UConn James

There hasn't been much at all on network broadcasting, and looking ahead on tvtitan.com, there isn't much to come.... Disappointing. A few years ago, ABC had Christmas movies (Santa Clause series, Polar Express, etc.) on both weekend nights of every week in December. Now I guess it's all on ABC Family channel. Looks like I'll be cranking up the Netflix and DVDs. The Sound of Music on Christmas Eve on ABC? Are you friggin' kidding me?!? I hear that NBC is showing the colorized version of "It's a Wonderful Life" this year. I remember from gen-ed film classes, it looked like stevestojan.

Newt's thing on teevee last night was that since Romney's calling for him to give back the... what was it... $1.5 million that his 'consulting firm' got from Fannie/Freddie, that Romney ought to give back all the money he made at Bain Capital. I guess it slips Newt's mind that his earnings in question came from the PUBLIC till, while Romney's came from, you know, making money based on the core principles of capitalism and trying to get companies focus on what they do best. (Note to Newt: It isn't always pretty how macrocosm capitalism happens, nor is it always successful. But long-term it's the best for the company, and the best for the country.)

How 'bout a wafflemaker? My dad told me he got my mum a battery jumpstarter this year. Most wouldn't appreciate this, but for anyone who's ever left their lights on and come back to their car at 5 p.m. and it's near freezing and work is closed up. I experienced myself at the U in desolate parking lots where no one's even there to give you a jump when you have cables. I'd have the lights on when it was dark in the morning, get there and it's daylight and couldn't see them on, I'd be thinking about the hot chick in my English class... and remembering to push the light switch in would often enough totally slip my mind. One of those battery packs literally saved my ass several times.

I'll add it to my list....

I'm borrowing this.

I have to agree with this. Ralph's decision to step away was the right one. Unfortunately, he gave the keys to the wrong guy. And now Ralph/Littmann/Overdorf are once again penny-pinching this team into oblivion.

Why, are there usually no 'equalizer' flights, etc. in the last leg?

Meh.... For a handful of deserving teams to not even have a chance to play for all the marbles.... it's wrong. If someone claims to be the best, then they need to win or they're not the best. We're not asking for a 64-team bracket here. An 8-team playoff that will mean an additional 3 games (well, an additional two games... b/c one would take the place of a traditional bowl game) for a NC that is determined on the field among teams that have won their conferences and/or have an at-large bid --- is that too much to ask? Apparently, when you're forced to ask a bunch of good-ol'-boys, the answer is always Yes. Can't risk letting go of Their Precious.

No.... No, it doesn't. Or is that, like the Bills' startling lack of OL/LB depth going into the season, just my lying eyes?

Yeah, that NCAA Basketball Tournament that adds a possible 6 games for the winner? Totally unpopular!!! The big-time schools want it this way, where they can get by on their legacies and what they've done in the past few years rather than possibly taking them out of their comfort zones and making teams prove it against any and all comers.

Wow. Unbelievable that Andy and Tommy got bumped out. While I get that this is the general concept, there've been WAY TOO MANY instances of hidden clues, no matter how many times the camera pauses and highlights the words "___ Viejo" woven into the fabric of a fluttering dress. This is a race and competitions of doing tasks, not a fuggin "Where's Waldo" book. That was a little bit cheap where all the necklaces said "Balboa" and the one dress said something entirely different. But, ultimately, it was on them. They should have stayed, taken all the clues like the picture of the building and talked to cabbies like Justin and Sandy (NICE PURPLE STRAP-TOP, BTW!!!! Panama can't be that cold, right?) until they knew where they had to go. Sometimes you've gotta pore over everything that you're given (think the Snapple bottle cap a couple-few seasons ago, or the French bread with the clue baked inside) to find it. I like the remaining teams. They all deserve to be there. They've all come back from near-disaster. AR is about speed, but it's more about perseverance and not giving up when something goes wrong. I hope Andy and Tommy are invited back in a future Second Chances season.

And yet, Promo does deserve to be singled out for his continual unmitigated, Polly-Anna, Utopia vision of Scrooge McDuck Ralph Wilson and Ralph's bag-men. Anybody with any sense could see that this team's concept of depth is paper-thin. As long as RW is alive and determines the general course of this team and a #1 focus on increasing the bottom line by fielding as many UDFAs as they can get away with, this will be a dead franchise.

10/22/1991 – Voted for an amendment that would create a National Police Corps. 03/-/1993 – Voted for sending $1.6 Billion in foreign aid to Russia. 11/19/1993 – Voted for the NAFTA Implementation Act. 11/27/1994 – Supported the GATT Treaty giving sovereignty to the U.N. 08/27/1995 – Suggested that drug smuggling should carry a death sentence. 04/25/1996 – Voted for the single largest increase on Federal education spending ($3.5 Billion) 04/10/1995 – Supported Federal taxdollars being spent on abortions. 06/01/1996 – Helped a Democrat switch parties in an attempt to defeat fellow Republican Ron Paul in 1996 election. 09/25/1996 – Introduced H.R. 4170, demanded life-sentence or execution for someone bringing 2 ounces of marijuana across the border. 01/22/1997 – Congress gave Gingrich a record-setting $300,000 fine for ethical wrongdoing. 11/29/2006 – Stated that free speech should be curtailed in order to fight terrorism. Called for a “serious debate about the 1st Amendment.” 02/15/2007 – Supported Bush’s proposal for mandatory carbon caps. 09/28/2008 – Stated if he were in office, he would have reluctantly voted for the $700B TARP bailout. 10/01/2008 – Stated in an article that TARP was a “workout, not a bailout.” 12/08/2008 – Paid $300,000 by Freddie Mac to halt Congress from bringing necessary reform. 03/31/2009 – States we should have Singapore-style drug tests for Americans. 07/30/2010 – States that Iraq was just step one in defeating the “Axis of Evil”. 08/03/2010 – Advocates attacks on Iran & North Korea. 11/15/2010 – Defended Romneycare 12/05/2010 – Stated that a website owner should be considered an enemy combatant, hunted down and executed, for publishing leaked government memos. 01/30/2011 – Lobbied for ethanol subsidies. 01/30/2011 – Suggested that flex-fuel vehicles be mandated for Americans. 02/13/2011 – Criticized Obama for sending fewer U.S. taxdollars to Egypt. 02/15/2011 – Wrote book saying he believes man-made climate-change and advocated creating “a new endowment for conservation and the environment.” 03/09/2011 – Blames his infidelity to multiple wives on his "passion for the country." 03/15/2011 – Stated that NAFTA worked because it created jobs in Mexico. 03/19/2011 – Shows no regrets about supporting Medicare drug coverage. (Now $7.2T unfunded liability) 03/23/2011 – Completely flip-flopped on Libyan intervention in the course of 16 days. 03/25/2011 – Plans to sign as many as 200 executive orders on his first day as president. 04/25/2011 – Became paid lobbyist for Federal ethanol subsidies. 05/12/2011 – More supportive of individual health-care mandates than Mitt Romney. 06/09/2011 – Campaign staff resigned en masse. 07/15/2011 – Poorly managed campaign is over $1 Million in debt. 08/01/2011 – Hired a company to create fake Twitter accounts to make fake followers. 10/07/2011 – Stated he’d ignore the Supreme Court and bypass the constitution and congress. Admittedly, this is a cut'n'paste from underneath an article, but I have no reason to believe any of this is untrue. Other than the bolded sections, which I agree with, this is too long a list of too egregious statements/actions. 1) No problem with the death sentence for mass narcotics smugglers. These people facilitate so much of what is wrong in this country, from the health costs that push up prices for everyone else, to shattered lives of users, to people affected by criminal activity of users who rob, cheat, steal, assault and murder for money to buy drugs.... At its core, illicit drugs are one of this country's biggest scourges. 2) I don't have a big problem with the Mass. health care law. As I've written in the Romney threads, it works for Massachusetts. It is the very concept of classical GOP states' rights!!! Romney always said the Mass. plan was absolutely NOT something that could work on a national scale, nevermind for most any other state; it was tailored to fit Mass.'s specific facts-on-the-ground of low uninsured (4% of the population compared with some states having over 30%), high average incomes and extensive health care infrastructure. 3) Bradley Manning and Julian Assange should have recently been on the one-year anniversary of the beginning of their dirt naps. Nevertheless, if Newt does turn out to be the nominee, I will hold my nose and vote for him... because Obama's list of beliefs/statements/actions is greater than the above by about 50x and this entire administration's failure to do much of anything for this country's problems other than digging us in deeper borders on treason.

WSJ: China's Hard Landing | The state-led growth model is leading the country into trouble

Hitler implemented gun registration, and then --- surprise, surprise --- the Nazis took away everyone's guns so no one could fight back. Gun-grabbing liberals never seem to make the connection that registration and confiscation here in the U.S. could then produce similar results of a military/political state where the people have no means of overthrowing tyranny. Laws like that just have a tendency to snowball --- it never ends with one step because the extremes drive them toward more and bigger steps. Because as much as I love it, the Constitution is a piece of paper outlining fairly broad notions of government based on what had worked or failed in other states; its only strength lies in the conception that the ideas written down will be carried out by human actions. And yes, as I understand it, the Treaty of Versailles virtually guaranteed German resentment. The Nazis could have offered almost anything along with the naked military build-up and the prospect of retribution for WWI and the Germans would have lapped it with spoons. And they did. It's not like the Jewish-hate magically started at Kristallnacht. They were an easy lightning rod/diversion.

Where do you see a fluster? In your dreams, perhaps. I'll grant 'annoyed' that the interviewer was trying to bait him into criticizing the NH Union-Leader. Annoyed that he's explained this crap how many times? In the last go-'round and again now? The interviewer said that Romney saw the Mass. health care law as a model for the nation is flat-out wrong. Romney never said that; Romney never said anything but the opposite... that the Mass. law worked for Mass. and would not work elsewhere or for the entire nation that has such disparate conditions among states WRT % uninsured (Mass. had 4% that was much more easily added to the fold than other states that are near 30% uninsured), their demographic and geographic particulars (Mass. has the highest per capita income in the country and is a small state with evenly spread health care access available; other states don't come close to those incomes and their resources are clustered). These and other differences are why Romney said from the outset of the Mass. law that it cannot be replicated elsewhere and that, in line with good ol' GOP states' rights, each state should do (or not do) what is right for each state. The reporter stepped in stevestojan with that assertion, and I really think it was just a hit piece. It was designed to misinform viewers and put the idea in their minds about something that never happened. I mean, FOX doesn't have to say "X was wrong. Mitt Romney never stated in 2007-8 that..." All they have to do is their little mantra, similar to their story headlines like "Obama Secretly Muslim?" or somesuch. It's a crap "news" organization and if they don't like someone, they will do their best to torpedo them with quarter-truths (or less) and get people to think the subject is something s/he is not or said something they didn't. And apparently, someone failed to inform Newt that a series of nominees have enjoyed their time in the sun / gotten their 15 minutes of fame. Doesn't mean it will last. Seems like many are intent on dating every other candidate before they marry the guy who's pretty much been the pigeon-hole pick for '12 since '08.

Actually, I'm kind of rooting for Ozzy as the last member of Savii that got screwed over by Woody Allen's chickenstevestojan move. Next week should be an interesting duel on Redemption.... I don't know how much enmity Ozzy has for Cochran, but it'll probably be pretty nice for him to dispatch the traitor. That trailer for next week has Ozzy all confident that he's going to kick ass; perhaps the producers doth protest too much? And how 'bout that. Proof positive that you can never swing to another tribal group post-merge and make it beyond the original members (unless you win immunity). That was possibly the dumbest move in the history of Survivor by someone who claimed to be its biggest fan/student of the game. That was quite a butter job they did on 'im too. Coach talked him up for the last few weeks, Albert gave him the massage (no doubt with an eye on a jury vote). This is why weak players get voted out quickly; like it or not, physical weakness implies mental weakness, and in Cochran's case that's spot-on. To think that they'll keep you on even for one more go-round, on the basis that you did them a solid a week prior? Survivor is played on "what can you do/offer me today/tomorrow/Day 33? Cochran is !@#$ing retarded. I don't know when this season started filming. I think it might have been prior to Rob winning, but I believe they had time to see his stranglehold on the game. I don't get how Coach is still there, either. Once you get to the merge, it would behoove all of the first-timers to get rid of the veterans when they have a chance A) because they've got a competitive advantage in immunities by virtue of experience and 2) even if you make it to the jury vote with a veteran, there is a great deal of sympathy- mindset going on. That wink from Coach to Rick was also made with jury consideration. But, Coach IIRC, has physical possession of the individual idol. That complicates it. How 'bout L'il Hantz's fourty-eleventh breakdown at tribal? Geezus, I really hope Russell punches this kid in the nuts every time he sees him. Wow. Just a terrible player. Telegraphing his next two votes. Probst was like 'WTF?' As they all said, Brandon cannot be worked with if a fluid situation comes up where an opportunity is presented. And when everyone said that, I think Brandon immediately knew he was screwed. It seemed like things changed right at that moment --- especially with Coach rubbing his forehead as if to say 'I can't friggin' believe this kid!' I think Brandon might well have moved himself up in the pecking order with that. As I see it: Brandon Edna Rick Sophie Albert Coach If he had STFU, he might've made it to 4th or even to the jury if he could win an immunity challenge. If I'm anybody there, HANDS-DOWN I would want Brandon sitting next to me before the jury. He is not liked and his God crap rings hollow (well, everyone's God-speak rings hollow b/w what is said and what is done, but Brandon rings it the most).

Wait... what?!!? Maybe you ought to go back and read my previous post vis-a-vis Romney's stance on the chicanery that is Obamacare. You're laboring in misapprehension. Romney isn't running on the Mass. health care plan, which he admits isn't perfect but it's much better for the taxpayers than it would've been without his input. What was Romney supposed to do? Leave the supermajority Mass. Democrat legislature to its own devices and let Jon Q. Taxpayer pick up the whole tab... just to be able to say that he stood on principle? He believes that in combination with repeal and replace of Obamacare & limited federal legislation that will cut costs (e.g. opening up health insurance across state lines, enacting tort reform that would reduce malpractice insurance and is driving doctors out of practice). This is an opposition to the Obamacare plan of enrolling everybody in the entire country, and then see if the rainbow-farting-unicorn can magically cut costs. Romney has said that every state should be allowed to do (or not do) what it wants and what is best for that state's citizens given its own specific givens/demographics/resources/etc, and following the laws of each state's/commonwealth's constitution.

Not quite in the area, but I can say that generally speakin' incomes are higher (I believe MA has the highest in the nation) but likewise, the cost of living is higher. And Levi, New England living is not easy sometimes....

What are the other options for troops? When I was in, the fathers (and a couple of single mothers) did the lion's share.... I'm not sure it's absolutely necessary to learn from older scouts as long as you think your son is or can assume the responsibility. If there is a gung-ho pack leader who was an Eagle Scout, you can use your judgment on whether or how he will be able to show your son the ropes if/when he does get to be a patrol leader. In my experience, people who've gotten Eagle usually have their stevestojan together and are easier to work with than most people --- either that or they are completely anal-retentive perfectionists. I would think it's less important to find and place your son in the perfectly-tailored situation. In life, he's going to have to jump feet-first into many situations that aren't perfect, and he's going to have to put work into establishing relationships and make the best of the situation. Now is as good a time as any.

You write that in such a way as to imply that those posters are different people.

That's the first thing I was thinkin' when I read Cynical's post.... Being around smoke always gave me severe headaches ever since I can remember. That by itself was a very powerful reason to never try. I, too, wish JiA and anyone else good luck toward kicking the habit. That money pile sure sounds like a great motivational weapon.

Uhmm, anyway.... Ginger White's phone bill has 61 calls or texts from Herman Cain Sixty-one phone calls in 4 months? Now tell me he wasn't boinking her. C'mon. In your heart of hearts you know Herman likes the strange.

AP: Cain telling aides he's reassessing his campaign His "guilt" is not certain, but with all this, the year's salary payouts to the women, plus his own lawyers' words in reacting to this latest affair allegation that is backed with phone records, I'm leaning toward very probable.... If you like to !@#$ around, don't lie about it and it's probably best to just admit that you like to !@#$ around. The issue of sexual fidelity wasn't a problem for Trump; people actually admire the dude for trading in for newer models every 10,000 miles. Looks like Mark Block was too busy chain-smoking. As I wrote upthread, if your candidate has sexual harassment settlements in his past, you need to do a full-court press on it and try to dismantle it early, not wait for it to explode in your face.

AP: Woman alleges long affair with Cain If the 'Cain Train' wasn't derailed before, this is just about sure to. As I heard on the news, she's got years of phone records. How are we supposed to trust a guy to tell us the truth as president if he can't even come clean here. Cain flatly denies an affair happened, and then his lawyer walks it back to saying it was consensual. Yet another pol undone b/c he can't keep it in his pants. Like Jon Edwards, how the f--- does anyone these days think they'll be able to keep this stuff from coming out? And if not during the campaign, they have the audacity to bring this kind of stink to the presidency. I just don't get it.