University of Illinois grad named interim president of Baylor

"Underwood is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law and received his undergraduate degree from Oklahoma Baptist University."

HaHa!

All is well with Kurt Kittner...

To wit,

"Since this is our fifth week here, we tried to come up with different ways to amuse ourselves. During a bus ride home from practice, our defensive end Clint Mitchell pulled off a yellow toenail from his big toe and bet Josh Mallard, another defensive end, that he wouldn't chew it up and swallow it.

Josh named his price, and we chipped in for a grand total of 50 Euro (roughly $65). Derrick Ballard, a linebacker from the Bears, had his camera rolling as Josh took the nail and tossed into his mouth.

I'm not kidding.

After about 15 seconds with this large funky yellow toenail in his mouth, Josh spit it out and proceeded to puke in a see-through plastic bag.

The bus went crazy, and Josh kept waiving around his bag full of puke. A few guys (me included) almost lost it.

Other than that, it is life as usual in Amsterdam. Stay tuned for my update next week."

Roger Clemens is a jerk

There. I said it.

All the stupid crap about him getting a hummer in Houston to come out of retirement was just that, stupid crap.

But you can't fault him for his gall when it comes to squeezing a few more dollars out of idiots.

Viz.,
-----------------------------------------------------------
It was Clemens who attempted to wear a glove with a "300 Wins" patch on it in his first attempt at the historic plateau. And it was Clemens who changed uniform jerseys between each inning of his 300th victory so he could have nine game-used jerseys to mark the occasion.
------------------------------------------------------------

Who knew?

In an article about Ryne Sandberg's upcoming induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame it was pointed out that there have been more popes of the Catholic Church than there have been players elected to the Hall...
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Sandberg soon came to realize he was joining a very exclusive club: He and '05 classmate Wade Boggs are the 192nd and 193rd players among the Hall's 260 members. The Roman Catholic Church (265) has had more popes."
---------------------------------------------------------

Now you know....

Tom Delay continues to enrage

What is it with this guy?

Kurt Kittner is on fire!

NFL Europe.com -: "After [the starting QB at 17-17] left the game Kurt Kittner came in at quarterback and played almost flawlessly, completing 9 of 12 passes for 158 yards and a 144.4 passer rating. Kittner's first act was to toss a 60-yard scoring strike to Ruvell Martin, and the Chicago Bears allocated passer led the team to 13 more points in the game in the second half to secure the Admirals win.
"I was just going out there to try and move the ball and get things started," said Kittner. "Everything was going well for us today. We made some big plays and our offense stepped up and put up points."

Does Bush want to lose...

Or is Karl Rove on vacation? Bush's Social Security and approval ratings are in the tank (see earlier post) and now he is adding Tom Delay to his SS tour. So lets see... Delay's days are numbered as Majority Leader, Bush's approval ratings are the worst of any 2nd term president at this time, and he refuses to speak to anyone that disagrees at the "town meetings". Is anyone awake at the WH.

Did I mention that Harry Reid rocks? He just trapped Frist into a no win situation. Frist appeals to the religious right saying it is a faith issue that he employ the nuclear option. This backs him into a corner where he not only has to go forward with it bu he has to win if he wants to have any chance in 2008. Reid then offers him a deal in which the Dems get basically nothing except the right to fillabuster. Frist has to deny the deal because ending the fillibuster is not about getting judges as much as it is about appealing to the right and the Supreme Court nominee. Therefore, Dems can't be called obstructionist and Frist looks like the cat killing a-hole that he is. WAY TO GO REID!!!!

Nuclear Option blowing up on Repubs

With Frist about to subvert the constitution once again the people are starting to get wise to the Republican antics. According to a WAPO poll 66% of the people don't want the Nuclear Option and that includes 50% of Repubs. Once again the Repubs are over reaching and the American public is resisting. Proving once again that the American public can only take so much of one party rule. Dems learned this in the 90's and hopefully the Repubs will get a good lesson on it in 2006.

Lampson In

To follow up on Tim's last post I would like to point that we have a new candidate to take on the hammer. Former Congressman Nick Lampson has decided to squash the Bug Man.

Richard Morrison, Delays last challenger bows out of the race.

I recall recently seeing blogads for Richard Morrison's next challenge to Tom Delay. You may recall that Morrison gave Delay a run for his money in the last election. Unfortunately, as so often happens in politics, Morrison will not be taking the fight to DeLay next year according to an e-mail I recently received:

Thank You


Dear Friends and Supporters,

It is with great sadness that I must withdraw my name from the race for District 22. As you all know I devoted 2 years of my life to win and placed my law practice on hold. With the prospects of having to spend another 2 years winning a primary and then challenging DeLay, my family’s financial situation is not the rosiest. My wife is expecting our 5th child in August and I feel that I must devote my time to getting my financial house in order. I think the biggest issue this county faces is our national debt and for me and mine to be facing debt that could quickly become unmanageable is irresponsible and unwise.

My mother and children's grandmother has also been diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas. She has vowed to me that she will fight it every step of the way and I have committed to help her with that fight. I ask for your prayers for her and my father.

I am not giving up my fight. I will continue to stay active and work hard for democrats. I ask that you do the same. Tom DeLay is bad for democracy and bad for America. If I can be so bold, I demand that each one of you will commit to work as hard for Congressman Lampson or Councilman Quan as you did for me. Democracy will suffer if you slack off even one bit.

Please do more in your community than just Democratic politics. Become active in Rotary, the local Chamber of Commerce, or your church, mosque or synagogue. Volunteer and began to carry the load in these organizations. Become indispensable to them. And when the conversations turn to politics, let them know that you are a Democrat. Demonstrate by your service that the Democratic Party cares. Through our service we can win back what we have lost and make this great county better.

Finally, I want to thank each one you who has contributed their time, talent and treasure. This campaign was a campaign of service to the people of District 22 and each of you deserve all of the credit. I would not have been the candidate I was without your support.

Fight on!
Richard Morrison



Richard Morrison Congressional Committee
1100 Highway 146
Suite A
Kemah, Texas 77565

Baylor got one too....

Long Drafted By Chiefs :: Fifth-year senior is taken with 199th pick in 2005 NFL Draft.

This paragraph killed me:

The first Bear drafted since DT Ethan Kelley was taken in the seventh round of the 2003 draft by the New England Patriots, Long is only the third Baylor player chosen in the last six NFL drafts, following in the footsteps of Kelley and defensive back Gary Baxter, a second-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2001.

Two Illini drafted

Two Illini drafted by NFL - The Daily Illini - Sports: "Two former Illini were selected in the NFL draft this weekend.

Cornerback Kelvin Hayden was chosen in the second round by the Indianapolis Colts. Center Duke Preston was picked in the fourth round by the Buffalo Bills."

Go Illinois!

More federal intervention in medical decisions

Well, the Republicons are kinda being consistent... they're still hypocritically abandoning their commitment to federalism but they're at least making sure there's going to be more tax cuts...

Doctors Are Warned on Fetus Care (washingtonpost.com): "David Grimes, a licensed obstetrician/gynecologist who previously worked for the abortion surveillance division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the act and yesterday's instructions were medically unnecessary.
'I don't see this as a big issue; physicians are going to do what's appropriate,' said Grimes, who now practices in North Carolina. 'It's all rhetoric from persons with political views they want to advance.'
He said the act's definition of alive is 'silly,' given that it implies a fetus miscarried at 14 or 16 weeks 'with no chance of survival' would be legally identified as a living person. Most medical experts agree that a fetus delivered before 23 weeks has little chance of survival, he said.
Some anti-abortion leaders, however, said yesterday's clarification is important.
'The 2002 law and today's actions by the agency were both badly needed, because there are those in our society who have convinced themselves that some newborn infants -- particularly those born alive during abortions, or with handicaps -- are not really legal persons,' said Douglas Johnson of the National Right to Life Committee.
HHS officials distributed news of its decision to advocacy groups before the media briefing.
The most significant impact of the 2002 law, Grimes said, was a record-keeping change. Previously, a miscarriage before viability was classified as a spontaneous abortion. Under the new provision, it is recorded as a live birth followed by a neonatal death, and parents can claim the child as a tax deduction for that year, he said."

Go Kurt Kittner

This sounds similar to my visit to Amsterdamn, except I blew off the Annefrankhuis and I never went to a 'Hooters' equivalent restaurant. Although I did eat at a restaurant in the Leidezplatz where the waitress was very friendly... I'd say more but, apparently, my wife occasionally reads the blog.

Unbelievable

Private weather reporters are trying to make us pay for the information that our tax dollars already paid for. Yep, that good ol' free market at work once again...

Praise be to Jesus!

HE (the holy ghost) moves in mysterious ways....

The one, true Holy and Apostolic Catholic Church showing its love to the homosexuals.... By which I mean it is condemning the ones who are open about their sexuality and have shown a willingness to protect children as opposed to abetting the acts of those who would cover up the transgressions of closeted priests who abused them... Bernard Law

We know Delay's a bastard, who would've guessed he was an idiot too?

This is an actual quote from an article in the Houston Chronicle about Delay continuing to go after Tony Kennedy.

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"We've got Justice Kennedy writing decisions based upon international law, not the Constitution of the United States? That's just outrageous. And not only that, but he said in session that he does his own research on the Internet? That is just incredibly outrageous,"
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Now Delay may have a point about referring to international law as an improper basis for constitutional interpretation. I don't agree with him, but it's a definite controversy in constitutional jurisprudence. The internet 'outrage' on the other hand can only most charitably described as uninformed. However, it is hard for me to believe that Delay really believes that internet research is improper. It baffles me that Delay would use this as another means of demonizing Justice Kennedy when internet databases are the most efficient means by which to conduct legal research.

Benedict XVI!!

As most Catholics did around the world I watched the window of St. Peter's with great excitement yesterday. I knew that the quick election of a Pope probably meant that Cardinal Ratzinger was our new Pope, but I was still holding out hope for a reformer. At first I was very disappointed in the selection of Cardinal Ratzinger. I had been hoping to have a forward thinking Pope that was ready to call Vatican III. However, after having the night to think about it I think that the Holy Spirit did work through the Cardinals and they picked exactly the right man to be Pope at this time. I know that this may come as a shock to all of our reader being that I am a Liberal but a radical change is not what the Church needs today.
Will the Church need a radical change soon?? Yes!! This is not the moment though. This is a time for the Church to catch its breath. Reassess the situation and prepare to deal with the challenges during the next pontificate. By electing a close ally of JPII we know that the Church will not dramatically shift one way or the other anytime soon. Plus, Benedict XVI is 78 which means that his pontificate would last 10 years or less. This is time to take a step back and prepare for the future and then elect a South American radical in the next conclave.

Comments on the new pope?

Somebody has to post something here every now and then. At least to keep all zero point five of our readers entertained. Although I'm married to a Catholic and go to a Catholic school, I think I'll let our resident Catholic, Colin lead off the comments on the election of a bishop widely renowned to be committed to continuing the previous pope's doctrinaire social conservatism.

Well they figured out why we weren't watching...

In terms of trying to watch sports and get to sleep at a decent hour, the east coast sucks. Now, recognizing the huge loss of viewership, they're going to move the game up a little bit. Oh, and they're also going to put it onto cable so that schmucks like me who don't have cable won't be able to watch it...

BTW, for all one and two-thirds of the people that still read this blog, I would like to point out that my next several posts will be all about calling Colin out for being a !@#$!@#

Nothing personal of course, I'm just trying to get things going Jerry Springer style....

Oh my goodness...

Sounds like the Texas Republicons are turnig against each other....

Is this relevant?

I mean, isn't this at all contradictory or is this just another trick of perception.

From David Corn, author of 'The Lies of George W. Bush':

Even though George W. Bush, in the Pope's book, is not destined for the grand reward, he's still heading to Rome for the final farewell. It's no secret that Karl Rove has a Catholic strategy, trying to lure Catholic voters to GOP pews. Bush, an Episcopalian-turned-Methodist, has courted Catholics by talking of his own personal faith, Jesus (his favorite philosopher), and that "culture of life." But it's hard to accept Bush as a sincere supplicant, for in 2000 he was damn fast to enlist an anti-Catholic institution in his effort to rescue his troubled presidential campaign.

After Bush lost the New Hampshire primary to upstart John McCain, the South Carolina primary became the next major battle. The Bushies were determined to do anything--that is, anything--to defeat McCain in the Palmetto State and smother this insurgency. That meant spreading malicious rumors about the former war hero and his family, mounting dirty tricks, and falsely attacking McCain for not supporting veterans' issues in the Senate. A key part of the Bush strategy was to swing the social conservatives of South Carolina--of which there are many--behind the candidate who proclaimed himself a uniter-not-a-divider. Seeking to kowtow to the religious-right Republicans of South Carolina, Bush scheduled a visit to Bob Jones University, a hotbed of racist and anti-Catholic fundamentalism.

BJU was widely known for banning interracial dating. In 1981, the school asked the Reagan administration to award it tax-exempt status even though it practiced racial discrimination. The Reaganites said yes, but subsequent protests queered the deal. And Bob Jones University's bigotry extended beyond race to religion, particularly Catholicism. In the 1980s, the former head of the school, Bob Jones Jr, claimed that "all the popes are demon-possessed." He called John Paul II "the greatest danger we face today." He maintained that "the papacy is the religion of Antichrist and is a satanic system." And like father, like son, Bob Jones III, the school's president since 1971, called John Paul the Antichrist. In 1987, when John Paul II visited Columbia, South Carolina, Jones III said he would rather "speak to the devil himself" than with the Pontiff. In 2000--shortly after Bush spoke at BJU--New York Times columnist Bob Herbert asked the school if it had ever repudiated the Jones' anti-Catholic statements. The answer: no.

When Bush was challenged about his visit to BJU, he said, "When I go to speak to voters, I don't necessarily have to embrace the polices of the university." That's true--to an extent. But if the official policy of a school is that blacks are inferior or that Jews are evil, an elected official and responsible politician ought not to legitimize the institution by asking to borrow its soapbox. After his appearance at Bob Jones University, Bush caught much criticism. Looking ahead to important primary elections in New York and Michigan--Catholic-rich states--Bush wrote Cardinal John O'Connor, the Archbishop of New York, and said he regretted not having spoken out against BJU while on its campus.

We'll probably get investigated by the FEC and the IRS for this but...

Given my not quite single minded obsession with getting rid of Delay I thought I would post this link.

I don't know if that 'Trunkless life' guy still reads this

But here is an example of people getting rich by suing their employers that he so deplored. Indeed, what an easy way to get rich without working. Thank god the Republicons have finally cut down on these sorts of abusive lawsuits.

BAYLOR in Championship

This blog must be good luck!! Both of the Bloggers b-ball teams are in their 1st ever NCAA finals. Baylor has only ever won a National Championship in tennis and that was last year. So for as uch as I don't like Baylor U I will be cheering on the Bears on Tues. SIC'EM BEARS

Illinois to play for National Championship on Monday

In case you missed it Illinois won for the first time in the Final Four since they stopped playing the consolation game and, because I talked to Colin after the game that means that at least fifty percent of the people who follow this blog know about it.

As a result I have firm, but unclear plans to either go bananas or go apeshit Monday night. Regardless of what happens it will be monkey related....

The Houston Chronicle goes after Delay

Here....

You have to give Delay credit...

After making threats to judges, he continues to display a complete disregard for separation of powers and democracy. It is a tribute to the strength of the American constitutional order that a man so craven in his pursuit of power has been stymied in his quest to subvert that order. One can only imagine what life would be like if Delay were truly able to impose his despicable worldview upon our country.

This snip from the bottom of the article shows Delay's complete lack of comprehension of how our government works:

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Dan Allen, DeLay's communications director, said that DeLay was "once again expressing his disappointment in how the courts clearly ignored the intent of the legislation that was passed."
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Congressional intent in this matter is irrelevant. The legislation was plainly unconstitutional on several grounds. As such, the duty of the courts was to strike it down. Remember, in a concurring opinion in the Eleventh circuit Court of Appeals Judge Birch, who cannot be considered as anything else but a staunch and consistent conservative points out:
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In resolving the Schiavo controversy it is my judgment that, despite sincere and altruistic motivation, the legislative and executive branches of our government have acted in a manner demonstrably at odds with our Founding Fathers’ blueprint for the governance of a free people — our Constitution.
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You don't say....the judge goes on to explain how Tom Delay clearly hates democracy
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The Framers established
three coequal but separate branches of government, each with the ability to
exercise checks and balances on the two others. And to preserve this dynamic, the
“Constitution mandates that ‘each of the three general departments of government
[must remain] entirely free from the control or coercive influence, direct or
indirect, of either of the others.’” [citations omitted]

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Read the rest of the opinion for a more detailed explanation of how Delay's retched pandering to his fellow religous extremists evinces a complete disregard for the principles of justice and the rule of law.

BTW, I apologize to my legal research and writing professor and my wife, a bluebooking master, for not bluebooking my citations. That's just one many reasons I'm no longer actively practicing law....

You asked for it, so you're going to get it...

Allright, actually nobody asked for updates on Kurt Kittner, but with all the hoopla surrounding the Basketball team, I thought it would be appropriate to share a link to Kurt's journal for the Tribune with our readers.

What happened in his first adventure? He got shot down by some Dutch chicks and lost money at a casion that charges a cover. Let's all hope that Kurt's fortunes improve in the near future.