Taking Aim

Immediately after the shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, I was shocked to discover that Sarah Palin had included Gifford's name in the cross hairs of a rifle, taking aim at a handful of legislators who supported Barrack Obama's health care bill. The thought that a politician, any politician, would use her stance on gun rights in America to target fellow politicians was something I expected to see in the early 90's, on an album cover in the rap/hip hop section of "Tower Records".

As expected when tragedy strikes, people will look to point the finger and suggest that Palin, at the very least, is responsible for "inciting the violence."

We saw the exact same thing in Colorado on April 20th, 1999 at Columbine High School. Two senior students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold declared war on a school with mass casualties. When the dust settled, somehow musician Marilyn Manson was to blame for "inciting the violence" after discovering that, amongst other things, these disturbed young men were "fans" of Manson's music. Music that could be considered "violent".

Ridiculous, I say.

Sarah Palin is responsible for the actions of Sarah Palin, she's not responsible for the actions of some disturbed lunatic named Jared Loughner. To suggest otherwise is sort of like insinuating that Loughner's sentence, whatever it may be, should be reduced because he's insane, and "Sarah Palin made him do it."

I'm not buying that.


While Sarah Palin may not be responsible for the deaths of 6 people, or mortally wounding Congresswoman Giffords, she's proven herself guilty of being unprofessional, as well as allowing her "passion" to escalate to the point where many believe she's an incompetent fool (if they weren't convinced already). What disturbs me most is the agenda. The hypocrisy coming from the right, as well as the desperate attempts to sweep this little "incident" under the rug.

In 1992, the Grand Old Party (GOP) mounted an offensive against "gangster rap" music after a Texas state trooper was shot and killed by a teenager who was listening to a rap album entitled "2Pacalypse Now", which included songs about killing police. Dan Quayle, the Vice President of the United States at the time, demanded that the album be withdrawn from music stores and media across the country.

So I ask you, what's the difference?

It's not OK for 2PAC to fantasize about killing police officers on a record, but it's "no big deal" when SARAHPAC targets politicians?

Rex Ryan Is Sniffing That Toe Jam

"Nobody studies like [Manning]. I know [Tom] Brady thinks he does and all that stuff. I think there's probably a little more help from [Bill] Belichick with Brady than there is with Peyton Manning." - Rex Ryan
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That's honest. I can respect that. Some might view a comment like this as some kind of cheap, back handed trash talk but Rex Ryan is entitled to his opinion. The man has seen and schemed against his fair share of great quarterbacks....

That said, if I'm playing against the Chicago Bulls in game 7 of the '92 NBA Finals, I'm not sure I'd be pining for the pregame microphone just to tell Michael Jordan that he's overrated, but that's just me.

Say what you gotta say, coach Ryan. I hear you. You too, Cromartie...

Keep talking.

Wasn't Antonio Cromartie on those San Diego Charger teams a few years back? With Tomlinson? Yeah, I remember them. That was the Charger team where, after New England kicked their ass, they'd all stand in a big line at midfield, eat "Gerber's Apricot Nectar" and cry about it.

It was Tomlinson, Phyllis Rivers, Antonio Crymartie, Shawna Merriwoman...

But Tomlinson had to be the biggest cry baby of them all. I'm still a huge fan of listening to one of the greatest running backs of all time get absolutely shut down and then whine about it because Bill Belichek shut him down. That's Classic!

Usually when a star player loses on the field, he understands the, "I'll get them next time" mentality. Not Tomlinson. I'm still not sure if that thing dangling out the bottom of "LT's" helmet is a mouth piece or a pacifier. Someone give this little baby his "Lincoln Logs" back before he melts down and has to be given a "timeout". Awesome!

And now, only days before the game, Antonio Crymartie pops off and calls Tom Brady "an asshole". Yeah, that's usually how it goes when the quarterback in question thinks you're an overrated corner with no brains, and starts picking on you. Picking you apart.

Keep talking, Crymartie. Which kid taught you that? Was it 1 through 9 or 18 through 27?

And who is the ugly looking bum on the other side? Revis? Stephen Revis or something? I forget, but who can forget the Brady to Randy Moss one handed TD connection where Gabe Revis pulled up lame and faked a hamstring injury. Nice try, Revis. The last time I saw that
"act" was back when Olympic sprinter Michael Johnson grabbed his hamstring after getting blown out by Donovan Bailey.

All I wanna know is this. Which one of the Jets handicapped cornerbacks has to check Wes Welker? Someone better get on Welker, and while you're at it, make note of the guy trying to defend Deion Branch, he'll be the one wiping shit off his face during the commercial break.

Never mind all that. I've got some questions for the foot sniffer.

Peyton Manning is better than Tom Brady?

Yeah, and I think your wife needs to change her socks. Seriously. You've been sniffing that back woods toe jam. The last time I checked Brady threw 36 TD passes with only 4 interceptions. Manning chucked 11 picks in 3 games! Not only that, your overrated defense beat Peyton Manning and the Colts. What was the score the last time you played the Patriots, 45-3?

You got a foot fetish? How did Tom Brady's foot feel when he buried it up your ass, porky?

A 50 Million Dollar Deterrent

Thirty-two people jumped to their deaths from the Golden Gate Bridge in 2010, about the same number as in the previous two years, according to the Marin County coroner's office.

Thirty-one people committed suicide from the span in 2009, as did 34 in 2008.

The latest deaths occurred while the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District attempts to raise $50 million for construction of a suicide barrier that district board members approved in 2008.

"This report means the tragedies continue and the urgency of getting this resolved increases," said Paul Muller, co-founding member of the Bridge Rail Foundation, a consortium of advocates who support the barrier. "This has been going on for too long. We know it can be stopped."
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No offense but this is probably the dumbest idea I’ve heard in the past 10 years. Who is this guy kidding? I don’t mean to sound insensitive but, you’re talking about spending 50 million dollars to stop what?

"We know it can be stopped?"

Who knew?

Who knew the cure for depression wasn’t loading people up on prescription drugs or even telling them to, “pick themselves up by the boot strings.” Oh no, come to find out the cure for depression was/is a 50 million dollar suicide barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge. Oh yeah, that’ll fix everything.

Shit, I feel better already.

I mean, people like Paul Muller need to start realizing that some of us out here aren't nearly as dumb as we look. This guy doesn't care. This isn't about saving lives. Mr. Muller is simply trying to preserve the integrity of this pristine tourist attraction by spending 50 million dollars to wash the stain off the side of the bridge. This is about paying a 50 million dollar price tag to remove a stereotype.

If this was about saving lives, we'd be dumping 50 million dollars into out reach programs where, amongst other things, we'd come to find out that if you put real people who truly care in a position to listen, you'd make a far greater impact in the war against depression than you would a fuckin' barrier. A barrier that certainly isn’t gonna stop anyone from killing themselves.

Let me tell you something, depression doesn’t just magically disappear once Debbie Downer realizes she can no longer Peter Pan off the side of the Golden Gate Bridge. That’s bullshit. If you prevent someone from killing themselves on Tuesday, it doesn't make the prospects of Wednesday look any better.

32 people committed suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge in 2010. Had a barrier been put in place on January 1st, 2011, I’m guessing 0 people will be killing themselves on the bridge in 2011. That's great, however, lets keep it real. Train fatalities, drug overdoses, hangings and gun shots blasts to the head will significantly increase. As will the number of deaths by law enforcement officers.

Why is it that every time somebody gets hit by a train in the bay area, immediately afterward some simple minded idiot will ponder whether it was a suicide (because you know those trains are real sneaky), then he'll suggest, "Hey, lets waste millions of dollars to build a fence around the tracks."

What is it with people? What is it with this desire to come up with the easiest possible solution and then play dumb when it never works? If this is about cleaning up the Golden Gate Bridge then say it's about cleaning up the Golden Gate Bridge, just don't tell me it's about saving lives because it isn't.

Michael Vick Should NOT Be Executed

This is in response to conservative commentator Tucker Carlson's recent "suggestion" that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick "should be executed".

First off, I love animals as much as the next guy. I'd also like to add that I'm not some "sports buff" who thinks that a professional athlete should be granted leniency because he can throw a football. I really don't care.


As far as I'm concerned, part of Michael Vick's problem was being a professional athlete in the first place. A professional athlete who, like most professional athletes, have been catered to their entire lives. What better way to create a false sense of reality than to constantly "excuse" certain types of behavior in fear of preventing a super star athlete from becoming an icon?

It starts in high school, follows them into college, and by the time these guys become professional athletes, in their minds they can get away with anything.

Even murder.

No, it doesn't make it right.

Nor does it make it right that the answer to the question: "How does a young man like Vick bring himself to abuse dogs? probably lies somewhere in Vick being familiar with dog fighting as a child, thus becoming desensitized to the warm and fuzzy feelings that dogs generate in most people. Just because a man can throw a football doesn't mean he's mentally qualified to be your kids role model.

I hear it all the time, this "role model" bullshit. How many professional athletes need to screw up before you get a better understanding to what Charles Barkley was saying back in 1989? How many?

How many drug possessions, rape charges, assaults, murders, DUI's, and manslaughter charges need to be filed? How many professional athletes have to beat/ cheat on their wives before you, as a parent, come to grips with a media witch hunt in which people like Tucker Carlson seek to destroy the perception of the guy hanging on your child's wall?

Role models? Please. That's weak.

The truth is, whether it sounds like an excuse or not, Michael Vick is a product of the environment in which he was raised. Much like the delusional and rabid dog lover who is constantly making excuses for a vicious pit bull with endless cries of, "It's not the dog, it's how the dog was raised."

The same logic applies to Michael Vick. Vick is a product of his environment.

No, that doesn't make it right either. If Michael Vick's actions should be excused because he comes from a tough environment, certainly he wouldn't have served 23 months at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, nor would he have incurred financial losses of up to 142 million dollars. That doesn't exactly sound like a fuckin' hall pass.

Not when ex Philadelphia Eagles WR Donte Stallworth is serving 23 days in jail for getting drunk behind the wheel and killing a man. Yeah, lets execute Michael Vick for killing dogs but give his teammate 23 days and a slap on the wrist for killing real people. That makes sense.

It's funny how proactive our political leaders are when it comes to the fate of a professional football player, or a steroid using baseball player, but where is Tucker Carlson when Oakland BART police officer Johannes Meserle executes Oscar Grant?

I dunno. I guess I just don't value the life of a vicious pit bull more than I value the life of a fellow human being. You know it's a shame. You can kill a mother's son, but just don't kill his dog.