It's About Time

The Packers cut Brandon Underwood.  We no longer have to worry about his annual off-season embarrassing arrests.

Rick Perry's Prayers Fall on Deaf Ears

Texas Governor Rick Perry famously asked his supporters to pray for rain to end Texas' record drought. One named storm after another has either teased Texas or bypassed it entirely.  The latest is Tropical Storm Lee.

The water-logged Lee was tantalizingly close to Texas but hopes dimmed for relief from the state's worst drought since the 1950s as the storm's forecast track shifted east. Forecasters said it could bring drenching rains to Mississippi and Alabama early next week.

The most logical conclusions are either:
1. Prayer has no affect on weather; or
2. God hates Rick Perry.

However, I'm sure that Pat Robertson will somehow blame it on the Supreme Court striking down Texas' sodomy law.

About that Mascot Controversy

Many citizens of Berlin (the one in Wisconsin, but not to be confused with New Berlin) are upset that they are being forced to give up their traditional Indians team name. They are convinced that there is nothing offensive about a bunch of white kids pretending to be Native Americans; indeed, it is a tribute, to their way of thinking.

I wonder if they (or Rep. Steve Nass) thought the Galesville-Ettrick-Trempealeau Redmen were a tribute to Wisconsin's first residents.  Or that 19th century minstrel shows were a tribute to African American music and dance traditions.

For the record, I believe that the name Fighting Irish is also deeply offensive, and the NCAA should force Notre Dame to get rid of it just as they forced schools to drop other race-based team names.  I also think think the NFL should follow suit and retire the names Redskins and Chiefs.

On the other hand, Vikings are not an ethnic group but rather an occupation, like Pirates (or Buccaneers).

A Surfeit of Thursday Night Football

Football is usually played over the weekend -- Friday night for high school, Saturday for college and Sunday for the NFL.  The NFL also has Monday night games and, occasionally, Thursday night games.

However, like a blockbuster movie, college football's opening weekend starts on Thursday night.  Tonight, the Badgers will take on UNLV in ESPN's premiere game of the season.  The inherent drama in this game will be the question of will the Badgers cover the spread? 


By an unfortunate coincidence, the Packers' final pre-season game will be played at the same time.  Really, NFL?  You had to schedule the Packers opposite the Badgers?  I noticed that the Packers also play on New Year's Day.  Fortunately, the major college bowl games will be held on Monday, January 2 instead.

Next Thursday night, the Packers will open the NFL season against the Saints.  The Badgers will be back to their usual Saturday slot.  Clearly, John Boehner is not a football fan.

Just in Time for the Release of Contagion

A mutant strain of bird flu is spreading in Asia.

This may put more butts in seats than the movie's all-star cast.

Is the Gold Bubble About to Burst?

The price of gold declined this week, leading many analysts to believe a significant correction will continue. "Briese believes a 33% correction from recent highs, to about $1,250, is quite plausible."

The proprietor of one Madison retail store that buys and sells gold warned a customer on Saturday that he will not receive the same price for his jewelry on Sunday, and the store has already made arrangements to sell off its entire stock of gold early this week.

Those who took investment advice from Glenn Beck and G. Gordon Liddy are in for a bumpy ride.

Rock the Casbah - Arab Spring Edition

Algerian rocker Rachid Taha was joined by Clash member Mick Jones in this 2006 performance.  I'll bet they're playing Taha's cover in Tripoli.