The Saddam Interview

An important look at the recent Saddam Hussein interview is presented here.

Energy "Dependence" Myths

Here's an interesting look at five myths about US energy dependence.

Daytona Post-Test Miscellenia

Some miscelleneous thoughts after Winston Cup testing at Daytona -


** Much ink is being spilled over Toyota's stout test, with considerable attention devoted to higher RPMs allowed with NASCAR's new engine package. 9,000 RPMs are widely reported, to where NASCAR may mandate a slower gear for Speedweeks. Why they're allowing above 7,500 RPMs is a mystery, since there wasn't much trouble with the racing at 7,500 RPMs in previous seasons.


** There has also been scuttlebutt about reverting to 13-gallon fuel cells after tires proved troublesome in round one of the test. In Talladega's COT debut the drivers spent too much time pounding out laps single-file instead of racing, and concern remains that they'll do it again come Daytona. Going back to the 13-gallon fuel cell is a surprisingly effective quick-fix deterrent to such stroking, as with the smaller cells drivers found they had to get to the lead so they could pit under green in better position and not lose the draft.


** Dodge had a very mixed test session, showing up finally in the drafting sessions of the second test, notably with Kasey Kahne and Bobby Labonte.

Antisemite Vs. Wannabe-dictator

First, a repost from March 22, 2007:


Making the rounds of YouTube is a popular campaign ad comparing Hillary Milhous Clinton to the dictator of George Orwell's 1984. The ad is by a supporter of Barack Obama, whose campaign has distanced itself from the ad.

Now attacking Hillary Milhous Clinton as a wannabe-dictator is hardly unfair, since her career has been nothing but a running campaign for control. But there is something wrong when one of the best attack ads in years comes from a backer of an empty suit of a politician who is possibly an antisemite.

The repost is necessary because the antisemitism of Barack Obama is a legitimate issue given his anti-Israel "pals" and the phoniness surrounding his "condemnation" of Louis Farrakhan.

Some Good Economic News

Yes, the MSM/Democrats have been at it again with ominous stories about "wallets big and small shutting" and so forth. Except the news is more good than bad. And the Democrats get it wrong again about deficits.

Daytona Testing Underway

A few thoughts about Daytona testing -

** Tires appear to be an issue, with several blistered right fronts reported. Some are blaming it on the hardness of the tire, though usually it's a push issue. The grossly worn pavement at Daytona may also be a factor.

** Interesting to see Joe Gibbs Racing send one of their chassis specialists to directly help out the other Toyotas. With Dodge struggling it remains absurd that the manufacturer that entered NASCAR circles in 1996 via the Trucks with a One Team approach let it disintegrate as soon as its Winston Cup program hit the track.

** If Toyota can parlay good testing times into season-long muscle, the sport may actually see something new instead of just another Hendrick-Roush romp.

** Travis Kvapil has posted some good speeds in Doug Yates' car, but it's a bit much to expect him to race well, as he hasn't to any consistent level before.

Meanwhile, Back At Denial

The Democrats in general and Blockhead Barack in particular remain at Denial River with regard to winning in Iraq. Evasive charisma as usual do not make up qualities of leadership, Barack.

Hillary Happens

Hillary Milhous Clinton appears to be collapsing. It's a fall long coming and it's in large part due to the "experience" issue that is laughable in Hillary's context.

Confession Of An Ex-Olbermann Fan

I used to be a fan of Keith Olbermann. When he was co-host of SportsCenter on ESPN with Dan Patrick, Olbermann made delivery of sports highlights must-see viewing. Olbermann had a wit and sharpness to his delivery that was infectious, funny, and clever. Consider this quote from his coverage of the Patriots-Steelers 1996 AFC Divisional Playoff matchup, held in a fog-shrouded Foxboro Stadium -

"The story goes that quarterback Drew Bledsoe of the Patriots met one of his fans in a restaurant one night and as the man was introducing himself Bledsoe said, 'Oh yeah, I know you, you sit in the 14th row behind the west endzone, I'd know you anywhere....I've seen you in the gamefilms, too, you're right above my line of vision.' You knew that someday with total recall like that Bledsoe would explode in a huge game. At Foxboro, Son Of Fogbowl - 'I can't see that fan.'"

Later he got out of a verbal slipup with flying colors -

"Watch Rod Woodsen, who's forgotten his Niners, er, Miner's helmet, or his Niners helmet, or his Steelers helmet."

With the Patriots salting away a 28-3 smashing of the Steelers we saw footage of a disconsolate Woodsen, Bill Parcells and Curtis Martin hugging in triumph, and owner Bob Kraft celebrating with stadium fans -

"Rod Woodsen back and bummed, while Bill Parcells and Curtis Martin are extremely happy, and then in the stands, I liked the team so much I kissed the owner and the security guy said, 'Hey hey hey, there'll be plenty of time for that later on!'"

Olbermann even made dry recitation of facts interesting listening, as when he noted in 1996 of a Miami Dolphins win over the Indianapolis Colts where Dan Marino set a new NFL quarterbacking record and Olbermann noted it was the first time he won a game in setting such a record, noting Marino had lost 1995 games where he set new records for touchdowns, yardage, and completions, with the irony that two of those losses were to the Colts.

Such was entertaining viewing, and when Olbermann left SportsCenter I was disappointed. Even today I still miss that wit and cleverness that he brought to sportscasting, a wit and ingenuity he brought when he worked for FOX Sports, first teamed with Kevin Frazier 1999-2000, then with his short-lived Sunday late-night wrapup show, The Keith Olbermann Evening News.

But I sensed something wrong with him at the end of his FOX show; in the show's final episode in late April 2001 he ominously reported on the Daytona International Speedway worker who claimed (falsely) that Dale Earnhardt's belt was not cut when he was found in the car, inferring that NASCAR had manufactured the cut to cover up any role of theirs in his death. The way he reported this was incendiary, enough that when his show was not renewed, it seemed that such incendiary reporting was a contributing factor.

Since then he has devoted his telecasting to his MSNBC show other than a periodic guest-hosting stint with Dan Patrick on Patrick's now-defunct ESPN Radio afternoon drive show - this stint brought back some of the old Dan & Keith vinegar - and the incendiary quality he displayed in the final broadcast of his FOX show has been so common that an entire blog has been created to track his serial falsity and this look at Keith's ten lies of 2007 is the perfect place to start examining the serial falsity with which he has infected television news.

It shows what kind of fraud Olbermann truly has been and shows how much his genuine broadcasting talent has been wasted. The story goes he struck his head on a subway in 1980 and this affected him to the point he cannot drive a car. One has to wonder if such an injury affected his critical judgement as well.