Spendy

I thought this was a fantastic explanation of why the spending policies of Obama, and the additional spending urged by people like the NYT's Paul Krugman, is a very bad idea.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been very expensive, but they have an end point (we hope). Major entitlements will not.

Awesome Video Saturday CXLVIII

A few months ago Wes Skiles died accidentally, while diving off the coast of Florida. He was a great guy, and this video was put together as a tribute for The Jacksonville Film Industry Reception. He shot all of the video, including the musicians.

Max Hall's Chance

A few weeks ago I mentioned an article by SI's Peter King where he made some favorable comments about Max Hall. Hall is now the starting Quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals and this is a nice write-up from ESPN.

I'll root for Hall's success, but don't have any real connection to the Cardinals and don't plan on rooting for a team besides the Dolphins. I do hope he does well.

Mistakes do Happen

Joseph was speaking the other day to my Tia Elena. He told her that he was 5 1/4. She may have misheard him, and asked if he was 5 1/2. He said, "No, 5 1/4. That's okay, mistakes do happen."

He can be very understanding.

Delicioso

We have enjoyed a new restaurant near our house, Sabore (Sah-bore-ay). We have probably only tried 25% of the menu, and almost everything we have tasted we've loved. The menu features small plates, a huge variety of flavors, and latin and asian influences.

My favorite dishes have been the churrasco, mahi, yucca, and empanadas. We also had an appetizer called arangina and a mango cheesecake that was fantastico.

It has a nice vibe and great service. It is worth a visit.

Awesome Video Saturday CXLVII

I think these Egyptian cheese ads are hilarious.

True Story?

I think this story is a true one. In a fascinating story published in Sports Illustrated, a former sports agent shares his experience. It includes numerous violations of NCAA regulations and specific examples of payments made to players.

A friend who read said it was not surprising, but still shocking. I agree.

Awesome Video Saturday CXLVI

Pretty clever spoof. Saw it making the Facebook rounds today.

Mothership Down

When I am driving, I will usually listent to sports talk radio. My favorite show, by a large margin, is the Dan Patrick Show. The show and crew are entertaining and there are always great guests. Patrick is a great interviewer and is not afraid to ask specific and potentially controversial questions.

I also enjoy his critiques of ESPN, which has become so self-important and lost a great deal of its credibility.

This is an article that talks about how he came to be where he is today, on the verge of launching a syndicated tv show of his radio program. I plan to check it out.

Politics Over Policy?

The WSJ had an editorial today that observes how politicians are using procedural methods to prevent simple up/down votes on important presidential appointees. In both cases, one blocked by Republicans and the other by Democrats, the interests of a few senators are taken precedent over the needs of the nation.

This is not a new issue, but still frustrating for those concerned with good governance.

Awesome Video Saturday CXLV

This is the trailer for the new Harry Potter film. I'm ready.

Friday Night

The Cougs are killing me tonight. I know we are injury-depleted, but it is still a bummer to be playing this way at Utah State. The Aggie coach needs to learn where the sideline is.

Two weeks ago I texted my friend Matt that I hoped BYU would learn to tackle sometime this season. Still waiting.

I like what I've seen so far from true freshman Jake Heaps. He sometimes forces the ball, or throws into coverage, but he has a strong arm and pretty good accuracy. He's made some costly errors, such as the interception that JUST happened. Strange throw. I think this one is out of reach at this point. Despite his errors, Heaps has me optimistic for the future.

As for this year? I'm going to the BYU-Colorado State game. I thought it might be a gimme, but this year? Wish I knew for sure. But I'll be at a game with good friends, so it will be a good time. Better than tonight I hope.

Bad News Tarheels

There was a really interesting piece today from Yahoo! Sports about the ties between a former UNC coach, a suspended player, and a prominent sports agent. The article is very detailed, and it means big trouble for North Carolina. It seems reasonable to expect that they will receive sanctions more severe than those received by USC a few months ago.

Another piece from Yahoo! Sports (getting it done today!) talks about why the investigation is important. It is emblematic of a sport rife with violations. It's not surprising given the huge sums of money at play.

I've respected Butch Davis ever since he rescued the Hurricanes from their own NCAA penalties through solid recruiting and high quality (low trouble) players. It will be hard for him to keep his job if the allegations prove true.

Cambio es bueno

The democratic process seems to be working for the benefit of the Venezuelan people. In recent parliamentary elections Hugo Chavez lost his 2/3 majority. That is the percentage required to pass legislation unilaterally. It is not all smooth sailing for the anti-Chavistas:

The electoral results set the stage for intense debate over Mr. Chávez's policies in and out of congress. Some analysts say Mr. Chávez may not relinquish his grip on the legislature easily. He might rule by decree, for example. A new congress won't be seated until January, meaning Mr. Chávez could push important legislative changes before then.
Mr. Chávez hasn't sat idle in the past when opponents have won. Two years ago, when an opposition politician was elected mayor of Caracas, Mr. Chávez stripped the office of its power. That same year Mr. Ocariz won the mayoral election in Petare, a vast slum on the Caracas outskirts. Mr. Chávez stripped the district of 16 garbage pickup trucks the very next day, he said.

Chavez doesn't play fair, and he still has a lot of power. This will be something to watch.

Awesome Video Saturday CXLIV

I am a huge Clint Eastwood fan (who isn't?). This is a trailer for his new film and it looks very intriguing.

SPOTD #165

Back on the bus.

Today's Phrase:
This Arabic proverb provides a needed lesson for fractious times.

Actual
Tu buen humor es un regalo que haces a los demás.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable
Too bwain oo-more ess oon ray-gah-low kay ah-says ah lows day-mas.

Translation (roughly)
Your good humor is a gift you give to others.

Fantastic
I watched The Fantastic Mr. Fox a few months ago. I thought it was an extremely entertaining movie, with really superb stop-motion animation. I am big fan of the genre, dating back as far as I can remember. This is a pretty cool behind-the-scenes shot of the Badger and the actor who did the voice work- Bill Murray.

Putting in the Time
This is an interesting article about one of the workhorses of the NFL, New York Jets fullback Tony Richardson. He was released and resigned at the start of the season, to the consternation of some people who consider him one of the “good” guys in the NFL.

Cougar Pride
Max Hall was the quarterback of the (my) BYU Cougars for 3 years. He had a great college career, and although he would sometimes drive me crazy in big games he was always fired up to play. He has been signed by the Arizona Cardinals and is now their back-up QB. Read more about it here.

The Real Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan was based on an actual detective who worked in Honolulu around the turn of the century. This is an article about the book written about him, the Cantonese detective Chang Apana.

Serious Care
This guy really likes to take care of his jeans. It is an entertaining look at “optimal jean care.”

A Caper
Can be a delicious addition to many meals. Lacy has enjoyed making a really delicious salmon with lemon and capers. She got the recipe from my sister. Here is a place for some other caper-related recipes.

Vacations for the Apocalypse
This is an amusing look at some places that might be ideal destinations if the world comes to an end.

Link of the Day
This is a fascinating article about the use of linen “armor” in the ancient world. Well worth a look.

Doing Good at the U

Win or lose, Randy Shannon is making a positive impact at the University of Miami. I hope we win though, and I think we will tonight against Pitt.

Read this article for more on the good things happening in Coral Gables.

Awesome Video Saturday CXLIII

Got this video from #EricDSnider. It's a hilarious re-dub of the Inception trailer.



You will like it!

Trouble

I was actually a little surprised by this article from the Gainesville Sun's Pat Dooley. In the past I have felt he was a little too forgiving of the rather poor law enforcment experience of the Gators in recent years. For some reason the Gators have had a large number of players arrested for felony or misdemeanor crimes. I don't think Urban Meyer is a bad guy, but there may be an institutional failing in the recruiting process employed by the Gators (and other schools with similar issues).

On a separate note, NCAA enforcement (humanized somewhat by Stewart Mandel in this piece) is confronting a challenging environment with agents and the many others who also work in that field. This is not a high point for the sport from this perspective, as many prominent programs have seen their players face eligibility issues.


On a lighter note I really enjoyed this article by Pat Forde about the University of Texas.

After-action Report

This was an important weekend, and not because of football, although football played a role.

As everyone is aware, it was the 9th anniversary of 9/11/2001. I'm sure none of us will forget where we were or who we were with that day. As the years have passed, the pain from the day seems to have faded. At least it seems that way sometimes

During the broadcast of the BYU-Air Force game, one member each from the NYPD and NYFD were invited to the game. The fireman had lost two of his brothers in the Towers. It was an important reminder that some things simply matter more. The officer and fireman expressed their gratitude for the commitment and effort of the airmen at the game and the work of our entire armed forces. In my small way I want to echo that. It certainly matters more than the outcome of a football game.

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Miami and BYU both lost their games. Here is a rundown of facts and information on the Cougs. I guess if we have to lose, why not to Air Force on 9/11? They certainly earned the win.

I felt like Miami's loss was less frustrating given who they were playing, but still disappointing given the history. Here is some post-game analysis from Manny Navarro at the Miami Herald.

I went to the Gator Game for the first half. We left as it was brutally hot and the Gators looked terrible while we were there. It will be an interesting season.