Archive for September, 2007

NFL 2007–Week 4 Recap

Sunday, September 30th, 2007

On a great day for the greatest game on Earth, an iron man from Mississippi achieved greatness in Wisconsin in front of a classy crowd in Minnesota.

The last Sunday in September brought some exciting action, so lets get to it.

Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings–With the exception of the teams playing and their respective fans, the score of this game was irrelevant. Nevertheless, it was nice to see Brett Favre break the all time touchdown record on a game that was a win. Favre’s first quarter toss put the Packers up 7-0. 421 touchdown passes were now a reality.

The game was stopped, and the Minnesota crowd showed a lot of class toward their long time rival. The jumbotron showed Dan Marino congratulating the man who broke his record. Favre now has the most wins, the most touchdowns, and by the end of this game, the most attempts. At some point he will have the most interceptions, but it was nice to not see that today. If Favre plays through next year, the unimaginable record of Jim Marshall’s 270 straight games will be in reach. To put things in perspective, the Bears have had 21 starting quarterbacks since Favre started playing. Speaking of playing, the game did continue.

The game remained a typical NFC North black and blue division slugfest, with each team tacking on three field goals. THe Packers led 16-9 midway through the fourth quarter when Favre through his 422nd touchdown pass. The Packer defense withstood a late Viking rally to hang on. As Favre reminded everybody, records are made to be broken. There is a guy in Indianapolis who will remain anonymous since today is Favre’s day. Of significance is also the fact that the Packers are 4-0. This team is not the dominating machine it was in the mid 1990s, but they are playing well. They have won 8 straight games going back to last year. Congratulations Brett. Well done. 23-16 Packers

Oakland Raiders @ Miami Dolphins–The game of the day is also being covered at
www.justblogbaby.com.

The Daunte Culpepper revenge bowl was served ice cold. I will get the negativity out of the way first by saying that the defense is not very special. They give up long drives, and today was no eception. Yes, Miami is a horrible team. That does not change the fact that the Raiders are better than last year, and there is much to be optimistic about at 2-2.

First of all, Daunte Culpepper should be the starter the rest of the year. Period. He had five touchdowns through the air and ground. One of them was a leaping touchdown from the five yard line while breaking a tackle.

The Dolphins started out with an interception that the Raiders returned to the 11 yard line. Too many times this would lead to field goals, but after the inevitable stumbles, a touchdown gave Oakland a 7-0 lead. Lamont Jordan continued to run hard. They built a 14-0 lead before an inevitable defensive meltdown. On 3rd down and 18, the Dolphins picked up 14 yards. On 4th and 4, a 36 yard gain set up the ball on the 10 yard line, where running back Ronnie Brown mowed down the entire team to cut the gap to 14-7. Late in the first half, Lamont Jordan went down and had to be carried off the field. Jordan is a warrior, and an emotional leader. The Raieders cannot afford to lose him. It appears at this point to be back spasms.

In the second half, the Dolphind were trapped at their own five yard line. Ronnie Brown then ran up the middle for 60 yards.

When the Raiders went up 21-10 and then stopped the Dolphins cold on the next series, the Raiders seemed to be in full control of the game. Yet with the Raiders of the last few years, this does not seem to happen. The punt return was fumbled, Miami recovered, and a touchdown cut the gap to 21-17.

Yet this Raider team seems different. Culpepper calmly led the Raiders down the field for a fourth touchdown. Justin Fargas is not physical enough to be an every down back, but he did have one nice 50 yard run en route to a 179 yard day. As for Culpepper, he can still roll out and run around the end, and he had an emphatic statement for the Dolphins after he scored.

A garbage touchdown at the end of the game made the score seem more lopsided than the game was. The Dolphins had no run defense, and Zach Thomas being out did not help. Neveretheless, there are plenty of positives to take away from this game. Ronald Curry is finally healthy, and playing well. Jerry Porter has not been utilized deep, but he is contributing mightly on shorter passing routes. The defense is getting interceptions, but the yardage given up is a concern. The bye week will give the team two weeks to prepare for San Diego. I do not see an 8-8 team yet, but a two game win streak does matter. The team won their first road game since 2005. If this team gets back to the promised land in the next few years, this game could be seen as the turning point. 35-17 Raiders

Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns–This was supposed to be team contending for the Superbowl beating up a team contending for a draft pick to help Brady Quinn. As Chris Berman reminded us for 20 years, “That’s…why they play the games.” The Ravens had the ball for 10 more minutes, 14 more first downs, and 100 more yards, yet the Browns cruised to a win. The Ravens had two turnovers, and Browns quarterback Anderson had two touchdown passes. The Browns led 24-6 at the half and never let up. A garbage touchdown by the Ravens accurate reflected their performance. 27-13 Browns

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions–Can we please put to rest the notion that Rex Grossman was the weak link on a good team? The Bears overachieved last year, and the last time they overachieved in 2001, they had a drop off of 9 games the following year. Devon Hester is the most exciting player since Billy “White Shoes” Johnson. He is their entire offense. Brian Griese threw three interceptions. The Bears defense, which as everyone knows Rex Grossman never got credit for, gave up…let me say this slowly for emphasis…34…points…in…the…fourth…quarter. A 13-3 lead was cut to 13-10, and then became a 17-13 deficit when one of Griese’s interceptions was returned for a touchdown. Even Hester’s 97 yard kickoff return to put Chicago up 20-17 could not hold the dam. John Kitna was 20 of 24, and the Bears committed 14 penalties for over 100 yards. The Bears, down 30-20, did score with 45 seconds left, but the ensuing onsides kick was returned for a touchdown. The Lions are showing signs of improvement, and the Bears really are that bad. It is too early to declare Mike Martz a success yet, but the Lions were a pinball machine in the fourth quarter. 37-27 Lions

Houston Texans @ Atlanta Falcons–Some were calling this the Schaub Bowl, but it is hard to ascribe a revenge motive to a backup quarterback with little history or experience who joins another team for a promotion. Schaub did play well, but so did Joey Harrington. The 1976 Bucs are safe. The Texans are improving, but their win over Carolina is looking less impressive. The Texans had two turnovers today, and a phenomenal breakdown near the end of the game prevented a chance to possibly tie the game. Down by ten with the ball at the Falcon one yard line, the Texans inexplicably tried a pitchout on 3rd and goal. The ball was bobbled, dropped and luckily rolled out of bounds. A 22 yard field goal attempt by Kris Brown was then no good. 26-16 Falcons

New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills–An ugly game that was scoreless at the half, the Bills started Trent Edwards at quarterback over J.P. Losman. Edwards then went 22 for 28. Chad Pennington had a good day going 32 for 39, and the Bills refused to put the game away. Late in the first half, the Jets executed a fake spike to perfection, but a 37 yard field goal attempt bounced off the upright. A late rally by the Jets was snuffed out with seconds to play when Pennington threw his second interception, as the Jets were driving close to field goal range. 17-14 Bills
St. Louis Rams @ Dallas Cowboys–Dante Hall returned a punt for a touchdown. The rest of the game was all Cowboys. One highlight had a high snap sailing over Tony Romo’s head for what should have been a 20 yard loss. He picked it up, ran around the end, and instead picked up a long gain and a first down, just like it was diagrammed in the sandlot. Speaking of sandlot, this game was an accurate reflection of the teams. The Cowboys look like the undefeated team they are, and the winless Rams really are that bad. 35-7 Cowboys

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers–A good team played an overrated team, and there were no surprises. Seattle knocked Alex Smith, who has never proven anything, out of the game. They then beat up their former quarterback Trent Dilfer because he is Dilfer and they could. Six quarterback sack, double the yardage, and 36 minutes of possession led to an easy victory. 23-3 Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers–I have been right about many things this year, including that the Buccaneers would be back. However, boy have I been wrong abut the Panthers. The Houston game was not a fluke. They are not a good team. Tampa Bay continues to play ugly “Buc Ball,” but hey, they win that way. David Carr is not Jake Delhomme, and the only bright spot for Carolina was a gorgeous goal line stand in the third quarter, stuffing the Bucs from the one yard line. Unfortunately, the Bucs already led 17-0 nothing at the time, and the Carolina offense remained lifeless before and after that play. Other than preventing the shutout near the end of the game, this was a one sided domination. 20-7 Buccaneers

Denver Broncos @ Indianapolis Colts–No, it was another quarterback that shattered passing records today, but this guy leading the Colts is pretty good. After spotting Denver a 10-0 lead, the Colts do what they usually do to Denver…and everybody else in the NFL for that matter. Peyton manning was 20 of 27 with three touchdown passes. While he only had 193 yard passing, this was because the running game was solid. The Colts had 419 yards overall. Denver was only down by eight points going into the fourth quarter, but they just do not have the firepower to keep up with the Colts pinball machine. Then again…again…virtually nobody else does either. 38-20 Colts

Kansas City Chiefs @ San Diego Chargers–The Chargers are Norvelous. Yes, it is his fault. Teams do not go from 14-2 to garbage, which the Chargers are, without either horrible injuries or horrible coaching. The Chargers have the same players. The Chiefs have Damon Huard starting for them. He is not a Hall of Famer to say the least. The Chargers lost to a bad team, badly, at home. The San Diego did lead 16-6 at the half, but they had a second half meltdown. Tied at 16 in the fourth quarter, a quick slant pass turned into a long touchdown pass and a 23-16 Chiefs lead. The Chargers had four turnovers, including a fumble that was returned 50 yards for a score to ice the game. Marty Schottenheimer was not the problem, and the Chargers have sole possession of last place in the AFC West. 30-16 Chiefs

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Arizona Cardinals–This was the Cowher Bowl, but the Steelers and Mike Tomlin had an unbeaten team and Ken Whisenhunt , Russ Grimm, and the Cardinals had a history of futility dating back to the 19th century. In addition, the Cardinals have a quarterback controversy, which means people are finally realizing that Kurt Warner can still play. An easy Steelers win was derailed. “That’s…why they play the games.”

A touchdown bomb by Ben Roethlisberger propelled Pittsburgh to a 7-0 halftime edge. The Steelers then self destructed, with 11 penalties by the end of the game. After the Cardinals tied the score at 7-7, the Steelers punted. For the first time since 1993, the Cardinals returned a punt for a touchdown. Yes, they have been that bad for that long. The 73 yard punt return put the Cardinals up 14-7.

A bizarre series of events occurred in the second half. The Cardinals played revolving quarterbacks for the second straight week. Kurt Warner, who for the most part again outplayed Matt Leinart, fumbled the ball deep in his own territory, and Pittsburgh recovered on the Cardinal four yard line. Ben Roethlisberger then threw an interception in the end zone, giving it right back to Arizona. The Cardinals managed to score once more for a 21-7 lead. Big Ben cut the gap to one score, but he was intercepted again in the finals seconds to preserve Ken Whisenhunt’s win against his former team. This game will most likely not be a harbinger of things to come. The Steelers slipped up on the road, and Arizona had a good day, nothing more. 21-14 Cardinals

The Philadelphia Eagles @ the New York Giants was the Sunday night game. The Giants defense had 12 sacks, tying an NFL record. Osi Umenyiora had six sacks. The Giants offense managed a touchdown the first half, and the defense recovered a fumble and ran it back for a touchdown in the second half. Big Blue’s defense left Donovan McNabb and offensive tackle John Runyon black and blue. 16-3 Giants

The New England Patriots @ the Cincinnati Bengals was the Monday night game. This was the men against the boys. The Bengals are hard to get a read on because they have some very talented players, but fell short last year from expectations. The Patriots were one minute away from their fourth Super Bowl in six years last year. Randy Moss is expected to be the last piece of the puzzle. The Patriots can have Tom Brady throw it up for grabs, and Randy Moss will haul it in. He had two touchdown catches in this game, one a jump ball over two defenders. Tom Brady and Carson Palmer both had over 300 yards passing, but the Patriots simply had too many weapons. A 17-7 halftime lead led to an evetual route. 34-13 Patriots

Lastly, I joined a coed touch football league. No, this is not a ploy to grope women, although I did grab one guy’s nipples (letting go very quickly) on a gorgeous sack that was nullified because I jumped offsides. Like the iron man I am, I played offense and defense (as does everyone), and I caught a pass for a decent gain. Our team wears brown shirts, which I dislike because as a Jewish person, “Brownshirts,” has a negative connotation. Since my teammates had no idea what it was, I was happy about. Look it up on your own if you need to know. Another team has pink shirts, so brown is hideous but bearable. We lost to the Green team 42-21, although it was 34-21 when we failed to convert a fourth and goal.

My body is wracked, but thankfully my fingers work well enough to type these recaps.

eric

Putting Mary Katharine Ham (THE ISSUE!) To Bed

Saturday, September 29th, 2007

Yes folks, I used a deliberately provocative headline to suck people in to reading a g-rated, serious column. No, it will not be boring. Get back here.

As I continue to reap from an issue that I sowed myself, I want to state that, yes, I did write a column entitled, “Help me Rabbi, I am desiring (Mary Katharine) Ham.” A week later, I followed it up with, “Hydratic Lamentations…Mary Katharine Ham Revisited.”

https://tygrrrrexpress.com/2007/06/help-me-rabbi-i-am-desiring-mary-katharine-ham/

https://tygrrrrexpress.com/2007/07/hydratic-lamentations-mary-katherine-ham-revisited/

Several months later, Mary Katharine Ham…or to be more specific, the issue…needs to be put to bed. What prompted this column was a Michelle Malkin column. The column itself was very brief, but the comments section is the main thrust of my column today.

http://michellemalkin.com/2007/09/29/alicia-silverstone-meet-mary-katharine-ham/

I checked Double-M’s website before bed, and saw the following comment:

(name redacted) “Oh god… I hope Eric don’t see this…*swoons over Ham’s lovelyness*”

I wrote a comment myself.

“Why God? Why did I have to check this website before bed? I had a long day, I could have gone to sleep, but nooooooo, I had to take one harmless little peek. I could use the trackback function for my article, ‘Help me Rabbi, I am desiring (Mary Katharine) Ham,’ but why torture myself?

If this woman watches football, I might be forced to buy her a 3rd world nation.

Off to sleep and dream about anything else…my Yom Kippur vows still (barely) intact.

sssssiiiiiiigggggggghhhhhhhhhh

eric”

Hey, it was late, I was tired, and I took my size 19 shoe (ok, I am lying about that) and stuffed it deep down past my epiglottis.

I then saw the following comment:

(name redacted) “It was so tempting to write MKH isnt that hot just to see swj and eric blow a gasket but couldnt bring myself to lie like that.”

The next comment, edited for length, caught my eye.

(name redacted) “you might ought to start looking at real estate rates in Camaroon. MKH is a graduate of the University of Georgia, and is therefore completely absorbed by SEC college football.”

However, the following comment made me think much deeper thoughts than this thread really necessitated:

(name redacted) “Control yourself Tygrrr, don’t go bat-guano loony and start stalking her or anything:)”

Now this last comment was nothing more than a good natured ribbing. Yet introspection is part of growth, and that comment really led to some adult musing.

I have been stalked before. It is not fun. There are some serious wack jobs in this world. Even without being criminal, the internet is a haven for perverts. Some people buy used underwear online. Others enjoy hard core pornography. Some people derive erotic pleasure out of sadism or masochism. These are foreign concepts to me.

I think about this stuff because I started out my blog as a hobby. It is still a hobby, albeit one that reaches almost 1000 hits per day after only six months. With this platform comes responsibility. Do I want to be like Sean Hannity or Howard Stern? Howard Stern is brilliant, but that is not the first word people think of when his name comes up. Sean Hannity has his detractors, but he is a respected professional. So is Michelle Malkin. So is Mary Katharine Ham. It takes a lifetime to build a brand, and an instant to destroy it.

It is difficult to raise the level of discourse, but it is easy to lower it. I published one column about the War on Terror that got very little attention. I also published a column about whether or not C3P0 is homosexual. It sparked tremendous debate, and my “hits” rose.

Bill O’Reilly himself admits that he covers O.J. Simpson, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan because that way it keeps the ratings high enough to do serious segments about The War on Terror. I understand this. Programs need ratings, and that means making some compromises. However, I am not a professional blogger. I have a job in finance. Therefore, I have even less of an excuse to debase the public internet world.

I am always telling others to lighten up, but maybe I should raise my own standards. Or maybe, I should lighten up. I do not know the answer.

I am not angst ridden in the way that many stereotypical liberal Jews tend to be, but I do worry about whether or not I am enhancing or detracting from society.

Although I have regular readers, my own parents do not read every single one of my columns. The reason is because they are dignified people, and they do not like things that are “sophomoric.” If I write about General Petraeus, they are thrilled. If I write “nonsense,” they are quick to remind me about dignity. They are not wrong.

If somebody goes to my “about” page, they will either find it funny…or sophomoric. The truth is I am a normal, mainstream American who leads a simple life. I am not boring, but perception is reality, and people perceive normal and mainstream to be synonymous with deadly dull.

https://tygrrrrexpress.com/about/

So yes, I lower the bar so that I can trick people into visiting my site, where the bar is most of the time set pretty high. When I watch the news, I want hard news, and detest frivolity. Yet my own blog, in an attempt to communicate hard news, resorts to that same frivolity.

Many people get the joke, and find me funny. Others think, “this guy is an idiot.”

Yes, I announced that I desired Mary Katharine Ham. I also, inspired by the movie “Airheads,” announced that I desired Bea Arthur (No Mom and Dad, I don’t). Yes, I have convinced people that I have a collection of Chasidic adult videos. I don’t.

I then left the following comments in an effort to bring this to a conclusion. They are edited for length, because yeah, sometimes I can be a gasbag who loves the sound of his own perceived brilliance as much as anyone else.

“(name redacted), I would actually prefer that I was the only man on the planet who thought she was hot, so I could win the lowered expectations game. )

(name redacted), At the risk of trying to weasel out of my comments, when I say football I mean the NFL. If she liked the NFL, my offer stands. I do not know college football. Stalking is disgusting, and I prefer activities that do not require I leave my apartment. I am a homebody. )

So let me reassure the world that while Ms. Ham is stunning, conservative, blah blah blah, the whole thing behind my ‘goofiness’ was her last name. A Jewish boy desiring Ham, especially around Yom Kippur, is a satire of angst ridden Jewish guys torn with internal conflict. Those Jewish guys are liberals, aka not me.

What I would really like is to interview her for my blog since I think she is a smart, young conservative. I already interviewed Amanda Carpenter, and that went well.”

https://tygrrrrexpress.com/2007/07/my-interview-with-amanda-carpenter/

People may develop the wrong impression about me, but I have only myself to blame if I give them that impression. The question then becomes, what happens next?

I honestly have no idea. I would like to think that I can continue to straddle the serious with the silly, without devaluing myself. Maybe I can. More importantly, maybe I should.

If somebody comes to me and states that I hurt them, I would listen to them very seriously. I am not too proud to issue retractions. However, with most of my silly threads, it seems that most people “get” the joke. The ones who do not comment may find me too stupid to waste time on, but one can only learn from feedback that is actually received.

I look forward to many years of successful blogging, and more importantly, contributing something positive to the public domain.

The desire to be a respected, intelligent professional versus the desire to occasionally act like a college sophomore is an ongoing struggle. Nobody, not even me, knows how this will turn out. I only know that the results and consequences of my actions and behavior will be deserved.

eric

Jesse Jackson lies, Bill O’Reilly cries

Friday, September 28th, 2007

Jesse Jackson threw punches at Bill O’Reilly, and O’Reilly thanked him for it and asked for more. A steel crowbar was needed to pry O’Reilly’s lips from Jackson’s rump.

I am disappointed because I like Bill O’Reilly. I find him tough, but fair. Some say he is off-putting, but being gracious does not work in trying to corner people trying to obfuscate issues. The “No Spin Zone” is about him being a b.s. detector and cutting through it.

Yet something happened that turned the bulldog into a puppy. Bill O’Reilly was accused of racism. Because he is, contrary to what democrats running for president preach, an actual human being with feelings and emotions, he was stung by these charges. He was right not to ignore them. Silence is acquiescence, and charges of racism, if they are false, must be swiftly and sharply rebutted.

Bill O’Reilly started out well, and had a dialogue with Juan Williams that should be the gold standard for improved racial dialogue and healing. Yet because Juan Williams is reasonable, meaning he does not despise conservatives for existing, he is seen as an Uncle Tom. Bill O’Reilly then made the disastrous decision to have Jesse Jackson on his show.

Bill O’Reilly is not a guilty white liberal, but he blinked. I will not. So let me say what nobody besides Bernie Goldberg has the guts to say.

The reason why there are episodes of racial tension in America today is because there are powerful people in this country that do not want racial healing. They want divisions, because division is the heart of their economic and political power bases. They are parasites feeding off the misery and suffering of others. Two main racial parasites in America are Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.

I have done more to help black America than these two thugs, and I have done virtually nothing. A lack of a positive contribution is neutral, while detracting from the process and making things worse is…well, Jackson and Sharpton.

People turn to rabble rousers when they feel they have no hope, and that the system is rigged against them. The rabble rousers then reinforce this fallacy, entrenching their own power. After all, tire and battery companies have products that could last forever, but they do not wish to put themselves out of business. The same is true with racial hustlers. If black America were to see a positive vision of overall America, Jackson and Sharpton would be finished. True, they would have successful careers selling stocks, encyclopedias or vacuums, but they would be finished as racial demagogues.

Let me do what Bill O’Reilly failed to do. I will dispel some myths.

The first racial myth is that white America, especially white conservatives, have no right to comment on black America. For those who feel this way, screw you, I can, and I will. There. That was easy. Some people consider white conservatives and racists to be exactly the same thing. The people who express this are the true racists. It is not possible to have a dialogue when people do not acknowledge that others have a right to be in the debate.

True, there are people that are not entitled to be part of the debate. David Duke is not entitled to debate racial issues. He lost his credibility when he joined the Ku Klux Klan. Al Sharpton should not be part of the debate, due to his falsely accusing white cop Steven Pagones of raping Tawana Brawley, having been convicted of this falsehood, and refusing to apologize for it and pay the money Pagones won in the defamation suit. Jesse Jackson is disqualified from the debate due to his hostility over the years towards other communities, mainly Jews and Koreans. Al Sharpton also is guilty of this discrimination as well. So if they are disqualified, what happens next?

After isolating racists such as Jesse, Duke and the Sharptongue (I think my parents bought their album back in 1957), both sides agree to only let decent people speak. Yes that is subjective, but otherwise we let everyone speak, and that brings us back to Duke. This may fly at poison ivy league universities, but in the real world is counterproductive.

Black America could listen to black conservatives such as Armstrong Williams, Thomas Sowell, Clarence Thomas, Ward Connerly, etc. Many blacks see these people as not being “authentically black.” This is nuts. Is it wrong to judge a man’s race by the color of his skin? No. Race is skin color. It is different shades of pigmentation.

Some blacks argue that since blacks vote with democrats 90% of the time, even acknowledging that black conservatives are actually black does not give them speaking rights because they do not represent how most blacks feel on issues. I can understand that. However, when reasonable black liberals such as Juan Williams dare to treat conservatives as legitimate voices of opposition, rather than hatemongers, Williams is then treated like a “white lapdog.” Juan Williams is a bona fide liberal who respects conservatives. That is the whole point to dialogue and debate..mutual understanding through respect.

More importantly than who speaks is what is spoken. In this case, everything serious has to be on the table, unless it is something that is either disproved by evidence or beyond reasonable discussion. Denying the Holocaust or favoring lynching are beyond debate.

Here is my opinion, which is just as valid as any other opinion, since I am part of the 90+% of Americans that are not Duke, Sharpton or Jackson.

70% of black children are born into homes without the mother being married to the father. This is not due to poverty, or white racism. It was not conservatives that started this problem. Guilty white liberals, always happy to engage in the soft bigotry of low expectations, promoted a welfare system that trapped blacks in a cycle of dependency and despair. Guilty white liberals call this despair compassion.

I am not for getting rid of welfare. It is necessary. Yet people need hope. Welfare reform in 1996 was a success. Those who fought welfare reform did not attack it based on policy. They simply called the proponents racists.

In a debate on affirmative action, Armstrong Williams told Bob Beckel, “I don’t need your help. I am not inferior.” Unlike many conservatives, I am not sure we should get rid of affirmative action because I believe racism still exists. However, it should be noted that three areas in life where black America has thrived are professional sports, sales and the military. These careers are based on merit. Yet even the NFL, which is normally on the cutting edge socially, needed an affirmative action program to force teams to interview minority coaching prospects. The league has absolutely benefited from this.

Some white Americans are so afraid of being called racist that in some cases they refuse to criticize any minority for doing a bad job at work. David Dinkins is a kind, decent, thoughtful man. He also did a lousy job as mayor of New York City. He lost his reelection bid. Ray Rhodes did not do a good job as head coach of the Green Bay Packers. He was fired. Spike Lee makes terrible movies. He is beyond overrated, and “Do the Right Thing” was boring. Nothing happened until the last five minutes.

Now many Americans black and white disagree with my opinions, but I have the right to express them without being seen as a racist. Others can then ask me to defend my opinions, and I would be prepared to do so. I think Dennis Green is an excellent coach, and of course Tony Dungy is fabulous. Tom Bradley successfully brought the 1984 Olympics to Los Angeles. Morgan Freeman is an outstanding actor. That is not a defense of my criticism of the others, but it is an inoculation that I think no blacks at all are up to snuff. If I did feel that way, I would be racist.

Keeping with the football theme, I think Tyrone Willingham got screwed at Notre Dame, and Charlie Weis has not earned a 10 year contract extension. Norv Turner has repeatedly lost, and there are plenty of black assistant coaches that would have been a better choice than him to be a head coach again.

The main problem is that I am on the verge of making the same mistake Bill O’Reilly and others make. I am trying to prove I am not a racist. This brings me to the key issue.

I do not have to prove I am not a racist. The accusers have to prove that I am. I am automatically, unless my history shows otherwise, given the benefit of the doubt.

Television cartoon South Park did what Bill O’Reilly did not. South Park dealt with the issue of a white person accidentally using the n-word. In order to apologize, he meets Jesse Jackson and literally kisses his rump. The boy’s son then goes to his black friend, and announces that they are ok. The black boy says, “You don’t get it.” Yes, this is a cartoon, but it is brilliantly expressed. To think that a seal of approval from Jesse Jackson means anything is nonsense. In the end, the white kid basically says to the black kid, “I don’t get it. I don’t get how using that word hurts you. I have not walked in your shoes, and cannot understand how you feel about this.” The black kid smiles and says, “Now you get it.” They resume their friendship.

Children do not know how to hate. They have to be taught. They learn from people like Duke, Sharpton and Jackson.

The solution is to learn from sensible people. Another South Park episode had a white kid hitting a back kid with a rock, giving the black kid a bump on his forehead. Yes, he needed to be punished, but he was arrested and accused of a hate crime. It took the black kid’s father to explain that he did not think it was a hate crime, and that grounding the white kid would be sufficient.

This does not mean we let violence continue unabated. Far from it. However, if we do not apply common sense to the law for all people, everyone gets resentful.

Dialogue means upsetting people. O.J. Simpson was acquitted. I respect the rule of law. However, it was idiotic that black America celebrated and white America complained. The jury rendered a verdict, and that was it.

Now before black America starts embracing me, Rodney King was a criminal. He led the police on a high speed chased while hopped up on illegal drugs. Of the four police officers, I felt that Theo Briseno absolutely should have been acquitted, Timothy Wind was borderline, and that Koon and Powell crossed the line. In the second trial, the jury got it right. I felt two of the cops were wrong, and the other two were not wrong.

Again, people will not know this if they just judge me as a white conservative and discount me off the bat.

So how do I avoid getting rolled like Bill O’Reilly? I simply forcefully reject accusations of racism, which he initially did. Then I refuse to engage criminals in dialogue. O’Reilly was so tough when he was venting to Bernie Goldberg against Jane Hull. Yet he was a church mouse against Jesse Jackson.

One thing Jesse Jackson said that was accurate was that Bill Cosby gets away with speaking because he is universally loved. No sane person would accuse him of being a front man for the KKK. He has credibility with white and back America. He was for a long time “America’s Father.”

White America needs to debate men like Juan Williams and Bill Cosby, and ignore the racial hustlers. To maintain credibility, white America must loudly and swiftly condemn actual white racism. White America must demand that black America condemn black racism. Establishing credibility is the key to trust. Trust leads to amazing breakthroughs.

Rumpus kissing does not. I understand that Bill O’Reilly was hurt. However, he had nothing to apologize for. His remarks on race were taken out of context. He was right to condemn those who questioned what was in his heart. He should then have refused to sit down with those who wish him harm.

Jesse Jackson lied, and Bill O’Reilly cried. He begged and pleaded for Jesse Jackson to come to his defense, and Jesse would not do it. Bill O’Reilly has referred to many people as “pinheads.” He should have used that term with Jesse Jackson, and been done with it.

I hope Bill O’Reilly learns that trying to appease your sworn enemies is like trying to appease terrorists. Jesse Jackson is a verbal bombthrower, and Bill O’Reilly proved that diplomacy with those who want war against you is as effective as Neville Chamberlain appeasing 1930s Germany.

Jackson is a shark, and he smelled blood in the form of weakness. O’Reilly surrendered.

The solution is for me to reaffirm Bernie Goldberg’s battering ram approach in my own tough as nails words.

Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are wastes of space. They are black racists. I want racial healing in America, and will never consider them a legitimate source for dialogue until they renounce everything that makes them the disgusting filth that they are. I will continue to condemn them and David Duke.

I will say what I think is wrong with black and white America, and I will never allow malice to enter my heart. If somebody calls me a racist, I will skewer them, and if a true racist crosses the line, I will skewer them even more.

I will go to my grave knowing I did everything I could to love all the good people in this world. I will also never give in to a smear against my good name.

Buck up Mr. O’Reilly. With regards to Sharpton and Jackson, stop kissing their hides and start royally kicking their hides.

The solution to combatting racism is not dialogue with racists. The solution is honest, open, and unlimited dialogue between people who disagree on solutions but agree that they despise all racism, anti-semitism and group hatred in any shape or form.

eric

Armageddonijad and You-Tube

Thursday, September 27th, 2007

The struggle is civilization versus barbarism, and civilization is cannibalizing itself in ways that barbarians could only dream.

I am not a “You-Tuber.” For those of you who have no idea what You-Tube is, be grateful.

Armageddonijad, that warm fuzzy baboon from Iran, recently met with the one form of life less sophisticated than he, that being a poison ivy league university president. What is more than a tad ironic is that behavior that Armageddonijad has engaged in is now commonplace among Americans, particularly youthful ones. I do not care for this genocidal lunatic, but I am finding it difficult to criticize him when Americans celebrate his behavior on You-Tube.

I start with the issue of torture. Armageddonijad tortures people, not just with his voice, but with actual brutal methods of physically hurting people. One such way is with tasering.

For those who do not know, a taser is a device that sends electrical volts through somebody. It is dangerous and potentially fatal to be tasered. It is inhumane to do this to somebody, although law enforcement officials occasionally need to taser dangerous criminals, such as violent drug abusers and left wing activists at violent peace rallies.

However, thanks to You-Tube, people are now tasering each other and themselves. Teenagers are tasering each other’s breasts, rumpuses and genitals. Look, I like pleasant sensations as much as the next guy, but are people that desperate for gratification? It is one thing to stick your pager (a device from the 1980s, still used by drug dealers and doctors) down your trousers and beg your friends to page you, but it is another to attach electric shock therapy to your sensitive regions. As I said, these are tactics used by third world despots looking to extract information from their hostages, not teenagers incapable of knowing any information about anything.

The next You-Tube phenomenon is called “Freak-dancing,” which is basically simulated sex. Yes, like most dances, these teenagers do look like they are having epileptic seizures, but voluntarily simulating sex apparently is acceptable if referred to as “dancing.”

So why is this a problem? Because of Abu Gharaib. We had these terrorists in our prison simulating sex, and we were not allowed to claim that we were just making them “dance.” I am surprised the ASPCA never got involved, because it reminds me of the “dancing duck,” which was really a duck with a hot plate under its webbed feet (Be kind to your webbed footed friends…a duck might be somebody’s mother).

So if cruelty to ducks and terrorists is inhumane, how can You-tube sanction this stuff? Oh sure, it may come across like these teenagers are behaving voluntarily, but when one has no mental capacity, they cannot legally claim their behavior as valid. So how do we prove these teenagers have no capacity? Easy enough. Have you seen them? That is like asking how breakdancers in the 1980s could be mentally slow after spinning on their heads. As Bill Cosby said, “It’s got to be drugs. People don’t get like that on pure air alone.”

Lastly, Armageddonijad likes to make liquid bombs, and have them tossed at innocent civilians. He funds homicide bombers. They use vests, belts, and grenades. A liquid grenade involves taking a hydratic substance, tossing it at someone, and attempting to injure them. In the Mafia, they call dangerous liquid devices Molotov Cocktails.

Again, You-Tube is on the cutting edge of imitating the Ayatollah Khomonkey’s disciple. Teenage You-Tubers now drive up to fast food takeout windows, order drinks, and then film each other throwing the drinks at the drive through window worker serving it to them.

Why would somebody pay money for a perfectly good beverage and then throw it at somebody? I guess for the same reason people would take a grenade and throw it at somebody. For laughs I guess. I was not aware that McDonalds and Burger King workers were the infidels.

In Arab countries, a long time hobby has been taking innocent people and violently killing them in the town square. This is done through beating, stoning (not to be confused with getting stoned, a teenage You-Tuber hobby today), and shooting (not to be confused with shooting up).

In America, young You-Tubers film each other beating the tar out of each other. There is actually a scandal in Louisiana involving six boys beating up one boy. How did it get out of hand? Well one boy was scheduled to fight another boy, and the other five were not supposed to take part. Scheduled? Two boys beating each other up on camera is scheduled? This is a hobby?

Now I know why Armageddonijad was babbling about there being no homosexuals in Iran. I thought he was just a crackpot. Now I realize he justs wants to be in a You-Tube video that gets as many hits as possible. Heck, what is the point of committing genocide if it cannot make people laugh on the internet?

I used to think that the biggest threat to society were Islamofacists. Now I have to confess that it might be Bob Saget. America’s Funniest Home Videos started the decline. It amazes me that Guantanamo Bay is a source of controversy, yet American teenagers engage in similar behavior, and it is called entertainment.

How can Armageddonijad spend time trying to eradicate Israel and the USA, and still make time to update his vlog (video blog)?

Maybe it is my fault. I have been spending too much time worrying about foreign policy at the expense of the next generation of Americans. I am focused on the War on Terror. I want to straighten out the crackpots that are Islamofacist nutcases, be they Mullahs, Hamas, Hezbollah, or Palestinian homicide bombers.

It blame myself. I am preoccupied trying to help save civilization. Can somebody out there pick up the slack by picking up the slackers?

Parents need to storm into their childrens’ rooms (Janet Reno is available if need be), disconnect their internet access, and take away their video cameras. Parenting is not a democracy. Once this is done, parents need to teach children about a device I had as a child that is known as a “ball.” It can be thrown, bounced, and caught. It is meant to be played with outside. When these kids are outside, they can interact with each other.  There will not be any keyboards, but they can use their feet to walk, hands to gesture, and mouths to talk. Actual conversations did exist before we all went virtual.

Once we can get back to a world where the biggest problems parents face are their children dressing badly and listening to terribly incoherent music, these adults can get back to what else matters. That involves taking Armageddonijad and his terrorist friends and kicking their @sses.

Who am I kidding. Once we catch these guys, I will be the first guy to show up with a taser and a video camera. After all, the soldier who caught Saddam Hussein did inspect him for lice in front of the world. I know this because it was on You-Tube. Not that I watched it…somebody told me about it.

eric

Oklahoma State–Thank You Coach Gundy

Wednesday, September 26th, 2007

A member of the media took cheap shots at a college athlete. Like a father protecting a son that he may scold in private, Oklahoma State Football Coach Mike Gundy fiercely defended his recently benched quarterback Bobby Reid.

Oklahoma sports reporter Jenni Carlson may think twice before she writes her column. This is not a chilling day for free speech. It is a victory for responsible journalism. The media is despised because it gets the stories wrong, hits below the belt, engages in character assassination, does not verify its sources, and refuses to issue mea culpas in a manner that leads to being respected.

Ms. Carlson’s bile is attached below.

http://newsok.com/article/3131543

It may seem harmless, but why attack a young man because his mother is feeding him chicken in the parking lot? Does this make him a momma’s boy, and therefore less of a man? Pro Bowl Eagles Quarterback Donovan McNabb appears in Chunky Soup commercials with his mom feeding him soup. Should we berate him?

Coach Gundy benched his quarterback. The only issue about this story should be whether Bobby Reid needs to be play better. Questioning a young man’s heart after it has just been broken is simply beyond decency.

I will let Coach Gundy’s press conference speak for itself. He was looking right at Jenni Carlson when speaking.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=AUnY8oZBVR0&mode=related&search=

Finally somebody has said enough is enough. There are young men, many of them athletes, committing robberies, rapes, drug crimes, and murders. Why castigate a guy for loving his mother? Shall we ban crying after winning championships?

Before going further, a fascinating political angle on this story can be found at http://briantdavis.townhall.com/g/e42dc567-0689-45be-a6b7-5d16bb046086

As for me, I have never been to Oklahoma. I have never watched an Oklahoma State game. I had never heard of any of the people in this story until yesterday. However, if I were a player in Coach Gundy’s locker room, I would go through a brick wall for him.

This was not an attempt to distract from other issues. The Cowboys won the game 49-45, and the backup quarterback that was promoted seemed to justify making the switch. So why bother canceling a victory celebration of a press conference and get angry because a player that the coach himself benched got attacked in the press?

Because the player is a human being, and football is a team sport. Every member of the team counts. Many players that knew that their football career was ending were sent into the game for one final series, even one final play. Some players sign one day contracts…that’s right, one day…so they can retire with the team they love. Some players use that one day to put on the uniform, go on the field, salute the crowd one final time, and walk off with dignity.

Dignity. That is what this is about. Yes, winning and losing matters, but for once a coach put human decency over the final score. The player that was deemed not good enough to play in a game the team won mattered just as much as the players on the field.

Dignity means treating waiters and waitresses, shoe shine people, and building maintenance people like they matter…because they do matter. A million dollar salesperson might not close a sale if the potential customer sees his shoes are scuffed. The shoe shine person receives $4, but provides a service that helps the salesperson earn those millions.

Coach Gundy closed ranks. People do that. Families do this. I can say my cousin is an imbecile, but you will not mock them. Religions do it. Jews, Christians and Muslims argue fiercely within themselves, but tread lightly when criticizing other religions. Politicians have vicious primaries, but back the nominees to the hilt in the general election. Nations do it. Many Americans mock their leaders, but would not accept that mocking from Europe or anywhere else.

I have had employers take me in their office and ask me how I could have been so (insert bad word here). Yet when somebody else would try to pile on, that same boss would defend me to the hilt and let the criticizer know what a (worse word here) they were.

Dignity matters. So does loyalty. Coach Gundy gave it, and will get it back in spades.

Bobby Reid failed. He did not do his job well enough, and he was demoted. However, failing does not make one a failure. Bobby Reid is not a failure. Failing makes people human. Coach Gundy has a responsibility to help mold this man. Coaches, teaches and fathers matter. The boss was not happy, and he took steps that hurt. Yet Bobby Reid knows how the coach feels about him.

Some say this is not a life and death matter, but people commit suicide. They feel despair, feel like failures, and give up on life. I am not saying Bobby Reid was at that stage, but Jenni Clark kicked a man who was down. Mike Gundy lifted him back up. Saving a life does not mean stopping someone from jumping off a bridge. That is extreme. Saving a life can be as simple as finding somebody who let you and themselves down, and patting them on the shoulder. Sometimes my favorite word in the English language comes when somebody I have great respect for says, “atta boy!” Atta boys matter.

I have no idea what Oklahoma State’s record is on the football field is. What I do know is that Bobby Reid being benched does not make him a loser. Mike Gundy pointing that out makes him a winner.

Thank you Coach Gundy. If I am ever in Oklahoma, I might be talented enough to be the team’s waterboy for a day. It would be an honor.

eric

Tea With Mussolini, Columbian Coffee with Armageddonijad

Tuesday, September 25th, 2007

For the sake of full disclosure, no, I did not watch the movie, “Tea with Mussolini.” I also have never seen, “Beaches,” “Steel Magnolias,” or “Fried Green Tomatoes.” If I did I would have to kick my own @ss, or have my friends come over and do it for me. I am a heterosexual, red meat eating, football watching alpha male. Feminists call me a Neanderthal. I refer to myself as a “guy.” For those of you who are passionate about the right of homosexual vegetarians to watch frisbee golf on tv, leave me alone. I have nothing against your causes. I just want to get home without being bombarded with leaflets.

The bottom line is if I wanted to watch something about airhead women babbling, jabbering, and yammering about nonsense, I would watch, “The View.” I don’t, so I don’t. Yet “Tea with Mussolini” was merely a movie. “Columbian Coffee With Armageddonijad” is real life.

I used to think as an uneducated teenager (I did go to public school after all) that Columbia was a nation known for coffee, cocaine, cartels, and corruption. I now know as an adult that Columbia is a place for tree huggers, treason, terrorism, and thoughtlessness.

http://michellemalkin.com/2007/09/25/what-the-msm-considers-link-worthy-blogging-on-ahmadinejad/#comments provides evidence of the ridiculousness of the entire Armageddonijad spectacle.

In the real world, 9/11 was a tragedy of unmatchable proportions. We lost policemen, firefighters, medics, fathers, sons, daughters, mothers, and loved ones everywhere. The memorial resides in the State of New York.

In the Tea with Mussolini world of Columbia, 9/11 is an anachronism. Despite the fact that the university is located in New York, it intellectually resides in the state of oblivion.

In the real world, Lee Bollinger is a terrorist sympathizer and America hater who preaches diversity, but bans ROTC from the Columbia campus because United States soldiers are the villains and Armageddonijad is a freedom fighter.

In the Tea with Mussolini world of Columbia, Lee Bollinger is an academic, aka a man that possesses knowledge, which apparently distinguishes book smarts from street smarts.

In the real world, Armageddonijad is a terrorist that should be murdered on sight. Let those who orgasm over the Geneva convention criticize us after we have put two bullets right in his murderous heart. The Geneva lovers do not seem to be concerned with his hundreds of violations of this worthless rule preventing political assassinations. Those who argue that it could lead others to try and kill George W. Bush should realize that they are already plotting to do this. The way some liberals talk, I am not sure that this even troubles them, given their warped view of good and evil.

In the Tea with Mussolini world of Columbia, Armaggedonijad is A-Jad, a celebrity often confused with A-Rod, J-Lo, Skee-Lo, K-Fed, C-Span, or Brangelina.

In the Tea with Mussolini world of Columbia, everyone has a right to free speech.

In the real world, free speech does not entitle anybody to be allowed to address a college campus. I could demand the right to give the commencement address at Columbia. I would implore the students to go to work at McDonalds, because that is all their poison ivy league degrees would be worth. After all, toilet paper is not a rare enough commodity to get rich selling.

In the Tea with Mussolini world of Columbia, valuable insight can be gained engaging in dialogue with a genocidal madman. In fact, one of the deans of Columbia would have invited Hitler. Granted this would have been before the Holocaust, when Hitler was a nice guy and wonderful painter.

In the Real world, Armageddonijad should be captured, cuffed, and then drawn and quartered. Perhaps he could be the prequel to the Kentucky Derby. Actually, quartering him should be done at the Belmont Stakes because that is in New York (sorry Maryland Preakness fans).

On the subject of the Holocaust, in the real world, it did happen. The sun rises in the East, 2 + 2 actually is 4, and my father did not make the whole thing up to scare me straight.

In the Tea with Mussolini world of Columbia, debates about the Holocaust are important because diversity of ideas is valid. Next week the flat Earth society will address the crowd to adoring throngs. If only Lee Bollinger could have gotten Ed McMahon to introduce Armageddonijad like he was Johnny Carson, it would have been a perfect show.

In the Tea with Mussolini world of Columbia, there are no homosexuals living in Iran. Being gay is a phenomenon unique only to the United States, such as In n Out Burger or Dairy Queen.

In the real world, there may not be many gays in Iran because Iran is such a wonderful democracy that gays have the freedom to choose whether to be shot to death, stoned to death, or burned to death (as opposed to universities where students are merely bored to death).

In the real world, one would think that left wing activists from groups such as gay rights, civil rights, animal rights, environmentalists, feminists, and others would protest against regimes such as Iran that believe that peace and harmony can exist in a nation when dissenters are beaten, raped, tortured and killed by savage baboons such as the Ayatollah Khomonkey and Armageddonijad.

In the Tea with Mussolini world at Columbia, peace activists fly into violent rages. They protest that they are being censored at the top of their lungs. They despise American soldiers, adore left wing and other murderous “freedom fighters,” and demand legislation to address their oppression at being forced to live in an imperfect but amazingly noble nation. They also seem to think that those that worry about illegal immigration think in both directions. Nobody will stop them from leaving. I would guarantee this in writing.

In the Tea with Mussolini world of Columbia, everybody has something valuable to offer (except conservative republicans and American soldiers). Civility and respect of opposing views is important (except when throwing pies at Ann Coulter or storming the stage against the Minutemen).

In the real world, New York City has a hole in the ground. Armageddonijad has a hole in his head, although his is figurative. It needs to be made literal. One day I will stand before God, and I will absolutely stand by my willingness to advocate the murder of this bloodthirsty thug. He should be wiped off of the map, as if he never existed. At the very least, we should use “enhanced interrogation techniques” until he breaks down and sobs his love for America and Israel. Perhaps we can torture…excuse me, enhance…him into surrendering by blaring rock music so he cannot sleep, like we did with Noriega. We can force him to listen to Def Leppard’s “Hysteria” album, from, “Pour some sugar on me,” to the new Mullah theme song, “Armageddon it (Yes, that is a real rock song).”

Wow, given how angry and enraged about this I am, I should just go completely off the rails. That way I will be mistaken for either a leftist protester at a peace rally or a genocidal maniacal third world dictator. Either way, that would qualify me to enjoy a Tea with Mussolini experience enlightening the students getting a poison ivy league education.

Then again, I enjoy being an intelligent and productive member of society. I support efforts to strip Columbia of all government funding. That is sanity, not censorship. The Patriot Act bans aiding and abetting terrorists. I think it would be fabulous if students turned on their hippie parents and stormed Bollinger’s office, and demanded their right to a quality ideologically free education. I do not encourage violence, but think about how wonderfully delightful it would be to have students actually protesting for something useful, such as the right to learn.

Maybe they can protest for the right to have the National Rifle Association address the campus to teach the students about responsible gun ownership, and the appropriate usage of firearms to defend the USA and its citizens.

After all, one never knows what threats may show up to cause Ground Zero…or to try and lay a wreath at Ground Zero after enjoying Tea or Columbian Coffee with Bollinger.

eric

Poison Ivy League Education

Monday, September 24th, 2007

I ran out of toilet paper today, but luckily a neighbor of mine had a college degree from Columbia University.

Poison Ivy League Education is now upon us. It started with grade inflation, where students “pay their fee, get their ‘B’ (average)” (Disclosure: I benefitted from grade inflation). Now the Ivy League universities still insist that they are places of critical thinking, logical reasoning, and intelligent analysis. Yes, and the CBS memos were “fake, but accurate,” and the Jayson Blair Times is “all the news that is fit to print.”

Columbia University has decided to help America lose the War on Terror. This is not reason. This is treason. In 2001, President Bush declared that people who help, aid, abett, or harbor terrorists were just as culpable as the terrorists themselves. Iranian President Armageddonijad is a funder of terrorism throughout the world. He finances terrorists, and is therefore a terrorist. Lee Bollinger, the plutocrat running Columbia into the ground in the best tradition of Pinch Sulzberger, has invited Armageddonijad to speak to the students.

It is one thing for people in a fictional movie sitting around a table to have airhead conversations about nonsense, as in “Tea with Mussolini.” It is another thing to actually invite mass murderers for beverages and a friendly chat. The Dean of Columbia actually stated that he would invite Hitler for tea and scones and a conversation given the opportunity. Mr. Bollinger, by his silence, I can only assume, is beaming with pride that these are the fine men he has entrusted the youth of America to learning from.

These men are not horrible human beings. They are simply touchy feely liberals who are absolutely clueless about human nature. Leftists like these see all conservatives as war loving neanderthals who just want to blow sh*t up for sport. Dialogue is for the weak.

This is not the case. No serious intellectual conservative in politics or academia (they do exist, but don’t ask don’t tell is the policy) advocated blowing up the Russians during the Cold War. Conservatives have zero desire to bomb China or India, even though they are potential economic threats. Heck, we did not even advocate bombing France (although we did joke about it). However, there is a difference between having dialogues with some people and being willing to have dialogue with everybody.

Dialogue is possible when people are rational. The Russians did not want to blow up the world, and neither did we. Reagan and Gorbachev understood this, and sat down to figure out how to prevent an outcome neither side wanted.

Armageddonijad does want to blow up the world. He wants Israel wiped off of the map, and he wants the USA eliminated. We are the great satan. Is Lee Bollinger a product of the USA public education system? If yes, then our schols, which liberals control, are even worse than we thought. That is the only explanation for how a man who knows nothing of value can lead others.

The Columbia poo-bahs have stated that by asking Armageddonijad “tough” questions, we can challenge him. This man is pursuing nuclear weapons. Does anyone bright enough to not have a poison ivy league education think he will be scared of “questions?”

As usual, Michelle Malkin is covering this story with aplomb.

http://michellemalkin.com/2007/09/24/mahmoudapalooza-the-madman-comes-calling/

Armageddonijad announced that his nation had no homosexuals. First of all, it is because he and the mullahs shot most of them. Second of all, the remaining few are living in fear, which should give pause to the gay rights movement in America. Oppression is a relative term. Lastly, goats are not counted in this question.

Armageddonijad also said that we should be open to scientific questioning of events, including the Holocaust. Perhaps men never really did land on the moon, and 2 + 2 does not equal 4, and my dad made the whole thing up. After all, who wouldn’t fake a half a century of trauma to pull a great practical joke of “gotcha” on future children?

Armageddonijad is a murderer. What needs to be done is to put two bullets in his heart. Rudy Giuliani kicked Arafat out of New York. Lee Bollinger invited him in. This is the same Lee Bollinger whose university scorns American military personnel. This is not about dialogue and diversity. It is about a leftist ideology.

Even if Armageddonijad had anything of value to say, which he does not, his words would be invalidated by his deeds.

I believe in supply side economics. Yet I would not shake the hand of Jude Wanniski, the father of this wonderful system, due to his antisemitism. If David Duke came up with the cure for cancer, I would want somebody else to report his findings. The KKK and Moveon.org do not belong on any college campus. Free speech does not mean allowing irresponsible speech. We cannot yell “fire” in a crowded theatre, so why allow somebody who yells “jihad,” on a crowded college campus? If riots break out, it will Bollinger with blood on his hands.

I pray that the liberal Jewish community condemns this, even though it would mean siding with conservatives. At least I pray that the Columbia Hillel House does not invite Armageddonijad for an interfaith dialogue dinner.

It is one thing to have conflicting an opposing views. It is another to actively try and destroy people, either verbally, such as Moveon.org, or with bombs, such as Armageddonijad. These people should not be talked with. They should be humiliated and crushed.

Some on the left say that George W. Bush is evil, and that they are the forces of good. George W. Bush is not a racist, an antisemite, or a homophobe. He is simply a conservative, which to liberals, means the same thing. Some say General David Petraeus, who is trying to save American lives by bringing stability to Iraq, is a liar. This is as disgusting as it is beneath the dignity of normal people, aka people not members of Moveon.org or faculty at poison ivy league universities.

When one is principled, they put honor among everything else. When they can no longer effectively lead, they resign. Members of Columbia have disgraced the public trust. They should resign. Parents should refuse to send their children to Columbia. Members of Moveon.org should refuse to associate with a group. In the same way a precious few former klansmen resigned and renounced their ways, Moveon.org members should do the same. Pinch Sulzberger should resign for similar reasons.

Congressman Duncan Hunter is sponsoring legislation to strip public funding from Columbia. I hope this succeeds. It is not censorship. It is common sense.

Make no mistake about it. Liberals think conservatives are delighted by these missteps because it gives us ammunition to win elections. This is nonsense. We are disgusted by it because it is wrong, and doing what is right in the long run matters more than a short term electoral victory. It is about the next 100 years, not the next four years. Hillary Clinton and her fellow competitors running for the demagoguic party nomination d0 not understand that they cannot be expected to stand up to Al Queda if they will not even stand up to Moveon.org voters (thank you Dick Cheney). How can they be expected to stand up to Armageddonijad if they will not even comdemn allowing him to educate our youth?

Sure, some would say that Armageddonijad will not poison the young minds any more than they have elaready been poisoned by their college professors, but there is one difference. Many poison ivy league professors may be intellectually, ethically, and ideologically bankrupt, but there is a difference between supporting anti-American genocidal lunatics and actually being one.

These universities may support terrorists, which indirectly gives them bloody hands, but having love for stone cold killers is not as bad as inviting them over for dessert and a midnight romantic watching of “Sleepless in Seattle.”

I never thought Timothy Leary would ever be right about anything, but it might be time for these poison ivy league children to “tune out, and drop out.” After all, it is not like they are getting an education worth anything. They are paying a lot of money and getting garbage in return. There is a word for that which causes pain, produces nothing of value, and costs much money. It is called liberalism.

eric 

   

NFL 2007–Week 3 Recap

Sunday, September 23rd, 2007

History was made today in the NFL. The Oakland Raiders stopped the bleeding. Oh, and Brett Favre did something-or-other important, although it may have been overshadowed by the game in Oakland.

Ok, back to the real world. Here is the week 3 recap. Several 2-0 teams that were not nearly that good were brought down to Earth this week.
Arizona Cardinals @ Baltimore Ravens–Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner both played significantly, which means the Cardinals still think it is preseason. The Ravens win ugly games with defense and special teams. The surprise was that Leinart ended up being benched for Warner. Although Kurt Warner threw two touchdown passes, the Ravens had a punt return for a touchdown, in addition to 4 field goals for reliable kicker Matt Stover. Stover has ice water in his veins, and he iced the Cardinals at the buzzer today to ruin a furious comeback that had tied the game. Will somebody realize that Kurt Warner is still a superstar? The Cardinals were down 23-6 in the fourth quarter before putting on a clinic to tie the game. Kyle Boller, taking over for an injured Steve McNair, did just enough at the end. 26-23 Ravens

Minnesota Vikings @ Kansas City Chiefs–Gunther Cunningham remains one of the best defensive coordinators in the league, which is about the only positive thing to be said about this ugly game. The Vikings wanted it slightly less, as they squandered away a 4th quarter lead and lost another close game. 13-10 Chiefs

Detroit Lions @ Philadelphia Eagles–The Lions 2-0 record was exposed early and often today. John Kitna threw for 446 yards, but this was in catch up mode, which was the entire game. Donovan McNabb again silenced his critics, although I am sure they will find fault in a 21 for 26 performance for 381 yards and four touchdowns. The Eagles wore their throw up uniforms, and Keith Olbermann remarked that they looked like a cross between the 1972 Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Great Gazoo. I had forgotten that Olbermann is funny when he sticks to sports. Only in politics does he come across as a jack@ss. The Eagles put 42 points on the board by halftime, and cruised to a win. The Eagles are far from done, and the Lions are back down to Earth. 56-21 Eagles

San Francisco 49ers @ Pittsburgh Steelers–The 49ers are another 2-0 team that may have started believing their own hype. The Steelers were 2-0, but they actually deserved to be. Big Ben Roethlisberger managed the game. A kick return for a touchdown by Allen Rossum sparked the Steelers. The 49ers had only 3 Joe Nedney field goals for most of the game. Down 23-9, Alex Smith threw a touchdown pass, but unfortunately it went for Pittsburgh. The interception return put the Steelers up 30-9, and they coasted from there. This team is for real. 37-16 Steelers

St. Louis Rams @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers–The Rams offense is overrated, and the Buccaneers defense is underrated. The Rams offensive line is decimated by injury, and Jeff Wilkins missed two field goals, but the score was more lopsided than these factors. Jon Gruden likes to pound the rock, and pound away the Bucs did. The defense played “Buc Ball,” and today it worked. 24-3 Buccaneers

San Diego Chargers at Green Bay Packers–First of all, the iron man that is Brett Favre tied the all time touchdown record, tossing three more today for a total of 420. As for the Chargers, they are officially Norvelous. I stated that it would take Norv Turner two years to destroy the Chargers. It has taken three games. Forget the excuses. The Chargers are done. They will make the playoffs, but forget being an elite team. The Packers did make one mistake that could have cost them the game. Down 21-17 with several minutes left in the fourth quarter, they had the ball on the Charger one foot line. They chose to pass, and I suspect Coach McCarthy put Brett’s passing stats above the win. Had Green Bay lost, many questions would have been asked. Nevertheless, Favre came back and threw his last touchdown pass with two minutes left. After San Diego turned the ball over deep in their own territory, McCarthy wisely decided to keep it on the ground to lock up the win. Brett Favre is still the gunslinger, and his last touchdown pass was one of his best. The Packers are 3-0, and perhaps Brett will break the record in Minnesota. The Vikes are not playing well, but the Metrodome is his house of horrors. 31-21 Packers

Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans–The Texans have played well to get to 2-0, but the Colts reminded them what a real great team is. The opening kickoff was returned for a touchdown by Jerome Mathis, putting the Texans up 7-0 seconds into the game. Given that Devon Hester did this to the Colts in the Superbowl, it was no surprise that Dungy, Manning and the rest of the Colts stayed very calm. Manning was an efficient 20 of 29, and Matt Schaub was 27 of 33, although two interceptions hurt the Texans. One came after a 74 yard punt return. The Colts have to shore up their special teams, but a 27-10 lead was enough to hold off a late rally by the Texans. The Texans are improving, but the Colts are the World Champs until they are knocked off. 30-24 Colts

Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets–The Dolphins outgained the Jets 424-256, and Trent Green outpassed CHad Pennington 318-124. Yet the Dolphins made mistakes and the Jets did not. The Jets made big plays, and the Dolphins did not. The Jets were 61% on 3rd down conversions, and a 98 yard kickoff return by Leon Washington propelled the Jets to a 31-13 lead. The Dolphins made a game of it, but fell short. 31-28 Jets

Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots–This was a case of David against Goliath, and in real life, Goliath beats up David and takes his lunch money. The Bills did lead 7-3 early, but then reality set in. Tom Brady threw four touchdowns, and the Patriots outgained the Bills 485-193. It was that bad. 38-7 Patriots

Cincinnati Bengals @ Seattle Seahawks–This was an exciting see-saw game of big plays. The Bengals outgained Seattle 412-340, but were plagued by 10 penalties to only three for the Seahawks. The game was marred by six turnovers, four by Cincy. The Seahawks led 14-10 at the half, but in the third quarter, Matt Hasselbeck inexplicably dropped back into his own end zone to pass, and ended up being sacked for a safety. The ensuing field goal put the Bengals up 15-14. With Seattle up 17-15, the Bengals scored a touchdown with under three minutes remaining to go up 21-17. Seattle then marched immediately down the field. Hasselbeck redeemed himself, and Seattle scored the go ahead touchdown with just over one minute to play. A fumble on the ensuing kickoff doomed the Bengals. 24-21 Seahawks

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos–Although the Broncos were one of the weaker 2-0 teams in the league, they were not pretenders such as other previously mentioned luckmeisters. The Jaguars simply came in and hit Denver in the mouth. Jacksonville is an up and down team, and today they played Jack Del Rio football–smash mouth. Jacksonville had the ball for almost 39 minutes, including a drive that lasted nearly 15 minutes from early in the first quarter through early in the second quarter. On fourth and goal from the one, they rammed it into the end zone. The Jags had 191 yards rushing, but that one yard was critical. Time of possession does not matter if it only leads to field goals. The Jaguars led 20-7, and then Denver cut the gap to 20-14. The Jaguars had every chance to ice the game, but on the Denver one yard line, they fumbled the ball away. Yet Denver made two mistakes in the second half. First of all, they used all three of their timeouts, inexplicably having none when it counted. Yet on fourth down and five from their own nine yard line, and 4 minutes to go, they decided to go for it. Mike Shanahan usually does not hit the panic button, and even with no time outs left, four minutes is enough time. The failed conversion attempt gave the Jaguars a gift field goal to lock up the victory. The pass thrown on that play was thought to have been caught at first, and Shanahan was briefly a genius. However, when it was ruled incomplete, Denver had no time outs to challenge the call. This game was important, but it the Jags had a big win last year versus Pittsburgh and failed to build on the momentum. Time will tell. 23-14 Jaguars

New York Giants @ Washington Redskins–The Washington Redskins were another bunch of 2-0 pretenders. The Giants were really worthy of being 0-2 however. The Redskins led 17-3 at the half, but the second half was dominated by the Giant defense. Until the last drive, the Redskins had 14 yards of offense in the second half. The Giants offense had three turnovers, but they also converted 9 of 16 3rd downs. The Redskins only turnover in their own territory allowed the Giants to break a 17-17 tie in the fourth quarter. The Redskins drove all the way down to the Giant one yard line, where a goal line stand made the difference. The Giants have a defense, and a lot of heart. 24-17 Giants

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons–Joey Harrington went 31 for 44 for 361 yards. However, Atlanta killed themselves with two turnovers and ten penalties for 135 yards. On one defensive series, the Falcon defense racked up 67 penalty yards. With Steve Smith injured, the Panthers relied on Deshaun Foster, who did not disappoint. Nursing a seven point lead, the final 5 minutes of the game were Carolina running out the clock. Foster also had one touchdown. Delhomme and Carr played in this game. 27-20 Panthers

Cleveland Browns @ Oakland Raiders–The Oakland Raiders won. My Yom Kippur prayers were answered. Fore more extensive coverage of this game, go to http://www.justblogbaby.com

The Browns have looked like the one team the Raiders could beat the last several years. Two years ago, in Oakland, one of the worst games ever played was a 9-7 Browns win. The defense gave up only three field goals, although the last one was the winning kick at the buzzer. That game did help get rid of Norv Turner, who is now ruining an AFC West rival. Last year in Oakland, the Raiders led 21-3 at the half before the offense and defense went into a prevent induced shell. Phil Dawson made his field goal, and the Browns won 24-21. I have said Romeo Crennel is a good man, and he seems to be turning the team around, but if these teams played in Oakland more often Crennel would be coach of the year. In addition, the last time these teams met in Cleveland, the Browns won an ugly 13-7 game, with Phil Dawson being the difference.

This game was virtually identical. A win is a win, and the Raiders might go 1-15. The defense plays well most of the game, and collapses late. The offense is a disaster.

The Raiders built a 16-0 second quarter lead, but this is much less impressive than it appeared. Twice the Raiders had first down and goal to go, and ended up with field goals. One drive they could not score from one yard out. Another drive the defense intercepted pass and allowed the Raiders to start with first and goal. These wasted opportunities cannot be overlooked. Sebastian Janikowski redeemed himself in a big way today, but the offense is dysfunctional. Josh McCown is simply a backup anywhere else in the league.

16-0 disappeared in a heartbeat when the Browns returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Instead of 20-0, it was 16-7. A turnover by the Raiders led to a field goal, and a 16-10 game. The Browns offense was so bad early on that in their first offensive series, after converting a 3rd down and 19, they were faced with 3rd down and 40. They punted on 4th down and 28.

The Browns took a 17-16 lead in the third quarter, when the Raiders were blessed with a ray of hope. Josh McCown was injured, and Dante Culpepper was allowed to play the rest of the game. I never wish injury on anyone, especially not a Raider, but Culpepper is much much much much much much much (get the point?) much much better than McCown. Culpepper simply makes plays that McCown cannot make. Giving Culpepper more time with the starting offense will only help him.

A Dante Culpepper drive put the Raiders up 23-17. Lamont Jordan was running hard the whole game, and the offensive line held up relatively well, making few mistakes. A field goal after a nine minute drive put the Raiders up 26-17. A 27 yard screen pass and run by Lamont Jordan on a 3rd down and 23 appeared to break the back of the Browns. Seabass hit the fourth field goal off of the dirt. Yes, he has had tough games, but he came through today. However, the Raiders simply do not close games out.

In past weeks, and years for that matter, I have said that the defense was exhausted due to the ineptness of the offense. Not today. The Raiders held the ball for 36 minutes. All the defense had to do was wrap up the game, which they failed to do. In the blink of an eye, the Browns moved easily down the field, closing the gap to two points. The Raider defense simply melted.

On the next drive, the Raiders had 4th down and one at midfield. The Raiders punted the ball, which was the right decision. A magnificent kick By Shane Lechler seemed to lock up the game. The Browns were on their own 9 yard line with one minute to go and no time outs. Yet the Raiders defense absolutely collapsed. It was a nightmare, as the Browns gained 40 yards on 3rd and 10. With10 seconds left, the Browns were in position for a 52 yard field goal. They instead passed the ball, setting up a 40 yard attempt with 3 seconds left. Another loss was in the works.

Phil Dawson made the kick, but the Raiders called time out just before the kick was made. This was the exact reverse of the Denver loss a week ago.

Yes, the Raiders deserved to lose this game. Yes, the team is playing awful football. Yes, the offense is dreadful, and the defense had a spectacular collapse. However, the difference between winning and losing is so small. The losses eat at me as a fan, so I cannot imagine how the players and coaches feel. This team needed a win.

Dawson’s kick was blocked by Tommy Kelly. There would be no heartbreak this week.

I remember when it seemed like the Raiders always won these close games. The last few years they have lost almost all of these games. Wins like these are what keep teams from quitting. Players are human. They get tired of losing. They need to see results.

Make no mistake about it. This was a bad team barely surviving at home against a worse team in a game both sides deserved to lose. However, the Raiders were robbed on the road against Denver. Now they have something to build upon.

Ugly as can be, but beyond beautiful. Thank you Tommy Kelly, and congratulations to Lane Kiffin. The first one is always the toughest. Now please start Dante Culpepper next week. The revenge factor might motivate him against Miami.

Brady Quinn and JaMarcus Russell held their clipboards well, and in a couple years this game may mean a lot. For a team and its fans hungry and desperate for signs of life, they existed today. We are not the 1972 Dolphins, but we are not the 1976 B8uccaneers either.

The team made many mistakes, but found something they have lacked for several years…a heart. 26-24 Raiders

Dallas Cowboys @ Chicago Bears was the Sunday night game. The first half was a defensive slugfest. Tied 3-3 in the second quarter, the Cowboys go ahead field goal attempt was blocked. With seconds remaining in the half, Rex Grossman blundered. I am not a Grossman basher as many are, but he was lucky to escape at halftime with the game tied. On 3rd down and 11 and the clock ticking, he spiked the ball, creating fourth down at midfield with six seconds remaining. The idea of a punt return was dangerous, so the Bears tried a hail mary. Even though it was fourth down, the clock would run out. Instead, Grossman was sacked, and although the clock clearly showed one or two seconds left, the officials declared the half over. It was an awful call, but it stood.

The offenses opened it up in the second half. Terrell Owens earned his money on several catch and runs as the Cowboys went up 10-3. Julius Jones and Marion Barber were running solid. Devon Hester was having a rough game. He fumbled a kick in the first half, recovering it himself. In the second half, he fumbled another one, skirting dangerously close to his own goal line and a safety before getting it out to the 10 yard line. Rex Grossman then earned his stripes in a big way.

Facing 3rd down and 10 from his own 10, Grossman scrambled for 14 yards on a first down. This led to a 90 yard drive that deadlocked the game at 10.

Dallas scored another touchdown on its next possession, and then recovered a fumble in Bear territory with a 17-10 lead, which was where things stood after three quarters. The fumble set up a field goal, and then the Bears fell apart. Devon Hester fumbled for the third time in the game, and although he recovered all his own fumbles, the poor field position did make a difference. An awful throw into traffic by Rex Grossman was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. The Chicago crowd then began chanting for Brian Griese. A defensive bonelock turned into a fourth quarter blowout. It is early in the season, but the Cowboys look very impressive, perhaps the best team in the NFC. 34-10 Cowboys

Tennessee Titans @ New Orleans Saints was the Monday night game. The Titans are underrated, and have the best coach in the league in Jeff Fisher. The Saints are overrated. Yes, they made it to the NFC Title game last year, but they were only 10-6, and that was in a pathetic NFC. The feel good emotion of Katrina has worn off, and the bottom line is that despite the legendary 2006 heroics of Gleason and Deloach, which will inspire me for years, the 2007 Saints are a team in trouble. Deuce Mcallister tore his ACL in the game and is now out for the season. Reggie Bush is not a 30 carry a game workhorse. Drew Brees has less at wide receiver than last year. Vince Young moved around with relative ease, and the Titan defense intercepted Brees several times, including once for a touchdown. Sean Payton and Jeff Fisher learned from Bill Parcells and Buddy Ryan, and today the 46 defense won the day. Buddy Ball lives in Nashville. 31-14 Titans

eric

Yom Kippur Epilogue–Avenu Malkaynu

Saturday, September 22nd, 2007

Another Yom Kippur is in the books. I did fast for 24 hours, not even drinking water.

Because I have been battling a cold, I had to play fast and loose with the rules this year, even though I have fasted every year since I turned 13. Instead of fasting from sundown to sundown, which is about 7:30pm to 7:30pm, I started and finished earlier. I fasted from 4pm to 4pm. While this is still 24 hours, it is easier, especially if one is knocked out from cold medicine and sleeping until 2:30pm. By the time I woke up and showered, it was almost time to eat.

Given that I am typing in a Dimetapp induced haze, I will be mailing it in today, but hopefully still providing something of value. The following link contains a Jewish prayer known as “Avenu Malkaynu,” which translates into, “Our Father, Our King.”

Although some of the passages are distinctly Jewish, much of it applies to all people.  Avenu Malkaynu is said every Yom Kippur. It is a prayer for forgiveness.

http://www.shema.com/pdf/PrayersAvinuMalkaynu-1.pdf

What I will leave everybody with is that it is easy to say words. It is much more difficult to match those words with deeds. As I have said more than once, I am not a patient person. Tonight, before I go to sleep, I will face my first test of the Jewish New Year.

I have several televisions in my living room, with each one showing a different NFL game on Sundays. I have the DirecTV NFL package. Two of the televisions have High Definition, but not Tivo. However, the big screen has Tivo, but not High Definition. Since I Tivo stuff, I prefer watching it on the big screen. However, now that football season ha started, it would make sense to have the High Def tv showing football.

So why not just switch the wires? Because I am technologically incompetent. I am a reasonably bright guy with an advanced degree. I will screw this task up. All of my tvs will be messed up, and I will be cursing and spitting blood. Or will I?

My vow tonight is to be patient, look at the wires, reason it out, and successfully switch everything in time for NFL Sunday. I will not take the lord’s name in vain, and I will be patient. I have 3 hours before I go to sleep. I am an adult, and I will handle this in an adult matter.

I will say a four word prayer that I normally say when I wake up in the morning.

We…can…do…this.

Avenu Malkaynu, give me the strength to not only accomplish this task, but to do so with dignity, in a manner of a man worthy enough to be in your presence. Amen.

eric

Yom Kippur 2007

Friday, September 21st, 2007

On Friday night, September 21st, 2007, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar arrives. It is Yom Kippur.

During the day on Friday, I will perform the ritual of Tashlich. I will find a body of water, and toss bread into the water, which will be snatched up by cute lil duckies and fishies. As I toss the bread, I apologize for various sins. It is about casting my sins away, and then I start over sin free. I will need several loaves of bread.

Then starting at sundown I will be fasting for 24 hours. Let’s just say I will be sleeping in on Saturday the 22nd.  Then as soon as the sun goes down on Saturday night, I will gorge, and spend Sunday recovering. I might write a column on Saturday night if I am not too drained. Either way, one day of fasting a year is not a lot to ask. Ramadan is 30 days.

Yom Kippur is the day of atonement. I have made many mistakes, sinned many times, and have a list of transgressions I am not proud of. There is a time to be cavalier, such as my fake apology list.

https://tygrrrrexpress.com/2007/06/i-apologize-forwhat-am-i-supposed-to-be-sorry-for-again/

However, I mean it sincerely when I say that I do not wish God to shove a flamethrower up my rumpus. I really want to do better.

To quote John Cougar Mellencamp, in the song, “Check it out,” from the Lonesome Jubilee album, “Time to settle with my neighbor. Time to question my own behavior.”

I was going to post a list of all the things I did wrong, and how I plan to make amends, but I have decided to keep that between myself and God. It is not that I fear admitting my flaws. I am quite open about where I am deficient as a human being. It is just that even a loudmouth politico likes me needs some sincere private time with God.

I have said many things about people, and done things I wish I had not done. So for Yom Kippur, I am going to make several requests of my fellow Jews, and anybody else that wishes to atone for something.

To liberal Jews who preach tolerance and acceptance…I wish you would apologize for all the remarks you made about George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. Disagree with them all you want, but hatred is poison, and no matter how much you may hate the Iraq War, speaking ill of these men is simply wrong. I disagree with the Clintons, but refuse to bash them personally.  I did at one point. I apologized for this, and have made my peace. If one person who has maintained hatred for the Dub and the Veep gives up this hatred, the world is a better place.

To an ex-girlfriend of mine from 12 years ago…your husband is one of my closest friends, and your continued hostility towards me, which he acknowledges is undeserved, hurts him. You will be asking God for forgiveness, but you have never accepted my overtures of peace. I offered peace 12 years ago, and wonder why the USA and Russia can shake hands but you and I cannot get along. Your husband is so hurt by our not getting along, and he knows that it is one directional hostility. I again offer you a hand of peace.

To a woman I am currently getting to know very slowly, I just want you to know that you are a special human being. I hope in advance that I do not disappoint you. I genuinely respect you, and am glad we met. I will do my best to not make mistakes, but just know my heart is in the right place, even when my brain is not.

To the readers of my blog, I try to maintain a position as a moderator. I hope I contribute positively to the blogosphere, and for those who want more, I am willing to listen. This does not mean agree, but I will listen.

As for certain relatives, just please respect my wishes.

As for various Rabbis, while you have welcomed me into your homes and your hearts, some of you have political views that just do not mesh with me. I want you to accept me regardless of my views, but not despite them, because my views make me who I am. I am not the “republican Jew.” I am a Jew who happens to be a republican.

I want to go to temple without hearing about Darfur, animal rights, global warming, and other aspects of Social Justice. I am tired of being told that being politically liberal is required for being a good human being and a good Jew. I would not mind if just one Rabbi talked about the value of human life, and how our soldiers are struggling for freedom so that all religions may worship in peace.

I wish the Jewish members of Moveon, Kos, and the Huffington Post would apologize to General Petraeus. It is one thing to disagree with a man. It is another to denigrate that man. We have to respect those that disagree with us, or we lose our souls.

I pray for the good health of my parents and grandparents, and I wish that those who are in a position to visit them would simply do so. At the very least, pick up a telephone as much as possible. It is too late when people are gone to wish we had told them we loved them.

Again, it may seem strange to use a holiday about self improvement to demand more of others, but I drive myself harder than any of you can imagine. Every year I debate whether my vow should be to be more patient or less patient.

I am not a patient person, but I do not want to lower my standards either.

What I want is to be perfect, and that will never happen. However, that is no excuse to throw in the towel on trying to improve at all.

To quote the 1960s group The Animals (redone in 2003 by Santa Esmeralda), “I’m just a soul whose intentions are good…oh lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.”

For the Jewish people of the world, a peaceful Yom Kippur to you all. For non-Jews everywhere that have goodness in your hearts, and zero malice towards another, I wish you happiness always.

eric