Ive seen baseball sustain, even prolong life. It may sound a bit melodramatic, sure, but that doesnt change the fact that Ive seen it. My grandmother died two weeks after the close of the 1993 Texas Rangers baseball season. She held tight to her transistor radio every night, staying awake as late as she could and if she didnt make it to the last out, the previous nights game was the central point of conversation at the breakfast table the next morning. This year, a new minor league baseball team in Grand Prairie of all places helped my 84-year-old father re-energize himself, giving him something to look forward to all summer.
When I talked with Ron Baron, president of the Addison-based Continental Baseball League, on the phone Monday about the possibility of bringing a new independent league team to Alpine, we talked about the Grand Prairie AirHogs. The team is located just four or five miles down I-30 from the Ballpark in Arlington and the Texas Rangers, but somehow they were an overwhelming success in their first season. Anyone whos taken Marketing 101 can tell you its no secret what these minor league GMs are doing: they are gearing their product to family, making the sport affordable again, and making it accessible to those who probably love baseball the most: seniors. It is not hard to get in and out of an AirHogs game unless there is a BonJovi concert next door at the Nokia Theater.
Minor league ball is making a strong resurgence simply because it is so anti-major league. In many cases fans see a decent calibre of action at half the price and a fraction of the crowd to have to deal with, which together can yield twice the pleasure. Its a stroke of genius for many presidents of start-up leagues and the resugence of the sport should be applauded. One of the things baseball is good at is that it brings people together and gives them a chance to be together and visit others with a backdrop of a baseball game.
So, take it just one step further. And this is Dads idea, so Id never claim credit for it. Why not form a league comprised solely of teams in West Texas. An independent league that would run from June through the middle of August, bridging the gap between spring sports and football. With this West Texas Independent Baseball League you pit natural geographic rivals against each other. Seems to me itd be a winner. In the words of the Continental Baseball League itself: Kids of all ages deserve a chance to root for their hometown baseball team.
Answer No. 1: Midland wouldnt have a franchise. It doesnt need one and competing against the RockHounds would be futile. But West Odessa would probably love to have a team. Thats covers the immediate area in a needed market for such a league.
Amarillo and San Angelo also have teams in the United Baseball League, so they couldnt be a part of the WTIBL. San Angelo couldnt support two teams, but the greater Amarillo might be able to if it is marketed to the outlying areas from Plainview to Canyon and Hereford.
The makeup of such a league is half the fun of dreaming about such a concept. The eight-team league would be divided into two divisions: the Plains and the Desert.

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I know I certainly wonder about these questions, and I have for quite a while. Ive read through It Pays to Talk multiple times along with countless other articles and materials on the issue, reflecting not only on how to talk to my own parents, but how others can talk to their parents about these issues. Here are the key tactics Ive found for making it work.
Know where you stand
Before you even think about addressing such a conversation with your parents, spend some time really understanding exactly what you want out of this. Are you authentically expecting a piece of the estate? Will you be authentically hurt if your parents are in a lot of debt that they didnt tell you about? Why? What if they are making unexpected choices with their estate, like leaving more to one child than another or leaving most of their money to an organization you dont agree with? How does that make you feel? Would these things make you angry?
At an earlier point in my life, I was often frustrated when I thought about such things. It took me a while to really realize that these choices are my parents choices, and theirs alone. My role should just be to help them and to make sure that their wishes and choices are carried out just as they wish. If you still harbor strongly-held opinions on what you think they should be doing (not in terms of specifics, but in general direction), youll likely have a difficult time having a constructive conversation. Spend some time reflecting carefully on it and dont move forward with a discussion until you can do so with a clear mind, a clean conscience, and a clean heart.
Be straightforward and thoroughly honest
Usually, such a talk with your parents isnt a path youll take unless youre harboring some concerns. You are far better off clearly stating those concerns right up front, as clearly as you can. Say exactly whats in your mind and in your heart, even if its not a comfortable thing to say. If youre worried about how theyll pay for their retirement years, say so. If youre worried about what they expect of you in those years, say so. If youre worried about whether theyre in a situation where theyll have to work forever, say so. If youre worried about their estate planning and whether or not its in place at all or whether it actually reflects what they want, say so.
You are a concerned child. You love your parents and you want their final years to be as good as possible. You also want to make sure that their wishes are carried out in the event of their demise. Speak from the heart and make it clear that you love them, care for them, and want these things to happen for them.
Get appropriate people involved
This need not be just a talk between you alone and your parents. You may want to get some or all of your siblings involved with this process as well and perhaps other family friends or relatives involved. Dont just view this as a situation between you and your parents, because its bigger than that - its about helping your parents plan their future.
If youre involving siblings and other members, you may want to talk with them first and suggest that they read this article. They should also be on the side of helping your parents come up with strong and sensible plans for their later years.
Remember, though, that you dont have to involve others. There may be good reason to just make this a conversation between just you and your parents. Just dont immediately exclude people when you consider it.
Choose a pleasant and comfortable environment
You should choose an environment and situation for such conversations that makes everyone feel as comfortable as possible. If your parents are still living in the house you grew up in, this is probably the best choice. Make sure everyone involved as some basic amenities available to them - good coffee or other beverages, a simple snack, and so forth. If the place needs straightening up, do it in advance before talking.
The point is to do everything you can to maximize everyones comfort level. This discussion is likely to push some comfort zones a bit, so you should take every effort to reduce any other potential intrusions on comfort as well as provide little touches that help reduce inhibitions and raise everyones comfort. Youre much more likely to have everyone involve express some candor if everyone feels as comfortable as possible in the situation.
Check your ego (and temper) at the door
It can be tempting to believe that you know the best solution for your parents and that any talk you have about the situation should just be a matter of you telling them what they should do. Thats ego, and it should not be a part of this conversation. Similarly, you may find yourself getting angry at your parents because they arent following the same logical path that you would follow. Thats anger, and it shouldnt be a part of this conversation, either.
Your role here is to be assistance for them unless they ask you to be more than that. You should have your own ideas, of course, but that does not mean your parents should immediately jump on board and follow those ideas. If you find yourself getting angry or frustrated, take a break. Excuse yourself, go to the bathroom, and just sit there for a minute and collect yourself. Remember that these are not your choices. Youre merely trying to help your parents make their own choices.
Ask what they want, not what you want
In many families, there are going to be family political angles to this talk. You might view this situation as competition with your siblings for some share of the estate or perhaps you view this as an opportunity to keep some undeserving child out of the picture.
Dont. If you go in there with this attitude, youre focused only on what you want. Such thoughts and goals arent about your parents, theyre about you. The purpose of having a talk with your parents about their situation is to help them, not help you. Ask what they want, and abide by it. Dont tell them what they want - because, likely, thats what you want - and theyll know it.
Open the books together
If your parents are in a deep debt situation, they may want to just tell you what the situation is and not show you. The real truth lies in the numbers and raw facts of the situation, and you cant actually help them without knowing the truth of their situation.
If you find yourself in this situation, suggest that you walk through all of the information together - in fact, this is always a good policy to follow. If they refuse, then you should not give them further advice, since youd be offering ideas and suggestions based on incorrect information. You can talk about issues such as estate planning, but in terms of helping them or offering help, you cant make a fair or reasonable offer or suggestion with incorrect or false information as a basis. Tell them that you would love to help them, but you dont want to mislead them along the way, and leave it at that. They may choose to come around later, but thats out of your control.
Remember, giving advice based on false data is giving extremely bad advice. You may be driven to help, but giving them advice when you suspect that the underlying information is wrong doesnt help - it hurts. If you find yourself here, back away in the most pleasant way you can.
Look at what theyll realistically need at retirement and after
Good topics to cover: their current budget, their current retirement savings, their target retirement date, how theyre saving for retirement, their budget after retirement, and their insurance coverage (especially health insurance and long term care insurance). These together will provide plenty of food for thought for all of you.
Be very clear on their post-retirement plans. Many parents harbor a plan to eventually live with their children, while other parents dont have any plan at all beyond not wanting to be a bother to you. Encourage them to think about what exactly they want to do when they retire. Do they want to continue to live in their home, or do they want to downsize? What about their later years - are they planning for nursing home care? These are hard questions, but they need to be out there on the table.
Be clear about your role and how youre willing to help - dont waffle
Make it very clear what things youre willing to offer to make the lives of your parents easier in their later years. If youre open to them moving in with you, say so. If youre able to provide some regular financial support, say so. If youre willing to do the detail work of all of their planning, say so. Be very clear about what you can and cant do to help them.
They may take you up on certain pieces of your offer and not others - and thats fine. Be open to their needs and ready to help with what they want.
Walk through the necessary estate planning questions
Ask about life insurance. Ask about a will or a living trust. Clarify who the executors and/or trustees on such documents should be. Clarify where the property should be assigned to. Talk about a master information document.
Even more important, if your parents dont have any of these, offer to help them through the process of setting it up. Quite often, people want to have such things, but they put it off because it seems like a lot of work. Having someone on hand to help you through it makes the process seem more manageable.
Offer, dont push
When youre talking, youre going to have ideas and recommendations for your parents. You might even know the thing they should be doing. Dont push. Go through the options and add what you would do, but dont tell them which path to take. Let them make the decision.
You might find that they lean towards a different option than youd like. Dont fight them on it, even if you view the choice as not realistic. Instead, be consoled by the fact that they are in fact looking at the situation and making decisions and that you are aware of what those choices actually are. You can then move forward on supporting them in that choice.
Do something pleasant and unrelated afterwards
Ive found that every time in which Ive had to have a serious discussion with a friend or a family member on something like this, its been helpful to do something very pleasant and unrelated afterwards - like a family meal, for example. Dont just walk out of the door at the end of the planning - instead, cement the bond you already share.
Follow up
Remember that this is just the first step in a long conversation. Dont let the progress youve made falter. Follow up on the things youve pledged to do, and let your parents know that youre concerned and are thinking about things as well. This is a process, not a one-time thing, and you need to follow up.
Good luck, especially if youre like me and this topic has been on your mind for a while.

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No team plays a tougher schedule the rest of the way than the Giants, and no team plays a softer schedule the rest of the way than the Titans. The Titans are a stone cold lock for 12 wins if Kerry Collins can stay healthy.
4. Carolina Panthers (4-1)
I thought the Bucs might be the best team in the NFC South, but look at the Panthers now. All of a sudden, all of their wins are of the quality variety, as they blew out the Falcons and the Chiefs. It does make a difference that they beat down on bad teams because its easy to skate by those weaker opponents, but thats not what good teams do. The Panthers are a great team who finally have an identity, they always wanted to run the football, and now they have the horses to do it.
5. Baltimore Ravens (2-2)
This defense might be even better than the 2000 version. Yes, the Ravens are just that good. As long as the running game is clicking, the Ravens will keep winning those close games. Joe Flacco just has to find a way to complete 60% of his passes without scoring points for the defense. As the last two games have proved, great defenses like the Steelers and Titans can create game changing turnovers if Flacco is careless with the football. If the Ravens need to change the Quarterback in order to win the AFC North, I think that John Harbaugh would be willing to bench his future Franchise QB.
6. Dallas Cowboys (4-1)
The Cowboys have real problems in their pass defense. They wont address these issues though because they have been winning. And as they run through the toughest part of their schedule, Tony Romo is going to have to stop turning the ball over. The Cowboys are as talented as everyone believes, but a small loss in focus will lead to a 9 win finish against their ridiculous schedule.
7. Philadelphia Eagles (2-3)
Most statistical models still like the Eagles to make the playoffs in the NFC East. Ive gotta tell you, if broken ribs compromise Brian Westbrooks effectiveness, this offense just isnt good enough to get the Eagles to the playoffs. The defense will be forgiven for giving it up to Washingtons dominating offense, but the Donovan McNabb era might be winding down. And yes, the Eagles are still a top ten team. No, that doesnt guarantee them anything.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
The Bucs have a Quarterback issue, which is the only thing separating this team from the Panthers atop the NFC South. Brian Griese isnt the answer. Jeff Garcia probably isnt the answer. It may be time to see if Luke McCown can be the next late round, late bloomer QB in the mold of David Garrard/Kyle Orton. If he isnt, I hear Chris Simms is available
9. Chicago Bears (3-2)
The Bears have a league average offense! Last time that happened, they won the NFC. The NFC is far more difficult this year, but the Bears are the clear frontrunners in the North division. Kyle Orton is leading the charge right now that is helping the Bears Defense return to the top by actually controlling the time of possession! What a concept!
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1)
The black and blue Steelers now have a one game lead in the loss column over the Ravens. Their defense isnt nearly as strong as the Ravens, but its still one of the best units in the NFL. It may need to be even better with Ben Roethlisberger getting hit all over the place. The win against the Jags was critical, but it needs to be kept in context. Since the Jags lost most of their OL in Week 1 vs. Tennessee, theyve yet to beat an above average team. They almost beat the Steelers. So how good are the Steelers? Top ten, for now.
11. San Diego Chargers (2-3)
The Chargers should have beaten the Dolphins, yes, but its not an apocalyptic loss. The Dolphins have proved that they belong in the discussion for best team in the AFC East. The Chargers are still a safe bet for double digit wins this season, because they still have two games against the Chiefs on their schedule, and this is still a top offense. However, the sum of the parts is not an elite team. Theyre good, but theyve proven to be beatable.
12. Denver Broncos (4-1)
The Broncos handled the Bucs at home because the Bucs struggled to throw the football against an awful defense. Kudos to Mike Shanahans gameplan, which took away the running game of the Bucs. The offense has now struggled in two straight games though, and this game against Jacksonville will be crucial to determine who is not only the frontrunner in the AFC West, but it could also determine a playoff spot between the Broncos and Jags.
13. Arizona Cardinals (3-2)
Yep, the Jets game was a fluke. Against a much better Bills team, the Cards pass defense showed up, and Kurt Warner threw the ball all over a strong pass defense without his No. 2 target in Anquan Boldin. This is a very good team that will be playing in January.
14. New Orleans Saints (2-3)
The quality of the Saints passing game is often overlooked, but the quality of their punt return game will be overlooked no longer. In a crazy game that amounted to an upset, its important to remember that the Saints both torched the Vikings secondary, and absolutely shut down Adrian Peterson. The run defense is clearly improved, but the two huge weaknesses: rush offense and pass defense are as critical as ever. They are an average team when you combine the offense and the defense, but they are great on special teams, which means they still have a shot at 10 victories in a tough division.
15. Buffalo Bills (4-1)
The 4-1 Bills havent played well since Week Two and are on the verge of falling off the map if Trent Edwards misses time. The defense is the main culprit in their three game demise, but the offense NEEDS Edwards to be successful. Theyre no Cardinals, and the Dolphins and Pats will threaten seriously for the AFC East crown. The Bills are the top team in the AFC East going into their bye, but they could be the worst team in the division if they lose to the Jets.
16. Jacksonville Jags (2-3)
As a Redskins fan, I know that Gregg Williams defensive schemes dont work without a strong secondary. I think the Jags are a totally different team with Reggie Nelson at S then without him. I expect Brian Williams to move back to corner and the Jags to be a much stronger defense in the second half. Their defensive effort the last two weeks has been pitiful, but this team is well-coached, and much stronger than the numbers suggest.
17. Miami Dolphins (2-2)
The Patriots domination might have been considered a fluke, but the Fins just did it again vs. the Chargers. Its clear now that this team is better top to bottom than the Pats are, explaining why they were able to head into NE and beat them by 23 points. The Dolphins can move to over .500 against the Texans this week.
18. Minnesota Vikings (2-3)
Maybe no team needed a win more than the Vikings needed a win at the Superdome on Monday, which they got. Exploiting the Saints pass defense isnt really something they can do every week though. Theyll play the Lions next week, and should find themselves back at .500 and in the hunt in the NFC North.
19. New England Patriots (3-1)
The Pats are 3-1, but its looking like they accomplished it against three hapless teams in KC, SF, and the Jets. Matt Cassel is not playing well, and the Pats dont have the running game to pick him up. Randy Moss bomb was the decisive play in SF last week, but when JT OSullivan is carving up your pass D, you have a problem. Despite the record, its time to ask if this team would be competitive in their own division even if Tom Brady was healthy.
20. Atlanta Falcons (3-2)
So, beatdowns of the Lions and Chiefs were not that impressive, but how about a road victory against the Packers? This Falcons team that we all expected to be in a rebuilding phase, they look now to be a middle of the pack NFL team. Unfortunately, they caught the NFC in a rough year, but this team could be good in the near future.
21. Indianapolis Colts (2-2)
The Colts are in Peter Kings top 15 teams, but Im wondering exactly what King has seen in them thus far. Peyton Mannings timing is still a bit off. The defense is pathetic without Bob Sanders, and the special teams have never been very good. They can rebound if Manning starts scoring on every drive, but theres something to be said about the orientation of the NFL when Eli Manning is running the leagues top offense, and Peyton Manning is mired in mediocrity.
22. New York Jets (2-2)
After being the beneficiary of 6 turnovers against the Cards to score 56 points, its becoming clear that the Jets managed to pull an upset in Miami that first week. Since that game, all the Dolphins have done is beat the Pats and Chargers, while the Jets got killed by both the Jets and Chargers. Bummer. At least Brett Favres new team has jumped over his old team this week.
23. Green Bay Packers (2-3)
What happened to the Packers OL? We know the defense is hurting, but I think we all expected the OL to pick up where it left off last year. Instead, Aaron Rodgers is hurting, Ryan Grant is doing poorly, and the Packers have nowhere to turn to. In my wildest dreams I didnt see this team struggling like they are right now.
24. San Francisco 49ers (2-3)
The 49ers have done a much better job defensing opponents passing attacks this season, and hopefully the effects of Martz-ball can revitalize the offense very soon. Theyve recently snuck ahead of the Seahawks as the top challengers to the Cardinals playoff hopes.
25. Houston Texans (0-4)
Im not sure how fair it is to dock the Texans for mistakes made by their backup QB. Considering that they were beating the Colts by 17 in the middle of the 4th quarter with their starting QB on the shelf, its safe to say the Texans are better than their record shows. It may not result in wins this year though; they just cant let golden opportunities like Sunday fall through the cracks.
26. Seattle Seahawks (1-3)
The Seahawks were not supposed to be this bad, but every phase of their team has disappointed. Well, except for Julius Jones. But thats not a good consolation. Where does Seattle go from here? Its going to be tough for lame-duck coach Mike Holmgren to save his final season in Seattle. Matt Hasselbeck is hurting, hes back down to one serious target to throw to, and the Seahawks secondary cant stop anyone.
27. Cincinnati Bengals (0-5)
This team has played very well in road losses against the Giants and Cowboys. With the hard part of their schedule behind them, the Bengals figure to make a small charge over the rest of the season. This hole is just too big to climb out of. Mike Zimmers defense is really starting to accomplish things in Cincinnati, which gives them some hope for future seasons. The question is: Can Marvin Lewis save his job?
28. Oakland Raiders (1-3)
And thus the Tom Cable era begins. His first goal will be to get the potentially strong Raiders rushing attack back on track. The defense is playing well right now, but if they cant run the ball, its just the 2006 Raiders all over again without Lane Kiffin calling the shots.
29. Cleveland Browns (1-3)
Derek Anderson will start at Quarterback again this week. Maybe the bye week helped him get his game on track, but the Browns dont really have a whole lot of time to find out. Maybe Anderson and Brady Quinn can split game reps? The real important question is: can the defense continue to improve?
30. Kansas City Chiefs (1-4)
The Chiefs did not do a single thing right against the Panthers. Congratulations to TE Tony Gonzalez on setting the all-time yardage record for NFL Tight Ends.
31. St. Louis Rams (0-4)
Interesting storyline: O.C. Al Saunders returns to Washington this week. With a bye week to prepare Marc Bulger for the Redskins defense, will the Rams have any tricks up their sleeves for the surging Redskins. Perhaps, but unless they can force a punt or two, its not going to matter.
32. Detroit Lions (0-5)
The Lions are one of two teams with five losses in five weeks, and not once have they been within two touchdowns. If the Lions are the worst franchise in NFL history, and this is the worst Lions team ever, are we looking at the worst team ever to play the game of football.

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The following is a list of Major League Baseball teams with the most consecutive (active) seasons appearing in the playoffs. This refers to teams which have made the playoffs after the 162+ game regular season either by winning one of the six divisions, or winning the wild card; that is to say being the best second-place team in each of the two leagues.

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I spent the past couple years jumping from one message board to the next passing along the cardinals news, got real tired of it and decided to start up my own site. hopefully you enjoy where all the cardinals news links meet in one place. any comments, questions, complaints? or if you feel your blog/site should be apart of the site email me: jrocke217@yahoo.com(please be sure to title your email Cardinals Best News Links) You can also catch me putting together player updates for The Birdhouse and creating a buzz around the Cardinals lower level clubs mainly vsl dsl.

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Read the lastest major league baseball news from the pennant race to the all-stars, promising prospects in the minor leagues, standings, ballparks, season play-by-plays, who's in the dugout, who's about to set the home run record, who has a south paw no one can beat and more.
If you are glued to the TV for games from the Boston Red Sox to the Toronto Blue Jays, the NY Yankees to the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies to the Cleveland Indians, we've got the teams, franchises, match-ups, off-field hijinx, and salary debates fresh off the diamond.
If you have a question or suggestion for an issue you'd like to see covered on the baseball page, drop me a line at Suite Baseball.

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Today, I recalled a conversation I had a couple years ago. I was in my health club locker room resting after a vigorous workout. A few lockers away from me, a conversation about politics taking place. The speaker, an African-American man of about 55, spoke passionately about the upcoming election declaring he would never vote Republican. When asked why, he said he remembered traveling as a young man through the South and encountering segregated hotels and whites only signs in restaurants. He said he never forgot what that experience was like. He blamed Republicans for supporting Jim Crow laws that made legal segregation and discrimination possible.

A wiser man would have bit his tongue and let the comment go. Remaining silent though doesnt always come easy to me, especially when the comment I knew was blatantly historically false. I politely pointed out to the man that those southern elected officials he complained of were not Republican, but were Democrat. He accepted my historical correction without much comment. I doubt I changed his animosity toward Republicans though. I walked away from that experience wondering how many people believed that the history of the Democratic Party was one of valiantly defending civil rights while the Republicans fought to preserve the offspring of slavery legal segregation and discrimination. In fact just the opposite is true.

The Democrats' history on civil rights is a shameful one. After the close of Reconstruction in the South, the Democratic Party took over the region by threatening and intimidating Republican elected officials and voters. During Reconstruction, blacks in the South voted overwhelmingly Republican. Many of the Republicans elected from the South were black. The end of Reconstruction brought the curtain down on two-party competition in the old states of the Confederacy. For more than the next 100 years, the Democratic Party was the only party in the South.

During that century of one party dominance of the region, the Democrats enacted laws mandating segregation. Any attempts blacks made to reassert political power in the region were curtailed by numerous measures adopted by Democrat-dominated legislatures. These included poll taxes, the White Primary, literacy tests, etc. Locally, Democrat officials blocked blacks from voting by harassment and intimidation of those who dared try to register. Even as late as the 1960s there were counties in Mississippi, for example, that, although they were majority black, only a tiny percent of those blacks were registered.

President John Kennedy, far from being a leader in the civil rights arena, was dragged kicking and screaming into the debate on the issue. As a Senator, he had opposed a federal anti-lynching law. As a candidate for president he had not supported civil rights legislation for fear of angering white Democrats in the south. It was only when the political winds changed in the early 1960s that JFK came out in favor of the civil rights bill.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 are seen as the triumph of Democrat President Lyndon Johnson. But in fact, both bills enjoyed much wider support among Republicans than Democrats. Over 80% of Republicans supported those two bills, while Democratic support was in the low 60s. The key member of Congress who helped carry those bills was not a Democrat, but a Republican, conservative Senator Everett Dirksen of Illinois. Southern Democrats had conducted a filibuster against the bill. Dirksen and the Republicans helped break the filibuster.

The other day, I heard a commentator say that after the civil rights bills, the Republicans immediately took over the South and have dominated it ever since. That simply isnt correct. Although Republican presidential fortunes in the South turned around in the 1970s, Democrats continued to dominate the region at the other levels of government. Its only been within the last 20 years that Republicans have become competitive with Democrats in Southern congressional and state legislative districts as well as state-wide offices.

In the political spin Democrats use, Republicans started winning the South because it adopted the racist and segregationist policies that Democrats had abandoned. It is simple-minded rhetoric, backed up by no proof whatsoever. The fact is that many Democrats in the south only voted Democrat because of the history of the Civil War and the fact the party post-Civil War pushed racist, segregationist policies they favored. When the Democrats abandoned these racist, segregationist policies, the reason these conservative voters were voting Democrat was removed. Southerners did not start voting Republican because the GOP adopted the Southern Democrats racist agenda. They started voting Republican because Democrats abandoned their racist agenda.

I have always said that the greatest spin in political history is how the Democrats have persuaded people that their party in fact was the great champion of civil rights. History says otherwise. The fact the Democrats have nominated an African-American for President, speaks well that the party of slavery and segregation has taken the final step in casting aside its shameful racist history. For that, everyone, Republicans and Democrats, should applaud.

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Read the lastest major league baseball news from the pennant race to the all-stars, promising prospects in the minor leagues, standings, ballparks, season play-by-plays, who's in the dugout, who's about to set the home run record, who has a south paw no one can beat and more.
If you are glued to the TV for games from the Boston Red Sox to the Toronto Blue Jays, the NY Yankees to the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies to the Cleveland Indians, we've got the teams, franchises, match-ups, off-field hijinx, and salary debates fresh off the diamond.
If you have a question or suggestion for an issue you'd like to see covered on the baseball page, drop me a line at Suite Baseball.

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Interesting defense, but we smell a rat. The major flaw in the argument is the level of the drug found in the horse. As seen by the drug elimination curve (to the right) a drug is eliminated from the body at a particular rate depending on how the drug is absorbed, metabolized (say liver or kidney) and how it was distributed in the tissues (that depends on it's chemical properties); this is called pharmacokinetcs.
Steroid Nation is not going to perform calculus on Mythilus but the argument falls apart because an important piece of data is unknown: the time of administration of the drug.
If the horse were tested one hour after administration producing a low level of the drug in plasma (or urine, we don't know the test specimen, but it sounds like blood) then a low level would be significant, indicating some low level contamination or administration. (BTW, could the sample have been contaminated in the lab?)
However, if the test were carried on on a horse days after the administration of the dose, a low level would be incredibly significant. That would mean the measured amount of drug was way to the right of the graph's time axis. Theoretically a ton of the drug could have been administered to the horse, and the very small amount indicates he was simply tested after most of the drug was eliminated. Or it could be that the drug is fat soluble, which means drug sticks around in the horses tissues for a long period of time (such astute clinical terms we use).
The example of a person using the drug on his hands, touching a broom, some hand-shaking, then the horse's groom patting the horse is first irrelevant, and second preposterous. Hopefully the FEI didn't buy that tangential story; that dilution of the drug in the broom and groom is such that a molecule or two might have passed to the horse. (we would go with the lab contamination theory first)
The important piece of data missing is the time of administration. This drug is an effective analgesic at 1 inch of the cream applied to the skin (in humans) from what we read.
The broom and gloom story is irrelevant, and a canard. Dose in a rat is a smoke screen because trans-species drug doses mean very little; the absorption, distribution, and elimination will all vary between species. Does anyone want to dose themselves with digitalis (a heart drug) based on rat pharmacokinetics? Or take an analgesic for a headache based on rat doses? Didn't think so.
We would suggest that the USA dressage team stick to their reputation as a measure of honesty (it sounds like the FEI recognized the good word of the USA riders, and vets), because there are all kinds of reasons for low levels of a doping agent in a horse, and none of them involve grooms and brooms. (and note that none of this debate reflects on whether the horse was deliberately or inadvertently doped)
Addendum: We are bit concerned about the horse Mythilus.

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With the Tampa Bay Rays struggling over the last several days, the Red Sox entered last nights game knowing they were still in the hunt for the AL East title. Despite that fact, and in spite of the fact that the New York Yankees were in the opposing dugout, manager Terry Francona made the decision to sit DH David Ortiz and second baseman Dustin Pedroia for last nights game then, in anticipation of a rain delay, he compounded the problem by pulling Daisuke Matsuzaka from his scheduled start and substituting minor leaguer David Pauley in his place.
He may as well have gone out to center field raised a white flag over the Green Monster in lieu of the US flag.
Pauley made his second start of the season. By the time he left the game in the third inning, the fat lady was already warming up he allowed six runs on seven hits while retiring eight Yankees batters. He was replaced by David Aardsma. By the time HE left the game, the fat lady was singing an aria Aardsma allowed five runs on three hits and two walks while retiring a grand total of TWO hitters as the Red Sox fell to the Yankees, 19-8.
Custer had a better day at Little Big Horn.
With the loss last night, the Red Sox handed the AL East to the Rays (who again lost to the Detroit Tigers, 6-4). ARGH!
And who did the majority of the damage last night? Derek Jeter? Nope. Alex Rodriguez? Uh-uh. Bobby Abreu? Try again. With Matsuzaka keeping warm on the bench and Pauley, Aardsma, Mike Timlin, Chris Smith and Devern Hansack on the mound, Brett Gardner (two hits, four rbi) and Cody Ransom (three hits, two rbi), along with 2B Robinson Cano (three hits, five rbi) sank the Sox.
So much for putting your best foot forward.
While it is true that the teams waited out 2 hours, 9 minutes of rain delays before getting started, I would have preferred to see Dice-K pitch four innings and then come out of the game as opposed to throwing in the towel before the first pitch. And if the fans in the stands perceived Tito was waving the white flag before the game began, you can rest assured the players sensed the same thing.
Afterwards, Tito said: The important thing is for us to get our house in order, be healthy, and try to get everybody at-bats.
Whatever, Tito.
New York scored in every inning but the sixth against a group of pitchers who should ALL be left off the post-season roster though I dont expect that the Sox will leave Timlin in Boston when they head to Los Angeles to start the ALDS on Wednesday. Of course, with his 5.77 ERA, Timlin has done NOTHING this season to earn a spot on the playoff roster unless you want to use him in a game if either the Sox or Angels jump out to an eight or ten run lead.
Ironically, the nineteen runs allowed by the Red Sox last night are the most runs allowed by a Red Sox team since losing to the Yankees in Game 3 of the 2004 AL championship series by the identical 19-8 score of course, after the loss in 2004, the Sox didnt lose another game en route to winning its first World Series championship in eighty-six years.
3B-turned-DH Mike Lowell came out of the game after one at-bat when his balky back acted up he is unlikely to play for the remainder of the weekend and his status for the ALDS looks bleak.
Jacoby Ellsbury had four hits for the Red Sox the only Boston hitter with more than one hit in the game he hit a leadoff homer in the first (#9) to get the game off to a good start for the Sox. But thanks to the minor league pitching they trotted out in the game, the Sox advantage was forfeited by the time most fans had taken their seats.

Ellsbury stole a base and became the third player in Red Sox history with 50 stolen bases in a season, joining Tommy Harper (54 in 1973) and Tris Speaker (52 in 12).

Gil Velazquez, who was called up from Triple-A on Thursday, recorded his first major league hit and RBI in the fourth. George Kottaras also had his first big league hit.

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The stadium underwent a series of refurbishment during 1970's, and the light poles were added in 1992, enabled the stadium for night time uses; however, because the stadium is located under the flight path of commercial airliners in and out of Tainan Airport, the height of light poles was limited and so the light poles are placed on the spectators seatings, obscuring the view of certain seats and also make the ball hard to see for outfielders when looking for outfield fly balls.

In 1995, the second level of the outfield spectators seatings and elevators were added, making Tainan Stadium the first stadium in Taiwan to have more than one level and expanded the capacity to 14,500. The dimensions of the stadium were extended in 2003 from 380 ft to 400 ft in the center field and respectively all around the outfield, after it has failed to qualify for use of Baseball World Cup in 2001. The LED screen was also installed in late 2003, just in time for the World University Baseball Championship which was held in 2004. The latest refurbishment was done in 2005, when the infield seatings were changed to a more comfortable model; the Lions organization hoped it would make the experience of the spectators in the stadium more enjoyable, and thus would attend the game more often. This latest refurbishment also reduced the stadium capacity to 12,500.

The stadium is currently under the management of Uni-President Lions organization since 1999, although the ownership is retained by the Tainan City Government.

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CRMs Latin American Increase, Epicor and Tieman, Not So Cuil, Flypaper Pro, Open Solutions and Clinton, Inovis and Pervasive. On contest day to compete and must be years of age and present a government issued photo I. A second volume does leave me pondering how and why they are doing this and the track listing is not so recognizable.
Big breasts are neither neccessary nor sufficient to be a feminine and attractive woman. Along with her lifestyle, Brooke also has a healthy attitude about her body Sometimes I want to be a thin model. Re not just selling underwear or T shirts, you. You have to figure out what the disc will do for you, or, in my case, what it will do to you. Aside from her fantaserye Dyesebel, Marian is currently busy. Paul Hornung, Len Dawson, Jim Brown and Jim Parker were taken before Bosseler.

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ESPN The Magazines Anna Katherine Clemmons contributes a piece to ESPN.com under the header, Bender Helping Hurricane Victims Recover, Rebuild.
Clemmons noted that former Indiana Pacers F Jonathan Bender has established the nonprofit Jonathan Bender Foundation and the for-profit Jonathan Bender Enterprises. Clemmons: With both, Benders idealism has manifested itself through initiatives like adopting elementary schools, building real estate ventures and offering free finance classes for some of New Orleans poorest residents.s foundation focuses on providing disadvantaged children the tools to address their educational, health and social needs.
When Benders Foundation adopted Joseph S. Maggiore Elementary School, Bender bought and distributed Christmas presents to the 430 students. He also plans to establish an after-school program he named Being Busy and Cool After School, where students will have 30 minutes of tutoring followed by lectures from professionals discussing their careers.
Rookie Program: Bender wants to start a mentor program for NBA rookies, and hes developing a reality show, Brand New Orleans, based on his projects. However, much of the reality footage would focus on Benders for-profit construction company, Kingdom Homes, which has been buying and restoring flood-damaged properties in New Orleans worst neighborhoods (ESPN.com, 9/23).

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The end of a legacy is near.  After Sunday, Chicagos Wrigley Field and Bostons Fenway Park will have less company in the discussion of the truly historic stadiums of baseball when Yankee Stadium closes its doors in truly manufactured style complete with a pre-game announcement of Mariano Rivera the anointed ninth inning pitcher of their final tilt.  With two games remaining at the House That Ruth Built, its time to look back at what was said about Yankee Stadium in The Sporting News from the first story the paper did on the then-future home of the Yankees to the article about the first game in what became the home of the most successful franchise in baseball history.

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siridi-manoyanamano.blogspot.com)
Cast Crew: Banner Yash Raj Films Status Under Production Color C Release Date October 24, 2008 Language Hindi Genre Animation Producer Aditya Chopra Director Jugal Hansraj Star Cast Saif Ali Khan...... voiceover of a dog Kareena Kapoor...... voiceover of a dog Javed Jaffrey...... voiceover of a dog Lyricist Jaideep ..

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There are some legal wranglings going on between the new owner of the building and Anheuser-Busch that may cost Bud its prime location right behind Wrigley's home run alley in left. It's all pretty complicated, but it boils down to Tom Gramatis, the new owner of the Bud Building, claiming that Anheuser-Busch missed a payment and failed to respond to the notice he sent, which gives him a right to void the lease and, presumably, sell the advertising space before the playoffs start for huge, huge amounts of money. AB is calling shenaningans and the whole things is going to court. Until a decision is made, the roof remains covered by a brown tarp.

It's funny because, as i mentioned in the first paragraph I really think that few people think of the sign as an advertisement and many more think of it as a part of Wrigley. But if something (say, Dunkin' Donuts) replaces it before the playoffs, then everyone talks about the new sign in the outfield and the new purchaser suddenly gets not only prime advertising space outside of Wrigley, but a ton of free exposure on national TV. I think Gramatis probably knows this and that's what's driving him.

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Q: Carl Asks....

Here's a question I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on. Given the busy weekend ahead, if you want to wait until next week to address it, that's fine by me. But I'll go ahead and ask now...

...The linemakers are obviously very good at what they do, but I'm not convinced they don't set traps each week for the public to walk right into. Is this the case, or are these cases a matter of flawed perception by the public?

A: Hey Carl....

You asked another question where I could probably hammer out another 1000-word response to. You also asked this while I was going over the Oregon @ Purdue matchup for Saturday. So, if we lose that game tomorrow, you all know who to blame (I am only kidding). I will try to give you a quick answer and keep it short. The oddsmakers aren't setting "traps" in that they are trying to "trick" you or force the public to one side or because they know the outcome. They are absolutely trying to get 50/50 in total money on each side without question.

Sure, you will see a lot of the public bettors that are playing Virginia Tech in the Virginia Tech/ECU matchup that you gave as an example. But, you took ECU (the other side) and you aren't the only one. Just because there are consensus reports out there that say 70/30 one way or a few forums on the web have mostly Virginia Tech players, doesn't mean that Vegas is getting 70/30 in action for that game. Those consensus reports do not account for sharp action as well as big money action, nor does it account for the ECU bettors waiting for the public to move the line. Also, 10 guys on the web could be playing Virginia Tech for $100 a piece, and all it would take to keep the line from moving would be one player heading into that same book and dropping a dime on the ECU.

If something looks like a "trap" and the line seems off, then you are most likely missing something and you should be digging for the information that you are missing. That could be a very good start in finding the games that you wish to research. I still also call some spreads "traps", but not for the reason that the oddsmakers are trying to "trick" you into betting one side. The reason lines can be considered "traps" is because the public perception is incorrect, where the oddsmakers are posting the line based on what they think the public will split on. Just because the public will split the action on that game, doesn't mean that the spread is right and the games final score will end with that particular spread.

I could go on and on about this sports betting related topic. Remember, the oddsmakers are not psychic and do not have influence over the games...well, unless Tim Donaghy is officiating the game. But in all seriousness, Vegas has no reason or any need whatsoever to influence the outcome. Remember one more thing; The house always has more money then you and will always be able to cover your action (unless you are Warren Buffett). Therefore, if the oddsmakers mess up on a game and they take a hit, they will be able to cover your action until they screw up on a line and it ends up benefiting them. So, if you win $100 one day, the house don't need to "trick" you in order to get it back. The odds are just in their favor that they will eventually see that money again.

It may seem like the oddsmakers are playing games with you because it seems that they are so dead on with the spread in relation the actual spread of a game's final score. The reason for this, is because they post so many lines, that eventually a few of the final scores are going to finish near or around the set spread for the game. Their posted spreads have nothing to do with the final scores. They are simply posting a line where they will get an equal amount of action on each side. For that very reason, the betting public controls where the lines will be set as much as the oddsmakers. This is the same exact reason that The Visionary can beat the books by playing with patience, using disciplined money management, and making well informed betting decisions.

I will close this discussion with one final thought before I go. I really could go on and on for hours on this topic, but I think you were just looking for my opinion on this. However, I don't consider this really an opinion based article because it actually contains facts, and you are thinking in terms of a conspiracy. And, if there is a conspiracy, it's not in Vegas. Vegas is actually the least corrupt place in the world as far as gambling goes. Vegas casinos are well regulated and there are strict laws protecting you and your rights as a customer. The corruption happens outside Vegas, in the mob controlled, barstool bookies. These are the same places where the Tim Donaghys of the world pop out of. Besides, the revenue it can generate to help solve a lot of the country's problems, this is another legitamate reason why online gambling should be legalized and regulated in the United States; It will also prevent corruption and crime instead of encouraging it.

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I have been a subscriber to The Gifting Club since the end of July and came in part way through the Major League Baseball season.  I will give my views and experiences on the season in a moment but first I recommend you read the excellent report posted by Alistair back in March when he trialled the Basketball service.  This will give you a good insight into how the Gifting Club works.  The MLB works on a series of four games, called a selection, and you need to set your own profit target per selection.  I used £25.  If game 1 wins fine, but if not your losses and profit target are rolled into game 2 and so on.  If game 4 loses then a loss is taken.  When I joined, the win/loss record was 117/2 and the two losses totalled around 30 points.  A most impressive net profit at this stage of 87 points, or £2175 at the staking level I was using. Very soon the record had gone to 136/2 but I was uncomfortable with the stakes when a fourth game was reached as 30+ points were usually at stake.  These fourth games were not common but there were enough to make me uneasy.  From 136/2 to last weekend, when The Gifting Club finished their season the record went to 164/6.
I was going to write this report earlier in the week but I am glad I held back as a newsletter has come out and The Gifting Club admit the problems with the second half of the season and to quote them the sports books finally caught on to our system and started pricing our game 4s where it was too risky to take the money line.  This forced us to take the run line to lower the risk and ultimately cost us three huge losses.  The games did win on the money line however, which means the system did work.  For those of you not familiar with the American terms the money line is the straightforward win or lose and the run line is the handicap, usually 1.5.  There were actually four losses in the latter part of the season but one of them was being bet on using the odds against team, not the favourite, and the loss was much lower.  They say they are going to make adjustments for next season but they do not say what.
So where does that leave The Gifting Club as a service.  If you had been a subscriber for the whole of the MLB season then you would have shown a small profit,  but you would have been hugely disappointed with the way the profits of around 105 points at its peak went down very quickly when the losses occurred.  It will be interesting to see how they approach the next MLB season and how they propose to reduce the risk.  For now there are plenty more services to take us through the winter and I will post a report in the next few weeks on the NFL and College Football systems.  These are different to the MLB as the loss recovery system is not used.
The service has potential and their customer service is fine but I would say to anyone thinking of subscribing proceed with caution and if you go to their website you can freely subscribe to their still skeptical service which is self-explanatory when you read it.

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Id probably tell Milton he owes it to himself to survey the free agency landscape and we dont want to stand in the way of that, but we do want him here. Have him shop the league and figure out what his value is on a multi-year deal, and then sit down to knock out a deal with him to stay. If someone out there wants to Gagné him and offer three or four guaranteed years, I probably wish him the best and take the supplemental first as compensation (hes evidently projected to be a Type B free agent). But even though the disincentive to other clubs would be reduced by virtue of his Type B status - signing a Type B doesnt cost you a draft pick (it only results in the award of a supplemental first to his previous team) - Id be surprised if someone committed three years or more to him, given the injury risk.
I think a two-year deal heavy on appearance incentives is a fair contract, but I want a club option for a third year (hes only 30 years old, younger than Marlon Byrd). Maybe two years at a guaranteed $15 million, with $500,000 for reaching 502 plate appearances (the number necessary to qualify for the batting title - hes at 470 right now in 2008), and another $500,000 for every 50 plate appearances he makes after that. As for the 2011 option year, when Bradley will be 33, maybe another $7.5 million (same incentives built in) with a buyout of something like $2 million.
But all of this depends on how strongly I feel about Max Ramirez or Justin Smoak (or Chris Davis, to make room for Smoak) settling in as a designated hitter for this team by 2010. Im not counting on Bradley to be an everyday defender again.

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From Publishers Weekly
According to Isaacs (All the Moves: A History of College Basketball), a batboys experience bridges the great gulf between the worlds of insider and outsider. In this anecdote-filled study, the author goes inside the clubhouse for a detailed look at their lives and work. It starts with getting the job, which is usually through serendipity or a family connection (jobs are often handed down from generation to generation). There are the batboys duties, both the official ones and those that may make him the bearer of notes, phone numbers, room keys, and other tokens of assignation between players and their more ardent fans. The initiation of a new batboy is frequently via a practical joke, as when he is sent searching for a bat-stretcher or the key to the batters box (Tom Seaver liked to send them to find some elbow grease). As might be expected, many of the clubhouse pranks, however funny, are scatological?and a batboys education might extend to extramural activities such as a sexual initiation from a Baseball Annie. Douglass interviewees offer a field guide to common baseball-playing species: the belligerent the competitive the clownish And the batboys do name names, giving the skinny on the genuine good guys (Sandy Koufax, Billy Martin, Gil Hodges, Jimmy Piersall) and the ones who forgot to tip (Dave Winfield, Mike Schmidt, Denny McLain). Its an interesting study of a job that remains a genuine piece of Americana. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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