Evan Rachel Wood Bisexual Or Just A Hedonist?

Wood

Reading that True Blood star Evan Rachel Wood says to Esquire Magazine that she's bisexual sparked this blogger's memory and back to a period where much time was spent with a woman who was terrific in bed, but decided, one day, she was bisexual.

But before that story unfolds, Esquire reports that Wood said "I grew up in love with David Bowie. So I was always into very androgynous things. Guys, girls ... I'm into androgyny in general."

Too bad she didn't say she was into being with one person. Right now, Wood's with Marilyn Manson, but for how long?

Like my relationship, Wood's and Manson's has been on-again, off-again, on-again. After a time, you get dizzy.

Back to the story remembered that set off this blog post.

My girlfriend's revelation came right at the time she decided she missed a woman who's name she happened to see online as we were surfing. That led to an argument, and she stormed out and off to some part of Lake Merritt; eventually, she returned.

My only point to her was that, bisexual or no, you have to pick one person to be with - I'm not sharing. I also said she was looking for an excuse to be a hedonist. Male. Female. It doesn't matter, as long as the pleasure is hers to obtain, at times, at the expense of others, more pointedly, the ones who they're in a relationship in.

I should also add that she was a manic depressive.

That's not to imply that Evan Rachel Wood is manic depressive, but she is a hedonist.   A declaration of bisexuality is nothing more than a declaration of hedonism.

II'm not against hedonism, just the opposite but only where it's appropriate and no one gets hurt - some people are, shall we say, addicted to it in all forms. For example, I'm not bisexual.  And it's those that have no problem acting to achieve their own pleasure objectives, and damn how it impacts you.

Ms. Wood can have it both ways - until she gets hurt rather than be the one doing the hurting.

This certainly will piss off some, and it should. But the experience of this blogger with women who claim to be "bi" is they're so into themselves, they can't be counted on to be in a long-term relationship, unless it's on-again, off-again, you get the idea. That's my experience. More than the one time recounted here.

The Oklahoma City Bombing And Donald Trump

Today is the 16th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing, when a deranged, sad, confessed white supremacist named Timothy McVeigh, bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people in 1994.

Sadly, it seems America, thanks in large part to 9-11, the rise of Islamic Fundamentalism, and the media, has forgot that terrorism can as much have a white or black face, as it can have a Middle Eastern one. And if Donald Trump keeps up his PR strategy, it could fuel new acts of domestic terrorism.

Indeed, threats of domestic terrorism from white supremacist groups is higher than ever today. According to the blog, The Root, the number of white supremacist groups reached a record high in 2010. And that was fueled by the election of Barack Obama.

An aside: it's also why I'm asking Donald Trump to shut up about the certificate of live birth, and Obama, because it's not true and fueling white supremacists groups. My video:



Back to the issue:

In The Root, Heidi Beirich, director of research for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) said: "There's no question that Obama's election drew people into the hate world. These groups' [online] servers were crashing on the night of the election from all the traffic." The spring 2011 Intelligence Report, released Thursday, lists 1,002 hate groups, a 7.5 percent increase since 2009 and a surge of 66 percent since 2000.

And over that period, media pundits like Lou Dobbs made their shows a place where white supremacists could feel comfortable, fueling hate for Latinos in the process, in the way Dobbs talked about the immigration issue:



Dobbs at CNN, and some at Fox News,  have given fuel to white  supremacist anger.  Fortunately, Dobbs was sacked at CNN, but Fox News lived on.  And the media spilling racist ideas had its effect on people like James W. von Brunn.

Mr. James W. von Brunn is the 88-year-old white man who shot black security guard Stephen Johns, before being shot himself. von Brunn had entered the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in June 2009 with a loaded weapon and in an apparent domestic terrorism attempt.

Donald Trump must stop.

Donald Trump must stop his silly PR game now. It's threatening to divide parts of America at the very time the country needs to come together. Prominent African Americans like Bill Cosby and Whoopi Goldberg have come out against Trump, and the list is growing.

Many of the people who believe Trump have commented on my videos and left some of the most outrageous statements, proving that evidence will not sway them to stop; they want to believe something is wrong with President Obama.

The good thing about the exchange, to be frank, is that the commenters have not used racist terms, and I thank them for that. That's progress. But they do show a bias so deep, it tosses logic and evidence aside in favor of their own fantasies about Obama.

Let's hope that this at least marks a period where, unlike the days of Lou Dobbs, birthers don't show the bad habits of white supremacists. We don't need more "off" Americans like Timothy McVeigh and we must cool the rancor that could lead to an Oklahoma City-style bombing in the future.

This blogger is going to talk about Donald Trump until he stops. Someone must take action.

2011 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings

(This is the 7th Installment of the "Pro Draft Report" present by Football Reporters Online)

By Dan Benton-CEO Giants 101.com

1. Kyle Rudolph-TE-6’6-259 lbs.-Notre Dame-Cincinnati, OH-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: 1st Round

Rudolph gets off the line exceptionally well for his size and has shown great hands. He’s known to be a great teammate, and has all of the intangibles. He will need to work on his route running as he tends to round out patterns. He also doesn’t break as many tackles as he should for his size, and runs a little too upright. He’s likely to be a mid-to-late first round selection, and could potentially become one of the better all-around tight end’s in the NFL in a short amount of time.



2. Luke Stocker-TE-6’5-258 lbs.-Tennessee-Berea, KY-Combine Numbers (40T – 4.68; Cone – 7.03) Draft Projection: 2nd Round

Stocker has tremendous hands, and can adjust well to poorly thrown balls thanks in large part to good body control. He runs north-south when he has the ball, and lowers his shoulder upon impact. His size makes him difficult to bring down. He does tend to stop and turn to catch passes, as opposed to hauling them in on the move. Stops momentum. Could be a solid run blocker if he were to hit the gym, but will enter the NFL as a bit of a project in that area. His route running could also use some improvement.



3. Lance Kendricks-TE-6’3-243 lbs.-Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI-Combine Numbers (40T – 4.65; Cone – 6.94) Draft Projection: 3rd Round

Kendricks is a unique blend of speed and size. He’s very athletic, has solid hands and makes good adjustments to the ball in the air. His route running is quite crisp, although he could become a bit more consistent. He is a good blocker, but lacks the frame to be dominant at the next level. He struggles to make defenders miss in the open field. He’s a bit of a work in progress, but could potentially be a starting NFL tight end in a couple of years.



4. D.J. Williams-TE-6’2-245 lbs.-Arkansas-Little Rock, AR-Combine Numbers (40T – 4.59; Cone – 7.29) Draft Projection: 3rd Round

Williams does a good job at getting separation and is quick off the line when he’s not being pressed. He has very good north-south speed, and makes very good cuts. He runs route well, and is agile enough to fake out defenders. He’s a hard worker and team leader. He lacks size and gets out-matched when blocking. His balance is also frequently caused into question. One-dimensional.



5. Rob Housler-TE-6’5-248 lbs.-Florida Atlantic- Converse, TX-Combine Numbers (40T – 4.46; Cone – 6.90) Draft Projection: 3rd – 4th Round

Housler is the prototypical size for an NFL tight end, and has the soft hands to match it. He has good balance, runs good routes and may be the fastest tight end in the draft. He’s a mature, hardworking team player. He lacks the strength to be an every-down NFL player and gets beaten by more powerful and physical defenders while blocking. He tends to get jammed at the line or caught up in traffic.



6. Virgil Green-TE-6’3-249 lbs.-Nevada-Tulare, CA-Combine Numbers (40T – 4.54; Cone – 6.90) Draft Projection: Draft Projection: 4th Round

Green has catapulted up draft boards with a good Combine, and has shown flashes of brilliant natural athleticism. He has very good hands, good speed and decent size for a tight end. He’s still extremely raw, very inconsistent with his route running and a very poor blocker. He lacks aggressiveness and may be looked at as an “H-Back” at the next level. The building blocks are there, and if put together properly, Green could be very solid.



7. Jordan Cameron-TE-6’5-254 lbs.-Southern California-Newbury Park, CA-Combine Numbers (40T – 4.53; Cone – 6.82) Draft Projection: 4th Round

Cameron has good straight-line speed, a nice burst off the line and an ability to shed defenders. He’s got long arm and soft hands. He’s got a no-fear soft of attitude, and is extremely aggressive on the field. A position switch from wide receiver and little playing time prior to that has really limited Cameron’s development. Has done very little work on his blocking skill, and would need to bulk up in order to compete with larger players in the NFL. His route running remains suspect.



8. Andre Smith-TE-6’5-269 lbs.-Virginia Tech-Savannah, GA-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: 4th – 5th Round

Smith has very good size, a lot of experience and may be one of the best blocking tight ends in the draft. He has a good base, good footwork and does a great job sealing the edge. He can run block and pass block, which will be unique combination for teams are evaluating tight ends. He’s rarely used as a receiver, lacks speed and will not be used as an offensive threat at the next level. On occasion, he will result to a poor blocking technique, but that should be easily corrected by coaches in the NFL.



9. Julius Thomas-TE-6’5-246 lbs.-Portland State-Stockton, CA-Combine Numbers (40T – 4.64; Cone – 6.96) Draft Projection: 5th Round

Thomas looked very natural during the NFL combine and got the attention of many scouts. He showed soft hands, the ability to catch the ball away from his body and displayed good speed for a man of his size. He’s extremely athletic and a natural on the field. He does lack experience and has a lot of learning to do. He’s a poor route runner, lack awareness and has to develop many football instincts before he reaches his ceiling. He’s a basketball player turned football player and that has set him back a few years.



10. Mike McNeill-TE-6’4-232 lbs.-Nebraska-Kirkwood, MO-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: 5th – 6th Round

McNeill is a reliable receiver with good hands and deceptive speed. He does a good job catching and securing the ball before turning upfield, and has turned into a solid redzone threat. He’s been known to pick apart zone coverage’s, but is able to haul in a pass in traffic as well. He lack elusiveness in the open field and gets jammed by larger linebackers. He’s a below-average blocker who would need to bulk up to survive in the NFL. He also has a history of injury (toe, shoulder and ribs) which may raise some red flags.



11. Lee Smith-TE-6’6-269 lbs.-Marshall-Powell, TN-Combine Numbers (40T – 5.01; Cone – 7.13) Draft Projection: 7th Round

Smith was the tallest tight end to attend the NFL Combine. Obviously, he’s got great size for a tight end, is a very solid target in the redzone and has good hands. He’s also a good blocker with power. He does lack good speed and struggles to gain separation. He lacks experience and has had some minor off the field issues in the past.



12. Charlie Grantt-TE-6’4-255 lbs.-Michigan State-Farmington Hills, MI-Combine Numbers (40T – 4.89; Cone – 7.15) Draft Projection: 7th Round

Grantt is a very intelligent football player. He catches the ball at its highest point and has become moderately reliable in the passing game. He’s a very good blocker and does an excellent job sealing the edges. He can be a little sluggish, lacks constant concentration and needs to make several adjustments as a receiver.



13. Zack Pianalto-TE-6’3-256 lbs.-North Carolina-Springdale, AR-Combine Numbers (40T – 4.87; Cone – 6.85) Draft Projection: FA

Pianalto is a very good route runner who plays specifically well against zone coverages. He’s capable of making difficult catches in traffic and was North Carolina’s leading receiver in 2010 prior to an injury shutting him down for the final seven games. He isn’t the fasted, has some problems when blocking and has a long history of injuries.



14. Weslye Saunders-TE-6’5-270 lbs.-South Carolina-Curham, NC-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA

Saunders is quite athletic, has deceptive speed and good size. He high points the ball and gives defenders a lot of trouble when trying to bring him down. Very good balance and lower body strength. He’s somewhat inconsistent, lacks discipline and has some serious character concerns. May not be taking this career seriously.



14. Schuylar Oordt-TE-6’6-261 lbs.-Northern Iowa-Waterloo, IA-Combine Numbers (40T – 4.67; Cone - 6.83) Draft Projection: FA

Oordt has good size and good speed. He gets off the line quickly and shown a good ability to find holes in coverage. He’s tough and doesn’t fear hauling in a pass over the middle. He needs to learn to catch the balls with his hands as opposed to his body, and really need to improve as a blocker. He also needs to increase his lower body strength.



15. Cameron Graham-TE-6’3-244 lbs.-Louisville-Inglewood, CA-Combine Numbers (40T – 5.11; Cone – 7.19) Draft Projection: FA

Graham is a very good receiver with soft hands. He adjusts well to the ball and is a powerful runner. He has an incredible stiff-arm and plays with an attitude. He’s very slow and lacks elusiveness. He’s not going to outrun anyone and lacks athleticism to become a true weapon in the NFL.



16. Kyle Adams-TE-6’5-257 lbs.-Purdue-Austin, TX-Combine Numbers (40T – 4.83; Cone – N/A) Draft Projection: FA

Adams is very quick and reaches stop speed in the blink of an eye. He possesses good balance, flexibility and the athleticism to adjust. He’s a good character guy who gets the best out of those around him. Lacks the strength to be a force while blocking, and has displayed very poor technique. Missed the entire 2008 season due to a knee injury.



17. Allen Reisner-TE-6’2-248 lbs.-Iowa-Marion, IA-Combine Numbers (40T – 4.97; Cone - 7.31) Draft Projection: FA

Reisner is a very good receiver who broke out in 2010. He has big hands, catches the ball away from his body and has tremendous awareness. He’s a well-rounded player, but may be looked at as an H-back in the NFL. He lacks the strength to compete with powerful NFL defenders and his ceiling may be near.



18. Konrad Reuland-TE-6’5-258 lbs.-Standofrd-Mission Viejo, CA-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone - DNP) Draft Projection: FA

Reuland is a tall, built receiver who used his body to put distant between the ball and defenders. He’s a solid blocker who’s been known to create big lanes for his running backs. He will struggle to gain separation in the NFL, and lacks the overall athleticism to go up and grab an overthrown pass. His blocking ability will most certainly land him a roster spot eventually.



19. Stephen Skelton-TE-6’5-247 lbs.-Fordham-El Paso, TX-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA

Skelton has a very high football IQ and athleticism runs in his family. He’s a dependable receiver who runs good routes and has reliable hands. For his height, he could use to put on some weight in muscle. He’s an average blocker at best. The tools to make him a useful tight end are certainly there, but it will take some work.



20. Daniel Hardy-TE-6’4-249 lbs.-Idaho-Anchorage, AK-Combine Numbers (40T – N/A; Cone – N/A) Draft Projection: FA

Hardy has tremendous hands, runs good routes and makes the difficult catch. He could use to gain some bulk, lacks elite speed and needs to improve as a blocker.



21. Richard Gordon-TE-6’4-265 lbs.-Miami-Miami, FL-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA

Gordon is athletic with deceptive speed. Has excellent body control and balance, and is a very good in-line blocker. Needs to improve his routes and has little experience as a receiver.



22. Preston Dial-TE-6’2-238 lbs.-Alabama-Mobile, AL-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA

Dial has a good first step, possesses good balance and is well coordinated. He lacks size, runs upright and gets beat at the point of attack. Must add bulk.



23. Jeffrey Anderson-TE-6’3-264 lbs.-UAB-Selma, AL-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA

Anderson has improved as a receiver every year in college. He has good hands, run hard and has good lower body strength. Will struggle going up and wrestling a ball away from defenders.



24. Joe Torchia-TE-6’6-260 lbs.-Virginia-Cold Spring, NY-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA

Torchia has good body control, engages in blocks quickly and gets good leverage. He isn’t a receiving threat and will likely only be a reserve tight end in the NFL.



25. Brad Taylor-TE-6’3-241 lbs.-Baylor-Madisonville, TX-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA

Taylor has decent speed and a lot of heart. Shined as a receiver in 2007, but has yet to recapture that glory. He lacks both strength and size.



26. Andrew Kennedy-TE-6’3-243lbs.- Columbia-Westport, CT. No Combine-Draft Projection-FA

After establishing himself as the premier TE in the Ivy in 2009 he continued to impress. In ’10 he was the first Lions player to be named to the Walter Camp FCS team in 6 years (50-616-9TD’s) and completed his career with 102 catches for 1,187 yards and 15 TD’s. Kennedy is more then deserving of a shot somewhere at the next level. Could be converted to FB.



27. Brett Brackett-TE-6’6-248 lbs.-Penn State-Lawrenceville, NJ-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA

Brackett could be a sleeper. He is very tall, has long arms and does a great job boxing out defenders. He’s also very raw and may need to convert to wide receiver in the NFL.



28. Mike Higgins-TE-6’5-242 lbs.-Nebraska at Omaha-Pickrell, NE-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA

Higgins is large and very athletic. He has long arms and plucks the ball out of the arm. He isn’t exceptionally fast and lacks the lower body strength he’d need to compete as a blocker in the NFL.



29. Eric Peitz-TE-6’4-258 lbs.-Colorado State-Yankton, SD- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA

Peitz has good size and good strength. He has good lateral quickness and is a solid run blocker. He struggles as a receiver and will likely catch on as a goal-line tight end in the NFL.



30. Greg Smith-TE-6’4-245 lbs.-Texas-Montgomery, TX-Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA

Smith is athletic with soft and reliable hands. He doesn’t have top-notch speed and will struggle to separate from defenders in the NFL.


31. Ben Thayer-TE-6’4-240 lbs.-Eastern Michigan-Kalamazoo, MI- Combine Numbers** (40T – 4.85; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: 7th Rd.


32. Ben Cleveland-TE-6’3-246 lbs.-Arkansas-Springdale, AR- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


33. Will Yeatman-TE-6’6-273 lbs.-Maryland-San Diego, CA- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


34. Mike Ragone-TE-6’4-245 lbs.-Notre Dame-Cherry Hill, NJ- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


35. Alston Umuolo-TE-6’4-250 lbs.-San Diego State-Phoenix, AZ- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


36. Collin Franklin-TE-6’5-252 lbs.-Iowa State-Simi Valley, CA- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


37. Martell Webb-TE-6’4-256 lbs.-Michigan-Pontiac, MI- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


38. Evan Frosch-TE-6’3-264 lbs.-TCU-Midland, TX- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


39. Ed Barham-TE-6’3-260 lbs.-North Carolina-Dendron, VA- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


40. Larry Donnell-TE-6’6-257 lbs.-Grambling-Ozark, AL- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


41. Jeff Lindsay-TE-6’3-235 lbs.-Purdue-Macomb, MI- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


42. London Landry-TE-6’3-235 lbs.-South Dakota-Lancaster, CA- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


43. A.J. Simmons-TE-6’4-262 lbs.-Arizona-Oakland, CA- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


44. Kyle Nelson-TE-6’3-240 lbs.-New Mexico State-Waco, TX- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


45. Vaughn Charlton-TE-6’4-254 lbs.-Temple-Landenberg, PA- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


46. Jonny Moore-TE-6’4-240 lbs.-Texas at El Paso-San Antonio, TX- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


47. Ifeanyi Momah-TE-6’6-240 lbs.-Boston College-Elwood, NY- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


48. Chris Blohm-TE-6’4-262 lbs.-Yale-San Francisco, CA- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


49. Tommy Gallarda-TE-6’5-250 lbs.-Boise State-Brea, CA- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA


50. Colin Cochart-TE-6’4-255 lbs.-South Dakota State-Kewaunee, WI- Combine Numbers (40T – DNP; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: FA

** From the BSN Combine ,Akron,OH 4/10/11

GOP Insiders For Trump Presidential Bid ‎Great For Obama

The Associated Press reports that "GOP Insiders" are supporting a presidential big by Donald Trump. Even though this blogger would wish Trump would shut up about the matter, maybe having Trump out there yapping his trap's a good thing. Good, that is, for the Democratic Party.

Donald Trump, in caring out his PR strategy, is dividing the country, racially. With his wrong-headed, birther-supporting attacks on President Obama, and on a "done" issue, his certificate of live birth, Donald Trump is threatening to alienate people of color who have been fans of his, and for some time. Look at my videos on Trump as one example:

Donald Trump - Certificate Of Live Birth IS Birth Certificate



Will Donald Trump Shut Up About Being President?



Also, look at how Whoopi Goldberg responded to Trump on The View, when Donald Trump first went down this "birther" path.

And Bill Cosby hates it too.

Trump picked the one issue that stirs the pots of many African Americans, thus having lost a base of support before he can get out of the gate. In doing so, Trump will bring the GOP down with him.

Sexy Rihanna - Her Messed-Up Rolling Stone Interview Is Sad

Rolling Stone Magazine has done it again: managed to get a revealing interview out of an iconic star: in this case, Rihanna. The Hip Hop singer still most-closely linked to artist Chris Brown says she likes to be spanked, is into sexting, and has been making songs about abuse in the wake of her violent relationship with Brown.

Two years ago, Chris Brown and Rianna had an argument that turned ugly, with Brown hitting her in the face, causing it to be badly disfigured. Brown gave an apology that to this day many don't believe, and is still (as evidenced by his recent blow-up after being interviewed by Good Morning America's Robin Roberts) not completely normal and has anger problems.

Rihanna also has her problem - with the fact that she's a public figure.

In a recent Twitter dust-up, Rihanna got after blogger Sandra Rose criticized her for agreeing to have the restraining order against Brown partially lifted. Ms. Rose said that "The true fans who supported Rihanna through those tough times after chris brown beat her azz deserve better than this." The hot singer / model tweeted back "I would've sworn he beat YOUR ass, just by how upset u are! My fans don't care abt a restraining order and neither do I! My bad!"

In Rolling Stone, Rihanna said the issue was essentially none of Rose's business and that it was her personal decision.

But what Rihanna doens't understand is that she's a public figure - a person so popular that many recognize her, even if she doesn't know them. Rihanna can move a dress to be purchased just by wearing it out in public. That level of fame comes with a price, and that is that bloggers, fans, and non-fans do have a right to talk about you. The question is, did Rose say anything defamatory about Rihanna, and the answer is that she did not.

Rose is right: Rihanna is basically acting as the enabler to any man who would think of being violent to her. That's not the right message to send to her fans.

The Rolling Stone interview revealed Rianna at her sexiest, but sadly, also at her most messed-up too. Let's hope she gets to a place where she's not presenting herself in such a potentially self-destructive way.

Donald Trump - Wrong: Certificate Of Live Birth IS Birth Certificate

What's annoying about Donald Trump's latest PR campaign, the one focused on President Obama's birth certificate, is that it's devoid of any real factual information.

Trump says that President Obama's Certificate Of Live Birth is not a birth certificate. Well, this video blog proves that according to the Federal Government's Department of Heath Statistics, President Obama's Certificate Of Live Birth is a birth certificate. It's official.

My findings are not based on something created by the Feds to help the current president, but the discovery of a document called "REPORT OF THE PANEL TO EVALUATE THE U.S. STANDARD CERTIFICATES" and focuses on the ever-changing requirements for something called a "Certificate Of Live Birth," which is a "birth certificate."

The Federal National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Vital Statistics prepared the particular report that's referenced here in April 2000 and it was updated in 2001, long before Barack Obama's rise to power. The document sets standards for what is called "the degree of uniformity" of certificates from state to state in America. In other words, making sure there's some similarity between the state documents.

It reads there have been 11 revisions to what is called the "Standard Certificate of Live Birth," and that is the only document that applies to the recording of the event of a live birth. There is no section that reads that a birth certificate is a higher standard of birth over a "Certificate Of Live Birth."

Nothing.

The other problem for Donald Trump and "The Birthers" is that they never refer to the standards for the "Certificate Of Live Birth" at the time President Obama was born: August 4th, 1961.

A cursory look will reveal that the document is in line with the requirements of that time. It's not logical to look at today's guidelines because the law does not call for annual updating of past written certificates of live birth. If that were the case, every American would be issued a new document every time guidelines were changed - a costly process to say the least.

Donald Trump Please Shut Up About Obama

It's for those reasons that this blogger asked Mr. Trump to, plainly, just plain shut up about President Obama's Certificate Of Live Birth and running for President.

Training for"NFL" Football

(This article is the 6th Installment of the "Pro Draft Report" By Football Reporters Online)

Training for "NFL" football?

By Eric Dolan-Beyond Sports Network Partner & Parisi Speed School Owner/Trainer

Before getting into the “training for football” thing, it is important to look at why we care so much about football. We have coaches, trainers, scouts and journalists along with former coaches, trainers, scouts and journalists being dubbed as “experts” in football. Everybody has an opinion and everybody justifies their opinion using film, stats, athletic feats, and so on. At the end of the day, we are all fans and we all claim to evaluate without bias and to base our opinion on how some particular player looks on the field of play. This claim is basically a lie. Let’s face it, how the guy plays is only part of the equation. There is the difficult task of trying to figure out “how his game translates to the NFL.” While I am a believer in actually watching the man play being the most important step, it is true that schemes are different and different players fit different schemes.

There are guys better suited to play in the CFL, for example, than in the NFL. I don’t believe every CFL player is inferior, but I do believe the required skill sets are certainly different. You have different rules, a different field, and different schemes. So, trying to figure out who fits what scheme and who may be able to play in a system they never played in before, and who may have trouble with the “mental side” of the game, and who may be too fragile emotionally to play in a big market, etc, are all things that basic film study may not easily translate.


Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Then there are the numbers. The stats. Yes, the stats that so many people claim they don’t look at. Anybody can play with numbers and make them work to their own advantage. Lies, damned lies, and statistics. We hate stats. Stats are for baseball, not football, right? Wrong. Stats are what we train for. I’m talking numbers across the board. Tackles, sacks, interceptions, receptions, yards and touchdowns are some of the numbers we look at, but there are more than these. There are numbers like how many feet of water some random unknown safety can jump out of and still land on his feet. How many back flips did Jason Pierre-Paul do again? Then there is the ultimate set of numbers known as the Combine. What gets lost in these numbers is that the Combine actually consists of several variables including football drills, interviews, written tests and so on. What we are interested in, though, are the numbers. We want to know height, weight, forty time and vertical jump more than anything else. If we can get shuttle, broad jump, and three cone times; well, that’s just icing on the cake. How big are his hands? So, we train for this – not making our hands bigger, but the other stuff. We train to put on Vernon Davis and Mike Mamula displays of athleticism. This training and these numbers move millions of dollars in and out of the hands of future professional athletes before they ever sign a contract. A dominant, SEC, 3-year starter, and widely respected inside linebacker is a first rounder on everybody’s board. Oops. He ran a 4.97 forty. Umm, second rounder because of his production and despite his struggles with long linear speed.

The truth is, we have to train to become a better athlete in order to perform on the field, and we have to train to test well when the time comes. Some believe that testing and playing do not correspond. I do not completely agree with this. Testing may not always directly correspond, but there will be aspects that do and good, hard training is good for an athlete no matter how you slice it. Let’s take a look at Mark Ingram this year. Most feel he is the best running back in the draft. Some weren’t thrilled with his forty time because it was basically average. He caught a little slack for this. What few pointed out was that he had an exceptional “ten yard” dash to start the run. He obviously trained and trained hard on that run, but focused on the initial ten yards. Now we should ask ourselves whether we want a RB with a blazing forty or one who goes from zero to top speed in the shortest time and distance – a blazing 10 yarder. How many RB’s have to go fast in under 10 yards, stop and do it again versus how many run straight for 40 yards on any single play. Keep in mind there are different ways to time these players as well. Hand timing with a stopwatch will give the fastest times. Electronic timing will give the slowest, but most accurate. The NFL Combine uses a hand start, electronic finish which lands somewhere in the middle.

The other big tests are the 20-yard (5-10-5) shuttle and the three cone (L-drill) which are measures of agility and change of direction. The 5-10-5 also shows short lateral speed; and the vertical jump and the broad jump, which show different levels of explosiveness. The 60-yard shuttle is another popular drill that also indicates levels of stamina. I hear varying opinions on the importance of this drill. There is no doubt that we will never run an exact 20-yard shuttle, counting our steps, on the football field. We will also never do a standing broad jump on the football field. I’m fairly certain a 60-yard shuttle has never been attempted during a game either. Of course, if I told you that I could train you in these areas and I would promise you to get faster, more explosion, have more agility, quickness and stamina; would that make you a better ball player? It certainly can’t hurt.

A football player must first become an athlete. Training should start with this premise. We should absolutely move into sport-specific and testing-specific training within an appropriate time prior to taking the field or participating in a combine, but we need the basic fundamentals of athleticism before we can reach full potential in the more specific areas. We must eventually master football though. There is a great story about an NFL personnel guy and a coach arguing over a player and the coach finally admits he took the guy because of his great athleticism. The personnel guy responds with “You want great athletes, go to the Olympics, but the problem is half of them are women. I’ll get you great football players if that’s what you’re looking for.”

I love that story and it is absolutely true that a great athlete does not make a great football player. Of course, most great football players are indeed great athletes and have trained as such. When we get into sport specific training mode, strength, flexibility and injury prevention tend to get lost at times and these are the most important aspects of our training. Players should always perform an active and dynamic warm-up before training. I’m not talking about static stretching and a quick jog around the backstop. Stretch a cold rubber band out and let me know what happens. I’m talking about a good warm-up that actively assists in flexibility and strength. A good warm-up will not only loosen you up, but you will break a little sweat. A good warm-up increases your core temperature, activates your central nervous system and gets your muscles in competition mode.

Focus on technique. This is where combine-specific training really comes into play. You want more speed, power, and explosion – you need to generate more force production. Strong legs will do that. Technique will make the difference. The challenge with technique is that it’s a re-learning experience. This is why combine training takes such a long time to master. We all taught ourselves how to run when we were two years old. We also taught ourselves how to jump. Nobody learns how to efficiently run and jump with the least amount of wasted movement and best techniques to maximize force production until they are much older than two. This is a complete change in mental and neural makeup. One must completely change how their body acts and responds until it actually becomes the way their body acts and responds. This change in make-up goes for test training as well. You will actually hear players counting their steps, for example, when practicing their shuttles. Everything has to be on point and perfect. There is no quick fix to training for a combine or pro-day. Players pay monetarily, physically, emotionally and huge in time commitments to train for strength, flexibility, injury prevention, technique and, of course, statistics because they stand to gain and lose a lot more based on a tenth of a second.

Eric is a recent addition to the contributors List at the FRO. He is the Director of Scouting & Training at our co-operators BEYOND SPORTS NETWORK (www.beyondsportsnetwork.com) and a Parisi School Owner/Operator In Maryland.

3.8 Earthquake In SF Bay Area On Day Celebrating 1906 Quake

Just about five minutes ago, the office where I work out of my home shook just enough for me to wonder if it was a bus crash into the building or an earthquake. One check of Twitter revealed it to be the latter:

CesarQuintero Cesar Quintero
RT @beckyfc: @moshbrown Well, it IS the 105th anniversary of the earthquake that destroyed SF in 1906. Perhaps it was a commemoration quake.
42 seconds ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Yep. On the day when the Bay Area remembers the giant 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, the earth shook, and it wasn't planned. It was small, some felt it, others did not:

amandamaiyang amanda mai yang
i didn't feel the earthquake, because i have been convulsing from coffee withdrawl
2 minutes ago

Here are the details right from the website of the U.S. Geological Survey:

Magnitude 3.8
Date-Time

Monday, April 18, 2011 at 21:57:19 UTC
Monday, April 18, 2011 at 02:57:19 PM at epicenter

Location 37.597°N, 122.455°W
Depth 13.6 km (8.5 miles)
Region SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CALIFORNIA
Distances

4 km (2 miles) SE (136°) from Pacifica, CA
4 km (2 miles) SW (220°) from San Bruno, CA
5 km (3 miles) W (266°) from Millbrae, CA
10 km (6 miles) S (175°) from Daly City, CA
20 km (12 miles) S (189°) from San Francisco City Hall, CA

Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 0.2 km (0.1 miles); depth +/- 0.4 km (0.2 miles)
Parameters Nph= 79, Dmin=4 km, Rmss=0.1 sec, Gp= 72°,
M-type=local magnitude (ML), Version=3
Source

California Integrated Seismic Net:
USGS Caltech CGS UCB UCSD UNR

Event ID nc71560691

Stay tuned.

2011 NFL Draft Prospects on Twitter, Forget Mock Draft

The 2011 NFL Draft is just 10 days away, Zennie62 will be there (for the 7th year in a row!), and while bloggers and Draftniks are still making mock draft after mock draft, 56 2011 NFL Draft prospects (as recorded by Tweeting Athletes.com) tweet away on Twitter, largely unnoticed by the media, outside of this blogger.

It's said that if you want to get to know someone, watch what they do and who they are online, and that's certainly true for the Draft prospects on Twitter. And who are they? The total list is at the link to Tweeting Athletes.com, but its equally notable for who's not on it: former Auburn Quarterback Cam Newton.

Yes, Newton's had an active Twitter account in the past, but, wary of a media seeming to look for a wrong move from him, Newton smartly went off the grid once he got into Draft season.

But that's not true for his competitors. The following top 2011 NFL Draft quarterbacks have active Twitter accounts: Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder, Colin Kaepernick, Tyrod Taylor, and one not noted by Tweeting Athletes, Ryan Mallett @ryan_mallett_15.  (It should be noted that former Washington QB Jake Locker has a Twitter account here (@JakeLocker) , but it appears to be ran by a PR firm, because it just includes updates about him, not his comments.)

In terms of total tweets, the most active quarterback from that perspective has been Nevada's Colin Kaepernick, he leads the others with 2,184 tweets; Florida's Christian Ponder has the least at 700.  Missouri's Gabbert, the top ranked twitterer as QB, is just behind Colin K with 1,792 tweets.   Tyrod Taylor has 868.

And what do they tweet about?

The Twitter tweeting style of the signal callers is about as different as the players themselves.  Kaepernick, the favorite NFL prospect of this blogger behind Cam Newton and with Blaine Gabbert and Jake Locker, has a bit of "brotha" in his Tweets, for example:

Kaepernick10 Colin Kaepernick
@JMillz90 take yo self to sleep bruh no one wans hear this nonsense lol
15 hours ago

Colin tweets to friends like Nebraska receiver @Niles_Paul. Kaepernick's tweets are compact, and mostly are not about people, but to people. When he tweets about someone, it's commonly in memorial, or to report something his Mom, friend, or agent told him. I've not seen an insulting tweet, or a tweet that could be read as such from Colin Kaepernick. If it's there, it's hard to find. That's saying something for a person who's now under the hot light of scrutiny, yet tweets as much as he does.

Blaine Gabbert's a different story.

The number two Twitterer has a lively and active tweet style. Like Colin Kaepernick, Blaine uses Twitter to communicate with his friends, who are fellow athletes like Missouri Basketball's Kim English, and his NFL Draft competitor Christian Ponder, and Wisconsin Defensive Lineman J.J. Watt. Gabbert (@BlaineGabbert) also tweets a lot about fishing, and overall reveals himself to be a likeable person.

But where Blaine differs from Kolin is in using Twitter in a way that can be called "candid."

This space got after Gabbert for issuing a tweet referring to someone as "He's an idiot," and while I was bombarded with emails and tweets defending Gabbert, never stopped reviewing his tweets. His latest one's a doosy, especially if you fly as much as I do:

BlaineGabbert Blaine Gabbert
I love watching people spaz out in the airport. Like dude....chilllllll out your flight is delayed half an hou

So, if Blaine loves "watching people spaz out in the airport," he probably scans YouTube for videos like this one, where a woman is, well, spazzing out in the airport:



But see, the problem is, rather than Gabbert coming to the aide of a person like this woman, if only to calm her, he's more likely to sit back and laugh at her or this guy in a coffee shop.



Or maybe Blaine would just tweet about it.

By contrast Christian Ponder's tweets are much like Kaepernick's but with the occasional product endorsement:

cponder7 Christian Ponder
Best thing I've ever eaten: Red Velvet Whoopie Pie from Starbucks
2 Apr Favorite Retweet Reply

Starbucks should be ringing his agent about now.

And Ponder does follow and answer the tweets of ESPN's Erin Andrews:

cponder7 Christian Ponder
@ErinAndrews I feel like you are always crying in your tweets
14 Apr

Who, apparently was following Ponder, but not any more:

cponder7 Christian Ponder
@ErinAndrews I tried to DM you but apparently you stopped following me....cool...
14 Apr

Ryan Mallett's Tired Of Airports

Former Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett also has less tweets, at 977, and uses his Twitter account to communicate with friends, and tell his whereabouts.  Like his competitors, Mallett has been traveling around America, visiting various NFL Teams.  It's obvious, he's had enough:

Ryan_Mallett_15 Ryan Mallett
Tired of living in hotel rooms for a while. It has been a great process but it's almost over. #veryblessed
18 hours ago

Mallett's tweets are also compact, and contain little that's news or revealing. In other words, no controversy here.

Mike Vick's Student

Former Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor has a lot fewer tweets, and mostly about his appearances like with Michael Vick:

YoungMogulDMV AJ
by TyTaylor5
This Saturday @TyTaylor5 @MikeVick @3_B_RAN will be at Tech Bookstore 118 South Main St Blacksburg,VA tickets on sale teg.ticketleap.com/teg
6 hours ago

Taylor, (@TyTaylor5) when not answering tweets from friends - he makes few quotes, and doesn't retweet much and avoids tweets that could be considered insulting or questionable, does reveal his relationship with Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Mike Vick, who's teaching him how to run the Bill Walsh Offense:

TheEliteGroup The Elite Group
by TyTaylor5
RT @MikeVick: About to teach Tyrod Taylor @TyTaylor5 the west coast offense......Each one teach one!!
5 Apr

This is part one of this series. In the nest installment, we'll compare the Twitter accounts of the top five candidates for the 2011 NFL Draft. 

The bottom line is Twitter's a great way for football execs and fans to tell what kind of person their potential draft pick is, and even to ask themselves 'Do we want to spend millions on this person?'  Right now, all of the 2011 NFL Draft Prospects I've reviewed seem to be OK, but Blaine Gabbert should cool some of his desire to issue tweets that could be read as insensitive; after all, he's going to be the face of someone's franchise.

Stay tuned.

San Francisco News - Earthquake Fetted, Bridge Fall, Recology - News Roundup

If Oakland gets coverage, why not add San Francisco news? After all, there's a lot of it, starting with marking the 105th Anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake.

According to CBS KPIX 5 News, many gathered early this Monday morning not just to celebrate the anniversary of the SF great quake, but to remember those who suffered in the Japan earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster of two months ago.

Woman Falls From Golden Gate Bridge

On Twitter, this tweet popped up two hours ago now:

cvandr Country Vacations
Girl Survives Fall From #Golden Gate Bridge - FoxNews.com foxnews.com/us/2011/04/18/… Good grief! #SanFrancisco
1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Looking deeper, it appears girl was but 16-years old, and it's not known if she fell or jumped (it's not reported as a suicide attempt) but she was in the water for 20 minutes before being rescued; the girl's at Marin General Hospital now.

Recology and SF Rec & Park Give Away Eighteen Truck Loads of Compost

Over the weekend, Recology, which collects SF's trash, hosted the "Great Compost Giveaway" and as thanks to San Francisco residents for participating in the SF's recycling and composting programs.

Thousands of participants collected their 5 gallons of compost free from Recology— compost made from the very food scraps and plant matter that San Franciscans place in their green compost bins daily. The event, co - hosted by Recology, the SF Recreation and Park Department, the SF Department of Public Works and the SF Department of the Environment, was formed to encourage more people to compost and promotes San Francisco’s popular community gardens.

USF Seeks Director Of Innovation

According to this tweet, USF, the University of San Francisco, has a job opening:

tmj_sfo_edu TMJ-SFO Educ. Jobs
Director, Center for Innovation... - University of California - San F...: ( #SanFrancisco , CA) http://bit.ly/eUhVxX #Education #Jobs #Job
1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Other Twitter SF News:

YahooSF Yahoo!
SF Bay Area post offices open late for tax filing http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=796 #taxes #sanfrancisco
13 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Gives new meaning to "hot time:"

justveri Jamal Wright
Man ‘Engulfed In Flames’ At San Francisco Porn Shop http://fb.me/VOoPL6hg
17 minutes ago

And what about tweets about "San Francisco Mayor?"

cookiesinheaven jillian johnson
#SF Supervisor John Avalos to run for #mayor sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/… via @sfgate #UCSB #Gaucho #UCSBAlum #SanFrancisco #SantaBarbara
28 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

RegioFora_CA RegioFora_CA
#US San Francisco pension rates fuel debate about reform: As Mayor Ed Lee strives to craft a... http://bit.ly/fFXYGL #SanFrancisco #News
13 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

SFNews360 San Francisco News
[SFNews 360] San Francisco Mayor Lee Not Happy With Finalists Police Chief ...: San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is re... http://bit.ly/eKYC3Y
21 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

LandisComm LandisCommunications
Smart move: #SF @MayorEdLee forms high tech advisory board. http://ht.ly/4Ak8W #tech
14 Apr

Stay tuned!

Tech News: Jott, Voice To Text Service, Ending As Of May 3rd 2011

Just got this email from the Jott folks that's a sad piece of tech news:

Dear Jotters,


We are writing to remind you that the Jott service will be ending on May 3rd, 2011. Please be assured that we'll continue to work to help you through this transition. We truly appreciate your business and enthusiastic support over the years, and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Learn more about why we're ending the service

That's too bad. Unfortunately, I never used Jott much, but when I did, it was a kick to see my voice get translated to text, then come out on Twitter. But for some reason Jott wasn't compelling to use. It may be that it took an extra step or two to use with Twitter on the smartphone. But, for whatever reason, this blogger stopped using it after a one-month go at it, two years ago.  

So, today I click on the link, and learn...

In 2006 Jott emerged as a leader in mobile voice-to-text applications. Now, nearly two years after Jott’s acquisition and a successful integration into Nuance, we will officially end the Jott service. This may seem counter-intuitive – success leading to a shutdown. But while it is an ending of sorts, the reality is that the technology, service, talent and imagination of Jott will continue on as part of a far broader set of services. The Jott team, vision and technologies are an integral part of a global business which includes partners such as AT&T, Rogers, Bell Canada, Vodafone, Cisco, Vonage, and many others.


The dramatic expansion of Nuance’s voice-to-text services is clear evidence that consumers will respond to innovations that carriers offer, and with that in mind, we will focus our voice-to-text service investments on carrier and enterprise distribution, and no longer on Jott.com.


What to expect
After May 3rd, 2011 you’ll no longer be able to access any of the Jott services – Jott Assistant, Jott Voicemail, or Jott for Salesforce. Until then, Jott will continue to run as you’ve come to expect. You will not be charged for this last month – we’re making it free to all of our current subscribing customers, starting today, April 4th, 2011. Those of you who have paid in advance for annual or pay-as-you-go plans should expect to see a refund by June 2nd, 2011 for any unused portion of your plan as of April 4th, 2011.

For more information, visit the Jott blog here.  But what's Nuance?

It's essentially just like Jott, but more focused on communications solutions for corporate clients, and in different business areas. Indeed, the Nuance website is confusing, because it's hard to tell if it's offering a product app or is a consulting firm.

It will be interesting to see what Jott does with Nuance.  I have one idea of what they should do, but I think I'll keep this one for myself.  

Stay tuned.

Boston Marathon 2011: Kenyans, Ethiopians Rule

The 2011 Boston Marathon is history, and according to a Twitter tweet, Kenyans and Ethiopians rule, at least for the men:

bostonmarathon Boston Marathon
M: Top 10 finishers include five Kenyans, four Ethiopians, and one U.S. runner.
19 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

But really for the women, too. In fact, the winners, Geoffrey Mutai and Caroline Kilel were both from Kenya. Mr. Mutai finished in a blazing 2:03:02. Kilel headed the women with 2:22:36. Overall, looking at the top 10 finishers for men and women in the 2011 Boston Marathon, of the 20, only three were from the United States, including the women's second place finisher, Desiree Davila.

Who did this...

bostonmarathon Boston Marathon
W: Desiree Davila's second place time 2:22:38 was a personal record by four minutes.
9 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

And Kara Goucher finished fifth, and said afterward:

bostonmarathon Boston Marathon
@karagoucher "I love the Boston crowd. They're crazy.They were chanting my name and made me feel like a rock star.The atmosphere is awesome.
33 minutes ago

Kenyans, Ethiopians Rule: One Solution

What to do for America? Buy em! Seriously. Get some of the top Kenyan and Ethiopians runners and throw major bucks at them, given them Manhattan condos and free air travel, and then make them American citizens. After that, USA will appear more often at the top finishers lists of events like The Boston Marathon.

Really, if you care, that is.

For more details, visit the website here: http://raceday.baa.org/