Is Vulgarity Free Speech?

There has been a dust up at Colorado State University over an editorial form Sept. 21 that had the headline of "Taser This: F**K Bush." This of course was a reference to the incident on the University of Florida campus. Now, advocating that every newspaper use such colorful language is not the mission of this entry, but I am wondering if what we all think of the prospect that freedom of speech will be limited. We can form our own opinions about the situation, and to help out, I will post a few links.

NY Times The Coloradoan(CSU's Newspaper) CNN I CNN II Rocky Mountain News

The Bears Are Who We Thought They Were

Well, this is quite the bitter pill to swallow after last year's Super ride. Did we really lose to the Detroit Lions? It was very tough to watch, and they better get it together really soon. I never thought that I would be afraid of the Packers, who we face next week. This will be a make or break week for us and they better show up to play.

Division Champions!!

Yes, I know they clinched it last night, but I was literally falling asleep as I was trying to post about it. For those who don't know, the Chicago Cubs are the champions of the National League Central Division for 2007. It has been a great ride so far, so let's hope it continues. I will post more once I know the match up for the Division Series.

Must See TV

It was great to have The Office back tonight, it was hilarious. I will stop there since I don't know if we have all seen it. ER was also very good. I have now opinions of the abomination that is Grey's Anatomy, as I have not watched it yet. To be honest, I probably won't. It is one of the most gutless shows on television and I can't believe that it is still broadcast. Yes Brian, I know I watch Nip/Tuck but I am not under the delusion that it reflects real life, unlike the loons that commit themselves to Grey's. I will now step off the soapbox and go brush my teeth.

A Bit More About The Little Rock Nine

For those that are interested, here is some more info on the Little Rock Nine. I cannot stress the importance of this incident, especially as we continue the discussion on the Jena 6. Keep in mind that history is unfinished and as the story continues, we must not forget the past.

Griesed and Ready To Go

Well, the pundits were correct: Brian Griese is our quarterback. Hopefully this will put some mustard in to the 30th (no, that is not a typo) ranked offense in the NFL. Lovie gave Rex all the shots that he deserved and now it's time to give the club the best chance to win. I'm a very worried about a playoff spot at this point, but hopefully Griese will have some magic left in his arm.

Next?

Well, the Bush war machine may be up to their old tricks again. University of Michigan history professor Juan Cole explores this idea in a column written for www.salon.com. This comes from Andrew H. and I found the ideas scary, interesting and all to possible at the same time. Only time will tell what will happen with this situation, but the observations brought about by Cole are inherently necessary.

Bionic Candidates?

Here is a nice little summation of last nights Democratic debate broadcast on MSNBC. The column is slightly sarcastic as the author compares Hilary Clinton with The Bionic Woman, which aired opposite the debate on NBC. For the record, I was recording Bionic Woman. It has been okay so far. I have high expectations, considering this show is executive produced by the same guy that runs Battlestar. Anyways, if you are looking for a political fix, check this out. Hilary may have lost my vote due to her answer to the final question that moderator Tim Russert asked. Anyone that really knows me can understand why I consider her response to be gutless.

Oh yeah, and almost as bad: Obama is a white sox fan!?! That truly hurts. Sorry Mar, I know there is one in every crowd.

My Favorite Concert(s)

Well, the BEASTIE BOYS are playing Chicago tonight and tomorrow and I have to miss both shows. This hurts me quite a bit, since I have never seen them and they are one of my favorite bands. The first show will be all instrumental, while the second is a full on show with lyrics.

This led me to think about what my favorite all time concert is. Well, this was very difficult, so I will give you the five best, in no particular order:

• The Police, Wrigley Field, July 5, 2007: For a long time, I always said that this was my dream show, and it did not disappoint. The played a great show that was tight and crisp. It was a gorgeous night, and we all know what I think of the venue, which is the greatest place on Earth. Top songs: "King of Pain" and "When the World is Running Down We'll Make the Best of What's Still Around"
• Rolling Stones, United Center, September 10, 2002: This was another dream show. I bought the tickets as a gift to my father and the payoff was excellent. Seeing those guys run around on stage at the age of sixty was unbelievable, it was quite the spectacle. Top Songs: "Happy", "Miss You" and "Sympathy for the Devil."
• Coldplay, Chicago Theatre, November 30, 2001: First off, the Chicago Theatre is a beautiful venue with impeccable acoustics. The show was memorable for the fact that it took place the day after the George Harrison passed away. As a huge Beatles fan, that was quite a blow. The acoustic perfection of the theatre made the band sound great and they were really on the top of their game since it was the final show of the tour. If none of us have seen them perform "Yellow" live, it is quite the treat. To top it off, they played "Here Comes the Sun" in honor of Harrison. It was truly a magical moment. Top Songs: "Shiver", "Yellow" and "Here Comes the Sun."
• U2, Soldier Field, June 28, 1997: This show was all about the spectacle, the music was an added bonus. It was awesome being at Soldier Field, which was transformed into a giant playground for the band. Although Pop in not one of U2's finest moments, my personal favorite is Zooropa, but they were playing the songs with an unmatched enthusiasm. Top Songs: "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me", "One" and "Staring at the Sun."
• Foo Fighters, Riviera Theater, January 19, 2001: Another great show at an intimate venue. This was a show that was played as a warm up gig for the band as they prepped for the Rock in Rio festival. The band chose to play Chicago since it was not included in the previous. It was a fabulous show that I will never forget. They played with a vigor that I have rarely seen and we were about ten feet from the state. Top songs: "I'll Stick Around", "Hey Johnny Park", and "Everlong."

Feel free to share your favorite show or shows. Note to Wilson: Jimmy Buffet will not count since this is about musical performances, not to be mistaken for drunken stupidity.

The War

So, it's time to get our history on kiddies. I forgot to mention that the new Ken Burns documentary, The War, started airing on PBS this week. The whole series is a tototal of 14 hours, so it may take awhile to view all of the episodes. This should prove to be valuable since all of Burns' past films are top notch. He will be speaking at Illinois State University on Nov. 1 of this year. I plan to attend, so if anyone wants to car pool, let me know. As far as some of his past programs are concerned, I highly recommend Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson and The Civil War.

An Easy Way To Help Mother Earth

First off, I have to give Tony and Jill the credit for this one. Thank you for introducing us to this great product. We all know that we live in a time when every little bit helps with regards to the environment. That being said, Mar and I have started using these eco-friendly grocery bags used by the Earthwise Bag Company. Not only do these bags help the environment, but they are very handy. We were able to fit about four bags worth of groceries into one of these great green bags. They are wide enough for a gallon of milk and deep enough to store plenty of products. An added bonus is discounts at certain stores, such as Meijer that will give you a discount for using these bags instead of their own. We paid one dollar a piece for six while visiting Tony and Jill in Champaign, but you can order them directly from the online store in sets of ten. They are slightly more expensive on the website, but they are well worth the price.

Giuliani's Time To Pay Up

Now that www.moveon.org has to pay up, it's time for Giuliani to also pony up some cash. For those that don't know what I am speaking of, MoveOn took out an add in the New York Times prior to the speech by General Pietras gave about progress in Iraq. Some inflammatory language was included that compared the General's last name with the words "Betray Us." Here is an account of what went down and the reaction of the conservative right. While I have no problem with the fact tha MoveOn will have to right a wrong in regards to the amount that was charged for the aid, I think the reaction of the Republicans was a little out of hand.

Jena 6 Part II

Here is a column written for the Christian Science Monitor website. I find it interesting how the author points to the furor over the Michael Vick case and how it's negative nature was front page news, but the case in Jena has been gestating for months before really catching the attention of the nation. We will see what sort of action this will bring from the public in the coming weeks, and for the sake of future civil rights decisions, I hope the right moves are made.

Freedom of Speech?

We had a very interesting story in New York today with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the leader of Iran, being invited to speak at Columbia University. There was quite a furor over his appearance, which is understandable. However, we are the land of the free, which includes the right to speak. I do not buy that it is "unpatriotic" to let the man speak. Here are a couple of op-ed pieces from the USA Today:

Pro Free Speech

Anti Free Speech

Little Rock Nine

Please take time to read this article from www.npr.org about the 50 anniversery of the sesegregation of the Central High School in Little Rock Arkansas. This is a landmark case in United States civil rights history, so take time to remember that not so long ago things were dramatically different.