I am not happy about this

When I first started watching Karen it looked like she may follow my favorite route of north to nowhere. Now the National Hurricane Center is predicting a not nice little westerly jog between Tuesday and Wednesday morning. I am sure this has something to do with lessening wind shears, but my Meteorology was BORING and I didn't learn much that I didn't already know. So, let's keep our fingers crossed that the jog is more north than west, or maybe even northeast. I like a storm that heads straight up the middle of the Atlantic. That's the only kind of storm I like.

TV Review of

Bionic Woman.

Now, please understand, I am 40 years old. I watched the Six Million Dollar Man from the time Col Steve Austin was test piloting a new plane that crashed on him until the end of the series. So, of course, I was thrilled when the character of Jaime Sommers was introduced and they became engaged and she became bionic. I was devestated when she died and I know I didn't miss an episode for the time The Bionic Woman was on ABC.* So, while I was excited about the recreation of this show, as a Bionic officiando I was also a little leery of it.

My first response? I really enjoyed it. Frankly, it made me think "Alias on Steroids" could have been the name of it. While the show is a little over-the-top, requiring a healthy suspension of disbelief, it is incredibly entertaining. It is also convoluted enough that you have to really pay attention or you will get lost. The good guys are not all good. The bad guys are evil. Jaime seems to be having a bad day.

The part I didn't like? Why name her Jaime Sommers? She isn't. Jaime Sommers was an orphaned only child tennis pro who then became an elementary school teacher and worked for the government stopping terrorists before it was cool! This girl is a college drop-out bartender raising her high school age sister because their father dumped her on the step. This is not your mother's Bionic Woman. This is a new series with the name of an old series. That is fine. This is 2007, not 1976. But change the main character's name. It is disturbing otherwise.

Having said that, I am going to watch this show, at least through December. I will be going back to school in January, so who knows what I will be doing then? Or how much time I will have for TV?

*Plus I have seen 2 out of the 3 Bionic movies. I would like to watch the 3rd one.

First an Explanation

Shel over at Yah Sure, You Betcha has been reviewing the series premieres of new shows and the season premieres of older, returning shows. She has inspired me to write this.. well, actually the next post, but I wanted to acknowledge her here!

But first I want to explain my TV viewing habits. I don't watch TV. Really? Practically never. I may catch a few minutes of whatever is on the television, but very seldom do I watch entire shows. Why? Because of the moral decay of society due to the prevelance of sex and violence on TV? Get real! Because I am intellectually superior to those who can find amusement on the small screen? Of course not! Frankly, it is because I am lazy.

At some point in his life, DSD actually started believing the propaganda that men are supposed to control the remote and, therefore, the viewing habits of the family. And he watches some really stupid shit. How many CSI reruns can one person stomach? How many Dirty Jobs can there possibly be? And, while I like crab, I don't want to watch men going without sleep/food/bathing to bring it to me. And he doesn't care about what I do or don't want to watch 99% of the time. Sometimes this bothers me, but (here is the lazy part) it just isn't that important to me. I would rather read a book, play TheSims2 or talk on the phone, or all 3 if I can ever figure out how. I am not going to fight with him about what he is watching on TV. It isn't worth it.

PLUS, we do have 5 blasted TVs in the house, I could go to another room. Again it is not worth it to me. See above on what I would rather be doing.

There are exceptions to my "I don't care" rule. I never missed one single, solitary episode of Alias, not even the last 1 1/2 seasons when it was, in a word, dumb. I never missed The West Wing, until ABC moved Alias from Sunday to Wednesday (I probably should have stuck with The West Wing). When Genie Francis returned to General Hospital last November for a brief 3 week stint as Laura Spencer, I watched every episode on SoapNet (we only get that on the main TV), and when Dixie Martin 'died' on All My Children back in February I took over the TV for an entire Saturday afternoon. *

So with that explantion in place, on the next post.

*These were both big deals, because I don't have time to watch the soaps much anymore, although I don't miss a lot of All My Children updates on the 'net.

Lots of Links

Libby over at TheImpolitic is always right on the ball with her scary analysis of the future of our country. In today's post she points you toward this article by Naomi Wolf and says, "If you can read her post and still call me a wacky conspiracy theorist for suggesting we're on the road to a police state, I can only suggest you get thee to an optometrist because you're clearly never going to be able to read the signs until you get your vision corrected. "

I want Libby to be a conspiracy theorist. She isn't. I want her to be crazy. She isn't. I want her to be wrong. She may be, but I doubt it. Read Libby's post. Click on the link (reposted here), then go farther and click on the American Freedom Campaign link. Sign the petition. Forward it to your friends and relatives... even the neo-con ones!

I feel like I should be doing a lot more, but maybe, if I do my little bit by spreading the word that Libby has already started, MAYBE, people will wake up and help.

If not, God help us all.



Then go back to TheImpolitic and click on Libby's 2nd link. At least it was funny!

This does not look too scary

YET.

Tropical storm Karen does not appear to be headed for land at this point. Hopefully she will just keep headed north and not bother anyone.

...and Manners

Since I am getting married in a few short weeks, I have, recently, been reading a lot about etiquette. While I do understand that is my (our) day, my (our) party and my (our) money and ulitmately, has to be my (our) decision, I do not want people leaving and saying, "Didn't that girl have any upbringing?" Come on, my mother will be there and the last thing I want is for her to be embarrassed. She did a good job; it is just possible that I wasn't paying attention. :-) Plus, weddings tend to bring out questions that you have never asked before and (hopefully) will never ask again.

When are the invitations mailed? 6 wks to 2 months before the wedding date
When is the cake cut? Whenever you feel like it
Can a 40 year old divorcee' wear white? Damn skippy
We don't have a lot of money, is it ok to have a cash bar? Hell, no. But, you don't HAVE to serve alcohol either. Just beer and wine or just punch is your business.

So, to skip the rest of the BS and get to the point (were you doubting I had one?), we would NEVER invite anyone, wait for him/her to arrive and the speak rudely to him/her or about him/her. Really, isn't that even MORE tacky than a cash bar? And isn't that exactly what happened yesterday at Colombia University?

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was INVITED to speak at Colombia. University president, Lee Bollinger, then

took Iran's president to task Monday, bluntly criticizing his record and saying
he exhibits "all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator."

Maybe Ahmadinejad IS a cruel dictator. Maybe he denies the existence of the Holocaust. Maybe he is a just a complete and total jerk. But I am not going to invite him to my wedding and he should not have been invited to speak at Colombia University if he was not welcome to be there.

After the session, Bollinger said Ahmadinejad left without properly answering
many of the questions that were posed to him.

Wouldn't you?

Morons...

Dubya

wants the U.N. to uphold its pledge to
fight for freedom
in lands of poverty and
terror.

was posing a challenge to the U.N. to uphold its original
goal of ensuring freedom in many forms -- from tyranny, disease, illiteracy and
poverty.

has vowed to veto the measure. (The
'measure' being State Children's Health Insurance Program.)

So, let me get this straight. Georgie Porgie is real concerned about freedom, only not HERE? In other countries, on other continents? But my freedoms are being trampled every day and the children of this country don't need health insurance? This war is costing us billions, but we can't raise taxes for our CHILDREN?

I am constantly amazed (and never in a good way) by the fact that those who are so adamantly opposed to abortion completely wash their hands of the fetuses/embryos once they can breathe on their own. (Now, don't misunderstand, I am not advocating abortion, not at all. I have never had to make that choice; I am just very thankful that the choice is there for those who feel that they need it. ) My problem is that it is the same rich, white, middle-aged men who stand up there and scream about the sanctity of life who refuse to help those who are already here. Or, they send them to war to be murdered and maimed. How does that make life sacred? Or is it only rich old guys who get to decide?

It appears that some of those rich old guys are actually going to vote to over ride Dubya's veto of the S-CHIP bill. Or so they are saying right now. We will see. We will be watching.

Post Game plus Football Pool comments

Well the Gators managed to squeak by the Ole Miss Rebels 30-24 in the first road game of 2007. WOW. It was a nerve-racking game and I was glad when it was finished. The Gators did not come close to covering the 20.5 point spread that was predicted for the game, but a W in the win/lose column was all I was looking for.

I hope you did not find this blog expecting some sort of play by play or a break down of the offense/defense, etc that is not my expertise.

Next week the Gators are hosting Auburn. Auburn has not played well so far this year, but we all know they will bring their A game to the Swamp in the hope of knocking Florida out of the #3 spot like they did last year. (It WAS an incomplete pass!)

I managed 8 out of 10 in this week's football pool. Up to the point where I put in my picks, I was the only to take KY, so that is in my favor. Unfortunately I picked PennSt to beat Michigan (come on they lost to App St) and Bama to win out over Georgia and neither of those went my way. If no one got9 or 10 though, it is pretty much in the bag. The tie-breaker game was Ball St @ Nebraska and I picked 82. Combined points? 81! I wish I had gotten that close the first week when I managed 10 for 10!

Half Time Report

It is half-time of the Florida @ Old Miss game. Normally I watch the halftime reports or one of the other 12 games on, but this game is not going as well as I had hoped. Florida is up 14-6, but they do not look like the explosive team that stomped Tennessee last week. The defense is not doing horribly, although all of the missed tackles are making me cringe. The offense appears extremely sluggish. They can't seem to find a rhythm and the game is half over. Two TDs in the first half from the team that averaged 55 points in the first 3 games is not a great number.

Sadly this does not bode well for the game @ LSU in 2 weeks. This is a young team and this is their first game on the road, but the Ole Miss stadium is not the nightmare that Death Valley will be and that will be a night game. I have (sadly) never been to a game @ LSU, but I have heard lots of horror stories about how hostile the atmosphere is, especially at night. I know the Swamp is not really easy to play in for other teams and Death Valley is supposed to be worse.

I hope Coach is working out the kinks in the locker room. I hope this young team is paying attention, calming down and getting ready to go back out there and play the type football they have been playing. Show 'em whose boss, boys!

Go Gators!

One Month From Today...

I will become Mrs. DSD. The planning is going well, although not without a few of the hiccups that have to be expected. The food is planned, the tent is reserved and the booze is bought. The RSVPs are coming in, although not many in the last week. The deadline is not until 29 Sept, but shouldn't most people know if they are coming by now?



We have lost several guests to the Miami @ FSU game. Most of them I completely understand. One lady at work has season tickets and goes with her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren to every game. Another friend does not miss a game. I have an uncle, however, who has not attended a game since 2004 or before and he has decided he MUST attend this one. I am not going to forgive him easily. Frankly, I could not care less if he is there or not, but he is married to my favorite aunt on my mom's side and she is blind. She really can not get herself there. Plus he convinced her that she should not come with my parents because she is just too much work. I think it is all going to work out, but he has caused a lot of heartache for her, me and my mom in the last month or so.

I mentioned a couple of months ago that I could not decide to change my name or not after the marriage. Now that I am grown I realize how ridiculous it is to expect a woman to change her name ever, but the fact that I did not take back my birth name at the time of my divorce has made me realize that I will feel bad if I don't change my name to DSD's. My son's big objection was those stupid forms that the kids come home with every year from the school to update information. He said, "I was always proud that even though you and dad were divorced, we all had the same last name. Mmmmm, thanks sweetie, but you are in college now. We don't have to fill those forms out anymore. He seems to be fine with it then. Silly boy.

DSD did not push. While he mentioned that he would be proud if I "left the darkside", he left the decision up to me. (It is the best way to deal with me ALWAYS, he is not a stupid man.) So I have decided to change my name. * I will be Mrs. DSD. Isn't that sweet?

*But if he goes first, I am taking back my birth name and never changing it again.

Why are they doing this?

This is Invest 93.

This is not a hurricane, a tropical storm or even a tropical depression. I am not positive, but I don't think it is even a tropical wave. So what is it? A thunderstorm. The image above came from Weather Underground. I have used Weather Underground for several years and this is the first year I have seen an Invest anything. They are tracking these Invests on the local news also.

The other site I use a lot for storm tracking is the National Hurricane Center site that is run by NOAA. They aren't tracking Invests. They track actual, honest to God named storms, not a little blurb of clouds that may or may not turn into anything.

Now I am not a Hurricane expert, but this feels like the Repubs bull shit color-coded terror alert. There is nothing to be scared of, so we are going to manufacture something to keep you on edge.

I lived through the 04 and 05 Hurricane season. No, I did not live in New Orleans for Katrina, and we are in a place that almost never takes a direct hit (last, closest storm was Eloise in '75)*, but the STRESS of those storms swirling around in the Gulf is more than a person can imagine if they have not lived through it. You do not know how many times a week I was waking myself up in the middle of the night by the end of the '05 season. Why? Because I was afraid we had not boarded the windows, because I was afraid we didn't have enough bottled water, because I could not remember if my son were asleep in his room across the hall, what if he were out in the storm? This was when there were no storms!


So I am going to start using only the NOAA site full time. I will check in with Weather Underground IF there are any named storms out there, maybe. And I will prepare appropriately if a storm is swirling around out there, but I can not deal with stressing over something that isn't anything at all.

*Non-direct hits can still be bad. Opal in '95 was a nightmare for the entire county and the eye was over 100 miles away. Ivan in '04 spawned F3 tornados (almost unheard for this area) over 24 hours before the storm came ashore. It is a little scary to sit in the hallway with my son and the 2 dogs while wondering where DSD's oldest son had gone and was he ok while one of the tornados passed over head without touching down.

This Makes Me Sick

I have an 18 year old son who is currently attending the local community college and will be headed to a major university in the state of Florida in the next 18 months. Obviously, since I am a rabid Gator fan, I want my child to attend the University of Florida. However, due to the fact that I raised him to speak his mind, publicly and privately, maybe I should rethink this fact if he is going to be tasered for doing so.

I am so mad, I can barely type. Read the article, watch the video and HOPE that the Florida Dept of Law Enforcement (FDLE) manages to correctly handle an investigation just this once.

Go Gators!

Now, really, what else did you expect my first uploaded picture to be? Me?

Am I the only Moron in the World?

Or just the biggest?

Please don't answer that.

Ok, I do honestly know that I am not the biggest moron in the world, not even close. There are people out there like Dubya, Dick and Rummy breathing my oxygen and they are much stupider than me,* but I am feeling at least a little silly.

In yesterday's comments Julian complimented my blog (Thank you!) but mentioned that it might be more interesting with pictures. I was not offended; I try not to be offended by kindly offered constructive criticism and that is what this felt like to me. But I had no idea how to upload pictures or videos. If you recall, I asked the question about the video thing some time ago and no one was able to help.

So while commenting on his unveiling yesterday over at Bogs'Blogs, I mentioned that maybe I would post one if I figured out how. Pete's reply? "There's a button."

Duh, there's a button. ** For pictures and videos. Check out the fanciness of it all!

So, my question now is about copyright law. I understand that if I take a picture it is mine and I can display it or not. What about other people's stuff? What if I have had it for a while and have no idea where it came from? I don't want to steal, it is tacky. And I can't UTube from work (can't access the site at all) and work is where I do most of my blogging. ***

So, I just wanted to take a brief moment and admit to the fact that I have been doing this for months now and just absolutely not looked around enough. Check back in, this place could explode with color soon!

*I know that is grammatically incorrect. It seemed appropriate when speaking of that bunch.
** Crap there's a block quote button also. I can stop formatting it myself
*** They are going to get wise and block blogger one day and I am going to have to work!

# 3 after Week 3

After finishing my last post, I was wandering through the 'Net and found the Coaches and AP Polls. I was not expecting to find Florida at Number 3! WOW! I am not sure what I think about it. I like it better when the hype is on the other teams and we can just sneak in a National Championship.

Number 3 is a lot more pressure! Can they handle it?

With Style!

College Football Week 3

How 'bout them Gators? What a treat to see Florida whip a little Volunteer butt! I expected a high scoring game, so Florida's 59 did not shock me too much, but I thought Tennessee would put up decent numbers also. So, either (a) Tennessee's offense is not as good as advertised, or (b) Florida's D is coming together beautifully. I am hoping it is more B than A, but I am not even close to an expert on it. Either way, 1-0 in the SEC and the winner of the UF/UT game has won the SEC 11 of the last 14 years! Let's go to Atlanta!

In other Gator news, according to Gene Menez at Sports Illustrated/Heisman Watch says, "The ballot if the season ended today" his vote would include Tim Tebow at number 2. For what? While the young man is impressive as a QB, he is only a sophomore. While, technically, the Heisman CAN be awarded to a Sophomore or Freshman, tradition does not allow it, so why would you put a sophomore on the ballot? Tim may win the trophy. He could (possibly) win it 2 years in a row, but it won't happen this year.

In other football news, I didn't do so well in this week's pool. It is painful to from 10 for 10 in Week 1 to 5 for 10 in Week 3 and I should have done better. While I truly felt it was possible for ND to beat Michigan, I knew it wasn't probable. And who could have guessed that Miss St would beat Auburn? Oh, well, better luck next week to me!

And, of course,
GO GATORS!

A Quote for Today

"The object of government is the welfare of the people. The material progress and prosperity of a nation are desirable chiefly so far as they lead to the moral and material welfare of all good citizens." - Theodore Roosevelt

Well Said

I know he doesn't have a shot at winning the election and maybe I wouldn't really like him if I looked more into his politics, but former Alaskan Senator Mike Gravel does have the best sound bites.

""I'm prepared to tell you that Americans are getting fatter and dumber," the former Alaska senator told comedian Bill Maher, one of the debate's moderators. "I have no problem saying that.""

I really do respect a Presidential candidate who speaks his mind. I will probably vote for him in the Primary. What difference does it make? My vote isn't going to count anyway!

There is a short blurb on the rest of what he said here. There is a video also with some more comments. Very interesting.

My Sentiments Exactly

Since the beginning of this stupid war in Iraq, I have found it funny (not, funny HA HA) that the politicians fighting so hard to send our children off to die have (for the most part) not been in war. I have thought many times that maybe if these men and women were to spend time in Iraq, doing the soldiers job, maybe they would not be so willing to leave our troops there any longer. Of course that is never going to happen, but, for the first time, the soldiers doing the job have expressed the same opinion.

"Back in Iraq, there's no access to the news for the troops at the heart of the surge, but the soldiers are fully aware of the political debate and the sentiment back home. The troops long to be back in the States. But if that's not going to happen, they really wish the politicos would take a tour with them, deep in the trenches of war."

I have never served in a war, but I don't have to to be able to empathize with those who are doing the job. I have a very vivid imagination and, while I am sure I know NOTHING about what it is actually like, I can make myself sick with the images on TV and those in my own head. I don't need to be in the trenches to understand these men and women need to come home NOW.

College Football Week 2

Well, didn't I just stink this time around? After a lovely 10 for 10 last weekend, I managed a paltry 6 wins this weekend. I truly thought that Michigan was better than they obviously are. And I really thought that Miami had a shot against Oklahoma. Oh, well.

DSD managed 8 wins, but lost 2 due to upsets. South Florida beat Auburn? Wow. And while Spurrier has been running his mouth about his team's ability to win the SEC, I didn't think it was TRUE.

Due to the fact that I live in this wonderful state, I was unable to watch most of the evening games because I was stuck in front of my computer waiting for Gator updates. The Gametracker on Gatorzone is much improved from last year, but it still stinks. And while I love those Gators, $29.95 is a lot to pay to watch them beat Troy 59-31. I have the ESPN Gameplan, but it blacks out the Gator games for those living in the state. Unfair? Of course, but I am used to it. My plan was to hit a sports bar, but I didn't take the fact that DSD's son was with us this weekend into consideration. I find it tacky to take children to a bar and boring to go alone.

So I missed the South Carolina-Georgia game and all but the end of USF-Auburn. At least next week's game is televised. Here's hoping for 1-0 in the SEC. And a better week in the football pool.

Pre/Post Kickoff Thoughts

Well, I didn't win last week's football pool, although I did go 10 for 10. I sat through the 4th quarter of the FSU/Clemson game hoping and praying for just one more score (by Clemson) and never got it. I had 54 for the tie-breaker, the total was 42 and the winner had 43. Better luck this week, right?

This week's games:

Bama @ Vandy Bama
Oregon @ Michigan Michigan (come on, do you think they are going to lose again?)
NCSt @ BC BC
SouthMiss @ TN TN (see the remarks from above)
ND @ Penn St Penn St
VT @ LSU LSU
S Florida @ Aub Aub
Miami @ OK Miami (not sure that I chose correctly on this one!)
Neb @ WF Neb
S Carolina @ Georgia Georgia (tie breaker game) 48

I think I probably should have gone higher on the tie breaker. I usually do pretty well on picking the winners, but I stink at the tie breakers. Both SC and UGa should score a lot. While UGa is normally fairly good defensively, Spurrier's Fun'nGun can be a killer. This is not the SEC of the 90's though, so I think UGa can beat them (I hope).

DSD chose Oregon over Michigan (did I mention he was from Colombus, OH?) and Oklahoma over Miami. I am pretty sure I chose Oklahoma in last year's Fiesta Bowl, so I am still pretty POed at them.

I have also joined the fray at www.fannation.com and entered their pool. Grand Prize is an NCAA 2008 football weekend. I have always wanted to watch the OSU/Michigan game in the 'Shoe!

One More Try

I have been working on a post about Sen Larry Craig since the story broke and it has just not come together. So I am going to try it once more before I move on to my college football ramblings for the week.

First, I need to mention that I do not care if the man is a homosexual. Who a person sleeps with is not my business as long as it is between two consenting adults.

And second, the man is a Republican and a conservative, so to me that also means he is a hypocrite already. The fact that he voted for the Defense of Marriage Act and against the anti discrimination for sexual orientation (while trying to pick up someone in the men's room) just PROVES he is a hypocrite. The Republicans worry about embroyos and fetus' and those whose brains are mush.. unless their brains are mush because of an injury caused by this stupid war.. and they start stupid wars that kill our young men and women and Iraq's young men and women and the not so young and... plus they believe in not helping those less fortunate than themselves and (let's face it) aren't we all less fortunate than the rich, middle-aged white guys who are running this country? Yes, I am rambling, but none of it makes sense, so I didn't even try to force some sense into it.

So the point that I wanted to make (and I am not sure that I have seen this exact point made in other blogs) is that the man is a complete, total and absolute MORON. He needs to resign from office and move to an island somewhere where there is no possibility that he will infect others with his stupidity. Was he hitting on a cop in that airport bathroom?* Was he railroaded? Are the lefties out to get him? Does anyone really care?

Hey, Larry, you PLEAD guilty. You never hired a lawyer. Did you even tell your family? What is your degree in, underwater basket weaving? How long have you been in the Senate? While I understand that (according to Cheney) there are now four branches of government, Congress is still supposed to be the legislative branch... that means they make laws, Larry. Do you have any understanding of what that means?

Mrs. Gump said, "Stupid is as stupid does." That seems to be the correct quote in speaking of the (hopefully) former Senator Larry Craig.

*Ewwwwwwwwww.

College Football Roundup

Go Gators!

Ok, so I understand that playing Western Kentucky is not exactly a hardship. It is practically a scrimmage. But it did prove that Tim Tebow can throw the ball. My brother called me at the end of the 1st quarter to announce that Tim had not thrown a single incomplete pass. He had only thrown 3 passes at that point, but none of them were incomplete! He had also already thrown for over 100 yards.

The final score (after just over 51 minutes of football)* was 49-3. There were some old timers out there, but more new names and faces! Here's to a great 2007!

***************************************************************

In other news,

1. Michigan lost to Appalachian State. I really love typing that! What a joke. This was the team who felt they should have played for the National Championship instead of Florida last year and who many had picked to play for the National Championship this year! Plus, DSD is a Colombus, Ohio born and bred Buckeye, so I get to hate the Wolverines by default. (He hates the 'Noles, that is what love is all about!).

2. DSD and I participate weekly during college football in a friendly little football pool organized by our friends at our neighborhood watering hole. There are 10 games each week, winner is the person who picks the most correct wins. If there is a tie, one game is chosen as a tie breaker and the person who picks the number closest to the combined total score wins. I first started playing during the 2004 season and I didn't get to play every week, but the weeks I did play I would win 3 out of 10 or 4 out of 10. I never used REASON, you see. I made all my picks on emotion. Pick FSU to win? Not bloody likely!
During the 2005 season I did better. I was even tied going into the Bowl pool, the last one of the year.. worth the most money. Unfortunately, Texas and USC kept scoring and scoring and scoring and my tiebreaker was not that high.**
Last year I won the next to the last weekly pool (Thanksgiving weekend football!) AND the Bowl pool! (I was starting to sweat when no one scored in the 3rd quarter of the National Championship game. I needed that last TD to win. The fact that it was a Gator TD just made it sweeter!)
So far this week, I am 9 for 9. DSD chose Wake Forest in the BC/Wake game, so he is only 8 for 9. The last game is tomorrow night at 7 CDT. The Bowden Bowl. I didn't pick FSU to win, but that is because they usually don't when they play Clemson. And my tie breaker number is 54. Wish me luck, I could use the money!

3. I had Auburn in the pool and I like to support the SEC teams when they play out of conference, but I would have been thrilled if KState had pulled out the win. My best friend, P, is from Manhattan, KS and practically her entire family has attended KState. I figured Auburn would win, but it was a really great game and I hope that is a sign that KState is going to be competitive in the Big 12. Plus I have a special place in my heart for them since their defeat of Texas last year led to my Gators in the National Championship game!***


* Game was called on account of lightning before the middle of the 4th quarter.
**The loss would not have been so horrendous, but the winner was a girl who made her picks on uniform color and has no interest in college football normally.
***It really is all about the Gators, you know!

Misc Sunday Thoughts

Michael Vick is a scum, sucking pig. He deserves to be sent up the river for a very long time and to never be allowed to even watch football again. What he did and allowed to be done to those dogs was cruel and inhuman, but (to me) the part that he truly needs to be punished for is taking the gifts that he was given and flushing them down the toilet.

I don't know a lot about his childhood, but my understanding is that it wasn't very "Leave it to Beaver". When I looked up Vick on Wikipedia there were a lot of references to the crimes that he pled guilty to, but there is also plenty of insites into the neighborhood and public housing that he grew up in. It didn't sound like a fun place, but his parents were together and both (according to the article) were honest and hardworking and he had something that a lot of people in that situation do not have... A WAY OUT.

I feel for the poor, the needy, the uneducated. I am constantly looking for ways to help them, although I am usually disapointed in my own efforts. Michael Vick did not need my help or anyone else's. His talent, whether you consider it God-given, genetic or just pure dumb luck, allowed him to receive an education and then elevated him to a place that most only dream of. He was a shining example that hard work and dedication will allow a person to fulfill their dreams (although maybe not the tune of a $40 million signing bonus for everyone). And he blew it. Not only did he break the law, but he thumbed his nose at every single person (and the list includes me) who has cheered for him through the years. He basically said "Eff off" to all of us who appreciated where he came from and what he had made of himself.

I do not feel that he should be punished any more or less than any other NFL quarterback because he is black. If Rex Grossman (my fave QB because he is a former Gator) were caught in this situation, I would be devastated, but I would feel he deserves the same punishment. I don't believe this has anything to do with race. I think it has to do with basic human decency and anyone committing the crimes that Vick committed obviously does not understand what those words mean.

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