As expected, most of the sprinters dropped out of sight, and the real contenders began to come forward in the 7th stage of the Tour de France. This stage was a 52 kilometer [32.5 mile] time trial over flat terrain, with the riders starting two minutes apart and racing against the clock. Serhiy Honchar [Ukraine] had a great ride today, finishing over a minute ahead of the other riders. His ride was good enough to get him the Yellow Jersey. Floyd Landis [USA] finished second even though his bike broke down on the course,and he lost 15-20 seconds while changing bikes. Also riding well and finishing third was Sebastian Lang [Germany].
American Bobby Julich crashed on the course. He was injured and is now out of this year's Tour. Here are the current overall standings after 7 stages:
1. Honchar [Ukraine]
2. Landis [USA]..........1:00
3. Rogers [Australia]..........1:08
4. Sinkewitz [Germany]..........1:45
5. Fothen [Germany]..........1:50
6. Kloden [Germany]..........1:50
7. Karpets [Russia]..........1:52
8. Evans [Australia]..........1:52
9. Menchov [Russia]..........2:00
10. Zabriskie [USA]..........2:03
11. Kessler [Germany]..........2:03
13. Savoldelli [Italy-Discovery]..........2:10
17. Hincapie [USA-Discovery]..........2:30
21. Boonen [Belgium]..........3:15
22. Vandevelde [USA]..........3:25
23. Popovych [Ukraine-Discovery]..........3:27
24. Rubiera [Spain-Discovery]..........3:34
33. Azevedo [Portugal-Discovery]..........4:09
36. Martinez [Spain-Discovery]..........4:33
37. Padrnos [Czech-Discovery]..........4:42
57. McEwen [Australia]..........6:02
62. Leipheimer [USA]..........6:17
74. Freire [Spain]..........6:58
80. Ekimov [Russia-Discovery]..........7:18
82. Hushovd [Norway]..........7:21
84. Gonzalez [Spain-Discovery]..........7:24
126. Horner [USA]..........12:19
Jobby Julich [USA]..........out of race
Freddie Rodriguez [USA]..........out of race
Discovery team did not have a great day, and dropped in the team standings:
1. T-mobile
2. Phonak..........3:09
3. Gerolsteiner..........3:56
4. CSC..........4:18
5. Discovery..........4:29
6. Francaise Des Jeux..........5:36
Tomorrow we return to racing a long flat stage. It is a 181 kilometer [about 112 mile] leg starting in Saint-Meen-le-Grand and ending in Lorient. This will probably be another race for the sprinters. I doubt if the overall standings will change much until the race gets to the mountains in a few days.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Friday, July 07, 2006
Miscellaneous Thoughts On A Summer Day
Sometimes I am amazed at the myriad ways humans have come up with to hurt and mutilate their fellow humans. I thought I had seen it all, but evidently I have not. In Africa, female children are having their breasts "ironed" in an attempt to keep them unattractive, so they won't be raped or harrassed. I'm at a loss for words on this one.
North Korea may have really screwed up by firing off several missles a couple of days ago. Of course the screw-up doesn't involve us. The North Koreans got exactly the reaction from us that they were hoping for. The reaction from Japan, South Korea, and Europe was also as expected. No, the country they may have screwed-up with is China. North Korea depends a great deal on China. They could not even feed their people if not for China. But China did not want them to fire off the missles, and had explicitly asked them not to do it. China has shown little reaction yet, but they are not known for their patience and understanding. North Korea had better be careful. China is not a friend they can afford to lose.
Many times we hear of corporate wars, where corporations spy on each other and try to steal from each other. This week, the opposite of that happened. Some criminals stole some secrets from the Coca-Cola corporation, and tried to sell those secrets to Pepsi. Instead of purchasing the secrets, Pepsi called the police. The criminals were apprehended and the secrets were returned to Coca-Cola. Kudos to the people at Pepsi for acting as good citizens.
Sometime this year, probably about October, the United States population will reach the 300 million mark. We're currently adding about 2.8 million people a year. We are the fastest growing industrialized country [Europe and Japan have negative population growth]. How many people is too many?
North Korea may have really screwed up by firing off several missles a couple of days ago. Of course the screw-up doesn't involve us. The North Koreans got exactly the reaction from us that they were hoping for. The reaction from Japan, South Korea, and Europe was also as expected. No, the country they may have screwed-up with is China. North Korea depends a great deal on China. They could not even feed their people if not for China. But China did not want them to fire off the missles, and had explicitly asked them not to do it. China has shown little reaction yet, but they are not known for their patience and understanding. North Korea had better be careful. China is not a friend they can afford to lose.
Many times we hear of corporate wars, where corporations spy on each other and try to steal from each other. This week, the opposite of that happened. Some criminals stole some secrets from the Coca-Cola corporation, and tried to sell those secrets to Pepsi. Instead of purchasing the secrets, Pepsi called the police. The criminals were apprehended and the secrets were returned to Coca-Cola. Kudos to the people at Pepsi for acting as good citizens.
Sometime this year, probably about October, the United States population will reach the 300 million mark. We're currently adding about 2.8 million people a year. We are the fastest growing industrialized country [Europe and Japan have negative population growth]. How many people is too many?
Sprinters Claim 6th Stage Of The Tour
Once again, the Peloton was able to reel in all breakaway attempts, and set up the sprinters for a dash to the finish. Robbie McEwen [Australia] took advantage of this to win his third stage in this year's Tour de France. Daniele Bennati [Italy] finished second in the stage and Tom Boonen [Belgium] finished third. This puts McEwen in excellent position to win the sprinter's Green Jersey.
I haven't been discussing the race for the Green Jersey because I consider it to just be a minor part of the Tour. These sprinters have almost no chance of winning the Tour overall. They usually fold like a cheap lawnchair when the race reaches the mountain stages. Sprinters like to hide in the safety of the Peloton until a couple of hundred yards from the finish line, and then race hard to try and snatch a win. They are very fast, but only for short distances. It takes power, grit, and an uncanny ability to withstand pain, to win the overall title. The mountains will deal harshly with lesser riders. Here are the current overall standings:
1. Boonen [Belgium]
2. McEwen [Australia]..........12 seconds behind
3. Rogers [Australia]..........21 seconds behind
4. Freire [Spain]..........25 seconds behind
5. Hincapie [USA-Discovery]..........25 seconds behind
6. Hushovd [Norway]..........27 seconds behind
7. Savoldelli [Italy-Discovery]..........35 seconds behind
8. Landis [USA]..........36 seconds behind
9. Karpets [Russia]..........37 seconds behind
10. Honchar [Ukraine]..........37 seconds behind
11. Kessler [Germany]..........37 seconds behind
17. Zabriskie [USA]..........43 seconds behind
21. Julich [USA]..........45 seconds behind
23. Popovych [Ukraine-Discovery]..........47 seconds behind
24. Vandevelde [USA]..........48 seconds behind
25. Leipheimer [USA]..........48 seconds behind
27. Azevedo [Portugal-Discovery]..........51 seconds behind
46. Rubiera [Spain-Discovery]..........1 minute & 5 seconds behind
55. Gonzalez [Spain-Discovery]..........1 minute & 9 seconds behind
66. Padrnos [Czech-Discovery]..........1 minute & 17 seconds behind
89. Martinez [Spain-Discovery]..........1 minute & 57 seconds behind
The team standings have not changed since yesterday. Discovery team is still leading by a single second. They just keep hanging on.
Finally, the race changes. Instead of the long flat road races, tomorrow will feature a 52 Kilometer [32.5 mile] time trial. There will be no Peloton to help. This is just the rider on the course by himself racing against the clock. I expect many sprinters will fall in the standings, and we'll begin to see who the real competitors are for the overall title.
I haven't been discussing the race for the Green Jersey because I consider it to just be a minor part of the Tour. These sprinters have almost no chance of winning the Tour overall. They usually fold like a cheap lawnchair when the race reaches the mountain stages. Sprinters like to hide in the safety of the Peloton until a couple of hundred yards from the finish line, and then race hard to try and snatch a win. They are very fast, but only for short distances. It takes power, grit, and an uncanny ability to withstand pain, to win the overall title. The mountains will deal harshly with lesser riders. Here are the current overall standings:
1. Boonen [Belgium]
2. McEwen [Australia]..........12 seconds behind
3. Rogers [Australia]..........21 seconds behind
4. Freire [Spain]..........25 seconds behind
5. Hincapie [USA-Discovery]..........25 seconds behind
6. Hushovd [Norway]..........27 seconds behind
7. Savoldelli [Italy-Discovery]..........35 seconds behind
8. Landis [USA]..........36 seconds behind
9. Karpets [Russia]..........37 seconds behind
10. Honchar [Ukraine]..........37 seconds behind
11. Kessler [Germany]..........37 seconds behind
17. Zabriskie [USA]..........43 seconds behind
21. Julich [USA]..........45 seconds behind
23. Popovych [Ukraine-Discovery]..........47 seconds behind
24. Vandevelde [USA]..........48 seconds behind
25. Leipheimer [USA]..........48 seconds behind
27. Azevedo [Portugal-Discovery]..........51 seconds behind
46. Rubiera [Spain-Discovery]..........1 minute & 5 seconds behind
55. Gonzalez [Spain-Discovery]..........1 minute & 9 seconds behind
66. Padrnos [Czech-Discovery]..........1 minute & 17 seconds behind
89. Martinez [Spain-Discovery]..........1 minute & 57 seconds behind
The team standings have not changed since yesterday. Discovery team is still leading by a single second. They just keep hanging on.
Finally, the race changes. Instead of the long flat road races, tomorrow will feature a 52 Kilometer [32.5 mile] time trial. There will be no Peloton to help. This is just the rider on the course by himself racing against the clock. I expect many sprinters will fall in the standings, and we'll begin to see who the real competitors are for the overall title.
David Kunkle - Dallas Miracle Worker
Anyone who lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area knows what a mess the Dallas Police Department has been in the past. Dallas went through several police chiefs, but someone in the community was always unhappy with how things were going. If the north Dallas crowd was happy, then south Dallas was not, and vice versa. Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics were divided and it looked like they would never be able to agree on police matters. I came to believe that no one could please all of the political groups in Dallas as a police chief. It was just a mess that could not be fixed. Well, I was wrong!
In June 2004, the city of Dallas hired David Kunkle to be their new police chief. Kunkle was not new to the department. He had been a captain in the Dallas Police Department before leaving for jobs in Grand Prairie and then Arlington, so he knew what kind of mess he was stepping into.
Kunkle hit the ground running. He let it be known that inefficiency, unprofessionalism, and criminal conduct would not be tolerated in the Dallas Police Department. He has terminated 30 officers in his first two years, and reassigned or demoted many in the department's leadership. For some police chiefs, this would just result in unhappy and mutinous officers, but not Kunkle. He has the support of the officers and the unions. In fact, I believe morale in the department is higher than it's been in years. The officers view him as a policeman, and not as a politician [in fact, shortly after taking the job as chief, he helped to apprehend a car thief].
How did the community react to Kunkle? They love him! Kunkle is a quiet-talking and self-deprecating person, and a great listener. If you are talking with him, you have his full attention. These skills, and the fact that he's just a really nice person, have combined to make him accepted and appreciated throughout the city. For the first time I can remember, Dallas has united behind a police chief.
This does not mean that Dallas no longer has crime problems, but crime is dropping in Dallas, even violent crime. Kunkle definitely has the department moving in the right direction. When asked how he has been so successful, the chief says, "It's been more luck than anything."
I don't believe it's luck. I believe Dallas just hired a capable professional with great people skills and the drive to make his department the best. If the city council has any sense [and that is sometimes in doubt], they will keep this "miracle-worker" around for a long time.
NOTE - Dallas Mayor Laura Miller has just announced that she will not seek re-election in May. The mayor said she had accomplished most of what she wanted to do, and now she wants to spend more time with her children. This is probably for the best. Recently, she has been a very devisive and polarizing force in the Dallas community.
In June 2004, the city of Dallas hired David Kunkle to be their new police chief. Kunkle was not new to the department. He had been a captain in the Dallas Police Department before leaving for jobs in Grand Prairie and then Arlington, so he knew what kind of mess he was stepping into.
Kunkle hit the ground running. He let it be known that inefficiency, unprofessionalism, and criminal conduct would not be tolerated in the Dallas Police Department. He has terminated 30 officers in his first two years, and reassigned or demoted many in the department's leadership. For some police chiefs, this would just result in unhappy and mutinous officers, but not Kunkle. He has the support of the officers and the unions. In fact, I believe morale in the department is higher than it's been in years. The officers view him as a policeman, and not as a politician [in fact, shortly after taking the job as chief, he helped to apprehend a car thief].
How did the community react to Kunkle? They love him! Kunkle is a quiet-talking and self-deprecating person, and a great listener. If you are talking with him, you have his full attention. These skills, and the fact that he's just a really nice person, have combined to make him accepted and appreciated throughout the city. For the first time I can remember, Dallas has united behind a police chief.
This does not mean that Dallas no longer has crime problems, but crime is dropping in Dallas, even violent crime. Kunkle definitely has the department moving in the right direction. When asked how he has been so successful, the chief says, "It's been more luck than anything."
I don't believe it's luck. I believe Dallas just hired a capable professional with great people skills and the drive to make his department the best. If the city council has any sense [and that is sometimes in doubt], they will keep this "miracle-worker" around for a long time.
NOTE - Dallas Mayor Laura Miller has just announced that she will not seek re-election in May. The mayor said she had accomplished most of what she wanted to do, and now she wants to spend more time with her children. This is probably for the best. Recently, she has been a very devisive and polarizing force in the Dallas community.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
I Object!
D Magazine ranked Euless 45th out of 62 on their list of top suberbs in the metroplex. Southlake was picked as the best, followed by (in order) Parker, Highland Village, University Park, Highland Park, and Colleyville. The rankings were based on schools, home values, safety, and ambience.
I must admit that I was more than a bit surprised by our low ranking. I moved here a little more than 10 years ago and fell in love with Euless almost immediately. Therefore, I feel the need to defend this great little city.
As far as home values go, we will never be able to compete with cities like Highland Park. One of their cheaper homes is probably worth more than several of our most expensive homes. We are a city made up primarily of the middle-class and working-poor. A good portion of our residents (including myself) are apartment dwellers. So I can see how home values could keep us from a high ranking.
Our schools should, in my opinion, give us a much higher ranking. I know we're not at the top of the list on statewide exam scores, but we're not anywhere near the bottom either. I think our multi-culturalism should rank us among the best. Many nationalities, races, and religions are represented in our schools, creating fairly tolerant students. Such a diverse setting can in itself create a rich learning environment, if the schools wish it to be, as ours here in Euless do. Anyone who is willing can learn a lot about the world outside the USA by simply starting a conversation with their fellow students.
On the subject of safety, I'm sure there is room for improvement. I certainly don't feel unsafe in Euless, but one look at the Sunday paper shows that we have our fair share of crime. However, there are cities in the metroplex that are far worse off than ourselves in that area. I can't imagine that it was crime that gave us our low score.
Ambience? OK, I'll give in on that one. We could definitely improve there. It's the kind of thing that's really a matter of opinion though, so no matter how much we do work on it, we could still come out the losers.
Maybe we really did earn our spot at 45th on the list. I just hope it won't put a bad taste in the mouths of those who are considering making Euless their hometown. We're a cozy little city with many different races and religions. We've put a lot of money into infrastructure improvements lately, and it shows. We're beautifully located (right between Ft Worth and Dallas) and we at least attempt to be environmentally friendly.
I count myself lucky to be a Euless resident and wouldn't even consider moving to one of the 44 cities ranked above us. Of course, I'm extremely biased when it comes to my beloved hometown.
I must admit that I was more than a bit surprised by our low ranking. I moved here a little more than 10 years ago and fell in love with Euless almost immediately. Therefore, I feel the need to defend this great little city.
As far as home values go, we will never be able to compete with cities like Highland Park. One of their cheaper homes is probably worth more than several of our most expensive homes. We are a city made up primarily of the middle-class and working-poor. A good portion of our residents (including myself) are apartment dwellers. So I can see how home values could keep us from a high ranking.
Our schools should, in my opinion, give us a much higher ranking. I know we're not at the top of the list on statewide exam scores, but we're not anywhere near the bottom either. I think our multi-culturalism should rank us among the best. Many nationalities, races, and religions are represented in our schools, creating fairly tolerant students. Such a diverse setting can in itself create a rich learning environment, if the schools wish it to be, as ours here in Euless do. Anyone who is willing can learn a lot about the world outside the USA by simply starting a conversation with their fellow students.
On the subject of safety, I'm sure there is room for improvement. I certainly don't feel unsafe in Euless, but one look at the Sunday paper shows that we have our fair share of crime. However, there are cities in the metroplex that are far worse off than ourselves in that area. I can't imagine that it was crime that gave us our low score.
Ambience? OK, I'll give in on that one. We could definitely improve there. It's the kind of thing that's really a matter of opinion though, so no matter how much we do work on it, we could still come out the losers.
Maybe we really did earn our spot at 45th on the list. I just hope it won't put a bad taste in the mouths of those who are considering making Euless their hometown. We're a cozy little city with many different races and religions. We've put a lot of money into infrastructure improvements lately, and it shows. We're beautifully located (right between Ft Worth and Dallas) and we at least attempt to be environmentally friendly.
I count myself lucky to be a Euless resident and wouldn't even consider moving to one of the 44 cities ranked above us. Of course, I'm extremely biased when it comes to my beloved hometown.
Tour's 5th Stage Goes To The Sprinters
The fifth stage of the Tour de France turned out to be a sprinter's delight. Several riders broke away from the group and got over 10 minutes ahead, before the Peleton swallowed them up and set up the sprinters for the finish. In the finishing sprint, Oscar Freire [Spain] got the stage win. Tom Boonen [Belgium] finished second, and Inaki Isasi [Spain] finished third. The individual standings after the 5th stage are:
1. Boonen [Belgium]
2. Rogers [Australia]..........13 seconds behind
3. Freire [Spain]..........17 seconds behind
4. Hincapie [USA-Discovery]..........17 seconds behind
5. Hushovd [Norway]..........19 seconds behind
6. McEwen [Australia]..........24 seconds behind
7. Savoldelli [Italy-Discovery]..........27 seconds behind
8. Landis [USA]..........28 seconds behind
9. Karpets [Russia]..........29 seconds behind
10. Honchar [Ukraine]..........29 seconds behind
11. Kessler [Germany]..........29 seconds behind
16. Zabriskie [USA]..........35 seconds behind
20. Julich [USA]..........37 seconds behind
22. Popovych [Ukraine-Discovery]..........39 seconds behind
23. Vandevelde [USA]..........40 seconds behind
25. Leipheimer [USA]..........40 seconds behind
27. Azevedo [Portugal-Discovery]..........43 seconds behind
46. Rubiera [Spain-Discovery]..........57 seconds behind
55. Gonzalez [Spain-Discovery]..........61 seconds behind
66. Padrnos [Czech-Discovery]..........69 seconds behind
88. Martinez [Spain-Discovery]..........99 seconds behind
America's Discovery team is still leading in the team standings:
1. Discovery
2. CSC..........1 second behind
3. T-mobile..........2 seconds behind
4. Balears..........7 seconds behind
5. Gerolsteiner..........14 seconds behind
Stage 6 is a 189 kilometer ride from Lisieux to Vitre. It has one catagory three climb and three catagory five climbs. This translates into a fairly flat 118 mile ride.
1. Boonen [Belgium]
2. Rogers [Australia]..........13 seconds behind
3. Freire [Spain]..........17 seconds behind
4. Hincapie [USA-Discovery]..........17 seconds behind
5. Hushovd [Norway]..........19 seconds behind
6. McEwen [Australia]..........24 seconds behind
7. Savoldelli [Italy-Discovery]..........27 seconds behind
8. Landis [USA]..........28 seconds behind
9. Karpets [Russia]..........29 seconds behind
10. Honchar [Ukraine]..........29 seconds behind
11. Kessler [Germany]..........29 seconds behind
16. Zabriskie [USA]..........35 seconds behind
20. Julich [USA]..........37 seconds behind
22. Popovych [Ukraine-Discovery]..........39 seconds behind
23. Vandevelde [USA]..........40 seconds behind
25. Leipheimer [USA]..........40 seconds behind
27. Azevedo [Portugal-Discovery]..........43 seconds behind
46. Rubiera [Spain-Discovery]..........57 seconds behind
55. Gonzalez [Spain-Discovery]..........61 seconds behind
66. Padrnos [Czech-Discovery]..........69 seconds behind
88. Martinez [Spain-Discovery]..........99 seconds behind
America's Discovery team is still leading in the team standings:
1. Discovery
2. CSC..........1 second behind
3. T-mobile..........2 seconds behind
4. Balears..........7 seconds behind
5. Gerolsteiner..........14 seconds behind
Stage 6 is a 189 kilometer ride from Lisieux to Vitre. It has one catagory three climb and three catagory five climbs. This translates into a fairly flat 118 mile ride.
By Way of Introduction
Ted has graciously invited me to be the resident geek at jobsanger. Bio: I'm a web developer with two kids in the Dallas area. My political strips skew libertarian/green, and if that doesn't make sense to you check out Green Liberty That'll do for now.
Why Everyone Should Care about Techy Issues.
Technology, and especially our darling the Internet, represents a meta-problem in politics. The problem of empowerment obviously encompasses the problem of access, and the problem of access is increasingly just a problem of media. The channels by which information is distributed have the power to frame debate in the only forum where it can have impact: the public consciousness. My optimistic half rejoices that it is still possible to go out to the polls and vote for/against a candidate in droves, and that these actions in the aggregate really effect our society.
My pessimistic half laments the fact that so much public discourse is simply worthless with respect to the solving of problems in society. My conspiracy-theorist half blames this almost exclusively on the marriage of corporate (especially corporate media) powers with governmental power.
I watch the local news, when I feel like my stomach can take it. Something in me is screaming the whole time "WHY are you covering this?!" The 2-3 most violent crimes and the 2-3 most violent traffic accidents comprise half of the local news. The rest is usually given over to weather and sports. Meanwhile, every day someone is selflessly putting together an organization or project to make our city, state, nation better -- and starving for attention because they know if enough people were aware of their purposes they'd enjoy enormous support.
My conspiracy-theorist half realizes that it is simply not in the interests of the broadcasters, or the elected representatives who have given them their oligopoly, to empower people to make changes. Far better to have groups of people fight with other groups of people over phony issues (Cf. Marriage Protection Amendment or whatever they call it) while the Straussians (of all political orientations) pull the actual levers of power.
Okay, that was pretty heady; next post will be more nuts-and-bolts
Why Everyone Should Care about Techy Issues.
Technology, and especially our darling the Internet, represents a meta-problem in politics. The problem of empowerment obviously encompasses the problem of access, and the problem of access is increasingly just a problem of media. The channels by which information is distributed have the power to frame debate in the only forum where it can have impact: the public consciousness. My optimistic half rejoices that it is still possible to go out to the polls and vote for/against a candidate in droves, and that these actions in the aggregate really effect our society.
My pessimistic half laments the fact that so much public discourse is simply worthless with respect to the solving of problems in society. My conspiracy-theorist half blames this almost exclusively on the marriage of corporate (especially corporate media) powers with governmental power.
I watch the local news, when I feel like my stomach can take it. Something in me is screaming the whole time "WHY are you covering this?!" The 2-3 most violent crimes and the 2-3 most violent traffic accidents comprise half of the local news. The rest is usually given over to weather and sports. Meanwhile, every day someone is selflessly putting together an organization or project to make our city, state, nation better -- and starving for attention because they know if enough people were aware of their purposes they'd enjoy enormous support.
My conspiracy-theorist half realizes that it is simply not in the interests of the broadcasters, or the elected representatives who have given them their oligopoly, to empower people to make changes. Far better to have groups of people fight with other groups of people over phony issues (Cf. Marriage Protection Amendment or whatever they call it) while the Straussians (of all political orientations) pull the actual levers of power.
Okay, that was pretty heady; next post will be more nuts-and-bolts
Kinky Disputes 'Ballot Name'
Austin attorney, Blake Rocap, has sent a letter to the Texas Secretary of State regarding the way Kinky Friedman will be listed on the November ballot. This letter is in response to a letter received last month from the Secretary of State, telling Kinky that he would be listed on the ballot as Richard "Kinky" Friedman. Attorney Rocap has asked that Kinky be listed on the ballot simply as Kinky Friedman.
The crux of the matter is competing interpretations of current Texas election law. Secretary of State Roger Williams says a nickname must be used in conjunction with a real name. Kinky's attorney believes this is wrong. He says that according to the election code, a nickname "may be used in combination with a candidate's name", but the nickname doesn't have to be used with a first name. A spokesman for the Secretary of State, Scott Haywood, says the matter is still under review.
Rocap said Kinky has been known only by his nickname since the early 1960's. This is true. I have been familiar with Kinky, his music, and his books for over 30 years, but until he started to run for governor I had no idea what his first name was. To me, and his other fans, he is simply Kinky. It makes no sense to make him use a name that no one would recognize him by.
Carole Strayhorn is also appealing the way she will be listed on the ballot. She had wanted to use the term "grandma" in addition to her name. The Secretary of State denied this request, saying it was more of a slogan than a nickname.
I hope the Secretary of State makes a final decision soon, so we can move on to weightier matters. Let these candidates be listed as they want to be listed. Their requests are not outrageous and not out-of-line.
The crux of the matter is competing interpretations of current Texas election law. Secretary of State Roger Williams says a nickname must be used in conjunction with a real name. Kinky's attorney believes this is wrong. He says that according to the election code, a nickname "may be used in combination with a candidate's name", but the nickname doesn't have to be used with a first name. A spokesman for the Secretary of State, Scott Haywood, says the matter is still under review.
Rocap said Kinky has been known only by his nickname since the early 1960's. This is true. I have been familiar with Kinky, his music, and his books for over 30 years, but until he started to run for governor I had no idea what his first name was. To me, and his other fans, he is simply Kinky. It makes no sense to make him use a name that no one would recognize him by.
Carole Strayhorn is also appealing the way she will be listed on the ballot. She had wanted to use the term "grandma" in addition to her name. The Secretary of State denied this request, saying it was more of a slogan than a nickname.
I hope the Secretary of State makes a final decision soon, so we can move on to weightier matters. Let these candidates be listed as they want to be listed. Their requests are not outrageous and not out-of-line.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Lay Dies On Vacation In Aspen
Convicted criminal, Ken Lay, died last night of a massive coronary at his vacation home in Aspen, Colorado. He was 64 years old, and was awaiting sentencing since being convicted of fraud and conspiracy in the Enron scandal.
I must admit that part of that opening sentence really pisses me off. Not the part about his coronary and death. Few people can control the manner and time of their death. No, the part that upsets me is the fact that he was "at his vacation home in Aspen, Colorado". He was not only not in jail, he was on an out-of-state vacation.
Once again the justice system shows us how differently it treats the rich. This man had been convicted of multiple crimes and could possibly have spent many, many years in prison. A person without Lay's resources would have been jailed immediately after the verdict. Even in the extremely unlikely possibility of a release bond until the sentencing, the person would not be allowed to leave the state.
This is what worries me about the death penalty. I believe a country has the right to defend itself from vicious sociopaths [and many can be dangerous to others even in prison]. But it must be done fairly. As long as the rich are treated more fairly than the poor, our justice system cannot be trusted to mete out the ultimate punishment.
Ken Lay never spent a day in jail, and that is just wrong. He ruined the lives of thousands of people with his thievery. At least part of his life should have been spent behind bars. Like our justice system, life is not fair.
UPDATE - MSNBC is now reporting that Lay's convictions will be vacated since he died before sentencing. Federal law is going to let Lay go to his grave with no convictions. This will make it much harder for the government to get to his money to reimburse victims of his crimes. This is just so wrong.
NOTE - Palm Beach County officials have announced that they will NOT be filing charges against Rush Limbaugh for his Viagra incident. Of course it had nothing to do with his money and fame, did it?
I must admit that part of that opening sentence really pisses me off. Not the part about his coronary and death. Few people can control the manner and time of their death. No, the part that upsets me is the fact that he was "at his vacation home in Aspen, Colorado". He was not only not in jail, he was on an out-of-state vacation.
Once again the justice system shows us how differently it treats the rich. This man had been convicted of multiple crimes and could possibly have spent many, many years in prison. A person without Lay's resources would have been jailed immediately after the verdict. Even in the extremely unlikely possibility of a release bond until the sentencing, the person would not be allowed to leave the state.
This is what worries me about the death penalty. I believe a country has the right to defend itself from vicious sociopaths [and many can be dangerous to others even in prison]. But it must be done fairly. As long as the rich are treated more fairly than the poor, our justice system cannot be trusted to mete out the ultimate punishment.
Ken Lay never spent a day in jail, and that is just wrong. He ruined the lives of thousands of people with his thievery. At least part of his life should have been spent behind bars. Like our justice system, life is not fair.
UPDATE - MSNBC is now reporting that Lay's convictions will be vacated since he died before sentencing. Federal law is going to let Lay go to his grave with no convictions. This will make it much harder for the government to get to his money to reimburse victims of his crimes. This is just so wrong.
NOTE - Palm Beach County officials have announced that they will NOT be filing charges against Rush Limbaugh for his Viagra incident. Of course it had nothing to do with his money and fame, did it?
Discovery In Lead After Tour's 4th Stage
When Lance Armstrong was racing, the Discovery team never tried to win a team championship at the Tour de France. That was not their job. The team sacrificed themselves to keep Lance in the Yellow Jersey. But Lance is gone now, and Discovery seems to be racing very well as a team. At the end of the fourth stage, Discovery was in first place in the team standings. These are the top 10 teams in the standings right now:
1. Discovery
2. CSC..........1 second behind
3. T-mobil..........2 seconds behind
4. Balears..........7 seconds behind
5. Gerolsteiner..........18 seconds behind
6. Phonak..........26 seconds behind
7. Lamprey-Fondital..........37 seconds behind
8. Saunier..........42 seconds behind
9. Rabobank..........42 seconds behind
10. Credit Agricole..........43 seconds behind
Today's stage did turn out to be for the sprinters. Robbie McEwen, a sprinter from Australia, won the stage. The overall standings changed very little:
1. Boonen [Belgium]
2. Rogers [Australia]..........1 second behind
3. Hincapie [USA-Discovery]..........5 seconds behind
4. Hushovd [Norway]..........7 seconds behind
5. Martinez [Spain-Discovery]..........10 seconds behind
6. McEwen [Australia]..........12 seconds behind
7. Savoldelli [Italy-Discovery]..........15 seconds behind
8. Bennati [Italy]..........15 seconds behind
9. Landis [USA]..........16 seconds behind
10. Karpets [Russia]..........17 seconds behind
17. Zabriskie [USA]..........23 seconds behind
24. Popovych [Ukraine-Discovery]..........27 seconds behind
25. Vandevelde [USA]..........28 seconds behind
27. Leipheimer [USA]..........28 seconds behind
30. Azevedo [Portugal-Discovery]..........31 seconds behind
50. Rubiera [Spain-Discovery]..........45 seconds behind
59. Gonzalez [Spain-Discovery]..........49 seconds behind
72. Padrnos [Czech-Discovery]..........57 seconds behind
Tomorrow's stage is a 225 kilometer ride from Beauvais to Caen. It has four catagory 4 climbs and three catagory 5 climbs [as the number gets larger, the climb gets easier]. This translates into a fairly easy 140 mile ride. Most of the sprinters should be there at the finish, and the overall standings probably won't change much.
1. Discovery
2. CSC..........1 second behind
3. T-mobil..........2 seconds behind
4. Balears..........7 seconds behind
5. Gerolsteiner..........18 seconds behind
6. Phonak..........26 seconds behind
7. Lamprey-Fondital..........37 seconds behind
8. Saunier..........42 seconds behind
9. Rabobank..........42 seconds behind
10. Credit Agricole..........43 seconds behind
Today's stage did turn out to be for the sprinters. Robbie McEwen, a sprinter from Australia, won the stage. The overall standings changed very little:
1. Boonen [Belgium]
2. Rogers [Australia]..........1 second behind
3. Hincapie [USA-Discovery]..........5 seconds behind
4. Hushovd [Norway]..........7 seconds behind
5. Martinez [Spain-Discovery]..........10 seconds behind
6. McEwen [Australia]..........12 seconds behind
7. Savoldelli [Italy-Discovery]..........15 seconds behind
8. Bennati [Italy]..........15 seconds behind
9. Landis [USA]..........16 seconds behind
10. Karpets [Russia]..........17 seconds behind
17. Zabriskie [USA]..........23 seconds behind
24. Popovych [Ukraine-Discovery]..........27 seconds behind
25. Vandevelde [USA]..........28 seconds behind
27. Leipheimer [USA]..........28 seconds behind
30. Azevedo [Portugal-Discovery]..........31 seconds behind
50. Rubiera [Spain-Discovery]..........45 seconds behind
59. Gonzalez [Spain-Discovery]..........49 seconds behind
72. Padrnos [Czech-Discovery]..........57 seconds behind
Tomorrow's stage is a 225 kilometer ride from Beauvais to Caen. It has four catagory 4 climbs and three catagory 5 climbs [as the number gets larger, the climb gets easier]. This translates into a fairly easy 140 mile ride. Most of the sprinters should be there at the finish, and the overall standings probably won't change much.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
The Tories Are Still With Us
When we think of 1776 today, our heroes are those rebels who stepped up to create and defend a new nation. On our nation's birthday, it is only proper that we celebrate the memory of these brave Patriots. Because of the courage, endurance, and foresight of these first Patriots, we live in a free country today.
But the Patriots and the British weren't the only people in America at the time. There was another group of people that we would rather not think about - the Tories. These people remained loyal to King George when he curtailed the rights of Americans. These people remained loyal to King George when he imposed unfair taxes. These people even remained loyal to King George after he began to kill their fellow Americans. Most modern Americans view them with shame and disgust, if they remember them at all.
And yet, the Tories are still with us. They have a new "King" George to worship, but they are involved in the same old beliefs. It does not matter that Georgie taxes his people unfairly by favoring the rich, they will follow him blindly. It does not matter that Georgie curtails the rights of Americans [sometimes illegally], they will follow him blindly. It does not matter that Georgie has blundered into the middle of a civil war that has killed over 2500 Americans, they will follow him blindly.
America has come a long way, not only because of those first rebels, but also because of those rebels that came later. But the progress has always been difficult, because there have always been Tories who fear progress and wish to reinstate the past. We must fight these people by electing candidates who believe in a future America with true equal rights. If we all stick together, maybe we can get rid of this Tory crap.
But the Patriots and the British weren't the only people in America at the time. There was another group of people that we would rather not think about - the Tories. These people remained loyal to King George when he curtailed the rights of Americans. These people remained loyal to King George when he imposed unfair taxes. These people even remained loyal to King George after he began to kill their fellow Americans. Most modern Americans view them with shame and disgust, if they remember them at all.
And yet, the Tories are still with us. They have a new "King" George to worship, but they are involved in the same old beliefs. It does not matter that Georgie taxes his people unfairly by favoring the rich, they will follow him blindly. It does not matter that Georgie curtails the rights of Americans [sometimes illegally], they will follow him blindly. It does not matter that Georgie has blundered into the middle of a civil war that has killed over 2500 Americans, they will follow him blindly.
America has come a long way, not only because of those first rebels, but also because of those rebels that came later. But the progress has always been difficult, because there have always been Tories who fear progress and wish to reinstate the past. We must fight these people by electing candidates who believe in a future America with true equal rights. If we all stick together, maybe we can get rid of this Tory crap.
Americans Doing Well After 3 Stages Of Tour
The combination of a few catagory 3 & 4 climbs and a couple of crashes, served to string out the field today in the Tour de France, and the Yellow Jersey changed hands for the third time. Yesterday, the Peleton swallowed up German rider Mattias Kessler only 50 yards from the finish line. Today, Kessler took off a couple of kilometers from the finish line and was able to hold on for the win.
In the overall standings, Tom Boonen, a Belgian rider, is now wearing the coveted Yellow Jersey. This is probably fitting since the tour goes through Belgium tomorrow. America's Discovery Team is also still doing very well. It has two riders in the top five of the overall standings. Here are the top 10 riders in the overall standings after stage 3, along with the standings of some others:
1. Tom Boonen [Belgium]
2. Michael Rogers [Australia]..........1 second behind
3. George Hincapie [USA-Discovery]..........5 seconds behind
4. Thor Hushovd [Norway]..........7 seconds behind
5. Paolo Savoldelli [Italy-Discovery]..........15 seconds behind
6. Daniele Bennati [Italy]..........15 seconds behind
7. Floyd Landis [USA]..........16 seconds behind
8. Vladimir Karpets [Russia]..........17 seconds behind
9. Serhiy Honchar [Ukraine]..........17 seconds behind
10. Matthias Kessler [Germany]..........17 seconds behind
15. David Zabriskie [USA]..........23 seconds behind
19. Bobby Julich [USA]..........25 seconds behind
21. Yaroslav Popovych [Ukraine-Discovery]..........27 seconds behind
22. Egoi Martinez [Spain-Discovery]..........28 seconds behind
23. Christian Vandevelde [USA]..........28 seconds behind
24. Levi Leipheimer [USA]..........28 seconds behind
27. Jose Azevedo [Portugal-Discovery]..........31 seconds behind
Alejandro Valverde [Spain] and Freddie Rodriguez [USA] both broke their collarbones in seperate crashes today, and are out of the Tour. Both were strong riders who had a chance to win it all.
Tomorrow's ride is a long and pretty flat run from Holland, through Belgium, and back into France. It looks like a sprinter's race and is unlikely to change the standings much. But the first mountains are coming in a few days. That's where we'll see who the real contenders are.
In the overall standings, Tom Boonen, a Belgian rider, is now wearing the coveted Yellow Jersey. This is probably fitting since the tour goes through Belgium tomorrow. America's Discovery Team is also still doing very well. It has two riders in the top five of the overall standings. Here are the top 10 riders in the overall standings after stage 3, along with the standings of some others:
1. Tom Boonen [Belgium]
2. Michael Rogers [Australia]..........1 second behind
3. George Hincapie [USA-Discovery]..........5 seconds behind
4. Thor Hushovd [Norway]..........7 seconds behind
5. Paolo Savoldelli [Italy-Discovery]..........15 seconds behind
6. Daniele Bennati [Italy]..........15 seconds behind
7. Floyd Landis [USA]..........16 seconds behind
8. Vladimir Karpets [Russia]..........17 seconds behind
9. Serhiy Honchar [Ukraine]..........17 seconds behind
10. Matthias Kessler [Germany]..........17 seconds behind
15. David Zabriskie [USA]..........23 seconds behind
19. Bobby Julich [USA]..........25 seconds behind
21. Yaroslav Popovych [Ukraine-Discovery]..........27 seconds behind
22. Egoi Martinez [Spain-Discovery]..........28 seconds behind
23. Christian Vandevelde [USA]..........28 seconds behind
24. Levi Leipheimer [USA]..........28 seconds behind
27. Jose Azevedo [Portugal-Discovery]..........31 seconds behind
Alejandro Valverde [Spain] and Freddie Rodriguez [USA] both broke their collarbones in seperate crashes today, and are out of the Tour. Both were strong riders who had a chance to win it all.
Tomorrow's ride is a long and pretty flat run from Holland, through Belgium, and back into France. It looks like a sprinter's race and is unlikely to change the standings much. But the first mountains are coming in a few days. That's where we'll see who the real contenders are.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Can Georgie Catch Osama ?
On 9/11/2001, about 3000 of our fellow citizens were murdered by Islamic terrorists. Very soon after this, the government identified the culprit as Osama bin-Laden along with his terrorist group, al-Queda. Georgie and his administration promised us that the terrorists would not get away with that dastardly act. They promised to pursue and apprehend or kill Osama and his group. It is now nearly five years later and we are still waiting.
It's not as if Georgie didn't have the powers neccessary to do the job. Georgie has taken and been given more powers than any previous president. Here are some of the tools Georgie has had:
* the Patriot Act - the American people have given up some of their precious rights [many willingly] so that the government can have the tools they said they needed to hunt for the terrorists.
* Congress and the American people supported Georgie's invasion of Afganistan to go after the Taliban and al-Queda.
* Georgie and his friends have tapped American phones without warrant.
* Georgie and his friends have checked the finances of Americans without a warrant.
And what did Georgie do with the powers he had? He invaded Iraq! A move that made no sense at all. Saddam was not a nice guy, but he had made Iraq a place where the Islamic terrorists could not operate. It was known worldwide among muslims that Saddam and Osama hated each other. I don't know whether Georgie invaded Iraq for personal reasons or for oil, but it was not to fight terrorism. Of course, now that we have destroyed the country, it has become a haven for many terrorists.
It has become obvious in the last five years that Georgie is either unwilling to or incapable of catching Osama. It is now time for Americans to act. The following must be done:
1. Throw the republicans out in the November election
2. Stop the Iraq war and bring our troops home
3. Renew and redouble the effort to find Osama
4. Impeach Georgie.
It's not as if Georgie didn't have the powers neccessary to do the job. Georgie has taken and been given more powers than any previous president. Here are some of the tools Georgie has had:
* the Patriot Act - the American people have given up some of their precious rights [many willingly] so that the government can have the tools they said they needed to hunt for the terrorists.
* Congress and the American people supported Georgie's invasion of Afganistan to go after the Taliban and al-Queda.
* Georgie and his friends have tapped American phones without warrant.
* Georgie and his friends have checked the finances of Americans without a warrant.
And what did Georgie do with the powers he had? He invaded Iraq! A move that made no sense at all. Saddam was not a nice guy, but he had made Iraq a place where the Islamic terrorists could not operate. It was known worldwide among muslims that Saddam and Osama hated each other. I don't know whether Georgie invaded Iraq for personal reasons or for oil, but it was not to fight terrorism. Of course, now that we have destroyed the country, it has become a haven for many terrorists.
It has become obvious in the last five years that Georgie is either unwilling to or incapable of catching Osama. It is now time for Americans to act. The following must be done:
1. Throw the republicans out in the November election
2. Stop the Iraq war and bring our troops home
3. Renew and redouble the effort to find Osama
4. Impeach Georgie.
American Leads Tour de France
That sounds like an old headline, but this time it's not Lance Armstrong. It's his good friend and former teammate, George Hincapie. Hincapie has started the tour like he wants to claim Lance's mantle as team leader. Yesterday in the prologue, Hincapie finished second by 73/100 of a second. Today, he finished well enough to give him the overall lead and the yellow jersey. But this race is far from over. Hincapie only leads by a few seconds over several rivals capable of winning, and there is over 2000 miles left to race [19 more individual races].
Thanks to a doping scandal that exploded just a couple of weeks before the race was to begin, it looks like this year's Tour de France is wide open. So far, the Spanish doping investigation has implicated about 50 riders. These riders, including favorites Jan Ullrich, Francisco Mancebo and Ivan Basso, were banned from this year's race. Another favorite, Alexandre Vinokourov, was not implicated in the scandal, but several teammates were, and the team did not have enough members to enter the race. That means four of the favorites to win the race have been withdrawn.
No one on America's Discovery team was implicated in the scandal. No Americans cycling for other teams were implicated either. Currently, Hincapie is in first place, and his Discovery teammate, Paolo Savoldelli, is in eighth place. Other Americans that are well-placed and have a chance to win are Levi Leipheimer, Floyd Landis, and David Zabriskie.
So there it is. Lance is gone, several other favorites are out, several Americans have started well, and there is over 2000 miles to go. It should be fun.
Thanks to a doping scandal that exploded just a couple of weeks before the race was to begin, it looks like this year's Tour de France is wide open. So far, the Spanish doping investigation has implicated about 50 riders. These riders, including favorites Jan Ullrich, Francisco Mancebo and Ivan Basso, were banned from this year's race. Another favorite, Alexandre Vinokourov, was not implicated in the scandal, but several teammates were, and the team did not have enough members to enter the race. That means four of the favorites to win the race have been withdrawn.
No one on America's Discovery team was implicated in the scandal. No Americans cycling for other teams were implicated either. Currently, Hincapie is in first place, and his Discovery teammate, Paolo Savoldelli, is in eighth place. Other Americans that are well-placed and have a chance to win are Levi Leipheimer, Floyd Landis, and David Zabriskie.
So there it is. Lance is gone, several other favorites are out, several Americans have started well, and there is over 2000 miles to go. It should be fun.
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