I’m not our local sports guy but I’m not the most out of touch either. I remember many screechings in the last couple years at HDOCs because of the manhandling that wide receivers were being subjected to. Some people who can do something about it feel the same way I did.

Just watch a tape of the final few minutes of January’s AFC title game. That’s when Patriots defensive backs did a wonderful job of manhandling Colts receivers. Forget the rule that forbids contact after 5 yards. And the one that governs holding. The officiating crew ignored the blatant nature of the New England tactics, eliminating any chance of a successful Colts comeback. … At its annual winter meeting last week, the NFL instructed its officials to increase enforcement of existing rules pertaining to illegal conduct in the secondary.

While I can’t attest to this being a widespread NFL problem since I only see maybe 8-10 games during the season, I can say that Madden has progrssively become a running game over the last couple versions. Maybe Madden 2005 will take the same stance and let me get back to my previous passing glory status.

Apparently, he can’t count very well: “That’s why I’ve proposed a strategy that that revitalizes our manufacturing sector and puts us on track to create 10 million new jobs in the next four years”.

Funny, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the total number unemployed at about 8.2 Million. I guess Kerry’s for massive immigration, then.

I generally avoid shopping at Wal-Mart but often go with my sister to the day-after-Christmas shopping spree for cheap Christmas ornaments. It’s a mad house even more than Wal-Mart is normally. After seeing this picture set of Poland’s first entertainment/media mega-market, I think I’ll feel safe returning to Wal-Mart next year.

Interesting article in The New Republic on atheism and the pledge. I could only follow about a third of it (must be daylight savings) but I particularly enjoyed this bit:

For the argument that a reference to God is not a reference to God is a sign that American religion is forgetting its reasons. The need of so many American believers to have government endorse their belief is thoroughly abject. How strong, and how wise, is a faith that needs to see God’s name wherever it looks? (His name on nickels and dimes is rather damaging to His sublimity.) I do not mean to exaggerate the virtues of Michael Newdow: There was something too shiny about him, too dogmatic about his opposition to other people’s dogmas. Atheists can be as mindless as theists.

What Irrational Number Are You?

Today’s reason: environmental holcaust.

The phrase may seem dramatic when the Bush adminstration is taken as a whole, but their cover-up of a mining ‘spill’ in the North-Eastern U.S. is the worst environmental cover-up in U.S. history. Jack Spadaro, former head of the National Mine Health and Safety Academy, was removed from his post last year after becoming a whistle blower on this disaster and he’s starting to get big-time press.

”I had never seen anything so corrupt and lawless in my entire career, what I saw regarding interference with a federal investigation of the most serious environmental disaster in the history of the Eastern United States,” says Spadaro.

“I’ve been in government since Richard Nixon. I’ve been through the Reagan administration, Carter and Clinton. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

…

The investigation into Massey Energy, a generous contributor to the Republican Party, was cut short.

“The Bush administration came in and the scope of our investigation was considerably shortened, and we were told to wrap it up in a few weeks,” says Spadaro.

This is my favorite part.

The new head of MSHA, a Bush appointee named Dave Lauriski, was a former mining industry mining executive, and so were his top deputies.

Spadaro says Lauriski came into his office one day, and insisted he sign a watered down version of the report — a version that virtually let the coal company and MSHA off the hook.

The Freemasons are looking for members….are you young and energetic with a taste for conspiracy? Join now! In five to ten years, you too can learn how to fix international grain markets and possibly rig the Oscars!