FAIR'S FAIR: STANDING UP FOR "LARRY THE TOILET GUY"

Here's his plea

Those who are saying he pled guilty to Lewd Conduct are incorrect. The Basin's got your back, Larry. As they say on Special Teams in the NFL, "Stay in your lane!"

FANTASY LEAGUE: BETTER SPORTS FANS OR A DIVERSION FROM "THE POINT"

I've been on both sides of this one.

A lot of people feel Fantasy Geeks enjoy a heightened thrill from their fanhood. Others say they concentrate on stuff that's off the point of who wins, who loses, who's in the hunt and who needs to bit the bullet and play their rookies.

People are rabid about this whole topic. I have two conclusions. For myself, I'm a better, more knowledgeable sports fan when I'm not in a fantasy league. Second, for some reason, Fantasy Football Geeks remain better informed team sport fans than Rotisserie Baseball Geeks (who for the most part can't even tell you who is leading the respective divisions.). Maybe this is just because Baseball is played at such differing start times and Football's homogenized on start times.

What say you?

PERVERTS AT THE POLLS

Here's the story

Here's the question. Can a sex offender go to a school to vote?

As easy as early voting is, I can't see why it's necessary.

It does open up a whole new targeted direct mailing strategy, though. Look up the registered sex offenders and mail to them around Columbus Day. I guess everybody is part of an interest group. Hell, If Larry Craig were from Illinois, we might be into something. Yeah, I know, he likes casual adults on the fly, so to speak.

CHAMPAIGN, SAVOY, QUINCY: A LUKE OF FAITH

Because of newNCAA limitations on total days of tourney play, many observers thought fewer good midwestern players would stay near home and that the warm weather schools had a new and powerful recruiting advantage. It may have come as a surprise when Luke Guthrie committed to University of Illinois. It would not have surprised many to See Luke at Florida, Georgia or Wake Forest.

Moreover, University of Illinois has not exactly been golf nirvana for the last 20 years. The program has been marked with disgruntled transfers in and out, prima donnas and beefing about scholarship allocation. In addition to that, if a player is committed to playing in the Big Ten, he can play on better courses @ Michigan, Purdue or Ohio State. Bad weather throughout the Big Ten, but better courses.

But let's look at what Luke is getting. His coach is an accomplished tournament player. If playing for money is Luke's ultimate goal, he couldn't be in better hands. Coach Small is from Central Illinois bleeds orange. He will download all he knows about individual tournament play to Luke and Luke will make it more likely the Illini can effectively compete for a conference championship. Another positive is Luke will play many meets in crappy weather. Why is this positive? Because that's what tour players have to do. There is no tougher cold wind --not Scotland, not Pebble, Not West Texas--than the UI golf complex in savoy. When Luke completes his time at Illinois, he'll be an even better bad weather player than he is now.

Only downside I can see is that he won't play on much bermuda grass, which is a skill in and of itself. That's OK. Everybody's gotta be from somewhere.

All in all a good trade. A Quincy boy recruited by a coach who once won the Junior Masters, Right here in Q-town. You can look it up!

Godspeed Luke! Keep working hard.

WASHINGTON; RICHMOND; NEWPORT NEWS; ATLANTA: GONZO GETS COVERING FIRE

Everybody on the planet knew Vick was entering his plea today and that was going to be the biggest publicity throb since Paris left her underwear at home. What better day for Gonzo to resign and catch relatively minimal coverage? Perhaps the first time in recorded history a Federal Defendant has done a favor for the AG whose Justice Dept. is prosecuting him.

Thanks for the Covering Fire, Michael. Nike may not love you any more but Shrubbie, Rovie and Gonzo will all buy "Da Shoes".

WE INTERRUPT THIS GONZO FOR SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT

.......The National League Central. Cards won it with a measly 83 wins. Much better this year! First one to 84 wins, wins.

CURBING ON THE GRADE VICE GRADING ON THE CURVE

MOVED THIS UP--UPDATED DISCUSSION ADDED

Silly me, I thought the idea was to hire highly trained teachers and allow them to educate and evaluate their students in the manner they feel most appropriate to the student body and the subject matter.

No "subjective" considerations? Wonder if that means no essay questions.

With no points for class participation, the text messaging will be rampant.

I acknowledge the spirited discussion earlier and add more information by comment below. In blue above was my original point--directed to autonomy and academic freedom of teachers in their classrooms. It was never, to me, a matter of do our kids have to work "too hard" or do they have it "too easy." It was a matter of decisional authority.

Today I know a little more about how this rulebook got unleashed. I suspect this is another example of "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

Thanks to everyone, even the edgy ones, who have participated in this discussion. Please continue.

UNITED STATES COAST GUARD: KEEPING SHORES SAFE.....

.......Uh, that is the shores of freaking Guatemala!

click here

Does it occur to anybody else that Coast Guard Personnel might be helpful in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio right now?

Anyway, a sub full of coke....Wonder if Jim Fitch knows about this. Maybe they'd let him go back to Pepsi.

WHENEVER W. COMPARES HIMSELF TO HARRY TRUMAN.....

........................ he brings to mind for me:

Lloyd Bentsen

LITTLE LEAGUE PITCHING RULES: ADAPTATION REQUIRED

The 85/21 rules are great but they work better in the regular season than they do in tournament play.

Too intraleague teams send their three best position players to the League's all star team. The trouble is that may not include even that team's fourth or fifth best pitcher. As a consequence, too many good all star teams come to the tourney with two good pitchers and three or four second tier pitchers. In years past, that was all they needed. Now, these second tier pitchers are often in the game with the result on the line. Not fair to the teams and the kid pitchers.

There are 14 players on a team now. I believe they should do an adaptation of the NFL's "3rd Quaterback" rule. There should be a 15th player on each team who is restricted to pitching. He can't pinch hit, pinch run. He would be exempt from the mandatory playing time rule. He either pitches in those "Run out of pitchers" situations or he doesn't play.

This ensures that the second or third best pitcher in the league actually makes it to the all star team.

I love the rule but it is tarnishing this year's tourney.

BREEDING STOCK.......

...........Pit Bulls, $2500.00

Hand Cranked Electric Generator......$300

Anodized Aluminum Livestock Water Tank......$175



Peeing away a career as a prototype, incomparable athlete......PRICELESS

THE LEGAL SYSTEM WORKS: WHAT A CONCEPT!

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/081707/TRI_BE3GGJ54.064.php

Even after conviction, Padilla had the best of this argument and his original lawyer was a credit to the profession.

No matter what his "scum bucket" factor, an American citizen can be dealt with in the American justice system. For U.S. citizens there is no need for Secret Squirrel Courts. If the administration would simply believe in it, there is a perfectly good justice system into which to put miscreant Americans.

Now, the lawyer for Mr.-Bradley-Matriculation has a more difficult way to go, claiming a citizen's due process for a visitor but it is tough to make an argument that our society is much different from theirs when we lock up "suspects" incommunicado.

Anyhow, have a good weekend in the Land of the Free.

DATELINE MT. STERLING--BROWN COUNTY CIRCUIT JUDGE LOCAL ELECTION: JUDICIAL TEXAS HOLD 'EM

Circuit Judge David Slocum will retire at the end of this year. He is a treasure in more ways than we can cover here. He is that rare judge who starts his career pretty good and continues to improve. He will be missed.

BUT, that's not what this column is about. It's about the race to succeed him. The election is in November of '08.

One assumes Associate Judge Lagoski will run for the Resident Circuit Judge position being vacated by Judge Slocum. She will be a formidable Democrat candidate in many ways. She also has nothing to lose by running and every reason to throw her hat into the old ring. Whether any democrats will oppose her in the primary, I don't know but I'd guess it's unlikely.

It just so happens that the other race up at that same time is for State's Attorney. That office is occupied by a talented, presentable and ambitious young man named Jerry Hooker. Almost without doubt, he could be easily re-elected. He understandably craves a judicial post. To run for the Judgeship, he must abandon his secure elected position. Under any circumstances, it looks like a tough decision from here. Lawyers tend to be risk-averse creatures. Much of what we do is helping others avoid or minimize risks. It would have seemed out of character for Hooker to give up the security of the SAO for a tough run at a judgeship.

But, he went, "all in". This week he announced he'll seek the judgeship. If he loses, he ends up with an empty bucket. If he wins, then he was rewarded for a ballsy call.

Lost in all this is the State's Attorney's Office of Brown County. From 1980 to the present, the People of Brown County have been well represented in court. I hope that continues. Even though it's a very small county, it is in meth country and there is a prison there. Effective prosecution impacts the quality of peoples' lives.

There are some more layers to this, but I must soldier on in court. Perhaps more later.

IS OBAMA "BLACK ENOUGH TO BE PRESIDENT"?

Wrong question! The better question is "Is whoever initiated this question competent enough to even participate in society without some kind of guardian or conservator appointed to make sure he doesn't flick his bic while fueling?"

I mean, c'mon. Would the "Black Community" prefer one of the cast of a 1000 whitebreads in the GOP primary, Alan Keyes or maybe Condi the Ultimator?

Warning, do not participate in this discussion! Like putting your ball cap on backwards, you will automatically lose at least ten IQ Points.

IT'S NOT EASY

O may be throwing in the sponge. His post tonight suggests it.

It brings up something I've been meaning to write about. Sometimes we, as consumers, become impatient when a blogstop doesn't post for a few days or spends too long on a topic which doesn't light our fire.

First of all, for most of us, it's a hobby. It doesn't feed the bulldog. Moreover, most of us write about what interests us. There are days when there's not much out there about which to put fingers to keyboard. Third, there are limits on all of us. We keep confidences of family members, clients customers and other people with whom we have trust relationships. I have a particular case right now, I'd just love to write about because it's fascinating but it would be inappropriate. Finally, sometimes we have time to write about something but not the time to write a longer analysis about something that is really eating at us.

Then, unique to a few, some of us like to more original material and not be moved about what topics make it to the city/county page of the local paper or a local news talk show. I've got no problem with those who do, but it's a barrier for me.

Look at all the local blogs that have gone belly up (or are simply holding space without publishing anything). These aren't stupid or lazy people. That's the best evidence this is not quite as simple as it may sometimes look.

Good run, Team Orack'em ups. Wish you'd try moderation for a while. Ya almost never end up whacking anyone and it does simplify life at the end of the day.

Either way, You're welcome here.

"MR. ACCESSIBLE"

This was my weekend for everybody who had misplaced my cell phone and email to try and find me. It was like a national holiday. Some folks were resourceful enough to send "personals" through the blog.
I think everybody who needed a reply has now gotten one and everybody who wanted his or her comment rejected was kept off the web page.

For future reference:

Personal email = rule5draft@gmail.com

Office email (and please limit to office business) = dacamara@adams.net

Blog tips and technical discussion about the blog = abcforvictims@justice.com

Fax is 228-2225 (fax is better than email for emergencies)

email for a cell phone (I prefer texting to talking)

FWIW, I try to check email once a day, when my surface mail comes in @ about 1100. I do not have a buzzer or alarm that goes "ringy-ding-ding" whenever an email comes in.

Hope this is helpful.

O-MAN IS OUT OF THE COMMENT BUSINESS!

I'm sure it's temporary. Probably celebrating Tookie's road trip.

THE "IN SHAPE GUY" THEORY IS AS WRONG IN TULSA AS IT WAS IT PITTSBURGH

The conventional wisdom is that a hefty guy can't win the PGA Championship at Tulsa because it's so hot there. Nonsense. All these players walk at least 108 holes a week and beat hundreds of balls. They're accustomed to the heat. They know how to hydrate.

Tim Herron, Billy Mayfair, Monty could all win.

I'm not saying an "in shape" player won't win but don't bet the ranch against someone who can fade a tee shot and make mid-range putts on relatively flat greens.

The "conventional wisdom" is often wrong.

QUINCY BLOGGERS: STAYING ON TOPIC

Been in kind of spirited discussion in another blog. Very interesting and mostly pretty satisfying discussion.

Still, many of the commentators just really can't stay on topic. We were talking about stormwater runoff and what needs to be done about it. Some guys begin talking about Capital Development and end up talking about School Board business.

Maybe it's from Stormwater runoff, but some of our locals seem to have acutely limited attention spans.

Just a thought.

GIULIANI FOR OBAMA: AT LEAST ONE OF RONNIE REAGAN'S KIDS SUPPORTED HIM

Rudy's daughter is for Obama and (until this morning) out front about it.

I guess that's what happens when Daddy holds a press conference to dump Mommy.

Young Andrew G., the budding PGA golfer currently at Duke, simply doesn't speak to his father, but is taking no political position. Still, I'd have to canvass him as a "minus".

So we've got Mr. Lovable and Mr. spin-the-wheel "Pro-Life" or "Pro-Death" I'm-proud-to-be-a-Mormon-but-it-pisses-me-off-to-be-asked-questions-about it.

Fred, get off the couch and put away those oreos. Save your party from this madness!

SPRINGFIELD UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT: OH, WOW! THIS IS SERIOUS

http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/13439.asp

OK, first let's keep in mind that there are two issues here, only one of which pertains to this case. First (and it is this case), can an employer discipline an employee for refusing to fill a "morning after" pill on grounds of conscience? This is a question of statutory interpretation and has no real constitutional implications.

The other little beauty that is floating around out there does have constitutional implications: Does the State have the right to mandate filling of the MA pill, as a condition of licensure and irrespective of conscience?

Judge Scott's decision is a very preliminary decision but keeps the case alive. It will be reinterpreted (broadened) by every "Pro-Life" (as opposed to "Pro-Death") advocate out there. Would expect to see it on Fox in some contorted form tonight.

I' m interested in anyone's view as to the implications of this decision for licensed personnel and What the Defendant should do in proving the case to get around the preliminary finding of protection. Not to be offensive, but I'm not particularly interested in anyone's view of abortion or the Government's role in it. I already served my Sophomore year and the deep discussions leading nowhere that accompany it.

FWIW, I think the J-R does a very good job with Federal Court Stories and this one is no exception.

One other thing. Judge Scott is a really good, down-the-middle, high integrity Judge. I hope this doesn't turn her into some kind of National "right to life" poster child. She doesn't side in with any constituency, just calls 'em like she sees 'em.

PRO SPORTS AND GAMBLING: WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS?

Effective immediately, as part of the uniform contract, all pro sports and major college officials are forbidden from taking part in sports better, legal or illegal, casino gambling, legal or illegal, on track or off track animal racing betting and all performance betting with the exception of drinks or meals for individual performance activities such as golf, tennis, trapshooting and horseshoes. Once a year, from May 1 through September 1 three officials will be chosen for random confidential audits of their finances and the results will remain confidential unless they disclose financial jeopardy. if the Audit discloses financial jeopardy, confidential counseling will be arranged for help the official achieve a more sound footing. This will be blind to the commissioner and all member teams and institutions.

The same restrictions would apply to new players coming into major professional sports. Nothing would change for the current people.

If they can random drug test, why not random financial jeopardy test? Gambling/Fixing threatens the one thing the sports have to sell which is honest competition. Otherwise, it's just pro wrestling.

MIDNIGHT MODERATION

We've had this sophomoric discussion before and I really don't want to get into the merits of blogger comment moderation (and, yes, for those of you ignorant to the topic, that is different from spam control). The topic now is doing it up front and honestly.

A political blog I respect has been running a bunch of good topics lately. Twice, each time @ about ten p.m. I have left fairly long comments, with which I knew the operator would disagree. Each time, I have checked to see that they got onto the blog. They did. When I checked in the next morning, they were gone, without any sign they had been there. It doesn't matter who it was or what I said. My point is this:

If you're gonna moderate comments, tell people up front you're gonna moderate comments. Don't wrap yourself in the flag of unmoderatedness to show how cool you are then moderate under cover.

OK, I'm done now

JULIA, BIP, STANLEY: HEADS UP!

This is a bad week for Robertses. Chief Justice had a seizure Sunday. Robin Roberts, the charming and estimable co-hostess of GMA announced she has breast cancer.

If that were my last name, I think I'd get my annual physical and, other than that, stay out of traffic.

Loren, the golf pro, should not play with lightning anywhere within 100 miles.

If Pernell's not already dead, he should probably hunker down.