Liberty Bowl

I didn't have a horse in this race but this was a great game. If you missed it, you missed one of the most exciting bowls this season. Louisville won but Boise State certainly proved that they are legitimate. Hat's off to both teams in this one.

So far, My Football Instincts are Right

The PAC-10 is beginning to look like the over rated conference I've been suspecting they are. UCLA lost to Wyoming in the Las Vegas Bowl last week. I won't say that this game alone says much about either conference on whole, but it's worth mentioning.

It gets interesting after seeing California getting spanked by Texas Tech 45-31 in the Holiday Bowl tonight. Texas Tech was ranked 21st going into this game. Cal was ranked 4th and they were whining about how they didn't get into the Rose Bowl (Texas is in the Rose Bowl, they beat Texas Tech 51-21 in the regular season). After their performance in this game, I'd say they're lucky they made the Holiday Bowl. Going into this game, Cal's defense was giving up an average of 292 yards per game. Texas Tech put up over 300 passing yards in the first half. By the end of the game, Tech had laid the wood to Cal with 594 yards of total offense.

Compare the Holiday Bowl stats to the stats from the only other game Cal lost this year (at USC). Cal statistically dominated every measurable aspect of the USC game except the one that counted (the scoreboard, my favorite). Now, consider for a moment, the fact that Texas Tech is in the same conference as Oklahoma (Big 12) and Cal is in the same conference as USC (PAC-10).

Memo to USC: be afraid, be very afraid.

Personally, I think Auburn could beat USC and Oklahoma.

Nick Saban to Coach the Fish

I found this article which echoes some of my thoughts on Nick Saban's decision to leave LSU. It also touches on some of the reasons why college football is superior to the NFL. I'd write my own little diatribe but I stayed up until 1:30 AM last night working on a proposal for work. I am thus too tired and lazy to do my own writing tonight.

James Wolcott: Christmas Kvetchers

I was gonna blast James Wolcott for this Christmas post but Lileks beat me to it (and did a much better job). Never mind.

Santa Not Welcome at Junior High Dance

I can't believe this actually happened.

"'It was a holiday party,' said Muscara. 'It was not a Christmas party. There is a separation of church and state. We have a lot of students that go to Hampton Academy Junior High that have different religions. We have to be sensitive to that.'"

So you are sensitive to all religions by crucifying the kid who came dressed as Santa? Memo to Santa: Don't even leave this guy a lump of coal.

I feel so much better about our educational system after reading this. Condoms may be handed out upon request, abortions may be performed without parental consent, our kids may be exposed to violence and drugs, but they sure as hell shouldn't be exposed to Santa Claus! No sir! You let one Santa in and the next thing you know the whole school is praying in tongues and handling snakes! We don't need those closed minded Christian bigots in our schools now do we?

A Belated Merry Christmas to You...

...or Happy Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, or Festivus. I hope you all had a nice time with family and friends.

Subjective AP Wants Out of BCS Formula, Good Riddance

How do you like this? Last year, the AP whined like little girl with sand in her panties about USC being "their" champion, thus fanning the flames of BCS hatred. The BCS responds by giving the polls more influence than ever before over the team rankings. Now that their increased influence has all but destroyed the credibility of the BCS, they want to pull out. They are worried that the bad press the BCS is getting will spill over onto them. It's YOUR FAULT the BCS sucks worse than ever! Along with all the other polls! I hope all the polls pull out! Then we'd be left with the one true measure of performance. The SCOREBOARD!

Is Santa a Republican?

Looks like a toss up to me. Read this and tell me what you think. Either way it's funny stuff.

Catholics for a Free Choice

I just visited the web site of what may be the most dangerous group of self proclaimed Catholics I've ever seen. I say that not because their ideas are so completely off the wall that only a handful of people would take them seriously. In fact, it's just the opposite. It is a group of religious radicals that seeks to replace the authority of the Church with their own liberal doctrine. I am talking about the CFFC.

What makes this group so dangerous is that they are passing themselves off as real Catholics. To be a Catholic, one must recognize the authority of the Church. These folks do no such thing. These people are wolves in sheep's clothing luring many uninformed Catholics into a false sense of security by preaching the gospel of the culture of death (contraception is OK, abortion is OK, etc.) as if it were part of the catechism. This false doctrine is all too readily accepted by our liberal brothers and sisters who see themselves as "forward thinking progressives." I fear for the future of the Catholic church if people like this are not dealt with publicly and decisively (i.e. censure and/or excommunication).

Nuke the Moon

I saw this and had to post a link. Too funny.

Saban Looking to Leave LSU?

Nick Saban always seems to be on everyone's short list for filling coaching vacancies. Thus far, he's remained at LSU. However, I hear that there is more to this story than rumors. Saban recently met with the Miami Dolphins (upon their invitation) to discuss their coaching vacancy. When you consider the fact that Saban is the highest paid coach in college football (as the result of last year's BCS Championship and certain stipulations in his contract), you can logically conclude that this is not an attempt to hype himself and boost his salary. If he's meeting with Miami, he's genuinely interested.

The unofficial rumors I'm hearing are that Miami has offered $4 mil per year (I think he's making $2.5 mil per year now, not sure) and virtually complete control of the team. I've also heard that Nick is asking for $6 mil per year, but that figure is negotiable. Control of the team is the clincher.

Unofficial rumor # 2 is that Butch Davis (Cleveland Browns) may replace Saban if all of this conjecture comes to pass.

I guess Nick has to ask himself, "Do I want to continue to be the head coach of one of the best college football teams in the nation, or do I want to take my chances in Miami?"

Personally, I think pro football is crap, but I'll save that rant for another post.

"Don't Listen to Your Conscience," Says Pope

The Pope has declared that the Catholic laity must follow authoritative church teachings. Translation: All that crap about one's own conscience being the measure of morality flies right out the window when one considers the fact that the vast majority of Catholics in the US have consciences that are formed in front of the secular monstrance (television). As a Catholic, your conscience is only useful if it has been properly formed by the study of solid Catholic teachings. The Pope is in essence saying, "America, your conscience no longer functions properly. Here, use mine." 90% of Catholics are lost like geese in a fog. If the US bishops don't present a unified message to American Catholics, most of the laity will continue to seek the path of least resistance by adopting the most liberal (and heretical) interpretations they can find.

Iran's Space Program - Nothing to See Here, Move Along

Lets take a look at this. They are developing nuclear technology as a source of energy. I find this odd since they have more oil than they could ever use. Now they are launching missiles into space under the guise of developing communications satellites or some such nonsense. Gimme a break! You want a communications satellite? Buy one from France! They'll launch it for you and everything! There is no R&D required here, just hand over some oil money and you're done. But they're not doing that. Hmmm. Nuclear power... Missiles in space... What could they be up to?

More Election Results

Looks like LA will be sending one Republican and one Democrat to the US House of Representatives. I think Tauzin could have beaten Melancon if he hadn't run such a vicious campaign. I like to hear all the dirt on all the candidates before the election so mudslinging doesn't really bother me. I actually like it. In Tauzin's case however, it was done in such a tactless and condescending manner that I think it may have backfired on him. I personally didn't care for him blasting fellow Republican, Craig Romero, in the general election.

The BCS is Waaaaaaaay Off This Year

After a quick review of the NCAA strength of schedule stats, there is no way anyone can tell me that USC and Oklahoma should be ranked ahead of Auburn. Oklahoma's strength of schedule is ranked 22nd for division IA teams. USC is a pitiful 31st. AUBURN HAS THE 9TH TOUGHEST SCHEDULE OF ANY DIVISION IA TEAM AND THEY ARE UNDEFEATED!!!

All of this subjectivity with the polls has got to go. Everyone is crying for a playoff system in the interest of fairness but I think the BCS could handle the process fairly. The thing that makes the playoff system (NCAA basketball or baseball for example) fair is that the subjectivity of these stupid polls is almost entirely removed. Sure, you have to have some at large bids since no system is perfect, but for the most part you earn your way into the playoffs and you earn the championship. Why is college football the only sport where the polls decide who the champions are? Are the World Series teams decided by a poll? How about the Super Bowl teams?

Auburn getting shut out of the Orange bowl will be nothing short of a travesty. These guys busted their a**es to remain undefeated against the toughest teams in the nation and they're going to get passed over by a couple of teams with the same record but weaker schedules. That being the case, where is the incentive to perform if your performance won't get you into the championship? I've never had a very strong opinion either way about the BCS until now. With the introduction of even more subjectivity this year, the BCS has gone downhill.

Save the subjectivity for finger painting and figure skating. This is football. Wins & losses, margin of victory, and strength of schedule are what counts. Championships should be determined by the scoreboard, not the polls.

UPDATE: The travesty is official and Auburn will be playing Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl. Auburn has everything to loose in this game and almost nothing to gain. They got shafted.

Cultural Diversity Often Means Anti-Christian

Read this and tell me there isn't an anti-Christian bias developing in this country.

Kojo Annan Disgraces Father

Fox News is reporting that Kofi Annan is very disappointed in his son, regarding the recent oil for food scandal. I'm guessing his disappointment stems from the fact that his son only managed to make $30k a year off of a deal that made Saddam Hussein over $21 billion.

The Atheist Holy Land

Since freedom OF religion forms the basis of our nation, I think atheists should colonize their own land if they want freedom FROM religion. I've got just the spot. A God forsaken land if I ever saw one. They should love it.

UPDATE: Hurry! Get your land here!

Hunting Report

In my lifetime, the rice fields of Southwest Louisiana have never been so devoid of waterfowl. I saw only a handful of ducks yesterday. We shot a couple of geese but that was it. Even in the eighties when we could only shoot 4 ducks we at least had ducks to shoot. This is the worst I've seen it. I keep wating for the opening days of the 90's when the question wasn't whether we would have ducks, but how many minutes it would take to limit out. I can remember several trips in 2000 when we would pass up easy shots on teal and grey ducks because we knew we would limit out on mallards and pintail. Those days have been gone for a while now. I am confident they will return. But not this year. At any rate, I still enjoy it, and I'm going back tomorrow. After all, the surest way to kill no ducks is to not go hunting at all.

If there are any duck/goose hunters reading this, let me know how you're doing, what kind of shotgun you shoot (this is mine), where you hunt, etc.

UPDATE: Finally saw a few ducks this morning (11/27/04). Got a greenhead and a wood duck. Should have had a couple of teal. Oh well, doin' it all again tomorrow.

Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology

This looks like a fascinating book. I've often wondered about the pro's and con's of technology and it's influence on society (an ironic statement to be posting on a blog, to be sure). I have also been curious for some time about daily life in America before the "modern" era. I'll try to tear myself away from the computer and the "secular monstrance" to make time to read this.

Happy Thanksgiving

I just wanted take some time to thank God for my family (population: 3 this year) and the many blessings He has bestowed upon us all. If anyone would like to give thanks for anything, please feel free to leave a comment. I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving!

Terrorism Signpost

Humorous interpretations of some generic illustrations.

Dan Rather Leaving CBS News

I guess Dan found out just how far you can push the envelope of yellow journalism. Maybe Dan's picture will appear here.

Lead Story Before 9/11/04

Does anyone remember? Take a guess. I remember exactly what the lead story was on every network leading up to 9/11. Just for kicks, I looked to see how many stories CNN had published on this topic from 9/1/01 to 9/10/01. In those 10 days there were at least 11 stories about this. My only point here is that the media too often focuses on irrelevant tabloid stories for the sake of ratings. Significant events that affect the course of history (such as those leading up to 9/11) are not as tantilizing as sex, murder, Hollywood, and apparently sharks. But can we really blame the media? After all, they're only supplying what is in demand. Am I being pessimistic, or do the American people no longer wish to be informed, only entertained?

George Weigel to Speak Locally

St. Pius X Parish Is Proud to Welcome
Renowned Author and Scholar
George Weigel

Who Will be Speaking on: "The Achievement of John Paul II"

George Weigel is a Roman Catholic theologian and one of America's leading commentators on issues of religion and public life. He is most known for being the author of Witness to Hope, the definitive biography of Pope John Paul II. Some of his other books include The Truth of Catholicism, The Courage to Be Catholic and Letters to a Young Catholic. In addition to his books, Weigel has contributed essays, op-ed columns, and reviews to the major opinion journals and newspapers in the United States. He has appeared on numerous network television, cable television, and radio discussion programs, and is a consultant on Vatican affairs for NBC News. His weekly column, "The Catholic Difference," is syndicated to sixty newspapers around the United States. Both his scholarly work and his journalism have been translated into a variety of western languages.

Date and Time: Friday, January 14, 2005 at 7:00 p.m.
Place: St. Pius Elementary School Auditorium
205 East Bayou Parkway
Lafayette, LA 70508

Scott Peterson: Amateur Abortionist

I believe I made this point in one of my first posts. Mine wasn't as funny as this one though.

Internet Hunting

That's right. Actual deer and hog hunting over the internet. I'm not talking X-box live here. I'm talking about a real deer rifle and camera connected to a robotic platform that can be controlled (i.e. aimed and fired) via the internet. Think of the possibilities.

I've been hearing that the North East is overrun with deer. What a perfect solution. Instead of the stupid birth control injections they are using, just set up a bunch of these robot deer stands and advertise during a NASCAR race. You'll have that deer population under control in no time.

Spurrier's Back!

Now how tough is the SEC? Steve Spurrier has agreed in principle to coach at South Carolina next year. Do you think the AD at Florida is second guessing himself right about now? "Uh... maybe I should have offered the job a little quicker. That display case full of SEC championship trophies and that '96 national championship was probably a good enough resume." This season is not nearly over and already I can't wait for next season. Mark your calendars because Florida is playing at South Carolina on November 12, 2005.

Iran Wants Sanctions Too

This was too funny.

Arafat: A Palistinian Role Model

Now that Yasir Arafat has assumed room temperature, I feel compelled to praise at least one of his accomplishments. I thought about it for a while and I've decided that Arafat was actually a good role model for the various Palestinian militia groups who looked up to him for so long. If they would only follow his example of daily living. Arafat ate well, got his rest, and from what I've seen, he never strapped explosives to his chest and he certainly never blew himself up in the middle of an Israeli marketplace. I think that was the key to his longevity.

Mozilla Firefox

Twice this past week I've read about Mozilla's Firefox web browser being the greatest thing since sliced bread. I downloaded and installed it about 20 minutes ago and I can already see a big difference. It's much faster than IE. So far, it's also killed the annoying pop ups that I couldn't kill with the Google toolbar or Ad-Aware, or Spy-bot, or Window Washer or anything else. I'm not one of these anti-Bill-Gates techno junkies, but the early exit polls I've conducted on myself show a landslide in favor of the "Firefox rules & IE is junk" ticket. I'll be using Firefox exclusively from now on and I'll let you know if I change my mind.

UPDATE: I've just discovered live bookmarks and RSS feeds. This is probably old news to many of you but I'm no web geek. Using these live bookmarks, I can quickly browse all blogspot sites (and you can browse mine) for new posts. A sidebar lists all recent posts by title. It also works for news stories and other stuff. Firefox gets better and better.

Auburn #1

Why is Auburn ranked third? Why are the sports pundits talking about how Auburn should probably be ranked second? Why are the AP voters still pimping USC? The Auburn Tigers should be first in my book, and since the BCS is more subjective these days, my book is as good or better than any other, and at least as good as the BCS.

I'm looking at the schedules of USC, Auburn and Oklahoma. If you'll notice, USC has played two top 25 teams this year (Virginia Tech & California), while Oklahoma has played 3 (Texas, Texas A&M, & Oklahoma State), and Auburn has played 3 (Georgia, Tennessee, & LSU) and will play a fourth in the SEC championship game. If you consider these teams strength of schedule, I think the rankings are backwards. Auburn is #1, Oklahoma is #2, and USC is #3. For those of you who would point to USC's domination of most of it's opponents, I'd say that beating teams like Stanford (4-6) by 3 points does not impress me.

However, Auburn's domination of Georgia today is impressive. If Auburn can finish undefeated (and they can) they are certainly deserving of a title shot.

...and if you're interested, there's a great article on Auburn and the bunk BCS system here.

Monsieur Moore is Not Dead

Michael Moore has returned from the edge of oblivion and found a reason to live. Seventeen reasons to be exact.

Can One Vote for the Anti-Christ in Good Conscience?

I thought this was a great post.

Dante's Inferno Test

It seems I'm going to Purgatory. Where might you be going?

Trial Lawyers Denied A Vast New Pool of Plaintiffs

This is just stupid. What's next, a law suit against John Kerry for the senseless murder of geese? Me thinks not. Incidentally, David Letterman quipped that JK went goose hunting and came back with one goose and four purple hearts (LOL)!

Fair and Balanced

If you've seen Fahrenheit 9/11, then you definitely need to see one of the following movies for some balance, no matter what your political leanings are.

Fahrenhype 9/11
Celsius 41.11
Michael Moore Hates America

I've seen F9/11 but I haven't seen any of the others yet. Michael Moore certainly does have an active imagination. I'll probably watch f-hype9/11 this weekend although the trailer for C41.11 looked pretty good.

Slap the Candidate

This is fun. Take out your frustrations.

Pimp the Vote

I've heard of "energizing your base", but this is not what I had in mind. When your political party encourages voter fraud by bribing their supporters with crack cocaine, you are in serious trouble.

October Suprise?

This one is for my people in the "black helicopter" crowd.

Another Ragin Cajun

This guy has taken the term 'Ragin Cajun' a little too literally.

Catholics againts Catholicism

I must comment on John Kerry's incoherent response to the abortion issue in the October 13, 2004 debate. The saddest aspect of this is that Kerry represents the view of the majority of self proclaimed Catholics (66% support keeping abortion legal according to a recent letter I recieved from Karl Keating)

My comments are noted <like so>.

SCHIEFFER: Senator Kerry, a new question for you.
The New York Times reports that some Catholic archbishops are telling their church members that it would be a sin to vote for a candidate like you because you support a woman's right to choose an abortion and unlimited stem-cell research.

What is your reaction to that?

KERRY: I respect their views. I completely respect their views. I am a Catholic <in word not in deed>. And I grew up learning how to respect those views. But I disagree with them, as do many .

I believe that I can't legislate or transfer to another American citizen my article of faith <because you can't transfer something you don't have>. What is an article of faith for me is not something that I can legislate on somebody who doesn't share that article of faith <This is not merely an article of faith, it is life and death and justice. If we do not legislate on these basis, what is the point of government?>. I believe that choice is a woman's choice. It's between a woman, God <put God in the "against" column> and her doctor. And that's why I support that.

Now, I will not allow somebody to come in and change Roe v. Wade. The president has never said whether or not he would do that. But we know from the people he's tried to appoint to the court he wants to <I certainly hope so>. I will not. I will defend the right of Roe v. Wade.

Now, with respect to religion, you know, as I said, I grew up a Catholic. I was an altar boy. I know that throughout my life this has made a difference to me <obviously not>. And as President Kennedy said when he ran for president, he said, I'm not running to be a Catholic president. I'm running to be a president who happens to be Catholic <Wrong. You are Catholic first. Everything else is secondary>. My faith affects everything that I do <No, it doesn't. You just said that you won't legislate based on your supposed beliefs.>, in truth.

There's a great passage of the Bible that says, What does it mean, my brother, to say you have faith if there are no deeds? Faith without works is dead . And I think that everything you do in public life has to be guided by your faith, affected by your faith, but without transferring it in any official way to other people <What the hell does that mean!? You're whole job is transferring what you believe into law! What you are saying is that your faith should move you to the point of ALMOST doing something. Are we supposed to elect you so that you can ALMOST act in our interests?>. That's why I fight against poverty. That's why I fight to clean up the environment and protect this earth. That's why I fight for equality and justice. All of those things come out of that fundamental teaching and belief of faith <The Pope has deemed all of those issues secondary to the right to life>.

But I know this, that President Kennedy in his inaugural address told all of us that here on Earth, God's work must truly be our own. And that's what we have to - I think that's the test of public service <Why must all Catholic presidential candidates be such a embarrassment to their Faith?>.

Therese Movie

I've just been told that Therese is coming to ambassador 10 theater in Lafayette! This will be the first and possibly the only venue for this movie in the state. Awesome! I'm there! I've put this movie on my blog before. I learned about the movie and met the director earlier this year. Since then, I've been hoping I'd get to see it in the theater. Looks like I'll get my chance. Tell everyone you know to go and see it, especially fellow Catholics.

Best line of the Vice Presidential Debate

Dick Cheney to John Edwards:

“You’ve got one of the worst attendance records in the United States Senate. Now, in my capacity as vice president, I am the president of the Senate, the presiding officer. I’m up in the Senate most Tuesdays when they’re in session. The first time I ever met you was when you walked on the stage tonight."

Whoa! Get 'em Dick!

W Ketchup

I thought someone out there might be interested in this interesting new condiment. I wonder if it tastes like that other, liberal ketchup. What would conservative ketchup taste like anyway?

Presidential Debate Analysis

George Bush's debate performance met all of my expectations. It was awful. Truly painful to watch. Just as I expected. I'm still voting for W, but honestly, it's not because of his oratory skills. It’s because I value W’s support of conservative principles more than I value his ability to communicate them.

However, John Kerry is one smart politician. He positioned himself as close to W as he could get while remaining slightly to the left. Once the ideological lines were blurred, Kerry was free to score big points by debating rings around Bush. Kerry’s position on almost every issue can be summed up as follows:

"I would have done the same thing as the president, except I would have done it without making any sacrifices whatsoever and would have provided the same if not better results. Oh, and we would have no enemies in the world, only friends. Kumbaya."

Kerry seems to be banking on the fact that the majority of the vacuous, "undecided" voters will be swayed by his use of what I call the "bug zapper" technique. If you have ever seen flying insects attracted to their doom by one of these devices, then you know the type of mesmerizing power certain attractive forces can have over weak minds. It’s similar to the force that compels people to forward chain e-mails to all of their friends and co-workers in the hope that Bill Gates will send them $50 for helping him test his “e-mail tracking system”. On some level, a person must sense that this is stupid, but the promise of something for nothing is too much to resist.

Hence, John Kerry is kicking on his political UV light by saying he’ll bring peace to the world, he’ll bring all of our troops home safely in 6 months, we’ll still win the war on terror, all of the world will love us, free health care for all, everyone will get a raise, in short, all of your wildest dreams can come true if you will just vote for John Kerry (I can hear the swarms of clueless undecideds buzzing already).

This trick is also great for Kerry because it raises the expectations of his supporters to an unattainable level. If Bush gets elected then they’ll all spend the next 4 years lamenting over how good life could have been in Kerry’s utopia. What happens if Kerry gets elected you ask? Well…

If you listen closely, you’ll hear Kerry use phrases like, “If we do it my way”, or “If we follow my plan”. He’s setting the stage for his escape from his own BS promises. He knows he can’t deliver all of this stuff. These are CYA code words to fall back on when he doesn’t deliver. And who will be blamed for this failed utopian state? The republicans of course! Thus perpetuating the blind hatred of all things conservative by the secular barbarians.

I’m voting for W. I urge you to do the same. But I must admit, I think Kerry’s team has a brilliant strategy.

Home Schooled American Terrorist

Ran across this today. Apparently the biggest threat to some folks in America is those wacko home schooler terrorists. Who can blame 'em, what with all the home schoolers blowing up the world trade cente.... wait that was Muslims. Well they're certainly responsible for lopping off the heads of those poor kidnapped folks oversea.... oh wait that was Muslims too. Well it is frightening the way they win all those spelling bees! It's just not natural!

What if the US were Iraq?

University of Michigan professor, Juan Cole, poses this question in a post on his blog. Well Juan, I guess if the roles of the US and Iraq were reversed I'd pray for Iraq to come in and help us out of this mess. But remember, this is the good ol' USA! We aren't going to wait until 3,300 Americans are dying every week to do something. In my humble opinion, 9-11 was enough justification to lay the wood to any and every two bit dictator on earth who so much as looks at us funny. If you're actually worried about something like this happening here, take heart. In this country, you have the right to bear arms and defend yourself. With the assault weapons ban gone, now's the perfect time to get that AK-47 you've always wanted.

Soldier's Blog

I found the blog of a US solder currently serving in Iraq. If anyone wants a true, first person account of the war, this is it. A very encouraging site, indeed.

Frank, our prayers are with you and all of the troops currently deployed.

George Bush's Blog

Memo to W:

If you can't laugh at yourself...

...well then, is it OK if I laugh at you because this parody blog is really funny.

I'm still voting for you.

RC

Game of the Day

Tennesee v/s Florida. If you saw this game, you know why I only watch college football. You don't get drama like that in a pro game. I've linked to the box scores but I won't give this one away here in case you get a chance to watch a replay. Games like this are the reason that Florida's average attendance last year was 90,177 and Tennesee's was 105,038 while the Miami Dolphins averaged 73,473 and the Titans even less.

The battle of the tigers (LSU v/s Auburn) wasn't as joyful. LSU's defense held Auburn to 3 points until the last minute and a half of the game but it wasn't the brick wall that won the national championship last year. Marcus Randall has not impressed me yet. JaMarcus Russell has talent but lacks experience. One of them needs to step up. We play Georgia in two weeks and I'm sure they remember getting spanked twice last year by the tigers.

Another Scoop for Dan

Dan Rather blows the lid off another huge story. How does he manage to find this stuff? It's almost like he pulls it out of thin air.

Let The Slaying of God's Creatures Begin

Yeah baby! Teal season begins tomorrow. It's late, I'm tired, I'm almost completely unprepared (last year's shells and a new liscense), the heat index today was somwhere in the 101F range, I can already hear the mosquitos buzzing in my ears, and yet I am compelled to set my alarm to 4:00 am and solidify my position at the top of the food chain. There's nothing like a good day hunting.

Forge Your Own Documents

Memo to Dan Rather:

Dan,

Please tell me the check to that forger guy was post-dated because I just found you a sweeeeet deal! I just hope for your sake it's not too late to put this puppy to work.

Good luck D.

RC

Big Gun

I ran across this cruising through some blogs tonight. Not that I'm a gun enthusiast (I own shotguns for hunting but that's about it), but I'd definitely have to spend the extra $25 these guys charge to have "HAVE A NICE DAY" engraved on the muzzle. Too funny. I may put that on one of my shotguns.

PETA Fights for Chicken Rights

Talk about misplaced sympathy. Read this attack ad on KFC targeted towards children and tell me these people are not delusional. Chickens are our “friends?” Chicken “moms” will “love” their chicks and “teach them all about life?” Chickens apparently suffer from claustrophobia too. There are so many crazy statements in this thing it’s hard to find a starting point. They make it sound like these chickens lie awake at night wondering how the economy will affect their kids’ future. I can just see the chicken mommy and daddy sitting at the dinner table discussing how much they should donate to the Sierra Club this year.

Give me a break! I’ve lived on a farm with chickens. Whoever wrote this does not know a thing about the social skills of chickens. That’s OK though because there’s not much to know. They make noise, lay eggs, peck the ground and have no problem eating their own crap!

This article is meant to imply (to impressionable children) that animals and humans are of equal importance. No. That is wrong. Humans are superior to animals. I can’t believe there are people who need to have this explained to them.

What really burns me up is these people humanizing chickens to gain sympathy for their cause when there are real humans in this country who desperately need help. If you want to refrain from eating meat for whatever reason, I have no problem with that. But don’t even think about asking me to do the same when Americans are killing over 1 million real, HUMAN babies every year in abortion clinics throughout this country. I’d go vegan today if it would somehow bring about an end to abortion.

I can honestly appreciate the abundance of compassion for innocent animals, but please collectively pull your craniums from your rectums and get your priorities straight. Human rights are, and shall always be, superior to animal rights.

Bottom line: chickens are food, not soylent green.

Cat Crap Coffee?

Yup. It's true. For about $300 per pound, you too can enjoy your very own steaming hot cup of joe made from the finest Indonesian cat turds money can buy. Nothing says "Good Morning" like a warm cup of cat crap. What's that old saying about fools and their money?

Alligator Sauce Piquante

I was informed a few weeks ago that I couldn't possibly have a blog that was in any way associated with Cajun country if I didn't post a recipe every once in a while. I'll buy that. Thus, in order to satisfy the recipe requirements of Cajun culture, I submit the following:

Alligator Sauce Piquante (pronounced pee-CAWNT)
2 lbs. alligator meat (cubed)
2 cups chopped onions
1 large chopped bell pepper
1/3 cup cooking oil
½ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped shallots
16 oz. tomato sauce
1 can of Rotel tomatoes
6 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 Tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. basil
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp. oregano
salt & pepper to taste

If you like, you can marinate your gator cubes in wine for about an hour before cooking (up to you). Nothing cooks Cajun like a black iron pot, so I’d use that if you’ve got one handy. If not, use whatever you have. Saute the onions in oil until they are translucent and just starting to turn to a golden brown. You’ll have to keep stirring to keep the onions from burning. Then add the celery and bell pepper and sauté until tender (keep stirring). Add Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce and seasonings and simmer for about 10 minutes. Now add the mushrooms and drained alligator meat. Cover the pot and let this simmer for about 40 minutes. Add the shallots and parsley and cook uncovered for another 10 minutes. Serve over rice.

Instead of salt and pepper, use what Cajuns use. Tony Chachere’s or Zatarain’s or any one of a multitude of Cajun blended seasonings. This one (scroll to the bottom of the page) is made by a freind of mine who is also in a Cajun band (a real cajun dude). If you're having trouble finding ingredients, try this place.

I’ve yet to cook alligator myself but I’ve eaten it many times. Trust me, it’s delicious. Next time I'll do something that's currently in season down here. Dove season was open labor day weekend, teal (duck) season opens for a couple of weeks starting next weekend, and fish are plentiful year round. They don't call this state the sportsman's paradise for nothing!

Bon Apetite!

The Latest Euphemism for Infanticide

Leave it to the New York Times to print a story like this. Selective reduction is the process by which a woman who is pregnant for more than one child reduces the number of her offspring by killing one or more of her children before they are born. Apparently some women are even proud of this. Memo to this psyco woman's one surviving child: watch your back, you're mom has already killed two of your siblings in a preemptive double homicide. I put this story in my blog to illustrate two points. First, there is no limit to the lies people will tell themselves to avoid guilt and/or discomfort. Second, there is no shortage of sympathetic media outlets to spread these lies. Mother Theresa said it best, “It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.” Please vote pro-life and encourage everyone you know to do the same.

Oregon State's Stunning Loss

That's right! Not LSU's victory, Oregon State's loss! Not much needs to be said here. LSU looked unprepared for the start of the season and were it not for Oregon state's hapless field goal kicker, they'd be 0-1 as we speak. However... as always... I must digress and turn my attention to the SCOREBOARD!

Zell Miller Delivers One Helluva Speech!

If you did not hear senator Zell Miller's speech at the RNC last night, you missed the best speech of either of the conventions. He made several points that have rarely been brought up during this election and the fact that these issues were brought up by a Democrat makes things even more interesting.

First, Zell listed the myriad of military expenditures that John Kerry had voted against, and then brilliantly gave examples of how each one of these items had been used to defend people both at home (after 9/11) and abroad. Placing these two things side by side illustrates the sharp contrast between who John Kerry wants you to think he is (war hero, purple hearts, etc.) and who he really is (anti-military spending cuts).

Zell then culminated this list of defense cuts by saying something to the effect that after all of these cuts John Kerry is asking us to make him commander in chief of the armed forces. He then quipped, "Armed with what? Spitballs!" This is not only a great zinger, it forces people to think about how ridiculous it is for a man to spend his life cutting the military budget and then ask the American people to place him in charge of the military at a time when defense of our nation is paramount!

Third, he not only blasted John Kerry, he blasted all Democrats for selling out to the far left liberal whacko's of the party. Those who would denounce the uncivilized nature of war via countless UN resolutions while the world falls into ruin at the hands of Islamic lunatics. When Muslim terrorists launched their attack on 9/11 they forever changed the posture of this nation. We were jerked from our collective slouched, half asleep position and forced to snap-to and square away. Like it or not, we are now a nation defending itself against an unseen enemy with no central national affiliation. In truth, this is a religious war waged by Muslim terrorists on the entire world (the USA is merely the biggest target). Ignoring this threat by focusing on the economy or health care or gay marriage will not make it go away. If we do not take action now, we will be faced with threats we may not be able to manage in the future. Zell made a point that only a Democrat could make and not be called partisan. His comment was that at this stage in our nation's history, we need statesmen, not politicians. There are few if any statesmen (outside of Zell) left in the Democrat party as evidenced by the lack of bipartisanship on the issue of defending our country. Instead of putting political differences aside to defend the nation (not to mention the rest of the free world), the leaders of the Democrat party have sought to use the war on terror as a political football to serve their own interests. This, more than anything else, proves that the leaders of the Democrat party don't care about you, or me, or the poor, or gays, or blacks, or immigrants, or education, or the economy, or the snail darter, or any of the people who died on 9/11, or any of the soldiers defending freedom around the globe. All these politicians care about is increasing their own sphere of influence for their own benefit and the rest of the world can go to hell.

Please, Please, Please save our nation from the self serving Democrat politicians and their hoards of "useful idiot" supporters. VOTE REPUBLICAN.

College Football Update

6 hrs., 25 min. and 14 sec. to go until the first college football game of the season and I've just learned that Mike Williams is not eligible to play college ball. It seems he tried to enter the NFL draft, received some money (making him ineligible to play NCAA ball), then the courts said he couldn't enter the draft. Now both the NFL and NCAA have left him out in the cold. No football for Mike this season.

In one sense I feel bad about this. Not because I feel sorry for poor Mike. He went for the cash and got burnt. You live by the dollar, you die by the dollar. No, I feel sorry that I won't get to see this guy play college ball anymore. Just because I don't like the way USC and the sports writers made up this baloney about being co-national champions, doesn't mean I don't like to watch USC play. The Matt Leinart / Mike Williams combo was as entertaining as any. Too bad Mike sold out.

Since I brought it up, let me get on my co-national champion soapbox for a moment. We had a national championship game. USC was not in it. I'd almost compare USC's self proclaimed title to Al Gore whining about his loss in Florida but that would be unfair to Al Gore. At least he made it to the election. It would be more like calling Ted Kennedy "Mr. President" for four years just because he and some of his supporters think he should be President. He wasn't even in the election. If that's how we're going to operate, I demand that I hereby be referred to as "Supreme judge of all college football disputes" since I think I'm better at it than anyone else. Yeah, I'm number one!! Memo to USC: Shoulda, woulda, coulda. YOU'RE SECOND! And without Mike Williams you won't be there long. Bunch of whiners.

Let me make another observation. When LSU bumped USC from the championship game, a lot of sports writers had egg on their face. When LSU won the national title, the vast majority of them got a side order of crow. This season the BCS calculations have been re-arranged. The polls now have a greater impact on standings than strength of schedule. This year the "human" factor is being emphasized over statistical analysis because sports writers don't want their precious opinions trampled on by those stubborn statistical facts. Once again, I must agree with Lee Corso's analysis this morning. That analysis being that now a team with a weaker schedule (like USC) will go undefeated while the teams with the toughest schedules (the SEC, look at the rankings) will drop a game or two and pay dearly for it. Championships are subjective in gymnastics. This is football. This is not a popularity contest. If we're going to name a team champion based solely on wins and losses and not consider who their competition is, then De La Salle High School should be the reigning NCAA national champions (as an aside, please note that Evangel Christian, a Louisiana school, came closest to defeating De La Salle last season).

So add college football championships to the growing list of things that are moving away from reality and into subjectivity. It's sad that even in college football, there can be an "elite" class of individuals who can influence the national championship via their opinions without ever setting foot on the field.

Why people hate unions

This story is empirical evidence of why "union" is now a dirty word. What was intended to be a noble institution designed to keep the wealthy from exploiting the poor has officially degenerated into a weapon used to gouge the consumer, government, employer or whoever has the cash.

Dead Babies Fetch Top Dollar in Europe

A news story in London's Daily Telegraph (8/1/04 edition) reports that there is a small but very serious British market for fetuses and stillborn babies. It seems that there are some research laboratories and/or medical schools in Europe that must have overestimated the demand for dead babies and are trying to reduce inventory. Don't think you can get your dead baby on the cheap however. Collectors are reportedly paying over $9,100.00 (US) for their very own decorative, dead baby in a jar of formaldehyde.

Memo to any sick Euro puppies with a formaldehyde/fetus fettish: If you had any decency, let alone respect for human life, you would neither buy nor sell dead children. The fact that the British government would even allow this speaks volumes about their collective attitude towards the unborn.

Question for the reader: Who is sicker, the dead baby sellers or the dead baby buyers.

I'm at a loss.

T. Bubba Bechtol

T. Bubba Bechtol, part time City Councilman from Pensacola, Florida, was asked on a local live radio talk show the other day just what he thought of the allegations of torture of the Iraqi prisoners. His reply prompted his ejection from the studio, but to thunderous applause from the audience.

"If hooking up an Iraqi prisoner's scrotum to a car's battery cables will save one American GI's life, then I have just two things to say: Red is positive, black is negative"

I received this story via e-mail but you can see it on his blog site as well.

College Football

WOW! Is it that time already? I just checked out ESPN.com and it seems the first games of the season begin next weekend! Can it be true? Is my eager anticipation causing me to hallucinate? Let the trash talk and baseless early season predictions begin!

As a fan of ESPN College Gameday and LSU, I've got to hand it to Lee Corso. As everyone was picking their favorites at the start of last season, Lee piped up and warned his fellow commentators not to count out LSU (the reigning national champions, thank you very much). Just so you know where I'm coming from on this, I'd prefer to watch almost any college football game over the superbowl!

I know I'm asking a lot, but it would be a great start to the season if USC would just lose their first game to Virginia Tech so that I won't have to hear about how the "University of Second place Cry-babies" should have been national champions last year. I've just got one thing to say to all you die hard USC fans, SCOREBOARD BABY! Your name wasn't even on it in the big game last year, so how are you going to claim victory. Just mix up a bowl of organically grown dried fruits and nuts and pour yourself a nice tall glass of SHUT UP AND GET OVER IT LOSERS!

I do have to admit that USC has a good team, but I'm so sick of the hype! The SEC has five teams (LSU, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee & Auburn) in the top 25 this year. Note to USC: beating the crap out of BYU does not make you a championship team.

Man, I can't wait!

Therese Movie

In case you have not heard, Leonardo Defilippis has made a movie about the life of St. Therese of Lisieux, appropriately named "Therese". Unlike "The Passion of the Christ" which appealed to a broader Christian audience which included Catholics, this movie's subject is specifically Catholic. I've seen Defilippis' one man Passion play as well as the trailer for this movie and both were great. I can't wait to see this film. I am also curious to see how much and what kind of press the movie gets.

Independent Catholics

I ran across the term "Independent Catholic" on the web today. It seems to be a generic term used to describe lay and former religious people who believe almost entirely in Catholicism. In the early Church, these people would have been called heretics. Years later (historically speaking) they were called protestants. Now the nomenclature seems to have evolved yet again. Personally, I'd place these folks in the "Cafeteria Catholic" category.

Think about this: What exactly is an "Independent Catholic" is seeking to be independent from?

The Catholic church receives it's authority from Jesus (Matt. 16:18-19). To buck the authority of the Pope is to reject the instruction of Christ. Ergo, a church that seeks to be independent of Papal authority is one that seeks to be independent of Christ's authority.

I understand that some Catholic teachings are not in line with some of today's PC social standards. The disagreement I have with the independent Catholics is that they have allowed their culture to influence their faith when it should be faith that dictates their culture.

Black Bears are More Important than Children

According to a Fox News story that aired last night, a Kentucky man will stand trial for killing a black bear. To summarize the story: bear wanders into yard, bears can kill small children, therefore gun owning dad shoots and kills bear and is subsequently charged with killing an endangered species. Dad now faces up to a year in jail and a $1000 fine.

Well I guess the proper thing to do was let the friggin' bear kill you and your family! What the hell do people use their brains for these days! I have little patience for utter stupidity and it's STUPID CRAP like this that drives me nuts.

The state has the audacity to claim that the bear wasn't a threat, saying "the black bear seldom attacks people and is a shy creature by nature." I'm sure that would have looked nice on the family's tombstones. "Here lies the Smith family. Bear lovers 'till the end." I also couldn't help but notice that the bear keeper in the video explained how shy and docile black bears are from the OUTSIDE of the bear cage! What's the matter zoo boy? Scared of a shy, docile black bear? Worried the timid little bear might rip your friggin' face off!? Moron.

And think about this, the state of Kentucky will have to try to prove their case by making two points. First, they have to prove that dad never really felt threatened by a black bear in his yard (good luck). Second, they'll have to come up with some other plausible motive for dad to shoot the bear. How much do you want to bet they claim this guy is just a poor hillbilly who thought a stuffed bear would look cool between the velvet Elvis painting and the autographed Dale Earnhardt poster in his living room. Let's not mince words, this guy does look like a hillbilly and may have wanted to redecorate his trailer, but that doesn't negate the fact that a bear in your yard is dangerous.

Let me tell you something, if the choice is between my family's safety (common sense alone should tell you a bear in your yard is inherently unsafe) and a bear, I'll shoot the bear every time. In fact, I'd kill all of the damn bears on earth if I thought they were all a threat to my family. I'd eat bear steaks, make bear claw necklaces, all the pimps in Vegas would have bear skin coats! Screw the bears!!! Do you hear me!?

What also bothers me about this is that the left in this country is typically the champion of the poor as well as animal rights. Fine, but shouldn't the poor come before animal rights? Poor folks take note, you are lower on the democrats' totem pole than the snail darter! Killing people (especially the unborn), that's fine. Killing animals, no, no, no. Just ask Ted Kennedy. He'll be the first to tell you he regrets the incident at Chappaquiddick, but he was trying to dodge a cute little bunny in the road and after a dozen whiskey sours your reflexes get a bit dull. Ted's two month jail sentence was suspended, thank you very much.

All of this brings me to what I feel is the core of this issue. Some people in this country have so little regard for human life that animals rate higher than children. Think about that and tell me the left hasn't completely lost it's moral compass.

Still not sure?

If you don't believe me when I talk about pro-choice Catholics being an oxymoron, maybe you'll listen to Fr. Frank Pavone.

Do I speak what?

What's not to love about a Klingon blog?

Catholics for Kerry???

I let out a pretty good laugh when I first heard Sam Kinnison say that "Rock against Drugs" was like "Christians against Christ". Then I ran across this website. Catholics for Kerry??? What the... OK. "I'll bite" said I, as I perused the Catholic Q&A section. I thought this excerpt was particularly interesting:

"Q: What difference is there, if any, between pro-choice and pro-abortion?
A: Pro-choice is not pro-abortion. Pro-choice means that one believes that freedom is necessary for full human dignity and that human beings are generally competent and responsible and should be trusted to make intensely personal choices on issues that impact their lives. This choice includes the right of a woman to make the very personal, private and often gut-wrenching decision about her pregnancy. A pro-abortion position would refer to a position that sees abortion per se as a positive and good thing and advocates it as such. Very few, if any, pro-choice advocates are pro-abortion. Most pro-choice advocates are simply advocating the right for women to have that freedom to choose, which is not the same thing as promoting abortions. The emphasis is on restoring the dignity of women and empowering women to have a say in issues that affect them."

Pardon me while I light the fuse on my first electronic pipe bomb! Pro-choice is not pro-abortion? Call it what you want but this rose by any other name still looks like a dead baby to me. To help put this into perspective, let's rewrite this song and dance routine and sing it to the tune of, "I'm Scott Peterson and I've got rights too". Ready? OK.

Pro-choice is not pro-murder. Pro-choice means that one believes that freedom is necessary for full human dignity and that human beings are generally competent and responsible and should be trusted to make intensely personal choices on issues that impact their lives. This choice includes the right of a man to make the very personal, private and often gut-wrenching decision about his marital status. A pro-murder position would refer to a position that sees murder per se as a positive and good thing and advocates it as such. Very few, if any, pro-choice advocates are pro-murder. Most pro-choice advocates are simply advocating the right for men to have that freedom to choose, which is not the same thing as promoting murder. The emphasis is on restoring the dignity of men and empowering men to have a say in issues that affect them.

See pro-choice folks? Assuming Scott is guilty, he is still no more a killer than your average woman who's had an abortion. He's simply made a gut wrenching decision about his personal life.
I for one find all of this semantic BS appalling. To be a pro-choice Catholic is to be a "Christian against Christ". There is no such thing. You are Catholic, OR you are pro-choice. There is no "and". The fact that John Kerry calls himself a Catholic has no relevance to whether he is or is not a Catholic. I could say, "I'm as rich as John Kerry", but it wouldn't put half a billion dollars in my bank account. Catholics live their faith and repent for their transgressions. John Kerry is no Catholic.

Welcome!

As a reader of several blogs, I've decided to take a stab at the other end of blogging. Writing. This decision is one of only a handful that I've made in my adult life that is somewhat impulsive. After viewing some of the garbage that passes for news these days, as well as reading blogs written by PhD's who seem to live in their own surreal world, I have surmised that there is no reason why I should not hurl my own thoughts into this melee of e-pinions. Since I am not a writer by trade, I've decided to call my blog "Unskilled Labor" (like I said, it was an impulsive decision and I needed a name). All of this having been said, I'm off to the internet to gather ingredients for my first Molotov cocktail to be hurled from my blog into the electronic fray.

I'll be back!