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On The Run
12 Jun 2009 07:51 am
Sorry to leave you guys like this after such an emotional week--scroll down if you missed it. I'm on the move today in search of bigger and better stories. Mind the store while I'm out. Consider this your open thread. Guard it with your life. Or at least your virtual life.
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The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood 
No need for apologies T you have more than earned your keep this week so go do your thing, as we head into the weekend thought we might switch gears some for folks who like comedy, comic books, music,etc check out:
http://www.maximumfun.org/shows/sound-young-america
which right now has an interview with Pharoahe Monch and a book that many may have missed but is worth the read, switching from the civil war to trying to survive the genocidal war against the native nations, is:
Radical Hope: Ethics in the Face of Cultural Devastation by Jonathan Lear on the existential challenges of the Crow Nation in the face of "manifest destiny".
Idle imagining: a trust fund for the family of the Holocaust Museum Guard. This seems obvious, so one step further: a small tributary in the museum itself. They probably have something like this in mind already.
Your post is a mitzvah. When anyone here has information regarding the trust fund or a museum fund, please provide details. The national media moves on so quickly that those of us outside of DC may not hear of it.
Agreed.
This is from this morning's Post article on the small vigil held yesterday outside the museum: Organizers also announced a fund established for Johns's survivors through the American Jewish Committee. Those wishing to donate should call the committee at (202) 785-5475.
I'm sure there will be more news to come.
What a fine gesture. Good stuff, AJC.
More on it, from the AJC:
"We are in the process of setting up an online donation page, but in the meantime, please make donations payable to AJC with “Stephen T. Johns Memorial Fund” in the memo line and send them to:
American Jewish Committee – Washington Chapter
Attn: Melanie Maron Pell
1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 1201
Washington, DC 20005"
Thanks for this.
Thank you.
Personally, I do think an apology is in order. What am I supposed to do now that I have to sit in front of this computer for the next eight hours!?! I guess I will go look for Iranian exit polls. Do they do those?
My thoughts exactly. Isn't it kinda weird that the election isn't the headline on Huffington Post right now?
BreakerBaker, Richard Engel on NBC's Today Show said this morning that Iran doesn't have exit polls, so I guess the world will just have to wait and see. I wouldn't sit in front of the computer for eight hours unless I had to (and I often do). Do they have a beach where you live? I'd do that instead. Just a Friday suggestion to take your mind off the Iranian election and TNC's absence!
Yeah. I have to be here. In front of a computer. From 7-to-4 every weekday. And no, unfortunately, no beach.
God, what I wouldn't give right now to still be living in NYC, with summer Fridays and a 45 minute LIRR (or F train) ride to the ocean. Alas, I am in Atlanta where they've never heard of summer Fridays, where the traffic is brutal, and the nearest beach is 4-7 hours away. What happened to my twenties!?!
Over at fivethirtyeight, Nate Silver points out, based on Iranian polling, that the election will almost certainly require a runoff. Iranian law requires a simple majority. Very unlikely that this will happen today, meaning this is just the first round.
Musing about recent American presidential elections if we required a simple majority. Clinton not elected, either time. At least not in the first round. Maybe a President Gore.
Heh, has Nate run out of American numbers to crunch and decided to go international? Boy's a machine.
Wow. A little earlier than I had hoped, but who's around to talk some NBA? So much to discuss about last night's game. Do you think Kobe should have been called for a foul when he elbowed Nelson on the kickout to Fisher? How about the Pietrus-Gasol incident at the end? Also: who do you think takes Game 5? I had initially thought that the Lakers would take Game 4 and the Magic would take 5 to send it back to LA. But, man, Orlando looked and sounded like a defeated team last night. So I dunno.
I'm not ready to talk about it. One more cup of coffee, perhaps. I hate to see a team lose a game that way. Simply pathetic. I don't think it should have been a foul on Kobe. I do think Pietrus will be suspended, and I don't think the Magic can win game 5.
That's alright. Trust me, I understand. I will be looking forward to full-blown Stacy analysis later.
Even though it was a profoundly stupid foul, I don't want Pietrus to be suspended, but the NBA's in a spot, considering the precedent for suspensions in recent years. Stu Jackson really needs to look at the flagrant foul system in the offseason.
I have to say, for a moment there last night, I really thought the Magic had turned the tide and would ride last night to a 3-2 lead. But the Lakers, for all their faults, know how to make you pay for your mistakes. I have to imagine that those missed free throws are just killing Turkoglu and Howard. And I hope it hurts Turkoglu more. Howard's been good at the line, yes, but Turkoglu is an 80% shooter. It's inexcusable.
Magic turns the ball over too much to take this past a losing effort in six games at most. 19 TOs? Kobe will kill you every time.
You don't think that was a foul??? That was an intentional elbow, that play gets called 90% of the time, usually when a guy grabs a board and starts throwing elbows to clear out, if he connects that play gets called. Thats not the reason the Magic lost, but man that was as obvious a foul as you can get. I fell for Magic fans, as a Maverick fan I still haven't(and doubt if I ever will) gotten over '05.
It's like what do you do, of course if Howard hits a stinkin free throw, then the elbow doesn't matter. But it still happened, and if that foul is called then who knows. I still replay the end of game 5 in Miami, the freaking push Wade gives Terry, the extremely lame call on Dirk...uugghh...I need a nap now...
By the way about Pietrus, that was definately a suspendable flagrant. How about the fact that Gasol was even dunking the ball, there was like what 3 seconds left, why not just dribble the clock out. I think if he would have pulled that kinda crap back in the day, Oakley or somebody like that would have made the flagrant alot more worth it.
Keith,
I'm about the furthest thing from a Kobe fan. I've been rooting for the Magic the entire series. But no, I don't think it should have been called a foul. Or at least, I don't think the refs would ever call a foul in that situation. If Hedo would have done it on the other end, I would have hoped they didn't call it. And I DEFINITELY don't think it was intentional. He might have been out of control with his elbows, but he was aiming for Nelson's head. That would be insane.
Let's not even get started on that 2006 Finals. The NBA should have been ashamed of themselves...
Man I don't know, he kinda has history of throwing out those elbows. Usually it as he is taking a shot, I recall some flap he was under a while back for throwing out his arms, and "accidently" catching dudes in the grill. When guys do that, their intention is to keep guys off of them, if you look at the play, he was looking right at Nelson coming at him. That aside, I'm pretty sure the intent doesn't matter on a play like that, only contact is required for a call to be made. But, what would a NBA Finals be without a needless argument over a foul call...fantastic!
I agree with you guys as much I as I can about the 2006 Finals. It was so frustrating to watch. I've never seen a series that consistenty dominated by (poor) officiating. As for Kobe's elbow, I think it could have been called a foul, but I don't think I would have if I were the refs. They made the right call, but it's just another one of those inconsistencies. It didn't appear intentional at all. Just a natural part of the play.
Well, I said Lakers in 5 originally, so I'm going to stick with that. That foul by Pietrus was dumb for two reasons: 1)It was over 2)If you're gonna foul, get your money's worth. It looked like Pietrus realized it was dumb as soon as touched him. I don't think Gasol should have been T'd up.
Overall, it just goes back to the cliche of playoff experience. The Magic had to shoot 62% to beat them, and only just barely, and they probably wouldn't have beaten them if Kobe hadn't inexplicably missed so many foul shots. The Lakers still aren't even playing that well, but they know how to handle tight situations. There wasn't a doubt in my mind Fisher would hit those 3s. And the Lakers and Kobe are being treated like the Bulls and Jordan back in the day by the officials--that elbow reminded me of Jordan's push on Russell in a way. It makes a bad situation already worse for the Magic.
But the Magic didn't have to shoot 62% to beat them. They could have won game 2 and 4 by just making their free throws down the stretch. I understand your point, and I realize coulda's, shoulda's and woulda's don't mean much, but damn. If I were an Orlando fan, I'm not sure how you get over this series. Not only did the Magic lose both overtime games, but they were both games that shouldn't have been overtime games.
Well, that's a good point. And it's the other big cliche--you need to hit your free throws. It's just that psychologically, the Lakers have such an edge. It's not just their experience either, it's that the Magic don't seem to know how to win a game. Their clock management is seriously lacking.
Hit your free throws, protect the ball. If Kobe had done that in Game 3, I'll counter, the Lakers would have swept this. The Magic look like a team that is simply not ready to win the big one - right now.
It's so crazy though, right? If Howard makes one of those FT's, or Lewis makes that mid-range shot when they were up by 5 with a minute at a half to go, we are having such a different discussion. People would be talking about how great SVG is, and how the Magic now have a legit shot at winning the series. What a shame. I really wanted to see a long, great series.
On the bright side, I'll have to stop laying around for three hours a night, which I've done for the past 7 weeks.
Or, again, they could have protected the ball more.
How many times have they turned the ball over in this series?
50? 60?
Thats like handing a marksman extra bullets to kill you.
Orlando did what they ought to have done from the beginning in the first half--take Odom and Bynum out of the game. They showed their stuff by coming back after the Laker run in the second half, and then they gave the game away. This makes twice they should have beaten the Lakers in regulation and did not. Teams that should win in regulation that let it go to overtime lose; teams that give away two games in the NBA finals lose.
Lewis did his Cheshire Cat thing by going invisible. Howard (and Turkoglu) clanked one free throw down the stretch after another, and his inability to move left was thoroughly exposed. No team can win turning the ball over ten more times than its opponent or missing 40% of its free throws. And they allowed Fisher, who has spent a career making just such shots at or near the end of the game, open beyond the three point line.
The Lakers kept their cool, despite two of their three bigs being rendered toothless for fouls, and won by attrition. The series could just as easily be 3-1 the other way, but the Magic have not shown the same mental toughness that the Lakers have shown. I'm not a Lakers fan at all, but they deserve to win this, and the Magic deserves to lose.
I second everything you just wrote. They COULD be up 3-1, but simply deserve to lose now. I'm just not sure how I could get over it if I were a Magic fan. This one is going to sting for a while. Hopefully, it stings Howard as much as it should, and he ditches Ewing in the offseason, and begs Hakeem to come help him instead.
Stacy, you and The Onion are on the same wavelength. Great minds ... :
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/orlando_assistant_coach?utm_source=facebook_1
They never fail to get it right, do they?
I don't know, watching him play I'm starting to feel like Bill Simmons is. I doubt he will ever develop the kinda of low post game that will truly make him as dominate as he should be. You either got it, or you don't. A feel, and touch around the rim is hard to teach. I remember watching Shaq in college, and he always had that little turn around baby hook, Hakeem didn't even start playing b-ball until he was like 15. I bet he could dream shake by about his third time playing the game. Howard reminds me of a pitcher who can throw 100 mph, but gets shelled in the majors because he dowsn't know how to pitch.
I know what you mean Keith. There's a big part of me that thinks Hakeem's touch just can't be taught. Side question/poll: Whose smoother, Hakeem or Duncan?
The thing about Howard, though, Keith, is that he has flashes of a post game, which makes it all the more frustrating. I think, more than his weakness going left, his biggest problem is his touch. Shaq always had that little jump hook, but even he took some time developing touch. It's all about confidence in one's hands: if Howard can find a way to do that, he'll not only develop a better shooting touch, but he'll put it on the floor less and he'll develop a better passing game.
Dan W: Hakeem, definitely. Duncan does make it look "fundamentally" easy, but Hakeem's moves were poems.
Col.Mike
I hope he can develop, I think there is more to it though. When I say touch or feel around the basket, I'm talking more of just a natural sense to play down low. Take Shaq, he always had a baby hook, but even back in Orlando and especially in LA he was always one of the best passers out of the post in the game. He just had a feel for when to pass, use his power, and so on. He never really had to pass out of the post because he was so sominate, but early on it was clear that it wasn't just his physical dominance that made him so deadly, he just knew how to play the game. I don't think the leaugue has seen a guy with the size and athleticism, and if he had a natural sense of how to play the game, he'd avg 35 and 15 fairly easily. Freakin Tim Duncan was swimming around in the Virgian Islands, went to Wake Forest and whithin a year there was dominant. He clearly had it. I understand what you mean though, I would be frustrated beyond belief if I were a Magic fan, then again my team has Erick Dampier in the post. Talk about frustrating!!!
You could do some work or something. I'm not really pushing that idea, but it's a thought. :)
D'oh, I meant that for BreakerBaker.
I'm going to pretend I didn't read this.
Just to break up the usual NBA talk -- Stanley Cup finals game 7 tonight. Go Pens!
Agreed!
Free Primanti's for everybody if they win, yinz!
I'll take a double egg and cheese. Send it to Marian Hossa for me... HAHAHA!
Go Red Wings! And how about free cars for everyone if the wings win?
Who wudda thunk that one of Sonya Sotomayer's recent cases has to do with military coups, or that the recent republican melt down does too???
The title of this post reminds me of all the cheesy 80's songs about being a fugitive of some sort. As the only type of schadenfreude I really like to engage in involves getting cheesy songs stuck in people's heads, may I remind you of two classics: Ride Like The Wind by Christopher Cross, and Billie Don't You Lose that Number by Phil Collins.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SucBdl1rKy0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qll0GLRoD9Q
Any others?
I'm really shocked you didn't go with "Here I go again on my own" by Whitesnake. I'd post the link, but Tawny Kitaen may be a little NSFW.
My plan backfired. Now I've got that awful song in my head.
AAAHHHH!!! Make it stop! Make it stop! My brain is alternating between the choruses of "Here I Go Again" and "Ride Like The Wind."
My brain, my poor, poor brain!
Okay, let's all pray real change happens in IRAN today, as we speak...
Real change.
What's up with this??? Administration defends DOMA in federal court. Says banning gay marriage is good for the federal budget. Invokes incest and marrying children.
In a way, I can understand their thinking on it on the whole; if everything were to be set in motion, I'm pretty sure that this would be close to defining a federal right to marry, and I guess they are scared of the backlash. There's also the possibility that they don't want this to go to the Supreme Court now because they think they'll lose.
That being said, this is pretty bad. This isn't 2004 and gay marriage isn't the issue it once was. It's rather pathetic really, that Obama can't stand up for civil rights. I'm not too confident Sotomayor will be of any help either. Ugh. I'm really at the point right now where I don't know if I'll even vote in the next election.
Dan, what really gets me steamed is the gratuitous incest and child marriage reference. I mean, wtf? As Aravosis put it, "even if they "had" to file the brief against us, why didn't they just file a brief that argued the technicalities about why the case should have been thrown out (e.g., the plaintiffs had no standing)?"
Yeah, exactly. That part I don't understand at all
I know everyone is on a civil war kick but if anyone wants a break and yet still wants to stay withing the realm of American History I recomend Charles W. Schultz's book My Life as an Indian.