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Good things that President Obama has done
This will strike many of you as a bit of a strange entry coming from me. Keep in mind, I do not hate President Obama. I respect his office more than most people will ever realize, President Obama included.
But, I do not respect him. I think his is a bit of a wimp and a complete “post turtle”…making him unworthy of my respect. [If you don't know what a "post turtle" is, send me an e-mail and I will explain it to you.] As many of my military and former military friends have told me, you salute the rank and not the person.
So, will all of that said, there are somethings that President Barack Obama has done that are very good.
Or, could end up being very good.
Thanks to President Obama, it appears that the American people may finally recognize the difference between an empty suit campaigner who is good at using the words written for him by others and effective leadership. He has given us lots of the former, especially after the campaign ended, and NONE of the latter.
Due to the concerns over President Obama’s Progressive agenda, many people have taken the time to go back and read the Constitution of the United States of America. And they have realized what they didn’t know, because politicians from both the Republican and Democrat parties didn’t want them to see it, about the Constitution was a lot less than what the did know.
Thanks to President Barack Obama, people now know the difference between a liberal and a Progressive. Liberals are idealistic and want the government to do a lot for people, while they do nearly nothing for others. [Proven by studies of charitable contributions coming from liberals and conservatives.] Progressives want to force the government to do everything for the all of the people so that the United States is a peer in the world and NOT a leader in the world.
The American people now realize, thanks to President Obama, that fears of fascist actions by our strong Federal government can come as much, if not MORE, from the left as it can from the right.
“We the People” now understand, more than anytime in the last hundred years, that regular law-abiding citizens can and should keep and bear arms in their everyday lives. And by doing so, they are not criminals. But those who want to take them from “We the People” can be as dangerous to us as the criminals or terrorists who wish to do us harm.
More than anything else, President Obama, by his arrogance and his lack of leadership, has helped many of the American people finally wake up from their slumber of ignorant bliss.
The best thing that President Obama can do for the American people is fail. And fail in a enormous way. The bigger he fails, the better things are for the American people.
Months ago, many people who read this blog told me that my ideas of ending BOTH income tax withholding AND health insurance payments out of paychecks were bad ideas. People would never go for it. They said that the American people were too lazy. And that WAS MY POINT. They are lazy because we have allowed them to be lazy in our culture.
You see, I think the American people are an exceptional people. They do not. Neither does President Barack Obama. I think if you ask people to write a check for their taxes, they will want accountability. Obama and Congress, bipartisanly, does not want that. If people have to write a check for their health insurance, like they do for groceries, they will shop wisely. Obama and the Democrat-led Congress don’t want that.
When you allow, for over 60 years, the American people to not have to worry about paying their taxes or health insurance DIRECTLY, you are going to see many, like those I mentioned earlier, thinking that they can’t or won’t do it.
They are wrong.
But they also PROBABLY do not think that the American people are an exceptional people, as I do. They think you need the government to help with everything, probably.
Give us roads, give us border security, give us a strong national defense and get out of our way.
The best thing that President Obama can do is to tell us how he wants to give us everything. Because the best thing the American People can do in return is tell him, and Congress, no. We got this ourselves.
We did it that way for the first 100 PLUS years of our existence. And we can do it again.
We needed a wake up call. And the ignorant masses helped give him to us.
They voted for him.
Things will get better. Just keep up the resistance.
Remember, we were told for eight years how Patriotic dissent is, right?
With state budget cuts looming, how to keep the money in the classroom
Those of you who live and work in the state of Missouri, you already know the state budget problems.
Right now, Governor Nixon, begrudgingly submitted a budget with a two percent across-the-board cut to education funding. Some districts will be minimally impacted. Those are the districts that have good local tax collections. Jefferson City is one of those districts, at least for now. I say that based on my conversations with the JCPS Chief Financial Officer, Jason Hoffman. But these things can ALWAYS change.
Many others around the state are not as fortunate as Jefferson City Public Schools.
This is where my employer can help.
Back in August, I started with Midwest Computech as the Office Manager and Business Development Manager for the Jefferson City office. To fit on a business card, we shortened that to Accounts Manager. Any how, my point is to addrerss the heritage of this company.
Greg Miller, President of Midwest Computech, is a teacher. Greg was the band teacher at Tipton Public Schools for several years before coming to work for the company that he later bought. And the way he got to this company is interesting.
Back in the 1990’s, the use of technology in classrooms was growing at exponential rates. Tipton needed a Technology Coordinator to help in that district. Greg’s personal experience with computers made him a great candidate for that role. Well, one thing led to another and Greg found himself working with this company at the schools, then went to work for them.
Since that time, Greg bought the company, along with David Nivens, Midwest Computech Vice President, and continued the work with several school districts. Starting in Mid-Missouri, and spreading out across the state. Currently, Midwest Computech is working with over 50 school districts and has technical staff On-SITE in over 20 districts each week.
Why?
Because with the background of Midwest Computech being firmly in education, we feel that we can best help school districts save money on their information technology budgets AND either improve services to faculty and staff OR improve the educational experiences for the students. In many cases, BOTH.
Now, there are lawmakers who are wanting to cut in other areas to keep the money in the schools. This is a good thing. But what happens next year? Or the year after? Rumor is that the cuts could be TEN PERCENT in the 2011-2012 budget. And fifteen percent or more in 2012-2013.
Midwest Computech can help. Yes, this sounds like an advertisement. Maybe it is. But it is also from a taxpayer of the state of Missouri, the County of Cole, the City of Jefferson and, of course, the United States of America. I bring this up in a way to help our company, obviously. But if Midwest Computech can help schools with these budget crunches, isn’t that good for all of us.
If you have any influence with your school district here in Missouri, you may want to suggest that they meet with us at Midwest Computech.
It never hurts to sit down and have a conversation, does it? Especially when it could be to the benefit of the students AND the taxpayers.
You know how to find me.
MY problems with blogging
Blogging is NOT for everyone. Some have told me to quit, but these are those anonymous haters who are too cowardly to sign a real name behind their comments.
That is the problem with the internet, sometimes.
My problem with blogging is similar to what Rush Limbaugh said about his process of writing. My thoughts move a hell of a lot faster than I can write or type. I can get six or seven ideas out by speaking them before I can get just one of them by typing.
That is probably why I had so much trouble during the first fifteen or sixteen years of my life in our education system.
I am not writing this to imply that I am smarter than you or anyone else. I might be, but I may also be a drooling idiot by comparison.
I was thinking about my sons before I wrote this. Alex seems to be a lot like me, in that he is often very quick with his wit and reactions. Ben, on the other hand, is more delayed and deliberate. That is not to say that Ben is not as smart, but his language delays are part of an overall communications delay that he has. And that is typical of those with various forms of autism.
Of the two boys, Alex could, like me, starting writing something and possibly skip a point that he wanted to make and would have to go back to re-write and edit. For both of us, thank goodness for computers. With Ben, he would probably feel more comfortable with pen and paper to formulate his thoughts to make sure that he is very clear in his message before sitting down to put it in the computer. And then he might be more repetitive in his points, rather than skipping things over.
I don’t think that I am smarter than either one of them, nor they smarter than me, necessarily…though I hope they are.
Often times when I DON’T make a blog entry for a day or so, it is because I have SO much that I want to say, that I cannot clear things up enough in my own mind to say them.
That is why radio was a great medium for me to work in. And the blog that I used, wrote, back then was more of an outline for my show that day. Today, without a show, it is more free form. I do what I want, when I want and on what I want to talk about.
So, what was my point here? Oh, yeah…that is why I sometimes have trouble with my blogs. And why I jump around. I do have ADHD…that was diagnosed in 2001.
Sure is pretty outside.
I wonder if it is warm enough for golf. I think I have a box of unopened golf balls.
Can’t wait for baseball season.
I wonder what we will have for lunch at the Jefferson City Young Professionals meeting today.
Bear with me on my writing. I do get around to making a point….sometimes several of them….just not always following a straight line from point A to point B and continuing to points C, D, and E.
But, I do get there. Usually.
Testing the Gag Reflex of the American People
The American People do not want this. President Obama and his progressive=evil friends do. Who will get their way?
No, that “=” was not a typo. Progressives and their agenda are all about EVERYTHING the Founders of our once great nation were against. Against the American Experiment = Evil.
OK, so now that I have made THAT clear, I can continue.
Seventy percent of the American people want this debacle to Federalize one-sixth of our economy under the guise of health care reform to die. But the arrogant asses at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue know better than you do, so they are going to shove it down your throat.
Thus, my title.
I hope you have a strong Gag Reflex. If you do, you will puke it back up on them.
Now, let me be completely honest here, there are times when the will of the American people is dead wrong. Civil Rights is one area. Isolationism in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s is another. Those are times when true leadership was needed to make what had to be done the reality.
This is not one of those times.
Back in the 1930’s, one of the biggest arguments against Social Security was that it was little more than a vote buy. This has proven true.
This is more than an attempt at a long term vote buy. This is another step toward the removal of individual liberties.
But I have gone over all of this before and those who have a voice in this are deaf to the pleas of me and of those who are smart enough, or honest enough, to agree with me.
And that is just it. Honesty. There is a lack of honesty in this discussion and debate. Look back at the meeting held at Blair House last week. Democrat-Hypocrites continued their campaign accusing the Republicans of having NO plan. This is half true, because the Republicans do not have an albatross to dump on the American people like the Democrat-Hypocrites do. That is because the Republicans, and AGAIN for those of you who do NOT pay attention I am NOT a Republican, have a different approach. So, it is not a complete LIE when the Democrat-Hypocrites say the Republicans don’t have a plan, it is a half truth.
That is because the Republicans understand political physics. For every action, there COULD be an equal or opposite reaction. So their plan is to take things step-by-step and make changes as needed along the way.
Less painful, in theory. And that is why I prefer their methodology. This plays in to the concept of “leaving your self an out” to protect themselves, politically, if nothing else. But it seems more responsible. Especially, IF the real goal is toward reforming the health INSURANCE industry.
There it is. What is the real goal of the Democrat-Hypocrites?
Most of you do not know. Most people are too busy complaining about how rude or how bad the judges on American IDULL are this season. Or are wetting themselves over “Glee” starting back up soon. Or that Buzz Aldrin, if they know who he is, being on Dancing with the Has-Beens.
Progressives=Evil want you to be DEPENDENT on a LARGER and more powerful Federal Government.
I have posted on the plans on Saul Alinsky. I have tried to educate many on Cloward-Piven. And the will of the American people is against this bill would be proof to many that the efforts of me and others to inform the public is working.
But I don’t see it that way.
Why?
Because the Democrat-Hypocrites are moving forward. The reason why I have added Hypocrite to their party affiliation is because the move they are about to begin documents their hypocrisy.
President Obama, as a Senator, spoke against majority only votes in the United States Senate. He did so when he ran for the Senate. Vice President Joe Biden did the same thing. Harry Reid as well. In fact, Harry Reid denied that “reconciliation” would be used at that Blair House meeting last week, when he said just SIX DAYS earlier that it was something under consideration.
So, this is going to happen. Don’t accept it if you don’t like it, call your Senators and Congressman. YOU could stop it.
But let me go back to the meeting at Blair House. This was billed as an open discussion.
Bull Shit!
Look at the content of that meeting. Barry O spoke more than anyone else. Barry stammered and lied repeatedly while sucking up the time that could have been used to a true open discussion. Barry misrepresented the Congressional Budget Office conclusions to the plans. He was called out, by Senator Lamar Alexander (that Barry claimed was twisting things) and by Representative Paul Ryan.
The problem was further complicated by the pulling at heart strings that was offered up by the Democrat-Hypocrite members of Congress. The story of the woman using her dead sister’s dentures….I know I heard THAT one before. Here is a clue….medicaid or medicare would cover you for that. So, rather than talk about how IGNORANT your constituents are, HELP THEM!! THAT IS YOUR JOB!! And Tom Harkin, one of the biggest progressive-evil members of the U.S. Senate read a letter from a farmer…..yawn. Senator, help your constituents.
Alexander and Ryan, among others, masterfully used the words of Barry O and his ilk against them.
That meeting accomplished little. For those who are against the 2700 document becoming a law to enslave the American people view this as a good public relations move for their side. It exposed the Democrat-Hypocrites as wanting to use this occasion to spin the Republicans as uncooperative. It did that, but the American people still don’t want the Progressive=Evil agenda pushed on them. They saw that the Democrat-Hypocrites are going to forces this mess on the American people.
This is what “bi-partisanship” in Washington has become. And when you Republicans get ready to praise me for saying this, I am going to turn this back on you, too.
Ye reap what ye sow. Republicans tried the same strong-arm tactics when they were in power. And the Dems did it before them.
Bi-partisanship in Washington means that one side wants something so they will beat the other side until they surrender. This is a lot like an MMA cage match, but the results impact the audience.
I am disgusted. I have rambled on and I know it. But here is my point, and yes I have one.
We have a liar in the White House. We have a bad agenda being pushed by him and his evil minions in Congress. And Evil IS the word that I will use. Forcing the American people to be dependent is EVIL.
We have gotten the Congress and the President that we deserve. James Garfield warned us of this 130 years ago.
So, here is my final question. How many of you, who were outraged by ALLEGED lies of George W. Bush, and who voted for the Liar in the White House now, are going to give this CROOK a pass? And how many of you, who thought Richard Nixon was bad, are sitting back and accepting this LIAR to continue to serve and continue to LIE to the American people?
How long will you give him a free pass?
If you are and if you do, you prove my point that the term Democrat-Hypocrite is accurate.
If I offended you, good. That was my point. I want YOU to start with the man or woman in the mirror to make things right.
This dangerous liar needs to go. He is hurting our nation. Before it is too late, stop this bill and then stop this man’s agenda.
Meanwhile, the rest of need to puke on them….as our Gag Reflex is being challenged.
Media Bias used to feed the Ignorant – Jim Bunning makes a valid point
It has been called grandstanding. It has been called his lash hurrah. It is being called a lot of things.
None of it is accurate from the media reports that I have been reading.
Here is what is being reported. Senator Jim Bunning, Republican from Kentucky, is blocking an extension of unemployment benefits, transportation projects and Medicare reimbursement payments.
That is all true.
And in most of the media reports, that is where the story ends. In some cases, very few though, the story does go on to explain why Bunning is doing what he is doing.
But through omission, we are not getting….with all due respect to the late Paul Harvey…the rest of the story.
So, why is Bunning doing what he is doing? No, it is not because he is a curmudgeon. He might be, but that is not why.
Last month, Congress passed something called Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO). This was actually the law of the land from 1991 through 2002 and IT WAS NEVER ENFORCED.
Bunning wants to have something more than lip-service being paid to PAYGO.
As a taxpayer and parent of two who are being further burdened with our nation’s debts, I applaud Senator Jim Bunning for doing this.
Why now?
This is the FIRST bill to come up since PAYGO was passed last month where he could do something.
The problem is not Jim Bunning. The problem is the 99 others in the Senate who lack the BALLS to do the right thing.
Meanwhile, everyone is bashing Bunning for standing up. Saying that Jim Bunning hates the unemployed, etc. There is even a fringe group trying to get Jim Bunning expelled from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. [If you don't know, Bunning was a major league pitcher who threw a no-hitter in the AL and a perfect game, the only one at Shea Stadium, in the NL. He is one of five pitchers to throw no-hitters in each league.]
The media shows their bias. They are being spoon-fed this story by the Democrats who do not wish to have their hypocrisy further exposed. They do this due to both like-think and laziness.
The problem in this story is, at least, two-fold. It shows a willing manipulation of the media. And it shows that the one with integrity, at least in this case, is the bad guy when he should be the good guy.
Folks, if you are eating what the, as Bernie Goldberg has labeled them, Lame Stream Media is feeding you, STOP. Do not be among the ignorant!
Again, your ignorance can be corrected. Please put forth a LITTLE effort. You might have to shut off American IDULL for a night…or DVR it.
Hitting the NAIL on The HEAD! How to FIX the Radio Biz!
If you are like me and you have noticed how bad local radio has gotten in the last 13-15 years or so, specifically in the last 3 or 4 years, here is a fix.
Jerry Del Colliano gets it. If you take the time to read this, you will see how the powers who have KILLED radio can reverse course.
http://insidemusicmedia.blogspot.com/2010/02/manage-radio-like-grateful-dead.html
I never thought of this analogy, but it is truly brilliant.
I always said that the “geniuses” [will ALL due SARCASM] at corporate with Citadel, Entercom, Salem and especially Cumulus would actually be open-minded enough to read what Mr. Del Colliano has written and posted today, they could recapture market share.
But, their egos are in the way. They do not care about the communities that they serve. In fact, the attitude of radio executives is exactly the same as Station Manager R.J. Fletcher from the movie “UHF” back in 1989. In the Al Yankovic classic, the character of R.J. Fletcher said this:
“This community means about as much to me as a festering ball of dog snot! You think I care about the pea-brained yokels of this town? If you took their combined I.Q., and multiplied it by a hundred, you might have enough intelligence to tie your shoe, if you didn’t drool all over yourself first. I can’t stand those sniveling maggots! They make me want to puke! But, there is one good thing about broadcasting to a town full of mindless sheep. I always know I have them exactly where I want them. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! ”
This is also hitting the nail on the head.
I admit, I want to work in talk radio again. And I know that by posting this there are many companies who will find me more toxic than a vacation in Chernobyl back in the Summer of 1986. But, this is so true. The local people in place, the ones who HAVE a clue know this. But they are unable to do anything. Those at the corporate headquarters know best. Because they care about shareholders, not their audience.
But it is the audience they are trying to sell. Meanwhile, they defecate on that same audience. And they feed THAT to the shareholders.
Great business model, huh?
Why are so many of them in bankruptcy or nearly there?
Argentina – Quit your crying
Have you heard the latest from Argentina?
They want the Falkland Islands. No, this is not a repost from 1982.
The British are drilling for petroleum off shore of the Falkland Islands and Argentina is crying foul. Why? Because, despite the ass-whipping they took back in 1982, they still think the islands are theirs.
Argentina is calling for the United Nations to step in and prevent the UK from moving forward. Again, because they are STILL claiming the islands, which they call the Malvinas, even though it has been settled for at least 82 years.
Now, some could argue that this has been settled since British sovereignty was established in 1833. That is 177 year for those who are keeping track at home. But there is another issue…and I will get to that in a few paragraphs.
Despite the claims by Argentina that the islands are their territory, the Brits have actually tried to be decent neighbors. Up until the Falklands war, the only regular air service to and from the islands was provided by an Argentine air provider. And the energy needs for the islands were provided by the Argentine national energy company, YPF.
But after the attack by Argentina in 1982, things have NOT been as friendly. Why should they be? The Brits tried to play nice, throwing the Argentine’s a nice bone by giving them some business only to get their hands bitten.
And there are still some remnants of the war on the islands. Notably, the 30,000 plastic landmines that remain as a deterrant outside to a Royal Army post near Stanley, the Falkland Island’s capital. And because they are plastic, they are hard to detect and hard to remove. I doubt that Argentina really wants to send their young men and women over to become human mine detectors. But maybe they are that stupid.
So, this is what it might be all about. Money. But it is hard to know when you have a leftist government in place. It hasn’t helped Hugo Chavez any, he has sunk his country deeper and deeper since taking office. Which is what you get when you elect leftists. I could cite examples closer to home, but this is about the South Atlantic.
Here is a possible solution. And the United Nations could moderate this, so long as there is a big enough pay out for those involved in THAT culture of corruption. First, Argentina signs a treaty acknowledging the rights of the United Kingdom to maintain the Falkland Islands (not the Malvinas). In return for signing that treaty, the United Kingdom will impose a moratorium on petroleum exploration for at least ten years AND will purchase energy at a reasonable rate from Argentina. If the rates exceed an agreed upon international pricing level, and after the ten year moratorium has passed, the United Kingdom may resume petroleum exploration.
UK gets to keep their islands, and future petro reserves. Argentina gets some needed capital AND they get to look like the good guys.
Will never happen.
RE-POST – The Promotion of Mediocrity
Following today’s meeting at Blair House, I felt it was time to present this once again.
From 23 December 2009:
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If you have been awake, and judging by the actions of Congress, they hope you aren’t…..well, if you have been awake, you may have heard the following names mentioned by centrist or right leaning talk show hosts, politicians or pundits.
Saul Alinsky
Richard Cloward
Frances Fox Piven
If you haven’t heard those names, you really need to educate yourself. These are the people that wrote the playbook and game plan that the “Progressives” are currently playing from. Alinsky and Cloward are both dead, but it seems that, like Obi Won Kenobi, that only made them more powerful. Piven is still alive.
First up, Saul Alinsky. Barack Obama, remember him, current President of the United States, learned and later taught Saul Alinsky’s methods of Community Organizing. To some of you, you probably think this is great. But do you know what Alinsky was looking for? More on that in a second.
Next we have Richard Cloward and Frances Fox Piven. You have to keep those two together because they developed the “Cloward-Piven strategy” while at Columbia University’s School of Social Work. The Cloward-Piven strategy, published in “The Nation” back in 1966, put forth the theory that people who were eligible for government benefits were not receiving them. They pushed for a drive to get those people to apply for and accept these benefits.
The goal of Cloward-Piven strategy was to have the run on the government for benefits to force the Federal Government, via the Democratic Party who held both houses of Congress and the White House, to enact legislation creating a guaranteed national income.
Alinsky liked this idea too.
Now if you think this is a good idea, I am worried about your ability to see the effect of such actions.
Simply put, this promotes mediocrity. This removes the incentive to be individually successful. This is a giant step toward Communism.
Again, as I used to say on the radio show, do NOT take my word for it, do your own research. My job here is to make you think. I want you to question your preconceived ideas about how things work and be sure that you are comprehending what is actually happening in the world around you.
Think about this. If you don’t have to get out of bed in the morning and go to work in order to have your mortgage/rent and all your utilities paid, then why would you do so? Because you are not a bum?
Well, this is not how most people are.
I am all for effective and efficient welfare programs to help people who need help. But those programs need to have an end date.
Why is it that we have a President and Congress who want to have an end date for a military action, and in doing so showing the enemies of our nation when they can act up again, but it is NOT acceptable to have an end to welfare benefits to motivate people to pull themselves up from poverty.
Explain this to me in a way that I can understand and then I my finally understand bleeding heart liberalism. But since you can’t, I can only look at this for what it is.
This is EVIL Progressivism (redundant, I know). This is taking the responsibility of the individual and throwing it away.
It is a means of penalizing those who strive for and achieve success. I strive for, but have yet to achieve.
Soon, I may not have to. Because the far left, the evil Progressives, will have succeeded in making their goal. That goal……
The Promotion of Mediocrity
Do you want this?
If not, go back and re-read this.
http://jaykersting.com/blog/2009/12/22/it-is-time/
It truly is time.
Erin Hamlin impacted by changes to the track
Erin Hamlin is the slider that I have been looking forward to seeing. Unfortunately, the programming fools at NBC decided to tape delay her event until late night. Why? So they could showcase the Chi-Comms in figure skating, an event where they don’t even skate figures anymore.
They did show Luge in the late night programming, but I cannot stay up that late AND I was following the results on-line.
So, here is the deal. When they shortened the luge track due to the death of Nodar Kumaritashvili, it impacted the event for everyone. And it really ruined it for those who are known for cutting time by executing tighter turns near the end of the race.
Erin Hamlin is one of those sliders. So is Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger, currently in third. As for Erin Hamlin, she is in 15th, 0.813 behind leader Tatjana Huefner of Germany.
But as my friend Adrian Narvaez used to tell me, “Dem’s da berries”….meaning, everyone must adapt to the changes, so get used to it. At least, I think that is what he meant. Could have been talking about his breakfast toppings.
There are two more runs today for the Women’s luge. Making up 0.813 is nearly impossible, but as I say about baseball, they play nine innings for a reason. They make four runs down the ice for a reason.
I hope Erin Hamlin can pull it out. If not, she is still young and can do it again in Russia four years from now.
Something to think about while you may feel this complaint about the track is “sour grapes”….do you know who had the fastest SPEED on the track last night?
Megan Sweeney of the United States…currently in 27th place.
Sticking with sports. What impressed me, what didn’t.
On Friday, most of you didn’t know the name Johnny Spillane. I did, barely. The only reason that I knew who he was is due to my interest in the real sports in the Winter Olympics and not the crap.
Like Duncan Kennedy in the luge back in Alberville in 1992, Spillane was the best hope for the first American medal in Nordic Combined.
Nordic Combined? Don’t know it?
Two events. First, Ski Jumping (off of the Normal hill) and then, cross country skiing (10km/6.1 miles).
Johnny Spillane took silver, the first American medal in Nordic Combined and the first medal in ALL Nordic events since Bill Koch won silver in cross country skiing back in 1976.
Spillane has the opportunity for another medal when the Nordic Combined moves the the larger hill (a K125) on the 25th. Todd Lodwick and Bill Demong, who finished 4th and 6th respectively, are also looking to medal in this event and they may have a jumping advantage over Spillane.
So, while that impressed me. Jamie McMurray winning the Daytona 500 didn’t. NASCAR has this so backwards. The biggest event kicks off the season…huh?
Oh, and the NBA had their All-Star Game on Sunday. 108,000+ people were silly enough to waste their money to watch this. I think the East won, but I don’t care. The NBA is probably the worst professional sports league in existance.
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I did enjoy the short-track speed skating that I watched. South Korea should have swept the 1500m. BUT, they screwed up and the guy in second took out the guy in third. That opened the door for Apolo Ohno and J.R. Celski to collect the silver and bronze.
The spills and recoveries are part of what makes short track exciting the watch.
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Finally, I enjoyed the coverage of the Luge this year. Duncan Kennedy makes this event for NBC. And this year, I think they finally got him to really open up. Unfortunately, I think this increased usage of the 1988, 1992 and 1994 American slider was due to tragedy.
Unless you are one of the slugs who prefers to watch NASCAR or a bad NBA exhibition over the games, you have heard about the death of Georgia slider Nodar Kumaritashvili on Friday during a training run. Kumaritashvili’s death led many to conclude that the sport is out of control and hyper-dangerous.
Duncan Kennedy helped bring perspective on this. And he helped explain the problems with this track and the alterations made to it in the aftermath.
Felix Loch of Germany won the singles luge….and he is rather impressive. 2006 Gold medalist Armin Zoeggeler took bronze.
American Tony Benshoof finished eighth.
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I will probably comment a bit on the games over the next two weeks. I have loved the Winter Games since my parents went to Lake Placid back in 1980. Be prepared for it. Other things will be commented on, as I feel the need and interest in doing so.
Meanwhile, a word from my sponsors…..
