Despite episode after episode of Playmates, and assorted eye candy, Mrs. Ari has retained the title of hottest "regular" cast member.
With the news that the role of "Amanda," will return in season 5, Mrs. Ari has competition for that title. Amanda, played by Carla Gugino, is a vampish and domineering agent fighting for Hollywood status.
In 1983 Dan Marino was coming off his senior season after a prolific career at Pitt. He figured to be top 10 pick, despite a loaded QB class. Somehow, in the pre-internet era, word began to spread that Marino enjoyed a little cocaine. Never substatiated, and always denied, nonetheless Marino's rep was damaged. John Elway, Todd Blackledge, Jim Kelly, Tony Eason, Ken O'Brien were all taken before the Dolphins selected Isotoner Dan with the 27th pick. The rumors were nothing more than farts in the wind as Dan silenced the haters with a Hall of Fame career and nary a drug issue.
In 1995 Warren Sapp skipped school a season early and entered the draft. Towards the tail end of his Hurricanes career there were rumors of failed drug tests. The story came out before Miami faced Nebraska in the 1994 Orange Bowl. Allegedly Coach Dennis Erickson helped conceal the positive results, and the events had pushed Sapp into declaring early. With the Lombardi and Nagurski trophies on his resume, a big body blessed with nimble feet, Sapp was a sure top 5. The marijuana queries ended up culiminating in an odd episode, word leaked that Sapp had failed drug tests at the Combine by testing positive for cocaine and pot. The NFL dismissed the reports as false, but only addressed the cocaine. Teams were scared, and 11 passed until the Bucs took Sapp. The marijuana issue was verified by a misdemeanor possession arrest in 1997, but the charges were dismissed after a successful motion to suppress. But seriously, who cares? Given Sapp's 7 Pro Bowls, the rumors seem rather overblown. What G.M. wouldn't trade those troubles for Sapp's dominance in the trenches?
Randy Moss is the next step in the rumor hierchary. Marino's rumors were false, Sapp's were probably true, but overblown, and Randy's were not only true, but potentially problematic. Unlike the other two, Moss sat at the precipice of the NFL with a track record of trouble. After signing with Notre Dame as a high school senior, Moss got into a fight and plead guilty to battery. He was cut by the Irish and was quickly snapped up by Bobby Bowden. Unfortunately the NCAA ruled that Moss must sit out as a transfer since he had already signed the letter of intent. Sitting out for the year Moss managed to violate his probation by smoking weed. Forced to cut him, the Seminoles said goodbye to the future Biletkinoff Award winner. Finally eligible at Marshall, Moss galloped for 53 touchdowns in 2 seasons. When the 1998 Draft came around Moss was a hot topic. The talk wasn't really rumors, most of his issues were out in the open, but teams were concerned. The Freak fell all the way to the Vikings with the 21th pick to the shock of many. Cowboy Jerry Jones passed on him with 8th and offered up some pansey excuses the day after. Moss went on to set records for most receiving TDs and yards in a rookie season, and now owns the single season TD mark as well. He's a beast that again, any G.M. keen on winning would take despite an annual brain fart. What have we learned? Nothing. One can never tell if they landed the next Adrian Peterson or Lawrence Phillips.
Phillips was a horse starting his sophmore season in 1994 at Nebraska. The Huskers started the season with Tommie Frazier at QB, but blood clots forced him to miss the last six games of the season. Soon enough Coach Tom Osborne was down to 3rd string QB and few choices on offense. Phillips carried the mail, logging 1,722 yards as the Huskers won the Big 8 Conference. In the Orange Bowl against a stout Miami Hurricanes defense, Phillips managed 96 tough yards. The 1995 season began with Phillips on every Heisman radar and with over 200 yards at Michigan State in week 2 his stock was soaring. Late in the evening when the Huskers arrived back in Lincoln, Phillips went to his ex-girlfriends apartment and dragged her down a flight of stairs by her hair. Suspended and tarnished, the word on Phillips began to spread amongst NFL front offices. Raised in a foster home, and now battering a woman, was Phillips susceptible to problems? Coach Osborne reinstated him for the last 2 regular season games and the outset of 1995 Fiesta Bowl there were many questions about Phillips. After an impressive performance in Nebraska's mauling of the Florida Gators, the draftniks were abuzz. Taken with 6th pick by the Rams, Phillips was considered the best back in the 1996 Draft. Most considered his talent undeniable; Theisman thought, "the mental aspect I believe is behind him," but the sage Mel Kiper knew better. Mental issues must account for a failed NFL career due in large part to plain insuborbdination. Phillips ended up skipping enough practices to get the softy Dick Vermeil to cut him. After that an assault charge and more inability to come to practices cost Phillips chances with the Dolphins, NFL Europe and the 49ers. Out of the League completely by 1998, his biggest NFL impression was missing the block on Aneas Williams that ended up KOing Steve Young. By 2005 Phillips had sunk to playing pickup football in the park with teenagers in Los Angeles. Somehow, and for some reason he tried to drive his car into several of the teens. Convicted of 7 counts of assault with a deadly weapon, Phillips was sentenced to 10 years in California's State Prison.
Former First Lady Nancy Reagan sitting astride Mr. T in a Santa pose?
Or Mark Messier with a Red Stripe and napkin covering his nifkin patting a young Gary Coleman on the rear?
The economic meltdown and corporate shenanigans as foretold by the writer of Calvin and Hobbes nearly fifteen years ago. Watterson was a unique talent, critics hailed his artistry and fans of all ages loved the strip. He stands out not only for the success of Calvin and Hobbes, but also for his decision not to license or animate the strip. A Saturday morning cartoon, dolls, lunchboxes; Watterson could have made loads of cash. Instead he stood steadfast in his belief that commercializing his charachters would undermine his message. The sad part of the Calvin and Hobbes story is the rampant copyright infringement of Calvin in the form of pissing deviant.
Lifted from a frame in which Calvin is filling up a water balloon while looking out for Hobbes, it has now become annoying. Come out of retirement Mr. Watterson, the newspapers need you.
The next six weeks will feature a veritable feast of information for political science/football junkie. The annual glory that is football season coincides with the most intriguing election in American history. The Republican ticket features McCain alongside the first female vice presidential candidate for a major party since Geraldine Ferraro and Walter Mondale got blown out in '84. That alone would make for a compelling election. Add the historic and inspirational nomination of Barack Obama, and you have the best reality show of all time. Hopefully STiB will once again become a staple of Utah's diet, what's up Nikki?
Christine Amanpour is a renowned journalist, most famous for her tenure at CNN. Rising to prominence for her coverage of the first Iraq war, she has since covered Bosnia and the Middle East extensively. If there's a war zone, you could expect Amanpour to be on site. Born in London, but raised in Tehran, she later went back to England to attend an elite girls school. In 1979 the Iranian Revolution forced her Shah-friendly family out of the country. That year Christine enrolled at University of Rhode Island beginning her career in journalism.
Twenty years later Amanpour married James Rubin, no slouch himself. Rubin served as an Assistant Secretary of State under Clinton, hosted his own show on PBS, an advised the campaigns of Kerry and Hillary Clinton. In terms of power couples mixing politics and media, Rubin and Amanpour match these previously discussed duos. For some reason these couples are intriguing, certainly their intellect and prestige make them compelling, but the elusive question is their mutual influence. When Rubin discusses Iraq policy with Dan Senor, one wonders how much their moral compass is influenced by Campell Brown and Christine Amanpour. These relationships do not carry the attendant troubles of illicit ones, as long as the duties and coverages remain separate like Andrea Mitchell and Alan Greenspan, all is well.
A while back ago Obama was seen on a tarmac holding Fareed Zakaria's The Post-American World. The book raises eyebrows, not due to its content, but its author. In this election, Obama walks a fine line between his diversity appealing to some, and scaring others. The Islama-phobia in America has Obama fending off all Madrassa claims and asserting his Christian faith. His efforts have hurt Muslim Americans, once a supportive voting bloc. With his efforts so obvious, one wonders why Obama would let himself be seen with a potentially misinterpreted book. The title, and suspiciously Islamic author, rile fears of the isolationist minded. To others, Zakaria's book is a prescient glimpse into a more competitive global power struggle. Many say the book is not a morbid American apocalyptic, but rather a realist assessment at pending challenges America faces in its struggle to stay atop the global food chain.
Fareed Zakaria was born in Mumbai, India into an intellectual household. His father was an Islamic scholar and a sometime politician, his mother, editor of the Sunday Times of India. Fareed attended elite private schools and got his BA at Yale. Later earning his Doctorate in Government at Harvard, Zakaria has become an influential columnist, author, and political program host. Though pigeon-holed as a liberal by some, Zakaria actually espouses moderate, and most significantly, realist, approaches to government. His article for Newsweek in October of 2001 was hailed as a superb analysis of the pending struggle. Zakaria is a significant voice in our current political environment, kudos to Obama for intellectual engagement, but his most important goal should be avoiding media musket balls.
The epic fall of the Rocket continues. McNamee's bombshell allegation of needles with Clemen's DNA shatters the last ounce of doubt any reasonable person had. Surely there are questions about chain of custody and preservation; McNamee had these things for around 7 years, but there is enough circumstantial evidence to convict Clemens in the court of public opinion. I guess no one can reach O.J. status short of double homicide, but Clemens has reached the bottom of the slide. Lies, statutory accusations, and juice, have made Roger Clemens the libel-proof plaintiff.
Most likely Reno decided not to press on, not because of her personal animosity for Thompson, but rather her belief that the work of 2 Live Crew might be in poor taste, but was not "obscene." Emboldened rather than defeated, Thompson personally sent copies of the album and lyrics to the Broward County Sheriff's Office. A judge agreed and obscenity prosecutions got under way in South Florida. Eventually overturned in Federal Court, the proceedings rocketed 2 Live Crew to international stardom. Thompson then embarked on an eternal quest to rid the US of every dirty rap song and GTA series video game. The video game industry has been his main target, perhaps not without some merit to his claims. Lately though, the news for Thompson has been bad as he struggles to keep his bar license. Embroiled with the Bar Association for much of his career, he tells of story of ideological suppression, they claim 27 violations of personal misconduct, enough to warrant a 10 year license suspension. After decades of seeking to suppress freedom of speech, Thompson now stands to lose his pedestal, perhaps in part to his vociferous Christian zealotry. His message might bother some, but he is constitutionally justified in his battle;"I enjoy doing what I do and I think I've got a First Amendment right to annoy people and participate in the public square in the cultural war."
This week we will celebrate the 4th of July. For America it is a chance to celebrate our independence and marvel at our progress. Our nation sits at the brink of a historical presidential election, one with individuals considered 3/5 of citizen for the first 100 years of independence. However despite the warm feelings of refreshed democracy, certain troubling events lay on the horizon. Being inextricably tied to Israeli foreign policy, the rumblings between Tehran and Jerusalem spell trouble for the United States. Last week Israel flexed and preened for the world with a large scale air force exercise. Iran isn't backing down, which puts the US amidst the proverbial rock and a hard spot. The animosity between the two countries is palpable and certain to rock the political boat. The US election would be viewed through a different perspective by many if the US were being drawn into another Middle Eastern dispute. Perhaps some would be assuaged by McCain's assured ability to be Commander in Chief. Others might be sickened by the cycle of warfare and seek a new approach to diplomacy. One thing is guaranteed, this election will be unique and unpredictable, just like the Middle East.
Both political parties face sensitive issues in their past, both concerning events that took place in South Carolina. Each must rebuild the burned bridges in order to maintain party unity. In the 2000 Republican primary, McCain took a 19 point New Hampshire win into South Carolina. Expecting to establish rapport with the state's large military population, McCain and his supporters thought South Carolina would be the tidal victory. Instead, Karl Rove engaged in a successful whisper campaign aimed at stirring up prejudicial holdings. McCain was incensed by the smears and according to The Huffington Post, didn't even vote for Bush in 2000. On the other side, this year's Democratic primary election in South Carolina saw the touchy topic of race take center stage. Bill Clinton's glib remark, apparently comparing Obama's SC victory to that of Jessie Jackson in 1984 and 1988, was not taken well by the Obama camp. The heat continued when Bill claimed Obama had played the "race card" on him. Despite these spars, Clinton lends his support to Barack, something each needs to survive. Many considered the endorsement to be tepid due to past squabbles. However, Bill is walking on a slippery slope, and a quiet endorsement might be the best recovery. He must not overshadow his wife, still a potential V.P. candidate, and he must grant Obama the respect his nomination earns him.
Usually endorsements, especially those by non-politicians are meaningless. Warren Buffett, a long time Democrat has recently endorsed Obama for President. Once a pal of Hillary's, Buffett now throws his considerable influence behind her former foe. Buffett's support should come as no surprise, he has spoken out strongly against the current tax system. Those same tax cuts that McCain now supports. Buffett's enthusiasm for Obama brings credibility to those questioning the feasibility of "change." What does Buffett know? For starters he's the highest regarded investor in the world, and gave us this gem on gold's unproductive valuation; "It gets dug out of the ground in Africa, or someplace. Then we melt it down, dig another hole, bury it again and pay people to stand around guarding it. It has no utility. Anyone watching from Mars would be scratching their head."
The pictures were taken in Harlem in the late 1980s. Urban despair was evidenced by putrid streets, boarded up buildings and junkie-filled alleys. In 1993 Rudy Giuliani was elected as mayor of NYC via the "tough on crime" platform. Giuliani focused his attack on NYC's rampant crime by implementing the "broken windows" policy. Initially published as an article in Atlantic Monthly in 1982, Broken Windows by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling was a groundbreaking, yet simple theory on how to cut crimes rates. The theory argues, in order to stem the tide of crime, one must start by fixing the neighborhood's broken windows. By cleaning up the streets, literally, the once putrid community is made palatable. When trash litters the curb, disrespect for the community is endemic. The denizens retreat, leaving the streets empty for the aimless and criminally minded.
Giuliani hired William Bratton as his Commissioner of Police and watched his city establish a new reputation. Now known as quite safe considering its size, NYC was the first large scale application of the broken windows theory. The success of course spawned imitation, with good reason. Once a playground for pimps and panderers, the streets of the city are now often seen at their marketable best. It is naive to think that removing eye sores and beggars is a panacea for criminal activity. Certainly keeping the most mentally ill, the most addicted, and the most desperate off the streets restores civic pride and security. However it only moves much of the hustling crimes indoors and pushes the impoverished elsewhere. The success seen in NYC is hard to gauge, many say the naturally occurring end of the crack epidemic resulted in dropping crime rates more than street clean ups.
The most original, and controversial theory on why NYC's crime rate dropped so drastically was espoused by Stephen Levitt in his book, Freakonomics. Levitt and co-author Stephen Dubner discuss the possibility that the liberalization of abortion laws in the 1980s contributed to the drop in crime. In theory, those in most need of an abortion are least capable of raising a child at that moment in their life. By allowing the young mothers, those struggling with addiction, and others without the needed support system, to get abortions; it is less likely a child with be born into a broken home. Since crimes are most often committed by young males, when their numbers decrease across the board, the crime rate does as well. An addicted and pregnant young lady in 1985 no longer loses control of her child when he grows up as the 90's close.
