Welcome to The Now

From the WashPost : CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Evel Knievel, the red-white-and-blue-spangled motorcycle daredevil whose jumps over crazy obstacles including Greyhound buses, live sharks and Idaho's Snake River Canyon made him an international icon in the 1970s, died Friday. He was 69. Knievel's death was confirmed by his granddaughter, Krysten Knievel. He had been in failing health for years, suffering from diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable condition that scarred his lungs.

But daveawayfromhome peeked my interest with the glassbooth test . After taking it, it seems like my candidate(s) would be a tossup between John Edwards and Barack Obama . But for the record, I haven't made my choice yet.

Glenn Greenwald on Joe Klein's lazy lies and Time Magazine's stupidity . Oliver Willis on the stupidity of Michael Steele (will this guy ever go away?). Crooks and Liars on the stupidity of John McCain . Daily Kos diarist Leaves on the Current explains why the GOP debate last night destroyed the Constitution . I get the feeling that jurassicpork isn't convinced that Musharraf's stepping down means anything significant.

Last night's GOP debate got nasty . Downtown DC is raking in the cash (weren't they just involved in a major scandal ?). Or maybe it's related to the fact that 23 DC schools may be closing ... Poisoned toys make video games more palatable . The increasing danger of lung disease (particularly for women). Police in Florida believe Sean Taylor's death was due to a " botched burglary ."

This is scary: "The Singing Senators;" a foursome of lyrical legislators comprised of (former) Sen. Trent Lott, Larry Craig, Jim Jeffords and John Ashcroft. Despite Lott's barely-subtle bigotry, he has a decent voice. And that's probably the only compliment I've ever give the guy.

I don't know about that, but in light of Sean Taylor's death, the pattern is certainly disturbing .

I mentioned before that the Bush Administration is hoping that by finally getting off their ass and being diplomatic will score major legacy points. Did anyone from the conference ask what the people in question (namely Israelis and Arabs) think? Well, someone asked some Arabs about this, and : BEIRUT, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Arab commentators on Wednesday dismissed the relaunch of Israeli-Palestinian talks as a U.S.-staged media event unlikely to lead to Middle East peace. Some argued that U.S. President George W. Bush's real aim in convening Tuesday's conference in Annapolis, Maryland, was to rescue his image after failures in Iraq and Afghanistan, or to persuade Arab states their deadliest foe was Iran, not Israel. "The failure of Annapolis is now clear. (President Mahmoud) Abbas will return to Palestine without anything," said Essam el-Erian, a senior leader in Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. "The conference was designed for public relations and the participants

They go to Kenya for sex tours. I'm not kidding .

When Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton first went at each other for the New York Senate seat, the battle tactics were defined: Mr. Giuliani was going to portray Mrs. Clinton as inauthentic, inexperienced, a liberal champion of big government and a carpetbagger, his advisers said in interviews. Mrs. Clinton was going to paint Mr. Giuliani as divisive and undignified, temperamentally unsuited for the Senate, and profoundly uninterested in national and international affairs, her advisers said. Well, Clinton's authenticity is definitely up for debate , but her experience really isn't (she's come a long way from heading the health care reform as First Lady). The "liberal champion of big government" is a misleading term because it implies that Hillary has the base behind her ( not true ) and that all liberals favor big government (also not true). And yes, she moved to New York in order to run for the Senate, but she isn't the first politician to do so, and where doe

Musharaff finally takes off his uniform . The NFL is set to honor Sean Taylor. A race car driver wins "Dancing With the Stars." "The formula that doctors use to calculate a woman's risk of breast cancer underestimates the danger for black women most of the time and especially for those age 50 and older -- the age when they are most likely to benefit from screening tests and protective drugs, according to the first major reassessment of the widely used tool." The question isn't " will Republicans get a question about D.C. voting rights ?" but rather "do Republicans get a damn about D.C. voting rights?" It only took seven years, but the Bush Administration starts to focus on the peace side of diplomacy . What kind of monster would steal from the Salvation Army ? Can LeBron James avert the Bostocalypse ?

If you were President of the United States, how much time would you spend on an all-day summit? A summit that may influence the political landscape in a traditionally fragile region for the immediate future? A summit that, if successful, may help your legacy? How about three friggin' hours ? In the time it takes to watch a football game or a Harry Potter movie, Bush figures that he can wrap up those nasty, centuries-old disagreements. After all, look at what he's done for the political discourse in America? I was half-joking with my Operation: Middle East PhotoOp riff, but now I see how disturbingly accurate I was. Add this to Bush's previous quacking , and we're seeing a man who's either becoming less and less interested in being president, brushing the important stuff aside for his own personal agenda, or (gulp) both.

The Red Cross chief is kicked out for giving "donations" to a staff member.

I thought that in politics, when you're the front runner, you should only be paying attention to #2. That the mid-tier guys are pretty much negligible. Well, no one told Mitt Romney that : Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney blasted a rising challenger in the Iowa caucuses Monday, painting former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as a tax-raising, illegal immigrant-coddling liberal and defending his own commitment to conservative causes. "He may be conservative on social issues, but when it comes to economic issues like immigration, he's a liberal on immigration. He fought for tuition breaks for illegal aliens. He raised taxes time and time again as governor of Arkansas," Romney told CNN. Oh no! A Republican candidate that isn't conservative across the board? What will the GOP do? Seriously; is this the best Romney can do? I mean, look at George W. Bush: as president he failed to get an amendment on Gay Marriage like he promised (to the "values voters"

Well, Oprah Winfrey is going to stump for presidential wannabe Barack Obama. WashPost's Eugene Robinson shares his thoughts : Winfrey occupies a unique place in American culture; her show offers a blend of self-empowerment, spirituality and consumerism -- "Oprah's Favorite Things" -- that enthralls millions of viewers every day. Two years ago, sellout crowds filled arenas and convention centers around the nation when she staged a series of motivational events. Famously protective of the Oprah brand, she has steered clear of electoral politics -- until now. And in a sense, she's still being cautious. As Robinson notes, Oprah will not be using her show or her magazine as the unofficial Obama Network. Still, it will be interesting to see how certain political figures address this move, particularly Sen. Clinton (who was hoping to lock up the women's vote on the Democratic side), former Sen. Edwards (who was garnishing the women's vote with some help her his w

...and President Bush can't even get the participant's names right .

R.I.P., Sean Taylor . Behold the power of cheese . All's not so well in Paris . The battle for slots in Maryland heats up. The cost of Christmas has risen since last year.

Things about the Federal Budget that aren't exactly highlighted during presidential debates.

jp on Mark Halperin being...well, dumb . Think Progress reminds us what a hypocritical bastard Dick Cheney is. Eric Boehlert wonders why Fox News has a double standard when it comes to honoring fallen soldiers. His conclusion: " As I mentioned, this latest round of finger-pointing isn't really about the media and it's certainly not about serious media criticism. It's about desperate war supporters flailing around in search of a target; in search of an explanation for how it's really the media's fault that the war in Iraq has failed ." Fred Kaplan is as much a fan of "Redacted" as Bill O'Reilly , but in his case Kaplan actually articulates his beefs with the movie: " But as the film slogs on, the real world recedes to schlock fantasy. The key scene comes when two of the Americans—both psychopaths, one fatter than any active-duty combat Marine or soldier would be allowed to be—decide, late one night, to go rape and kill a teenage girl t

When Air America went down, the conservative consensus was that the failure was not due to any bias, but that liberal radio was non-profitable. So what happens when rumors about Tucker Carlson's show circling the drain start surfacing? Well, via Think Progress , some conservatives see this as a "decision by MSNBC [that] will silence a conservative voice, part of a move by MSNBC to swing left and become ‘FOX for the Liberals,’ dropping any pretense of objectivity or balance." In other words: the free market doesn't apply to conservative voices (whether in print, radio or television). Let me guess: they need some kind of conservative "affirmative action" because the media is so tilted, right? Sigh.

Yikes: "The first statistics ever amassed on HIV in the District, released today in a sweeping report, reveal "a modern epidemic" remarkable for its size, complexity and reach into all parts of the city ." Republican Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott says he will resign to go make more $$$ in the private sector. Because they can't get too many Average Joes to donate, Republican presidential wannabes are looking to the rich for cash . When the malls are busy, everyone is busy . Washington Free Safety Sean Taylor was shot over the Thanksgiving Break . Ugh: "A former Ivy League professor pleaded guilty Monday to voluntary manslaughter for killing his wife as she wrapped Christmas presents last year." The latest winners of the Hannah Montana concert at the Verizon Center. At University of Maryland College Park: The Terrapins wait and see if their 37-0 victory this weekend will get them a bowl invitation.

The security improvements in Iraq have some Democrats thinking about changing their message , which makes sense because security isn't the only concern . Hulk Hogan's wife files for divorce . Football critics continue to piss off the New England Patriots . Blue-collar women gravitate towards presidential wannabe Hillary Clinton.

It's no secret that the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina has yet to be fully repaired, or that all of its citizens have returned to something resembling home. But when in doubt (I guess) the best thing to do is... rely on the gambling industry ? While Gov. Haley Barbour (R) has hailed the casino openings as a harbinger of Mississippi's resurgence and developers have proposed more than $1 billion in beachfront condos and hotels for tourists, fewer than one in 10 of the thousands of single-family houses destroyed in Biloxi are being rebuilt, according to city permit records. More than 10,000 displaced families still live in trailers provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Now, long-standing resentment over the way the state has treated displaced residents has deepened over a proposal by the Barbour administration to divert $600 million in federal housing aid to fund an expansion plan at the Port of Gulfport. The port's recently approved master plan calls for in

Normally I'd call this spin (in light of Gilbert Arenas' absence and all) but this is Michael Wilbon talking : Don't get me wrong, the Wizards will need Arenas for the stretch run and in the playoffs should they qualify. Just last week, at 0-5, I thought the Wizards were the biggest disappointment in the league. Now they are missing their best player. Every team in the NBA, and there are no exceptions, is going to suffer without its best player, whether we're talking about Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant or Arenas. But they've played pretty well without him the last couple of games. The ball flow has been better, as has distribution of shots, as has spacing. Granted, the Hawks, Pacers, T-Wolves, Trail Blazers and Sixers are bottom feeders. But if the Wizards simply beat the stinky teams they're supposed to beat (like the Pacers in the opener), they'll be fine. And the Wizards have been in the process of developing a nice little group of players good eno

How about the Hollywood writers , who toil to keep us entertained with via TV shows and movies?

More megachurches are beginning to use their resources to help their local communities . "Federal officials are routinely asking courts to order cellphone companies to furnish real-time tracking data so they can pinpoint the whereabouts of drug traffickers, fugitives and other criminal suspects, according to judges and industry lawyers." John McCain's latest comeback attempt . A jail in Boston becomes a hotel ...didn't Stephen King write a story like this? Happy Belated Turkey Day, Everyone!

The tragedy is what FoxNews would stoop to in order to brainwash their viewer . The irony is that the subject at hand had more to do with someone close to their intended target. Oh well, let them figure that one out.

Hmmm... : (WTSP) -- You slather, spray, paint them on and rub them in. Cosmetics are so much a part of your daily regimen that you probably never think twice about them. But at least some of what's in your cosmetics might not be so good for you. One example is the family of chemicals known as phthalates, which may be linked to developmental and reproductive health risks, says Steven Masley, M.D. with Carillon Executive Health. The industry says phthalates are safe, but some companies have dropped them in response to public concern. Essie, OPI, and Sally Hansen, for example, are removing dibutyl phthalate (DBP), which is used to prevent chipping, from nail polishes. Other big-name brands that have reformulated products to remove some phthalates include Avon, Cover Girl, Estee Lauder, L'Oreal, Max Factor, Orly, and Revlon. You'll also find phthalates in other personal-care products, including body lotions, hair sprays, perfumes, and deodorants. The chemicals are used to help

I guess I underestimated the guy: Republicans seem to be warming up to former Governor Mike Huckabee. Meet The Super Bug: bigger than the average human . In Silver Spring, MD: a car accident of "Final Destination" proportions takes the life of a pedestrian. "OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) -- Police in Ocean City have solved the mystery behind the strange wooden box found Saturday by a resident in the canal behind his home." What's the Writer's Strike costing Hollywood? About $21 million a day . "Maryland's unemployment rate is inching up , but is still lower than the national average."

As the Washington-based NBA team pounds the crap out of Philadelphia, some thoughts on this five-game winning streak: ...Looks like the team can win while Brendan Haywood puts up phenomenal stats. And by "phenomenal," I mean "numbers he should have been putting up years ago." I know, I know...Etan Thomas' presence meant less guaranteed minutes, and that affected Haywood's psyche. Well, maybe this experience will lead coach Eddie Jordan to see Haywood as a genuine starting Big Man, and not part of a two-heading center experiment. Regardless, Haywood's noticeable improvement will be a factor in many future games, so let's hope he keeps it up... ...Other than tonight (where Jordan decided to clear the bench) the team has played good defense. Particularly, good team defense. This is significant because teams that rely on one or two players to be "stoppers" don't last very long (those teams get exposed quickly in the playoffs). As much as pe

Earlier , I saw a story about some missing kids. Well, turns out that they are OK : DIAMOND BAR, Calif. - Three grandchildren of Southern California Rep. Gary Miller who were reported missing are with their mother, possibly in Nevada, and are believed to be safe, authorities said Tuesday. Jennifer Dejongh was supposed to drop her three sons off at Miller’s house Sunday for an “extended visit,” according to court papers. Dejongh’s father, Jude Lopez, said his daughter is in a custody dispute with the children’s father, the congressman’s son Brian Miller. The two were never married, he said. It feels good to follow up a potentially sad story with good news. I just hope Miller doesn't overreact to this mistake and push for some unnecessary law.

I was always curious as to why "Under Siege 2" was made, and the people at Cracked.com were kind enough to reveal the truth : This movie originally had nothing to do with the original Under Siege. It was a script called Dark Territory about bad guys that have to hijack a train to do bad stuff. It has nothing to do with the Navy. It has nothing to do with the previous movie. Basically, Steven Seagal auditioned for the part and got it, so the producers figured they might as well give his character the same name as in Under Siege and call it a sequel. What's especially odd is that, around this time, Speed was in need of a sequel, which meant it needed a script about a fast-moving vehicle, explosions and terrorists. Dark Territory would have fit, but it was turned into a sequel to Under Siege instead. This left Speed 2 in need of a script, so they used what was originally supposed to be the script for the third Die Hard movie, about a boat being hijacked. This obviously left

Via Think Progress : former Press Secretary Scott McClellan on the Valerie Plame scandal, and President Bush's involvement.

From the Dog House to the Big House : RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -Michael Vick got a head start on a possible long prison stretch Monday, surrendering three weeks before he was to be sentenced for his involvement in a bloody dogfighting ring. The disgraced Atlanta Falcons quarterback surrendered to U.S. marshals in what his lawyer said was another step in his public repentance. "From the beginning, Mr. Vick has accepted responsibility for his actions, and his self-surrender further demonstrates that acceptance," attorney Billy Martin said in a statement. "Michael wants to again apologize to everyone who has been hurt in this matter, and he thanks all of the people who have offered him and his family prayers and support during this time." Ya don't say, Mr. Martin. Well, I think that if Vick was responsible, he'd be playing football right now because he would've stopped the dogfighting early on.

"The Annapolis city council has killed a proposal to ban retail use of plastic bags." Rep. Gary Miller from California is looking for his grandchildren, who have been missing since yesterday afternoon . Former rapper Lil' Romeo (son of Master P) commits to play basketball at USC . James Adjei Kyem has nine wives living amongst his 21 residences, but that's not why he's going to jail . Sony BMG and Yahoo make a deal . “The situation in Somalia is the worst on the continent,” according to the UN . A simple message from environmentally-conscious office folk : "Save Trees. Print only when necessary."

The "outrage" that Bill O’Reilly has over the movie " Redacted " would be somewhat plausible if he and his handlers hadn't allowed Mark Cuban (the owner of the Dallas Mavericks who is producing the film) to buy airtime and put up a commercial for the movie on O'Reilly's show .

Meet super villians so lame the Power Pack wouldn't bother with them. Rudy 9 iu 11 ani , via Think Progress. Jurassicpork on Mike Huckabee , the Republican preacher who can't get a prominent conservative religious group to back him, so he has to enlist the aid of Chuck Norris. Read that sentence again. Gilbert Arenas talks about the his new nickname, Sport Guy's recent story , and Starbury.

Well, more than you think . The morale I take is, "Can't we all just get along?"

If you're reading this, thanks. But all the same, you may want to flip through a book (if you haven't recently). According to this story Only 30 percent of 13-year-olds read almost every day. The number of 17-year-olds who never read for pleasure increased from 9 percent in 1984 to 19 percent in 2004. Almost half of Americans between ages 18 and 24 never read books for pleasure. The average person between ages 15 and 24 spends 2 to 2 1/2 hours a day watching TV and 7 minutes reading. I have to admit I've been slacking myself. There was a point where I'd be reading a novel, two short stories and a rack of comic books in the same week. Now it's like I only read when I'm in the gym. I guess I know what I'll ask for Christmas.

Orlando may be our only hope ...and that's scary. In Houston, a police officer was killed while cleaning his own gun . The DC murder rate is one away for a record high. Congressional Democrats vow to keep fighting against the Iraq War . I have a suggestion: how about not funding for anything other than what's required for troop withdrawal? A Hand-Held Heart Attack: the deadliest burgers in America . Annapolis may move to ban plastic bags in grocery stores.

I was watching ESPN this weekend and the talk was about the Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade's comments about Shaq's recent play. Someone thought it would lead to the teammate conflict reminiscent of Shaq and Kobe (with the LA Lakers) or Shaq and Penny (Orlando Magic). Well, even with the related story that Shaq's OK with what Wade said , there's the obvious: Wade isn't Penny or Kobe. Penny was a guy who once thought he could average 40pts/game (something even Michael Jordan thought was a difficult task in today's NBA) despite being injury-prone. Kobe wasn't patient enough to inherit the title of team leader form Shaq, and now that he has it, is basically begging for help (like a big man who could score in the post, block shots and clog the middle). Wade's definitely the most humble of the three, and probably the most durable. Plus (and this is important) he has Shaq's respect. If this team fails to make some noise, it would be because of a Wade-Shaq beef

The exodus continues : Fran Townsend, President Bush's top White House-based adviser on terrorism and homeland security, has resigned, it was announced Monday. Bush had this to say : With her extensive experience, intellect and candor, Fran has ably guided the Homeland Security Council. She has played an integral role in the formation of the key strategies and policies my Administration has used to combat terror and protect Americans. She has traveled the world to meet with allies in the Global War on Terror and has partnered extensively with first responders at the state and local level to enhance our preparedness. We are safer today because of her leadership. I wonder if her duties involved routing out Nada Nadim Prouty ? Probably not.

BEWARE THE BOSTOCALPSE, PEOPLE ! At George Mason University: a chemical spill sends two to the hospital. Lindsay Lohan does a whopping 84 minutes in jail. In Montgomery Co.: Elements of the Crips and Bloods are blamed for recent gang violence . People in Mississippi are still waiting for their hurricane (Katrina) aid. President Gen. Pervez Musharraf releases Benazir Bhutto ...again. Higher gas prices aren't keeping Thanksgiving travelers from hitting the road. Barry Bonds goes from Home Run King to indicted athlete . In DC: meet Harriette Walters, who was behind stealing $30 million from the DC Office of Tax and Revenue .

The Bush Administration, after trying so hard , decides to invest in a "Plan B" for dealing with Pakistan.

Funny how when NBC asks questions of the Democratic candidates, they're so tough, but when it comes to the Republicans, they get buddy-buddy .

Interesting : Researchers in Oregon reported yesterday that they had created the world's first fully formed, cloned monkey embryos and harvested batches of stem cells from them -- a feat that, if replicated in people, could allow production of replacement tissues or organs with no risk of rejection. Successful creation of the cloned embryos, each from a single monkey skin cell, effectively settles a long-standing scientific debate about whether primates -- the taxonomic grouping that includes monkeys and people -- are biologically incapable of being cloned, as some had come to believe after years of failures. Call me crazy, but if we could use an army of monkey clones to fight our wars, is that so bad?

The Washington Redskins decide to give the no huddle a try. In Annapolis, MD: the debate on slots continues . In India, a man marries a dog in order to remove a curse (don't tell Rick Santorum). "More than a dozen students at two Anne Arundel elementary schools have developed pneumonia in the past several months , and 25 other students are being watched to see if they have the illness as well." The struggles of the 12-year-old, seven-foot-tall Brenden Adams. Although I always managed to get my own body wash and lotion dumped, "Government investigators smuggled liquid explosives and detonators past airport security, exposing a dangerous hole in the nation's ability to keep these forbidden items off of airplanes , according to a report made public Wednesday. "

The Roman Catholic Church (via the bishops) have put out their list of priorities for the 2008 elections : The document makes clear the broad concerns in Catholic teaching that make it difficult for parishioners to feel fully comfortable with either the Democrats or Republicans. The bishops say helping the poor should be a top priority in government, providing health care, taking in refugees and protecting the rights of workers, and the bishops highlight the need for environmental protection. However, they also oppose same-sex marriage, euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research, in addition to their staunch anti-abortion position. The prelates say torture is "always wrong" and they express "serious moral concerns" about "preventive use of military force." But at the last minute Wednesday, they added a sentence acknowledging "the continuing threat of fanatical extremism and global terror." So all the practicing Catholics have to do is find the p

Regardless of the words coming out of his mouth , Pakistan's "leader" is acting like he's here to stay: ISLAMABAD, Pakistan , Nov. 13 — Pakistan’s president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf , on Tuesday rejected an appeal by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to lift his state of emergency, insisting in an interview that it was the best way to ensure free and fair elections. He vigorously defended the emergency decree issued 10 days earlier that suspended the Constitution, dismissed the Supreme Court, silenced independent news stations and resulted in the arrests of at least 2,500 opposition party workers, lawyers and human rights advocates. “I totally disagree with her,” General Musharraf said in an interview with The New York Times at the presidential building here in the capital. “The emergency is to ensure elections go in an undisturbed manner.” He said Sunday that elections would go ahead by Jan. 9. So Bush's collect phone call (OK, I don't know if it was really

From the World's Greatest Cut&Paste newssource, YahooNews : WASHINGTON - Three leading House anti-war Democrats said they now back a $50 billion bill that funds the war but calls for most troops to come home by December 2008. Their support paves the way for the bill's passage Wednesday. The trio, California Reps. Lynn Woolsey, Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters, represent a liberal anti-war caucus that last week expressed opposition to the measure on the grounds it was too soft and did not demand an end to combat. The bill requires that President Bush initiate troop withdrawals within 30 days of its passage with the goal of bringing home most soldiers and Marines by Dec. 15, 2008. You'd think the Bush Administration was going to have a heart attack when they heard the news: The White House said Bush would veto the bill if it comes to him. Presidential spokeswoman Dana Perino called the legislation the "height of irresponsibility," charging Democrats with merely try

What better way to teach disaster lesson to kids than through cartoons ? They must be getting desperate: Democratic presidential wannabes attack "the Bill Clinton years." Now what are these guys gonna say if any of them win the primary? "Uh, I was taken out of context?" The judge who sued a cleaning company $54 million for some messed up pants (and lost)? Well, he ain't a judge anymore . Speaking of lawsuits, Hannah Montana fans plan to sue the achy-breaky heart out of her fan club .

Not that I was expecting to see this story , even after my pseudo-rant , but it is related to that earlier post. I mean, if you've gone from Middle Class to broke in 20 years, wouldn't you be pessimistic about American society? And I'm not surprised to see this either: Whites have a different view about black progress, according to the survey. Whites were nearly twice as likely as blacks to see black gains in the past five years. A majority of whites polled, or 56 percent, also said they believed prospects for blacks would improve in the future. Because, since Condi Rice is Secretary of State, Barack Obama is running for US President, Jay-Z is a full-time businessman and Will Smith makes like $20 million a flick, all blacks are doing well. Right.

It took a decade, but ESPN's Bill Simmons is putting out his NBA Preview. This go-around he's doing a fourth-parter (the first part came out today). I can't really complain since he did have to take care of his new baby (like a father should) but I still think he needs to post a pic of his kid as proof. Anyway, Part I includes a review of the Wizards (he does keep his tradition of going from worst to best) where he pulls no punches . Sure, as a partisan Wizards fan I could skip over such commentary, but then I wouldn't be a fair, opened-minded individual. So here goes: I picked the Wizards to miss the playoffs for three reasons: Gilbert Arenas' lingering knee problems, an improved Eastern Conference, and contract years for two of their top three (Arenas and Antawn Jamison). You know what happens when two of the three best guys on a struggling team are in contract years? Everyone starts gunning for their own stats and the situation turns nastier than the first 30 min

'Tis true . What I want to know is: How can people consider Matthews unbiased after his comments? Where was this "he deserves it" rhetoric when John Kerry was running for the presidency?

Because "dreams" is how you'd like your life to be, without all the jerks and lies and greed and whatnot. But reality says, "Sorry, you'll have to fight through that, and maybe more, to get close to what you want." For minorities, it's even more so , and this story from the Washington Post sums it up: Forty-five percent of black children whose parents were solidly middle class in 1968 -- a stratum with a median income of $55,600 in inflation-adjusted dollars -- grew up to be among the lowest fifth of the nation's earners, with a median family income of $23,100. Only 16 percent of whites experienced similar downward mobility. At the same time, 48 percent of black children whose parents were in an economic bracket with a median family income of $41,700 sank into the lowest income group. This troubling picture of black economic evolution is contained in a package of three reports being released today by the Pew Charitable Trusts that test the vitality

With considerably moderate fanfare, President Bush's much-criticised "surge" is in it's final throes : The current total of 20 combat brigades is shrinking to 19 as the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, operating in volatile Diyala province, leaves. The U.S. command in Baghdad announced on Saturday that the brigade had begun heading home to Fort Hood, Texas, and that its battle space will be taken by another brigade already operating in Iraq. And just between me, you, and everyone else with access to this AP story: Between January and July - on a schedule not yet made public - the force is to shrink further to 15 brigades. The total number of U.S. troops will likely go from 167,000 now to 140,000-145,000 by July, six months before President Bush leaves office and a new commander in chief enters the White House. So what has been learned from this little experiment? U.S. commanders assert that it is not just the larger number of U.S. troops that has made a difference b

A combination of " meticulous planning, serious salesmanship, and shrewd execution " apparently sets Mitt Romney apart from his fellow Republican candidates for President. I always thought that along with moral ambiguity, it was a common trait. An escaped patient (an criminal) from a Laurel, MD hospital was found near Route 1 . The Clinton Camp Comes Clean : "On this occasion a member of our staff did discuss a possible question about Sen. Clinton's energy plan at a forum. However, Sen. Clinton did not know which questioners she was calling on during the event. This is not standard policy and will not be repeated." Really now; if your campaign is in the lead, why muck things up by doing something stupid like this? Call it the "Bart Simpson Redemption:" bad behavior in your child isn't the end of the world . Paris Hilton has a new cause: saving the drunk elephants of India .

Looks like the " gun issue " may be put on the back burner : The Supreme Court took no action Tuesday in the case involving the District of Columbia's ban on handguns. The justices discussed the case at their private conference on Friday, but reached no resolution. Four justices must vote to grant an appeal. The court does not always reach a decision the first time it discusses a case.

If this sounds like deja vu to some people, sorry; but : The government of President Pervez Musharraf ordered the detention of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, blocking the former prime minister from leading a planned protest procession from Lahore into Islamabad on Tuesday to protest Musharraf's declaration of emergency rule. The last time this happened (oh, say, a few days ago) President Bush did the oh-so-diplomatic phone call to help get Mushy to change his mind. Wonder what's next? Texting? Carrier Pigeon? Passing notes during Third Period? How hard is it to use the diplomatic powers inherent in the presidency? Or is making threats and bombing countries the only thing this crowd does well? Bush and Condoleezza Rice need to meet with Mushy; either in Pakistan or here.

One of America's oldest laws may be reviewed soon : The Supreme Court could announce as early as Tuesday whether it will take its first serious look at the Second Amendment in nearly 70 years in a case from D.C. City officials are trying to maintain the 31-year ban on handguns. A lower court struck down the ban as a violation of the Second Amendment rights of gun ownership. The main issue is whether the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to own guns or instead spells out the collective right of states to maintain militias. The individual right interpretation would permit fewer restrictions on gun ownership. A nice way to once again make "guns" a prevailing issue for the 2008 Presidential Campaign.

Apparently, the level of corruption in Alaska politics is historic. Kudos to Virginia, the state with the most personalized license plates . FEMA can't even move people to a safer environment: their trailers and mobile homes are literally toxic . "A Rosedale man who allegedly owes the state more than $10,000 in unpaid tolls has been caught while driving through the Fort McHenry Tunnel." "Montgomery County appears ready to pass broad protections for transgender individuals in housing and employment ." Finally! The Wizard's win ! Put that "We're 9-20 Again" Party on hold!

Think there's a correlation between teen sex and becoming a juvenile delinquent? Well, a recent study has but that belief into doubt. It all started with the initial study: The latest example started when Dana Haynie, a sociologist at Ohio State, and her then-graduate student, Stacy Armour, published a study in February in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence. They analyzed data collected from more than 7,000 children as part of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a federally funded survey that in 1994 began gathering information about the health-related behavior of U.S. schoolchildren who were then in grades seven through 12. Haynie and Armour divided the children into three groups based on when they first had sex: when they were younger, about the same age or older than the age at which most of their local peers lost their virginity. (It varies by region, but on average, U.S. children lose their virginity at age 16.) They also compiled information on graffiti-p

Afsin Yurdakul, a guest writer for the washingtonpost.com's " Post Global ," goes over the a conversation he had with Asma Jahangir ("the country's leading human rights lawyer and activist"): She spoke quickly, not because she was nervous, but because she wanted to tell the world as much as she could about what is really going on behind the scenes of Pakistan’s current political turmoil. She said the electronic media is completely shut down, and satellite dishes have been removed from the supermarket shelves, ostensibly by the military, to prevent people from getting or spreading any information about the state of emergency. Jahangir urged the world not to turn a blind eye to violations of democracy and free speech in Pakistan, and called for maximum international pressure on General Pervez Musharraf. However, as she was telling me that these are defining moments for her country’s future, the police interjected, and we lost the connection. I called back imme

This story reeks with irony: Five authors have sued the parent company of Regnery Publishing, a Washington imprint of conservative books, charging that the company deprives its writers of royalties by selling their books at a steep discount to book clubs and other organizations owned by the same parent company. In a suit filed in United States District Court in Washington yesterday, the authors Jerome R. Corsi, Bill Gertz, Lt. Col. Robert (Buzz) Patterson, Joel Mowbray and Richard Miniter state that Eagle Publishing, which owns Regnery, “ orchestrates and participates in a fraudulent, deceptively concealed and self-dealing scheme to divert book sales away from retail outlets and to wholly owned subsidiary organizations within the Eagle conglomerate .” Excuse me, but isn't this just an example of conservative capitalism...or as I like to call it, "Ferengism"? And by "Ferengi" I mean a people who are characterized by a mercantile obsession with profit and trade

...and you live in the MD/DC/VA area, and you'd like to have a pet, consider adopting a puppy: The Fairfax County Animal Shelter brought up about 60 of the dogs on Thursday. Some of the dogs were sent to shelters in Alexandria. The Animal Rescue League in D.C. brought back about 105 dogs. The Montgomery County Humane Society has some as well. The shelters will provide safe, temporary homes for some of the dogs. Why are there so many dogs? Well : The massive breeding operation came to light after an investigation by the Humane Society of the United States. On Tuesday, Junior Horton, of Hillsville, voluntarily surrendered about 980 dogs, mostly small breed puppies like Yorkshire terriers and miniature poodles. The last I heard on TV, the dogs go for about $150.00 each. Which is actually a loss for the shelters because it costs about $2,000.00 to care for each canine.

Ever since the Democrats wrestled the Senate from the Republicans, the American people have been subjected to a new policy: "We can't do anything without 60 votes." Of course, this is a reverse of the Senate policy when Republicans ruled, which was "As long as we have the majority, we can do whatever the hell we want, including the threat of the 'nuclear option.'" Accepting this distinction makes the news that President Bush's nominee for Attorney General (Michael Mukasey) passed through the Senate a bit confusing, considering he passed with a 53-40 vote . If my math is correct, "53" is seven votes shy of "60," making the Senate Democrats policy of "getting anything done" a load of crap. What isn't confusing is that one party understands that majority = power (even if they do have a proclivity to push the envelope) while the other party believes that being in the majority is like having a Faberge Egg, something beaut

Because rounding them all up would be blatantly racist: " An extensive mapping program launched by the LAPD's anti-terrorism bureau to identify Muslim enclaves across the city sparked outrage Thursday from some Islamic groups and civil libertarians, who denounced the effort as an exercise in racial and religious profiling." Good thing they're in re-runs: Conan O'Brien has a stalker who's also a priest . Every aspect of government has some kind of corruption, but stealing money from a school chess club ? That's just wrong. Another holiday, another mugging at the pump . You better get your fix quick, because cocaine prices are rising (people actually calculate this kind of stuff?) In MD: a vote to cleanup the Chesapeake Bay is in the works. In Fairfax, VA: a 19-yr-old Sheriff Deputy is arrested for child pornography ...like, 1,000 images worth of child pornography.