Olympics, Daytona, PolySci & Lost

The Shroud over Turin (Torino): seems to be covering the heads of our Men's Hockey Team as they strive to underachieve. Going in, the concern was with the goaltenders, but judging from what I've seen in the past two games, it's the other guys that are not doing as well as expected. They look like a team that hasn't played together very much -- oh, yeah, it's true, they haven't. I don't see a sense of national pride with these guys like I see with the Euro's -- it's more like, yeah, I got millions in the bank, and I'm in Italy on the gov dime, so I play a few games, then go take in the scenery and sights, and get back home, sucks to lose, but oh well...

Cheat, Cheat, Never Beat...but not in NASCAR: oops, the winner of The Great American Race, The "super bowl" of racing, the daddy of them all, is the car that was caught cheating just last week. NASCAR wanted anybody but the #48 car to win. Now there goes the credibility, back down the one-holer out back...

Bill Mahar, are you serious?: your show is getting out of control, Bill. It's your job to moderate the conversation. And stop whining about losing your show -- GET OVER IT. Dude, you need to move on. As for the panel, it was not very good, but hey, it's only the first show, you've got nowhere to go but up! Helen Thomas, please step aside, your comments just don't make sense, and they're tarnishing your once-infamous reputation. And please tell me the brotha on the panel was joking with most of his comments. Or better yet, please tell me he and Helen were last-minute replacements, Bill! Try to get more of Joe Scarborough and/or Dennis Miller -- or are you afraid they'll make too much sense for your anti-Bush audience to take?

Lost in Space and Time: Are we really to believe that humans would act this civily and look so refreshed after being marooned for so long? And no one would go crazy, especially knowing that there's a hidden place that has food, and a shower with hot water, and electronics?? Or is it because they're all dead, or it's all a daydream? Kinda like "An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge" -- after all, we did see the Locke character with that book in his hands two weeks ago. I can't imagine not having someone go nuts, or not seeing more power struggles between the de facto leaders, or not seeing more crazy hook-ups between strangers -- it's natural for homo sapiens when they are put into their most basic environment...

Keep Gambling

I don't understand the problem with gambling by professional athletes. To me, it's like smoking weed: There's rules against it, and if you get caught, you get your hand slapped. If you use it so much that it impairs your life/job/whatever, you will pay for it, either directly or indirectly. These millionaires CRAVE competition, it's what keeps them going. Gambling has been going on forever (remember the centurions at the crucifixion?) -- it's entertainment, and these guys have so much money, they need something to do with it. I wonder how many pro teams have regularly scheduled Gamblers Anonymous meetings? Quit wringing your hands like an old woman! If they break the law, they get put down, just like the rest of us. And to all you newspaper columnists that are posting articles against it, I have a question: do you work for a paper that publishes the odds on games? Don't forget that charity begins at home, so if you care so much about this issue, take it up with your employer first...

55 Book challenge

Remember this from last year? An oldie but goodie. So I thought I'd incorporate it into my "new year's regimine". As of today, I'm still working on it. I've read a few books, but I'm way behind schedule.