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- Feb 1–4 5–11 12–18 19–25 26–29
- Mar 1–3 4–10 11–17 18–24 25–31
- Apr 1–7 8–14 15–21 22–28 29–30
- May 1–5 6–12 13–19 20–26 27–31
- Jun 1–2 3–9 10–16 17–23 24–30
- Jul 1–7 8–14 15–21 22–28 29–31
- Aug 1–4 5–11 12–18 19–25 26–31
- Sep 1 2–8 9–15 16–22 23–29 30
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- Dec 1 2–8 9–15 16–22 23–29 30–31
Saturday, November 17, 2012
“5-Hour-Energy” CEO Discusses Controversial Drink
Posted by on 11.17.12 @ 8:55AM
Friday, November 16, 2012
Toronto Takes a Chance on Melky Cabrera
Posted by on 11.16.12 @ 9:10PM
Outfielder Melky Cabrera has signed a two-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays worth $16 million.
Cabrera spent the 2012 season with the San Francisco Giants and was on his way to the best year of his career earning the All-Star Game MVP. However, Cabrera tested positive for PEDs in mid-August and was suspended for 50 games. He was leading the NL in hitting at the time of his suspension. Teammate Buster Posey ended up winning the NL batting title and the NL MVP.
After his suspension ended, the Giants did not bring him back and they went on to win the World Series without him.
I am honestly surprised a big league club took a chance on Cabrera. But the Jays haven’t been in the playoffs in nearly twenty years and are looking to win now as demonstrated by their acquisition of Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson, Emilio Bonifacio and John Buck from the Miami Marlins earlier this week.
If Cabrera tests positive again for PEDs he will be suspended for 100 games. A third suspension would earn him a lifetime ban from MLB.
Admiring The White House, Not The Man Who Resides There
Posted by on 11.16.12 @ 5:56PM
As I noted previously, I was in attendance at the The American Spectator’s 45th Annual Robert Bartley Gala Dinner at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday night.
The Capital Hilton is only a few blocks away from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. After the event, I decided to walk over to the White House before catching the Metro back to my hotel in Maryland.
“Why not?”, I thought to myself. After all, I might never get this chance again.
As I got closer, the more I was in awe. Although I’ve seen the White House almost on a daily basis, TV does not do justice to its brightness.
Needless to say, I am not in awe nor do I admire the man currently residing there even if he did have his lease renewed for another four years by the American electorate. You could say that I have a very dim view of President Obama.
I can only hope that in another four years, there will be as much brightness on the inside of the White House as there is on the outside.
Bakers Union Burns Hostess
Posted by on 11.16.12 @ 4:45PM
If you have ever thought about making a deep-fried Twinkie (quite delicious with whipped cream, ice cream, and chocolate sauce, I can testify), you’d better go stock up on the Twinkies right now, if you can even still find them. And what’s the downside? After all, are they not supposed to be indestructible, with the urban rumor of an indefinite shelf life?
The union which represents bakers who work at Hostess seem to have played a very aggressive, very stupid game of chicken, not agreeing to a modified contract which the company’s other unions had agreed to.
The end result is that the roughly 3000 bakers union members at Hostess have forced the company into liquidation, costing about 18,500 people their jobs. To be sure, the damage was caused more by the union leaders than by the union members, with the union leaders pressuring members to vote against the contract and only allowing a public voice vote, not a secret ballot. Just another example, on a micro scale, of people getting the government (or at least the representation) they deserve.
The union is arguing that the company’s financial structure (in which there was a lot of leverage) is the cause, and that the workers had given up enough when the company came out of bankruptcy the last time. Showing you how insane union leaders are, a spokeswoman said on CNBC “we should be applauding these workers for standing up for their right to stay in the middle class.”
There are lots of examples of despicable, self-destructive labor unions, but this one (if you will pardon the pun) takes the cake.
Perhaps they thought they were the UAW and that Obama would bail them out. But with Michelle Obama’s hatred for anything unhealthy, the right response would probably be “fat chance.”
I’m going to pick up my kids at school now and see if there are any Twinkies or Ding Dongs left in the local supermarket.
Hostess will sell the brands, so you will probably see these products again in coming months or years, but that’s cold comfort for the 18,500 Hostess employees who have lost their jobs today thanks to the greedy obstinacy of the bakers union.
Berry Berry Bad Baseball
Posted by on 11.16.12 @ 1:16PM
With the wrapping paper barely off of a new and very controversial $634 million ballyard, paid for mostly by taxpayers, the Miami Marlins, channeling Charles O. Finley, follow an awful season with a player fire sale (See Aaron Goldstein here) and the promise of a rebuilding year or three. Miami baseball fans have every reason to be torqued, and have every reason to spend their 2013 summer evenings somewhere other than Taxpayer Stadium.
The Marlins/Blue Jays trade features seasoned and talented players learning the words to “Oh Canada” while “prospects,” aka young and cheap players, make their way south to Miami. Some of these players are talented, but have a lot of baseball to learn and still require notes from their mothers to travel to away games.
The swap put off enough of an odor to attract the attention of Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, who says he’s looking into it and will do “what’s in the best interest of the sport.” It’s not clear yet what this means, but long-time baseball fans will recall Bowie Kuhn, who likely would have already lowered the hammer on this one.
In Spanish-speaking Miami, the most exciting and dynamic city in Latin America, beisbol will not be berry berry good this summer. Minnie Minoso, who turns 87 later this month, and is probably hitting frozen ropes in some old-timer’s league, could tell you that. But perhaps if the Marlins’ youngsters hustle as hard as Minnie did in his ML years, and have a fraction of the talent Minnie had, the Marlins will salvage a few Ws before next October.
But Who Will Notice?
Posted by on 11.16.12 @ 12:33PM
The “Business Insider” has found and put on its website a photo of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio where he is sandwiched between the comely Kelley girls, so recently of intense interest to the tabloid press. But the question is, how many guys will even notice that Rubio is in the photo?
Meet Archbishop Shevchuk
Posted by on 11.16.12 @ 12:12PM
A wonderful look at a church in a part of the world where it no longer has to be silent.
Logic Lacks
Posted by on 11.16.12 @ 10:52AM
The Professor in the first Narnia book had the right questions. The problem is, far too many people can’t even do simple logic today. Read about it here.
Mark Levin Takes on Kristol, GOP: Video
Posted by on 11.16.12 @ 10:38AM
The Great One sits down with former Reagan Attorney General Ed Meese at the Heritage Foundation to discuss the election.
Not holding back, Mark takes on Bill Kristol, John Boehner, and the GOP Establishment in a no-holds-barred discussion.
See it here.
The Day Ahead: Friday, Nov. 16
Posted by on 11.16.12 @ 8:52AM
Petraeus testifying behind closed Doors on Benghazi today (CBS News)
Gaza Crisis: Egyptians back under-fire Palestinians (BBC News)
Eurozone slips back into Recession (CNN News)
School DistrictsbBrace for Cuts as Fiscal Crisis looms (NY Times)
Democratic Solution to the Filibuster: Make them talk (Huffington Post)
Twinkies Maker will close after Strike (ABC News)
The Rehabilitation of Romney (National Review)
Senate works on Financial Cliff Options (Washington Post)
No perfect Choice to fill David Petraeus Vacancy at CIA (Politico)
Does Jeff Lord Appreciate The Gravity of the Situation?
Posted by on 11.16.12 @ 12:25AM
Last night I had the pleasure of attending the The American Spectator’s 45th anniversary dinner in Washington, D.C.
During cocktails, the first face I recognized was that of Jeff Lord and I introduced myself. As it turned out, we were assigned the same table and sat next to each other during the dinner. His presence made for an enjoyable evening.
Jeff told me he had a written a rebuttal to my election post-mortem “We’re Not in 1980 Anymore”. I confessed that I had not read his piece. He kindly e-mailed the link which awaited when I returned home late this afternoon noting we had four years to have this discussion. Here is part of what he wrote:
There is abroad in the land — and even here in the pages of The American Spectator with my colleague Aaron Goldstein — the notion that “it’s not 1980 anymore.” Ironically, this is only the 2012 version of the argument that was made against Reagan himself in 1980. It wasn’t 1920 anymore, went the reasoning. Reagan was just an old fashioned man out-of-step with the space-age 1980s.
Which is the political equivalent of saying that because Newton died in 1727 and it is now 285 years later - the law of gravity Newton discovered is no longer relevant. He’s just another irrelevant dead white guy. You know how it goes. “It’s not 1727 anymore.”
Well, I’m glad Jeff brought up Newton because I don’t think he appreciates the gravity of the situation.
It could also be said that Jeff’s argument is a classic case of apples and oranges.
Jeff argues that the conservative principles of 1980 “were also true in 1780 and 1880 and they will be true in 2080. He goes on to argue, “They are to the world of politics and government what Newton’s law of gravity is to the physical world.” Yet politics and government and indeed political science cannot be construed as a science. The laws of physics (of which gravity is a part) are immutable. The laws of politics, government and political science are anything but immutable. There is no equivalent of E=MC2 in political science.
The truth of the matter is that the notion of “all men being created equal” was a pretty radical concept in the 1780s. Before that there were kings and divine rights. It took centuries for the concept of equality to be accepted let alone articulated without fear of imprisonment or death. But even when it was articulated some people were created more equal than others during that time. Over time this principle has been extended to women as well as to racial and religious minorities in this country.
With that said, I do believe that there will one day again be a Republican in the White House and a conservative Republican at that. But while we can learn from 1980 we cannot live in 1980. A conservative, like any other species, has two choices. Adapt or die. That is the gravity of the situation.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Torii Hunter Signs with Tigers
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 11:30PM
Outfielder Torii Hunter has signed a two-year, $26 million contract with the Detroit Tigers.
Hunter has spent the past five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. He, of course, began his career with the Minnesota Twins.
The 37-year old will provide defense to a Tigers. Despite winning the AL pennant, defense was their Achilles’ heel and Hunter can help fill that void. He also still has a good bat hitting .313 with 16 homeruns and 92 RBI in 2012 with the Angels.
Hunter has never won a World Series ring and signing with the Tigers makes sense. He could be the last piece of the puzzle.
Thoughts on AL/NL MVP, Cy Young & Managers of the Year
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 11:00PM
The other day I commented on Mike Trout and Bryce Harper winning the AL and NL Rookie of the Year Awards. Now I will comment on the Manager of the Year, Cy Young and MVP winners in the AL and NL.
AL Manager of the Year - Bob Melvin, Oakland A’s
It was either going to be Melvin or Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter. I agree with Melvin’s selection. Nobody saw the A’s coming. Nobody. Melvin won NL Manager of the Year in 2007 when he led the Arizona Diamondbacks to the NL West title.
NL Manager of the Year - Davey Johnson, Washington Nationals
The Nats were expected to contend but nobody expected them to have the best record in MLB. I think you could have made the case for Mike Matheny of the St. Louis Cardinals or Bruce Bochy of the San Francisco Giants but Johnson proved to be the steady hand the Nats needed. Johnson will manage the Nats in 2013 and then will retire.
AL Cy Young Award - David Price, Tampa Bay Rays
Price led the AL in wins (20) and ERA (2.56) striking out 205 batters in 211 innings pitched. He beat out 2011 AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander and Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jered Weaver. A case could be made that Price should be a two time AL Cy Young winner. Price was runner up for the AL Cy Young in 2010 when he was controversially edged by Seattle Mariners’ southpaw Felix Hernandez who won with a mediocre 13-12 record (though he led the AL in innings pitched and ERA). There’s a good chance this won’t be the 27-year old Price’s last Cy Young.
NL Cy Young Award - R.A. Dickey, New York Mets
This makes me happy. When you consider that Dickey spent seven seasons in Triple-A in the Texas Rangers organization and didn’t establish himself as a major leaguer at the age 35, winning the NL Cy Young is nothing short of vindication.
Dickey became an overnight sensation at the age of 37 winning 20 games, posted a 2.73 ERA, leading the NL in games started (33), innings pitched (233 and two thirds), strikeouts (230), complete games (5) and shutouts (3). He is the first knuckleballer to win a Cy Young in either league.
One could have made an argument for Gio Gonzalez of the Washington Nationals or Johnny Cueto of the Cincinnati Reds. But they will likely contend for Cy Youngs for years to come. The same cannot be said for Dickey. Given that Dickey was passed over to start the All-Star Game, the BBWAA recognized that Dickey’s time had come.
AL MVP - Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
Cabrera became the first MLB player to win the Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski did it with the Impossible Dream Boston Red Sox in 1967. The Tigers third baseman beat out Angels rookie sensation Mike Trout who was a favorite of the sabermetrics crowd. Cabrera was not a lock for the MVP. After all, Ted Williams won two Triple Crowns and did not win the AL MVP on either occasion. Sure, Cabrera doesn’t have Trout’s speed or defense but Cabrera’s offensive prowess is impossible to ignore.
NL MVP - Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
The Giants were rudderless in 2011 after Posey broke his leg in a home plate collision. Despite only being 25, Posey is the Giants undisputed leader. He has the authority of a man twenty years his senior. Posey won the NL batting title with a .336 average, hit a career high 24 homeruns and 103 RBI. In three big league seasons, Posey has two World Series rings. Somehow I suspect this won’t be his last MVP award.
Thoughts on Obama’s Defense of Susan Rice
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 10:00PM
Shortly after arriving checking into my hotel in Maryland yesterday, I saw President Obama’s defense of UN Ambassador Susan Rice in his press conference.
If Obama could defend Rice’s explanation of the Benghazi attacks then what can’t he defend? He was in audacious form:
As I’ve said before she made an appearance at the request of the White House in which she gave her best understanding of the intelligence that had been provided to her. If Senator McCain and Senator Graham and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me and I’m happy to have that discussion with them. But for them to go after the UN Ambassador who had nothing to do with Benghazi and was simply making a presentation based on intelligence she had received and to besmirch her reputation is outrageous.
Obama speaks of the White House as if he didn’t reside there. Rice wouldn’t be on TV talking about Benghazi without the White House’s blessing, without Obama’s blessing.
Rice attributed the attacks on the Muhammad YouTube video on September 16th. Patrick F. Kennedy, Undersecretary of Diplomatic Security was telling congressional staffers this was terrorism the day after the attacks. Is Obama telling us that both the White House and Rice were unaware of Kennedy’s briefings? Or is Obama simply laying all this at the feet of former CIA Director David Petraeus?
If Obama says that McCain and Graham should go after him rather than Rice does that mean he would be willing to testify in front of their committee? Methinks McCain and Graham should summon him. If they do, I bet Obama invokes executive privilege. That would be outrageous.
In any case, given how vociferous Obama was in his defense of Rice I think it’s pretty clear that she will be his nominee for Secretary of State.
Supreme Court Expected to Revisit Race and Gender Quotas After Michigan Ruling
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 8:56PM
After the U.S. Sixth Circuit overruled the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI) today, the case will most likely end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. The MCRI is closely modeled after California’s Proposition 209, which outlaws the use of race and gender quotas in higher education and government contracting. Jennifer Gratz, the plaintiff in the 2003 Gratz v. Bollinger Supreme Court ruling that struck down the quota system in place at the University of Michigan’s undergraduate school, anticipates that preferential policies could be uprooted once and for all. The Sixth Circuit ruling is in conflict with California’s ninth circuit ruling in favor of Prop. 209.
“This means the U.S. Supreme Court is all but certain to take up the case,” Gratz said in an interview. “Michigan is once again ground zero where race and gender preferences are concerned.”
There’s a complicated history here as the Gratz ruling was issued in tandem with Grutter v. Bollinger. Writing for the majority, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor ruled that it was permissible for the University of Michigan Law School to use race as one of many factors in a “narrowly tailored” fashion to achieve student diversity.
As it is, the Supreme Court is already taking up a legal challenge to admission’s policies in its current term that take race into consideration. The justices could rule in favor of the plaintiffs in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin and still uphold Grutter.
“It is a little strange that the sixth circuit issued its ruling today before Supreme Court decided the Texas case,” Gratz observed. “This is an outrageous decision. The Sixth Circuit does not have the right to overrule the will of the voters and declare that equality is unconstitutional. Judges are not supreme leaders and the voters have the absolute right to demand fair and equal treatment by their government.”
The MCRI passed in Nov. 2006 by a margin of 58% to 42%. In addition to California and Michigan, similar laws are also in place in Arizona, Oklahoma, Florida, Nebraska and New Hampshire.
“The Supreme Court has to take this case, otherwise there will be so much confusion, especially if the justices split the baby in the Fisher case and rule against quotas again, but uphold Grutter,” Gratz said. “It’s also possible they could use Fisher to overrule Grutter but that’s not what most court observers are expecting.
In another twist, two of the conservative judges on the Sixth Circuit recused themselves from the MCRI decision, which was decided in an 8-7 vote. If they participated the ruling probably would have gone the other way.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette issued a press release today announcing his intention to petition the U.S. Supreme Court in defense of the MCRI.
“MCRI embodies the fundamental premise of what America is all about: equal opportunity under the law,” said Schuette. “Entrance to our great universities must be based upon merit. We are prepared to take the fight for quality, fairness and the rule of law to the U.S. Supreme Court.”
Scalise Wins
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 2:20PM
In a race between two very good congressmen, U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana has defeated Rep. Tom Graves of Georgia to become the new chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the caucus of House conservatives. As a longtime observer of Scalise’s career, I wrote a column on the race about a month ago. Frankly, the RSC would have been in good hands either way — but in this case, I think its effectiveness legislatively will be even better. Scalise knows how to get things done.
This was a race in which there would not have been bad news no matter what. But Scalise’s election is very good news for the conservative movement.
Media Lambs
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 1:36PM
Yesterday’s press conference was pathetic. Here’s why.
A sample:
Faced with the first chance, after more than two months, to grill Barack Obama about the tragedy in Benghazi, Libya, and related setbacks throughout North Africa and the Middle East, the assembled journalist wannabes barely scratched the surface of what should be treated as a major scandal….. [A]fter a vague assertion by Obama that he had generally ordered his “national security team [to] do whatever we need to do to make sure they’re safe,” nobody asked a word about specifics.Nada.
This “let him off easy” approach contrasts starkly with the repeated and specific questions the media asked President G.W. Bush, at every opportunity, about supposed “torture” of terrorist detainees.
Herewith, then, the basic and obvious questions that should have been asked, but weren’t:
Mr. President, you said generically that you ordered your team to keep the Americans safe. But did you A) entertain any specific proposals to send in a rescue mission; B) remain in direct operational contact during the conflagration with your national security team in order to assess rescue possibilities; C) have any knowledge during those seven hours about any orders for American military or intelligence officers to “stand down”?……
Press Room Footwork
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 12:42PM
The headline to the story in this morning’s “Tampa Daily Megaphone” about Barack Obama’s recent bob and weave press conference was, “President cautious on scandal, FBI.” I’m glad to see the noun scandal used, as l’affaire Benghazi certainly is one.
But cautious is hardly the adjective I would have chosen for yesterday’s exercise in covering the presidential six. Others much closer to the mark include but are not limited to: evasive, vague, deceptive, equivocal, duplicitous, disingenuous, and misleading. Alert TAS readers can certainly add to this list.
But our rookie, soon to be sophomore, president is endlessly glib, and most of the press corps housebroken. So our Barry once again is able to hide the pea with the use of footwork that would have made Sugar Ray Robinson proud.
I, Pencil — Simply Perfect
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 11:38AM
“This is the modern world. It’s miraculous, it’s intricate, and it gets better every day so long as people are free to interact with each other. If we can leave the creative energy of humankind uninhibited, there’s no limit to what we can accomplish.”
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute launches the first in a series of videos inspired by Leonard Read’s classic work I, Pencil. In it we attempt to illustrate the classical liberal concepts of connectivity and spontaneous order, and how they come about, in the absence of a controlling mastermind, to deliver the wonders of the modern world. We have also released two follow-up videos with academics that explore these concepts further. We are delighted that St Lawrence University professor Steve Horwitz commented, “I do not have words for how beautiful and inspiring and perfect this is.”
Here are the videos:
The Day Ahead: Thursday, Nov. 15
Posted by on 11.15.12 @ 10:55AM
Obama to visit Storm-Ravaged Areas in New York (NY Times)
Source: BP to pay Record Fine in Gulf Oil Spill; 2 to face Manslaughter Charges (CBS News)
Three Israelis killed by Gaza Rocket as Violence escalates (BBC News)
ANALYSIS: Republicans return Romney’s Parting Gift (ABC News)
Kyra Phillips speaks to David Petraeus about Affair (Huffington Post)
China’s Communists pick Country’s new Leader (MSNBC)
Why Nancy Pelosi stayed (Politico)
Clouds on Horizon for Tobacco Farmers (CNN News)
Panetta orders Pentagon Investigation of legal, ethical Issues among Military Leaders (Washington Post)
Europe Workers clash with Cops in Anti-Austerity protests (Washington Times)
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
“Go After” Obama
Posted by on 11.14.12 @ 3:37PM
Obama at his press conference invited John McCain, Lindsay Graham and others to “go after me” if they have questions about the Libya debacle.
Oh, yes, please do. Go after him and after him and after him until he cries uncle. He’s responsible for a failure to see threats, for a refusal to provide security, for a refusal to attempt a rescue effort, and for lies, lies, lies in an attempt to cover up his incompetence (or worse than incompetence). Go after him, please, please, please. His behavior has been scandalous.
Put Invasive Paparrazzi in Jail
Posted by on 11.14.12 @ 11:35AM
I’m serious. No matter what the scandal is, it should be flat-out illegal to take photos of somebody through the windows of private property. If an ordinary person stood outside private property peering through windows, it would be illegal Peeping Tomism. The same rule should apply to the media. Throw their butts in jail.
I write this because of this piece on the Petraeus/Broadwell scandal, featuring numerous pictures of Paula Broadwell through the windows of her brother’s house. Broadwell may merit all sorts of criticism. But private property is just that: private. Keelhaul the photographer. If I ran for office, laws against invasive paparrazzi would be part of my platform. They are scum.
All In for All In
Posted by on 11.14.12 @ 10:17AM
Take a look at the Amazon.com page for Paula Broadwell’s book on General Petraeus. It reveals her to be amazingly connected — scroll down to the “Editorial Reviews” and the plugs from the likes of Tom Brokaw, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and David Gergen. But the icing on the cake comes from big-foot military writer Thomas E. Ricks, who concludes with this: “All In feels at times like we are sitting at his side in Afghanistan, reading his e-mails over his shoulder.”
I’m not making this up.
The Day Ahead: Wed, Nov 14th
Posted by on 11.14.12 @ 10:00AM
Europe Strikes Against Austerity! (Reuters)
USC Can’t March their Band if they Stab Bruins Logo, says UCLA (LA Times)
5 Gmail Security Lessons from the Petraeus Scandal (Politico)
…U.S. Govt. Demands for Google User Data Grow by 25% Every Six Months (Technology Review)
McDonald’s CEO says Tough Economy is New Normal (WSJ)
Swedish School Replaces ‘Him’ and ‘Her’ with ‘Friend’ (NYT)
Victims of Taliban fight for Free Afghanistan (NBC)
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Should Obama Appoint Kerry Secretary of Defense
Posted by on 11.13.12 @ 10:15PM
Should President Obama appoint John Kerry as Secretary of Defense he would be anointing a man who first came to national prominence by accusing his fellow soldiers of committing war crimes in Vietnam.
He would also be appointing the man who said back in 2006, “You know, education, if you make the most of it, if you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, uh, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.”
Kerry, of course, said his remark was “a botched joke.”
If Obama names Kerry Secretary of Defense that would surely be a botched joke.
Next thing you know Obama will consider appointing Susan “Spontaneous Protest” Rice as Secretary of State. Oh wait, he is.
Blue Jays & Marlins Make Blockbuster Deal
Posted by on 11.13.12 @ 9:41PM
Reports indicate a blockbuster deal between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Miami Marlins.
The Marlins have traded shortstop Jose Reyes, pitchers Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson, infielder/outfielder Emilio Bonifacio and catcher John Buck to the Blue Jays for shortstops Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavaria, pitcher Henderson Alvarez, catcher Jeff Mathis and minor league pitchers Justin Nicolino, Anthony DeScalfani and minor league outfielder Jacob Marisnick.
The deal is not official but the reaction of the Marlins fans can be best summed up by its star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton who tweeted, “Alright, I’m pissed off!!! Plain & Simple.”
This development comes less than a year after the Marlins signed both Reyes and Buehrle to long term contracts. In one fell swoop, the Marlins have taken $150 million off their payroll while the Jays are putting the AL East on notice.
My take on it is if this cast of characters couldn’t get it done in Miaim then why will they be any better in Toronto?
Well, for one thing, Ozzie Guillen won’t be in charge.
The only question that remains is who will manage the newly revamped Jays. Well, we know it won’t be a rabbi.
The Paula Broadwell Interview
Posted by on 11.13.12 @ 7:04PM
It’s hard not to cringe…
Note: Language unsuitable for children occurs a couple of times after the 10-minute mark…
I Just Can’t Help It
Posted by on 11.13.12 @ 6:55PM
(For the record, I do realize I am not the first person to have this thought…)
Doesn’t the last few days’ news give a new meaning to the title of Paula Broadwell’s biography of General David Petraeus?
Alley Lurking in Tampa
Posted by on 11.13.12 @ 10:34AM
TAMPA — I’m sure Barack Obama, Eric Holder, and other high-ranking elves in the Saul Alinsky administration are doing what they can to cover up their incompetence, lying, and gross political maneuvering re l’affaire Benghazi and their non-response to the radical Muslim war against the West by feeding the media such as General Petraeus, Paula Broadwell, and Jill Kelley.
It will be interesting to see if the mainstream media ever get interested in this story other than the sexual angle, which is the angle our rookie president, soon (thanks to Republican incompetence and dereliction of duty on an operatic scale — see Jed Babbin, “Why Romney Lost”) to be our sophomore president, wishes them to pursue. So far, they’ve risen to the bait.
Speaking of the sexual angle, as I went for my daily neighborhood walk this morning there were about 10 media types, loaded down with camera equipment, lurking in the alley behind the Kelley manse. You could have told they were media types even without the cameras — crappy clothes, poor posture, paunches, bored expressions (though I guess you can’t fault them for this final item, what they were doing looked pretty boring). As I walked past, one of the guys gave me a nod. “It’s a living, right?” I said. “I guess it is,” the nodder replied with a half-hearted smile.
Show of hands of TAS readers who really care how star-struck, if at all, La Kelley is. I thought so. I don’t either.
By the way, all the media types idling in the alley this morning were white males. Isn’t this a hate crime in media land?
The Day Ahead: Tues, Nov 13th
Posted by on 11.13.12 @ 10:00AM
EU Commission softens Plans to impose a 40% Woman Quota on Exec Boards (Reuters)
Facebook Testing New Comment Format (LA Times)
The Search for a New CIA Director (Politico)
Italian Banks struggle under Austerity (WSJ)
Forbes Magazine: Back to Federalism (Forbes)
Tiny Engine runs on Single Hydrogen Molecule (NewScientist)
Three Quarterbacks out from Concussions in One Day (CBS)
Monday, November 12, 2012
Trout, Harper Named AL/NL Rookies of the Year
Posted by on 11.12.12 @ 7:48PM
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout and Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper have won the AL and NL Rookie of the Year. These rookie awards are now officially known as the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award.
Trout was a no-brainer as he won the award unaminously.
Although Trout didn’t join the Angels until the end of April, he hit the ground running - literally. Trout hit .326 with 30 homeruns and 83 RBI. He led the AL in stolen bases (49), runs scored (129) and OPS + (171). Trout is the first rookie to hit 30 HR and steal 30 bases in a season. He was also sensational in centerfield.
It is quite possible that Trout could win the AL MVP. If he does then he would only be the third rookie to win the AL Rookie of the Year and the MVP in the same season. The others were Fred Lynn in 1975 and Ichiro Suzuki in 2001. The only thing standing between Trout and the AL MVP is Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera.
As for Harper, he becomes the second youngest NL Rookie of the Year. The only younger NL Rookie of the Year was Dwight Gooden who won it with the New York Mets in 1984. Interestingly, both Harper and Gooden were managed by Davey Johnson.
Harper hit .270 with 22 homeruns and 59 RBI with NL East Champion Nats. He narrowly beat out Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Wade Miley for NL Rookie honors. Miley went 16-11 with a 3.33 ERA and struck out 144 batters while walking only 37 with the D’Backs.
The then teenaged Harper was raw but capable of spectacular feats such as when he stole home after being plunked by Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels. He also reminded me of Secretariat one Sunday afternoon last June at Fenway.
Barring injury, the best is yet to come for both Trout and Harper.
Hugo Chavez Joins U.S. on UN Human Rights Council
Posted by on 11.12.12 @ 5:26PM
That Venezuela successfully secured a seat on the UN Human Rights Council is sadly no surprise.
However, observers are surprised that the U.S. retained its seat on the Council.
I, however, am not surprised. After all, President Obama was re-elected.
If Romney had been elected, the U.S. would have been voted off the Council. But given the kangaroo court nature of the Human Rights Council (and the Human Rights Commission before it) such a development would not have been such a bad thing. By legitimizing the UN Human Rights Council we legitimize the Hugo Chavezs of the world.
Cranky Emails and Noise
Posted by on 11.12.12 @ 2:54PM
Jill Kelley, the woman who complained of receiving cranky emails from Gen. Petraeus’s biographer/honey-bunny, lives about four blocks from me. The scorpions of the press descended on her and her husband’s house yesterday afternoon while she was giving a birthday party for one of her children, complete with noisy DJ.
I’m not that curious about La Kelley’s relationship, if any, with the general. But I would have been tempted to send her cranky emails myself yesterday to complain about the noise from her backyard that was infecting most of the neighborhood. I don’t know why so many nice people, like this couple almost certainly are, think it’s OK to entertain themselves or their children by disturbing the peace for blocks around.
Video of the Day: Star Spangled Banner, Power Rock Version
Posted by on 11.12.12 @ 10:10AM
The Day Ahead: Mon, Nov 12th
Posted by on 11.12.12 @ 10:00AM
The New Archbishop of Canterbury, an Oil Ex (Telegraph)
Robert Zubrin on Immmigration Policy (NR)
Congress begins Inquiries into Petraeus Affair (LA Times)
Murphy still leads Allen West after Partial Recount (WaPo)
IDF scores Direct Hit on Syrian Artillery (Reuters)
Coal Demand Surges, esp in China (NYT)
Armstrong Cuts Ties to Livestrong (NBC)
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