Year: 2013

Categories
Sports

Two Steps Forward and A Giant Leap Back

Last night, the Anthony Bosch saga continued with the exposure of four more names linked to the alleged PED pedaling clinic. Among those names, most notable is Ryan Braun. Braun tested positive for banned substances but appealed in December of 2011. The appeal went in his favor because it was proved that the lab responsible for testing did not handle the blood sample properly. Many felt that though he won the appeal, it was just a technicality. Now being linked to the Miami biogenesis lab only makes it more believable that Braun is a tainted player.

The three other names newly linked to Bosch’s lab are Danny Valencia (Orioles third baseman), Jesus Montero (Mariners catcher and former Yankee top prospect) and Francisco Cervelli (Yankee catcher). All parties have denied guilt with similar statements. Of course, there is a possibility that these four players are not guilty of using PEDs. All four players were listed in the records for Bosch’s lab. However, unlike A-Rod and the others, these four players only had dollar amounts next to their names. No mention of what substances were purchased but still, the suspicion is now there. If the allegations are true, the Yankees are particularly in trouble. Not only is their star third baseman implicated in this situation, now so is one of their very few catching options.

Beyond the implications for teams that have a player linked to this clinic, what does this mean for baseball? I’ll tell you right now that this is not good. Baseball had completely recovered from the blow steroids dealt to the game about a decade ago. In fact, the game had reached new heights seeing the highest international following ever and some of the highest viewing ratings and attendance ratings. The game was certainly taking positive steps to ensure its survival but now with this lab linking so many players to performance enhancing drugs, it seems the game we love is still tainted. If guys like Ryan Braun to guys like Francisco Cervelli are taking PEDs, it really leaves nobody out of the realm of possibilities. We are back to second guessing stats and questioning every athlete.

Baseball needs to really step up and set ground rules here. The MLBPA makes it difficult to make big changes to policy because these players are in a union. However, it is imperative that the league start to setup stricken guidelines as far as which wellness clinics are aloud near these players. The game depends on it. This already happened to baseball and the game nearly drowned. This time around, a half-assed attempt to clean up the game will not suffice to save it. There needs to be real changes made. However, nothing can change until (and I must admit that I am growing tired of these words but it will probably not be some time until we can stop using them) MLB concludes their investigation.

On that note, MLB has asked the Miami New Times to turn over their information so as to aid in MLB’s investigation. The newspaper is still deciding if they want to help.

Categories
Politics

Postal Service To End Your Saturday Service To Satisfy Congressional Mandate

Although the postal service has cut costs to the tune of $15 billion a year, they are now forced to end Saturday delivery of mails – a move expected to save another $2 billion a year.

Why? Because at the end of 2006 under the Bush Administration, a Republican controlled Congress wanted to privatize the agency and did what they thought would cripple the USPS. They forced the Postal Service to pre-pay $55 billion into a retirement fund, a mandate that takes $5.5 billion a year for a away from the agency for a period of 10 years.

So to stay above water, your Saturday mail delivery will be cut in August.

The announcement is expected on Wednesday, but the decision was explained in an official statement from post master general Patrick Donohoe;

“The American public understands the financial challenges of the Postal Service and supports these steps as a responsible and reasonable approach to improving our financial situation. The Postal Service has a responsibility to take the steps necessary to return to long-term financial stability and ensure the continued affordability of the U.S. Mail.”

Although the postal service receives no funding from the Federal government, they are bound by congressional rules.

Categories
Tid Bits

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

MorningMindExpansion:

Which is the correct answer?

Q: If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

A: No, because the definition of sound is “something that you hear”. No one’s there to hear the tree fall, so the tree doesn’t make a sound     or 

B: Yes, and I’ll be making plenty more  “sounds”  if the mf  falls on the car that I left parked in the forest last night! … I know I’m gonna get a call on this one lol!

Starting right now, lets all agree to stop using the word “first” when mentioning Hillary Clinton’s ‘possible’ run for the presidency in 2016…Hello! Shirley Chisholm, okay! In fact she knocks-out two ‘firsts’– first black congresswoman representing New York State in the House, and first African American woman to run for the Democratic nomination for president in 1972. That’s THREE ‘FIRSTS’! Way to go Shirl! She left congress in 1983 to teach and lecture. She died in 2005.

“Service is the rent that you pay for room on this earth.” ~ Shirley Chisolm  

Somebody owes Ms. Chisholm her one month’s rent, one month’s security…

Thousands of homes in New York State’s coastal areas like Brooklyn and Queens, hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy, will be bulldozed if Governor Andrew Cuomo gets his way. He’s proposing to purchase the homes from devastated residents, demolish them and have the land preserved permanently as undeveloped coastline.  Cuomo’s waiting on federal approval to withdraw $400 million out of a $51 billion federal relief package to fund this grand enterprise. So far, homeowners are feeling good about the idea and are looking forward to starting their lives over ASAP. Make it so Govna!

The World Famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, USA will open its doors for free this coming weekend to give members of the Harlem community, New York City residents and tourists alike a unique glimpse into the Apollo’s rich history. Films, exhibits, workshops, tours and a sneak preview of the Apollo’s 2013 season are all on the house, so get on the A train and head uptown! (Geez, did I really just say that?).

Categories
Politics

I Think Eric Cantor Stole President Obama’s Speech – Video

If you followed politics especially after President Obama won election in 2008, you will recall that the path Republicans decided to take for the first four years of his presidency was to deny Mr. Obama a second term by saying no to everything he tried to do.

Needless to say the Republicans Block Party didn’t work out too well and after four years of pure obstruction, President Obama overwhelmingly won re-election in 2012 and now, after calling the President a Marxist, a socialist, a communist and all the other ist they could think of, Republicans are now trying to paddle back to the center and stealing portions of Obama’s speeches is apparently the only way they know of getting votes in the 2014 elections.

Watch below, as Lawrence O’ Donnell from MSNBC ‘s The Last Word introduced a video showing Obama making the original speech, then Cantor doing a masterful job of stealing Obama’s stuff.

Categories
Politics

The Boy Scouts See The Light

Hey Boy Scouts! Guess what? You’ve had gay scouts and gay scoutmasters for years. You’ve given them badges and congratulated them on excellent fundraising and (get this) rewarded them for exemplary moral behavior, helping others, being patriotic and making their parents proud. These gay scouts have also met legislators, built structures for community organizations, worked at soup kitchens, told jokes, endured camp-outs and Klondike Derbies, and generally represented the organization with pride.

So what do you do? First of all, you deny that gay scouts and scoutmasters have a place in your organization, even though they’ve done exemplary work. Then you say that gay scouts do not reflect the vision that you have of what a healthy American boy and a committed adult male are all about and you begin to exclude them from your group. Is exclusion such a hallowed American value that you feel the need to protect it with your reputation? In a country where communal groups such as the Scouts are seeing shrinking enrollment, does it make sense to exclude people who actually want to help, and have helped throughout your history?

Now you say that you’re considering scrapping your discriminatory and hateful policies. Good for you. I will give you all the credit when you really make this decision final. In the end, you really have no choice.

For more, go to www.facebook.com/WhereDemocracyLives and on Twitter @rigrundfest

Categories
exercise Politics

Breaking News: Men, Too Much Television Will Reduce Your Sperm Count

See! I told you. It’s time to get your ass off your seat and run, not walk, run to the gym.

Here’s some news that may cause men to drop the remote controls and hit the gym: Excessive TV watching and a sedentary lifestyle has been linked to lower sperm counts, according to a study published Monday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Researchers in the Harvard School of Public Health analyzed 189 healthy men between the ages of 18 and 22, and noted the number of hours per week they exercised, as well number of hours per week they watched TV, videos, or DVDs, over the past three months.

The results? The men who were the most physically active, and spent 15 hours or more exercising each week, had the highest sperm counts. In fact, this group’s sperm count was 73 percent higher than that of the group who exercised the least, BBC Health reports. Additionally, men who spent 20 hours per week or more in front the boob tube had a sperm count 44 percent lower than those who spent little time in front of the TV. The study was a relatively small one, but it echoes a tip that works for our overall health and, apparently, for sperm counts, too. “My advice would be everything in moderation,” Allan Pacey, head of andrology for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals in the United Kingdom, told BBC. “And that includes time in the gym as well as watching TV.”

Categories
Mitt Romney Politics

Tagg’s Not Playing – He’s Not It

Okay, so over the last few days, Republicans have craved for more of the Romney juice. They just can’t get enough and have pushed another Romney to run for Senate. Yesterday, we told you that Tagg was it. But according to this email to ABC by the son of the infamous Mitt, Tagg said he’s not playing.

“I have been humbled by the outreach I received this weekend encouraging me to become a candidate for the US Senate,” but the timing just doesn’t work, Romney said.

“I love my home state and admit it would be an honor to represent the citizens of our great Commonwealth,” Romney said. “However, I am currently committed to my business and to spending as much time as I can with my wife and children. The timing is not right for me.”

The Boston Herald reported Monday morning that the eldest son of Mitt and Ann Romney is considering a run in the special Senate election in Massachusetts now that former senator Scott Brown decided against a run last week.

But, two sources close to both Tagg and his father Mitt told ABC News earlier Monday it’s not going to happen. One consideration for Tagg Romney may be that his father lost the Bay State in last year’s presidential election by 23 points.

Categories
Entertainment

Talking Thomas Jefferson With Author Jon Meacham

I recently had the pleasure and honor of interviewing author Jon Meacham about his book, Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power for Audiofile Magazine.

The interview is below. Here is a link to my sound review of the book on Soundcloud.

Interview

by Bob Grundfest

Talking With
JON MEACHAM

Our nation has always had a place in its culture for public historians. These are people like Barbara Tuchman, Theodore White, and David McCullough, who can make history come alive for the general reader while also producing books that are rigorously researched and connect the past with the present.

Welcome to the club, Jon Meacham.

Not yet 45, Meacham is an executive editor at Random House, a former co-anchor of the public affairs broadcast “Need to Know on PBS” and former editor of NEWSWEEK. His book, AMERICAN LION: ANDREW JACKSON IN THE WHITE HOUSE, was published by Random House in 2008 and in 2009 was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. Meacham is also the author of two other New York Times bestsellers–AMERICAN GOSPEL: GOD, THE FOUNDING FATHERS, AND THE MAKING OF A NATION, and FRANKLIN AND WINSTON: AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF AN EPIC FRIENDSHIP, about the relationship between Roosevelt and Churchill, which was named a book of the year by the Los Angeles Times and won the Churchill Centre’s 2005 Emery Reves Award for the best book of the year on Churchill.

Meacham’s latest book, THOMAS JEFFERSON: THE ART OF POWER, is not just another biography of our third president. He focuses on Jefferson the politician and philosopher and adds texture to what we already know about this complex man. “My goal was to try and walk with Jefferson and see things from his perspective, who his mentors were and how his education affected him,” Meacham says.

“His presidency hasn’t translated as clearly to the public as his other accomplishments, but he was president during tumultuous times, and although he didn’t see himself as a successful executive, the public certainly did. After all, they elected Jefferson or Jeffersonian politicians in every election but one from 1800 to 1840.” He writes that Jefferson understood the art of compromise and governed as a Renaissance man, applying the arts and sciences to the political realm.

Meacham wants us to see Jefferson as a man of ideas and of the Enlightenment, but he also notes that Jefferson was a sensuous man with big appetites when it came to women, wine, and gaining life experiences. “We have an image of Jefferson as a clinical man who was somehow removed from
emotion. I learned that he was intensely human and interested in other humans.

I could see myself having a glass of wine with him. I couldn’t say the same thing about George Washington.”

The audiobook is narrated by actor Edward Herrmann, whom Meacham requested. “I think he’s brilliant,” Meacham says. “He made the text better. The audiobook universe is so fascinating. I have never listened to a book I’ve also read and not had a different experience. Edward Herrmann is a central element of the authorial experience. He’s the translator. I had listened to his work before and knew what he could do. I respect the skills I don’t have that he does.”

For his efforts, Herrmann was awarded an Earphones Award for this book. To Meacham, that’s proof that the right narrator can enhance any written work. “I think serious readers value audiobooks. For a writer, it’s one of the only ways you can end up with a coauthor who is interpreting your words. I want people to feel that their investment in time and money is well spent. I want to repay that to the reader.”

All but one of Meacham’s previous books are on audio, but he wants all of his forthcoming books to be recorded as well as written. He knows that with all of the technology, there’s only so much mind space available for people to read or listen to or view specific media. With this book, he’s provided our minds, and ears, with an opportunity to learn and enjoy ourselves.

FEB/MAR 13
© AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine

Categories
Mitt Romney Politics Senate

Are You Really Ready For Another Romney In Office? Tagg, He’s It!

Tagg Romney is considering a run in the special Senate election now that Scott Brown has opted out, the Truth Squad has learned.

Calls for Romney, 42, to join in the short campaign to replace Secretary of State John F. Kerry have increased since the Herald first reported heavyweight Republicans are urging both Romney and his mother, Ann, to get in.

The eldest son of former governor and presidential candidate Mitt Romney already has statewide name recognition and could quickly ramp up the campaign infrastructure for a short, five-month race.

The father of six was a regular on the campaign trail in both of his father’s failed races for president in 2008 and 2012, which would give him some political know-how while working to win over Bay State voters. But the younger Romney is weighing joining the fray against remaining with his successful venture capital firm, Solamere. Many Democrats also have noted Mitt Romney’s dismal Bay State returns in the most recent presidential election, losing the state by 23 points.

r/t Boston Herald

Categories
Donald Trump Donald Trump Politics

Jindal Says 2016 Republican Presidential Candidates Should Have Their Heads Examined

We’re absolutely sure Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is planning a run for the 2016 Republican Presidential nominee. Over the last few weeks, he has taken it upon himself to criticize his party for everything from a lack of ideas to being the “stupid party.” So when Jindal made this statement that 2016 Republican candidates should “get their head examined,” it clearly won our quote of the day category.

ps. We need a quote of the day category…

And in reference to Jindal calling the Republican party the “stupid party,” Donald Trump had to comment. He told the Hill that Jindal was the stupid one. Said Trump;

“He was stupid for using that term. Because that term is so obnoxious, and so good for the other side, he should not have used that term. That term is going to be living now for a long time, and they’re going to have his face on television using it.”

Seems Jindal just lost the Trump vote!

Categories
Michelle Obama NAACP Super Bowl Tid Bits

Monday, February 4, 2013

Today marks the 14th anniversary of the killing of  Guinea immigrant Amadou Diallo, who was fired on 41 times as he stood, unarmed, in the vestibule of his apartment building in the Bronx,NY. The four police officers responsible for the killing–Sean Carroll, 37, Edward McMellon, 27, Kenneth Boss, 28, and Richard Murphy, 27–were, incredibly, acquitted just a year later of all charges in the death. Rudolph W. Giuliani was our esteemed mayor at the time I recall…

Beyonce worked hard Super Bowl Night to make sure you forget that she lip synched (to her own voice tho’!) at President Obama’s Inauguration. With her old DC Girls–Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams–in tow the reunion was on…at least for about two songs, then it was all about the B!

The movie Warm Bodies, which came out this past Friday, looks cute. Sort of a Romeo/Juliet, star crossed lovers vibe with zombies. Finally a flick where someone has something nice to say about the undead!

The New York Police Department is experimenting with scanners that measure terahertz waves released by our bodies to search for a concealed weapon without the need of a pat down first. The new procedure will now be called: Scan, Stop & Search.


While the White House assures us that the 2014 withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is still the game plan, The Pentagon, the place where all the real war decisions are made, wants to maintain a strategic partnership with the region. You know–for training and advisory purposes. Clearly, these men have no idea of the concept of  “pulling out”. Boys, even if you’re partially in it…you still up in it!

The NAACP is fighting back on NYC Mayor Bloomberg’s attempt to limit the size of sodas sold by stores in the city. The prestigious organization says its unfair targeting towards smaller mom & pop shops who sell the stuff by the drum to neighborhood kids while big food chains like Burger King and 7/11 will still be allowed to sell colossal-sized drinks to customers. Still Bloomberg wants to know:

“…how they can look themselves in a mirror knowing they are hurting, deliberately, the life expectancy and the quality of life for the people that they’re supposed to serve.”

Scratching my head on that one too. I think a better fight would be to get gym back in the schools. Remember P.E.?  That class used to be a requirement to get promoted to the next grade. Give our fat-ass kids a ball, a nice shiny wooden floor and an hour to run around in each school day. Obesity problem, solved!

In the meantime, influenced by First Lady Michelle Obama’s campaign against child obesity, mom Rose Cameron, CEO of  WAT-AAH! is aiming to make water “cool” and contemporary to kids by using pure, unadulterated bottled water in a funky-fresh package. Way to think out the box momma!

 

Categories
NFL sandy hook Sports superbowl

Sandy Hook Children Choir A Big Hit At Superbowl – Video

The children from the Sandy Hook Choir performed America The Beautiful last night in front of what could easily be their biggest audience yet… the Superbowl. Joined by Jennifer Hudson, the group of kids who, just a few months ago suffered an unimaginable horror as a gunmen walked into their school and murdered their friends and teachers, danced with smiles on their faces as the rest of the world watched.

Of course, there’s no silencing to the critics on the right who say that the children are being used by Washington politicians to bring gun control laws, but where ever you stand on the gun debate presently occupying the airwaves, you must admit that seeing these particular children perform this particular song at this venue, was something special to behold.

In case you missed it, here are the children from the Sandy Hook Choir.

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