich's take on why Wal-Mart is, and isn't, to blame is pretty accurate.

I think he leaves out the fact that many people are forced to seek out lower fares, deals, etc. because of the lower pay they are receiving. It's pretty cyclical. Anyone who can manage to write-off a trip to a business doesn't seek out the lower fare nearly as often.

Striking a balance is exactly what we should be trying to do. It's exactly what President Clinton was doing with America in a general sense. However, conservatives are only about winning, and not about striking a balance. As once liberal moderates move to the middle conservatives have moved further right, not toward the middle. It's often said, "Oh, well you're liberal when you're younger, but when you get older you become conservative." Riiiight. That's assuming you're a one-trick douche bag that only cares about taxes, which most of them seem to be.

Robert Reich, Larry Summers, Robert Rubin, these people have it right. The current crop, well, they seem like shills, hacks, and people who will say, or do anything just to be victorious in a simple sense during their own lifetimes.

While I don't love Wal-Mart, and rarely (twice) shop there, if it wasn't them it'd be someone else. This doesn't change the fact Wal-Mart should treat it's employees a lot better.

Good Stuff

How To Manipulate an Agency by Karl Rove.

Riiight

If captured Dennis Hastert supports sending Osama bin Laden back to Saudi Arabia to be prosecuted in his home country:

As a nation, does the United States have a conscience? Or is anything and everything O.K. in post-9/11 America? If torture and the denial of due process are O.K., why not murder? When the government can just make people vanish - which it can, and which it does - where is the line that we, as a nation, dare not cross?

When I interviewed Maher Arar in Ottawa last week, it seemed clear that however thoughtful his comments, I was talking with the frightened, shaky successor of a once robust and fully functioning human being. Torture does that to a person. It's an unspeakable crime, an affront to one's humanity that can rob you of a portion of your being as surely as acid can destroy your flesh.

Mr. Arar, a Canadian citizen with a wife and two young children, had his life flipped upside down in the fall of 2002 when John Ashcroft's Justice Department, acting at least in part on bad information supplied by the Canadian government, decided it would be a good idea to abduct Mr. Arar and ship him off to Syria, an outlaw nation that the Justice Department honchos well knew was addicted to torture.

Mr. Arar was not charged with anything, and yet he was deprived not only of his liberty, but of all legal and human rights. He was handed over in shackles to the Syrian government and, to no one's surprise, promptly brutalized. A year later he emerged, and still no charges were lodged against him. His torturers said they were unable to elicit any link between Mr. Arar and terrorism. He was sent back to Canada to face the torment of a life in ruins.

Mr. Arar's is the case we know about. How many other individuals have disappeared at the hands of the Bush administration? How many have been sent, like the victims of a lynch mob, to overseas torture centers? How many people are being held in the C.I.A.'s highly secret offshore prisons? Who are they and how are they being treated? Have any been wrongly accused? If so, what recourse do they have?

President Bush spent much of last week lecturing other nations about freedom, democracy and the rule of law. It was a breathtaking display of chutzpah. He seemed to me like a judge who starves his children and then sits on the bench to hear child abuse cases. In Brussels Mr. Bush said he planned to remind Russian President Vladimir Putin that democracies are based on, among other things, "the rule of law and the respect for human rights and human dignity."

Someone should tell that to Maher Arar and his family.

Mr. Arar was the victim of an American policy that is known as extraordinary rendition. That's a euphemism. What it means is that the United States seizes individuals, presumably terror suspects, and sends them off without even a nod in the direction of due process to countries known to practice torture.

A Massachusetts congressman, Edward Markey, has taken the eminently sensible step of introducing legislation that would ban this utterly reprehensible practice. In a speech on the floor of the House, Mr. Markey, a Democrat, said: "Torture is morally repugnant whether we do it or whether we ask another country to do it for us. It is morally wrong whether it is captured on film or whether it goes on behind closed doors unannounced to the American people."

Unfortunately, the outlook for this legislation is not good. I asked Pete Jeffries, the communications director for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, if the speaker supported Mr. Markey's bill. After checking with the policy experts in his office, Mr. Jeffries called back and said: "The speaker does not support the Markey proposal. He believes that suspected terrorists should be sent back to their home countries."

Surprised, I asked why suspected terrorists should be sent anywhere. Why shouldn't they be held by the United States and prosecuted?

"Because," said Mr. Jeffries, "U.S. taxpayers should not necessarily be on the hook for their judicial and incarceration costs."

It was, perhaps, the most preposterous response to any question I've ever asked as a journalist. It was not by any means an accurate reflection of Bush administration policy. All it indicated was that the speaker's office does not understand this issue, and has not even bothered to take it seriously.

More important, it means that torture by proxy, close kin to contract murder, remains all right. Congressman Markey's bill is going nowhere. Extraordinary rendition lives.

E-mail: bobherb@nytimes.com

He Blogs

This is too funny.

"So feared by the Left it had to take me down!"

I think he was the one doing the take downs, in private.

Atta Boy

The biggest Dick:

TYLER – Former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey said Friday that Social Security should be phased out rather than saved.

"I think if you leave people free to choose, it will be phased out by competition," the former Republican congressman from Lewisville told reporters before sharing a President's Day Dinner with the Smith County Republican Club.

Armey, who left Congress in 2002 after 18 years, said younger Americans already believe personal investments produce greater retirement savings than Social Security will.

"We now have a generation of people that are thoroughly committed to investing their hopes and futures in private IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts)," Armey said. "People will always do better for themselves when they are free to choose from among competing options than if they are compelled. Most thoughtful people could do better."

He said Social Security must remain solvent long enough to ensure older Americans collect on their lifelong payments into the system. But Americans who are at least younger than 50 should be allowed to divert their Social Security payments into personal accounts, he said.

It's when you're not in Congress that you're actually honest.

Coincidentally, Dick Armey is fond of the "flat tax" in a big way. In fact, he lied about it for years, and misrepresented books and studies to push it along.

Cheers

To Comcast Cable for serving Jersey City so well.

Last night around 6:30 PM Jersey City residents lost both cable and internet for 8 hours. When you called 800-COMCAST you were put on hold, then told your call couldn't be received and finally, if you need more answers the recorded voice said, "Please visit our website if you have more questions." Good one!

I, of course, keep an antenna in the house, so I didn't miss Barbara Walters asking Jamie Foxx, "How do you keep it real?"

Cheers

To Comcast Cable for serving Jersey City so well.

Last night around 6:30 PM Jersey City residents lost both cable and internet for 8 hours. When you called 800-COMCAST you were put on hold, then told your call couldn't be received and finally, if you need more answers the recorded voice said, "Please visit our website if you have more questions." Good one!

I, of course, keep an antenna in the house, so I didn't miss Barbara Walters asking Jamie Foxx, "How do you keep it real?"

So Grand

This weekend I actually caught Dan Senor on Fox News telling the audience how great things are going in Iraq, and how we're on the cusp of success.

A suicide car bomber drove into a line of about 400 volunteers for the Iraqi National Guard and police force today in Hilla, south of Baghdad, killing at least 122 people and wounding at least 170, an official at the Interior Ministry said.

It was the deadliest single attack since the fall of Saddam Hussein in April 2003.

The volunteers were waiting for medical checkups at about 9 a.m. in front of Hilla's main medical center.

What's the opposite of "cusp?"

"Victory after victory..."

Million $ Baby

Do I need to see it again? I don't think so.

(List of Winners)

I think Hillary Swank just got an Oscar for a) working out b) training to box and c) playing the one role she does really well.

Morgan Freeman received one for Shawshank Redemption.

Clint Eastwood for brining the "Right to Life" issue to the big screen.

I still maintain: Million $ Baby was an average flick, at best.

And what's with the 7 foot models escorting people on and off the stage? Is that not the dumbest looking thing? One of the models had Gwyneth by about 6 inches! I understand you want to make everything pretty, but seeing Robin Williams next to the blonde bombshell was absurd.

Some other things I noticed:

-What is that loud sound that pops up every other time someone takes to the mic? Sounds like someone is dropping a crowbar on a sheet of metal.

-Cheers to FOX TV for running Independence Day featuring two of the worst acting jobs ever: Bill Pullman and Judd Hirsch. Have to give them credit for putting the worst in film on display while the Oscars are running.

-It's hard to believe an actor when he/she starts crying. Seems their acting is more real than their realities. I know they're obviously very emotional people, but when they get all thankful and teary eyed I just don't seem to buy it for some reason.

-There needs to be an award for comedy. It's ridiculous already.

-Chris Rock is a legend. "BROOOOKLYYYYYYN!!!!"

-Is Virginia Madsen married? I'd date her.

-That Renee' Zelwegger, she's so fine and classy. Gotta love her.

-Finally, cheers to the Razzies for throwing Halle Berry the "Worst Actress" award for Catwoman. I'm so done with her. You'll never guess who won "Best Actor."

Comedy

Do you know the Editorial writers for the Wall St. Journal aren't allowed in the newsroom? Probably because they're such a bunch of hacks.

Read this column about the flat tax, and how "Europe" is adopting it. EUROPE!

I once went to a radio seminar and Steve Forbes was giving a little speech on the flat tax. Afterwards, he fielded questions. I said something to the effect, "You keep saying the Russians are moving towards a 15% flat tax, and that more money is pouring in the ever before, helping their economy. But isn't what Russia's doing really a tax amnesty since their rates were so high initially, and now since they're lower everyone is jumping to pay them? It has been said the rates are going to go up again."

He of course did not answer the question, but instead rambled back into his set speech.

After reading John Fund's column I can hear him responding the same way. I also love what is now considered "Europe."

P.S. Way to throw in Clint Eastwood for added effect!

Bush Attacks Lawyers...

Of course he does.

If you didn't see this column yesterday you need to.

The champions of tort reform are spending heavily. Last year, the Institute for Legal Reform, an affiliate of the Chamber of Commerce, and the American Medical Association, the physicians' advocacy group, spent a total of $33.8 million on lobbying, according to PoliticalMoneyLine, which tracks federal lobbying. The trial lawyers' association spent $2.9 million on federal lobbying, PoliticalMoneyLine reported.

There's nothing like reading about a person who may have been scarred for life by a negligent doctor, nurse, or hosptial, cannot get legal help because it would actually cost the lawyers money to represent them.

Please, someone, defend Bush here. Please!