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Oh, come on! Ron Paul more popular than Rudy Giuliani? Based upon the Nevada caucus results? You must be joking!

Ron Paul, the Texas congressman frequently dismissed as a long shot candidate with no real chance at winning the Republican presidential nomination, has won nearly twice as many total votes to date as Rudy Giuliani, a candidate still widely viewed as a strong contender.

With his second place finish in SaturdayÂ’s Nevada caucus, where Paul defeated Giuliani in every county in the state, the Texas congressman has now received 106,414 votes to 60,220 for Giuliani. Both candidates have collected zero actual delegates.

Now mind you, Giuliani hasn't really mounted a campaign in ANY of the early states, including the couple where "pressing the flesh" is key to the outcome. And as important as I think Nevada was, the reality is that you would also have to conclude that John McCain (who won in South Carolina the same day) is also equally in trouble if you were to use Nevada as the yardstick for measuring viability.

But consider this -- Ron Paul has campaigned vigorously in all of the states so far, in contrast to Giuliani's "wait until Florida" strategy. And Ron Paul still has won no delegates, even in states where he claims to have some strength.

Now I've been very clear that I think Ron Paul needs to be defeated for the presidency AND congress this year because of certain bizarre positions and outrageous statements over the years. But at the same time, I believe that there are some philosophical points worth taking away from his campaign. However, Ron Paul is definitely NOT it -- and I suspect that the relative performances in Florida and on Super Tuesday will demonstrate that he is not candidate with broader and deeper support than Rudy Giuliani.

Posted by: Greg at 11:06 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Are you looking for an educational program that teaches adults the way to CREATE WEALTH. If so, you might be interested in the distance learning program of Nouveau Riche University, which was recently featured in the January 2008 Issue of Your Business at Home Magazine.

The education you receive through Nouveau Riche University will be one that you can afford and which is about teaching adults the path to financial success. That is true whether you are an experienced investor or a novice in the field of personal finance and investing, as they teach you the strategies of investing in assets and equity – hopefully making you America’s next millionaire!

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Except, of course, this one works in reverse. He won't sing if you pay him off.

José Canseco, the former major league slugger and admitted steroid user who exposed other players in his 2005 best-selling book “Juiced,” offered to keep a Detroit Tigers outfielder “clear” in his next book if the player invested money in a film project Canseco was promoting, according to a person in baseball with knowledge of the situation.

Four people in baseball confirmed that referrals were made from Major League Baseball to the F.B.I. regarding Canseco’s actions relating to the six-time All-Star outfielder Magglio Ordóñez, who was not mentioned in Canseco’s earlier book or in any other report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. All four insisted on anonymity because they said they didn’t have authority to speak about the events.

The F.B.I. did not open a formal investigation because Ordóñez said he did not want to pursue the complaint.

Canseco denied that he — or any associate of his — ever asked Ordóñez for money to keep his name out of a book titled “Vindicated.”

“Absolutely not,” Canseco said in a telephone interview Wednesday. He also said he had not been told about being the subject of F.B.I. referrals.

This strikes me as the sort of thing that should be pursued by the FBI regardless of Ordóñez desire to pursue the matter. Given some of the disputes that have gone on recently over steroid abuse allegations, there ought to be some clarity as to the accusers and their motives. It seems that there are some credibility problems at work here. And with no fewer than four different sources bringing the information to the attention of the government, I think that we have a prima facie case that something happened.

Posted by: Greg at 10:44 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Are you ready to to start a business? If so, you need to make sure you have the cash you need to begin and stay operational. Often this involves getting setting up some sort of credit agreement to ensure you have the cash you need.

One way to get fast business cash is to borrow against sales. Owners can get cash now and repay later, after customers have paid you. One option is to get Fast Business Capital to tide you through the slow times in business. At MeritCapitalAdvance.com, you can get cash advances based upon the sales you make using MasterCard and Visa. Approval is always quick and easy, too.

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Good Lord! Here is a name -- and a stunt -- that takes me back to my teenage years in the Chicago area. Steve Dahl, the granddaddy of shock jocks, has arranged a contest for some lucky(?) woman to win a date with Drew Peterson.

His fourth wife has only been missing three months, but Drew Peterson appears ready to plunge back into the dating pool.

“Win a Date with Drew Peterson” is scheduled to air at 8 a.m. Thursday on Steve Dahl’s morning show on WJMK-FM (104.3). Peterson agreed to the stunt when he appeared with his attorney on the show this morning.

Peterson, a former Bolingbrook police sergeant, told Dahl his only caveat with the date was “no three-way stuff.” Dahl said he would likely send a chaperone on the day “just to be on the safe side,” before adding, “I’m kidding.”

PetersonÂ’s fourth wife Stacy vanished on Oct. 28 from the coupleÂ’s Bolingbrook home. Drew Peterson said the mother of two young children left with another man. Police have called her disappearance a possible homicide investigation and labeled Drew Peterson a potential suspect.

Drew PetersonÂ’s third wife, Kathleen Savio, was found dead in a bathtub at her home after the couple separated. Police are reinvestigating her death in the wake of Stacy PetersonÂ’s disappearance.

It's sick.

It's tasteless.

It's classic Steve Dahl!

After all, this is the guy whose obituary will begin "Dahl, a longtime mainstay of Chicago broadcasting, is best remembered for causing the Chicago White Sox to forfeit a game due to a riot cause by his 'Disco Demolition Night'." Setting up a date with someone who probably has killed two wives is right up his alley. I'm just surprised that Peterson's attorney went for it -- after all, it won't look good to the jury in either murder trial.

Posted by: Greg at 12:23 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Political spouses have traditionally filled the role of supporting player in a candidacy. They are not usually the focus, and when they are (Jackie Kennedy) it is not as a policy figure. But as usual, Bill Clinton is breaking all the rules.

Maureen Dowd makes a good point here, one made by many others recently.

If Bill Clinton has to trash his legacy to protect his legacy, so be it. If he has to put a dagger through the heart of hope to give Hillary hope, so be it.

If he has to preside in this state as the former first black president stopping the would-be first black president, so be it.

The Clintons — or “the 2-headed monster,” as the The New York Post dubbed the tag team that clawed out wins in New Hampshire and Nevada — always go where they need to go, no matter the collateral damage. Even if the damage is to themselves and their party.

Bill’s transition from elder statesman, leader of his party and bipartisan ambassador to ward heeler and hatchet man has been seamless — and seamy.

Now given that Clinton's legacy can best be summed up with the phrases "blue dress", "semen stain", "impeachment" and "perjury", I don't know how much lower seamier and damaged his legacy can get -- but he certainly is trying. And in doing so, I believe he harms his wife's candidacy for office.

Indeed, that phrase I used above is precisely the source of the harm. -- "his wife".

Hillary Clinton wants to be President of the United States. She is running for the office. She needs to be out front, and HER spouse needs to be in the background, even if he is the immediate past president. If elected, this will be her administration, not his, and she will have to be making the tough calls and being the public face. Unfortunately, Bill has taken center stage much of the time, serving as hatchet man. And it is an unbecoming role. More importantly, it makes Hillary look weak, as if she has to hide behind her husband when the going gets tough. that may not actually be the case, but it is the perception.

I think Peggy Noonan made an interesting related point over the weekend on Meet the Press.

MS. NOONAN: Can I say, on the campaign trail, one of the things I find jarring the past few weeks is that Hillary Clinton is the first major party woman running for president of the United States. She is a woman. She's running for president. She's running for head of the United States, chief executive officer. And she has to send her husband out to yell at the neighbors? It's like she's, she's saying, "You go out there, you fight for me. My husband's going to tell you off!" There's something strange, jarring, unbecoming and even unfeminist about it.

MS. GOODWIN: I doubt that she's sending him out. I think he's going out on his own.

MS. NOONAN: You think he's just on his own. Oh, my goodness, it's her campaign. If she didn't want him out there wagging his finger, turning red and arguing with reporters and bringing a level of temper and heat to the proceedings, if she did not want that, I'm sure she would stop it. And if she cannot, we should all just stop and take a breath.

If Hillary is hiding behind Bill, she is showing a level of weakness that is unbecoming in a president. But if, as some are saying (and Maureen Dowd is implying) Bill is in control here, then Hillary is equally unfit for the Oval Office, having shown an inability to control her own campaign and set her own message. Until and unless she can make her finger-wagging, purple-raging spouse fade into the background, she is showing why she is really not the best choice for the White House.

For Hillary Clinton to succeed, she must eclipse Bill Clinton, because his status as former president has the ability to do great damage to her administration on a policy level if she is not front and center and the clear voice of that administration. She needs to demonstrate that as a candidate if she is to prove herself worthy of victory in the primaries and the general election.

Posted by: Greg at 11:11 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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The more we focus on preparing for the TAKS test in the spring, the more I realize that this summer I need a good vaction. Call it finding something to look forward to. I believe that IÂ’ll need a vacation to become refreshed, take in a change of scenery and remember what it is like to relax.

If you are looking for an easy way to set up all those travel plans for your vacation, there's one called like TravelHERO.com. Yes, there are others, including some that are well known, but if you are looking for something that helps with planning air, hotel and car reservations, this site makes it so very easy. It even lists special deals, like discount hotel reservations, that are going on if you are thinking of saving a few bucks and are flexible.

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You know, I think it is sad that a talented young man like Heath Ledger is dead. And while I was not a particular fan of his work (I have a hard time naming a single film of his that I have seen, other than The Patriot), I recognize the loss to the entertainment world in terms of the potential that was snuffed out yesterday.

At 3:31 p.m., according to the police, a masseuse arrived at the fourth-floor apartment of the building, at 421 Broome Street, between Crosby and Lafayette Streets in SoHo, for an appointment with Mr. Ledger. The masseuse was let in to the home by a housekeeper, who then knocked on the door of the bedroom Mr. Ledger was in. When no one answered, the housekeeper and the masseuse opened the bedroom and found Mr. Ledger naked and unconscious on a bed, with sleeping pills — both prescription medication and nonprescription — on a night table. They attempted to revive him, but he did not respond. They immediately called the authorities. As the news reports spread quickly, throngs of people gathered in the neighborhood.

The police said they did not suspect a crime. Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the office of the cityÂ’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Charles S. Hirsch, said that employees of the office were at the apartment and that an autopsy would be conducted on Wednesday. Around 6:30 p.m., city workers rolled Mr. LedgerÂ’s body, in a black body bag on a stretcher, out of the building.

Again, heartbreaking -- one more entertainer dead of an overdose at a young age. We've seen this story too many times in the past to even be surprised.

But let's consider the amount and the prominence of the media coverage of Ledger's death. With all that is going on in the world -- war, economic problems, the presidential race -- did this death really merit the sort of coverage that it got from the media? I mean no disrespect to the deceased, but is his death important enough to knock those stories from the front page and the lead position on the news broadcasts? Have we in this country become so celebrity obsessed that this story matters more than those other stories?

Posted by: Greg at 10:51 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Have you wondered how you could ever find your dream job? Sometimes opportunities arise when you least expect them to.

You may have a great job that you love, or one that you kind of like but know you will never love. And, of course, there are those OTHER sorts off jobs – the ones you hate and just need to get away from. Well, there are some great financial services recruiters who will do all the hard work of finding that perfect job for you. You can have them seek jobs for you, or sometimes they are acting as headhunters and come looking for you. Either way, such recruiters may be the key to finding you the job of your dreams.

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I suppose this could have something to do with it.

More than a dozen people at North Shore High School have tested positive for exposure to tuberculosis after a student was diagnosed with the infectious disease last month, Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services officials said Tuesday.

Nineteen out of 150 students and faculty tested had a positive skin test result, indicating they were exposed to TB, said HCPHES spokeswoman Sandy Kachur. Those tested were considered to have had prolonged contact with a teen diagnosed with the disease in December, Kachur said.

As a result, I expect a bit of a freak-out from some of my students today. After all, while we are on the 9-10 campus rather than the 11-12 campus where this is taking place, many of my students have siblings on the other campus. Many more have friends there. And while the odds are quite small that any of our students have the illness, the fact that one out of every eight folks tested have had a positive skin test will likely alarm many of the kids and their parents.

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Have you ever hosted a big event? If you have, you know that one of the big issues is dealing with traffic and parking. That means that you will want to keep everyone safe and traffic flowing by using various sorts of traffic control devices. Yes, there are lights and such things, but you will also need driveway posts and safety bollards to keep everything flowing smoothly in and out of your event. At TrafficGuard.net, you are able to find a many different traffic devices, including thing like collapsible safety bollards and entry or exit safety barriers. So to get everything you need to keep traffic running smoothly and safely at TrafficGuard.net.

Posted by: Greg at 06:09 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Because Islam has appropriate the prophets of Christianity and Judaism as its own, sharia restrictions have been placed upon pictures of them by Malaysian authorities -- even in Christian materials intended for a Christian audience.

Malaysian authorities confiscated Christian children's books, claiming the illustrations of prophets such as Moses and Abraham violate Islamic Shariah law.

The independent news agency Malaysakini reported the Internal Security Ministry confiscated the literature from bookstores in two cities and one small town in mid-December.

The Malaysian Embassy declined to comment on the news service's Jan. 11 report.

The Rev. Hermen Shastri, general secretary of the Malaysian Council of Churches, confirmed the report and accused the government of persecuting Christians.

"The officials have offended the sensitivities of Christians because their publications and depictions of their Biblical personalities have now become targets of unscrupulous Muslim officials bent on curtailing religious freedom in the country," Mr. Shastri said.

"Immediate steps should be taken to amend administrative rules and regulations, especially in the Internal Security Ministry, that give a free hand to enforcement officials to act on their whim and fancies," he said.

Religious oppression of Christians and other religious minorities continues in Malaysia, and has been increasing in recent years. When will the world community get around to denouncing such violations of human rights by the Malaysian government? When will the rights of Christians receive even 10% of the concern that the rights of Muslims receive from international bodies?

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Involving a degree granted the governor's daughter, despite a dearth of evidence of her actually earning it.

It started with a phone call from a newspaper reporter in October seeking to verify the academic credentials of Gov. Joe Manchin IIIÂ’s daughter Heather Bresch. But in less than three months, the inquiry has mushroomed into a controversy that risks casting a shadow of cronyism over this stateÂ’s flagship university.

Officials at the college, West Virginia University, have been accused of rewriting records last fall to document that Ms. Bresch had earned an executive master of business administration degree in 1998. An investigation by The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette concluded that she had completed only 22 of the required 48 credit hours.

The university has begun an investigation of its own into the matter.

Ms. Bresch, 38, works for Mylan Inc., the world’s third-largest generic drug company, which employs 2,000 people in Morgantown. The company’s chairman, Milan Puskar, is a major campaign contributor to Governor Manchin, a Democrat, and is the university’s largest donor, having given it $20 million in 2003. Ms. Bresch has insisted that she earned her degree, and university officials have blamed a failure to transfer records for nearly half of her course work to the appropriate office for the situation, as documents were moved to electronic format from paper. But so far, the university and Ms. Bresch have not produced copies of her transcripts, receipts or other proof of her having paid for course work, or documents from the courses where grades seemed to have been entered years after “incompletes” were given.

If, as claimed, there are paper records that were not transferred to the electronic system, it should be easy enough to prove. Just produce the records. Surely there are records to justify the changing of grades YEARS after the fact.

Or are there?

Or is there just Daddy's political pull and the aid of one of the state's largest employers, which gives millions to the University?

Posted by: Greg at 11:25 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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There are days I really struggle at the grocery store. Those groceries always seems to cost more than I was expecting when I went in – and prices always seems to be going up. As the main shopper in the family, I take notice in a way that many other men don’t. I know that I might be able to save a little bit more by driving an extra couple of miles over to the SuperCenter, I prefer going to the grocery store that is only three minutes from my house. It is less of a hassle than fighting the traffic and the lines in that other place.

IÂ’ve begun to try to use more coupons when I shop, but I find it to be a waste of time to wade through the coupon section of the paper to find just the right ones. That is just inefficient. But those grocery coupons could help me save if I could zero in on just the right ones, the ones I wanted. IÂ’ve found some good printable grocery coupons at MySavings.com. Not only can I find the free online coupons I need for food at the grocery store, But I can also get internet coupon codes and free stuff there as well, extending my savings beyond the grocery store and onto the internet and into the mailbox.

And letÂ’s be honest here, folks, there are some really great bargains to be had at MySavings.com. For example, just a look at the front page led me to offers for samples of free cologne, diapers, and gardening supplies. A look inside found coupons for many of the products I buy every week, including peanut butter, cereal, and other staples. And best of all, the only thing I needed to do was click and print the ones that I wanted.

Posted by: Greg at 11:20 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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And that is a step forward for Saudi women.

Women in Saudi Arabia can now stay in a hotel or a furnished apartment without a male guardian, according to a government decision that comes as the country faces increasing criticism for its severe restrictions on women.

The daily Al-Watan, which is deemed close to the Saudi government, reported Monday that the ministry issued a circular to hotels asking them to accept lone women — as long as their information is sent to a local police station.

Yeah, and I wonder what will happen with that information once it gets to the police? Will they be contacting parents, brothers, and husbands -- which will potentially enable continued physical abuse or honor killings of women trying to escape abusive situations?

But they still can't drive or be alone with an unrelated man -- which leads to the question of how these women will get to a hotel in the first place. But then again, there are reports that the driving ban may be lifted by the end of the year.

Posted by: Greg at 11:13 PM | Comments (34) | Add Comment
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In the world of employment today, a person needs the most competitive resume to get ahead. Often, this involves the individual having a combination of “real world” experience and educational credentials. And very often, when comes to education an undergraduate degree is not sufficient. In the business world, the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) has become very important to advancement and success in the workforce.

As a teacher, though, I know all academic programs are not created equal. That is true with regard to the MBA. If you are considering seeking that degree, you will want an MBA from a school that is recognized as having a quality program. Columbia Southern University (CSU) offers a well-regarded online mba program and, with a variety of foci. The specialized disciplines offered by CSU as a part of its MBA program include E-Business, Management, Finance, Health Care and other areas of concentration. In addition to the great flexibility of an online education, the University offers affordable tuition and free textbooks. And since CSU is an open enrollment institution, you have additional flexibility enrolling in the online program.

Again, education can advance your employment opportunities, and a quality MBA Degree can open many doors for you in business. That means that exploring the possibilities available through CSU is an excellent idea.

Posted by: Greg at 11:06 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The level of ill will among the leading Democrats is pretty high, as shown in the most recent debate.

In the most intense and personal exchange of the presidential campaign, Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama assailed each otherÂ’s integrity and voting records during a televised debate on Monday in South Carolina, the site of a critical primary in five days.

If the debate was full of memorable moments — Mrs. Clinton accusing Mr. Obama of associating with a “slum landlord,” Mr. Obama saying he felt as if he were running against both Hillary and Bill Clinton, the two candidates talking over each other — the totality of the attacks also laid bare the ill will and competitive ferocity that has been simmering between them for weeks.

“You know, Senator Obama, it is very difficult having a straight-up debate with you, because you never take responsibility for any vote, and that has been a pattern,” Mrs. Clinton said, drawing a chorus of jeers from a crowd at the Palace Theater in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Mr. Obama shot back that Mrs. Clinton was conducting a brand of negative politics that, he suggested throughout the night, she and her husband had perfected: “comb my 4,000 votes in Illinois, choose one, try to present it in the worst possible light.” He added that he had sought to maintain “a certain credibility” in the race.

Interestingly, Barack Obama is saying the same thing that Republicans have been saying for the last 16 years about the Clinton machine. Now that Hillary is facing the possibility of being denied her anointing as queen the Democratic nominee, she is willing to use every arrow in the Clinton quiver to destroy a fellow Democrat.

Contrast that with the relatively amicable relations between the GOP candidates. The debates have been much less personal. Could this signal that the GOP will emerge from the process much more united than the Democrats, with the same sort of divisions we saw after the Carter/Kennedy struggle in 1980 again afflicting the Democrats? And will the Democrats, as in 1988, supply the Republicans with all the ammo they need to take down the eventual Democrat nominee?

Posted by: Greg at 11:06 PM | Comments (52) | Add Comment
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Finding a good hosting company can be really difficult. There are so many sites providing reviews and promoting affiliates. One great place to go to help with your decision is Web Hosting Choice, because they give you a fair amount of usable, useful information and the ability to search their site for the web hosting site that has the features you want and need.

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If the reports of layoffs are true, there probably will be quite a few.

Yahoo is planning to lay off hundreds of employees in an effort to increase its profitability, prop up its deflated stock price and narrow the focus of its sprawling Internet portal to a smaller number of crucial areas, people close to the company said Monday.

The final number of layoffs from YahooÂ’s work force of about 14,000 is yet to be determined and is likely to be announced around the end of the month, perhaps during YahooÂ’s conference call on Jan. 29 with analysts after it reports fourth-quarter results, these people said.

Company executives are still trying to determine exactly which areas will be cut. One person close to the discussions said a final plan, or perhaps a few alternative plans, would be submitted to the board at a coming meeting. The planÂ’s final shape may be influenced by the companyÂ’s fourth-quarter performance, this person said.

Yahoo declined to comment specifically on any plan for layoffs. In an e-mail statement, a company spokeswoman, Diana Wong, said: “Yahoo plans to invest in some areas, reduce emphasis in others, and eliminate some areas of the business that don’t support the company’s priorities. Yahoo continues to attract and hire talent against the company’s key initiatives to create long-term stockholder value.”

Some blogs have reported a 10-20% reduction in force, but analysts are viewing that as unlikely. However the report of "hundreds" being laid off could still be a reduction of 5% -- a significant amount indeed. WIll other tech companies follow suit?

Posted by: Greg at 10:48 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Interested in traveling to Boston? If you are, you really will want to check out Trusted Tours and Attractions. They have some of the best deals for traveling there, including a number of Boston tours that would suit most anyoneÂ’s idea of a vacation. Frankly, I wish I had known about them a few years ago when my wife and I made a trip there for a getaway weekend. We would have done more in a more coherent fashion than we accomplished in our time there.

One of their popular sightseeing tours there is the Ghosts and Gravestones Tour. Imagine creeping through the oldest burying grounds of the famous and infamous in Boston. You’ll hear the stories of alleged ghosts and incredible characters that “come alive” in Boston history and culture.

There are, of course, other Boston tours, including the cruise of the Historic Boston Harbor, the Salem Witch Museum, BostonÂ’s lighthouses and even some of the most authentic dining you can find in the city.

Of course, the tours are not the only thing you can arrange with Trusted Travel, nor is Boston their only city. They donÂ’t have tours of all the attractions, just the best and most popular. They can recommend other attractions for you. But for their tours, you can book your vacation on their website very easily.

By the way, they are running a contest right now. When you sign up for the Trusted Travel eNewsletter, you are automatically entered to win a handheld GPS. So what are you waiting for? Get on over there and sign up for the newsletter and the great prize!

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And perhaps one day the dream will become a reality.

Until then, we will be stuck with affirmative action programs and racial set-asides that judge by the color or one's skin, not the color of one's character.

When, oh when, will this nation live by the prophetic words of the man this day was set aside to honor?

Posted by: Greg at 05:59 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Quick -- tell me what this Houston Chronicle editorial leaves out.

On the federal holiday that honors Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights leader's legacy has become the subject of a presidential campaign controversy.

It shouldn't be.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, seeking to make the point that action speaks louder than words, dreams and visions, noted that passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act required the signature of President Lyndon Johnson as well as the leadership of King. Her analogy was not well-taken. King famously had a dream of a colorblind society, yet he also acted, organized, preached, mobilized and suffered the persecution of authorities in the segregated South.

As Joseph Califano Jr., an aide in President Johnson's White House, wrote in an article in Sunday's Outlook section, passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act outlawing discrimination in employment, education and public accommodation required a political partnership — King's stirring leadership and Johnson's mastery of Congress. King knew that the realization of his dreams needed presidential initiative. He asked Johnson for it, and Johnson complied, taking the risk that the South would move for generations into the Republican column.

The end to segregation followed the actions of thousands of lawyers, judges, freedom riders and civil rights workers, and more than a few martyrs.

One could argue, perhaps perversely, that the brutality of police officers in the South, captured by television cameras, hastened the end of segregation by searing the grotesque injustice and oppression on Americans' psyches.

When King was assassinated in 1968, Johnson called on Congress to pass the Fair Housing Act as a tribute King's life and work.

King's role is open to interpretation, but arguing whether he or Johnson was more instrumental in the battle for civil rights is a faulty dilemma. Both played their parts. Today's mock controversy over Clinton's remarks is silly, yet it serves to remind Americans that King's legacy survives and matters.

Did you catch it? You didn't? Really?

Nowhere does this editorial mention the contribution of the party that provided overwhelming support for the 1664 Civil Rights Act AND the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Nowhere is mentioned the party that sought a stronger civil rights bill in 1957, and had in fact been at the forefront of civil rights legislation for nearly a century -- including being repeatedly frustrated in its attempt to pass anti-lynching legislation.

And which party was that? The Republican Party, of course.

The Democrats opposed every civil rights law in American history before 1964. And as it was, the Republican party voted by an 80% majority in favor of the legislation, while Democrats could barely muster a 2/3 vote despite all the arm-twisting of a president of their own party seeking reelection.

Posted by: Greg at 06:52 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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More trouble in the dead-tree media.

The top editor of The Los Angeles Times has been forced out for resisting newsroom budget cuts, executives at the paper said Sunday, marking the fourth time in less than three years that the highest-ranking editor or the publisher has left for that reason.

The removal of the editor, James E. OÂ’Shea, by the publisher, David D. Hiller, mirrors the odd spectacle of a little more than a year ago, when the previous publisher, Jeffrey M. Johnson, was fired for refusing to eliminate newsroom jobs as directed by the paperÂ’s owner, the Tribune Company. In each case, a longtime Tribune executive was expected to rein in costs at the paper, but instead sided with the newsroom and lost his job for it.

The departure of Mr. OÂ’Shea appears to contradict statements by Samuel Zell, the Chicago real estate magnate who took over the company last month and is now its chairman and chief executive. Mr. Zell has repeatedly criticized the previous regime of the financially troubled company for trying to improve the bottom line by cutting costs, and he has said that he thinks the path to profit lies in finding new revenue, not paring costs.

Calls to Mr. O’Shea, Mr. Hiller and a spokeswoman for Mr. Zell were not returned. A Tribune spokesman referred inquiries to Nancy Sullivan, a spokeswoman for The Los Angeles Times, who said, “I don’t have any comment for you.”

Fewer readers equals fewer dollars equals fewer staffers. O'Shea couldn't accept that, and so he had to go.

Frankly, papers like the LA Times need to accept that, as part of major media conglomerates, they need to pool their reporting across the sister publications. In that sense, they will operate like local affiliates of the major television networks do, packaging national news with their local reporting -- and sharing their local reporting with other network affiliates.

Posted by: Greg at 06:28 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I’ve got to be honest – though I miss many things about winter living down here in Houston, I don’t miss the extended cold or the heating bills that come with it. I mean seriously, I remember those months when the heater ran more or less continuously. And then there is the money spent servicing your heating system each year, just to keep it running so you can stay warm for those three or four months of cold.

When you install central heating, you need to be sure that you get the very best. Among the many companies, you probably want to consider want to consider northerngasheating.com. They have many different products for you to consider for heating your home, including combi boilers. And while some heating system are ugly, space –eating eyesores, they have some systems that are attractive and fit in relatively small spaces easily. With these slim boilers, you can even gain yourself some free space.

On the other hand, you may just want to keep your existing boiler. You simply need to make sure you are getting it checked regularly? And if you are not an expert in the do-it-yourself field, you need to make sure that you have competent technicians to do your boiler servicing for you.

Posted by: Greg at 06:25 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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An interesting development -- and a well-deserved posting.

The Pentagon is considering Gen. David H. Petraeus for the top NATO command later this year, a move that would give the general, the top American commander in Iraq, a high-level post during the next administration but that has raised concerns about the practice of rotating war commanders.

A senior Pentagon official said that it was weighing “a next assignment for Petraeus” and that the NATO post was a possibility. “He deserves one and that has also always been a highly prestigious position,” the official said. “So he is a candidate for that job, but there have been no final decisions and nothing on the timing.”

The question of General PetraeusÂ’s future comes as the Pentagon is looking at changing several top-level assignments this year. President Bush has been an enthusiastic supporter of General Petraeus, whom he has credited with overseeing a troop increase and counterinsurgency plan credited with reducing the sectarian violence in Iraq, and some officials say the president would want to keep General Petraeus in Iraq as long as possible.

In one approach under discussion, General Petraeus would be nominated and confirmed for the NATO post before the end of September, when Congress is expected to break for the presidential election. He might stay in Iraq for some time after that before moving to the allianceÂ’s headquarters in Brussels, but would take his post before a new president takes office.

And if a Republican wins in November, we are likely to see General Petraeus head the Joint Chiefs of Staff before his career ends. Expect significantly less respect from a Democrat President, given the insults directed towards the general last fall and the accusations of treason from Democrat surrogates.

Posted by: Greg at 06:21 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Interesting, isn't it, that we keep finding ways that nature is responsible for phenomena associated with global warming?

Another factor might be contributing to the thinning of some of the Antarctica's glaciers: volcanoes.

In an article published Sunday on the Web site of the journal Nature Geoscience, Hugh Corr and David Vaughan of the British Antarctic Survey report the identification of a layer of volcanic ash and glass shards frozen within an ice sheet in western Antarctica.

"This is the first time we have seen a volcano beneath the ice sheet punch a hole through the ice sheet" in Antarctica, Vaughan said.

Volcanic heat could still be melting ice to water and contributing to thinning and speeding up of the Pine Island glacier, which passes nearby, but Vaughan said he doubted that it could be affecting other glaciers in western Antarctica, which have also thinned in recent years. Most glaciologists, including Vaughan, say that warmer ocean water is the primary cause of thinning.

Unless, of course, there are volcanoes on the other side of the continent causing melting there -- and don't forget that the water released by the volcanoes will help raise the temperature more generally.

But regardless, we find AGAIN that there is a natural phenomenon resulting in one of the "proofs" of global warming. And yet somehow the faith of the acolytes of than new religion remains unchanged.

Posted by: Greg at 06:13 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I recently found got a great Logo Design software package. LogoCreator 5.0 from Laughingbird Software available at http://www.thelogocreator.com, and enjoyed using it for various purposes.

What do I like about the software? To be honest, almost everything I can think of. First, it comes configured in a variety of ways to meet customer needs, so there is no need to spend money on components you donÂ’t want or need. If you are only interested in creating a business-like corporate logo, you could purchase the Corporate Edition and be quite very happy with its 80 pre-designed templates. You can also get the Travel-and-Leisure edition, the Entertainment edition, the Sports Pak, the Spiritual Edition or Real Estate edition, depending upon your needs and interests. There is even a mascot creator package, which is interesting to work with. Their best value is found in the Mega Pack, which includes everything. ThatÂ’s what IÂ’ve been working with, and IÂ’ve been quite pleased.

If you run a business, this software presents an incredible value. Getting a professionally designed logo can really cost you a lot of money – but for a fraction of the cost, you can design your own and have a logo (or mascot) and save on the costs associated with outsourcing such a project..

Oh, and one other thing – customer support is great. I’ve needed to ask some questions, and have gotten quick, clear responses. That isn’t always the case today, giving one more reason to do business with Laughingbird Software.

Posted by: Greg at 08:39 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The winning entries in the Watcher's Council vote for this week are Ed. Schools: They're Awful (for the most part) by The Colossus of Rhodey, and Kangaroo Court by Ezra Levant.  Here are the full results of the vote):

I especially want to congratulate my fellow teacher and long-time friend Hube for his excellent commentary on education programs. As i noted in a comment, he is dead on in his observations.

Posted by: Greg at 07:24 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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These days you can do a great many things on the internet that were not possible even a few years ago. Playing online blackjack can be one of them! Now IÂ’m not a big gambler, but I am always interested to see what sort of activities are available to those interested in online gaming.

BlackJackClub.com is one of the sites that I have seen mentioned around the internet by other bloggers and on message boards. One of the great things about it is that you can play there even without a dime. You play just for fun (with no betting) in their flash casino black jack game. Free Blackjack is a fun diversion for those interested in a little entertainment, and a great way to learn the ins and outs of the games for those who have little experience gambling. You can, of course, play using real money if you feel an interest in taking that plunge.

I don’t know if I am ever going to get into online gambling for money -- especially since recent paternalistic laws in the US and Canada require sites like this one to reject players from those countries. But I’d like to offer a piece of advice for those who do – have the discipline to stop when you reach your limit, and be prepared to seek help if you have a problem with your gambling.

Posted by: Greg at 06:52 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I'll have to talk to my rocket scientist buddies at church today (I live only a couple miles from Johnson Space Center) to see if they have more information on this situation with the Ares I rocket.

Dare I suggest that it is a problem that needs fixing sooner rather than later?

NASA is wrestling with a potentially dangerous problem in a spacecraft that has not even been built yet.

Engineers are concerned that the new rocket, meant to replace the space shuttle and send astronauts to the moon, could shake violently during the first few minutes of flight, possibly destroying the entire vehicle.

"They know it's a real problem," said Paul Fischbeck, a Carnegie Mellon University engineering professor who has consulted on risk issues with NASA in the past. "This thing is going to shake apart the whole structure, and they've got to solve it."

If not corrected, the shaking would arise from the powerful first stage of the Ares I rocket, which will lift the Orion crew capsule into orbit.

NASA officials hope to have a plan for fixing the design as early as March, and they do not expect it to delay the goal of returning astronauts to the moon by 2020.

Yeah, shaking the entire spacecraft into little pieces -- especially with human beings inside, does seem like a bit of a problem to me.

But then again, I'm no rocket scientist.

Seriously, though, I hope to see this problem resolved by March like they are talking about -- otherwise it damn well ought to slow down the push to reach the moon again by 2020. After all, while space travel will never be risk free, it ought not be a suicide mission.

Posted by: Greg at 03:43 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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As I said before, the story about Dean Hrbacek and the photoshopped picture in his flier is a big old nothing-burger -- or ought to be.

Especially when you look at this graphic from the folks at CD22 Watcher.

If anything, Dean appears to have been getting himself in better shape, as he doesn't seem to be all that much thinner in the picture at issue than he does in the candid shot -- certainly not enough for people to get their bowels in an uproar over.

Let's talk issues in CD22, not this sort of trivia. And let's see some legitimate coverage of the race from the Houston Chronicle, not this sort of silliness.

Posted by: Greg at 02:03 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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It is a sad reality that there are people who fall prey to drug and/or alcohol addiction. As a teacher, I see that happen way too often among both my high school and college students. In such cases, there needs to be some sort of intervention and treatment to deal with the addiction.

Taking the first step is always the most difficult for those with addictions, but is the beginning of a necessary step towards a happier, healthier life. Addiction takes away many so many things in life, such as work, family and studies. Help for your loved ones or yourself in breaking free from the shackles of addiction can be found by contacting 800-663-7847 or 231-314-5252 or visiting http://www.stopyouraddiction.com to find out about their drug rehab program.

What sort of drug treatment program do they offer? At their drug treatment center, they follow the First Step Drug Rehab plan to help clients achieve sobriety in 5 stages, through Detoxification and Withdrawal, Self control and Communication Exercises, Sauna Cleansing Process, Study Improvement, and Drug Free Remedies for Discomforts. They also offer a 28-day Program that involves all aspects of treatment, from Freedom from Temptation to Follow-up Support after the program. If you believe this is the right drug or alcoholism rehab program for you or your loved one, contact them today.

Posted by: Greg at 06:28 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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The indictment of Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina raises a lot of questions, including several not related to his guilt or innocence or that of his wife.

The Harris County District Attorney's office this morning dismissed the indictments returned Thursday against Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina and his wife in connection with the fire that destroyed their home in Spring last summer.

A grand jury handed up the indictments despite objections from Rosenthal's office. Today, the district attorney's office said it would continue to investigate the fire in relationship to the Medinas but not in a prosecutorial mode.

* * *

Rosenthal insisted there is not sufficient evidence to charge the Medinas with involvement in what arson investigators determined was a deliberately set fire. The blaze caused almost $1 million worth of damage to three homes in the Olde Oaks neighborhood in Spring.

Medina, the first Supreme Court justice indicted since Donald Yarbrough was charged with perjury and forgery in 1977, was indicted on a charge of fabricating evidence, specifically a letter he gave investigators about the incident. His wife, Francisca, is accused of setting the fire that destroyed their 5,000-square-foot home and damaged two nearby houses.

Bail was set at $20,000 for Francisca Medina and $5,000 for her husband. Both offenses are felonies. The arson charge carries a punishment of probation to 20 years in prison. Evidence tampering or fabrication would be punishable by probation to 10 years.

Now the charges here are serious. I don't know how strong the evidence is. But the OTHER current situation involving DA Chuck Rosenthal and his stated unwillingness to see this case through to prosecution leads me to believe that there is a need for some sort of special prosecutor to handle the case.

This is especially true in light of the (possibly illegal) statements of the grand jury foreman and assistant foreman.

According to the jurors, it was just one more blow to justice when Rosenthal indicated Thursday that he would seek to dismiss the indictments.

''This is ludicrous," said foreman Bob Ryan, a real estate broker, who at 63, said he has served as foreman of at least four grand juries. "Mr. Rosenthal never put his head in the door and heard one word of testimony."

* * *

The jury, whose term was slated to end in November, continued working for three months to hear more evidence. But about a month ago, Ryan said the prosecutor handling the case, Vic Wisner, told him that neither he nor Rosenthal thought there were grounds for indictment.

Wisner didn't return my call to his home late Thursday, and Rosenthal wasn't returning the Houston Chronicle's calls Thursday.

A couple of weeks ago, when Ryan and Dorrell were trying to set up a date for the grand jury to meet again, the two jurors said Wisner tried to talk them out of it.

"He seemed very upset," Dorrell told me. "He said, 'Why are you guys meeting? This isn't a viable case.' "

Then Thursday, when Ryan told Wisner what indictments he wanted prepared, Ryan said the prosecutor refused: "He said, 'I will not do it.' And I said, 'Well, get your boss in here.' And he said, 'He knows all about it.' And he slammed the door and left. He came back later and said, 'All right, I'll prepare the indictments.' "

If the indictments are dismissed, Ryan said, grand jurors may try to re-indict. It's unfortunate when a panel must go to such lengths to carry out justice.

Now these stories, if true are troubling. But before I accept the argument that the move to stop or dismiss these indictments is based upon politics, I have to ask how much of the decision to present the case to the jury was based upon politics in the first place. I also have to wonder to what degree the DA's office was required to present the case to the grand jury under statute, given that certain types of potential offenses are required to go before a grand jury. Of equal concern, though, is the possibility that we have a runaway grand jury overstepping its bounds, based upon the threat to reindict the Medinas.

Consider this – a suspicious house fire takes place at the home of a top judge who is a member of the dominant political party in the state and county. A decision not to take the case to the grand jury, no matter how weak the evidence, would clearly be seen as political. A DA (or ADA) might legitimately present the evidence in hand with a recommendation that the case be no-billed due to the lack of evidence. And remember, the accused is not permitted to present or rebut any evidence – only the prosecutor's office has a voice in that room, so the prosecutor's case is the only one seen by the grand jury. Prosecutorial discretion can, and does, at times lead to a request for dismissal of an indictment in the interest of justice. After all, the DA should not be prosecuting a person that he believes to be innocent merely because there is an indictment in hand – whether that person is a powerful politician or the poorest citizen in the county. And the standard of evidence to get an indictment (probable cause) is NOT the same as that required to get a conviction in a criminal court (proof beyond a reasonable doubt), meaning that it is quite possible that Rosenthal and his office are correct in stating that there may not be sufficient evidence to pursue the case to a conviction.

But in this case, we have a DA whose actions in office have been manifestly unacceptable, as shown by the scandal that has cost him his place on the ballot and subjected him to a state investigation. In light of that, Chuck Rosenthal's judgment that there is not enough evidence to successfully prosecute a case is suspect. We just cannot trust Rosenthal and his office on that one, because he has already called the integrity of the office into question by his prior actions. If anyone needed evidence of the necessity of Chuck Rosenthal's immediate resignation, this would be it. Some sort of independent prosecutor needs to examine the case, so that a fresh set of eyes examines the facts and conducts the trial.

Let's also not one other thing – we don't know what the evidence is against David Medina and his wife because the indictments contain very little specificity. If it is as is presented in the Chronicle, I have to wonder how strong a case there is. Financial difficulties and a fire in the garage do not necessarily add up to arson – and I know that most garages have plenty of accelerants to fuel a fire were one to break out. We will likely have to wait for the trial to find out – if there is one.

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Posted by: Greg at 05:05 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I guess it depends upon what the meaning of "won" is.

Barack Obama may have won the most delegates in Saturday's Nevada Caucus, even though Hillary Clinton bested his statewide turnout by about six points.

A source with knowledge of the Nevada Democratic Party's projections told The Nation that under the arcane weighting system, Obama would win 13 national convention delegates and Clinton would win 12 delegates. The state party has not released an official count yet.

Barack Obama released an official statement celebrating a delegate victory. "We came from over twenty-five points behind to win more national convention delegates than Hillary Clinton because we performed well all across the state, including rural areas where Democrats have traditionally struggled," he said.

That means more people backed Clinton, but more delegates went to Obama. Sounds sort of like Florida in 2000, doesn't it? I'm waiting to start hearing claims of disenfranchisement and stolen elections from partisans on the Left -- despite the fact that these are their rules and they all agreed to play by them. After all, that's what they did in 2000.

Posted by: Greg at 02:38 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Oh, dear! Is Pope Benedict XVI angling for another fatwa?

POPE Benedict yesterday issued a strong call for religious freedom in Arab countries, saying everyone should have the right to practice their faith openly and to convert to other religions if they wanted.

The Pope, who was addressing Catholic bishops from Arab regions, also said he was concerned that parts of the Middle East risked becoming just "an archaeological site" if an exodus of Christians forced out by violence continued.

"I dearly hope that authentic religious freedom could become reality everywhere and that everyone's right to practice their religion freely, or to change it, should not be impeded," he told the bishops, speaking in French.

"This is a primordial right for every human being."

Indeed, he went even further.

"It is understandable that the circumstances sometimes push Christians to leave their country to find a more welcome land where they are allowed to live more freely," he said.

"But we must encourage and firmly support those who choose to remain faithful to their land, so that it does not become an archaeological site devoid of any church life," he continued.

And I agree with him that it is the duty of every Christian to support these oppressed brothers and sisters. But the problem is that there are too many Muslims, of the Islamist variety and others considered more mainstream, who want to guarantee that their lands are not even archaeological sites with a remnant of Christian history (or the history of other faiths) remaining. Consider the malignant work of the Taliban with the ancient stone Buddhas -- destroyed by repeated shelling with artillery pieces.

Religious freedom is a right with which we are endowed by our creator -- and one recognized under international law. When will the rights of Christians in the Muslim world be protected by the international community?

Posted by: Greg at 02:26 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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How on earth do they manage to do it? This is certainly a Great Discovery: $ 8 Zenni Optical Rx Eyeglassess -- if they can deliver on them. They certainly claim that they can, provided you pick a basic frame (there are NO designer frames here) and donÂ’t have need for bifocals or any special options. But even entering information for progressive bifocals and a more expensive frame, I found myself with a pair of glasses that came in at under $75.00. Not bad at all, if you ask me.

Posted by: Greg at 07:15 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Imagine that -- the man has to follow the rules set by the Democrat Party to be allowed on the Democrat Party's primary ballot. What a concept!

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed Texas to print presidential primary ballots without Democratic candidate Dennis Kucinich's name.

The court refused to step into a dispute between Kucinich and the Texas Democratic Party over a loyalty oath all candidates must sign to make the ballot.

Kucinich and singer-supporter Willie Nelson objected to the party oath that a presidential candidate must "fully support" the party's eventual nominee. Kucinich crossed out the oath when he filed for a spot on the primary ballot.

A federal judge in Austin ruled against Kucinich last week. U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel ruled the state party has the right to require the oath. Kucinich and Nelson argued it violated Kucinich's First Amendment right to free speech.

Texas said its deadline is Saturday to print absentee ballots so that they can reach overseas voters in time for the March 4 primary.

What is at stake here is a party requirement that Democrats on the ballot really be Democrats. I don't find that to be outlandish, as it keeps off kooks and nuts like Lyndon LaRouche. That it also keeps off kooks and nuts like Dennis Kucinich is simply an added bonus.

I know -- maybe he can sic the Department of Homeland Security on the Texas Democrat Party!

Posted by: Greg at 07:07 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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We donÂ’t get all that cold down here is Houston during the winter, but we do have days or weeks where the weather will bring an unpleasant cold snap. That can result in a spike in oneÂ’s utility bills for heating costs. I wondered if there might be other, more efficient ways to heat my home and stumbled upon the DesaTech web site.

DesaTech has a great selection of heating products that includes ventless gas logs, patio heaters, umbrella stand heaters, construction heaters, wood burning units, and many other items. They also provide a number of other specialty products, including tools, generators, lighting, and doorbells. Check out DesaTech for home heating tips, reconditioned items and closeouts on top quality products.

Posted by: Greg at 07:06 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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This situation is eerily reminiscent of the situation with the GOP in 1952.

John Edwards has said heÂ’s in the Democratic primary to win it.

He’s also said he’s planning on staying in “through the convention.”

And while those two statements may sound more or less the same, theyÂ’re not.

Because while Edwards would like to be on the stage accepting his partyÂ’s nomination, there may be another role for him at the convention: Kingmaker.

The prospect of a vigorous, three-way contest across some 22 states on Feb. 5, suggested by polling and by the swerving momentum of the two early votes, is raising the distinct possibility that the primary process could return to its roots as a nuts-and-bolts battle for delegates to the August Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Now let's review that 1952 GOP race.

Going into the convention, there were three major candidates -- General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Senator Robert Taft, and Governor Earl Warren. Eisenhower and Taft were the two clear favorites, and entered the convention with the most delegates but without a majority. After some horse-trading that got Earl Warren promised the first open seat on the US Supreme Court (which turned out to be the Chief Justice spot), Warren released his delegates to Eisenhower -- and the broker of the deal, Senator Richard Nixon became the Vice Presidential nominee. Those three men turned out to be among the most important forces in American politics for the next quarter century, as two of them were the GOP nominees in five of the next six elections (winning four of them) and the third presided the reshaping of American jurisprudence in a manner that remains controversial but enshrined in our laws and culture.

So what bout 2008? Who gets the Edwards delegates if the Democrats enter their convention without a winner? What does he get in return? How does that reshape the political landscape for the rest of my lifetime if the nominee he taps wins the presidency in November? Those are the questions that have to be asked as we look at the dynamics at work. Does John Edwards want to be Vice President? Supreme Court Justice? Attorney General? Who will give him what he wants -- and who does he most want to see in the White House (other than himself)?

And what is even more fun is that the same thing could happen with the GOP, too!

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Posted by: Greg at 07:01 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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