What if the Earth is warming?

Let us assume for the moment that Al Gore is right, and the Earth is warming. What potential consequences would that have for human life on this planet?

This is the premise of an insightful article by Vin Suprynowicz (link here). His article reports that cold temperatures are more hazardous to human lives than warm temperatures. He backs this up with references to many studies that prove his point, including the following:

In early 2008, the Department of Health of the UK released “Health Effects of Climate Change in the UK 2008,” an update of previous reports from 2001/2002, edited by Sari Kovats. They used IPCC models that predicted 2.5 C to 3 C mean temperature increases in the U.K. by 2100. They found that there was no increase in heat-related deaths from 1971–2002, despite warming in summers, suggesting that the UK population is adapting to warmer conditions. But cold-related mortality fell by more than a third in all regions. The overall trend in mortality for the warming from 1971–2002 was beneficial. They state, in summary, that “Winter deaths will continue to decline as the climate warms.”

His conclusion is perfect:

Global warming (if it should continue) will save lives – lots of them. Nor is this counterintuitive. Since our early ancestors developed and prospered in warm climates – most likely in equatorial Africa – why shouldn’t it hold true that our species will do best in moderately warmer climates?

Humans are masters of adaptation, but it still takes a lot more work to survive in the cold. The “climate change” we should really worry about is the next Ice Age, which could see everything north of Columbus, Ohio covered by an ice shelf a mile thick.

Do the “global warming” fanatics think we can prevent that by burning lots of coal and putting lots of miles on our SUVs? If so, shouldn’t we start right now, just in case?

Krugman's flawed thinking

Paul Krugman, the Nobel Prize-winning and liberal-minded economist, has just enough facts to support his views, but then trips up his own points with his own flawed liberal worldview.

His New York Times editorial today is a good case in point. While he makes some good points against inflation looming on the horizon, he also shows how his own liberal bias influences his thinking:

But it’s hard to escape the sense that the current inflation fear-mongering is partly political, coming largely from economists who had no problem with deficits caused by tax cuts but suddenly became fiscal scolds when the government started spending money to rescue the economy.

I would expect a "respected" economist like Mr. Krugman would realize that federal tax revenues went up during the period of President Bush's tax cuts (once more providing the truth of the Laffer Curve). Assuming Krugman is referring to the economists I think he means, rather than just making a political strawman point, those economists were appropriately, and accurately, deriding the government spending which was creating the deficits.

For a Nobel Prize-winning economist to make such a blatantly political statement, and one which is wrong on top of it, is disturbing, especially in what is essentially a well-argued opinion piece.

Hyphenation hilarity

Occasionally, wives will hyphenate their last names with their new husband's last name, as opposed to just taking their husband's last name or keeping their own last name.

Click here for some examples where the wife should absolutely NOT hyphenate her last name with her husband's.

(hat tip to Sacramento's CBS13.com website)

Heads we warm, tails we cool

From Foxnews.com:

"...Is it getting cooler or warmer?

The answer, according to a new study, is that we need to concentrate on the long-term trend, which points to an overall warming tendency over these past hundred years.

The great majority of climate scientists agree that it's getting warmer in many places around the world. The cause, they also agree, is heat-trapping carbon dioxide produced by human technology.

But how does this square with the observed fact that over the past decade world temperature has actually stayed the same, or even gone down?

Two scientists, Michael F. Wehner and David R. Easterling, show that such decade-long fluctuations are quite common in weather history. From day to day, season to season, and year to year, the weather shows great variability thanks to natural factors like capricious wind patterns and ocean currents.

Changes in climate -- that is, changes in typical weather conditions over long periods of time -- are more difficult to assess."

But if it is difficult to assess, then how can one make an argument for or against Global Warming?

But let us continue:

Wehner, who works at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif., says that the long-term trend really is toward a warmer planet, but that a single year, 1998, has temporarily thrown off the overall upward march in temperature.

In that year, an immense transfer of heat from the western to the eastern Pacific occurred: El Nino (Spanish for "Christ Child"), which often coincides with Christmas time. An El Nino event can have a major impact on rainfall patterns and temperatures over several continents.

El Nino and other weather factors can cause a short reversal in the warming trend for a year. A 10-year reversal is less likely, but still possible. Just as in throwing a coin, seven heads in a row is unexpected, but it does happen now and then.

In the journal Geophysical Review Letters, Wehner says that even a period of 20 years of modest cooling -- the equivalent of throwing 20 heads in a row -- would not reverse the scientific finding that long-term world temperature is trending upward; the trend is based on data now stretching back more than a century.

So basically, our understanding of recent climate change comes down to...chance.

Climate scientists can claim the long term trend is toward warming, yet their best explanation for a short term reversal is mere chance?

By the way, do you know the odds of throwing 20 heads in a row? 1 in 1,048,576. The entire Global Warming theory comes down to odds that long?

It is safe to stop calling Global Warming a "theory", and start calling it a "lottery".

The Obama Disconnect

According to CNN:

"...at the end of his first quarterly meeting with the Economic Recovery Advisory Board, which was created in February to provide the administration with independent, nonpartisan advice on how to promote economic growth and stability.

...Obama told the board members he's seen "some return to normalcy" in parts of the financial markets."

I would love to hear which part of the financial markets is being referred to by our Dear Leader. According to the Federal Reserve (in a different article from CNN):

"The Federal Reserve's latest forecasts for the U.S. economy are gloomier than the ones released three months earlier, with an expectation for higher unemployment and a steeper drop in economic activity.

The Fed's forecasts, released as part of the minutes from its April meeting, show that its staff now expects the unemployment rate to rise to between 9.2% and 9.6% this year. The central bank had forecast in January that the jobless rate would be in a range of 8.5% to 8.8%, but the unemployment rate topped that in April, hitting 8.9%.

The Fed also now expects the gross domestic product, the broadest measure of the nation's economic activity, to post a drop of between 1.3% and 2% this year. It had previously expected only a 0.5% to 1.3% decline."

Or how about this report (also from CNN):

"Welcome to the summer of the furlough. Manufacturing workers have long suffered from these "temporary layoffs," but the white-collar world is feeling them now, too: During this recession, everyone from universities to technology companies are using furloughs as a way to cut payroll without further trimming their staffs.

And while furloughs are already underway around the nation, human resources specialists say that required unpaid days off are only going to heat up as we head into the summer months, when employees are more amenable to time off -- albeit unpaid.

"Companies have done the huge surgery in terms of offering reductions in forced and involuntary ways," says Fred Crandall with consulting firm Watson Wyatt."

Of course, if Bush had said something as incredibly moronic as what Obama said, the Media would have lambasted Bush. But since it comes from the Obamessiah, not a peep is heard.

CAFE Insanity

So I am reading this editorial at the Wall Street Journal website about the new CAFE standards proposed by Obama, "Car Crazy:
Bankrupt companies making 39 mpg autos. Are we nuts?". My first thought is: Is the Wall Street Journal nuts?

If they want to argue that the 39 mpg target is too high, I can buy that. But their argument seems to be centered around "the big three aren't capable of reaching that goal". I don't buy it.

Exhibit A: The Honda Fit. When I bought one for my wife, I was surprised how much fun that little car was, and is. Add in the fact it gets 27 city/33 highway mpg, and it is a tremendous buy. It is proof that a small car can be fun, affordable, and get great gas mileage.

Exhibit B: The Ford Fiesta. It has received rave reviews, and sold 170,000 units in Europe, with over 52,000 sold in March of this year. When released in the U.S. (late this year or early next year), it is expected to get close to 39 mpg. If this car is as fun as the Honda Fit, expect Ford to make a huge comeback.

Ford will already be close to hitting the target CAFE standard next year. Next time, the Wall Street Journal needs to do a little more research on what the car companies have in their pipelines before predicting something can't be done.

Gone fishing!

I am taking a break from blogging for awhile. I may drop in and post something occasionally, but life is pretty busy for me now. Sorry folks, nothing to see here...move along...

My Endorsement

Time once again for my official endorsement in the race for President of the United States.

After reviewing all the candidates thoroughly, I have come to one conclusion: They all stink.

Let us start with the worst of the lot, Barack Obama. As I have never knowingly voted for a Marxist in my life, I see no reason to start now.

Number two has to be Bob Barr. I discounted him in July after he waffled on Global Warming. I don't mind voting for a third party candidate, but he/she better be PERFECT! Barr is far from perfect.

Finally, there is John McCain. If this ticket were reversed, I would happily take a chance on voting for Sarah Palin, even with her inexperience. She seems driven, and ideologically on the money. Unfortunately, I cannot bring myself to endorse someone whom I wish dead, and that would be the only reason to vote for McCain. He lost me during the debates with all his talk of "bipartisanship", and "reaching across the aisle". If I wanted a Democrat, or a Democratic Party solution, I could have voted for the real one!

That left me in a quandary: I have no one for whom to vote. But then, last week, I saw him: The man who would make the perfect president: Mike Singletary, interim head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

I first arrived at this conclusion while watching his first press conference after his first game as head coach, when the 49ers lost. Singletary was fearless, even sending his starting tight end Vernon Davis to the showers in the middle of the game after Davis mouthed off to him after a penalty.

On top of that, Singletary's raw and honest emotion and integrity was just so refreshing after months of listening to John and Sarah and Barack and Joe:

After watching that, I was ready to throw myself on a grenade for Singletary. Vote for him for president? No problem!

Frankly, all Singletary would have to do is change a few words, and that press conference would make a killer stump speech. He even has the beginnings of a platform in it:

1. We go out and hit people in the mouth.

Good national defense.

2. We are not a charity.

No altruistic government under President Singletary!

3. We execute from the very start...to the very end.

Pro-capital punishment. Good for dealing with terrorists.

On top of this, Mike Singletary is inspirational, in a way that Barack Obama could only dream of being. Note that at no time during that press conference was Singletary using a teleprompter! Truly a man who speaks from the heart.

As for any comparisons to John McCain, Singletary's war record speaks for itself: 10 times sent to the Pro Bowl and won a Super Bowl as a middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears. All while playing under MIKE DITKA! The Vietcong only WISH they had someone who could torture like Ditka!

Singletary even has Bob Barr topped: Singletary has not even been nominated by a party, let alone a third party!

Tough times like we live in now call for tough leadership. We need a president who is not afraid to send Nancy Pelosi to the showers, or hit Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the mouth. This is why I endorse Mike Singletary for President: Change you BETTER believe in!

RIP Levi Stubbs

Levi Stubbs, better known as lead singer of the Four Tops, died today at the age of 72.

While the Four Tops as a group have produced some of the most memorable music in Motown history, Stubbs himself reminds me best of one specific role he did in the movie Little Shop of Horrors:


God rest his soul. But at least dentists everywhere can now breathe a sigh of relief.

NFL Week 6-7 Team Rankings

This NFL season is parity run amok. If the rankings look a little insane, consider that a symptom of this crazy season.

In coming up with these rankings, I had to consider some games as flukes. Frankly, more games than I would want to consider flukes.

Without further ado, here they are, in descending order:

Titans
Steelers
Panthers
Chargers
Jets
Redskins
Cardinals
Bills
Jaguars
Broncos
Buccaneers
Falcons
Bears
Colts
Vikings
Patriots
Saints
Eagles
49ers
Texans
Dolphins
Cowboys
Packers
Ravens
Browns
Giants
Seahawks
Rams
Chiefs
Raiders
Bengals
Lions

NFL Week 5-6 Team Rankings

GOOD

Giants: Still the undefeated world champs. They deserve their own category, especially after the "can o' whoop ass" they laid on the Hawks.

GOOD

Redskins: Ever since their loss to the Giants, the Skins have been a different team.
Cowboys
Broncos
Panthers

AVERAGE

Chargers: Losing to the Broncos and Panthers? Perfectly understandable. But the Dolphins?
Titans: Sure they're undefeated. But the best team the Titans played was the Vikings.
Vikings: A MUCH better team with Gus Frerotte at QB.
Saints
Buccaneers
Bears
Eagles
Steelers
Patriots
Jets
Cardinals: Beating the 49ers and the Bills gets them here. I cannot see them any higher than this.
49ers
Bills
Jaguars
Colts
Falcons: Beating the Lions and Chiefs doesn't say much. Beating the Pack in Green Bay is a statement game.
Packers
Texans
Ravens
Browns
Seahawks
Dolphins: The Wildcat play is a neat gimmick. Emphasis on "gimmick".
Raiders: Enter "Tom the Cable Guy"...
Bengals: Teatering on the brink of "bad".

BAD

Lions
Rams
Chiefs

NFL Week 4 Team Rankings & Al Davis

No time for team comments this week, but I do want to comment on the Raiders firing of Lane Kiffin.

It seems easy for everyone to take shots at Al Davis, whose actions have marked him as clearly past his prime as an owner. However, what I heard in that press conference was a guy with a passion for his team from which many owners could learn. How many times do we see owners fly through the league for a few years then walk away with their profits? Not Davis. NEVER Davis. The Raiders are his passion. Even at his age, that passion shows.

Especially when it involves betrayal like he feels that Kiffin did. Davis would literally die for his team, and he expects nothing less from them. In this day and age of people changing jobs like pants, Davis is a leftover from a long ago era when people worked in jobs for their entire lives.

A lot of people say they would never want to work for Davis. While he is demanding, you would also know that he has your back. I cannot imagine anyone in the world I would rather work for.

GOOD

Giants
Redskins
Cowboys
Broncos
Panthers
Chargers

AVERAGE

Saints
Buccaneers
Bears
Eagles
Steelers
49ers
Patriots
Titans
Bills
Jaguars
Colts
Packers
Vikings
Texans
Ravens
Browns
Seahawks
Jets
Cardinals
Raiders
Bengals
Dolphins

BAD

Lions
Falcons
Rams
Chiefs

NFL Week 3 Team Rankings

EXCELLENT

Cowboys: Got to give the Boys their due. They are not only undefeated, but they won 3 games in convincing fashion.

GOOD

49ers: Granted, beating the Lions is no big deal. But they did beat them the way they were supposed to.
Eagles: They proved they're better than the Steelers.
Steelers: They still have something to prove.
Broncos: The first Cutler's the deepest...
Panthers: The Vikings aren't bad, but the Panthers did not look like the same team out there.
Chargers: Hochulie, no Christmas card...Favre, Christmas card...


AVERAGE

Patriots: When you lose to the Dolphins, you drop in the rankings...a LOT! Sorry folks, but the Pats ain't the same without Brady, and it shows.
Titans
Bills
Jaguars
Colts: This defense is average without Bob Sanders.
Packers: They move up by virtue of their win over the Vikings 2 weeks ago.
Vikings: Nice win over the Panthers. It's still hard to picture Gus Frerotte leading this team to a...nah, couldn't happen.
Texans
Ravens: Harbaugh is a better coach than I gave him credit for.
Browns: Losing to the Cowboys and the Steelers is understandable. The Ravens not so much.
Giants
Redskins
Buccaneers: Nice squeaker over Da Bears.
Bears: Da Losers.
Seahawks: I bet they wish they played the Rams every week.
Jets: How many Jets does it take to screw in a light bulb? Only one, unless they use Favre, who can't seem to get it in the right socket.
Saints: Nice try against Denver.
Cardinals
Raiders: Can you imagine if the Raiders went on a winning streak now? Al Davis wouldn't be able to fire Lane Kiffin, and he'd be furious! Ok, so maybe not...
Bengals
Dolphins: Even though the Patriots were without Brady, it's hard to move the Dolphins too high up. But at least they aren't terrible anymore.

BAD

Lions: When the son's owner says he'd fire the GM if he were in charge, that doesn't bode well.
Falcons: You know what I love about Savannah, GA? It's far enough away from Atlanta that I don't have to watch Falcons games.
Rams: Welcome back Trent Green! Now take your spot on the ground behind the center. We'll be delivering your tombstone later.
Chiefs: When you not only lose to the Falcons, but get blown out, you know you're headed for the first pick in the draft.

Palin vs. Obama: Wisdom

Victor Davis Hanson "gets it" on the Palin vs. Obama question:

"The point is this: I think it is much harder for a mother of three or four in an out-of-the-way Alaskan town to get elected to city council and the mayorship, then take on the entire Republican establishment and get elected governor than it is for a Barack Obama to emerge from Chicago politics into the Illinois state house and later Senate. The qualities that allowed a Palin to succeed without the power spouse, the identity politics, the Ivy-League cachet, the fawning New York editors and DC insider-press will ensure she does not implode on the campaign trail--and won't in office either."

Read the entire editorial.

NFL Week 2 Team Rankings

ELITE

Patriots: Do you see the pattern here? Solid defense, few mistakes offense, with an occasional big play to keep the opposing defense honest. Matt Cassell may not be the greatest quarterback, but he is clearly good enough to run this team. Tom who?

EXCELLENT

Panthers: He's ba-ack! Watch out Vikings, you're in for a long day against a well-rested Steve Smith.

GOOD

Cowboys: I have to give the Cowboys their due after beating the Eagles. But can they keep it up?
Colts: Their game against the Jags this weekend might be a lot tougher than it looks on paper. Regardless, the Colts should win.
49ers: I think the Lions are going to be led to the slaughter this weekend.
Steelers: In the "Pennsylvania Bowl" this weekend, take the boys from western PA. The Eagles won't put up nearly as many points against the Steelers as they did against the Cowboys.
Broncos: Jay Cutler MAY be the best quarterback in the NFL right now. With the exception of that infamous fumble last Sunday, he played a perfect game.
Chargers: They got Hochulied!

AVERAGE

Titans: 2-0 with a quarterback controversy? Jeff Fisher is a master.
Bills: Ok, so their defense is for real.
Jaguars: At 0-2 and sinking.
Texans: I don't think they wanted their bye week this soon. Browns: Too much offense for the Ravens to stop this weekend.
Giants: Bring on the Bungles!
Redskins: BIG win over the Saints. They get a breather with the Cards this week.
Packers: Not enough here to give the Cowboys anything to fear.
Vikings: Exit Jackson, enter Frerotte. Still the same mediocre team. Oh yeah, they beat the Lions. Yawn.
Eagles: They are better than this, but until they can prove it with a strong "W", they stay here.
Bears: Take the Bears to beat the Bucs this weekend.
Seahawks: No brainer over the Lambs on Sunday.
Jets: And they still suck...
Saints: The game between the Saints and the Broncos should be fun to watch, but take the Broncos.
Cardinals: No match for the Skins coming up.
Buccaneers: The Jon Gruden death watch has been postponed until later this season, but it is coming.
Raiders: The Lane Kiffin death watch begins.
Ravens: The Ravens might beat the Browns this week, but don't bet on it.
Bengals: No blocking. No defense. It must be the Bungles!
Lions: The Matt Millen death watch can't start soon enough.

BAD

Falcons: I couldn't believe it when I heard the Falcons sold out their game against the Chiefs. Are you people masochists?
Rams: No hope against the Hawks this week.
Dolphins: The Patriots? This week? This game is proof of the need for euthanasia.
Chiefs: You know you are really bad when you lose to a team whose coach and owner are at odds.

NFL Week 1 Team Rankings

ELITE

Patriots: How can I call the Patriots "elite" without Tom Brady (lost for the season)? Simple: They're undefeated, and they still have the same coach, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Laurence Maroney, and a solid defense. It will be tougher for them to stay up here, but I won't be surprised if they make it to the playoffs, or even the Super Bowl.

EXCELLENT

Panthers: This team has character, which they showed by not giving up against the Chargers. Considering they did it without their best receiver (Steve Smith) on the field is even more impressive. They are the team to watch.

GOOD

Cowboys: Their game against the Eagles this coming Monday will tell us more about this team than beating the Browns did last weekend.
Chargers: A good team lost to an excellent team this week.
Colts: I would call the loss to the Bears an aberration, but it's still enough to show the Colts are a lot weaker coming into this year.
49ers: The Cardinals were out for blood after losing to the 49ers twice last season. Expect both teams to return to normal this week.
Steelers: If the Steelers keep playing like they did against the Texans, I have them underrated.
AVERAGE

Titans: Even with the Vince Young soap opera this week, Jeff Fisher is a heckuva coach. With Kerry Collins at QB, the Titans might be even better.
Jaguars: When you can't beat a team with a quarterback who quits in the middle of the game, you know you've got problems. With the Jags, those problems are injuries.
Broncos: The Chargers should present a better challenge for the Broncos than the Raiders did.
Texans: This team still has a way to go after that massacre by the Steelers.
Browns: Big game against Pitt this weekend, but I think the Steelers defense will be too much for the Brownies.
Giants: I'm still not sold on the G-men, but it was a solid win over the Skins.
Redskins: On the bright side, they only gave up 16 points. Unfortunately, they only scored 7. Ugly.
Packers: Ok folks, let's not crowd the Aaron Rodgers bandwagon! Seriously, I thought they could win with Rodgers, if he can stay healthy.
Vikings: Can we start laughing at the preseason prognosticators who called for the Vikings in the Super Bowl?
Eagles: Beat the Cowboys, and we'll talk.
Bears: The win over the Colts was a slight fluke, but it did show the Bears defense is for real.
Bills: Beating the Hawks is nice, but I'm not sold.
Seahawks: I may have the Hawks overrated here.
Jets: Bret, don't hurt your arm patting yourself on the back for that win. It was the Dolphins after all.
Saints: Ok, calling Reggie Bush a bust was little harsh last week. He makes a perfectly good wideout. Unfortunately, he's a running back. Cardinals: They might even win again this week at Miami. Imagine, Cardinals 2-0. Don't read too much into it though.
Buccaneers: It's going to be a long year for Bucs fans.
Raiders: On the bright side, they get the Chiefs this week. Hey Al Davis! great move picking up DeAngelo Hall! Here's a little hint: If the Falcons don't want him, he must be REALLY bad!
Ravens: How about that Joe Flacco? Go Blue Hens!
Bengals: The Bungles are back.
Lions: How do you lose to a rebuilding team like Atlanta?

BAD

Falcons: Atlanta fans, you're allowed optimism, but don't get overjoyed. It's nice to win 34-21, but two things to remember: First, it was the Lions; and second, Matt Ryan threw the ball 13 times. Let's wait and see if he can win when he puts it up 30 times against a good team.
Rams: Every bit as bad as expected.
Dolphins: When you lose to a mediocre team with a quarterback as old as John McCain, you've got problems.
Chiefs: Amazing how the worst team in the NFL manages to lose by 7 to the best team in the NFL. Don't worry, the Chiefs still suck.

Snarky Transvestites from Planet X (or my preseason NFL rankings)

Now that I have your attention...

With the rest of the world watching Obama's coronation, it seems like an appropriate time to offer my NFL preseason rankings. This is how the teams look going into this year:

ELITE

Patriots: The only team that comes into this season with an elite ranking. Sure, they lost the Super Bowl, but they still have Brady and Moss and Welker and Maroney and a good offensive line and a decent defense. I don't think they'll go undefeated again, but they are THE team to beat.

EXCELLENT

Colts: This team just looks ready to break down. If Manning goes down, so do the Colts. But until they do, they have to be considered an excellent team.

GOOD

49ers: The Cinderalla Niners will shock a lot of people this year, and are my pick for NFC Champ. Frank Gore does his best Marshall Faulk impression, while J.T. O'Sullivan becomes this year's Kurt Warner in Mike Martz's offense. Watch WR Josh Morgan too, who has had a nice preseason as a 6th round pick. If Mike Nolan can get some defense going on this team, they could be scary good.
Cowboys: There is nothing wrong with the Boys. They have the talent. They will be the team to beat in the NFC, but I see them losing in the playoffs again. They have no character, but plenty of characters.
Panthers: If Delhomme stays healthy, this team goes far. Welcome the newest running back sensation, Jonathan Stewart. Like the 49ers, the only question in Carolina is the defense.
Jaguars: With another year under QB David Gerrard's belt, the Jags will challenge the Colts for division dominance.
Chargers: This team is still good. But with OLB Shawne Merriman playing on two torn knee ligaments, expect the defense to take a hit.

AVERAGE

Texans: I have seen more than a few prognosticators call for a big year from the Texans. While I think they will be better, they have too many guys with injury histories, starting with QB Matt Schaub, and including running backs Ahman Green and Chris Brown. That said, their defense is quite respectable. But they have to show me they can stay healthy if they are to rank any higher than this.
Broncos: This is the year Jay Cutler enters the ranks of elite quarterbacks. The running game should be servicable with Selvin Young. The defense is still a question mark though.
Steelers: The Steelers should be challenged for the division title by the Browns this year. The Steeler defense gives them the edge.
Browns: The best team not to make the playoffs last season should be able to slip in as a wild card this year. If the Steelers slip, the Browns should move in for the division title.
Redskins: Every year they come loaded for bear, and every year they disappoint. This team will surprise, possibly even shooting the Cowboys from the top.
Packers: Without Favre, the Packers aren't bad. The problem here is QB Aaron Rodgers' injury history, plus his attitude.
Vikings: Adrian Peterson starts out strong, then gets hurt. This team's success rides on Peterson's ship.
Giants: No Osi, no Strahan. Welcome back to Earth G-Men.
Eagles: Donovan McNabb's last season will end early with his annual injury. Next year, he goes to Chicago.
Seahawks: This is the most boring team which still manages to win a lot of games. Holmgren is a good coach, but even good coaches can't make filet mignon out of hamburger.
Bills: The Toronto Bills just sounds wrong, much like "Bills win the Super Bowl" sounds wrong.
Bengals: The Bungles should be a little better this year, but they still have no defense.
Jets: You weren't honestly expecting that adding Brett Favre instantly makes this sorry team a playoff contender? After this season, Jet fans will long for the carefree days of Chad Pennington and Herman Edwards.
Titans: QB Vince Young needs to age a little more quickly. In his defense, they haven't exactly given him any receivers. At least he should be able to have a running game (LenDale White and rookie Chris Johnson) to take some pressure off him.
Saints: Reggie Bush = bust (and I don't mean the Canton style either).
Lions: This is the year WR Calvin Johnson breaks out. Unfortunately, the rest of the team is still stuck in neutral.
Buccaneers: This will be Jon Gruden's last year as the Bucs coach (because he will be fired), so expect it to be like a bad "Chuckie" movie.
Bears: If you're Lovie Smith, and when you have to choose between quarterbacks Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman, you walk down to the front office and say, "You're killing me guys!"
Raiders: If you want to have some fun, listen to coach Lane Kiffin's press conference, and try to interpret the subtle messages Kiffin is sending to Al Davis. The sad thing about the whole Kiffin-Davis divorce-in-the-making is that this team isn't that bad. QB Jamarcus Russell should be fun to watch, and Darren McFadden should be a great running back. The defense is decent too. But this team has no chemistry.

BAD

Falcons: The Matt Ryan era begins in Atlanta. This team looks like it just might generate some offense, but don't expect miracles. The Falcons have a long way to fly.
Cardinals: Matt "Hollywood" Leinart can't seem to unlodge Kurt Warner from the starting quarterback job, which is a sad commentary on this team's front office. I would tell Cardinal fans to expect a long year, but they should be used to that by now.
Rams: It will take more than one season of rebuilding to revive this team.
Ravens: Quoth the Raven, "Not this year..."
Dolphins: Hey Dolphin fans! Get used to hearing this: "And the punting team comes out..."
Chiefs: Remember that great draft the Chiefs allegedly had? Unfortunately, they didn't get a new coach. This team will actually get worse. If you enjoy watching Herm Edwards blow his stack in press conferences, you will love this season.

R.I.P. Gene Upshaw

The death of Gene Upshaw, a former offensive guard for the Oakland Raiders and current head of the NFL Players Association, comes as a sad shock to me.

For all my fond memories of Upshaw's work on the Raiders offensive line, his greatest legacy will be his work as head of the NFL Players Association, the players union. The collective bargaining agreement(CBA) which Upshaw negotiated with Paul Tagliabue (former NFL Commissioner) stands as arguably the finest union-negotiated agreement of any industry ever, for the simple reason best said by Tagliabue in his statement about Upshaw's death: "[Upshaw] never lost sight of the interests of the game and the big picture."

Unlike other unions, the NFLPA under Upshaw knew that if they killed the league, they get nothing. So the union negotiated for a percentage of income, as opposed to the specific salary demands many unions get. In effect, as the NFL prospered, the players prospered. This can be seen in the NFL's salary cap, which has increased every year of the current CBA, as the NFL's income has increased every year.

If all union leaders were as smart as Upshaw, I would happily support unions in more industries. Unfortunately, I doubt the success of the NFLPA will be remembered by other unions. I just hope the NFLPA remembers it's own success under Upshaw.

Obama and the Nazis

I saw the above Orwellian poster image on the US News and World Report website. Here is the story behind it:

"...if a Los Angeles creative agency gets its way, Sen. Barack Obama will see fans meet him with his own salute like the one above. "Our goal is to see a crowd of 75,000 people at Obama's nomination speech holding their hands above their heads, fingers laced together in support of a new direction for this country, a renewed hope, and acceptance of responsibility for our future," says Rick Husong, owner of The Loyalty Inc. Husong tells me that he got the idea after seeing the famous Obama-Progress poster by artist Shepherd Fairey. "We wanted to get involved some way," he says. So, the agency came up with their own a symbol of hope and progress that also plays off Obama's name. "We thought, 'Let's try and start a movement where even while walking down the street, people would hold up the O and you would know that they were for Obama,' " says Husong.

So Barack gets his own "salute"? Now what historical figure does that remind you of...

Now before all the liberals get their panties in a bunch over me calling Obama a Nazi, consider the following posters from Nazi Germany (with the translations below them):

"No one shall go hungry! No one shall be cold!"


(quote from Hitler)"I ask the German people to strengthen my faith and to lend me its strength so that I will always and everywhere have the strength to fight for its honor and freedom, to work for its economic prosperity, and particularly to strengthen me in my struggles for genuine peace."


"Don't give. Sacrifice."


"Greater Germany: Yes on 10 April."

Sounds an awful lot like "yes we can", doesn't it?

But seriously, I am NOT saying Obama is Hitler. Just that the nature of propaganda hasn't changed much in 70 years. Remember, the key to propaganda is NOT what it says, but rather what it does NOT say. If you look at the Obama poster at the top of this post, what does "sign of progress" tell you? It sounds nice, but means nothing, other than trying to show a correlation between an "Obama salute" and the word "progress". Progress towards what?

Naturally, anyone can go to Obama's website and read his platform to determine what he means by "progress", which is certainly more information than was available during Hitler's rise to power in Germany. So what does Obama mean by "progress"? Let's line him up with Hitler and see:

GOT TO BLAME SOMEBODY: Hitler blamed the Jews, whereas Obama blames the rich and the corporations. It didn't matter that some of the most productive members of German society WERE Jews, just like it doesn't matter that the rich and the corporations ARE the most productive parts of American society.

GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE YOUNG: Hitler had his "Hitler Youth", whereas Obama wants our kids being assimilated in government schools from the day after birth. At least Hitler waited until the kids were 10.

WE NEED A WAR!: At least Hitler gave Germans a "real" war to fight. The best Obama can come up with is an imaginary "Global Warming" foe (now known as "climate change", since we don't REALLY know what the weather will do next week).

Even though Obama has pulled a page from Joseph Goebbels' playbook, at least we can feel safe that Obama is no Hitler. I hope...



(hat tip to the Calvin College website for the Nazi posters)

Et tu Bob?

I was seriously considering voting for Libertarian candidate Bob Barr for president in November. I decided some time ago that I have one litmus test for 2008 presidential candidates: Global Warming. If a candidate supported that hoax, I was not going to vote for them, since obviously they are too stupid to be president. Of Obama, McCain, and Barr, only Barr passed that test.

Until now.

From the LRC Blog:

On the Glenn Beck show, in early June, Barr said, "Global warming is a myth. And yet it`s being used by the environmental folks, by the internationalists. A lot of the pressure is coming from the United Nations and other countries. Some of which, like China, of course, are pushing the Kyoto Protocol. Why? Because they`re exempt. It`s going to saddle us. And what is McCain doing? He`s out there buying into this global warming, carbon emission cap and trade."

Now Barr says, "Former Vice President Al Gore and I have met privately to discuss the issue of global warming, and I was pleased and honored that he invited me to attend the 'We' Campaign event. Global warming is a reality as most every organization that has studied the matter has concluded, whether conservative-leaning, liberal oriented or independent."

He gives the caveat that he is "aware that scientists differ on its causes, impact and remedies" and is "firmly committed to free market solutions and innovations to address this issue; not tax-driven policies."

Sorry Bob, you just lost my vote.