Good Luck Guys

I've had restraint. I hace not done any work on this blog for about two months now, but it wasn't because I had nothing to say. It was because I did not want to shout, to say a heated work, to make a comment that I would regret. And we all know that when something goes on the internet, it never goes away. So...

#1 President Mubarak will not seek Re-Election

First and foremost, I'm a government geek at heart, so this goes at the top.

But I want to clarify a few things. He worked in the Egyptian Air Force for three years, eventually serving as Commander. He was appointed as the Vice President after that work, and assumed the presidency after the assassination of Anwar El Sadat, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in the Camp David Accords.

A popular uprising at the end of January DEMANDED his departure. He announced he would not seek re-election, but it was not enough.

I am all for peaceful protests, but one of violence must be quelled. I am not educated enough to say whether or not he should have continued to go for re-election in the past. But I will say that his rule was not tyrannical. His rule was not arbitrary. He did not commit genocide. Compared to other leaders in his area, he is close to sainthood.

What is unacceptable however is violence in the protests. An Egyptian journalist has died as a part of his covering the incident. Anderson Cooper was attacked, and has been forced to go under cover as part of his coverage. The military needs to take control and stop the violence as peacefully as possible.

#2 Danny-Boy Snyder Sues Local Paper

If you want a recap, Sam Chamberlain, who has covered with the Washington Wizards and the George Mason Patriots men's basketball team with me, has done a very good, very thorough recap.

Basically, Danny Effing Snyder has now sued a the Washington City Paper over an article, "The Cranky Redskins Fan's Guide to Dan Snyder."

Well, all the media people I've talked to are PISSED. (Yeah, the whole Second Amendment rights trampling thing). Here's my call-out: DANNY, GET OVER YOURSELF. I MEAN REALLY, YOU KNOW PEOPLE DON'T LIKE YOU. IT'S FOR A REASON, SO SELL THE TEAM TO SOMEONE (ANYONE) WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING, OR FIX IT WITHOUT A $100 MILLION CONTRACT.

Okay, it's good to get that out.

Then just a few hours ago, Danny went on the Lavar Arrington and Chad Dukes show, with Mike Wise for what would turn out to be the ass-kicking of the century. WAIT...NO IT WASN'T. It was Lavar sitting there for 15 minutes kissing his old boss's ass (and from what I heard, pulling Mike Wise away when he wanted to ask a hard question...how dare he?). You can listen for yourself here. The audio link is under the picture.

#3 And Finally, Gilbert Arenas returns to DC

That's right. Gilbert Arenas, traded away less than halfway into the season, returns to the Verizon Center tonight. He isn't in the starting lineup, and he isn't in the starting lineup.

The Wizards have a home double-header for the first time in a long time, and the shark-less, baby-mama-less, starting-role-less guard will see what he can do against a team who has yet to win a road game in more than 20 tries.

So good luck Egypt, good luck Murbarak, good luck Redskins, good luck Danny, good luck Chad and Lavar, good luck Wizards, and good luck Gilbert. You will all need it if you hope to turn around your dismal-looking future.

I'm in the Politico Pulse! By Name!

For those of you who may not know, the Politico Pulse is "Examining the latest in health care policy every weekday morning."

Anyways, they had a poll a few days ago and on Dec. 10, I was announced as one of the winners. I won a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

If only my student loan people took that as payment.

But here's the segment from the morning email:

PULSE WINNERS - Give GMU's John Powell and Katie Orrico at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons a big congrats next time you see them: Both came closest to guessing AHIP head Karen Ignagni's $1.85 million net income last year. We got quite the range of guesses, from $1.5 million upwards of eight-figures!

And seriously...who guessed upwards of eight figures?? Like the America's Health Insurance Plans' head would make at least $10,000,000...

So this if finally for you my political junkies.

What I've been up to...

Sorry my fellow political junkies, it has been a week of sports for me. I literally cannot count how many hours I've been on the road, but the odometer on my rental car is reading at more than 700 miles since I picked it up Wednesday. Since then, I have gone as north as the Verizon Center and as south as Lynchburg, Va.

So this is what I've been doing:

Tuesday: high school basketball in Annandale



Annandale won 59-43. Here's my write-up: http://annandale.patch.com/articles/atoms-get-early-lead-dont-look-back

Saw This in Class and Couldn't Keep It to Myself

This is too good to not share with the world:

So Maybe it's Not a Dream?

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas 
Just like the ones I used to know 
Where the treetops glisten, 
and children listen 
To hear sleigh bells in the snow And may all your Christmases be white


I'm dreaming of a white Christmas 
With every Christmas card I write 
May your days be merry and bright 
And may all your Christmases be white 

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas 
With every Christmas card I write 
May your days be merry and bright 

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas. Glee parodied my favorite Christmas story of all time, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.



I got out my favorite Washington Redskins jacket, a sure sign of Christmas season.

I made fun of my friends who went Black Friday shopping while I was sleeping (I was sick, but I probably wouldn't have gone anyways).

I had family come in from out of town. Even though they won't be here for Christmas, it still counts.

And now, SNOW?? Maybe I won't have to dream of a white Christmas after all!

Here's USA Today's Forcast um..."opinion":

Meteorologists can't forecast more than three or four days ahead of time whether a particular place is likely to have snow on the ground on Christmas Day.

AccWeather.com has a less bleak prediction. JUST LOOK AT THEIR HEADLINE:

White Christmas Predicted for 50 Percent of the Country

For millions of people hoping for a white Christmas this year, AccuWeather.com Chief Long Range Forecaster Joe Bastardi has good news, especially for residents of the East.

Bastardi says that more than 50 percent of the contiguous U.S. may be covered with an inch or more of snow on Christmas Day, which is quite a feat considering the average coverage is usually between 25 and 35 percent.

I can't find a way to embed it, but there's a video at the bottom of the story found here.

So please Santa, bring that Snow with you. Christmas is at my house this year so I don't have to travel!

A New Gambling Degenerate?

Senator Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader was in the lime light for his close race a few weeks ago. He won by a 55-45 margin, but the Nevada representative has a new cause.



He wants to LEGALIZE ONLINE POKER!

And you know what that means: we are that much closer to getting online sports betting back!

Here's the thing though: his constituency includes Las Vegas, the gambling center of the world. So some of the smaller casinos think this might not be a good idea.

The Associated Press reported

Casino executives in northern Nevada fear legalization of Internet poker will lead to more gambling online and steal away their customers, especially at smaller operations already hurting in Reno and rural areas.

You can read the full report here.



I have friends that play these games online anyways, but the government makes it a pain because financial institutions are not allowed to fund accounts with money from gambling sites.

I don't care much for online poker. Computers can rig things, right? And poker seems pretty easy to do it with.

But I certainly would put up some money on sports. It can't be rigged by a computer and after working as media covering high school, college, and pro sports I think I'd do pretty well.



I just wouldn't bet on the Caps after their 3-game skid.

Here's the line on their game tonight from BetUS.com:

7:05p

7	Florida Panthers	+1½ -140	+200	6 O+105 U-125	2½ O+115 U-155
8	Washington Capitals	-1½ +120	-240		3½ O-125 U-115

I work with The Junkies on 106.7 The Fan, who my friend and colleague Kyle Veater lovingly refers to as "gambling degerates." 

That might be a bit far. I just don't see the problem. People say that it aids money laundering ... but then again a good money launderer can find another way. It's not exactly online gambling or bust.

So I'm all for it. Legalize! Legalize! (Online gambling...that's all for now...)

Now I feel like an idiot

As I was writing the last post The Post just released this:

Redskins suspend Albert Haynesworth for the rest of the season

The Redskins have suspended defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth without pay for the next four games for "conduct detrimental to the club."

Coach Mike Shanahan said Haynesworth had informed him Monday, through General Manager Bruce Allen, that he would no longer speak with Shanahan.

Here's Grant Paulsen, whom I spoke with this morning on what happened. It is a direct quote from Shanny:

Despite the club’s numerous attempts to persuade Albert Haynesworth to abide by the terms of his contract, he has repeatedly refused to cooperate with our coaching staff in a variety of ways over an extended period of time. Among other things, he has consistently indicated to our defensive coaches that he refuses to play in our base defense or on first-down or second-down nickel situations.  He has also refused to follow the instructions of our coaches both during weekly practices and during actual games as well. Yesterday, when Albert was at Redskin Park, he told our General Manager Bruce Allen that he [Haynesworth] would no longer speak with me.  Although suspending any player is not a decision that a head coach enters into lightly, I believe the situation has reached the point where the club clearly has no alternative.

Does this change your thoughts on the poll?

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