History Repeating Itself- Almost.

If Nixon’s implication in Watergate was discovered prior to the 1972 election do you think he’d have been reelected? His resignation in disgrace
answers that question.

When Benghazi happened on 9/11 Obama was behind in the polls and trending poorly. Had the media done their job and exposed Obama’s lie or at least focused on the possibility of a lie during the two month period prior to the election, do you think Obama still would have won the election? Not a chance. And if the Media and the Congress were to make an honest, aggressive effort to expose what we already know, Obama, like Nixon, would be forced to resign. Nixon resigned in August 9, 1974, over a year and a half after the election, because Woodward and Bernstein would not give up exposing Nixon's lie. Although the GOP did everything it could to stonewall the liberal media, the media pressure was irresistible and the rest is history.

It's important to make the distinction that Nixon did not resign because of his policies, he resigned because he was caught lying to America to protect his chances of being reelected. Obama’s policies, as wrong headed as they appear to be to many, are not a reason to get rid of him, but his lie to America is unforgivable and is more than enough reason for his resignation. Of course without the liberal media aggressively doing their job and pressuring Congress as they did with Watergate, and in the absence of the media pressuring for questions to be asked and answered regarding what and when Obama knew, the stonewalling in Congress, the Admin, and the State Dept will continue until Obama’s term is over. It’s a national disgrace in the true sense of the word. Hard to believe it can happen in America.

And many still can’t admit he lied. My goodness.

Albiwan..

Post Tragedy Political Dance

    While the federal politicians do their usual post tragedy political dances concerning gun control, the fact is we will never prevent the bad guys from getting any weapon they want. But don’t you find it interesting that armed security guards protect our banks, shopping malls, office buildings, sports arenas, airports, and government buildings but not the schools where the most vulnerable, our children, spend their days? There is nothing on Earth more valuable than the safety of our children yet we choose not to protect them. Why?

Albiwan..

MAUREEN DOWD- ALONE AND BORED IN LEFT FIELD

   I have always loved Maureen Dowd’s caustic, clever, sniping writing style, and had always wanted to date her :-). If I dated her we would be like James Carville and Mary Matalin. But Maureen is so far to the left she stands no chance of ever relating to someone outside of her minuscule world-view, unlike Carville who has moments of clarity and honesty. To call her extreme is an understatement. She is the left’s answer to the right’s Ann Coulter, who should have been committed long ago.

    But enough of the niceties, Maureen's NYT column of Aug 22, 2012, about the Missouri Moron, was a subject that Maureen could have dispatched in three or four sentences. Instead she chose to gush her usual GOP bash-speak, 'as everyone knows', they are “anti-woman, anti-immigrant, anti-gay...” which is nearly as stupid sounding as the Missouri moron’s statement about which she wrote. Maureen would have us believe that there are no women, immigrants, or gays in the GOP and none of them have mothers, sisters or wives. OY! And then she beat the Missouri Moron and the topic to death to the point of seemingly her and our boredom, all the while attempting, and failing, to draw a connection between the Missouri Moron and Paul Ryan, a conservative that she abhors, which is a redundancy. To her Paul Ryan is nothing more than “a fresh face on a Taliban creed,” oh, really? And the NYT expects anyone with an IQ over 75 to take Maureen seriously? As I wrote recently, to me scary are the voters who read Maureen’s stuff and growl “YEAH, YOU GO GIRL!”

   But expressing her virulent hate for conservatism is what Maureen does and has always done. I’m used to it and expect it from her, much as I expect a consistent flow of senseless economic analysis from Paul Krugman. It’s what the NYT pays them to do, in this case, run interference for the President by changing the subject from the seriousness of a failing economy, a nearly bankrupt health care system, a failed foreign policy, etc, to chasing an insignificant Missouri Moron who is running for the Senate (a less than august body based on its ‘performance’ these past eight years).

   Maureen, in the midst of her diatribe, tried to insert a shameless plug for Obama’s wise words (an oxymoron), his “refreshing assertion” that “a bunch of male politicians shouldn’t be making health care decisions for women.” Nope, the Prez thinks a better idea would be a panel of 15 bureaucrats without a medical degree among them determining the limits of health care an entire nation of 310million should receive. Yeah, that’s a much better idea. It's no wonder he’s President.

    Dowd is not “a” beacon for liberals/progressives, she is “the” beacon. No one is to the left of her, and much like Coulter in right field, Maureen stands alone in left field. But if I hadn’t met Connie, I’d still want to date Maureen. :-)


Albiwan..

RICK REILLY, EAT CROW…(IT TASTES LIKE CHICKEN)…

On July 30, 2011 I wrote a post that pretty much scalded Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly for his July 21st 2011 article tearing Tiger Woods limb from limb because of his personal failings. 
I referred to Reilly as a "shitty critic" and that bottom feeders like Reilly could never be able to understand the genius of someone such as Woods. So, it seems that less than a year later my evaluation of Reilly was spot on and my faith in Woods was not misplaced. Or perhaps I should say that my wish for Woods returning to golf prominence is on the verge of reality.  
FYI, if you wish to read some of Reilly's bilge, excerpts follow below. I took the liberty of commenting on some of his statements (in red ink):

So, Tiger Woods, if and when you return to golf, you need to adjust to a new normal.
New Normal #1: You're a JAG right now -- Just Another Guy. (Who happens to be one of two players that have won twice this year...)

You're not golf's young stud anymore. Not young. Not a stud. Dustin Johnson takes you four out of five in a cage match now. 

It's been three years since you've won a major. Almost two since you've won ... anything. (Tiger won his 73rd tourney two weeks ago at age 36. Jack Nicklaus won his 73rd and last tourney at age 46.) You're 35 years old with a knee that's had four surgeries, an Achilles that's a-killing you, and a golf ball that won't listen. (it's listening now, big mouth...ranked #1 in fairways and #7 greens in regulaion at the Memorial.)

You need to realize that when you come back, you'll no longer scare anybody. (Oh really?, might want to run that one past Rory Sabbatini and Rickey Fowler.) Unlike the old days, you can only win with your clubs now, not your scowl and not your jet and not your caddie, whoever that's going to be. (Joe La Cava is happily on the bag and making more $ this year than Steve Williams.)

Tell me, what do tour players Chris Couch, Marc Leishman and Chris Stroud have in common with you this year? They've all won about the same money and the exact same number of tournaments as you have. Which would be zero. (that's like asking a Peyton Manning how many touchdown passes he'd thrown while on the disabled list, which is ridiculous.)

Anybody scared of those guys?
You're sliding down the world rankings like they're greased. You're 20th now. You're as upside down as NewsCorp stock. (Hey Rick, Tiger's now #4 and rising and with ever step he moves up discredits you further.)PS-NewsCorp stock is trading around $19.50-$20.00/shr., hardly upside down.

So ...

New Normal #2: Get a win wherever you can.

Gone are the days when you're bigger than the Greenbriar or the John Deere or the Honda Classic. When you get back out there, you're going to need off the schneid, bad. If it comes at the Texas Open, take it. Because the truth is, Tiger, you're not above the Texas Open anymore. Pride went out the window two Thanksgivings ago.

New Normal #3: Try a little tenderness.

Take some time with people. Phil Mickelson signs for 20 minutes after every round, Tuesday or Sunday, first place or 100th. On a good month, you do 20 minutes. Try it once. You might like it. (I hope you don't do this to your children, comparing them to those with whom you have a man-crush...very undignified, small.)

Your every moment on a golf course doesn't have to be Elvis being rushed out of the Hilton. Take some time with people. Say hello. Stand on 18 once and watch a guy finish, then shake his hand. It's not going to kill you. Your dad used to do it all the time. (in boxing, this would get one disqualified for a low blow...referencing his dead father is reprehensible.)

New Normal #4: Enough with the emperor act.

Climb down from this ivory tower you live in. Introduce a little transparency into your life. Give an interview once in a while that isn't being timed by your agent standing in the corner. Tweet more than once a month.

Hire a good-guy caddie, like former Scott/Greg Norman bagman Tony Navarro. He's available. Navarro is 51 years old and has seen everything twice. He's not going to let you act like a jackass. You need him. (and you, Rick, need a good psychotherapist.)

New Normal #5: Spread it around a little.

Look, everybody knows you're the cheapest guy on tour. Some people are sure your wallet is sewn shut. I know a car valet in L.A. that you've stiffed so many times, he feels like he's full of embalming fluid. The last time he saw you, he stood in front of the car door, making small talk until you made with a fiver.

Don't be like that. Drop some coin. You'll be surprised how it improves your disposition. Karma does exist, you know.
And one old normal: Go back to the 2000 swing. (Reilly, you arrogant ass. You were telling arguably the greatest player to ever swing a club how to improve his game...and I thought Obama was a narcissistic arrogant ass.)

Enough screwing around. Get the film out and go back to how you swung the golf club when you were the single greatest player in history. Remember when you had all four major trophies on your coffee table at once? You did it with the 2000 swing. It works.

The truth is, Tiger, you're not golf's pope anymore. (appears that he still is. Even Brandel Chamblee, never a fan of Woods, said after Woods win at The Memorial, "Tiger Woods is everything to golf!" You're not divinely entitled to greatness. Wrong again, Rick, Wood's talent is a gift from the gods." Your talent used to forgive your lack of grace. Not anymore.

All you are right now is a guy with injury problems, swing problems and monstrous public-relations problems. You've lost your wife, your swing, your coach, your caddie, your health and your good name, all in 18 months. You may have roughly $500 million, but you're running very low on everything else right about now. (you negative, unhappy loser, you'd trade with Woods in a minute.")

There's a way to get it all back -- humility. (I'd suggest you take a dose of your own prescription."

As a wise man named Gerry McIlroy once said, it doesn't cost anything extra to be nice (Reilly, coming from you, this statement is laughable. Nice?? This diatribe you have written could be the most mean-spirited I have ever read. What you have written is an embarrassment to the good name of Sports Illustrated...you owe your employer, its readers, and Tiger Woods an apology. You should plead temporary insanity, considering what you have written, I think you have a case.      

Prostate Health and Allergy Meds

Please pass this message along to your friends.


Yours truly recently went for my annual physical, which included a blood work-up. All of my numbers, cholesterol, sugar, sodium, etc were in the normal range but I was shocked and frightened by my PSA of 2.3. Previously my PSA was .6. My doctors suggested that I be retested in a month with instructions to abstain from sex for five days prior to the test date. I was quite frightened by the prospect that I might have prostate cancer and then I'm told to give up the male American pastime.  Talk about adding insult to injury!


When I called for an appointment for the re-test the nurse asked about my medications. I mentioned that I had been taking Allegra-D, Claritan and Nasonex inhaler for several years whereupon she informed me that allergy medications can have a significant effect on PSA test results. I immediately stopped the medications, which meant that I would have been off the meds for almost three weeks prior to the PSA re-test.


The result...my PSA dropped from 2.3 down to .8!!! Although there were warnings that the meds could cause difficulty with urination to my knowledge there was nothing in the medications' literature that warned of the negative side effect on a PSA score. And thank goodness for that nurse because neither of my doctors connected elevated PSA with allergy meds. Makes me wonder how many re-tests and even biopsies were taken needlessly.

Be well,
Albiwan