Larry King divorce: King and Shawn Southwick second thoughts, again

CNN's Larry King has been the focus of a possible divorce from his wife Shawn Southwick. While reports have Shawn Southwick fuming over King's alleged gift-buying for her sister, and today a new TMZ blog entry explains the two are reconsidering the divorce idea, it's clear they've had a stormy relationship.

In 2008, the blog appropriately named The Dailystab reported that Shawn Southwick King was rumored to have been caught cheating on Larry King with a then-29-year old actor named Hector Penate; Shawn was 48 and Larry King 74 at the time, and were married for 11 years.

Hector Penate, described as a B-list actor by the National Enquirer, was their son's baseball coach at the time.

(A momentary aside; how's that for a sex scandal that's covered the age spectrum? So cool. 29, 48, 74. Young. Middle. Old. Nice.)

The National Enquirer claims that Hector Penate took a stab at Shawn King on Larry King's desk at their Beverly Hills home. The relationship was said to have gone on for a year. King was fuming, and divorce rumors were in the air but King reportedly confronted Penate.

So both Larry King and Shawn Southwick King have sadly faced allegations that one was cheating on the other. Maybe the two should take a time out from other people and focus on each other. For King, who's been with her for 13 years now, the seventh marriage should be the charm, yeah?

Stay tuned.

CBS News "60 Minutes" slamed by CJR for Chevron Ecuador segment

CBS News 60 Minutes was massively body slammed by Martha M. Hamilton of the Columbia Journalism Review Thursday, for presenting in a May 3, 2009 segment what Hamilton writes was "clear impression that Chevron trashed the place and left, while downplaying the fact that Petroecuador has been operating alone at the former Texaco sites since 1990."

If you're just reading this, the CJR's article is another chapter in the long story of one man, Steve Donziger's, 20-year-old and now $27 billion lawsuit against American Chevron for environmental damage that Donziger claims was done by Chevron without an adequate cleanup effort.

(Proponents will chime in that the lawsuit was presented by indigenous tribes of the impacted areas, but in point of fact, the architect of the suit has been Steve Donziger, who's a brilliant man so this is not personal against him, from day one.)

This song is getting old because now with 1) revelations that an Ecuador judge in the Chevron lawsuit was in on an alleged bribery relationship where his apparently planned decision to rule against Chevron would have resulted in a payoff for that judge, and 2) discovery that the environmentalist on the case rendered a view that cleared Chevron of environmental damage but his writing was replaced with a false report, and 3) the fact that Ecuador has worked to kick out American Oil Companies and nationalize its oil industry, Ecuador looks more like what this blogger always asserted it was: a nation that does not take care of its poorest people, but blames foreign companies for its economic irresponsibility.

People who attack American Oil and American Business, I've found, are really part of an environmental industrial complex that has it's own monetary relationships. One must ask why none of the plaintiff lawyers in the Chevron Ecuador lawsuit ever bothered to sue Ecuador? Why is it that Ecuador's attorney general said Ecuador would collect 90 percent of the court's $27 billion award?

Anyone who attacks their claims that protect Ecuador is painted as someone paid by Chevron, as opposed to having a view that simply disagrees with the lawsuit. Just wait for one person to accuse Martha M. Hamilton of being paid by Chevron.

The fact is that Ecuador must take care of its poor. Chevron proved it cleaned up its mess, but an environmental report saying so was apparently doctored to avoid such news, all the better to win a lawsuit.

None of that helps Ecuador's poor and it was clear from a long time ago that the money from a court win against Chevron would see the pockets of Ecuador's elite before Ecuador's poor ever got wind that a victory happened.

That fact alone should make anyone who really does care about what's happening down there cry.

Stay tuned.

A Day in the Life of an NFL Prospect

12 Days ago We spent the day with Stonybrook University Running back Conte Cuttino.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R_-Zy95w7o

Fabrice Tourre and Goldman Sachs sued for fraud by SEC

London-based Goldman Sachs Vice President Fabrice Tourre and the firm which employed him are the focus of a civil lawsuit by the Securities and Exchange Commission for fraud. Fabrice Tourre allegedly packaged Credit Default Swaps (CDS) against the very same subprime mortgage-backed securities he created.

In other words, Fabrice Tourre both created a debt instrument that he allegedly knew was risky, then set up insurance - the CDS - to make money when it failed.

So if you were one of the people Fabrice Tourre convinced to buy into his securities, you were set up for a big fall while he walked away with the cash. That's the focus of the SEC's lawsuit.

But who is Fabrice Tourre? According to The Huffington Post, Fabrice Tourre's a Stanford grad from France who's worked on Wall Street in New York and for Goldman since 2001. Proud of his achievement in creating the CDS at issue, he referred to himself as "The Fabulous Fab" in an email to a friend on January 23, 2007.

Fabrice Tourre's LinkedIn profile shows he has 95 connections and received his bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Ecole Centrale Paris in 2000, then his MS in Operations Research (a cousin of systems theory and system dynamics, of which this blogger's a expert in) from Stanford in 2001.

In the interest of full disclosure, this blogger is indirectly connected to Fabrice Tourre via 68 connections on LinkedIn but as of this writing as not met or corresponded with Fabrice Tourre. (I have almost 2,000 LinkedIn connections.)

If you want to learn more about CDS and how they work from a basic perspective, look at this online slide explanation that's based on Michael Lewis' book The Big Short with a click here: CDS Scandal.

In closing, as a counter to those who may fall back on the rather empty charge that mortgage loans were given to people who should not have them, a claim that when expanded has the tinge of racism, the fact is no one can pay a loan without a job. The rise in jobs loss caused the subprime loan problem.

Stay tuned.

NFL Draft: Ted Ginn, Jr. trade not the answer for Niners

The NFL Draft is next week, but one trade has some bloggers thinking that what will happen in the 1st round of the 2010 NFL Draft will be altered by it. Here's a tip: don't believe anything an NFL team rep tells the media before the NFL Draft because it's a clear sign that media person's being used to send a false signal. Translation: the San Francisco 49ers still need a speed running back; Ted Ginn, Jr. does not solve their problems.

The Niners trades their 5th round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft for Ted Ginn, Jr., the Dolphins Wide Receiver / Returner, who was their answer to Wide Receiver / Returner Devin Hester of the Chicago Bears.

The year Ginn was drafted, 2007, was the same time NFL personnel execs were on the lookout for someone, anyone, who could be the next Devin Hester, the speedster from The University of Miami.

Hester came in and shook-up the NFL with his shocking straight-ahead speed. The one player tagged by many to be the next Devin Hester was Ted Ginn, Jr. from Ohio State. But when the Dolphins took him as the 9th pick in the first round, there were many in the room at Radio City Music Hall who believed they grabbed him too high.

They were right, sort of.

It's not to say Ted Ginn Jr.'s not the deep threat the 49ers need; he is. The main question is can he catch the ball when it gets there?  He was two caught for eight thrown to him against the New Orleans Saints last year. It's just that Ginn's not the only answer for the speed the Niners need; Clemson Running Back C.J. Spiller's still a player the 49ers should work to get. Spiller's 4.27 speed in the back field combined with Ginn, second-year player Michael Crabtree, and fast tight-end Vernon Davis, will on paper give the 49ers the most dangerous offense they've had since the Bill Walsh years.

But Ginn's not the answer.

From the perspective of Miami Dolphins bloggers, Ted Ginn, Jr. did not have a happy time in Miami. The Phinsider reports that Ginn's high selection in the 1st round of The NFL Draft translated to great expectations as a return guy and a wide receiver.

In fairness, while Ginn didn't meet them as a receiver, he did set return records with the Dolphins. Last year, Ginn became the first NFL player since 1967 to score two return touchdowns in the same quarter against the New York Jets. But Ginn's toughness has been roundly questioned, with Dolphins legends like former offensive guard Bob Kuechenberg calling Ginn a "coward."

Ted Ginn for all the world looks like a Vernon Davis project for San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Mike Singletary. If Coach Singletary can have the same impact on Ginn he's had on Davis, Ginn's NFL Draft promise may well be met.

Stay tuned.

Luxury W Hotel San Francisco gets praise for GDC

OK, beyond the LEED award, the W Hotel San Francisco, in fact, the W Hotel chain, has established a level of legendary cool seldom appreciated.

This blogger takes time to gush about The W Hotel because the memory of it as a new, innovative, and deliberately hip place to lay one's head is still fresh. Each W Hotel this blogger has visited has attracted beautiful, well-dressed, intelligent patrons and featured a bar scene that in many cases was part of the social scene for that city: New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, all have prominent roles in their cities.

The W Hotel's combination of dark muted colors, indirect lighting, and smoked glass create a theme popular with tourists, tech industry leaders, entertainers, and even game developers. The annual San Francisco Game Developers Conference brings the biggest heavy-hitters to The W Hotel San Francisco and this blogger was there, first, in 2007; 2009 was not different.

The lobby was teaming with game development executives, graphic artists, and other members of the game industry, meeting and talking about the doings at what's called The GDC. The W Hotel San Francisco played gracious host, and to my understanding no one was unhappy.

This video is from the 2009 GDC and shows how the lobby became a kind of small convention hall itself, and perfect for the presentation of game ideas:



That had to be written because it's not often a business is openly praised for being the perfect place for its patrons, but that's what the W Hotel San Francisco was at the 2010 GDC.

W Hotel San Francisco gets LEED award, has American Idol Kris Allen

This space has been constant in reporting buildings that get LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) awards from the U.S. Green Building Council and today's no exception.

The popular luxury W Hotel San Francisco, next to Moscone Convention Center, earned a LEED award and celebrated in W Hotel style and fashion, by hosting American Idol Season 8 winner Kris Allen at a ribbon-cutting event on Wednesday at the hotel at a private, invitation-only ceremony.

The timing is perfect because Kris Allen just scored his own first:  Allen signed a publishing deal with Universal Music.

A LEED award is given to the builders of structures that have efficient, energy-saving HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems that use natural light effectively.

 The W Hotel San Francisco is one of a handful of buildings in America, and even fewer hotels, to earn a LEEDS designation.

Congratulations.

Larry King divorce based on King's gifts to Shawn Southwick sister?

The news that CNN's talk show legend Larry King is divorcing his wife Shawn Southwick has burned up the Internet, but what's interestingly unfortunate is the reported reason for the divorce.

According to TMZ.com, Shawn Southwick found evidence that hubby Larry King bought expensive gifts for her sister Shannon Engemann.

And while King allegedly said he would stop giving the gifts, he never did. That sent Shawn through the roof and making moves toward divorce court, filing legal papers and interviewing potential counsel.

Meanwhile TMZ.com spotted King and Southwick at their sons little league game in Beverly Hills. The blog post reports the two got along famously with King saying "that was the best 30 minutes of my life" and leaving this blogger to wonder what happened to make him say that.

Whatever the present, it's clear Larry King's marriage with Shawn Southwick (Shawkn King) has been anything but easy over the last two year, and in the next post on this you will learn why.

Stay tuned.

Utah Earthquake pushes number of 2010 large quakes to 27

The 4.9 Richter Scale Utah Earthquake that hit Thursday night is the largest in that state in 75 years according to The Vancouver Sun, and pushes the number of large earthquakes to 27 for 2010 and on page to continue to the 92 significant earthquakes (quakes over 4 on the Richter Scale) projected for this year by this blogger.

That is a record pace.

The Utah Earthquake hit at 5:59:38 PM according to the US Geological Survey. The quake was centered five miles from and a mile below Randolph, UT, and 77 miles from Salt Lake City. The "light" earthquake didn't cause much damage or injuries and the Salt Lake Tribune reports it as if it's no big deal.

In fact, the Salt Lake Tribune goes on to report a gross inaccuracy:

The six major earthquakes occurring in the first four months of 2010 puts they year within normal range. There were 18 major quakes from April 15, 2009, to April 14, 2010, which is a number scientists say is within expectations.

That's wrong, and this space wonders if the Salt Lake Tribune is afraid to report the truth. The fact is over that period of time there were 80 large earthquakes, not 18, major quakes using the 2009 and 2010 information to date, and that's using USGS data available from its website.

The Salt Lake Tribune should stop playing games with the facts and report the information as the USGS presents it: a large quake is over 4 on the Richter Scale. The Salt Lake Tribune just mentions "large quakes" but does not define what they are.

The USGS earthquake numbers point to a problem, at least for anyone willing to look at them.

Stay tuned.

Waste Management v. Recology in SF a battle with national implications

Waste Management is angry

Waste Management v. Recology for the right to dump San Francisco waste is a battle with national implications. Why? It essentially pits one giant garbage firm, Waste Management, against it's much smaller competitor Recology and may pave the way for other local firms to have more success in competing against national organizations in the waste business. Waste Management is 43,400 employees in size; Recology, formerly NorCal Waste Systems, has 2,100.

This blogger normally doesn't pay much attention to local trash, preferring the national celebrity brand, but a political battle between two established companies, and the fact that a lot of people from various sides have talked about it without any provocation, caused this space to wade into an argument such that regardless of what is stated, and how reasonable it may be, the other side - or some other side - is bound to be pissed off.

But the reason for the attention from this space was a March 30,2010 San Francisco Bay Guardian (SFBG) article that claimed Waste Management was "Oakland-based"; an online check revealed Waste Management was not Oakland-based but headquartered (another word for "based") in Houston, Texas at 1001 Fannin St.,Ste. 4000.

What giant Waste Management has is an Oakland office, but that's to have a local political face to help land SF Bay Area work. It's just smart business, but Waste Management is not based in Oakland.

Nothing against the media legend that is Bruce Brugmann at all, but the SFBG really went to town in attacking one side against the other. The SFBG made Waste Management look like a local, environmentally-concerned organization, against, well, Recology.

What happened was that Recology tentatively won a contract with the City and County of San Francisco to haul San Francisco's unrecycled trash by train to its Ostrum Road Landfill in Yuba County, starting in 2015, according to Kevin Fagan of The San Francisco Chronicle. The organization they beat for this right by vote of the San Francisco Commission on the Environment was Waste Management, which currently takes the San Francisco trash to Livermore's Altamont landfill area that it owns. Recology has an alternative proposal that takes the trash to Yuba County.

What's interesting is the SFBG went through the scoring for the proposals submitted and nitpicked what scores Recology was given and claimed the process seemed to have some "subjectivity." Any judgement by any government committee is generally subjective, save for one part: cost. Recology's proposal was less expensive than that from Waste Management.

The San Francisco Commission on the Environment made a daring decision: to go with the less expensive Recology proposal. Daring, because the San Francisco Commission on the Environment screwed with a huge value chain of interests, from Waste Management's Altamont landfill to the City of Livermore and the County of Alameda, which make money from it, to The Sierra Club, who has a monetary grant-making interest in the revenue generated from the Altamont Landfill.

Now here comes Recology to screw it all up. In doing so, the attacks on Recology reveal an environmental industrial complex active in Northern California and that seems to block out new organizations from working within it. Recology was fortunate in that it already has a hand in the collection of the garbage in San Francisco, but believes it can do a better job by establishing a fully controlled and more cost effective transport system than what exists by Recology's working with Waste Management.

Recology issued the more cost effective proposal and a brave San Francisco Commission on the Environment picked them. In short, it gave a really local firm a chance to grow rather than be hampered by the environmental industrial complex. Waste Management is not a true local firm; the attempts to make it look as if it is are unfortunate. If Recology can do a better job, and the San Francisco Commission on the Environment thinks it can, give the San Francisco firm a chance.

Of course, it's not that easy; here comes the defenders of the San Francisco environmental industrial complex, here them roar, and all to protect their money.

Stay tuned.

NFL Draft: Jerry Jones, Cowboys owner, blasts Tim Tebow, Bill Parcells

This from the "you should always know a cell phone camcorder's around if you're a celebrity" file. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was caught on camcorder issuing a drunken blast about Tim Tebow just days before the 2010 NFL Draft.

The video above shows Jerry Jones in a rant at some party or bar that involved drinking; Jones ranted on about now-former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach and Miami Dolphins President Bill Parcells and Florida Quarterback Tim Tebow. Someone with a cell phone camcorder caught Jones talking and talking.

The video is hard to hear, so this blogger will turn to the ESPN interpretation: Jones said this:

"Bill's not worth a [expletive]," the video shows Jones saying. After some conversation with an unidentified man off-camera, the video continues with Jones saying, "... to get this [expletive] stadium, I need to bring his [butt] in."

In the video, Jones also said, and ESPN did not report, that Tim Tebow "couldn't get on the field" and said other disparaging remarks about Tebow after someone asked him why a team like Jacksonville (rumored to be interested in Tebow in the 2010 NFL Draft) would draft him, if only to sell t-shirts.

Clearly Jerry Jones should have known better. He's a public figure. To say that he was in a bar, or any other place, does not matter. This would have never happen under the Cowboys of then-owner Clint Murchison and Head Coach Tom Landry.

But it also may reveal how some NFL owners really feel about Tim Tebow.

Stay tuned.

IRS tax day freebies 2010 at Starbucks, Cinnabon; help the homeless

Today is April 15th, IRS Tax Day. That day where people get their last files together to make a list of fiscal expenditures and get their tax report in to the government before midnight.

While today may be a day of dread, fear not, for it's also a time of IRS tax day freebies 2010. Now the trouble is while this is a national trend, not enough retailers or eateries are actually sending out press releases announcing a marketing effort. If this blogger were in the restaurant business, everyone would get a free drink if they purchased a meal and could prove they just filed their taxes.

Now there is one company that seems to get "IRS tax day freebies 2010:" Starbucks. If you bring in a reusable mug on April 15th, or today, you get a free brewed coffee according to their website. Cinnabon, who makes those great, big cinnamon rolls with the thick frosting on top, is also part of IRS tax day freebies 2010.

Between 6 PM and 8 PM at Cinnabon, you can get two free cupcake bites to, as the website reports, "make it less taxing." But if you do this, I personally ask that you give your free cupcake bites to someone who needs food. It's personally sad to see people sitting or begging and know that retailers have these freebees that someone homeless generally doesn't know about.

So if you see someone near by, think about them.

Stay tuned.

iPhone app and Twitter for Small Luxury Hotels of The World

See: small luxury hotels, luxury hotels of the world, iphone app hotels, twitter small luxury hotels

If you think that hotels don't get tech and social networks and aren't willing to try, think again. Small Luxury Hotels of The World, a collection of over 500 hotels in 70 countries has both a Twitter page @SLHLuxuryHotels and an iPhone app. But if you're wondering just what a "Small Luxury Hotel of The World" looks like, here's one in my 2007 video of my trip to New York City to appear as a guest on CNN's Roland Martin Debate This Show:



That hotel at 1:24 is called the Jumeirah Essex House and it's next to Central Park and just a few blocks from CNN's New York studios in The Time Warner Center. It was the first seven-star hotel this blogger ever stayed in, thanks to CNN.

It's not hard to understand why Small Luxury Hotels of The World like the Jumeirah Essex House are so popular, and why a Twitter page and an iPhone app (no blogs or other social network systems so far) are so helpful to the fans of the hotel brand.

While the Twitter page only has 1,259 followers, it has more followers than @SLHLuxuryHotels is following, which is a healthy follower to followed ratio for future growth. Where @SLHLuxuryHotels can grow is by tweeting about subjects beyond the realm of the hotel, thus picking up more Twitter followers. Still, the Twitter use and the frequency of tweets is a great start.

The Small Luxury Hotels of The World iPhone app is both cool and useful and its free. You can find and call to book a room at any one of the hotels in their system right from your iPhone. Then you can share what you've found with your social network contacts.

CNN introduced me to Small Luxury Hotels of The World like the Jumeirah Essex House before this iPhone app; you can bet that when I buy a Verizon iPhone, the Small Luxury Hotels of The World iPhone app is one of the first I'm going to use.

Stay tuned.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy): How exactly does it work?

In a previous article called 15 common cognitive distortions- how our thoughts influence our mental health, I outlined a list of common cognitive distortions. In review, cognitive distortions are irrational thoughts that usually reinforce negative thinking and emotions and often serve to keep us from positive change. With effort and practice, you can reduce or change your irrational thinking style by practicing the exercises below. This article aims to introduce what a cognitive behavioral therapist might cover with you in therapy as way to help you reach your therapy goals.

Identify your style of cognitive distortion(s). Begin by creating a list of your automatic thoughts and examine them for similarities with a list of cognitive distortions, then outline them in a Thought Record. An examination of our cognitive distortions allows us to see which distortions we tend to use most often.

Examine the evidence. A thorough examination of an experience or situation allows us to identify the basis for our distorted thoughts. Are our automatic thoughts 100% true, all of the time? Or can we identify concrete evidence that proves our automatic thoughts are NOT true all of the time? These ‘exceptions to the rule’ are what allow us to begin to refute our irrational thoughts. For example, if you typically struggle with social anxiety, try to identify a number of experiences and situations where you have had less or no social anxiety.

Judge yourself fairly. ‘Self-talk’ can be thought of as the running dialogue we have with ourselves that often comes across as hypercritical and demeaning. Aim to view yourself in the same compassionate and non-judgmental way that you would talk with a good friend in a similar situation. We tend to respond best to encouragement and constructive examination of progress rather than punitive and defeating self-talk.

Think on a continuum. Instead of thinking about your situation or problem on an either-or scale, evaluate things on a continuum, or scale of progress. This will allow you to see yourself in terms other than ‘failure’ or ‘success’. Think about and evaluate any given situation as a partial success in progress, with a series of smaller and larger goals to be achieved over time.

Enlist the support of wise others. Greater perspective and insight can be achieved when we seek the opinions of others regarding whether our thoughts (often in the form of worries and fears) are realistic. When we remain isolated in our view of a given situation or problem, we can lose sight of concrete evidence that refutes our negative thinking.

Labeling. Do we define ourselves with labels such as ‘shy’, ‘incapable’, ‘bad tempered’, or ‘ commitment phobic’? A close examination of the labels we uses for ourselves will likely will reveal that they represent specific behaviors (perhaps that have occurred in patterns), but nonetheless do not accurately capture you as a whole person who is capable of change, growth and maturity.

Refrain from blaming. We often get stuck blaming ourselves or others entirely for the problems and predicaments we experience. While identifying circumstances and individuals that have contributed to your problems or predicament can be helpful in understanding their origins, it can be rob us of our energy to create change. Regardless of the degree of responsibility we assume ourselves or can pin on others, our energy is best utilized in identifying healthy ways of coping and identifying resolutions to problems, rather than remaining fixated on playing the blame game.

Cost-Benefit Analysis. It is helpful to list the advantages and disadvantages of our patterns of feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. A cost-benefit analysis will help us to ascertain what we are gaining from holding on to cognitive distortions, negative feelings, and behaviors that perpetuate our current circumstances. For example, we may feel resentful and angry towards a housemate, but refuse to behave in a way that could resolve the matter, because we think they ought to be the one to change. By making a list that outlines what we are gaining by our approach, we may find that it is easier to expect change from another rather than ourselves because it feels less convenient and/or fair.

Respectfully submitted by Dr. Christina Villarreal, Clinical Psychologist in private practice, Oakland, CA

Reference:

Burns, D.D. (1989). The feeling good handbook: Using the new mood therapy in everyday life. New York: William Morrow.

Gary Meyer of SF's Balboa Theater on Playland and Grateful Dead shows

Gary Meyer, who's a long time friend of this blogger, is a busy man. He's co-director of The Telluride Film Festival and the owner and operator of The Balboa Theater in San Francisco. Gary and I met for lunch at Jupiter in Berkeley and talked about the movie industry, but for this blog, we made the video about two shows at The Balboa: Playland and The Grateful Dead. (And for those of you who wonder, we split the lunch tab, and the food, too. I recommend a pizza-salad combination.)

The Balboa Theater is Gary's love and occupation. Located at 3630 Balboa Street in San Francisco, Meyer took it over about six years ago; now the Balboa Theater not only plays first run movies like Iron Man 2 on May 7th, but has a lot of special events, the one's Gary's got coming up are a movie called Remembering Playland At The Beach on April 23rd, and The Greatful Dead: Crimson, White, and Indigo on Monday, April 19th.

On Playland, Gary says, "Everyone was going crazy! (and saying) 'I remember this. I remember that.' at our sneak previews. Playland is a documentary about the old Playland down at Ocean Beach in San Francisco.

The other event, The Greatful Dead: Crimson, White, and Indigo, is based on a 1989 concert in St. Louis that has not been seen but Gary's got it on the big screen. And as usual with Gary he will have the filmmakers on hand to meet and greet.

Visit the Balboa Theater and check out their website at Balboamovies.com.

Stay tuned.

AC Transit Bus Rapid Transit: Oakland Public Works Committee backs it

In a unanimous show of support, the City of Oakland's Oakland City Council Public Works Committee voted to support the AC Transit Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

The Public Works Committee, which consists of Councilmembers Nancy Nadel (District 3 - West Oakland, Downtown), Rebecca Kaplan (At-Large), Desley Brooks (District 6 - Central East Oakland) and Patricia Kernighan (District 2 - Grand Lake, San Antonio)

Rocky Fernandez, President of the AC Transit Board of Directors, said:

"We really need to think big about transporting people around in this area. Not just now, not just tomorrow, but well into the 21st century. This is a project that is highly recommended by the Federal Transit Administration for the benefits it provides to taxpayers and future taxpayers. I want to assure everybody that we definitely are listening to riders and groups within the community about moving forward on this project."

According to AC Transit, the service should be ready in 2013 and "fully implemented" by 2015.

Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan said that, "overall I think this is a great project." That's true.

The AC Transit Bus Rapid Transit project is on its way to the full Oakland City Council. All this blogger asks is for AC Transit to keep the "Epic Beard Man" and that guy he was sparring with, off it.

Stay tuned.

NFL Draft: Brandon Marshall trade has focus on Dez Bryant

The trade of Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall from the Denver Broncos to the Miami Dolphins has eye falling on top-rated Oklahoma State Wide Receiver Dez Bryant at the 2010 NFL Draft. But regarding Dez Bryant, this blogger has to get one thing out of the way.

Daniel Wolf of The Bleacher Report wrote: "Obviously, the Dolphins are out of the equation, but what I want to know is will the Broncos take a chance on Bryant, who has rumored character concerns?"

That was not correct and all Daniel Wolf had to do was use Google to find out. Dez Bryant does not have "character concerns", what this near-Brandon Marshall clone has is an involvement with NFL legend Deion Sanders that the NCAA believed violated their rules.

But that's light-years from the common word association with the term "character concerns." Dez Bryant didn't rob a bank or sell drugs. No. What Dez Bryant did was lie about his association with Deion Sanders and not telling the truth is an NCAA no-no. But Dez Bryant did apologize for that, too.

But the near-Brandon Marshall clone not a character problem any more than Brandon Marshall was, or in the way we have been conditioned to think. No sense in re-conditioning the culture now. Any NFL team that passes on Dez Bryant for this issue has a player personnel director who should be fired.

And that's why this corner thinks The Oakland Raiders should take Dez Bryant with their 1st round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. That's far from saying the Raiders will, but consider the Raiders lost Javon Walker, who they released, and with the disappointing start of now-second-year Wide Receiver Darius Heywood-Bey, the Raiders need a true deep threat wide receiver.

Dez Bryant may fall in the NFL Draft, but if he does it will be because of a lackluster pro day performance, not his character. A person can have good character and still have a bad pro day.

Stay tuned.

Brandon Marshall trade from Broncos to Miami Dolphins has Twitter abuzz

See: brandon marshall, miami dolphins, twitter tweets,

That NFL Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall's one of the NFL's most effective pass catchers when he get the ball is not lost on the general public, at least if Twitter is any read. As of this writing, Brandon Marshall is a top trend on Twitter.

The announced trade of Brandon Marshall from the Denver Broncos to the Miami Dolphins for the Dolphine 2nd round pick in the 2010 and 2011 NFL Draft has Twitter tweets claiming the "Fins" got the steal of the year, and some wondering why other NFL teams, like the San Francisco 49ers, didn't try to get Marshall.

NuFlavaent Steal of the year Broncos trade Brandon Marshall to Dolphins for 2010 & 2011 2nd rd picks..
35 minutes ago from UberTwitter

MoesesSoulright RT @streetcredceo: RT @BoxKev: Brandon Marshall to the Dolphins for a 2nd Round Pick??? THATS IT! Come on Niners! You make me wanna cry sometimes
36 minutes ago from UberTwitter

centerofsports Sports Update!!, Scouts Inc.: Marshall just what Fins needed - http://tinyurl.com/y65jjl8
36 minutes ago from WordTwit

But before this mornings news, it seemed Brandon Marshall was off to become a Seattle Seahawk and not a Dolphin. Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll must be thinking this certainly isn't USC, where trades and backdoor deals were not part of the college landscape. Obviously, whatever the Seahawks were offerings, cheap though it may have been, it didn't match what the Miami D Dolphins offered Denver.

Interestingly, The 12th Man Rising blog, reports that Denver wanted one of Seattle's two picks in the 1st round of the 2010 NFL Draft - not happening. But that Denver was willing to part with their star wide receiver says a lot about Denver Broncos Head Coach Josh McDaniel's ability to really connect with strong personalities, be it Marshall or Defensive Coordinator Mike Nolan. He's got to work on that, or he's going to fail as an NFL head coach.

Stay tuned.

Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens reunited at Washington Redskins?

See: donovan mcnabb, terell owens, washington redskins, philadelphia eagles, stephen a smith

Will Donovan McNabb be reunited with Terrell Owens at the Washington Redskins? Right now, given that at least McNabb is there, having been the focus of a trade from his old home with the Philadelphia Eagles, you can't rule out the idea.  But first, some history.

For those of you who don't know this, Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens played together in  Philadelphia and lead the Eagles to Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville, Florida (The very same Super Bowl this blogger tried to land for Oakland.), where they lost to The New England Patriots.

The next season, the McNabb / Owens friendship unraveled as a then-less-mature T.O. blamed Eagles losses on McNabb not getting the ball to him and publicly dressed McNabb down during a game that year.  Eventually, and dramatically, T.O. was sent packing.

Since that time McNabb and Owens have made up - but to the extent of being reunited?  That's a good question.

For the present, a McNabb / T.O. pairing exists only in the head of sports writer and media commentator Stephen A. Smith. Smith issued the idea from his Twitter page @stephenasmith via this tweet from Pennsauken NJ 08110 USA:

I'm starting a movement on the Stephen A. Smith Show right now: McNabb and T.O. need to be REUNITED in Washington D.C. Yeah, I said it :-)
about 2 hours ago via web

Given the Redskins need more playmakers on offense, it's a good idea. It would also sell tickets. But practically, the Washington Redskins would certainly have more proven all-pros on their offense if they were to get Terrell Owens. The idea that Terrell's a locker room cancer is overblown, and his pass catching production in Buffalo did not decrease. Overall, this corner thinks it's a good idea.

But this corner also loves polls and this is a great chance to do one! What do you think? Take the poll below:

run your own opinion survey on pollsb.com

Obama and Democrats beat the Tea Party Movement in Florida

See: tea party movement, democrats v republicans, florida special election, palm beach county

As this blogger wrote earlier in the week, the Tea Party Movement is a media creation with little real bite, but who's life is consistently maintained by a drum beat of stories by Fox News and CNN. Neither cable network will tell you when a Democrat beats a Tea Party-assisted candidate, and that's what happened Tuesday night.

But the real story is one that's to be expected: one of demographics. It's not enough to be a Democrat or a Republican, the candidate has to match the people voting for that person. Ted Deutch did; Ed Lynch didn't.

Democrat Ted Deutch soundly beat Republican Ed Lynch in the 19th Congressional District special election in Broward County, Florida. It was Ed Lynch, 44, who ran on the idea that Washington was "broken" and the "Career politicians" couldn't fit it. Moreover, The Tea Party pointed to this election as one to get behind.

The blog Red County blog entry headline on April 11th read "TEA Party Working for Ed Lynch for Congress in Florida's 19th District" and Dr. Richard Swier, the blog author wrote "Tow the conservative line or else may be the message sent if TEA Party favorite Edward Lynch wins this special election."

So what's the message sent now?

The message is that the Tea Party Movement isn't strong enough to turn an unknown Republican candidate in a district that had 65 percent of its voters back Barack Obama for President, and is replacing a very popular democrat in Rep. Robert Wexler.

Moreover, the 19th Congressional District of Florida has a strong Jewish population. According to the Sun Sentinel, Ted Deutch was firmly behind Jewish causes and lives just west of Boca Raton which is part of Palm Beach County and that's 70 percent of the voting base. Ted Deutch is a lawyer; Ed Lynch is a contractor.

Ed Lynch was outspent and outnumbered. 10,000 Tea Party Movement phone calls didn't help. And where was the anger over the Obama Health Care plan? It never showed up. Ed Lynch was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

This not just proves that the Tea Party Movement is overblown, but that you have to pay attention to election demographics.

Stay tuned.

Jerry Brown investigates Sarah Palin speaking event at CSU Stanislaus

Sarah Palin 

Sarah Palin's June 25th, $500-a-plate speaking engagement at California State University Stanislaus caught the attention of California Attorney General Jerry Brown, who's launching an investigation into California State University Stanislaus's refusal to turn in requested records. According to the Attorney General's press release, Brown wants to know what the money raised was used for. Jerry Brown said:

Jerry Brown

"This is not about Sarah Palin. She has every right to speak at a university event, and schools should strive to bring to campus a broad range of speakers. The issues are public disclosure and financial accountability in organizations embedded in state-run universities. We're not saying any allegation is true, but we owe it to the taxpayers to thoroughly check out every serious allegation."

The Sarah Palin speaking engagement controversy started when Cal State University students found a shredded copy of the five-page speaking contract issued to Palin in a dumpster, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. California State Senator Leland Yee's inquiries into what CSU Stanislaus was fiscally up to were resisted and Yee learned that CSU Stanislaus hid an email about Sarah Palin's speech, so he asked Brown to step in.

The contract, which ABC News posted and you can download with a click here > SARAH PALIN CONTRACT) is with the Washington Speakers Bureau.

Sarah Palin is signed exclusively with the Washington Speakers Bureau, which reports that it is "connecting with the World's greatest minds." Her profile reads about what one would expect: Governor of Alaska (2006-2009) and 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee. It also reports that her fees - which have gained her an estimated $12 million since July 2009 - vary with travel distance. But this quote could not be passed up:

Palin is a fearless, resilient and independent voice who stands firm by the principles and values for which she holds dear. Whether working to protect taxpayers from wasteful spending or advancing the cause of special-needs children, Palin speaks passionately on her experiences confronting the issues of our time.

Does that include wasteful spending by the taxpayer supported CSU Stanislaus?

Stay tuned.

NFL Draft: Dillon Baxter future NFL star to watch at USC

See: Baxter future nfl draft, usc spring scrimmage, dillon baxter, reggie bush, marcus allen.

Dillon Baxter's a name you've never heard of until now. The USC freshman and former Mission Bay High quarterback has the Internet abuzz with his play at USC's spring intersquad scrimmage, putting on what the LA Times called "a show" and getting the attention of NFL scouts four years (OK, perhaps three years) before he's eligible for the NFL Draft.

Dillon Baxter's 50-yard run has a USC observers mentioning him in the same name as Heisman Trophy winners Reggie Bush and Marcus Allen. In the video below, the 6-foot 199 pound Dillon's run happens at the 51 second mark:



Dillon Baxter's run is not funny. Baxter's stupid fast. In fact, Baxter may be faster than Reggie Bush was at USC; that's just by observation. Cal Football fans Dillon Baxter must be stopped.

Aside from Dillon Baxter's play, the video also has Junior Defensive Tackle DaJohn Harris' rob of the ball (not really a strip as he just took it from him) from quarterback Mitch Mustain and ran 52 yards before Mustain tackled him at the 4-yard-line.

But something the Internet isn't buzzing about, but should be, is USC Head Coack Lane Kiffin's use of a no-back, five-wide receiver formation, and a five-step drop. Lane's bring in a new and more aggressive offensive attack than when Pete Carroll was the USC coach.

Stay tuned.

How is it no one knows who Conte Cuttino is when he's the 17th Best Running Back in this Draft?

How is it no one knows who Conte Cuttino is when he's the 17th Best Running Back in this Draft?
By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Football Reporters Online

Action Photo: Conte Cuttino vs. Gardner Webb in 2008-By A.F. Chachkes for Football Reporters Online
Candid Photo by Dr. Bill Chachkes for Football Reporters Online

Why is it that every year the only players people talk about when getting ready for the draft are the kids from the schools who play in the "acronym" conferences? Ok, we know there are plenty of talented players at the FBS level and they play most every Saturday during the fall, but it's time people start recognizing the smaller school players. The "kids" who toil for four years at schools in the FCS (the former Division 1-AA), Division II, Division III, and the NAIA.

Everyone knows by now the Joe Flacco story and the the Ramses Barden story. There are some interesting stories in this draft. Fordham's John Skelton could be making history for someone as early as this fall. Then there are some others, like Northern Iowa's Jason Fiacco and Pat Grace, Stephen F. Austin's Tim Knicky, and James Mallory from Central Conn. St. But no story is more interesting the that of the Pride of Uniondale N.Y., Stony Brook's Conte Cuttino.

A 5' 10" Running back who plays much larger then his frame. Conte runs with unique power and vision while possessing swift knife-like cutting ability and above average to very good receiving skills as well Cuttino didn't just set records at Stony Brook. He engraved them into Sony Brook's and the Big South Conference ledger. 3,067 career total rushing yards (a Stony Brook record) and several mentions in the big south records for 2008 as follows: 5th all time in yards rushing in a single game with 233 against VMI on 11-15, and 12.06 yards per carry the week before 11-8) against Iona, where he had 17 carries for 206 yards. He did this while sharing time and carries with teammate Ed Gowins, and completed his career this past season while playing through an ankle injury and still managing nearly 800 rushing yards. His high school asst. coach told me early this week that he could have had well over 4000 yards in his college career if he were used more often in his freshman and sophomore seasons and if he was not injured this past year.

The back story goes even deeper then that. Growing up in Uniondale to working middle class parents who both work in law enforcement, you could say that he had a strict upbringing if you didn't know him. But his family has a strong resolve and a whole lot of faith thanks to their church-going background. Conte's dad who is also Conte, retired from the NYC department of corrections in 2006. We got to speak with him a bit about his son's ascent to athletics. "He's been an athlete since he's seven years old. We let him try all the sports. I was a basketball player, but even though my son was good at basketball, he wasn't tall enough. But football, now that's where he excelled, and very early, although he played defense first." Conte is no slouch in the classroom either, earning close to a 3.0 GPA. while majoring in business management.

Cuttino has been training under the watchful eyes of the good people at Parisi speed school at both their New Jersey and Long Island locations. We know he can play at the next level if he's given a chance, and hopefully some NFL team will do just that in a little less then two weeks.

The Jets Get Santonio Holmes For a 5th Round Pick

The Jets Get Santonio Holmes For a 5th Round Pick
by TJ Rosenthal-Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online

 In what to most people came as a surprise on Sunday night, the Jets acquired Steeler WR Santonio Holmes for a 5th round draft selection.The move immediately bolsters the Jets passing game. Holmes was the Super Bowl MVP after the 2008 season, but is facing substance abuse charges and may receive a four game league suspension as a result. Charges that he threw a liquor filled glass at a woman await him in Florida. He's been arrested on drug related and domestic violence charges three times. Should Holmes be able to 
change direction under the guidance and tutelage of Ryan and clean up his sometimes odd behavior, the Jets will have obtained a steal, given Holmes talent level and the low pick that acquiring him required.

Putting Holmes off the field issues aside for a moment,  it's gotta be fun for Jets fans to daydream about the possibilities on offense that seem to be growing by the day. This Jets team already set to Ground and Pound it with Shonn Greene and what fans hope will be a resurgent Ladainian Tomlinson, now adds Holmes.
Santonio joins a receiving corps already comprised of the lackluster but dangerous Braylon Edwards, dependable Jerricho Cotchery, and emerging star TE Dustin Keller. All of whom are steadied by an offensive line housing two pro bowlers in Alan Faneca and Nick Mangold, plus rising star D'Brickashaw Fergueson, and is considered one of the best offensive fronts in pro football.

The NFL' s "final 8" rule appeared poised to slow down teams who went far in the playoffs, from acquiring a lot of free agent talent in this uncapped year. Not the Jets.. Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum failed to allow the new rule to discourage him from the goal of improving the team in their problem areas. He found other ways, such as through trades. Through letting Jay Feely , a productive and well liked kicker, walk away in order to free up money.

First it was CB Antonio Cromartie and S Brodney Pool on defense. Then one time solid kicker Nick Folk who is looking to rebound from a rough 2009 was picked up as the team readied it's farewell to Jay Feely. Future Hall of Famer LT replaced Thomas Jones weeks ago. Now it's Holmes. A speedy deep threat with great hands. A receiver who in his last 7 games against the Ravens, Rex Ryan's former team, has scored 8 TDs. Think Ryan knows the danger Holmes presents in game planning?

The Steelers are image cleaning with this move. With QB Ben Roethlisbegrer embroiled in his second sexual assault drama, the classy Rooney family, owners of the team, had to have been looking at this move as one where the brand trumps the athleticism of a player with off the field  problems. Is Ben next if he continues to put himself in negative situations..

One has to wonder how the Holmes signing also affects the mindset of the heavily courted DE Jason Taylor, who claims to need until midweek to decide if he will join the Jets or stay in Miami. Taylor visited the Jets at the end of last week. The 35 year old Taylor has had an icy relationship with Jet fans to put it mildly. Calling Jet fans "Class with out the CL" However, with Taylor's heart being in Miami his head must see a Jet team doing all they can to plug issues. 

With Holmes now a Jet, the club should seriously consider Marc Bulger. As an insurance plan. A safety valve. The former Ram QB who was released last week, owns 29 games for over 300 yards passing in his career. Bulger is now  available to become the back up QB insurance plan in case anything happens to second year QB Mark Sanchez . The move would do a lot to relieve the stress of being loaded yet one hit away from the complexion of the team changing. 

Jet fans need to look no farther than back to  1999 for proof that loading up the offense without a  dependable and proven veteran backup is like playing Russian Roulette. That year, following a tough AFC Championship loss at Denver, the Jets were ready to take that next step to the promised land. Yet they never got off the ground. QB Vinny Testaverde tore his achilles tendon in week one at home vs the hated Pats, and was deemed out for the year.  Former Notre Dame QB Rick Mirer then stepped in but failed to keep the offense moving.  One time Rutgers product Ray Lucas followed Mirer at QB and did win some games late in the year. Sadly though, the club finished 9-7 and narrowly missed the playoffs. 

Holmes adds a major weapon of speed and precise route running to the air attack for an offense that led the league in rushing in 2009. The fifth round pick that it took to trade for Holmes seems to be low for Holmes, the 2009 Super Bowl MVP. Yet  there has to be those in Steeler camp who see Holmes as the next Plaxio Burress. A player with star talent whose poor behavior will lead to a self destruction of some sort. For Jet die hards, there are only Super Bowl Dreams in Green and White. Coupled with the press that Holmes and his bad behavior at times, stay behind in the steel city.

TJ is FRO's Jets Specialist
follow TJ on twitter@thejetreport

Titans Pre Draft notes

     Titans Pre Draft notes
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
04/11/2010
 
As the 2010 season slowly approaches changes have hit Titans camp. Gone is long time punter/kicker/place kicker Craig Hentrich to retirement. Center Kevin Mawae is in limbo, as is linebacker Keith Bullock. Gone are TE Alge Crumpler, DE’s Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jevon Kearse. They have also given contract extensions to players such as G/C Eugene Amano and S Donnie Nickey. They got free agents like LB Will Witherspoon, DB Tye Hill and DE Jason Babin. CB Rod Hood was re-signed as insurance and they kept Bo Scaife as well as adding Chris Simms.
 
Now come the primary needs and the draft. It will take work to make this a playoff contender. This team needs to get away from the occasional 8-8 records that make their fans unhappy. The defense is going through a major overhaul but looks to have the talent. Still a few pieces must be added to make it a playoff unit. The draft is always a mystery in Nashville. Fans have no idea from one year to the next what this franchise will do. Will it be offense when they need defense? Will it be defense when you need offense? Do you take the best player on the board?
 
The Jeff Fisher era has been known more for defense than offense. Granted, there have been years that neither worked too well. The first thing that has to happen is players such as Michael Griffin and Courtland Finnegan are going to have to get back to the top of their game. The secondary was picked apart last year and that must be addressed right away. The young guys Like Jason McCourty and Ryan Mouton need to be ready now. DE’s William Hayes and Jacob Ford, DT’s Javon Haye and Tony Brown are players that must now play like number ones. They will need to feed off all their practice time together and turn themselves into a formidable defensive unit. LB’s Gerald McRath will be asked to make more than just strides now and Stephen Tulloch will have to turn it up a few more notches. There are more stories on defense but they will have to come from the draft full of defensive possibilities.
 
The offense is yet another huge task Fisher must tackle. Vince Young comes off a season that started with him on the bench. He took over and improved his career winning percentage by going 8-2 down the stretch. He improved his throwing motion and had better command of his passes. He showed poise and leadership abilities game in and game out. Basically he quieted his critics, at least for the time being. Of course there is RB Chris Johnson, as he comes of a season that saw him rush for 2006 yards. The challenge now will be to see if he can repeat that amazing feat. It will hard to do because he is not expected to get the same load of carries. History does not favor his long-term plans if he continues to carry the ball so much. LenDale White is in a sort of limbo as he waits to see if the team will deal him somewhere else. He is not too happy with the idea of being a backup and getting scraps for carries again. He wants to go be a feature back but the Titans want to see what happens in the draft. A team may end up needing White’s services depending on how the draft goes for backs. Javon Ringer looks like he may be ready to contribute enough now to fill the void if need be. The receiving corps is in transition and Nate Washington and Justin Gage will have to play like vets all year. Kenny Britt had a nice rookie year but the team needs him to turn it up a few notches and be solid all year. TE Jared Cook looked great in camp last year but got hurt and never looked the same. With Crumpler gone it’s put up or shut up for the young man. Then there is Lavelle Hawkins and the promise he has not lived up to. He still has the confidence of the coaches but that won’t last long if he continues to lag behind as he has to this point in his career.
 
The problems in the kick return game have not been fixed but without that this team will not win too many ball games. They will be looking to free agency if they cannot hit a homerun on a return type guy in the draft. They must upgrade this phase of the game to improve the field position Young will need to be more successful. Too many times in the past few years this has cost them wins.
 
The coaching staff will have to make adjustments as well. Fisher is still being asked by fans to open the offense up some more. It has been the topic of conversations on some sports shows on local radio. No one is trying to tell him how to coach but, maybe to be more aggressive when in the red zone. To air it out a bit more and that may even help the evolution of Young as well. Defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil is in prove-it-to-me mode now after a rough first year. The Titans defense went from one of the best two years ago to one of the worst last year.
 
Then there is the good old draft. A place where teams go once a year in hopes of finding that star. Maybe that hidden jewel that other teams missed on. The crapshoot, as well as the wheeling and dealing begin in less than two weeks. The Titans have plenty of needs. The most glaring would be on defense where they still need a lineman, a linebacker and someone else in the secondary. A return man would be really nice if a CJ Spiller would somehow fall to them. On offense the question in the later rounds or free agency would be a receiver or another back. Players that come to mind for these spots are DE’s Derrick Morgan from Ga. Tech or maybe Sergio Kindle out of Texas. At corner somebody like Myron Lewis from Vanderbilt or Boise State’s Kyle Wilson. Javier Arenas from Alabama could fill the need there as well as a return man. Of course I have already mentioned Spiller too. These are just possibilities for a team in need of a jolt, not a spark. The days of 8-8 have gotten old in Tennessee and time is running out for owner Bud Adams in his quest for a ring.
 
The Super Bowl is in Texas next year. Wouldn’t it be a sight to see if the team that started in Texas could go back home and win it all? Hey let’s get crazy then and say, what about a Titans vs. Cowboys in Taj McJerry for all the marbles? Hey this is the NFL and we all know that stranger things have happened.

Jets Superfan Fireman Ed shouldn’t let his hatred stand in the way of a Superbowl Trophy

Jets Superfan Fireman Ed shouldn’t let his hatred stand in the way of a Superbowl Trophy
By TJ Rosenthal and Dr. Bill Chachkes-Football Reporters Online

So now we have heard it all. The Jets have hired a fan out of the stands to work in the personnel department. What you didn’t know Fireman Ed Anzalone was actually on the Jets front office payroll? I guess he is, the way he’s been getting and giving interviews as of late, regarding the Jets possible signing of soon to be former Dolphin Jason Taylor.

I don’t want to belittle the man for his “fan-ship” of the Jets, or the fact that he has a tough “Day Job” as a NYC firefighter, which is something I have a great deal of respect for. Regardless of how much bashing some people want to do to the Jets front office, I am sure they know a lot more about Football then at least some people give them credit for. Fireman Ed may be a passionate fan who knows a little something about football, but for him to not want Jason Taylor on the Jets because of the past comments traded back and forth is absurd.

Fireman Ed, as a “super fan,” can't afford to get in the way of the Jason Taylor saga. The symbol of Jet fans can't personalize the
trash talking that has gone on between Taylor and Jet fans for years. The rivalry has been too fierce, had too many wild endings, and has affected the outcomes of seasons on both sides for too long in a 44-year history.

Here's the reality. The Jets need a third down pass rusher. Taylor, if used wisely, can be a threat for the next two years and be expected to provide 8-10 sacks minimum given the talent that surrounds him along with the schemes devised by Rex Ryan.
Taylor's "Jet fans are class minus the C and the L" comments have to be taken with a grain of salt and instead viewed as an intensity that will be a welcome addition to a team just a few players away from being complete.

What Taylor must do, is stop the nonsense about his desire to skip OTA's. As a new member of a cohesive team as the Jets currently are, Ryan can't be forced into a corner where there are different rules for different players. Ryan was upset that Leon Washington missed OTA's in 2009 and rightfully so. What Taylor needs to do in order to ingratiate himself with the fans and his new teammates is to show up. Period. Tomlinson will. He's a future hall of famer.

Taylor will be an upgrade in a position that the Jets sorely need production out of ASAP. A blindside strip and sack of Tom Brady,
will make fans like Fireman Ed warm up quickly to him. Asking to skip out on early season team functions will however, make Taylor's entrance a more difficult one.

Let's not confuse the two though. Ed is wrong if he thinks that Jason Taylor won't make the Jets better in 2010. He will make a difference right away. When and if the Jets do sign Taylor, they will be one piece closer to the missing championship they desperately want.

Nadia Bloom - 11-year-old Autistic Florida girl found alive

From the "good news" department, Nadia Bloom , the 11-year-old Autistic girl that was missing since last Friday, was found alive Tuesday according to CBS News.

Reportedly, Nadia, who has Asperger's syndrome and attends Lawton Elementary School in Oviedo, Florida, "vanished" while rising her bike on Friday. A massive search was conducted that came up successful when Nadia was found today by a church pastor, covered in mosquito bites, but OK.

As of this writing there's no report that really explains why Nadia Bloom "vanished." But the CBS News account implies that Nadia may have been encouraged to go missing because she was reading a book called Lanie about an "adventurous girl who camps in her back yard."

Nadia was last seen near Orlando, in the Barrington Estates subdivision. But the good news is that for a change, a child was found alive, well, and save for bug bites, unharmed.

Stay tuned.

Tagged.com, San Francisco-based social network site fined $650,000

Tagged.com, the San Francisco-based social network site who's founder once bragged to this blogger was worth $700 million, was fined $650,000 by San Francisco DA Kamela Harris for "deceptive practices."

District Attorney Kamala Harris launched an investigation into Tagged.com after users complained to her office about the social network site's email campaign that resulted in 40 million to 60 million emails sent to potential new users.

According to the Contra Costa Times, Tagged.com agreed to pay a settlement of $650,000 and stop a practice where users unknowingly gave Tagged.com their entire email list. In 2009, Tagged.com had a registration campaign such that registrants unknowingly provided the social network their entire email list of friends. Tagged.com then used those emails to repeat the process.

Tagged.com, started in 2004, may claim a membership based of 80 million and be the third largest social network, but after this let's see how many people stick around. At a tech lunch event held in 2006 in Downtown San Francisco, one of the founders bragged to this blogger that Tagged.com was worth $700 million.

Stay tuned.

Tiger Woods at The Masters is not the bad guy; the media is

See: tiger woods, the masters, phil mickelson, billy payne, maters tv ratings

On Sunday, Tiger Woods finished what for anyone would have been a respectable Masters golf game, but what for him was a failure. Tiger Woods finished in 4th place. But the unwritten story - at least until now - is how Tiger Woods' appearance in the Masters brought people of color back to Golf if only for a weekend.

Tiger Woods just showing up at The Masters caused rating to jump 47 percent, and that was before Sunday's final round. And on Sunday, ratings were the best since the pre-New Media age of 2001, when a younger Tiger Woods brought viewers to Golf at a level not seen before. Sunday's third round wasn't the near-record this blogger predicted, but it was the third highest round in TV ratings in Maters history.

Tiger Woods at The Masters helped everyone, especially the media, yet we have the SF Chronicle's Bruce Jenkins, ever the fine sports writer and all really an around good guy, shockingly telling us that Tiger Woods is now the bad guy. And for evidence, Bruce went to all of the older, white male sports media guys to get their view.

Sorry for this, but Bruce Jenkins didn't talk to anyone black who wasn't part of the media, like my Mother. My Mom is a Tiger Woods fan, and so much so that my 76-year old parent believed there was a conspiracy to have Woods lose The 2010 Masters. I had to talk her down from that point of view. But you have to understand, as a kid my Mom walked to school while white kids rode the bus to school and occasionally threw rocks at her.

Yes, it's a much different time, but such vivid memories form the basis for suspicion of any media criticism of an African American public figure. And in this case, the media came off to many blacks (update: and whites) I talked to like it was trying to kick Tiger Woods while he was down, at least that's the expressed view of another friend of mine who will only go by the initials of "DG."

DG says the older white media basically could not stand that Tiger Woods had got away with being with a lot of white women and wanted to take him down. That's DG's view.

In fact, the only black guy I can think of who runs contrary to my point is Jason Whitlock, he of the Kansas City Star.

But J-Whit, as he's called, sometimes acts like he doesn't like blacks and seem to save his worst behavior for African Americans, like the family he famously insulted at the NBA All Star Game in Las Vegas.

To write that Tiger Woods is the bad guy and Phil Mickelson is the new hero is questionable at best, especially when Google Trends was dominated with searches related to unproven allegations of marital infidelity between Phil Mickelson and his cancer-stricken wife Amy, and just after his Masters win on Sunday and through Monday.

There are no saints here. Sorry.

The point is, it seems every older white guy in the media at The Masters was looking to beat up on the young black guy, Tiger Woods. And even one older white guy who wasn't in the media, Masters chairman Billy Payne, used the media platform The Maters provided to beat up on Tiger Woods. The end result was the media, especially the wing dominated by the older white men, came off as the real bad guy. That's the real, unvarnished truth.

Stay tuned.

Slavery and the U.S. Civil War (or War between the states)

Lest you fall for sanitized revisions of the history leading up to the U.S. Civil War, I suggest you read this brief article by Carl Cannon: Why Liberals Are Right to Refuse to Honor the Confederacy, at PoliticsDaily.com

Jefferson Davis, in a speech to the Confederate Congress in April 1861, extolled slavery as a benevolent invention that allowed a "superior race" to transform "brutal savages into docile, intelligent, and civilized agricultural laborers." Alexander H. Stephens, Jefferson Davis' vice president, proclaimed that Jefferson and the Founders' high-minded declarations of universal liberty were "in violation of the laws of nature." This was profoundly wrong, Stephens said.

There are those who stridently insist there were many important factors other than the abolition of slavery that led to the "War between the States." There certainly were other factors, but those who examine the record agree: Slavery was undeniably a central issue for those rallying southern citizens to secede and fight.

"Our new government is founded on exactly the opposite idea," thundered the vice president of the Confederacy. "Its foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests upon the great truth that the Negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race, is his natural and moral condition."

As Mr. Cannon notes, the Governor of Virginia certainly did go a long way to make public amends after the fact when he revised his proclamation in the face of the firestorm after he'd signaled his solidarity with white racists to include:

WHEREAS, it is important for all Virginians to understand that the institution of slavery led to this war and was an evil and inhumane practice that deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights and all Virginians are thankful for its permanent eradication from our borders, and the study of this time period should reflect upon and learn from this painful part of our history...

Yet he'd already made it clear that racism is such a fundamental and acceptable part of his world-view that neither McDonnell nor his staff saw anything wrong with the first version of his "Confederate History Month" proclamation, which was tantamount to glossing over the brutal realities of slavery in exchange for the support of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Thomas Hayes is an entrepreneur, journalist, and political analyst who contributes regularly to a host of web sites on topics ranging from economics and politics to culture and community.