Betting on Nathan's - What's Next?

By Bobby

A few years ago, I could not believe the hype over ESPN broadcasting the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, as their sixth year of live coverage, which they recently renewed 2012, starts Saturday (Noon ET, 12:40 contest; play-by-play Paul Page, analyst Richard Shea, on-field reporter Rob Stone). Now I've seen how badly the obsession with this king of gluttony has become when oddsmakers are putting odds on the ten-minute match of 20 eaters.

The oddsmakers are now setting odds on not just the winner, but things on eating such as who will reach 15, 30, and 45 first, how many will be eaten by the 20 contestants overall, who will win, and if it will reach overtime.

As someone who has opposed sports betting because of how it destroys the integrity of the game, and remembers the Tulane point-shaving scandal of the 1980's, it concerns me that in this increasing rise of gambling through the rise in the past 20 years of state “education” lotteries “for the children” under the Zell Miller model, sports betting in Nevada, Montana, Oregon, and Delaware, and the increasing number of casino advertising at sports stadia. I ask how can Pete Rose be banned from the Professional Baseball Hall of Fame and even professional baseball for gambling when teams (including the Reds) are now advertising casinos and state lotteries at the ballpark, encouraging people to bet at the casinos, and potentially betting on sporting events? Now we're seeing people are betting on hot dog eating contests, awards shows, game shows (Idols, Strictly Come Dancing), and even “professional wrestling”.

I can't even picture my thought of that contest. Of course, the trouble with Page is that he calls contests that last from three and seven hundred seventy-eight thousandths to seven and a half seconds. Saturday's glutton festival is a ten-minute contest.

Just how bad has America become when a hot-dog eating contest is able to garner more ratings than a baseball game on Independence Day? Forget about it, I'm running the Peachtree XL instead in Atlanta!

Karl Malden, R.I.P.

By Mitchell

Karl Malden was responsible, albeit one step removed, from one of my favorite sayings. I have often been heard, at work and elsewhere, to declare that "A good excuse is like an American Express card - don't leave home without it."

Perhaps Malden didn't write that memorable line forAmerican Express, but he was the one who said it - and after that it belonged to him, no matter who said it. There was a presence about him (the profile, the nose, the hat, the commanding voice) that served him well even when he wasn't hawking travelers' checks: in A Streetcar Named Desire, for which he won his Oscar; for On the Waterfront, with his gritty portrayal of a priest who understood exactly what social justice means; or in Patton, for which I think he should have won an Oscar, playing the difficult role of General Omar Bradley to perfection - a hero in his own right, Bradley had to be played as second banana to Patton without losing his dignity or stature. Not every actor could pull that off, but Malden could and did.

He was known to millions for his role in the cop show The Streets of San Francisco, where he mentored the star-to-be Michael Douglas, who in those days was better known for being Kirk's son. He went on to become president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a role he fulfilled honorably for many years.

Karl Malden died today at 97, a life well lived. He was never in the stratosphere of superstars, just a hard-working actor who did his job often and well, and never left it at home.

Sanford Reminds Me of Hart, King David

By Bobby

As I looked at Mark Sanford's sexcapade scandal, I was reminded that this was reminiscent of King David's infidelity (Bathsheba) that put him in trouble and resulted in more scandal that led to the deaths of children in the family and even his son turning on him later. But the Governor's scandal had me thinking of Donna Rice, the woman behind the scandal involving Democrat Senator Gary Hart (Colorado) in 1987, who was on the Monkey Business when the scandal erupted.

Now I must disclose that I actively help Donna Rice in her fight against Internet pornography, and not only did I hear her speak of the issue, she and I are graduates of the same university. Mrs. Hughes is now head of Web Wise Kids.

Opera Wednesday

By Drew

Although Carmen is Bizet's best-known opera, his best-known opera aria - indeed, one of the most famous in all opera - might be "Au fond du Temple Saint," from the seldom-performed Les pêcheurs de perles (The Pearl Fishers).

I recall that during a Met Opera quiz a couple of years ago, one of the panelists suggested The Pearl Fishers was due for a revival in the operatic repertory. Indeed, Nathan Gunn starred in a wonderful production of it last year at the Lyric in Chicago, and it opens the Minnesota Opera's season this fall. However, although the opera iteslf isn't regularly seen, "Au fond du Temple Saint" is a staple of concert performances.

I'm not quite sure why The Pearl Fishers isn't performed more often, but after having heard it one possibility comes to mind: it requires really, really good singers. The most famous recording of "Au fond du Temple Saint" features two all-time greats, Jussi Björling and Robert Merrill; unfortunately, there's no video of it, which can be a problem if you're planning to do a video post. (Seldom-performed operas seldom have videos, unfortunately.) Nevertheless, if you want to hear it (and you really should), you can listen to it here.

For those of you in a more visual mood, here is a concert performance by Roberto Alagna and Bryn Terfel. After listening to it, I think you'll understand why "Au fond du Temple Saint" is considered one of the greatest arias of all time.

The Candidate

By Cathy of Alex

Today, Al Franken was officially declared and certified as Senator of the state of Minnesota. For the record, the election was nearly nine months ago. Norm Coleman ended his legal challenges and stated he would abide by the state Supreme Court's decision.

It so happens that Tim Pawlenty will not be running for the Governor's office in Minnesota in 2010.

I don't think Norm Coleman is going to go fishing for the rest of his life. He'll be back.

Maybe he'll run for Governor, maybe not. But, he will remain a political player. You can count on that.

I listened to the Coleman press conference this afternoon on Minnesota Public Radio's Internet stream. I found it VERY interesting that Coleman made a point out of mentioning, right away, that his wife Laurie, a Roman Catholic, was currently in Rome and was praying a Rosary at the Vatican when the Court decision was announced. Allegedly she even met up with Father Joseph Johnson of the Cathedral of St. Paul in Rome, said Coleman.

In all these years, I've NEVER heard Coleman mention his wife's faith (Coleman is Jewish). Is it possible that Coleman realizes that conservative Catholics are looking for a candidate? Coleman is savvy. He's an experience campaigner. He's not stupid.

You ask: Why should what happens in Minnesota matter? State races effect all of us. The balance of the legislators and executive offices matter. We know this. I expect, no matter who runs in 2010, money will pour in from all over to support the candidate whose agenda they like.

If Coleman runs for Governor he will not have an easy time of it. A lot will be thrown at him and some of it may stick. Plus, the field is huge right now. I've lost count of the number of announced candidates. It's almost easier to list who isn't running. Maybe Mitchell Hadley should run?! He's Catholic, he's got some political experience, he's smart, he's articulate, he's unemployed.....

But, seriously, elections matter. We need to pay attention.

It doesn't end with the election. We need to pay attention all the time. What are our elected officials doing? What aren't they doing?

It matters. Wake up.

Coleman-Franken reminiscent of Iranian Presidential Election

By Bobby

We have heard about the massive protests in Iran where the people supporting Mir Hossein Mousavi, whom most had called the winner, were defeated by totalitarian dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was declared the winner despite by most reports, having fewer votes.

This reminds me of what has happened in Minnesota, where the United States Senate seat that Norm Coleman won is now under scrutiny because of ACORN and other fraud-counters (such as MOVEON.ORG) have worked to seat Al Franken, who had fewer votes.

This election is crucial because should Mr. Franken be seated, the rules of the Senate would likely be changed to ensure the only persons allowed to speak will be leader Harry Reid and his 59 other Senators. This would make states such as Georgia, South Carolina, Wyoming, Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, Kansas, Arizona, and Kentucky to be made irrelevant as Senators from California, Nevada, Washington, Colorado, New Mexico, Hawaii, Virginia, Maryland, and Illinois will be able to run roughshod like monster trucks. Should Mr. Franken be seated, a no-debate, no-discussion Senate would be able to push the entire Obama agenda, and pack the courts that had numerous judicial vacancies caused by Patrick Leahy-led filibusters in the Bush administration filled by Obama judges that would form a clear majority of the judiciary by filling all vacancies. These judges would effectively move the nation's legislative capital to Bruxelles, Belgique as the transnationalist judges preferred by liberals would declare every law of this country they do not feel is right repealed by foreign law, a procedure which would have saved James Terry Roach.

Mr. Roach was a convicted murderer who was 17 when he was an accomplice in 22-year old Joseph Carl Shaw's rape and kill spree near Fort Jackson in 1977 by raping and murdering three people -- a serviceman's wife and a teenage couple. Mr. Shaw then returned to the scene of the crime to have sex with the corpses of the women he killed. For these gruesome crimes, both Mr. Shaw and Mr. Roach were sentenced to death in the electric chair at Central Correctional Institute, for which the two would die, 364 days of each other, from January 11, 1985 (Mr. Shaw) to January 10, 1986 (Mr. Roach). In 2005, the United States Supreme Court ruled European law takes precedence in banning 17-year old murderers from being execuited.

Furthermore, the homosexual, abortion, high taxation, environmental extremist, and other agenda of the Obama Administration, and the Far Left, would become the law as debate and discussion would be banned.

Are we headed to a bigger fight as Norm Coleman, the real winner of the Minnesota election, is shut down by Al Franken, who used the accomplices of ACORN and Iran-style vote fraud, to steal an election to advance the Obama Agenda?

Wish I'd Written That

By Mitchell

Many leaders operate in a comfort zone, where mediocrity is concealed by the size, prominence or wealth of the organization. Sometimes the mere fact of being president, chairman or CEO of a major international company, or being a cabinet minister, or a general or even an archbishop can be enough for you to be recognized as a giant in your field, almost irrespective of how well or how ineffectively you are doing the job. Such people can become over-protected by the infrastructure they inherit. They become self-important and distracted by their title, the acreage of their office, the private elevator, the prominence of their parking space and the sycophancy of their advisers. The endless courtesies and privileges are often highly intoxicating, not just for them but also for their spouses and even for their secretaries, yet they serve only to distract the leader from the key elements of what he or she is supposed to be doing. Power and influence can be destructive and dangerous commodities, and it is therefore not surprising that, when problems arise, many of these people prove unable to deal with them.

Jackie Stewart, Winning Is Not Enough

Billy Mays, R.I.P.

By Mitchell

We often hear it said of something that "this is something that could happen only in America." Which, I think, is why we note the passing of Billy Mays on Sunday.

Billy Mays was a quintessentially American phenomenon. Where else could a commercial pitchman become a national figure, someone recognized and liked around the country, every bit as well-known - if not more so - than the products he advertised? Thanks to Mays, entrepreneurs had a chance to prove that hard work and persistence could pay off, that if you invent a better mousetrap (and advertise it through infomercials), the world really will beat a path to your door. Could there be anything more representative of how capitalism is supposed to work?

He wasn't for everyone, and I don't think it was until he started the commercials for ESPN360.com that I really figured out it was just an act. Billy Mays didn't want you to take him seriously, but he did want you to believe in the products he advertised, because he believed in them. I don't think he would have risked his reputation otherwise.



We got a look at the man behind the pitchman this season during the Discovery Channel series Pitchmen, in which he co-starred with Anthony Sullivan. It was a charming, humorous, and ultimately insightful series that featured a lot of people willing to stake everything they had, and then some, on their belief in a dream - that they could invent a product that would fulfill a need, that would make life just a little bit better for people. Again, that's a sentiment that speaks to the very fiber of America - the idea that this was a land of opportunity, one in which everyone had a chance for success.

I liked that about Billy Mays, and perhaps the obvious sincerity with which he went about his work was part of it. We often hear about how Ronald Reagan was a "happy warrior," but then so was Billy Mays. Perhaps in a different way than Reagan, but a way that was no less American.

TWTWTW*

By Mitchell

This, it must be said, has been a most strange week; and at some point one has to ask when all of life became a Fellini movie.

Thursday was the pinnacle, of course, with the deaths of two of the great pop figures of recent decades, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. (I was going to call them icons, but Jonah Goldberg provided a proper reason to avoid that terminology.) Fawcett's death was hardly unexpected, and her very public struggle with cancer brought a definite sense of dignity to a life that, as is the case with most lives, had its share of ups and downs.

Jackson's, on the other hand, was from out of the blue (although in the moments after it happened, one could find any number of people saying, in essence, that this was an accident waiting to happen) and the reported scene at the hospital - people weeping, information hard to come by, Jackson songs blaring through the hallways while a throng of people and reporters gathered outside - sounds as surreal as any image from Satyricon or Amarcord. It was a strange end to a sad life, and it is very hard not to pity Michael Jackson for the talent he had, and the strange waste his life appeared to become. Ed McMahon's death earlier in the week was almost forgotten, and you have to think that he deserved better than that.

Oh, and Jon & Kate, who brought televised self-immolation to new heights (or lows), announced they were divorcing. Couple this with the truly bizarre disappearance and reappearance of South Carolina Governor Sanford (as we discussed yesterday), and about all one can say is that it was a good week to be working in cable news.

Nor were we limited to news - the sports world provided its share of excitement. The U.S. defeated top-ranked Italy in soccer, and that must have sent someone scurrying to see if it was snowing in Hell. Formula One, playing against type, actually did something that made sense: Max Mosley (whom we talked about here) announced he wouldn't be running for another term as FIA president, and the renegade manufacturers announced they wouldn't be forming a breakaway group after all. Manny Ramirez, he of the drug suspension, now has his doctors being investigated by the DEA, and MLB says they'll cooperate. Phil Mickelson blew another U.S. Open golf championship, and it seemed that might have been the most normal thing about the week; it was all downhill from there.

I wrote at some length yesterday about how life imitates art, and this must be a final confirmation of the fact. Deists suggest that after the act of creation, God no longer took an active interest in life. Regardless of one's own religious beliefs, the last few days must certainly put a lie to that - for at the very least, Fellini seems to have a hand in the script, which suggests that someone up there is running things.

*For all you TV oldies out there, "That Was The Week That Was."

Life Imitates Art

By Mitchell

I’ve often said, in relation to the news, that “you can’t make this stuff up.” Well, here’s one that you not only could make up, but someone already did. Almost, that is.

Now, it’s not unusual to see a movie or television program with a plot that seems suspiciously to have been “ripped from today’s headlines,” but how often do you see a real-life story that seems to have been ripped off from fiction? It occurs to me that, in reading the tragic/absurd/outrageous story of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, that this is the very kind of tale we might dismiss as ridiculous if we saw it in, for example, an episode of “Matlock.” Yet here is a true-life story that truly sets itself up for this kind of treatment.

In the TV movie The President’s Plane is Missing (1973, based on the novel by Robert Serling), the president’s plane – aka Air Force One – goes missing from radar screens. It isn’t missing for long, however, as the wreckage of the plane is soon discovered, the crash killing everyone on board including, presumably, the president. After all, he was on board, wasn’t he?

As you might expect, this story isn’t nearly that simple.

(Warning: Plot Spoilers Ahead!)

The surprise of The President’s Plane is Missing is that it isn’t really the President on the plane, you see. He’s off in secret conducting sensitive negotiations regarding a treaty that could defuse a potential nuclear war with China. Oh, that man whom everyone saw getting on Air Force One? Wasn’t him – it was an imposter (a relative, as I recall) whose purpose is to trick everyone into thinking that the President is headed out west for a little R&R in the midst of this Cold War tension. Meanwhile, the President can conduct the negotiations personally, without the glare and pressure of the press and others.

If you’re still with me here, then it’s obvious that the crash of Air Force One (due to sabotage) throws a bit of a monkey wrench into the President’s plan. Soon enough, it becomes clear that the President wasn’t on that plane at all – it’s not the plane that’s missing, it’s the President! The negotiations are at such a sensitive point that he can’t afford to come out in public and reassure the nation of where he is – so he has to let the mystery fester. Throw in an incompetent, insecure Vice President who assumes the mantle of Acting President with a determination to engage the Chinese in war, and you have the stuff of which potboilers are made.

Although there are some fairly preposterous twists and turns, it winds up being a pretty entertaining tale of politics, intrigue, and espionage, with a healthy dose of insight into what makes airplanes fly – and crash. (Which is to be expected from Serling, a noted aviation expert as well as the brother of Rod.) In the end though, both readers (of the novel) and viewers (of the movie) are left thinking that The President’s Plane is Missing is a gripping beach read, or a couple of diverting hours on television, and nothing more. A good story, in other words, but ridiculous.

Or is it?

When Governor Sanford was first discovered to be “missing,” the immediate question raised by many was what would happen if there was an emergency in South Carolina and the governor couldn’t be found. State law, apparently, requires a transfer of power from the governor to the lieutenant governor (if the governor is going to be traveling, for example) in order for the LG to exercise any executive power. Failing that, the speculation was, the state could have been up a creek if anything had happened while Sanford was incommunicado. Was he out on the Appalachian Trail, as his aides first reported? No, it turned out he was in Argentina, and – well, the rest of the story kind of goes downhill from there.

While it’s true that Sanford was incredibly incompetent in this whole situation (not to mention a real knucklehead), he also presented validation to a score of screenwriters, authors, and others who over the years have cooked up the kind of quasi-outlandish plots we saw in The President’s Plane is Missing. I mean, there are easily a half-dozen story ideas alone in this situation.

There is that natural disaster idea that so preoccupied everyone at first, that South Carolina is hit by a hurricane while the governor is out, and there’s nobody around to take charge. Sanford could have been injured or kidnapped in Argentina, with nobody knowing where he was. (Thrown in some kind of secret illness requiring medicine that he needs to live, and you’ve really got a story.) He and his mistress could have been involved in a auto accident that kills the mistress. (In that case I suppose he could place a call to Ted Kennedy for advice, but that’s a different story altogether.) Or it could have been Sanford killed or injured in the crash. (see: Fordice, Kirk.) As you can see, the possibilities are endless – and that’s without having to even touch Serling’s plot.

(As an aside, we haven’t even mentioned Fletcher Knebel’s novel Vanished (which, in 1971 was made into the very first two-part made-for-TV movie) dealing with a top presidential aide who – well, vanishes. As I recall, the plot of this story closely parallels that of Serling’s story, in that the vanished aide is actually conducting sensitive, top-secret negotiations. And perhaps that’s what Sanford should have been doing; as Jim Geraghty commented upon learning that Sanford was in Argentina, he’d better be returning with some long-lost elderly Nazi in handcuffs. But we digress.)

It is rare that one is handed such an opportunity in real life. We’re often fond of saying that art imitates life, but in reality life imitates art just as often. We should, one supposes, be grateful to Governor Sanford for providing us with the suspension of disbelief that so many of the summer blockbusters require. We can now go to the movies, watch television, and read potboiler novels without guilt, secure in the knowledge that what we’re really doing is researching how our national leaders operate.

The Return of Enron

By Bobby

We remember the scandals from an energy company in Texas known as Enron in the early years of this decade. Now we are learning that ghosts of Enron are in play with the proposed "cap and trade" bills that are prevalent now in Congress, and with the one-sided nearly filibuster-proof majorities in both chambers of Congress are willing to pass this appalling bill that continues the fringe environmentalist agenda of this country that led to the demise of the United States automakers by imposing a policy that promotes the only two types of energy that the Administration wants in this country -- wind and solar.

A letter that I received from a group of fellow investors in SCANA referenced their attendance at the 2009 SCANA shareholders' meeting, where they learned a minimum of nearly 13 km/h (8 MPH) was required constantly for wind power to even be usable, and that is at the bare minimum. It makes you wonder in calmer places where we do not receive such wind gusts why such a mandate was imposed. You may have to place these wind farms near the freeway, where it could be a road hazard, but liberals have the microcar mandate that will negate any advantage caused by larger vehicles creating wind power.

Are we headed to creating a federal Enron energy policy with cap and trade?

Sources:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/46120417.html
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=26124
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Economy/wm1723.cfm
http://cei.org/gencon/019,02898.cfm

Now, This Outsourcing Has Gone Too Far

By Drew

News item: South Carolina Governor Sanford Admits to Affair With Argentinian Woman. And my question to him is this - aren't American women good enough for you?

First, jobs; now, political mistresses. When will it all stop?

Opera Wednesday

By Drew

Regular readers might recall that John Adams has never been one of my favorite composers. It's not that his music is bad necessarily, just that it never seems to go anywhere.

Last season the Met telecast Adams' Doctor Atomic, the story of Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb, staring Gerald Finley. Now, I'm not sure I'd run right out and see it again - Terry Teachout referred to it more as an oratorio than an opera (something I'd like to get into in more detail some day) - but there were some striking moments in it, none more so than Finley's aria to close the first act, "Batter My Heart."

New Age Quackery in the Hospital: Reiki

By Bobby

Recently, Ingrid noted she was sent to a physical therapist for a neck injury, and was outraged at the "therapy" that featured strange music and therapy that she later learned was "reiki". She was not pleased and called the clinic that recommended she be sent to the reiki treatment centre. She called the occultic quackery for its cost and inefficiency that never helped her, but cost her in money with no treatment except for the New Age mind thinking.

At this rate, the Reiki and other forms of New Age thinking in the hospital are too dangerous for hospitals. What can you do when New Age treatment is the only thing in the hospital, and things that are known to work are not sued in favour of things what will not work?

Ed McMahon, R.I.P.

By Mitchell

It isn't easy, one supposes, to be a second banana. It's even harder to do it well, or with the grace and style one saw from Ed McMahon. He truly was a partner with Johnny Carson - even though everyone knew Johnny was top dog, the thought of Johnny without Ed was a tough one. Ed McMahon was the perfect foil, the straight man who fed the great lines to Aunt Blabby and Carnac the Magnificent:



If there was a difference between Johnny and Ed, it was that while one had a hard time imagining Johnny without Ed, one could - and did - see Ed without Johnny. Star Search, blooper shows, the Labor Day telethon with Jerry Lewis - Ed had a whole side career without Johnny.

Ed McMahon's television career didn't start with the Tonight Show, as was detailed in When Television Was Young, the delightful book to which he lent his name. He was a TV celebrity in Philadelphia long before turning up with Carson, first on Who Do You Trust and later on Tonight. He was not only a great sidekick, he was a wonderful pitchman, often handling the Tonight commercials live, and ready with the ad lib whenever one of those Alpo dogs didn't quite cooperate as planned. The jokes about his drinking were legendary and, one hears, somewhat exaggerated. His presence on TV was always comforting, reassuring, familiar. He felt like part of the TV family, and in a sense he was, being a trusted late-night guest in our homes.

Ed McMahon saw a lot of change in television over the years, and it has changed even more since he left as a regular, although he was never really off the air. Even today, the day Ed McMahon died at the age of 86, he lives on through DVDs, tapes, and - best of all - memories.

Heigh-Ho, Ed!

High Noon For Formula One

By Mitchell

When last we saw Max Mosley, president of FIA (the world automobile racing governing body), he was managing to extricate himself from a sordid Nazi-role-play sex scandal, thus confirming his status as the ultimate survivor. It now appears, however, that his time may have run out.

For the last few months, a battle for control of auto racing's premier class, Formula 1, has been brewing just below the surface. The battle pits Mosley and FIA against the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA), made up of the primary F1 manufacturers - Ferrari, McLaren, Toyota, BMW, Brawn - in other words, the cars that most gearheads want to see race. Mosley has proposed drastic changes to F1 - a spending cap being the most significant, though by no means the only change. Mosley insists that in the current economic climate, such changes are necessary for F1's survival.

FOTA, in response, has fought the draconian spending change, and has come out against other changes as well, including regulations that would make the cars more identical, less technologically advanced, and - well, taking away much of what makes F1 what it is. The manufacturers insist that Mosley's changes, if approved, would kill F1.

Over the last week, the issue has come to a head, with FOTA announcing their plans to start a breakaway racing season next year. Such a move threatens to plunge the sport into a disarray similar to that which came as a result of the American open wheel racing split a decade ago, from which IndyCar has yet to recover.

FIA is meeting in Paris on Wednesday, and word is that Max might find himself ousted, in which case FOTA might - just might - come back into the fold. Race fans are split on it; while many recognize the threat to the sport posed by a breakup, many more have simply had it with Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone, the president and CEO of Formula One Management (and a man with his own anti-fan club, as Bobby will readily attest). We should know more after that Wednesdsay meeting, but everyone seems to agree that Mosley is in serious trouble, and this time there may be no way out. If Max goes, the sport may be saved.

Now, if you're like me - in other words, both a big fan of sports and an avid follower of politics - then F1 is a dream come true, combining the best (or worst) of both worlds. Formula One is, without doubt, the most political sport on this planet, a combination of Watergate and the Super Bowl: race results are overturned by rules violations that are discovered hours after the fact, cars refuse to race because of safety concerns, some races are decertified but go on anyway - you name it. Does Ferrari really control FIA? Are officials out to get McLaren? Is there, in fact, a bias against British racing teams? Will the United States ever get an F1 race again? In-fighting, name-calling, and lawsuits (both real and threatened) are a way of life. Truly, there is nothing more glorious in all of sport. Fans are drawn to the off-track drama as much as they are the races (many of which, to be honest, offer far less excitement as well). It is, literally, a fascinating thing to see, in the same way that a train wreck keeps your eyes glued to the scene. And only F1 could possibly offer up a scandal on the scale of Max Mosley's - and then go on to overshadow it.

If you detect any sarcasm, cynicism or parody in my words, don't make too much of it. F1 really is one of the world's most exciting sports, and there's no doubt the politics add some spice to it. This is what keeps us coming back for more - that and the talent displayed by the world's greatest racing drivers.

And, of course, to see what Max is up to next. You can't get that kind of entertainment anywhere else.

A June Weekend of Dignity

By Bobby

Some thoughts came to me over this week while reviewing news in regards to causes as Christians. A major Protestant denomination's doctrine of faith states the following:

In the spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose racism, every form of greed, selfishness, and vice, and all forms of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality, and pornography. We should work to provide for the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death.
(The Baptist Faith and Message, 2000 edition, Section XV, "The Christian and the Social Order".

Social Engineering - Redefining Marriage for Federal Employees. President Obama's Social Engineering project made two huge advances this week. First, in violation of the aforementioned article, he is defying the Defense of Marriage Act by declaring homosexual partners "married" for benefits purposes for federal employees, defying the standards of the federal law and also many states which have constitutional amendments and laws that declare spouses, and the respective benefits, belong only to persons of the opposite sex who are married to that person -- and no "transgendered" people -- that declare in that state spouses must be of the opposite sex. The decision of the Obama Social Engineering Project to appease the sexual deviants shows once again that the Tim Gill money that has infiltrated local legislatures is now clearly in the hip pocket of Washington. Some believe this is one more step into pushing for their false marriages into the federal level, or even legalising polygamy, which is illegal. Remember in American history, Utah had to declare marriage as "one man" and "one woman" and ban polygamy in order to be admitted as a state. Polygamy was rampant in Mormonism (LDS) and currently in the Islamic world.

Social Engineering - Forcing Microcars Down Our Throats. It's well known now that liberal activists use social engineering to force the minicars and microcars down our throats. The "Cash for Clunkers" earmark in the "defense authorisation" bill is another example of liberals trying to use our defense authorisation bills to force their troubling agenda through. This is a government request to force us into the microcars they've wanted to force us to drive, and wean us out of our trucks, especially since the 2007 Pelosi energy act. Ford executive Alan Mulally has recommended fuel prices should be raised (by taxes) to two dollars a litre (now we see why they supported the microcar mandate; GM and Chrysler kept with trucks, and Obama seized them, reminiscent of Governor Sanford being seized in that he had to take Porkulus money when he refused), and foreign automakers' praise of the green auto standards, have shown what supporting this administration will do. Worse yet, two years ago, the defense authorisation bill was used to raise the minimum wage 40% to appease the labour unions in charge, which has been responsible for much of the unemployment turmoil in this country.

NRLC Charlotte 2009. Taxpayers would pay for abortions under plans of the socialised medicine plans that we have called "HillaryCare" or "ObamaCare". Rep. Christopher Smith (left) mentioned at the National Right to Life Convention Closing Dinner in Charlotte Saturday night of the dangers of such. Not only would we receive rationed health care of the likes in Europe, our taxpayer money would be used to pay for killing people, and one proposal floated would require all obstetricians to have killed at least one child (did not mention chemical, D&E, D&X, or other forms) through an abortion before being certified as an obstetrician. He also ran off a list of what he called "The Abortion President" and the numbers of pro-baby murder people in his cabinet, and described the mother of the "birth control" movement Margaret Sanger (founder of Planned Parenthood) and her Eugenics movement, especially with the racist views of Miss Sanger. In times reminiscent of 1984 style doublespeak, he described the doublespeak of the abortion lobby:

• "Safe" -- Never safe.
• "Legal and Rare" -- Massive numbers of abortion, anywhere, at any time.
• "Reproductive Care" (used as part of socialised medicine plans) -- Baby murder factories and full support.

Mr. Smith noted too that the President is forcing other nations to accept legalisation of abortion, but what I observed was while he wants other nations to adopt baby murder as full and legal for all nine months, he is having other liberal nations' laws override our laws passed by our state legislatures and federal legislators in all aspects of law, henceforth why I have often referred as the nation's legislative capital moving to Belgium. Furthermore, the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) has turned a blind eye on Peking's automatic abortion and eugenics policy in the People's Republic as part of the one child policy, comparing it to Hitler-era Germany's eugenics policy, and calling it a total capitulation of human rights abuses.

When you've been at the dinner table with Terri Schiavo's siblings (Bobby Schindler at the 2009 NRLC Convention, Suzanne Vitadamo at the 2006 SCCL pre-march dinner), been in the front lines of learning the agenda over twelve March for Life events, and even have heard Sean Hannity speak on this at the 2001 event in that venue, what do you expect?

The winner of the oratorical contest, Elizabeth Trisler, even mentioned that Jay Leno helped support the Feminist Majority Foundation at an April 29 fundraiser. This organisation is designed to force as many children to be killed as possible. She also said that her (then) four-year old brother could identify a "fetus" as a living child, something this government cannot identify. Another point she referenced was a 2004 report where four times as many mothers died in abortions than died in childbirth (101 vs 27).

We have ourselves a great up and coming speaker once she gets through college and law school, if she can keep her faith.

The dinner was expensive but was the only event I could attend because of work (missed out on all the goodies, which I regret). Nevertheless, Christopher Smith's speech was huge, and the oratorical contest reminds me every school needs a pro-life oratorical contest in order for us to send our local winners to a regional contest, and be able to represent our state at the next NRLC in Pittsburgh. Of course, a nice dinner that could have been prepared by a member of the staff of a Fuji Television series (let's say it -- allez cuisine!), an NRLC intern who had great piano skills on that Gibson piano (Gibson, which has been in the piano business in 2004, shut down its US piano factory in Arkansas last year and has all pianos made in China after purchasing a state-owned firm in 2006) provided by the hotel (The adults had better music! The kids party was kids dancing to pop tunes of a bygone era and even into today, and was far worse than what I remember) playing during our meal, and the great speeches made it worth the wait, although some didn't like the hotel which held this year's convention. It was the same building as the last time NRLC was in the Queen City, but undergoing a sale and change in name meant many things weren't the same. (The last time it was in Charlotte, I attended it and saw Sean Hannity. The youth are smart enough that when I started to quote the theme song of the radio show, they knew it was Sean!)

Oh, by the way: please bring back the Carmina Burana to Sean's opening.

Protecting Baby Killers but not Feline Killers. My cat finds herself thinking as much as Rush Limbaugh's cat. But when an 18-year old who kidnaps and kills cats is prosecuted while so many who kill babies under the guise of "abortion" are being allowed off the hook, what gives? Why can't the babies be protected like the cats?

Ken Jennings Admits It. The three million dollar game show legend who won on Jeopardy! five years ago has assisted with Sony once again on a game show project. This past season, he was on Sony's Who Wants to be a Millionaire as an Ask the Expert panelist. Now he's admitted to taping a New York pilot for the proposed 2009 CBS revival of another Sony game show, Pyramid.

Watkins Glen Wants Fans to Donate Instruments to Schools: Takes Shot at Wild Thing's Guitar Shot

By Bobby

In light of Kyle Busch's impersonation of a rock musician (right) while winning the Federated Auto Parts 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Lebanon, TN June 6 (which should have been worth a $25,000 fine and 25 points) by smashing his trophy (traditionally in the Nashville market, feature race winners win guitars; when the Indy Racing League ran at the track, drivers talked about wanting the Gibson guitar), Watkins Glen International announced discount tickets for the August 9 Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 350-kilometre race at the circuit for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Any fan who brings in a new or used musical instrument (pianos, winds, symphony instruments, et al, probably) to the track's ticket office will have the right to purchase at discount tickets to the Watkins Glen event. All instruments collected through the drive will be donated to local music organizations and local schools for use in their music departments.

Now that's a smart move to take a shot at the silly rock musicians (and professional wrestlers, plus the cartoon "Quick Draw McGraw") that taught us smashing a guitar is the right way to have it.