Extreme Alert for all Facebook Users

Stefan, A friend of LSWTF (or as Colbert would say, friend of the show) is one of the foremost experts in various things computer related in this area of the world. If memory serves he has testified before Congress many times, and even as we speak is trying to kill us all be designing Skynet. This week though he came across some disturbing information about Facebook and the new Beacon system.

Facebook is collecting information about user actions on affiliate sites regardless of whether or not the user chose to opt out, and regardless of whether or not the user is logged into Facebook at that time.

You can go into detail into the article, but I will try to surmise what he is saying in plain speak in case you don't speak techno wunderkid.

Beacon and Facebook are using a script to basically track where you are going on the internet, even if you are not logged in to Facebook. I was going to try to sum it up, but I would probably screw up the events that happened.

...a GET request was issued to http://www.facebook.com/beacon/auth_iframe.php, with variables which included my current location on Epicurious, and the URL I had loaded to get there, including the variable indicating my action, namely "Save to Box". A Facebook cookie was also returned, which includes a variable named h_user (presumably a user ID), and my login email address in plaintext. (The email address is partially visible as the value of login_x on the right side of the screenshot, as I didn't feel like posting my alumni address to the world).

Despite the fact that I was not logged in, Facebook just received enough information to tie the activity I took on their affiliate to my individual account, which combined with the social data they already have, such as circles of friends, level of education, , communication patterns, and geographic locations, would allow them to profile individual consumer behavior on a nearly unprecedented level of detail.

So if you're one of those people who are very concerned about your internet privacy, about third parties knowing where you go to, or anything in that nature I suggest you read the article and decide what actions to take. Facebook seems to be denying and jumping around the questions Stefan has posed to them. There are instructions in the article about what steps you can take if you are computer savy, and there is apparently something in Firefox that you can block this, but I need to check with Stefan on what browser he was using;or I suppose you can just cancel your Facebook account and never go back.

******UPDATE********
In response to the which browser question...
Stefan: "I've tried it with firefox, IE and konqueror on windows and linux"

Another Sudan Rant

Although the Sudanese decision to jail a British schoolteacher might not be the most, I dunno, sexy thing to write about, I'm going to give my take on it.

Something like a thousand Sudanese Muslims protested, of all things, the Sudanese tribunal's not to kill this schoolteacher. Imagine that, a thousand strong mad that a woman wasn't KILLED for mistakenly naming a freakin' teddy bear Mohammed at the urging of her students. And she's the one who's being accused of polluting the childrens' minds. Huh? Shouldn't the mob be after the kids for naming the damned bear Mohammed? Wait, I probably shouldn't write that, that might be next on the mob's agenda.

I like to consider myself both liberal and religious, which, for some on both the left and the right, might seem like socio-political anathema, but I digress. My religious values inform my thoughts on policy decisions, but I think that it's limited to the extent that it comports with, say, my economic thoughts and my understand of the American legal system at large. The reason, if you have to know it, is that I believe God gave me a freakin' brain for a (or, to) reason. Ignoring what makes sense, for me, is akin to ignoring something that Jesus guy said, you know?

The reason that I went into that discussion is this: I feel very frustrated by the Sudanese situation. Muslims and Muslim countries gave us great things like algebra, our numbering system, and great advances in mathematics. Like everyone else, Arab and Muslims generally are very bright, thinking people, contrary to what the popular conservative media would tell you. So, this insanity blows my mind. I've been told by some servicemen and women who've come back from abroad that Muslim extremism is more about cultural hegemony that religious ferver: there are powerful Muslim clerics out there who demand that you believe as they do. Poor people, some of whom, if given the choice would not be Muslim, are forced to comply and aid, even to the point of violence.

I wonder if that's the case here. If it is, I sincerely hope that there is a counter-extremism revolution, one that can comprehend both faith and reason.

With all that said, I worry about the United States falling into a comparable Christian-extremism. That, my friends, will be discussed sometime later.

Discussion in the comments thread, as usual.

If you want Adam and Eve I want Cthulhu Mythos

Apparently just speaking against intelligent design in Texas will get you fired:

The state’s director of science curriculum has resigned after being accused of creating the appearance of bias against teaching intelligent design.

Comer was put on 30 days paid administrative leave shortly after she forwarded an e-mail in late October announcing a presentation being given by Barbara Forrest, author of “Inside Creationism’s Trojan Horse,” a book that says creationist politics are behind the movement to get intelligent design theory taught in public schools. Forrest was also a key witness in the Kitzmiller v. Dover case concerning the introduction of intelligent design in a Pennsylvania school district. Comer sent the e-mail to several individuals and a few online communities, saying, “FYI.”

So this lady was fired for announcing a presentation to her co-workers, one who apparently felt was not appropriate and got her fired. I think my favorite part of that post was the overlapping circles image from Saint Gasoline.

Folks do we really need to get into, again, why intelligent design has no business being taught in a SCIENCE class? There is ZERO evidence to support intelligent design, zero. Hell, intelligent design goes against the bible's own time table of the world only being about 10,000 years old. I'm sorry, freedom of religion does mean that you have the freedom to believe what you want. Some say it isn't a freedom from religion, but come on. The teaching of a religious theory in a science class in a public school to me constitutes an endorsement of religion by the government.

Without this entire Intelligent Design theory we wouldn't have the Flying Spaghetti Monster, I get that. But if you want to teach Intelligent Design, then include EVERY religious creation story out there. I want to hear how the Earth is actually the body of the giant Ymir, or how Zeus overcame his father and grew life on Earth, or how the Great Father of All spirits woke the Sun spirit and told her to wake the spirits on Earth.

Folks if you want Intelligent Design taught in a science class the ONLY way to allow it is to include each and every creation mythos known to man. Oh wait, that would take an entire school year, I guess it's time for a new elective.

Teddy Bear Nonsence

My God, i know this is rather mainstream of an issue but being an American citizen with fundamental rights, I must say this whole Teddy Bear Mohammed thing is getting way out of control. First of all, you fundamentalist Islamic extremist: ITS A FUCKING TOY!!!! Second of all, you expect the world to not think your blood hungry jihadists and then you pull this crap. Apparently protesters in Sudan are calling for the execution of the British teacher Gillian Gibbons. Yeh, because her classroom ELECTED to name a teddy bear Mohammed. Again, the class ELECTED to do this. If their parents were so opposed of this, then why did they not preach to their children that naming something other than a human Mohammed is wrong?? Or better yet, why did you send your children to be taught by a Westerner?? I could go on about this.

Im just tired of these people, yes "These People"; who wield their Koran along side their swords and guns, using Mohammed as a tool for terrorism and death. Obviously this teacher did not know hence you educate them. Why are you so quick to murder? and yes, its murder!! I hope that the UK does everything in their power to free this woman. She does not deserve to rot in prison for 15 days to satisfy 2000 year old bullshit laws. She was on a voluntary mission to educate children since the country seems to not want to do it themselves. You expect other nations to show sympathy for your plight, but what happens when you pull this bullshit on people who come to help? They stop helping. Think about it.

Just my random Friday morning rant.......Im sure someone will call for a Jihad on me, but luckily for me, I live in a country that grants me civil rights and freedom of speech!

Bored Again

Once again I can't sleep and have become extremely bored. This is due to the fact someone though it would be a genius idea to pull the building fire alarm at five in the morning.

Was searching through YouTube and I have decided to support Mike Huckabee for president based on this video. Mike Huckabee reassured me that this country is far from danger by just mentioning two words... Chuck Norris.

Anyways hope you all find the humor in this... Enjoy

La Russa's Arrest Videos

The Smoking Gun has gotten a copy of Tony La Russa's DUI arrest video from back in March. Now, drinking and driving is never a good thing, but this stuff is actually pretty funny. Apparently, the letter I now comes twice in the alphabet, and so does X. Awesome.

Remember kids, drinking and driving is bad, even though I may benefit from it financially.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Cause the Bible Told You So

Last night was the CNN/YouTube Republican debate. I did not watch it but I'm catching up online today. There was a great question by a retired general asked to the candidates about gays serving in the military. The man served 42 years, was Special Forces, and is openly gay (once he retired naturally). The responses to his questions have to make you sick.

Duncan Hunter, a real steaming pile of shit, had the audacity to say almost all military men and women are conservative and come from a judeo-Christian background and it goes against their beliefs. Well Duncan, so do Wiccans, Buddhists, Muslims, and every other different religion, should they not serve as well since they don't fit into your beliefs?

They tried playing the cohesion and moral card, which is ridiculous. I have the fortune on being able to speak first hand about this by not only serving but having one of my roommates while I was in the Army more or less openly gay. He joked to us that once my other roommate and myself left he was going to turn the room into a Rainbowpalooza (word has it he did just that and was discharged promptly).The basic fact is we have a shortage of translators in Iraq because the majority of Arabic translators we had were gay and were discharged.

Though Romney bumbled and stumbled his way into a non-answer, I am just shaking my head at folks listening to what the Army "leaders" say. They say it's working, yes it is, it's working at taking translators away from our military. I'm gonna tell you all right now, the number of gay soldiers is much higher then you can actually imagine.

This is what frightens me about this crop of Republicans and why I could never support Mike Huckabee. The homophobia is rampant hidden behind their urge to change America from a Democracy to a Theocracy. Folks do not be afraid to go out and vote in 2008. I don't care if we have to vote for Hilary, who I don't really like, if it means we can keep these bible thumping asshats out of office.

Rudy....Rudy....Rudy....Rudy!!

I didnt watch the CNN/Youtube debate last night, im hooked on a little show called Kitchen Nightmares. But maybe I should have. I did manage to watch a few clips of Mitt Romney flat out humiliate himself, but One bold Youtuber asked the best question of the night. Mayor Giulianni, why did you root for the Redsox? The supporting answer is absolutely priceless!!! Although I still dont agree with him on this, he did make some very valid points....

Tough Break Man........

Imagine yourself buying a scratch off lotto ticket and hitting the jackpot. I know I do every second of everyday. Now imagine you being a convicted felon doing the exact same thing. Turns out the results are alittle more harsh if you are a criminal. Tomothy Elliott, a convicted con man from the great state of Massachusetts, won the 1 million dollar scratch-off prize.........And may goto jail and lose them winnings. Why you ask??

Well, Mr. Elliott was found guilty of armed robbery in 2006 and placed on 5 years probation. No Jail time. However, the terms stated in his probation was that he was barred from gambling of any sorts.......Including a scratch off lotto ticket. The terms state that he "may not gamble, purchase lottery tickets or visit an establishment where gaming is conducted, including restaurants where Keno may be played".

To be honest, I think it sucks for Mr. Elliott. I know he is a felon and made a deal with the Mormon stacked lawmakers of Massachusetts, but its a scratch off ticket. The man hits it big and will definitely lose it and whats worse is that there is a high probability that he will goto jail. Sometimes the easy way out is not the best way. Perhaps if he served his sentence things would have been a tad more different. My question is how will the money be distributed?? Cant put it back in the lottery can you??

MoDews is Bored

At 2:30 in the morning a quarrel between two lovers broke out on the small Castleton State College campus. The couple stormed out of the dorm building from which I was observing from the 3rd floor window. Before they even stepped out into the cold night, the heart stricken couple had been arguing. It was tough to make out what they were saying until I opened the window and the more they argued the more the plot thickened.

According to the lead male he had caught the supposed "love-of-his-life" in the bedroom of another man and the door had been locked. The girl, whose name became known as Krystal upon further continuation of the argument (didn't catch the guys name), being accused of cheating (which was most likely what she did) did something that completely took me and most likely her boyfriend off guard. She got angry and began yelling at him. Some of us know how crazy women can be sometimes and how they can always manage to surprise us, even though the guy most likely has every reason to be mad she tried to make it out like he was the cause of the problem. As the fighting continued there were tears shed and voices became harsh towards each other. Thats where the story ends because they went back inside ruining the one thing that wasn't keeping me completely bored at 2:30 in the morning.

Hope everyone enjoyed this "I can't sleep so I'm writing a random blog" story of mine. Story does have a moral to it, some women are just completely insane, as some of us might know.

Slate, bringing light to something...

Every now and then when I have a chance, I take a gander over at Slate.com's articles to try and get something a little more structured then the typical chaos at Drudgereport.com, but I keep forgetting just how much I like one of their writers Dahlia Lithwick.

She is probably the only writer on that site that actually keeps up with issues concerning poor foreign policy decisions effects on us (ie, "Their side"), as well as my personal axe to grind, civil liberties.

I would highly recommend everyone take a chance to get familiar with her writings, but today's offering I found especially fascinating mostly because its about an issue that nobody is talking about, despite its very ominous name...

I bring to you the "Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007," (from Congresswoman Jane Harman of D-CA) which seeks to define "Homegrown Terrorism" as (pulling right from the article):

"the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or
individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United
States or any possession of the United States to intimidate or coerce the United
States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment
thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. "

Now, I'm no lawyer (we have DC&H for that), but the language I see there could pretty broadly be applied to any "perceived" group of people that the government labels as maybe possibly kinda sorta wanting to think about maybe harming the government...

Ms. Lithwick points out that this may be one of those horribly political named bills designed just to get some publicity (or your name out there) and it is quite possible that this is just another harmless Homeland Security "Drum-Beating" to bring up come election time, but I gotta say that this language scares the crap out of me.

Granted I hold people like Senator Feingold in the highest possible regard merely for his vote against the "Patriot Act" of 01 (final tally, 98-1), but doesn't this bother anyone else out there even a little?

Am I over reacting here?

Lifting SayHey's Spirit

I know it hasn't been an easy sports year for our very own SayHeyKid, but I have found something that will cheer him up. The 1986 LA Rams and 1986 LA Dodgers.

Amazing developments...

Don't look now ladies and gentlemen, but we've got ourselves a whole new race in the GOP primary!

Latest numbers from a Rasmussen report show none other then Governor Huckabee taking the lead in Iowa over well kept, reserved, mormon Governor Mitt Romney!

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of the Iowa caucus finds former
Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee with 28% of the vote, former Massachusetts
Governor Mitt Romney with 25% support, and everyone else far behind. National
frontrunner Rudy Giuliani gets just 12% of the vote in Iowa at this time while
former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson is the only other candidate in double
digits at 11%.

Really is a pretty shocking turn of events as Huckabee has truly come on strong recently as his visibility seems to go up by the week. He certainly has distinguished his views and his persona from the rest of the crowd at this point, but maybe this is a sign of the GOP electorate wanting someone that won't base all their responses off the latest polls?

Should be an interesting race to watch now...

Especially for our good friend that will hook us all up if he wins the Presidency :).

2008 NFL Mock Draft Rounds 1-3 Nov 28

I do not exaggerate when I say I did this week's mock draft three seperate times. I did one on Friday, did one on Monday with trades, then the Sean Taylor thing happened, redid the order once again and finished it up. As I promised next week's Mock will involve possible trades judging by team's history of moving in the draft. I am also looking forward to hearing your thoughts as this draft is definitely different then what we've seen so far.

1. Miami Dolphins-Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
This defense is starting to get up there in age. Zach Thomas and Joey Porter aren't exactly spring chickens if you know what I mean. That being said, you want Thomas to increase effectiveness, put a big monster in front of him who keeps blockers off of him.
2. Atlanta Falcons-Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville
I continue on with the theory that the quarterback weary Falcons, who may very well bring Chris Chandler back to throw for them before this season is done, will go with a kid who knows the offense already so he can step in right away and attempt to make an impact.
3. New York Jets-Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
Do the Jets need McFadden, probably not. They have Thomas Jones and to a lesser extent Leon Washington. This is a purely strategic move to prevent McFadden from becoming a Patriot, and to be honest can you really blame them?
4. Carolina Panthers-Jake Long, OT, Michigan
With this pick I thought long and hard about Long, Long and the Road Warrior. In the end their defense isn't completely in shambles, it's their offense that is. Putting a solid blocker did wonders for the Browns this year, the Panthers will be hoping for the same in return.
5. New England Patriots (via Niners)-James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio St
The Road Warrior becomes a Patriot and learns from Bruschi, Vrabel and Seau. Has is this allowed in the NFL? What ever happened to that whole parity thing they were striving for? I blame the Niners for allowing this happen, you just had to trade with the Patriots didn't you SHK?
6. Baltimore Ravens-Andre Woodson, QB, Kentucky
The higher the Ravens move up the more likely I think that they will secure their selection of Andre Woodson. This is a kid who will fit in great with the Baltimore community, and could come in and probably play better then their quarterbacks right now.
7. Oakland Raiders-Chris Long, DE, Virginia
They fall lower, and yet somehow they still manage to get Chris Long. It just seems to me that unless someone trades up that Chris Long will end up as an Oakland Raider, just like his father before him....my young jedi friend.
8. St Louis Rams-Sam Baker, OT, USC
If they Rams continue to fall lower in the draft they may wait to get a tackle until round 2, but for now Baker is still on the board and makes too much sense for a team whose offensive line couldn't stop Notre Dame's pass rush this year.
9. Chicago Bears-Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
The Bears luck out and Matt Ryan falls all the way to them at number 9. In previous mocks this has never happened, they lucked out on this day. Now, will he succeed in Chicago, history tells us no. The only first round picks lately who have succeeded have been defensive players.
10. Kansas City Chiefs-DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal
The Chiefs have missed Dante Hall and his return abilities ever since he went to St Louis, which I'm sure didn't help the city rivalry what so ever. Not sure if he can be an NFL wide receiver, but I do think he'd be another phenomenal return man.
11. Cincinnati Bengals-Keith Rivers, OLB, USC
I struggled to make a decision between Keith Rivers, Sedrick Ellis and Kenny Phillips. In the end I went with the linebacker since they've missed them ever since Takeo Spikes departed for Buffalo. They don't need a defensive end, but a man who can be all over the field is always welcome.
12. Washington Redskins-Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
This time the decision was between Ellis, Phillips, and Calais Campbell. With Sean Taylor most would think Phillips right away, but they have a bigger gap in the middle of their defensive line that needs to be filled. Then again, it's the Redskins and drafts IQ is not exactly high.
13. Denver Broncos-Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio St
For me this is a no brainier. They have Champ Bailey, but Dre Bly hasn't contributed much like they expected him to. That being said, taking Jenkins give the Broncos that player they've been missing since Williams was shot. Odd to have the Redskins and Broncos back to back when you think about it, down right eerie.
14. Buffalo Bills-Dan Connor, OLB, Penn St
Connor and Poz together again, will the Football GOD do this? It would be an interesting move, putting two teammates back together who know each other so well. There is already a trust factor there which could lead to an even more impressive defense.
15. Houston Texans-Kenny Phillips, S, Miami
That missing piece of the Texans' defense is found, a powerful and impressive force in the middle of their secondary. This defense has already improved leaps and bounds, but with Phillips it may begin to become one of the most formidable in the NFL.
16. New Orleans Saints-Calais Campbell, DE, Miami
I don't know how the Saints would get this lucky, having Campbell who has been listed by me and others in the top five of the draft at some point. Now the Redskins may take, and the Jets, due to their love of Miami players. I think defensive tackle is more of a need right now for the Skins so Campbell falling to the Saints isn't out of the question.
17. Detroit Lions-Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio St
Gholston helped himself against Michigan and probably moved himself up into the first round of the draft. The Lions defense has almost everything in place, save for a pass rush. Gholston immediately increases their ability to sack the quarterback, being the only player to get a sack on Jake Long this year.
18. Tennessee Titans-James Hardy, WR, Indiana
James Hardy is a big skilled wide receiver, something Vince Young desperately needs. He has a running game, but as long as his wide receivers would be 3 and 4s on other teams, they Titans will be fighting in every single game. The dude is 6'7", Vince just has to throw it above the corners for Hardy to catch it.
19. New York Giants-Dre Moore, DT, Maryland
The Giants have more defensive ends then they know what to do with, but defensive tackle appears to be lacking. Dre Moore gives them a playmaking athletic tackle who can disrupt the offensive line and allow the linebackers to make plays.
20. Arizona Cardinals-Barry Richardson, OT, Clemson
I do believe that Wisenhunt and Grimm will be enthralled with Barry Richardson. He is a durable and dependable offensive lineman who gets the job done, mainly protect Matt Leinart or Kurt Warner, whoever ends up starting next year. Plus you can't run the ball without an offensive line unless your Barry Sanders.
21. Minnesota Vikings-Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College
The Vikings right now are two pieces away from having the best offensive line in football. In this draft alone I believe they will complete that offensive line and that starts with Cherilus. Imagine what Adrian Peterson could do with the best o-line in the NFL.
22. San Diego Chargers-Lawrence Jackson, DE, USC
Shawn Merriman cannot be the Chargers sole pass rush, as we've seen focusing on him and limiting what he can do in the backfield. That being said, Jackson is a local kid who would give them that other big pass rush threat that might allow Merriman's blitzes to be much more successful.
23. Philadelphia Eagles-Michael Hamlin, S, Clemson
There is a giant hole right now next to Brian Dawkins, which is killing the Eagles. Putting the second best safety in the draft next to Dawkins, a damn good ball hawking safety at that, makes this one of the best defenses in the league again. Specially as teams focus more and more on a passing attack, the Eagles need Hamlin to stop Romo.
24. Dallas Cowboys (via Browns)-Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
The Cowboys secondary has been struggling for years now. In the past few drafts they have tried focusing on pass rush, but adding someone like Talib in the secondary allows that pass rush to have the time to get to the quarterback and makes plays. He breaks on the ball very well, and may be the most underrated corner in this draft.
25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn
26. Pittsburgh Steelers-Roy Schuening, G, Oregon St
I've asked Steeler fans if they think they will still have Faneca on their team come next year and no one so far has believed they will. I think I'd put my money on Seattle as his location, but with him gone they need to plug that hole in their offensive line, asap. Schuening is arguably the best guard in the draft, oddly enough my top three guards all come from the Pac 10.
27. San Francisco 49ers (via Colts)-Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan
If this happens, SHK might climax the moment the call is made. A big athletic playmaker like Manningham gives the Niners that offensive weapon to take pressure off of Vernon Davis and Frank Gore. Now I don't know if he has the heart to succeed in the NFL, he may end up the next Mike Williams, but at least the Niners would have hope.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars-Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona
I believe the Jaguars are right there on the cusp of being talked about as one of the top teams in the NFL. Their running game is almost second to none, and Garrard is turning out to be the man. Now playing against the Colts twice a year they need a superb secondary, that's where Cason comes in.
29. Seattle Seahawks-Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
Shawn Alexander may have one more year of productivity left, maybe. Hell, he may already be past his usefulness and they may as well take him out back and be done with him. I think Mendenhall has the tools to be a great west coast offense running back, which he would be in Seattle.
30. Green Bay Packers-Jonathon Stewart, RB, Oregon
If Brett Farve does stay around one more year the Packers may end up with more draft picks by trading off Aaron Rodgers, cause that's been first round money well spent hasn't it? Grant may or may not be the answer at running back, until we know for sure, I'm going here with Jonathon Stewart.
31. Dallas Cowboys-Early Doucet, WR, LSU
I personally think Doucet will be a serviceable wide receiver in the NFL, maybe a career number three. That being said, it would then be good money value taking him at 31 to help offset the coverage of Patrick Crayton and Terrell Owens. He's never gonna make you go wow with amazing plays, but he can be reliable, which is a receiver that Romo needs.
32. New England Patriots-Forefit

ROUND 2
33. Miami Dolphins-Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
34. Atlanta Falcons-Ali Highsmith, OLB, LSU
35. New York Jets-Erin Henderson, OLB, Maryland
36. Carolina Panthers-Vince Hall, ILB, Virginia Tech
37. San Francisco 49ers-Alex Mack, C, Cal
38. Baltimore Ravens-Jonathon Godd, ILB, Vanderbilt
39. Oakland Raiders-Fred Davis, TE, USC
40. St Louis Rams-Jack Ikegwuonu, CB, Wisconsin
41. Chicago Bears-Josh Barrett, S, Arizona St
42. Kansas City Chiefs-Steve Justice, C, Wake Forest
43. Cincinnati Bengals-Red Bryant, DT, Texas A&M
44. Washington Redskins-Kevin Ellison, S, USC
45. Denver Broncos-Derek Harvey, DE, Florida
46. Buffalo Bills-Shannon Tevaga, G, UCLA
47. Atlanta Falcons (via Texans)-Reggie Smith, CB, Oklahoma
48. New Orleans Saints-Xavier Adibi, OLB, Virginia Tech
49. Detroit Lions-DeJuan Tribble, CB, Boston College
50. Tennessee Titans-Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
51. New York Giants-Ray Rice, RB, Rutgers
52. Arizona Cardinals-Steve Slaton, RB, West Virginia
53. Minnesota Vikings-Drew Radovich, G, USC
54. Miami Dolphins (via Chargers)-Justin King, CB, Penn St
55. Philadelphia Eagles-Titus Brown, DE, Mississippi St
56. Cleveland Browns-Frank Okam, DT, Texas
57. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Heath Benedict, OT, Newberry
58. Pittsburgh Steelers-Terrell Thomas, CB, USC
59. Indianapolis Colts-Tony Hills, OT, Texas
60. Jacksonville Jaguars-Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
61. Seattle Seahawks-Adam Kraus, G, Michigan
62. Green Bay Packers-Dwight Lowery, CB, San Jose St
63. Dallas Cowboys-Beau Bell, ILB, UNLV
64. New England Patriots-Tom Zbikowski, S, Notre Dame

ROUND 3
65. Miami Dolphins-Adarius Bowman, WR, Oklahoma St
66. Atlanta Falcons-Harry Douglas, WR, Louisville
67. New York Jets-Earl Bennett, WR, Vanderbilt
68. Carolina Panthers-Myron Pryor, DT, Kentucky
69. San Francisco 49ers-Marcus Griffin, S, Texas
70. Buffalo Bills (via Ravens)-Jaison Williams, WR, Oregon
71. New England Patriots (via Raiders)-Adam Spieker, C, Missouri
72. St Louis Rams-Darry Beckwith, OLB, LSU
73. Chicago Bears-Mike Hart, RB, Michigan
74. Kansas City Chiefs-Kirk Barton, OT, Ohio St
75. Cincinnati Bengals-Craig Steltz, S, LSU
76. Washington Redskins-Marcus Monk, WR, Arkansas
77. Minnesota Vikings (via Broncos)-Dennis Dixon, QB, Oregon
78. Buffalo Bills-Terrance Taylor, DT, Michigan
79. Houston Texans-Erik Young, G, Tennessee
80. New Orleans Saints-Ben Moffitt, ILB, South Florida
81. Detroit Lions-Mike McGlynn, OT, Pitt
82. Tennessee Titans-Andre Fluellen, DT, Florida St
83. New York Giants-Jordan Grimes, G, Purdue
84. Arizona Cardinals-Kirk Elder, G, Texas A&M
85. Minnesota Vikings-Kennan Burton, WR, Kentucky
86. Chicago Bears (via Chargers)-Chevis Jackson, CB, LSU
87. Philadelphia Eagles-Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee St
88. Cleveland Browns-Chris Harrington, DE, Texas A&M
89. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Jacob Tamme, TE, Kentucky
90. Pittsburgh Steelers-Chris Ellis, DE, Virginia Tech
91. Indianapolis Colts-Paul Hubbard, WR, Wisconsin
92. Jacksonville Jaguars-Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt
93. Seattle Seahawks-Mike Pollack, C, Arizona St
94. Green Bay Packers-John Greco, OT, Toledo
95. Dallas Cowboys-Ketwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
96. New England Patriots-Shawn Crabble, OLB, Michigan

No Shit!

Brilliant commercial (If ya havent seen it yet). Apparently this is based on a true story.

"I Want to Kiss You!!!"

Even though there is a writers strike going on, Hollywood still keeps on chugging on. When I say chugging on I really mean hiding the fact that the industry is slowly dying. News flash- A conglomerate of writers who form a union will NOT write once on strike. In an effort to turn a blind eye, it has been announced that our good cowboy buddy (who proved Eric Cartman's theory that "All independant movies contain gay cowboys eating pudding" well before Brokeback Mountain) is playing Joe Namath in his upcoming biopic. Yes, im talking about Jake Gyllenhaal.

First off...."WHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY WHHHHYYYYYYYYYYY". Secondly, how come other greats got past up for this drunk stupid asshole? Now im not knocking Jake, hell Donnie Darko was a pretty damn good movie. Sure, Namath was good and predicted a superbowl win in 1969 but Namath?? Im sure to some i answered my own question but some will agree with me that this is beyond stupid. I can name about 10 others who deserve a movie. How about the Saints kicker with half a foot? Now thats a story. How about Vince Lombardi, Red Grange, or Pop Warner? Im sure they have movies already made but a remake would be better than this moron right?? Hell, give us Tark, Jim Brown, or Unitus!!

The best part of this movie concept is the chick who plays Suzy Kolber. The chick who Namoth wanted to drunk-make-out-with on Monday Night Football. For those of you who forgot, enjoy the drunkeness and slur talk.

Dews Wednesday wtf?

King of all media and everything that is good and pure about entertainment Carson Daly (pause for dramatic effect), has apparently decided to defy the current writer's strike and begin production on his wildly successful massively influencial TV show "Last Call with Carson Daly".

Obviously this move was far overdue given the warm enlightenment we've been missing out on from not seeing Carson's never-aging TRL face, so I can forego any worries about the poor writer's getting their needs met...

Sorry, he may be funny, but to me he's still that jackass on TRL...

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Venezuelan President and Dubya confidante Hugo Chavez is apparently convinced that CNN is out to instigate his muder:

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday CNN may have been instigating his murder when the U.S. TV network showed a photograph of him with a label underneath that read "Who killed him?"
The caption appeared to be a production mistake -- confusing a Chavez news item with one on the death of a football star. The anchor said "take the image down" when he realized.

This is of course shocking, given that attempts have been made on President Chavez's life numerous times by our current administration, which, I do not believe follow CNN's advice or suggestions, but I could also be way off base here as well.

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In an interesting twist of political news, a new article by the McClatchy Newspaper (not exactly an unbiased source), compares current Democratic candidates proposals on Universal Healthcare to that of (you guessed it), Richard "Tricky Dick" Nixon.

Nixon was quite possibly the smartest president we've ever had regardless of his views on any particular topic. He combined the ruthless determination of an FDR with the political savvy of an LBJ (as well as the craziness of an Andrew Jackson perhaps...), so I have to at least respect the mans ability.

That being said, the comparisons they seem to draw in this article have not been historically vetted very well. Nixon may very well have "wanted" to provide some sort of universal healthcare when the evidence presented itself that such a system should be put into place, but he certainly DID intend on that system being primarily a for-profit industry for a sizable chunk of his political backers. The Nixon tapes speak to as much in several interviews he decided to "archive" in the oval office.

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Finally our savior in the form of a corporation (GOOGLE), is branching its operations into alternative energy!

As part of a project announced Tuesday, the Internet search leader and its
philanthropic arm will pour hundreds of millions of dollars into a quest to
lower the cost of producing electricity from renewable energy sources such
as wind and the sun.

Ok, seriously, I have a serious crush (man-crush?) on GOOGLE. Everything they do is the greatest thing in the world and they have yet to let me down. This branching off into alternative energy can only mean that they mean to save us from the error of our ways and show us "the way".

All Hail GOOGLE!
(Having serious formatting issues with Blogger from this machine, so bear with me... It likes putting "div layers" freakin everywhere....)

NFL Power Rankings Week 12

Did anyone else watch that game last night? That punt that just stuck in the ground better then a lawn dart was simply to awesome for words. Another week, another tough game for the Steelers. Keep this up Pittsburgh, that rate you're going we'll be AFC North Champions before you know it.

1. New England Patriots (1)-How much do you think the Eagles actually hitting the patriots had to do with the score of that game? I haven't seen anyone hit the Pats like that all season. They also managed to get to Tom Brady. So the idea to beat them is to hit them and get to the quarterback, in other words part of my defensive philosophy.
2. Dallas Cowboys (2)-Well, this very well may be the last week we see Dallas at the number 2 spot. They have the Packers this week at home, and don't you wish you could watch the game? I know I wish I could, and I'd finish it off with a nice cold Budweiser.
3. Green Bay Packers (3)-The battle for home field advantage happens this week, and history is not on the Packers side. Brett Farve has done a great many things in his career. The one things he has never done though is win in Dallas. He is 0-8 lifetime in Texas Stadium.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (5)-Stop shaking your heads, yes I moved the Jags above the Colts. I for one cannot get that Chiefs game out of my head when it comes to the Colts and the Jags are killing people on the ground. MJD is my favorite small pudge back of all time.
5. Indianapolis Colts (4)-The injury toll is beginning to take in Indianapolis. They have lost two of their three best players and the cracks in the armor are a lil more transparent then they were six weeks ago. They better hope Peyton isn't the next one to come down with a boo-boo.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (6)-Two weeks, two tough games, against teams they should be blowing out if they want to be considered part of the elite in the NFL. That game though last night was wild and I would have loved to have played in it. That's what makes a football game awesome.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8)-The Redskins still have yet to beat Jeff Garcia, even if he only played a portion of that game. Gradkowski came in and did his best Trent Dilfer impression and let the defense win the game. Though it was definitely apparent that this team will go nowhere without Jeff Garcia.
8. Cleveland Browns (9)-The bad bad Cleveland Browns, the baddest team in the whole damn town. Brandon fucking McDoanld, this kid is going to save the Browns from the perpetual nightmare which is Daven Holly. Two weeks now the Browns defense has shown some semblance of life, might as well nickname them the Orange Zombie Army now.
9. Seattle Seahawks (11)-Do I believe the Seahawks are really a top ten team, hell no. They do though play in the NFC West and that means they get to play the Rams and Niners twice a year which helps their record substantially. Hell, they're gonna be fighting till the end of the season to make the playoffs.
10. New York Giants (7)-Ouch, how's that ass Eli? Did Coughlin take plenty out of it after the game, or is he not allowed to talk to you since you love being babied and treated better then you really are. I know San Diego fans right now are thrilled that you passed on their city, they have enough problems right now.
11. San Diego Chargers (16)-Speak of the Super Chargers and they shall appear. I wonder if the Chargers wished that you could trade draft picks for coaches. I know the fans would volunteer their first round picks for the next three years to replace Turner and Contrell.
12. Tennessee Titans (10)-I suppose this is the downward portion of the Titans season. In this week's mock I think I have the Titans taking two wide receivers in the first three rounds, do you think that is excessive at all? I didn't think so either.
13. Arizona Cardinals (12)-Kurt Warner played the game of his rejuvenated career, only to have the game lost in overtime in the end zone. The rest of the NFL thanks you for letting the Niners win and getting the Patriots farther away from Darren McFadden as possible.
14. Philadelphia Eagles (19)-Are we all finally seeing now what some of us have been saying for years about Donovan McNabb? He's an average quarterback, at best. The Eagles have constantly let quarterbacks come in when McNabb gets hurt, perform better, then have Donovan and his mother bitch and moan until the other player is gone. Yeah, sounds like a real team player.
15. Minnesota Vikings (22)-I don't think a single score has made me happier this year then what the Vikings did to Eli Manning and the Giants. I've been saying this defense is for real, and they proved it against Eli. I actually have the Vikings running the table and making the playoffs.
16. New Orleans Saints (21)-The Saints have seemingly found life, but then again they played the Panthers who I'm amazed won four games at the beginning of the year. They have a lot of questions in the offseason, namely, what is the identity of this team, does anyone know?
17. Detroit Lions (15)-I'm sorry Jon Kitna, I've looked into the future, I've seen your schedule, I made my predictions and I apologize. You have one of the toughest remaining schedules left, and I don't have you making the playoffs. I know you wanted to, but the hill is just too steep for you to climb.
18. Houston Texans (14)-I love how this team's defense is becoming a force in the NFL. If they manage to build a secondary in the offseason, watch out next year. Of course they also need a legit running game and better blockers, but a big force in the secondary should be priority number one.
19. Cincinnati Bengals (23)-There seems to be some life in the Bengals yet, then again they weren't exactly playing the Patriots either. The offense has been there pretty much all season in some kind of form. The defense though is still missing like Britney's underwear.
20. Buffalo Bills (17)-I love that the FOOTBALL GOD, Marv Levy, has brought back that sense, that attitude of Buffalo Bills football. They're starting to remind me of the beginning of that Bills era, and this time there is no team in the NFC East who is totally dominate. Sadly though, their time it's in their own backyard.
21. Washington Redskins (18)-A sad week for Redskins fans, and you worry about if their heads will be able to focus on the game this week. The game is at home this week as well so expect a great deal about Sean Taylor, a huge loss for that defense and the NFL in general.
22. Denver Broncos (13)-The Broncos reverted back to those colors they were flying before they beat the Steelers. This is a young football team in certain areas, and very old in others. They bought brand new parts, like a spoiler, and put it on a car with a rusted radiator and a leaky gas line.
23. Kansas City Chiefs (20)-They fight, very hard, and are beginning to get the personality of their coach. If they spend their draft on an offensive line, this team will be a huge threat next. Herm Edwards is still the money man for great post conference interviews.
24. Chicago Bears (25)-Thank you Chicago for beating the Broncos, it always gives me a nice warm down low tickle to know that the Broncos have lost. Also, can I interest you in a brand new, never been used, Notre Dame quarterback? It will cost you your 1st, 2rd and 5th round picks next year, but I know you could use it.
25. St Louis Rams (27)-We're beginning to see the offense that some fatcats believed would be there all season and lead the Rams to the Super Bowl. I think the talent positions are there, but they need to patch up that offensive line. Defense is average at best, but o-line is a bigger need right now, ask Marc Bulger.
26. Oakland Raiders (29)-Good job Oakland, you took out the Chiefs and finally won an AFC West game, which usually isn't hard for everyone else. This is the big unveiling this week though, time to show off that brand new sports car you bought at last year's draft. I can't believe I'm cheering for an LSU player on Sunday.
27. New York Jets (24)-I've heard it since Sunday, the Jets are nothing but frauds. Well, duh. Did you actually think their beating the Steelers meant this team was going to be good? If you did, for shame. This team has promise, but not enough to win on a regular basis this year.
28. San Francisco 49ers (31)-Well, you keep winning and the Patriots will keep falling farther back in the draft, and that's a good thing. Of course, you win the last game of the season but four wins is enough to keep them away from Darren McFadden.
29. Baltimore Ravens (28)-What was that this week, five in a row? I know it's close to that number, but I don't care enough about you to actually look it up. Hell, Baltimore itself can burn to the ground for all I care, you're a speed bump for me on my way north. Oh, and feel free to give Troy Smith a shot a QB, you have nothing left to lose.
30. Carolina Panthers (26)-I never thought I'd ever put the Panthers this far down on a Power Rankings chart. Must be what sports writers felt like when they put the Niners that far down for the first time. I could also interest you in a quarterback as well, a Golden Domer, if you're interested.
31. Atlanta Falcons (30)-The Falcons had life there for one quarter against the Colts. Then I don't know if their Turkey kicked in or the Colts' turkey wore off, but hey at least you can say you were beating the Colts at one point and right now you need as many moral victories as you can get.
32. Miami Dolphins (32)-I know you were hoping for at least a tie last night in Pittsburgh, but alas the dream lives on. I want you to continue on, to lose all 16, so that maybe the 72 team will then shut the fuck up and never bother us again with their inane ranting, raving, and partying about going 14-0.

Update: Senate Fixture to retire

UPDATE 11/27/07: Granted this was via Keith Olbermann (love him to death, but he's not exactly "fair and balanced" either), but it makes sense.

As of January 1st the rules for former "members" becoming lobbyists (members being any member of congress, whether Senate or House), will state that there is a 5 year waiting period for them before they can become a lobbyist...

This obviously would put Lott in a tremendous position to become a lobbyist BEFORE that cut-off date, as he still holds enormous sway with both sides of the aisle.

Apologize if I've "bumped" any articles...
-------Old article underneath-------

Thats right, the distinguished gentleman from Mississippi Senator Trent Lott, former GOP figurehead in the Senate for years, will be retiring before the end of the year.

Lott, 66, scheduled two news conferences in his home state later in the day
to reveal his plans. According to congressional and White House officials, who
spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement, Lott intends to
resign effective the end of the year.
No reason for Lott's resignation was given, but according to a congressional official, there is nothing amiss with Lott's health. The senator has "other opportunities" he plans to pursue, the official said, without elaborating.

Obviously this comes as a bit of a shock to anyone connected to the workings on "The Hill", otherwise known as political geeks, but the reasoning behind this is still puzzling.

Obviously no reasons have been given yet except the generic "to pursue other opportunities" (slightly better then the "I want to spend more time with my family" crap that is usually dished out though), but let the speculation begin!

Just throwing out my two cents here, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him with a sweet analyst job on Fox sometime soon. He is quite the smooth talker and could very easily make the jump to network "talking head" pretty easily. Something about the southern accent just makes it easier to believe that whomever has it actually believes what they're saying. Maybe thats just the naive Vermonter in me though?

Fiction is the truth inside the lie.

Stephen King recently sat down to do an interview with Time Magazine due to The Mist coming out. What happened next was just short of brilliant, but at least we now know that Stephen King isn't just some crazed Red Sox Nation Jackass, he at least sees what's going on in the world. He first asked about Time's person of the year, and then gave his opinion.

I was thinking, I think it should be Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan.

Beautiful, but wait, it gets better from there.

You know, this morning, the two big stories on CNN are Kanye West's mother, who died, apparently, after having some plastic surgery. The other big thing that's going on is whether or not this cop [Drew Peterson] killed his... wife. And meanwhile, you've got Pakistan in the midst of a real crisis, where these people have nuclear weapons that we helped them develop. You've got a guy in charge, who's basically declared himself the military strongman and is being supported by the Bush administration, whose raison d'etre for going into Iraq was to spread democracy in the world.
So you've got these things going on, which seem to me to be very substantive, that could affect all of us, and instead, you see a lot of this back-fence gossip.

Things are getting toasty, I thought it couldn't get better, I was wrong.

Someone in the Bush family should actually be waterboarded so they could report on it to George. I said, I didn't think he would do it, but I suggested Jenna be waterboarded and then she could talk about whether or not she thought it was torture.

Jenna being waterboarded, I don't know, she's probably spent enough time partying in Mexico where the ability not to breathe may not effect her too much.

It's worse every year. And the guy says to me — the Nightline guy — I didn't get the guy's name. Granted, I haven't been feeling real well and it was a long day of interviews. But he said to me, "If we didn't cover cultural things, we wouldn't be covering you and The Mist, and promoting the movie." And I'm like, "Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan aren't cultural." They aren't political. They're economic only in the mildest sense of the word. In fact, if I had to pick somebody, some celebrity who has had some impact this year, some sort of echo in the larger American life, I would say Hannah Montana. That whole issue of online ticket sales and scalping fascinates me. There are [legitimate] issues there about the Internet, so that actually does seem to have some cultural significance.
But Britney? Britney Spears is just trailer trash. That's all. I mean, I don't mean to be pejorative. But you observe her behavior for the past five years and you say, "Here's a lady who can't take care of her kids, she can't take care of herself, she has no retirement fund, everything that she gets runs right through her hands." And yet, you know and I know that if you go to those sites that tell you what the most blogged-about things on the Internet are, it's Britney, it's Lindsay. So I think it would be terrific [to have them as TIME Persons of the Year]. There would be such a scream from the American reading public, sure. But at the same time, it's time for somebody to discuss the difference between real news and fake news.

Stephen King has become something of a jack ass since his accident, that CityCat loves pointing out, but this may be my favorite work of his since Bag of Bones.

Stupid Pet Tricks

Leave it to Florida to make more poor decisions. When do we expect a hurricane to rip that stay away from the union anyways? Apparently, Palm Beach Florida is completely ok with giving their Community College employees health care for their pets. That's touching, and it can get expensive, it's a nice move that I'd like to see more of in the country. That being said though, I don't think I support pets getting health care before their domestic partners.

The pets of Palm Beach Community College employees will qualify for discounted group medical insurance beginning in January, but domestic partners are still barred from receiving similar benefits.

School officials sent a memo last week explaining the new voluntary pet benefit available via payroll deduction through the private company Veterinary Pet Insurance.

Rand Hoch, president of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, said it is wrong for the college to put the medical needs of pets above those of the human loved ones of employees.

“The fact of the matter is puppies are covered, partners are not,” said Hoch, who sent a letter to PBCC President Dennis Gallon requesting the domestic partner plan be put before trustees again in January. “It’s the same benefit; neither costs the college a penny.”

Like CrooksNLiars said, if we had Universal health Care this wouldn't be an issue, everyone in this country could be taken care of. However the rich would lose money, least those involved in the insurance field. I don't see why it's so difficult to have universal health care. If we can spend a trillion on a war then we can definitely spend it on health care.

Chris F'N Dodd

You have to give it to Dodd, he's definitely swinging for the fences.

Hi I’m Chris Dodd.

I’m from East Haddam, Connecticut.

And my family and I are spending a little time in Iowa these days.

I have a question about the Constitution. Many Americans are concerned that the Administration seems to be making a false choice. That is to be safer we have to give up rights. I don’t believe that, I wonder if you do. And if you believe we aught not to give up our rights, what would you do in order to protect our Constitution?

I bet you ever single candidate on the left right now is cursing themselves for not being the first one to do this. I wonder who it will be who will submit their own question. Is there any doubt that it will be Joe Biden?

Just... Wow...

Sean Taylor, resident badass, human missle (as well as my personal favorite of all time) player for the Washington Redskins died earlier this morning...

As a life-long Redskins fan, I can't tell you how much more we need disappointments added upon our constantly underperforming team, but this is such a shock to me on so many levels...

Sean Taylor (April 1, 1983 - November 27, 2007)

We're broke

Sorry my fellow proletarians, Christmas is going to be a bummer this year. Why? We're getting poorer.

I went home for Thanksgiving Thursday (a somber one, my grandmother passed away that morning after a long, long decline), and, as usual, my father was complaining about how bad the economiy is getting. The thing is, I usually have to take my dad with a grain of salt. He has a tendency to exaggerate when he's frustrated about something (a family trait I think), and he can and does fly off the handle at things. But this was different.

It was different partially because, right out of law school, I am making almost the same as my father who has been in the granite industry for over thirty years. That's great for me, I guess, but the bills are what is really striking. Between my rent, phone, groceries, and credit card debt, I'm saving next to nothing. Pretty soon, when all my student loans come due, I'm going to be proper fucked. Thing is, I can't imagine how my dad has been getting along with three kids, a mortgage, car payments, grocery bills, and some of my student loans. And that's not all. Our money is worth less nowadays. Every dollar we get is worth less than the year before.

It doesn't take a genius to realize that this is the real 800-lb gorilla in the room. What can we do?

Consider this a call for ideas. Discussion in the comment thread...

NCAA Football Top 25 Nov 26

What an insane college weekend, I don't know if there's been that many great games in one weekend in a long time. You had each section of the SEC go into five overtimes, each one with a huge implication of some kind. One team remained undefeated, the other fell to a young team that looks as good as any I've seen this year. This power ranking will cause controversy, without a doubt.

1. Missouri Tigers (2)-Chase Daniels and this young team has proved, at least to me, that they are the real deal. This team has looked impressive week in and week out, and I will be stunned if the Sooners beat them for a second time this season.
2. Hawaii Warriors (12)-Yell all you want, but they are the lone undefeated team in division 1A and deserve to be in the national title game. You can't tell me this is for the kids if they don't make it into the game. It's like getting straight As and not begin valedictorian as some kid from a better school gets it because his B in geometry was more impressive then your A because it was at a tougher school...allegedly.
3. West Virginia Mountaineers (6)-To me, the WAC is just as tough as the Big East. I think they're on pretty much equal footing when it comes to toughness of schedule and the top teams. So if the Big East is in the national title talk, so should the WAC.
4. Ohio St Buckeyes (5)-What can I write about a team that won't play for two months? Gholston is a beast, and they have the Road Warrior, is there anything else to really write?
5. Kansas Jayhawks (1)-Some could argue that the Missouri and Kansas game was the national title game and I would find it hard to argue that. You have to take your hats off to Kansas, no one ever expect a Jayhawk football team to go that close to being undefeated.
6. USC Trojans (10)-Some personality on the radio said it the best, "USC when healthy is head and shoulders abover any other team in the nation." Of course they are, they recruit like mothers, and haven't been healthy all year. If there was a plus one game, USC would be your likely national champions.
7. Virginia Tech Hookies (7)-An impressive win over the Cavaliers of Virginia, a game I honestly didn't see the Hookies winning. I don't know how Beamer does it, but his team is constantly finishing in the top ten, even when they struggle they win, which is the most important thing.
8. Georgia Bulldogs (9)- It's sad that they're not going to be in the SEC Title game, but that's the breaks and why you have to play well all year long. This is an impressive team that should get a decent bowl and maybe even a BCS Bowl Game.
9. LSU Tigers (3)-It took five overtimes, but Arkansas was able to knock off the biggest fraud at number one since last year's fuckeyes. They did fight though, my only question is who is going to coach you next year? Jumbo Fisher perhaps?
10. Oklahoma Sooners (11)-Well, ya beat the Cowboys, lucky you. Unlucky for you is the fact that you're hurt, and you're playing a damn good Missouri team, a team that is much better then when you played them earlier in the season.
11. Boston College Eagles (14)-After their two losses they have quietly worked their way back into the the BCS picture. They can still get a BCS Bowl Game with a victory of Virginia Tech, which I think they just might.
12. Arizona St Sun Devils (4)-Another tough loss for Arizona St, but this is a team that has been hindered by injuries or they may very well still be in that National Title talk. Dennis Erickson will likely have them back here next year...if he sticks around.
13. Illinois Fighting Illini (17)-I LOVE this team, and how can you not? It is not only the team with the most amazing names around, they play balls to the wall football and beat the fuckeyes, GO ZOOK!
14. Florida Gators (18)-Teabow broke his hand, word to whoever plays Florida in a bowl game (I'm looking at you Illinois) rush the hell out of him and see if he can throw the ball.
15. Tennessee Volunteers (21)-Damn, I had Kentucky beating Tennessee and they nearly did it. Andre Woodson may be my favorite player this year in college football as he just finds ways to win. If he only had one more year at Kentucky imagine the things he could do.
16. Oregon Ducks (12)-My heart goes out to Oregon, a team who should have been in the national title game if Dixon's knee hadn't blown out. Who doesn't want to see the battle of Dennis Dixon and Chase Daniels?
17. Wisconsin Badgers (20)-The Badgers do what they do every year, lose a few games, but enough to keep them in the top 25 by their ground and pound offense, perhaps we should call them the icemen?
18. BYU Cougars (22)-I know folks don't agree with this, but I have a hard enough time putting a four loss team above a team with only two losses. Their losses came to a Pac 10 team and absolute shootout with Tulsa whose QB may be the biggest sleeper in next year's draft.
19. Texas Longhorns (8)-Well, good job kids, you managed to blow it and lose to the Aggies, again, in their coaches last game. I wonder if I'm the only one whose starting to believe that Vince Young won the national title and NOT Mack Brown.
20. Clemson Tigers (23)-I wish I could say I love this team almost as much as I love Illinois, but Bowden is coaching like his father. Sadly it's not his father of a decade ago, but like his father right now.
21. Texas Tech Red Raiders (24)-They beat Oklahoma, in my book that should put them in the top ten. Well, of teams I love this year at least. Who is wishing for a Texas Tech Boise St bowl game?
22. Boise St Broncos (15)-Speak of the devil and they shall appear. Sorry Boise St your iron grip on the WAC Championship has been ended this season by Vili and the Hawaii Warriors.
23. South Florida Bulls (N/R)-They've snuck back into the top twenty five, but that again it's just one giant cluster fuck down here once you get past number twenty. Hell, one could argue that it's a clusterfuck past 15.
24. Arkansas Razorbacks (N/R)-Thank you Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, Nutt and the rest of the Razorbacks. You saved us from the LSU Tigers appearing in the national title game, if only Michigan had played as hard.
25. Troy Trojans (25)-They're still here, and all they have to do is beat Florida Atlantic to stay here. I'm sorry folks, but I want to see more of the mid-majors do well and completely destroy the power system that the MAJOR conferences have in college football. My dream this year is for every non-major conference team to beat their major conference opponents in bowl games this year.

Dews Monday Wrap-up

Hope everyone is finally recovering from the typtophan poisoning over the holidays, because whether you like it or not, today you are stuck back in your wonderful job that did not allow you to sleep in, regardless of how much you wanted to, or prayed to some deity to allow to happen...

Yes, even us here at LSWTF.com do have to get up and be all "respectable" come morning time for "The Man", but thankfully we have this wonderful outlet to keep our minds from turning to jello. Thank being said, lets take a look at what's in the news today.

Strange evidence is surfacing that Wi-Fi, as well as high levels of heavy-metals in the bloodstream (heavy metal toxicity and no that is not a band that I know of), are linked to child-hood autism.

Dr Carlo said, "These findings tie in with other studies showing adverse
cell-membrane responses and disruptions of normal cell physiology. The
electromagnetic radiation apparently causes the metals to be trapped in cells,
slowing clearance and accelerating the onset of symptoms."

Really fascinating to see some of the technology we take for granted having such a profound effect on our health, though can't really say as I'm totally surprised... Anytime I use my cell phone for more then 20 minutes I feel like I've grown a tumor of some sort.

The interesting part of this story to me is how we are learning how various technologies are interacting with the brain (for good or ill). Always fascinating to hear we've found something that directly effects the functions of the brain, when we don't utilize close to 10% of it to begin with.

Great article in politico.com about how the New York Times (the apparently bastion of liberal commie pinko minded folks and all), sat on a story about a joint US-Pakistani Nuclear weapons operation for 3 years... Really hammering the point home about how biased these supposed papers are with their liberal agenda and all.

Regardless of how much the UN may have gotten their numbers off on HIV spreading globally, it has hit our little town (for some of the LSWTF.com staff) of Washington DC especially hard. According to latest research numbers it has hit the African American community the hardest.

The numbers most starkly illustrate HIV's impact on the African American
community. More than 80 percent of the 3,269 HIV cases identified between 2001
and 2006 were among black men, women and adolescents. Among women who tested positive, a rising percentage of local cases, nine of 10 were African
American.

Really shocking to see the numbers on this, especially given how are we have supposedly come as a society. You'd think these numbers would have to come down from everyone and their mother knowing the risks of X, Y and Z to prevent contracting HIV, but seemingly this just isn't the case here in the Nation's Capitol.

Finally, Mike Huckabee is making a lot of sense. That line alone will go over well with other writers here, but Huckabee's latest interview on CNN was really spot on when he spoke at length of the Saudi royal family's influence on America as a whole as well as our indifference to their notably long list of human rights violations.

"The United States has been far too involved in sort of looking the other
way, not only at the atrocities of human rights and violation of women,"
Huckabee said on CNN's "Late Edition."
"Every time we put our credit card in the gas pump, we're paying so that the Saudis get rich - filthy, obscenely rich, and that money then ends up going to funding madrassas," schools "that train the terrorists," said Huckabee. "America has allowed itself to become enslaved to Saudi oil. It's absurd. It's embarrassing."

Quite honestly, that is the smartest and gutsiest thing I've heard any candidate go out on a limb and say. Major Kudos to Governor Huckabee for establishing the fact that he may be the only candidate NOT already deep in Saudi interest. At the very least, he has at least demonstrated that he's not afraid of taking a wildly different stance on foreign policy then the "business as usual" approach that hasn't worked for 20 years. That and I actually met someone that used to work for him and she seemed totally normal, so he can't be nearly as crazy as he's made out to be...