Baseball, Hotdogs, and Apple Pie

As a longtime San Francisco Giants fan and the All Star game coming to AT&T Park in SF, I will be posting some of the articles (in part) that can be found in news print. The first, (and probably my favorite) is about one of the greatest all-stars of all time, Willie Mays:

Mays still revered by his peers
Legendary All-Star Game performer showered with praise
By Chris Haft / MLB.com

The best part about watching Willie Mays play was seeing him hit. Or run the bases. Or play center field.

Mays thrilled fans and even fellow players with his depth and breadth of skills. It's entirely fitting that he's widely considered baseball's all-time All-Star, given not only the excellence he sustained to reach the Midsummer Classic but also the leading role he consistently played for the National League against the American League. Besides being tied for second with 24 All-Star appearances, Mays still holds numerous All-Star records, including at-bats (75), runs (20), hits (23) and extra-base hits (eight).

Any discussion of All-Star Game history leads inevitably to Mays. So does any discussion of baseball in San Francisco, given his wondrous tenure with the Giants during a 22-year Hall of Fame career that featured 660 home runs, a .302 batting average and 12 Gold Gloves. And, at the very least, Mays belongs in the conversation when the greatest players ever are considered.

With the approach of the All-Star Game at San Francisco's AT&T Park on July 10, Mays is especially relevant. MLB.com caught up with some of Mays' peers, who knew what made him a singular performer and understood that he transcended mere statistics.

Joe Torre, New York Yankees manager and nine-time All-Star: "You have to love Willie's enthusiasm for the game. That's never disappeared. Felipe Alou once said to me, 'It seems that the spotlight follows him no matter where he goes.' Something exciting happens when he's on the field."

Felipe Alou, 17-year Major Leaguer: "Any city that we played in, when we arrived there, the newspaper said, 'Willie Mays and company.' In the 'company' was Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, Willie McCovey. Willie Mays was the big guy, no question about it. We knew that."

Please go to the link and enjoy the rest of the comments and admiration of Willie.

Immigration In a Nutshell

With the immigration fiasco now returned to a dormant stage (and many senators scratching their collective heads), the mainstream media, (spoon fed by the democratic strategist), are in full force blaming George Bush and the republicans for their failure to produce meaningful legislation. One has to wonder if either side fully intended to implement a border security measure that most Americans were demanding. A bi-partisan agreement to stop the free flow of illegal immigrants coming across the southern border would have left neither party with a clear hold on the Latino vote, which many consider the "big prize". I would submit that many of the voting electorate watched diligently while the senate made complete fools of themselves. Conservatives had to be fully aware of the vigorous agenda that Edward Kennedy displayed throughout the procession. Kennedy rarely (basically never) shows the energy he put forth without a serious motive, and at this point in his career, anything (other than a cocktail glass) with his fingerprints embedded on it has to be examined.

I have written (twice) about the unprecedented legislative procedure that the majority leader (Harry Reid) put forth with only hand picked backroom amendments allowed to reach the floor for consideration.

With the balance in the Senate, Reid must have known that any one amendment (that could pass) that would throw a wrench in the gears of their motivation would surely backfire. What Reid (and many other senators) did not foresee was the input from the electorate. One poll, (and we are all starting to hate polls) that stood out was that a strong majority of Americans are demanding border security and enforcement to be the main priority of the legislation, and again, neither side of the isle seemed to grasp this point. Indeed, they literally thumbed their collective noses at an American electorate that want to stop the free flow of illegal immigration. Watching the multitude of illegal’s entering the country and receiving taxpayer funded benefits. (without contributing to that tax base), is putting a bad taste in the mouths of those who play by the rules and are barely getting by. Add to that a large portion of the money earned being transferred to a country that has little incentive to provide or promote their own economic security, and we have created a permanent welfare state across the southern border. THIS IS GOVERNMENT SPONSERED AND CONTROLLED SOCIALISM. And no one in a leadership position seems to care to effect a remedy or a proper solution. Deporting 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants is certainly not the answer. But throwing a 300 page piece of "legislation" in our faces, (and saying "this is as good as it gets" (Lindsay Graham), was not going to be swallowed this time around.

SECURE THE BORDERS FIRST YOU IDIOTS------AND THEN WE MIGHT BEGIN TO TRUST WHAT LITTLE INTEGRITY OUR LEADERSHIP MAY HAVE LEFT TO OFFER.

Cloture Vote Fails Again On Immigration Bill

46-53 The Nays have it

Earth to the Senate---come in? Hello, Senate-----are you there? Earth to Harry Reid-----hello?

Is anybody listening?

Once again, a body of "leadership" has failed to listen to the majority of people who said they did not trust the legislation that was presented in it's current form. This bill had an opportunity to pass cloture if the majority leader had allowed the proper form of ammendments to be submitted and voted on. This was never the way business was conducted in the past, and not in the future, it appears.

Immigration Bill Heading for Another No Cloture

Harry Reid is now making his rediculous closing statement before the cloture vote is brought to the floor.

Session's is now questioning the time management distribution to the presiding president (Obama) and Harrys not happy.

And now the vote...........................8:03 (pacific time)

Supreme Court Shows Moral Sanity

The Supreme court reversed the 9th Circuit (again) in the case of students that thought it was a "freedom of speech" right to display a sign that read "Bong Hits for Jesus".

I will be posting updates and links soon.


Supreme Court Rules Against Student in 'Bong Hits 4 Jesus' Case
Monday, June 25, 2007

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court tightened limits on student speech Monday, ruling against a high school student and his 14-foot-long "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" banner.
Schools may prohibit student expression that can be interpreted as advocating drug use, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court in a 5-4 ruling.

Click here to read the case information (FindLaw pdf)

Joseph Frederick unfurled his homemade sign on a winter morning in 2002, as the Olympic torch made its way through Juneau, Alaska, en route to the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Frederick said the banner was a nonsensical message that he first saw on a snowboard. He intended the banner to proclaim his right to say anything at all........ LINK

Frederick may now understand that public funded institutions do not have to put up with the "free for all" language that crosses guidelines set. I can't help thinking Jesus would approve of this ruling.

King of the Jungle.........NOT!

This is one of the truly most fascinating "laws of the jungle" videos you may ever see. Prepare to feast your eyes on nature in it's form of brutality, strength in numbers, and survival.

Lizzy Palmer's Support Our Troops Video

Caution: Have tissues handy---Great job, Lizzy

Special Privilege's Denied

Privilege: The principle of granting and maintaining a special right or immunity: a society based on privilege.

When a society turns it's back on the rule of law, it also spits in the face's of those who abide by it. Yesterday, it was the people's turn to stare justice in the face, and demand it. Privilege had no place in the decision made by our justice system. And Ms. Hilton is learning this lesson.

More Garbage From our Greenzone Reporters

John Hawkins at Right Wing News has an exclusive posted that shames the MSM.......again:

Exclusive To Right Wing News: Embed Matt Sanchez Reports From Fallujah

If the press is the eyes, ears and voice of a nation, we in the United States, are currently deaf, dumb and blind. Like most Americans, I wasn't sure about the reporting coming from Iraq, but after spending much time in the Green Zone before transitioning to Fallujah, I realize the press out here is about as credible as an unsolicited e-mail from your bank requesting a social security number to update their records. There's a semblance of legitimacy, but if you enter your personal data, you're going to get ripped off.

Last week, I was witness to one of those media con jobs. The 5/10 Marine civil affair unit out of Camp Lejeune, works with the local police and Iraqi army. It's a tough job, lots of danger, but the word across the board is that the strategy of getting the Iraqis to stand up and defend themselves is working here in Fallujah.

Officers have referred to the Anbar Awakening with a sense of pride and accomplishment. I interviewed bored Marine infantry men, many on their second tour, who told me they were in less danger because the Fallujan police and Iraqi Army were picking up the slack, responding to tips from locals and responding to attacks. In fact, that day, the police was so effective they even prevented a suicide bomber from entering the building. We heard the boom, and as if on cue, RPG and small arms fire. The Marines of the 2/6 infantry unit grinned as they pulled on their equipment and took positions, but in reality, the Iraqi police had prevented a major suicide attack. There was, however, one victim—the suicide bomber.

So, how did the death of a sole suicide bomber become the Wall Street Journal headline of "Suicide Bombing in Fallujah Leaves 25 Dead, 50 Wounded"? To be fair, NPR, CBS, Sky News, and CNN all parroted the same numbers, as they rushed to report something—anything! The answer is a 20-minute helicopter away in Baghdad. Where the majority of "reporting" is done from the Green Zone.............link

For all we know this war could be over in forty-five days, but who would know it?

I'M WITH FRED!

I'm with Fred Thompson..........Link

I think this country needs a straight talker like Fred Thompson. Fred also has a sense of humor:

"After two years in Washington, I often long for the realism and sincerity of Hollywood."

Fred would like all to return to the basics of the constitution. And yes Fred knows there is a war against terrorism. "Keep the taxes low, and reform entitlements"

EUREKA! YOU'VE FOUND IT!

We've got in touch with some talent and we're throwing a little Blues Festival .....again

Blues by the Bay, July 14th & 15th, 2007

Come celebrate the 11th Anniversary of Blues by the Bay in beautiful Eureka, Calif., July 14th & 15th at picturesque Halvorsen Park, located on Humboldt Bay. The incredible view from this bayside park will be the backdrop for a spectacular line up of world premier blues musicians. Food and beverage, art and craft vendors, and micro-brew beers from many local breweries will be available.

Featured Performers: Elvin Bishop-- Canned Heat-- Big Brother and the Holding Company-- Charlie Musselwhite-- Sista Monica--and a two day line-up no one will forget.

I will, again be honored with the distinction of the talent liaison for this years "Blues by the Bay" in Eureka, California. Last year (2006) "Blues by the Bay" was nominated nationally as one of the top blues festivals.

Please go and check out the site for ticket and performance info here

( The Blues by the Bay location is at Halvorsen Park, located on Humboldt Bay--Halvorsen Park Eureka (on the waterfront) Waterfront Drive at L Street Eureka, CA 95501 )

Good for the Gander?

Matt Drudge has reported that the New York Times intends to slam the writers of the book "Her Way":

KILL THIS BOOK: NYT REVIEW TRASHES HILLARY BIO -- WRITTEN BY LEGENDARY NYT REPORTERS!

Mon Jun 04 2007 19:22:47

Editors of the NEW YORK TIMES are set to publish a highly-critical review of a book written by famed NEW YORK TIMES reporters, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

In 'HER WAY', Jeff Gerth and Don Van Natta Jr. have written what will become mandatory reading for Clinton's opponents. "The book is almost uniformly negative and overly focused on what they consider the Clintons' scandalous past and the darker aspects of Hillary Clinton's personality... The evidence of such a pact -- interviews that have already been challenged in the press -- is less than convincing," writes Robert Dallek in a review set for the paper. "Carl Bernstein, the veteran journalist of Woodward-and-Bernstein Watergate fame, presents a more balanced and convincing picture of Clinton in his competing biography." Dallek slams: "Gerth and Van Natta seem to detect no angels in Clinton's nature whatsoever, much less better ones, and the result is a one-sided figure who never quite springs to life or feels truly authentic."

Now we all know, (givin the Clinton's history), if this was written about the Bush's it would be considered pulitzer material by the New Joke Times.

Now This Is How You Get It Done!

I think my good friend Dana at Common Sense Political Thought could appreciate this story:

A Miracle-Worker Highway Man Rides the Bonus Train

SAN FRANCISCO, June 1 — Bay Area residents are used to growing old waiting for new roads. Construction of the new Bay Bridge has become a generational event: 13 years to plan and an estimated 11 to build. So after a gasoline tanker truck crashed in April, burning a busy ramp in Oakland that linked parts of the East Bay to San Francisco, drivers grumbled and took to surface streets, convinced their slow-motion commutes would last months.

But the company owned by C. C. Myers, a 6-foot-5 contractor who favors peacock cowboy boots, fixed the mangled freeway so fast that some residents have recalibrated their respect for the California Department of Transportation, which hired him.

The state estimated that repairs to the 165-foot-long ramp between Interstates 80 and 580 would take 50 days and cost $5.2 million. For every day short of the June 26 deadline, it promised a $200,000 bonus, not to exceed a total of $5 million. The highest bid came in at $6.4 million. Mr. Myers’s company, C. C. Myers Inc., won with the lowest bid — $867,075 — and completed the project in 17 days, winning the full $5 million.

“This ain’t no $800,000 project,” Mr. Myers said in an interview, adding that he hoped to realize a $2.5 million profit.........(complete story in the NYT's : registration may be required)

C.C. Myers, Inc., is a Rancho Cordova, CA based, employee-owned company founded in 1977 and celebrating its 30th year in the industry. I have met the founder of this company several times while working for my uncle's trucking company as a pilot car driver. Today, they move most of their own heavy equipment. You might say Mr. Myers prefers the bonus system when it comes to getting things done.





Nice job, CC!

Hillary Care?

Laura Ingraham lets us all in on a grip of Hillary's reality

Breakdown in Democracy

Venezuelans march against closure of TV station

By Brian Ellsworth

CARACAS (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Venezuelan protesters marched on Saturday to the Caracas headquarters of an anti-government television station, which is being forced off the air after President Hugo Chavez's administration refused to renew its broadcasting license.
Waving flags with the logo of RCTV, demonstrators packed the streets of the capital where news anchors and soap opera stars slammed the imminent closure of the opposition channel.
"What is happening here is simply the silencing of a television station," shouted soap opera actress Gledys Ibarra.

If you want to get the attention of the masses, try taking away some of the basic freedoms that include the media. Venezuela, under "president" Chavez has replaced a popular television station with a government run program last week and the public is making it known that they are not pleased. So far, injuries reported on the street protest have been marginal with police and troops using water guns and rubber bullets, and tear gas.

Chavez has been the controversial leader in south America that has included insulting President Bush, and aligning himself with nations that are at odds with the United States. While pretending to be the president of a democratic nation, Chavez has used his verbal assault on the United States and his alliance with rouge nations to launch his diatribe of oppression on his own people.

Meanwhile in Mexico City, many in the crowd booed the US representative in a beauty pageant that some say was Mexico's protest of the immigration policies being debated by our legislators and the general public. It is not known whether this was an organized group that was booing or if it is the sentiment of the general population.

Either way, it seems there is some dissent that is simmering in the southern hemisphere.

Michael Yon's Memorial Day Message

Please read Michael Yon's message

Impeach the President

The Anchoress has posted a story that give us all the reasons to impeach the president, which would indeed correct many of the falacies printed and published in the slanted bias of the mainstream media. It is great reading and sets a lot of records straight.

"I haven’t read the thing, itself, but I have now read several accounts of Al Gore’s new book, Assault on Reason, wherein he wags fingers at people who watch TV (unless, of course, they’re watching him pimp his book) and the media (particularly those who don’t stick to reporting only his side, of the “manmade” global warming story) and - by all accounts - he trashes the Bush 43 administration from start to finish, enumerating all of Bush’s “lies” and mistakes."

"Oh, I think it’s definitely time. Let’s do it - let’s impeach President Bush, let’s have all of this brought forward and get it all investigated and put on the real, actual record, instead of in someone’s book of dreams and opinions or in a convenient, “bumperstickeresqe” meme. Let’s get all the tawdry lists and narratives together and finally get them “on the record and testified to.” We can start with the Gore/Behar list:.........(full story)

In Hog Heaven

An 11 year old took down this monster in Bama this month.......storys here

(update: Some people are making comments like--"I guess Rosie won't be returning"-----I think this is an insult to the pig.

Common Sense Prevails

House passes Iraq funding bill without timetable.

In a 280-142 vote, the House passed a $120-billion Iraq war funding bill that contains no timeline to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq. The bill is now sent to the Senate for final passage, "expected later Thursday night."

Senate passes funding bill 80-14-----Clinton and Obama among the 14 that have refused to support our troops.

Think Progress and lefty blogs besides themselves.

updates developing...............

Kennedy was sweatin' bullets all day acting like he was the majority leader and Harry was no where to be seen. I guess the Dems thought they better get something done (they thought they could brag about) before they got home this weekend to catch the ration from their constituents.

The trade-off was a pathetic and rushed immigration bill that will need to be refined/revamped........better than nothing? Who knows.

Now (at least) GW can tell General Petraeus the political games the left has been playing with the lives of his troops (and 30 million Iraqi) is over for a bit. Now the General has the summer to win the war/peace, 'cause it will be up to the Iraqi's to carry their own ball after that.

Three cheers for the sane portion of the democratic party that finally came to their senses, well most of them. Hillary voted not to support the troops and that may be a defining (Kerry) moment for her ambitions. MOVE-ON THAT!

update: Ed Morrissey at Captain's Quarters says "That Wasn't So Hard, Was It?"

update 2 Clinton and Obama offer no support

update 3 Dafydd's hatched his whole nest on this one at Big Lizzards

update 4 Dana at CSPT calls it a "Folding Chair Party"

This is TOO FUNNY!!!

For all you conspiracy nuts.....here's one you can really believe

(editors note: I stole this from Curt at Flopping Aces)