Once again, I have computer issues making blogging a bit problematic.  I should have it resolved in a day or so.

Till then, Happy Easter and a blessed Resurrection Day.

LSU

With more allegations of cheating coming to light, it does make you wonder.

I personally have no opinion, but I can see why the questions and the taint will linger:

New Claim of Taping Emerges Against Patriots

The Patriots’ pattern of illicitly videotaping the signals of opposing N.F.L. coaches began in Coach Bill Belichick’s first preseason with the team in 2000, a former Patriots player said. The information was put to use in that year’s regular-season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Belichick’s debut as New England’s coach.

The secret taping of signals, which is against league rules, continued at least through three championship seasons to the 2007 season opener against the Jets, when the Patriots were caught and subsequently sanctioned by the league.

...

According to several executives in the league, the season opener against the Jets was not the first time the Patriots had been spotted taping another team’s defensive coaches at Giants Stadium. In the final preseason game of 2006, the Patriots were caught taping a Giants defensive assistant giving signals, the executives said.

The incident prompted a letter addressed to all teams seven days later from the N.F.L. vice president Ray Anderson that detailed the league’s interpretation of the rules. That letter was cited by Commissioner Roger Goodell when he punished the Patriots.

Now, this part cracks me up.  His excuse?

Belichick has said that he misinterpreted the league’s bylaws, telling Goodell that he thought it was permissible to use electronic equipment as long as the information was not used in the same game. That explanation has been greeted with disbelief by some peers and league officials.

Yea, like anyone is buying that.

In a news conference last week, Goodell said Belichick’s explanation led to the assumption that he had been videotaping opponents’ signals “as long as he has been head coach.”

...

Ok that's unfair, but frankly, the Patriots did not play to their usual greatness. That coupled with a New York team that refused to admit they were the underdog made this just about the best damn game, ever.

I love underdogs.  I love when the talking heads are wrong.

Congrats to the Patriots for a hell of a season and Congrats to the Giants for one hell of a game.

 Trackposted to Rosemary's Thoughts, A Blog For All, guerrilla radio, 123beta, Right Truth, Big Dog's Weblog, Cao's Blog, The Pet Haven, Conservative Cat, Adeline and Hazel, third world county, Faultline USA, Nuke Gingrich, Woman Honor Thyself, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The World According to Carl, Pirate's Cove, Blue Star Chronicles, Celebrity Smack, The Pink Flamingo, Wolf Pangloss, CORSARI D'ITALIA, A Newt One, Dumb Ox Daily News, Right Voices, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

I really thought New York was gonna pwn them, but they came back hard.

Congrats to the New England Patirots for their historic perfect 16-0 season.

 Now, let's see how they do in the playoffs...

Sorry about the absence.  I could make some profound excuses and try to look good, but the honest truth is, I was tired and I needed a break.

One thing I am learning is when my body says slow down, take a break and relax, I listen.  I've been working pretty hard in the day job, trying to keep up with the daily stresses of an active family, practicing guitar when I can and trying to slip in some video games here and there.

And sometimes all that takes more hours then you have so you start losing sleep.

But there is also a mental weariness that crashes down on sometimes.

While it may not be apparent to many, blogging is work.  Hours researching, reading and composing to make that final result readable, memorable and most important to me, sensible.

Add to that the occasional feeling of over load as there are so many things going on to write about.  You just get tired.

Tired of the parade of fools in the presidential campaign.  Why fools?  Because we are no where near the serious times in the campaign, with the election being so far off.  What this means is an incredible amount of time and money are being wasted for these idiots to parade their ideas to people who are frankly getting a bad case of campaign burnout.

When the real campaigning comes, will any of us have the energy to care?  And is that what they are afraid of, or what they are counting on?

I am tired of the endless debates where people spend all their time complaining about false issues, and ignore the real ones.  Debates like:

• Abortion
• Global Warming
• Immigration
• Free speech
• Civil Rights

There are so many, I can go on all day.

I'm tired of the endless debate about the war in Iraq with most of the people debating it having no idea how to fix what they claim is broken.

I don't know what to say, aside from Oh My God.

More than seven killed, dozens injured in bridge collapse

At the height of rush hour, a major Twin Cities traffic artery collapsed, sending at least 50 cars, and tons of steel and concrete crashing into the Mississippi River.

The Interstate 35W Bridge that MnDot has been working on all summer is now in the river.

At least seven people were killed and dozens more injured. Water patrol crews from around the metro searched the river for more victims, but called off their search around 10 p.m. saying it was simply too dark to continue.

My hearfelt prayers and wishes to the families and friends of those lost in this horrible event. 

Bought it

Read it.

Liked it.

Find your spolers somewhere else.   All I will say is that I predicted one death, and was surposed at another, and I was right about one thing even if it took a twist I didn't anticipate.

She ended it well, and didn't take any easy shortcuts and the final twist was unexpected.

I'll have more to discuss in a week or so, and I may even take a shot at all 7 books in a series.

Well done JK.

 Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, The Virtuous Republic, Perri Nelson's Website, Right Truth, Big Dog's Weblog, The Pet Haven Blog, Shadowscope, Stuck On Stupid, The Amboy Times, Pursuing Holiness, third world county, Right Celebrity, Woman Honor Thyself, stikNstein... has no mercy, Pirate's Cove, Nuke's news and views, The Pink Flamingo, CommonSenseAmerica, Dumb Ox Daily News, Right Voices, Church and State, Blog @ MoreWhat.com, DeMediacratic Nation, 123beta, Jeanette's Celebrity Corner, Adam's Blog, Maggie's Notebook, Webloggin, Phastidio.net, The Bullwinkle Blog, Cao's Blog, , Conservative Cat, Diary of the Mad Pigeon, Allie Is Wired, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The World According to Carl, Blue Star Chronicles, High Desert Wanderer, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Clapton wrote this for the death of his son, so how much more fitting for all the people mourning the death of their loved ones.

Bushwack at American and Proud and Beth at Blue Star Chronicles have both graced me with an award, the Thinking Blogger award.

While on it's surface it seems like a bloggers chainletter, in that when you get it you should likewise honor 5 blogs that make you think, as i considered it and looked at other bloggers thus awarded, I am honored to be in such company.

So, here are my 5 blog picks for the Thinking Blogger Award (see rules below):

1. Steve at Andrews Dad
2. Max Redline
3. Suzie at Assorted Babble
4. Whacky Nation
5. Perri Nelson

Congratulations, you won a Thinking Blogger Award:

Should you choose to participate, please make sure you pass this list of rules to the blogs you are tagging. The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.

Congrats everyone and thanks again to those who honored me.

 ...As Mark Twain said, are greatly exaggerated.

Those concerned my blogging has dwindled down, rest assured, I will be returning to normal patterns shortly.

Going on vacation for a week had a couple of consequences. 

One, I am swamped at work, and unable to devote any time to considering an essay.  I have many things to write about, which I will offer as teasers in a moment, I just need some time.

Another unforeseen consequence was wrenching my back hauling luggage the last night we were on the road.  It is uncomfortable to sit here, so I keep it minimal.

I haven't just neglected my writing, my guitar playing is not as fun when my back is screaming. 

And considering I just bought one of my dream guitars(left), I am unhappy I cannot break it in properly.

But these are temporary setbacks, and by this weekend i will be back to normal.

Up and coming topics include Mel Gibson's mouth and Hollywood's hypocrisy about his comments.  I also have much to say about the liberal back stabbing of Joe Lieberman.

There are some great local political races heating up which demand a nod as well as the Seattle Sea Fair.

And finally I plan to vent on the state of modern manufacturing and electrical devices....and why they hate me.

Coming soon....