The Pig and Whistle Tavern

The Final Step

2007-01-03T11:39:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been an exciting run on this format, but all good things must come to an end. I just don't have the energy to keep up with a daily. However, I am starting fresh with a blog about something that I do dearly love....politics and the 2008 election. You can check it out here:

http://gregs2008journey.blogspot.com/

I will be charting the entries of the Democratic candidates, my selection of candidates, and following the whole grand process...much like this blog did in 2004! Tune in, I am sure it will be a great time. Thanks for the memories here.....

Two Weeks To Midterms

2006-10-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

Two weeks until the midterm elections that could potentially change the face of politics toward a more liberal ideology. Here are some of the most competitive house and senate races you should check out:

--AZ-Sen: Jon Kyl
--AZ-01: Rick Renzi
--AZ-05: J.D. Hayworth
--CA-04: John Doolittle
--CA-11: Richard Pombo
--CA-50: Brian Bilbray
--CO-04: Marilyn Musgrave
--CO-05: Doug Lamborn
--CO-07: Rick O'Donnell
--CT-04: Christopher Shays
--FL-13: Vernon Buchanan
--FL-16: Joe Negron
--FL-22: Clay Shaw
--ID-01: Bill Sali
--IL-06: Peter Roskam
--IL-10: Mark Kirk
--IL-14: Dennis Hastert
--IN-02: Chris Chocola
--IN-08: John Hostettler
--IA-01: Mike Whalen
--KS-02: Jim Ryun
--KY-03: Anne Northup
--KY-04: Geoff Davis
--MD-Sen: Michael Steele
--MN-01: Gil Gutknecht
--MN-06: Michele Bachmann
--MO-Sen: Jim Talent
--MT-Sen: Conrad Burns
--NV-03: Jon Porter
--NH-02: Charlie Bass
--NJ-07: Mike Ferguson
--NM-01: Heather Wilson
--NY-03: Peter King
--NY-20: John Sweeney
--NY-26: Tom Reynolds
--NY-29: Randy Kuhl
--NC-08: Robin Hayes
--NC-11: Charles Taylor
--OH-01: Steve Chabot
--OH-02: Jean Schmidt
--OH-15: Deborah Pryce
--OH-18: Joy Padgett
--PA-04: Melissa Hart
--PA-07: Curt Weldon
--PA-08: Mike Fitzpatrick
--PA-10: Don Sherwood
--RI-Sen: Lincoln Chafee
--TN-Sen: Bob Corker
--VA-Sen: George Allen
--VA-10: Frank Wolf
--WA-Sen: Mike McGavick
--WA-08: Dave Reichert

Steve Irwin Died....

2006-09-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

....in the environment, killed by an animal....

Anyone else not surprised? I think the only surprise for me was that it was a stingray, not a gigantic critter with rows of shiny teeth.

“Basketball is not just about dribbling and shooting”

2006-09-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

So said the coach of the Greek National Team today after beating the US World Championships Team in the semifinals.

The US has failed to win Gold in 3 international competitions since the 2000 Olympics. To me this is just unfathomable considering USA basketball has some of the most gifted athletes in the world. They can run, pass, shoot, and do things in midair that astonish. What they can't do my friends, is play defense, and for that I place the blame directly on the NBA. The NBA, or Not Basketball Anymore, has made a market selling a sport where two teams race up and down the court pouring in shot after shot with only token defense applied. It makes for a pretty boring spectacle to watch in my opinion, especially when the teams can't shoot the ball that well, which is what happened to the US team against Greece.

Players hoping out of college early miss the skill development it takes to learn to play solid defense, and lets be honest, defensive players are never going to pull in the big contracts like the flashy stars. You can keep it all. College basketball is 10 times more exciting, and they could probably hold their own in world play. Keep the pros at home, they just make us look embarassing.

Retro Music?

2006-08-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you patron, but I really love music and can't seem to get enough these days! There are some amazing things out there right now. One of the trends I am seeing has some funky retro feel incorporated into the music....and most of this stuff is on mainstream radio as well.

Right now I really am digging on Gnarls Barkley and his song Crazy. It has a great bluesy/R & B feel to it. The first time I heard it this summer it just made my head bob, a great sign. My brother says that the rest of his album is good as well, but I have not had a chance to check it out.

I also am really digging on the new song by Christina Aguilera, Ain't No Other Man. It has a great jazzy feel with the horns and beat. My 18 month old loves dancing to the song when we play it at home. Beyonce and Deja Vu has the same sort of jazzy feel with the horns....maybe horns are the new big thing. You just cant beat Jay-Z either, he has always been one of my favorite hip-hop artists out there, such a distinctive style to his music.

Which leads me on a tangent.....living in Wisconsin you would not think that I would be seeing a better string of diversity then in Iowa (meaning that they both have a reputation as pretty white states). However, I have to report that I am very enthused to see so much diversity around these parts...perhaps it is the closeness to Milwaukee and Chicago that makes it so. To that end I have discovered an urban/hip-hop radio station in my area that is the kind of thing you only find in diverse places. I have to admit that I really love the station and the fresh sound of minority voices over the radio, not to mention that I get to stay current on the newest hip-hop tracks out there. The humor of the morning team on this station is great.

Finally, I have always had a soft spot for songs that sport classic lyrics...the rest of the song may be crap, but one awesome lyric can cement a song with me. Now, I was not a fan of James Blunt and his song Beautiful...sounded to whiny to me, but another of his songs, High, is really etched into my thoughts due to this one lyric, "Thought I was born to endless night, until you shine." The song has a powerful refrain and while I think it is intended as a love song, I really see a huge parallel to drug addiction in the song...which is always fun to think about if that is what it is REALLY about.

Check out the new music out there and let me know what you are digging on....unless it is Fergie and London Bridge....which will probably be stuck in my head next week!

Management

2006-08-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

One of the delightful aspects of new job here in Wisconsin is that I am transitioning from being in an entry level position the past four years into the first stages of the dreaded "middle-management". Now granted that the position I hold is not the truest form of middle management, but it does have it's share of the duality of reporting to those you "oversee" while also being accountable to those that "oversee" you.

Part of the reason I went out looking for new work was in fact to move up the proverbial food chain to get more experience with the dual role that a mid-manager must face. It is too early to tell how I like it so far, suffice it to say that it involves more meetings then I am used to having (and that is saying something if you know the field I work in).

Added to the structure of my position are the responsibilities overseeing student leadership on campus, as well as helping to coordinate and define an emerging learning communtiy program on campus that has some strong support from academic faculty and administration. Somehow on top of that I am also now the departmental representative to campus programming bodies, advisor to an honorary student leadership organization, and in charge of fundraising programs for student leadership groups living on campus. It results in a long list of responsibilites, especially when you add in the expectation of supporting the departmental efforts that my two other central staff colleagues are engaged in.

In many ways, the move out of the residence halls after 10 years has given me greater personal freedom with my life, but the complexity of new job has siphoned off that freedom back into the work that I am doing.

Don't get me wrong, I think I will enjoy the work that I will get to do, especially as it prepares me to be a more engaged and effective learning administrator, but it is kind of a shock to see just what goes on at this level.

Wish me luck!

Lord, Have Mercy

2006-07-30T14:38:00.000-07:00

One of the coolest things about my move to Wisconsin (besides owning my first home), is that I have found a church and faith community that I really like. I was grown up in a Presbyterian home, and my wife in a Methodist. However, both of those communities have proven to be a bit too conservative for our tastes at times. We want to find a fun church, with a good variety of ages, and one with traditional services and old organs....can't breed the protestant out of us! We knew the ultra-large Baptist mega churches were not for us, but we instead turned to the United Church of Christ. I was first caught by their advertisements in which they say, "God is still speaking", and the tag line of "Never place a period where God has placed a comma."

At any rate the church is lovely and the sermons really seem to reflect a lot of my thoughts and experiences, which is really cool.

Last week a prayer was shared that I really enjoyed, and so I thought I would post it here, as it reflects current events.

Lord, have mercy. Kyrie eleison.
A Prayer for the Middle East at a Time of War.

You did not make us O God, to die in bomb craters or to huddle through the
night in basement shelters. You made us to play under olive trees and cedars and
to sleep soundly with animal toys and gentle lovers. Lord, have mercy.

You did not make us, O God, to hold hostages for barter or to rain deadly
fury on innocent children and beautiful coast lands. You made us, O God, to
welcome strangers and to cherish all creation. Christ, have mercy.

You did not make us, O God, to oppress in the name of security or to kill
in the name of justice. You made us, O God, to find security in justice and to
risk life in the name of peace, Lord, have mercy.

While leaders in Tel Aviv and Damascus, Tehran, Washington, and southern
Lebanon pander to ancient fears, claim the mantle of righteous victim, and
pursue their little empires in the name of gods of their own devising, the
people of Lebanon and northern Israel are made captive to fear, true victims
whose only advocate is You.

Save us from self-justifying histories and from moral equations that excuse
our folly. Search our hearts for our own complicity. Spare us from pious prayers
that neglect the prophet's angry cry. Let us speak a resounding "no" to this
warring madness and thus unmake our ways of death, so that we may be made more
and more into your image.

The Rev. John H. Thomas
General Minister and President
United Church of Christ
July 19, 2006

Welcome back!

2006-07-24T06:53:00.000-07:00

Hello loyal readers!

Hold on....this blog has been down so long I would be surprised if their were still loyal spammers around! This post will test it out to see if there are in fact people still willing to post adds in my feedback section. Hopefully a few regulars will pop back up as well.

A fresh look for a fresh start, and a new name to reflect how I hope this blog goes. The Pig and Whistle Tavern, a place for lots of ideas to be shared and discussed. It is my hope to identify a couple friends with wide opinions to join me in group blogging on this page to keep it fresh and updated, as well as providing a variety of thought. So, if you are interested in occasionally posting (or frequently posting), drop me a note and I will get you setup with access.

The Iowawineguy has recently moved to Wisconsin to start a new job, buy his first house, and have his second child (okay, that will actually be Mrs. IWG). With the move I have lots to talk about now and many new fun experiences both personally and professionally. I hope you will stick around to read what might be going on.

So sit down, pull up a stool, and have some shelled peanuts....if you dare.

88 Years

2005-10-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

I have never been to Comiskey Park old or new.

I can't remember when I started to follow them.

I couldn't tell you any names from the Go-Go Sox.

But I am a Chicago White Sox fan. I love this team, and it started for me somewhere in the early nineties. Teams that featured great players like Carlton Fisk, Bo Jackson, and an emerging Frank Thomas. I loved the fast and speedy guys...guys like Joey Cora, Darrin Jackson, Tim Raines, and Ozzie Guillen. I loved the power...Frank, Harold Baines.

That is why it feels so good to watch the White Sox headed to the World Series. The team is coached by a large contingent of former players, guys that I remember watching on the field. I love the team now, a team that everyone doubted when they lost Magglio, and Carlos Lee. I love the management of Ken Williams and Jerry Reinsdorf. I love the fire of Guillen as manager and the eccentricities he displays.

I am super pumped for the White Sox vs. whoever series. I do believe in the bad karma of the past (1919 Black Sox). So, this week, since I live in Iowa...I will take a trip to the Field of Dreams, go to left field, and pray to Shoeless Joe Jackson for a reprieve of our curse and a World Series win.

A little divine help can't hurt....

Hello, Blog Land....

2005-10-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

*The Iowawineguy enters his blog, looks around at the cobwebs, the sun faded Dean for President signs, and grabs the dustmop.*

Well, it certainly has been too long since I posted here, and even longer since I posted regularly, but hopefully I will be able to launch this site back into a usable state. I have to admit, I finally have something that will peak my interest again.

It is not politics, where the conservative party seems content to self-destruct itself from the inside out, and the current administration is widely and universally panned across the spectrum.

It unfortunately is not wine, which I have not had the proper time or money to continue exploring to my hearts desire.

It is, as some of you might guess, the impending start of the college basketball season, and the beginning of another (hopefully) exciting year of Illini basketball. This subject more than anything gets me pretty pumped and excited to talk to all of you. As I begin to write more about Illini basketball, I am sure other topics will creep back into my posts.

I have been recently mulling the idea of trying to start a joint blog with some other friends that would cover a variety of topics, and perspectives, so eventually perhaps that will become a manifestation on this site.

In the meantime, college basketball practice starts at 7pm this Friday the 14th. So get excited out there in Illini land! I will monitor the situation and let you know what is going on in between my World of Warcraft sessions, the latest computer game that has me captivated and addicted!

New Orleans

2005-09-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

The situation in the Big Easy continues to deteriorate and I can't help but wonder if part of the problem is our constant attitude of neglect to the poor and needy in this country. Here we have a major metropolitan community devestated by disaster. The affluent and middle class were able to leave under the own power...they had the means.

What is left behind is the poor, lower class, and mostly black population of New Orleans. We see anger, violence, and lashing out from this group of people who had so little, and now have nothing at all. Can we really blame the reactions of fear and violence as they sit in the sludge, dying and waiting to be rescued. What cause do they have for hope from society? What hope has society given them in the past?

I just think it is an amazing study in anthropology to see the what is going on. I hope and pray that all may be evacuated and taken care of safely.

The Political Hurricane

2005-08-31T09:04:00.000-07:00

Wow. Watching the news the last few days is overwhelming to say the least. A disaster of monumental proportions, worse than anything we have ever seen in this country. The good people of the Southern coastline are trying to rebuild and just to survive. To be sure, hard times lie ahead.

Many things may come out of this disaster. We already see the spiking oil and gasoline prices, but might we also see the emboldening of the Democrats in Washington. Howard Fineman thinks so in a very well written column.

Daily Kos has another interesting take on Bush yesterday...not the quality photo op you want when there are bodies floating in the streets of the South.

Things are certainly heating up for the President and I do believe that things will get interesting from now until the midterm elections of 2006.

Great news out of the state of Missouri, where Jim Talent will be challenged in his bid for Senate re-election by a worthy challenger.

Keep the South in your thoughts.

Happy Birthday Back Of The Wine Bottle!!

2005-08-19T08:57:00.000-07:00

One year ago today I started this blog! Unfortuantely I have not had much time to post or write through the summer. I am hoping to pick back up as the school year starts again.

One year ago I started writing this blog as an instrument for positive vibes and to counter the right-wing insurgency. It turned into an Illini basketball blog during the season. Who knows what it will become this year!

Thanks to those readers that are still out there!! (i think just my Mom! LOL!!!)

London Calling

2005-07-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

The news is still trickling in from London this morning about the series of apparent terrorist attacks in the subway and on buses. I hate waking up in the morning and turning on Good Morning America and having to see more tragedy and death on the screen. It pisses me off when these things happen and it gets me so frustrated.

I am frustrated that things have to come to violent outcome because some people are unable/unwilling to listen and talk. I am frustrated at these cowardly terror acts against innocent civilians, people that having nothing to do with military or foreign policy. I am frustrated that it is so easy for the terrorists to accomplish their goals of terror, fear, death, and confusion while it is nearly impossible for us to feel like we have put a dent in their campaign of terror.

I really do want to try to see all perspectives of the issues that are on-going with Islamic extremists. I want to understand how these individuals are filled with such hate, contempt, and zeal for their cause that they are compelled to lash out in this manner. I want to be able to reach out to them and their peoples to try and say there is a better way, and to ask them how we can help them...ask them how we as a world community have failed to give them support for cherishing their life. But all I feel and see when these events happen are anger and frustration.

I just get the impression that we can never really "win" the war on terror. As long as there are passionate and motivated individuals who feel like they have no voice and no power over perceived oppression, then we will always have this lashing out in extreme violent ways.

Ack. It is just frustrating.

SCOTUS and the 4th of July

2005-07-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

Shed a tear and give a cheer to Sandra Day O'Conner!

She leaves for one of the most important reasons...to be with an ailing husband, but her abscence on the court will sorely be missed by liberals and moderates alike. She has often been a voice of reason on a divided court and will most likely be replaced by an idealogue.

I will be back after the 4th of July to help prepare the masses for the nomination battle. Hopefully Bush will turn to someone who is a moderate conservative...someone that will uphold the Constituion, not redefine it. It will be interesting to see how this shakes out!

I am home with family celebrating the 4th and I hope that you do the same this weekend. Remember the FREEDOMS, RIGHTS, and OPPORTUNITIES our fore fathers fought and died for us to have. No one should take those away from any of our citizens....

When The Walls Come Crumbling Down

2005-06-16T08:27:00.000-07:00

I am sorry to stir the pot, but there is just too much stuff about the failures of this administration and it's leadership of the GOP to go uncalled today.

1. WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two years ago, Rep. Walter Jones voted for the Iraq war and led the "freedom fries" brigade inCapitol Hill cafeterias to protest France's opposition to the war. This morning, the North Carolina Republican stands with two ofFrance's favorite House Democrats, calling on President Bush to begin ending that war.
It's a motley crew of congressmen, spanning the spectrum of ideology and geography: The co-sponsors of the first bipartisanresolution on withdrawal from Iraq are two Democrats, Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii, as well asRepublican Ron Paul of Texas. (We don't know for sure, but we bet it's the first time all four men have agreed on anything, ever).
All three of Jones' co-sponsors, for various reasons, have long opposed the war. So it's Jones who draws the spotlight today, as hehas since he first discussed his new feelings Sunday on ABC's "This Week."
"I just feel that the reason of going in for weapons of mass destruction, the ability of the Iraqis to make a nuclear weapon, that's allbeen proven that it was never there," Jones said on ABC. The Morning Grind, CNN

2. With the Senate Finance Committee at an impasse on Social Security and House leaders anxious about moving forward,Republican congressional leaders have told the White House in recent days that it is time to look for an escape route. Senate GOP leaders, in discussions with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and political officials, have made it clear theyare stuck in a deep rut and suggested it is time for an exit strategy, according to a senior Senate Republican official and FinanceCommittee aides.
Democrats are united in their opposition, and the Finance Committee does not have the Republican votes to approve a SocialSecurity plan that would divert some payroll taxes to private investment accounts. But the committee, which has jurisdiction over theissue, also does not have the votes to pass a plan that would preserve Social Security's solvency without the personal accountsbecause too many GOP conservatives want them.
Finance Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) has held 14 meetings with the panel's 11 Republicans to reach aconsensus just on achieving solvency, he said, but they have yet to produce a deal. He has not even broached the idea of personalaccounts, which he acknowledged to be the harder piece of the puzzle.
Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) has been unwavering in her opposition, and at least three other Republicans have questioned thewisdom of moving forward. "We are stuck," Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) said. MSNBC

IWG says: "So much for political capital!!! Bush had to spend all of that on Iraq and Gitmo!!!"

3. The six U.S. deaths raised Wednesday’s toll from insurgent attacks to 58 killed, making it the deadliest day of violence in morethan a month.
At least 1,714 U.S. military members have died since the war began in 2003, according to an AP count. CNN

4. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter challenged Congress on Wednesday to help define legal rights ofterrorism-era detainees at Guantanamo Bay, bemoaning a "crazy quilt" system. Top Pentagon and law-enforcement officials defended current practices at the U.S. military prison camp.

"It may be that it's too hot to handle for Congress, may be that it's too complex to handle for Congress, or it may be that Congresswants to sit back as we customarily do," Specter, R-Pennsylvania, said as his panel took testimony on practices and policies at theU.S. military camp at an American Navy base in Cuba. "But at any rate, Congress hasn't acted," Specter said.
The hearing came against a backdrop of growing reports of U.S. abuse of terror-war prisoners at the camp. CNN

Kos at Daily Kos has a great post on Republican hypocrites about terrorism here.

5. The House voted Wednesday to block the FBI and the Justice Department from using the anti-terrorism Patriot Act to searchlibrary and bookstore records, responding to complaints about potential invasion of privacy of innocent readers. Despite a veto threat from President Bush, lawmakers voted 238-187 to block the part of the anti-terrorism law that allows thegovernment to investigate the reading habits of terrorism suspects. MSNBC

IWG says: "Bush loves the veto pen because he is so extremely right wing of the mainstream! Civil Liberties, pah! Stem cell research,pah! Good thing SOME in the GOP have some sense about them!!"

30% approval rating for Congress, 42% for the President.
Bush's Legacy: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/

Not Like This Dee...

2005-06-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

I really was hoping that Dee Brown would decide to return to Illinois to play out his senior year, and it appears that he will now do just that.

However, I feel horrible that it happened because he broke his foot at the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp, ending his shot at the NBA this year.

Dee Brown is Mr. Illinois Basketball. He has bled orange and blue ever since he put on the uniform. I hope he has a career in the NBA and I feel terrible for him not getting to give the NBA scouts all that they need to see to feel comfortable in drafting him. His dream is to go to the NBA and now it is on hold. It is selfish for me to feel good about him returning to Illinois, because he has higher ambitions, and now they must wait.

Here is hoping that Dee recovers swiftly and fully, and shows the NBA next year that he can run the point with perfection.

Revenge Of The Moderate

2005-05-24T06:55:00.000-07:00

Lots of winners and losers from yesterdays late breaking deal on judicial filibusters.

The big winner obviously is the American people. This deal finally saw the clouds part and allowed the return of the American moderate...who has long been dormant through extremist dialouge from both sides of the political spectrum. Most surprising is the fact that the moderate Republicans finally took their stand against the extreme right wing of the Republican party. Will it cost them eventually? Maybe. We will see how vast and powerful the Talibaptists actually are as they are sure to target these seven moderate Republicans who used common sense and respect for the rules of government to avert a disaster.

The Big Winners
Democrats: The avoid having to resort to slowing down the government and still maintain the ability to filibuster an extremist for the Supreme Court, which was their biggest concern all along.

Janice Rogers Brown and Pricilla Owens: They will now receive their appointments to the appeals courts they have been waiting on for four years.

Harry Reid: He stood up to a clear majority of Republicans in the house and drew a line in the sand that challenged them. I think this worked out great for him and keeps establishing his reputation as a strong minority leader.

The Big Losers
Bill Frist: This whole manuever was a gamble for Frist. He needs the support of the extreme right to run for President in '08, but this move was not favored by the majority of Americans. He gambled on the side of the fundamentalists and was stood up by members of his own party. It makes him look weak in controlling his majority and have have seriously hobbled his chances in '08.

James Dobson and the Right: Dobson threw a lot of weight into this matter, seeing it as the most important issue for the right. He was hoping to use the change in rule to stack the judiciary with judges likely to strike down abortion and to continue to deny civil rights to homosexuals. He and his cronies invested lots of time and money into the Bush '04 campaign and have not seen the payoff. They will not easily forget the 7 who made this happen and will increase their jihad against the moderate Republicans even more than they have in the past.

Could be a Winner, Could be a Loser
John McCain: McCain stood up again to the extremist right and continues to look more and more like a true centrist moderate. Not only that, he continues to show his ability to be a coalition builder and someone that can reach out successfully to compromise with Democrats. This helps build his resume for '08 with moderates and independents. However, McCain has surely pissed off the extreme right for sure. They will work tirelessly now to not only destroy his chances in '08 (much like Rove did in '00), but they will be working overtime to unseat him in Arizona. My gut tells me that true courage like McCain shows will triumph in the end...he is the strongest candidate the Republicans have for '08 and is someone that will help guide the GOP back toward the middle ground.

George Bush: Most of his nominees will get a vote. Only 4 seem to be stuck in limbo. This still showcases his ineffectiveness in working to use his Republican majority in the Congress, but still has to feel good as he gets some of his judges in. The bigger test will come this summer when he has to appoint a Supreme Court replacement. Will he go for an acceptable conservative, or will he pander to Dobson and the right and pick a "judicial activist"?

Stem cells are up today.

Because the People Demand It!!!

2005-05-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

The long overdue of the Iowawineguy from his pre-summer, post-residence hall closing phase is over!

I return to you (hopefully) at the turn of the tide, to borrow a line from Gandalf in The Two Towers. The Congress is poised on Tuesday to deal in some big time issues that could smack Bush and the Talibaptisits down to the fundamentalist hole they crawled out of.

The first of these issues is the judicial filibuster fight. All signs point to the big vote coming on Tuesday this week. Frist has scheduled an all night debate and they are setting up cots at the Capitol for the big showdown. How will it turn out? No one really knows. There is a key group of 12 Senators (6 Dems, and 6 sane Republicans) that are trying to avert the "nuclear option" of killing the filibuster on judicial nominees. I think either a compromise will occur or the filibuster will stay in place...if Frist had the votes for sure he would have done this a month ago...but they must do it now because all signs point to a Supreme Court vacancy this summer. As readers of this blog know, protecting the filibuster is a key provision to keep in place for both parties to prevent the tyranny of the majority and the politicizing of the judicial branch of the government. Without this check, one party can impose it's will in the judiciary...which merely uphold the Constitution, even though it may upset some folks.

The second issue is a bill that would allow federal dollars for stem cell research and for all purposes repeal Bush's ban of federal funding from 2001. Bushy has threatened to veto this bill, but it currently has much bi-partisan support from Dems and sane Republicans and they will try to pass the bill at a large enough majority that the veto cannot be used. This would be a bid slap to Bush and the fundamentalist caveman that want to ban scientific progress. Stem cells are pre-embryonic and thus are not a desecration of a new life.

Keep an eye out on Tuesday. It is a big day with lots of implications for years to come, and more importantly will determine if Bush is a lame duck now, or still has some clout. The Iowawineguy will be here tommorrow night, cracking open a quality bottle of wine and providing insights into the events of the day.

The Rebuilding Illini?

2005-05-07T06:20:00.000-07:00

Could this be the new nickname of the Fighting Illini men's basketball team we have grown to love this year. It certainly seems like it.

Dee Brown announced yesterday that he will enter his name into the NBA Draft without hiring an agent. The surprising part of his announcement was that he will likely leave even if he is not a first round draft pick. Sad news for sure, but probably the best decision for Dee. I think it would be difficult for him to improve his stock any more next year considering the depleted talent the team will have and the move to PG he would have to make. Still, it seems so risky for a guy that was born to play college basketball to give up one more year in order to try and make an NBA roster with no guarantee. On Mark Tupper's blog he echoes my concern, that Dee will be scrambling trying to make a roster spot in Turkey before it is all over. I surely hope Dee changes his mind and decides to come back. Maybe he is just saying the obvious, if you are going to put your name out there for the draft, you better try like hell to make a good impression and prove you belong there. You wouldn't want to enter workouts with the mindset that you are just there to show off before going back to school.

So what does this mean for next year if Dee leaves? The recruiting class coming in is marginal at best according to recruiting analysts. Chet Frazier would have to play point, and it is very hard for freshman to play the point and be successful. All you have to do is look at the struggles of Kiwane Garris and Frank Williams in their frehsman seasons. There has been a chance that we could land Brandon Rush, a 6'6 wing man who is in prep school and is down to either picking Illinois, Oklahoma, or the NBA. If Dee jumps, kiss Rush good bye. That will leave us with James Augustine, a pretty good stable of forwards, a shaky Rich McBride at SG, and an unproven Brian Randle on the wing. Ouch.

I do have faith in Bruce Weber's ability to get extrordinary effort from his players, but I guess part of me was hoping that fate would allow Dee and Deron to come back and let our magic keep flowing. It looks more ane more like a rebuilding year as the days tick by.

2005-05-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday I went to see my favorite band Guster and had front row seats. This is the last encore when they played "Jesus on the Radio" accoustic to the crowd. Great band. www.guster.com

Bush's Eroding Popularity Problem

2005-04-21T09:23:00.000-07:00

Bush's poll numbers this week continued to slide, hitting him at a 44% approval rating. Kos over at Daily Kos has a great piece on why ending the filibuster for judicial appointments would actually end up hurting the Republicans in the end. The reasoning? It will be seen by the American public as continuing to pander to the radical right.

I think that Senators like Santorum may start to back off of this hot potato. Santorum will be having a difficult re-election battle, and needs to make himself look more moderate. Killing the filibuster will not help that cause.

Good Luck Deron Williams!

2005-04-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

Deron has hired an agent and is going into the NBA Draft.

He came in as a pudgy kid who was Bracey Wright's teammate at The Colony. You were rough your first year guy, not scoring, and having trouble in the transition. You surprised everyone your sophomore year and shed a ton of weight when you broke your jaw. You led the Illini to greatness this year.

Good luck in the NBA. I hate to see you go, but can certainly understand. Thanks for all you did for Illini basketball.

Pope Benedict XVI

2005-04-19T13:21:00.000-07:00

I have to admit as a history buff that I have been geeking out over the whole Conclave and changing of the Pope. A very interesting process and one that had my curiosity piqued after reading Dan Brown's Angels and Demons. The role of Pope must be incredibly demanding, but I think I would like to do it for a day just to have access to the Vatican archives, which probably has the largest collection of historical items, information, and secrets in the world. Just to catch a glimpse of some of the items and treasures in there would be amazing.

I am not Catholic so I did not feel too passionately about who the next Pope would be. I was hoping to see someone from the Southern Hemisphere for historical grooviness. I am also sad to hear that the new Pope has a history of hard-line interpretation, but that is only to be expected for someone that is charged with preserving the faith. It will be interesting to see what he is able to bring to the church and to the world.

Pro Filibuster = Anti-Christian

2005-04-16T08:47:00.000-07:00

Sinking to newer lows, the Republican leader of the Senate Bill Frist is turning to the radical right to religify and political issue.

"As the Senate heads toward a showdown over the rules governing judicial confirmations, Senator Bill Frist, the majority leader, has agreed to join a handful of prominent Christian conservatives in a telecast portraying Democrats as "against people of faith" for blocking President Bush's nominees. Fliers for the telecast, organized by the Family Research Council and scheduled to originate at a Kentucky megachurch the evening of April 24, call the day "Justice Sunday" and depict a young man holding a Bible in one hand and a gavel in the other. The flier does not name participants, but under the heading "the filibuster against people of faith," it reads: "The filibuster was once abused to protect racial bias, and it is now being used against people of faith." "

Offensive on a number of levels, and another sign of how much the Republican party has changed. Here are some of my favorite quotes on this development:

As a Christian, I'm disgusted at this blatent misuse of religion. This just shows how low the GOP will stoop to "get their way". Unfortunatly, a great number of my Christian brothers and sisters buy into the venomous rhetoric spewed by the likes of Dobson and Colson. it's a shame really. The Dems are not blocking some nominees because they hate "religous people"... it's because the judiciary has great power, lifelong power and putting an ideologue on the bench, either from the right or from the left is just plain wrong. Nominations need to be considered carefully. The judges are there to enforce the laws, not rule based on their own value system. Responsible, impartial people should be on the bench... not extremists! Shame on Sen Frist for using religion to further his own agenda... Also, a great number of "lefties" don't have a problem with God... just the rabid "Christian Right"... I love God, but mourn because so many of the Evangical Christians have lost their way.
Posted by: elmysterio on April 15, 2005 03:39 PM (John Cole)

Could someone please address the fact that all of the powers of each branch are checked by the other branches? The Senate was never meant to just rubberstamp the President's nominees. If the Founders had intended it, then the President would just appoint the judges without any review process. To say that the founding fathers could not have written that were that their intention is absolute nonsense.
The question that Republicans need to ask themselves is how they would feel if the filibuster had been eliminated during Clinton's time in office when Democrats controlled by houses. If you can honestly say that even a Democratic President should have no Senate opposition to his of her judicial nominations, then you are either lying or far too indoctrinated.
However, it is nice to see that there are secularist Republicans left. Now if only the media would recognize the religious Democrats. Hrm.
Posted by: electricgrendel on April 15, 2005 04:10 PM (John Cole)

The "religious right" has become a cult of constant victimization, despite its unprecedented power. Any religion or spiritual movement or ANY kind of group of people who weilds the kind of power this group does, but STILL cries victim, is morally bankrupt.
I think "Christianity" is too kind a label for the current religious right-wing in this country. Sure, they throw the name "Jesus" around like it's their favorite brand of soft drink, but ignore just about EVERYTHING he says in the New Testament. They have completely perverted the most moral teachings the world has ever been given, making Jesus a mouthpiece for their greed and power machinations, and then they whine about being persecuted when true people of faith and good will object.
They are committing a terrible sin: using God cynically, in service of their own earthly power. The Lord is not a hand puppet to be popped out whenever you want to score a rhetoric point against your political opponent. Jesus saved some of his biggest contempt for the religious and political leaders of his time, for doing the exact same thing.
Shame on them all. They really are defiling the name of Jesus Christ.
Posted by: Chumley on April 15, 2005 07:29 PM (John Cole)

The last post really resonates with me as a man of Christian upbringing who loves the teachings of Jesus, but not what man has used them for. I feel very sad that there is a fanatical religious element in this country that thinks they need to drive their personal value wedge into all corners of the government. It really scares me about what the ramifications could look like if they are successful. The veil has to come off of the wing of the moderate Republicans, or libertarian Republicans, so that they can see that their core beliefs are being plundered by a this fanatical right wing of theocrats pushing their own socio-moralistic agenda. If the moderate and true conservative elements do not wake up soon, the Republican party will no longer be a safe place for them, and then where does that leave us?

Rename the Extreme Religious Right

2005-04-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

Hi! I am sponsoring a contest to rename the Extremem Religious Right!!! Using the word right is just not a fitting honor for these folks, so let's give 'em a proper name. List your suggestion in the comments box. Grand prize is Think Blue bracelet from the good Dems at Think Blue 2008. Here are a few of my favorites from the web:

-Christofascists
-Talibaptists
-American Taliban

"Extremism In The Air"

2005-04-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

Charles Schumer, the distinguished senior Senator from New York is pleased that the debate over the filibuster seems to be sliding to the side of the Democrats, saying:

"What’s amazingly gratifying is that, in poll after poll, the public understands that the ‘nuclear option’ is an over-reach… and that the right to filibuster judges should be kept," Schumer said. "The public has this sense that there’s extremism in the air. The debate seems to be going in our direction far more quickly than I ever imagined."

The whiffs of religious extremism have been in the air for sometime and it seems that recently much of it may be coming to a head. The wing of the Republican party that is pushing the issue of extremism is encountering several stumbling blocks. The first is within their own party, among the last vestiges of the Goldwater Conservative movement that exist. The true conservatives know that the wingnuts are counter productive to true conservative goals. The extremists do not want less government intervention, they want the government to start dictating policy. The extremists do not want legal precedents uphelp on the basis of the Consititution, they want activist judges to act in spite of the Constitution, and they want to change our sacred document itself.

The backlash is also coming from the public. Many Americans support the wingnuts in regards to abortion. No one wants to see babies killed, but many do believe that abortions should be available and safe, although rare. However, they also acknowledge that the extremists are overstepping their bounds by pushing for more and more control over their personal freedoms. This was best demonstrated during the Schiavo case when a clearly misled group in Congress (both sides of the aisle) tried to overstep the bounds of the government and get involved in a personal rights case. The public did not support them, and witnessing this act may have helped the public see the real reasoning behind the push to end the filibuster...these extremists have a definite agenda, and it is not to allow an up and down vote in Congress, it is to pack all wings of the government with as many people willing to push a neo-Christian, conservative, moralistic sense of public life into American culture.

Seeing the reaction of the public and some of the backlash against the extremists (on both sides of the aisle) makes me happy and gives me hope that the silent majority is still out there. Perhaps they will decide that it is time for them to send a different message in the next round of elections.

The Long Winter Begins

2005-04-07T06:29:00.000-07:00

For college basketball fans, winter is not the time when the snow falls. It is not the time when the winds howl in from the North leaving everything desolate and bare. No, our winter lasts from early April until early November...the long dry spell in between college basketball seasons.

Pat Forde at ESPN writes about missing this season, one of the best ever. I also am feeling the emptiness of having no more games to look forward too. No more upsets to delight in. Seven months of nothing but baseball....yuck. Don't get me wrong, I like baseball and follow the White Sox really closely, but there is very little drama to me in a protracted 9 inning ordeal where most of the folks just stand around for the game.

Oh well, at least it will only be until August when football starts again.

2004-2005 Illini: One of the Greatest College Teams Ever.

2005-04-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

Greg Doyle has a magnificent piece on CBSportsline right now on the Illini. Saying that the Illini were one of the greatest teams in college history on the verge of claiming the ribbon for their package. He argues that even with the loss in the title game, they still take their place near the top. The money quote:

Rallying to beat Arizona in Chicago was a sign of greatness. Doing it
against No. 2 North Carolina, with all those future No. 1 NBA Draft picks, would
have clarified what should already have been clear: The 2004-05 Illini were one
of the most impressive teams ever to play college basketball.
No one will say that now, even if it's true.

Fact of the matter, it might still be true. Illinois tied an NCAA
record with those 37 wins, and 17 of them came against 2005 NCAA Tournament
teams. They were 5.1 seconds from perfection, denied a 38-0 record entering
Monday night by Sylvester's 3-pointer in Ohio State's 65-64 victory on March 6.

Until Williams, Head and Dee Brown this season, no team had seen three
guards earn first- or second-team All-America honors.

A 15-point comeback in the final 3:50 of a region championship game
against a team with Arizona's NBA talent and Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson? A
15-point comeback in the second half against a team with North Carolina's NBA
talent and its (future) Hall of Fame coach, Roy Williams? These things weren't
possible; yet for Illinois, they were.

I agree with Doyle. The season was special and was record setting. Lots of the best teams of all time have failed to win the title, and although winning the title does validate your greatness, it cannot strip away the rest of your season resume, or the fact that the Illini buzzsawed the rest of the NCAA this year up to the title game.

Riding The Orange Wave, What A Season!!!

2005-04-05T22:05:00.000-07:00

I just rolled back in from what was by far the best day of my life in St. Louis! Forget the outcome of the game, very disappointing all the way around, and focus on this amazing season we were all blessed to experience! I will now cover my experience, including game summary. Pictures to follow!!!

Spending Monday in St. Louis reminded me how very special our season has been, and how lucky I was to be a small piece of the experience for the tourney. To be sure, the atmosphere in St. Louis was ELECTRIC!! I got into town with my two brothers at 3pm on Monday and checked into the downtown Radisson with a view of the Arch and the river from our room. We decided to head to Al Hrabowski's bar by Busch Stadium, which was the official bar for the Illini fans in town.

The sea of orange shirts welcomed us to the bar, where at least 500-1000 fans were crammed into the bar and several tents on the property. Beers were $5 and were cold, so we partook rather liberally of the sweet brew. The crowd was very excited and everyone was having fun, cheering, and drinking. Even the few stray UNC fans seemed to be having a good time. After I bought my first beer, I turned and was looking in the face of Lucas Johnson. SWEET! Illini players and lots of folks partying it up! However, the real treat came later. We were inside when the crowd erupted and started yelling and cheering. We scrambled outside to get a look, and finally we saw the head coming through the crowd....Brian Cook, closely followed by Jerrance Howard, Marcus Griffin, and Sergio McClain. I rushed over and got to talk with Brian for a few minutes and shake his hand, then I got my picture taken with Serge and was sufficiently geeked out.

At about 6pm we headed back to the hotel to grab our tickets and grab some over priced burgers at the bar there. At that time we noticed that UNC was boarding their bus across the street from our hotel, so we went over to taunt them and their fans, and got into a conversation with some nice UNC folks about the ins and outs of the game. Most of the UNC fans we encountered were happy to have the game with Illinois and thought that it would be a tough but good game.

We headed to the Dome at 7pm and were amazed at the wash of the crowd as we got closer. The place was packed to the hilt with fans of all sorts milling about and getting excited for the game. We stood in line for about 5 minutes and were in the Dome, shouting I-L-L to the crowds riding the escalator to the top of the Dome. Our seats were right behind one of the baskets and about 6 rows from the very top of the Dome, but they were great seats to see the whole game.

The National Championship
The game was tough. Augie...what happened man? Losing you changed our whole game plan and let the elephant May romp wild in the second half. The first half was by far the worst half of basketball we have played all season. Quick shots, dumb shots, no passing...we did not look like the Illini.

Give credit to UNC, they finally brought a tough defense to a game and completely shut down our inside game. The second half was amazing to experience. My brother said at halftime that we would be back in the game within five minutes and he was right. We put on a furious fight and came so close. Our shots did not fall in the end, and we lost to a quality opponent. I still think we beat UNC 6 games out of 10, but they had our number Monday night.

Thoughts on the Season
How lucky we are. How extremely lucky to have experienced this year. Big Ten Champs, Big Ten Tourney Champs, winners of 28 games in a row, #1 tourney seed, tied for the most wins in NCAA history, and National Runner-Up. I never would have believed you had you told me those stats before the season.

We got to be spoiled like little children this year. We got to see the game be played by a group of outstanding young men the way it was meant to be played. We played with character, courage, and pride. To see Luther Head flourish after so much drama last year, it was very rewarding to see. Watching the growth of these young men over the past three years has been amazing. I will miss them all.

I will hope that by some bizarre chance Deron comes back for another year. Without him, it might be rough. We have some solid contributors returning in Dee and Augie. Marcus Arnold becoming eligible might fill the hole at PF. Warren Carter, Rich McBride, and Brian Randle will all hopefully contribute. The truth is, we have not landed any big name recruits, so we may have to rebuild and struggle a bit next year. If Deron were to come back we might avoid some of that.

All in all, the Illini experience has been amazing this year. I felt blessed to be able to share the title game with the team, it will be something I never forget.

Oskee Wow Wow.

2005-04-05T19:11:00.000-07:00

Andy gets bummed at the North Carolina Championship.

2005-04-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

Brian Cook comes out to support the Illini.

2005-04-05T19:09:00.001-07:00

Al Hrabowski (The Mad Hungarian) and the Thompson Boys.

2005-04-05T19:09:00.000-07:00

The Iowawineguy and Sergio McClain in St. Louis.

Simply Amazing!!

2005-04-02T17:27:00.000-08:00

The second half for the Illini against Louisville was a thing of beauty. Never discount the power of senior leadership. Roger Powell and Luther Head were awesome. Jack Ingram was awesome.

Now we are going to play for the National Title....and the Iowawineguy will be there. I am humbled. I cannot believe it. I got pretty emotional as the game ticked down. Why am I lucky enough to be in this position?

I usually see at least one Illini game in person each year, at least I have for the past 8 years or so. Last year it was the Border War in St. Louis, the year before it was a home game against Oakland at the Assembly Hall. This year it will be the National Title Game. For me, being an Illini fan for all of my life, there will be no greater thrill no matter what happens in the game. However, I truly will be surprised if this Illini team loses. They keep finding ways to amaze.

So this National Title game is for:
... Lou Do.
...those that now that Oskee Wow Wow from the hold is always in the perfect key for stadium buzzers.
...for Matt Heldman, taken too early from the Illini Nation.
...the Orange Krush, the best student section in the nation.
...my Grandpa Max, a U of I alumnus.
...my Uncle Terry, a U of I mens basketball alum.
...my Mom, who has loved and followed this team with passion and zeal ever since running the Deon Thomas basketball camps.
...Mark Tupper, you write beautifully about Illinois sports.
...Deon Thomas.
...Champaign-Urbana.
...Jim Turpin and Loren Tate.
...the Assembly Hall, one of the best college basketball venues in the land.
...the Peoria guys.
...the Illini Nation, the ones that sit in an empty Memorial Stadium because they love the teams.
...Chief Illiniwek, you may be politically incorrect, but you still give me goose bumps.
...for everyone, this team is inspiring, fun, and amazing.

It makes me sad that there will only be one game left in this season that has been so much fun. Hang on to it because the memories will last forever.

Getting Ready for St. Louis

2005-03-30T17:27:00.000-08:00

It is still possible to find hotels in St. Louis! Originally I booked a hotel in Collinsville, IL, about 10 minutes from downtown St. Louis.

After thinking this through, and considering the amount of my possible total beer consumption, I decided to try and find a hotel downtown. Success lay at the downtown Radisson.

So, no worries about driving after the National Title Game!

More updates to come....

2005-03-28T19:18:00.000-08:00

Big Andy ices his final opponent in Y103 horse to earn tickets to the Final Four!!!

Sweet Daddy!!!! St. Louis Here I Come!!!!!

2005-03-28T17:07:00.000-08:00

YES!!! I will be at the National Championship game on Monday night! All thanks to my brother!!!

My youngest bro was in Decatur, IL last week and had his name pulled to shoot in a nine person HORSE tourney with one of the local radio stations, Y103. Well, today was the shoot off, and guess who the winner was!!! That is right Big Andy!! He said it was like magic, his shots kept falling and he knocked off all of his opponents.

So, the reward is two tickets to the Final Four and two tickets to the National Championship! Nosebleed seats....more than likely. My other brother, the basketball player in the family will be attending the semifinals, but I will hopefully get the chance to see the Illini win their first national title!!!!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE beat Louisville!!!!!!

I am excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Illini Hangover...

2005-03-27T14:12:00.000-08:00

I can honestly say I never gave up. I got nervous, I got sad, but I kept saying that we could do it. My brother, my mom, Wisconsin J and my grandma were all here watching it with me. My two week old son slept through the entire event, even through the screams (silent supporter I am sure!).

With 3:53 left to go and my grandma clearly in give up mode, I said, "There is still a lot of time left. We can still pull this out." Maybe part of that was to help convince myself to stay with these guys. I rubbed my lucky Illini socks (unwashed for luck this season), clinched my Illini shirt and wished for the unthinkable.

As the comeback happened, there were lots of yells...clinched fists, wringing of hands. At some point I tore half of my fingernail off as I lept from the chair in celebration. Blood was flowing from my wounded appendage, but I was still in the game...I couldn't leave now.

I had been saying that all we needed was for Dee to get into the flow and cause some havoc. His well timed steal was a watershed moment as the team believed and the crowd came back to life. Luther Head was amazing. No words can capture how much I admire my favorite player on this team.

After Deron hit the three and the game went to overtime, the only thing I could say was "Oh My God!". Two phone calls before overtime, I am still not sure who might have called because all I could tell them was "Oh My God!"

Overtime starts and my finger is still bleeding. I wipe it on my Illini socks, another battle scar from a long season. I know now there is no way we are losing this game. You can see the fire in the eyes of the Illini and the fear in the eyes of the Wildcats. Salim has no answers, Lute is without words. When victory finally came, it was sweet and it was loud in our residence hall apartment. All I could think to do was to run to my window and screech "Oskee WOW WOW!!!" out of the window until my already hoarse voice could take no more. Then, it was time to celebrate...Bud Lights for a trip to St. Louis, cold and refreshing.

Ladies and gents, this was the finest basketball game I have ever seen. My loyalty as an Illini fan may cloud that judgement, but at the very least, it is a comeback for the annals. I spent Saturday leafing through a book my mom had brought up on the 100 years of history of the Illini basketball team. Many of the pages were amazing game summaries. None of them will hold a candle to this victory in Chicago. This is the finest moment in Illini men's basketball history.

We now have the chance to continue the magic. The Final Four was our initial goal. Now that we are there, we have to focus on the big cookie, the championship. I like how we match up with Louisville. Augie should have a big game on a team with no inside presence and our guards match up and exceed the Louisville backcourt. After that I have no doubt we will meet UNC in the title game. I don't know what will happen, but I do know that the Illini have played UNC each of the past two seasons, and we match up very well. I as always, will leave you with a rousing:

OSKEE WOW WOW!!!!

One Shining Moment...

2005-03-26T19:42:00.000-08:00

My voice hurts, my body aches, and I am emotionally spent.

The game I have been waiting for all season was an emotional roller coaster, and is indeed the greatest Illini basketball game of all time. An amazing comeback from improbable odds. A team of destiny? Maybe. A team that keeps impressing? Most certainly.

I love this team, I love this coach. The season is validated. I hope the pressure comes off now and we play loose and enjoy our shot at the championship.

Random Musings....

2005-03-23T18:42:00.000-08:00

If you couldn't tell from the pictures, I became a new father to a son on March 10th, 2005. Fatherhood has been very rewarding so far. Mrs. IWG and I are trying to hang in with the baby on his schedule and finding it tough to get as much rest as we would really like. Blogging has certainly taken a hit lately...so let me talk randomly.

...The Schiavo case is killing the Republicans. Several polls have shown approval ratings for the Congress and for Bush dropping signifcantly. The CBS poll tonight had Bush at 43%, ouch. This is not surprising considering that 83% of Americans say they would not want to be kept alive were they to be in the same position. I hate that this became a rallying cry of DeLay and the pro-life Republicans, trying to politizice and mobilize the theo-cons of the Republican party. It has certainly been an active conversation in our household over living wills and wishes. I suspect that many Americans are making sure their wishes are known. I hope that the young lady passes peacefully soon and no longer has to suffer in this world.

...Last weekend was some of the best college basketball I can remember. I was truly stunned (and secretly delighted) to see kU lose in the first round of the tourney. I do believe that it was the largest upset ever and a wasted chance for a loaded and talented kU team that never found it's groove. The part of me that likes Bill Self as a person felt very sad for him, but the part of me that is an Illini and Mizzou fan was excited to see kansas bounced from the tourney. Otherwise, I really enjoyed watching the other upsets and great performances. March is truly my favorite sporting time of year.

...My thoughts are turning to baseball and the White Sox. I was sad to see some of my favorite sluggers depart this past offseason. Watching Carlos Lee and Magglio Ordonez with other teams will be difficult. I hope the small ball and strong pitching staff of the Sox will help them knock off the Twins and have a shot at a pennant this year. I like being a White Sox fan because I get to sit back and watch all of the Cubs and Cardinals fans hammer each other over their mediocrity!

...The signs of Spring are starting to poke through in Northern Iowa. The wind is less biting and is becoming pleasant. The sun is out longer and the daffodils are peeking through the soil. I can't wait to see some green on the trees. The spring means the summer and the end of the school year is close. This will be my third class of students that will be moving out of the halls this summer and I will be saying goodbye to some excellent leaders and staff. I am not looking forward to seeing some of them go. The end of the year is the hardest part of working at a University because you are constantly losing people you care about and having to say goodbye to good friends.

Tomorrow I will begin the process of interviewing new Hall Coordinator candidates for our department in an annual renewal process. I will also be gearing up for what I hope is a special weekend for the Illini. I truly believe this team has a purpose/destiny to fulfill. I just hope Arizona or Oklahoma St. dont't have a more important destiny!!!

Why Every Illinois Fan Can't Wait For Bruce Pearl....

2005-03-21T10:59:00.000-08:00

...alternately titled, why every true Orange Blooded fan should hope we whomp Wisconsin-Milwauke by 70 points.

But first Kudos to Illinois for rediscovering portions of their game. The guard play still has me extremely worried about this team right now, and I know that whoever we face in the Elite 8 will be our toughest match up of the tourney.

Now, onto Pearl. It does take a deep fan to appreciate and understand the animosity towards UW-Milwaukee coach Bruce Pearl. Mark Tupper does a decent job of summing some of it up in his column on Pearl. Another post on the history of the incident, including how Digger Phelps was involved (explaining his animosity toward Illinois) is here. (This is a detailed must read.)

However, let me tell you one fans perspective. 1989 was the last time the Illini made the Final Four. It was a year that they should have one a National Title behind a stellar lineup. Lou Henson was at the top of his game and was about to reap the national reputation he had been waiting for. Talent was going to flow into the program like never before and Illinois, although having lost a chance at the title, would be a major player for years to come.

The recruiting centered around Deon Thomas, a horse of a stud from Chicago Simeon. A lynchpin that would hold the middle for the Illini for the next four years. A nucleus to build championship teams around. Deon was recruited by a number of schools to come and play. One of them being the University of Iowa where Bruce Pearl was an assistant coach. Pearl was pissed that he could not land Thomas. Here are some quotes:

According to the Illinois side of the story, Iowa assistant Bruce Pearl kept
badgering him even after Thomas had already announced his intentions to play in
Champaign. But Pearl continued to call Thomas at home and secretly taped the
phone conversations. One time, Pearl was pestering Thomas about alleged money
and automobiles Illinois had offered him to get him to sign on the dotted line.
Thomas finally said something along the lines of “yeah, yeah that’s right” to
get the relentless recruiter off his back. Pearl then took the tapes and turned
them over to the NCAA. Although most of the allegations were dropped, Illinois
was found guilty on lack of institutional control.

Now, Thomas was cleared of any wrong doing. Maybe he did get a car and cash, it would not surprise me. U of I had been in trouble for recruiting issues in the past so it is not out of the question, but as Jay Mariotti points out, Kendall Gill at the time was driving a car with a hole in the floorboard. The ramifications of Pearl tattling when he did not get what he wanted crippled the Illinois basketball team for the 1990's. U of I lost scholarships to give out, was suspended from postseason play for a year, and was given recruting restrictions. The sanctions killed the momentum we had, and ultimately cost Lou Henson his job. Read this quote from 1996 when Lon Kruger was hired to replace Henson as coach:

Illinois still hasn't fully recovered from NCAA sanctions in 1990 for violations
which included improper recruiting contacts by Collins. Since then the Illini
have never won more than 19 games in a season and are 1-6 in postseason play.

What should have been our years turning Illinois into a dynasty were laid assunder by a jealous assistant coach in Pearl and a vindictive Head Coach at Notre Dame, Digger Phelps. It was a hard lesson learned to make sure we were operating cleanly, but we did not escape it for 9 years until 1999 when we won the Big 10 title. In an ironic twist, it took Pearl 9 years at Southern Indiana before he was even given a chance to coach at a D-I school. He broke the coaches code and he is a scum ball. I had the chance to work with Deon Thomas each of the three summers after he graduated at a summer camp in my hometown. He was a great guy and very easy going...except when talking about Pearl and Iowa. I hope Weber brings in Thomas (the all time leading scorer in Illini history) to give the pregame pep talk.

No game in this tourney will give me more pleasure than to see the Illini disembowel and burn Pearl's team. I admire his players and their tenacity, but the man is pure creamed shit in a can. He will look lovely smeared all over the walls of Allstate Arena.

2005-03-16T08:56:00.002-08:00

The Iowawineguy Family

2005-03-16T08:56:00.001-08:00

Max Waves Hello

2005-03-16T08:56:00.000-08:00

Grandma Kathy and Max

2005-03-16T08:55:00.002-08:00

Max the Fan

2005-03-16T08:55:00.001-08:00

Max After Bath

2005-03-16T08:55:00.000-08:00

Mom and Dad

2005-03-16T08:54:00.000-08:00

Baby Max with Grandma Karen and Grandpa Dave

2005-03-16T08:53:00.000-08:00

Maxwell Gregory James Thompson, chilling out.

Social Security and Bush's Big Gaffe

2005-03-03T08:04:00.000-08:00

It looks more and more like the attempt by Bush and the Republican noise machine to privatize and eliminate Social Security is going to crash and burn as hard as any of Bushy's business ventures.

Up and down the board, private accounts have fallen on deaf ears. The AARP has said that they are a bad idea, and the Republicans have turned on this organization in an attempt to smear them. Young people are not sold on the private accounts. In my humble opinion, it is because young people have no flipping idea on what investment managment means, it scares them to death!

The Republicans have been selling a phony bill of goods, trying to convince Americans that the SS system is going to go bankrupt or insolvent long before it is actually going to. The system is secure for a number of years still, but changes do need to be made soon in order to keep it in good working order.

Here are my thoughts on Soc. Security.

1. The program as intended was not meant to provide retirees with a rich and healthy pension for them to live in the lap of luxury. SS was developed to make sure people could live and eat when they retired or became unable to work. The Repubs would have us believe that SS is meant to be an investment vehicle...a way to increase your retirement payouts so that you can have more money to spend. This was not the purpose, and will not be the purpose even with private accounts.

2. Real reforms are needed for SS. However, the kinds of reforms that should be enacted are not politically popular. For example, human life expectancies are getting longer....raising the retirement age would help. Also, some of the richest Americans obviously do not need more money in their retirement. Means testing, or assessing need may help save money in the system.

3. The solution is NOT to raise the payroll tax.

4. We cannot continue reckless government spending and amassing a gigantic National debt AND save SS. The government has to be fiscally responsible for the decisions it makes....maybe dropping $200 billion on an unneccessary war in Iraq could have been a place to start....

Senior Night

2005-03-03T08:03:00.000-08:00

Lots of emotion for the final home game for the 28-0 Fighting Illini. Mark Tupper sums it up great with his column today.

For me, Senior night at Illinois is always emotional. When the Peoria guys left and Brian Cook's last home game...they get me a little weepy. Tonight will be no different. It has been so much fun to watch this team play this year. After these last two games, the fun gets put aside as it is all about getting down to business and winning championships. The memories of this year will live with me for always. This group of seniors (Nick Smith, Roger Powell, Luther Head, and Jack Ingram) has has an incredible run. During Nick's 5 year tenure Illinois has been 130-31, won four Big Ten Regular season championships (shared two of them), won the Big Ten Conference Tournament once, and is now pressing for an undefeated season. Simply incredible.

After the game tonight, the Illini will also receive their Big Ten Championship Trophy...what a night to be at the Assembly Hall! I truly believe that these last two games against Purdue and Ohio State will be wins for the Illini. I don't know what will happen from there, a loss in the Big 10 tourney is certainly a possibility. However, I do not think this team will lose in the NCAA tourney. I think they will be champions, but that will also depend on Selection Sunday.

CHANGES!

2005-02-21T19:31:00.000-08:00

Decided to update the left side of the blog today.

Illinigirl has gone on a hiatus to concentrate on her grad studies on top of her full-time job, new home, and other things. As a former grad student I can certainly empathize and hope that she returns soon filled with some of that collegiate liberal zeal!

I also added Mark Tupper from the Decatur Herald and Review. He provides an interesting look at sports and a good perspective on my Illini!

The Blah Life

2005-02-16T19:20:00.000-08:00

Not sure what to blog this week so much...lots has been going on in my life, but it has been hard to stay positive about a lot of it.

Let's talk about something that is positive. Baby things are going well, Mrs. IWG has been a trooper and we have had two showers now. The nursery is complete and the drawers are filling up with blankets, clothes, and other assundries. Three short weeks left of our first pregnancy and it seems like the time has flown by. We are both ready to see our son, but I think we will both miss the good times of being pregnant and sharing this experience.

I lost a staff member in my building this past week which always makes me sad. I am someone that really invests a large piece of my soul in the folks that I work with, and any time someone leaves prematurely I feel like part of my soul is gone. I also really feel like I have failed that staff member in a sense. I feel badly for the rest of my staff as they lose someone that they have shared special memories with, and I worry about the residents who have lost a great RA and someone that was there first college contact. Whenever I lose a staff member I also tend to very worried about the rest of my staff and tend to overanalyze their behaviors and situations. I also tend to get a big guilt trip that I have not been doing enough to help my staff be successful.

Illinois basketball keeps plugging along, but I have given up my quest for Final Four tickets do to another commitment I have during the weekend. If Illinois actually makes it, I may smash my face against my TV to try and get the live experience!!

I feel the need to pick up my posting, and I hope to do so soon, before the young one gets here. Social Security, the middle east, Dean as chairman, and faith and values are all up my craw right now.

The Grammy's Are Dumb

2005-02-14T08:49:00.000-08:00

Okay, so this award has turned from a music honor into just a farce of an award. Don't get me wrong, I think Ray Charles was an amazing musician, a pioneer who produced incredible material. However, his last album before his death was not anywhere near the greatest work he has done. The six awards he won are a nice tribute, but seriously, he is dead, he does not care. Plus, it was just over the top! Everyone knows he is a fantastic musician, the six posthumous awards did not cement his status as a legend.

The Grammy's continue to follow a bizarre trend that seems to favor very established acts winning multiple awards in the twilight of their careers. I love classic musicians as well, but they are not always producing the best music of the year. I was glad to see Maroon 5 win, I like them a lot, but I don't think they were the best new artist.

The Grammy's are outdated and dumb. They fail to cross genres and are just dumb....BLAH!

A New Day For Democrats

2005-02-12T14:39:00.000-08:00

The election of Howard Dean as DNC Chair is now official and it means the beginning of regaining the majority across America. Dean has already started strong, allying with Harry Reid in the Senate and Nancy Pelosi in the House to allow them to set national policy agenda. Dean is also goint to allow local and state organizations set policy principles in place which will allow the party to be more responsive to regional voter needs.

There is an effort underway to make sure that Dean gets swept into the Chairmanship with a large donation wishing him well! I encourage you to click below to contribute to the best party you will ever be involved with!!

The Quest for Final Four Tickets

2005-02-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

I am on a quest. A quest whose potential prize could be watching the undefeated Fighting Illini playing for their first National Championship ever.

Last March during the NCAA tourney Mrs. IWG and I contemplated submitting a Final Four Ticket application since we knew it would be in St. Louis and we knew that Illinois would have a good team and an outside shot at going to the Final Four. We thought even if Illinois did not go, we could sell the tickets for a nice profit. However, at that time, we had been talking about getting pregnant and knew that our target due date would be near basketball season, plus we were not in a financial position to put a large block of money on our credit cards.

Fast forward to the present. Illinois looks like a juggernaut and they may make it to the Final Four. Now, I have financial means of getting tickets and am wanting to go no matter who makes the field. The baby is due March 8th, which is probably going to give me time to be with Mrs. IWG and then leave for the Apr. 2 and 4th games.

So, I am questing for tickets and keeping a close eye on Ebay. The problem is, I really don't want to shell out $900 -$1000 on my own. I would like to split it with someone and go to the game with them. My usual sources are tapped out. DJ Timmy in Champaign just bought a new house...no extra loot. Wisconsin Rob moved to Colorado, thus becoming Rocky Mountain Rob. My brothers are both in college...not able to make a big contribution, but more than happy to go with me if I have an extra ticket! So, I watch the Ebay ticket section religiously, waiting for one pair of tickets, that are already in the rafters, to sneak by at a low price so I can snatch them up! So far the quest has been a failure, as tickets repeatedly go higher than I expect...but I will have my Final Four tickets! I promise you! More updates to come....

Embracing Nothingness

2005-01-28T13:01:00.000-08:00

As in embrassing the fact that there is not a 1, 2, or 3 in the Illini loss column.

Rick Morrisey has a great article about the Illini faithful who think a loss would do us good. I have to admit that I was one of those fans until recently. I had prepared myself for an Illini loss. I had rationalized that this team could stand to have a tough test not go there way so that they could know how to reach down and strive for victory when it really mattered.

My awekening came half way through the second half of the Illini game vs. Wisconsin...shortly after Jack Ingram hit his second three pointer. This team has essentially been playing together for three years. During that time they have tasted some bitter losses, especially in the NCAA tournament. The early loss to Notre Dame in 2003 stings like a jellyfish. Losing to Duke last year was not as painful, more of a precursor for this year. The Iowa game this year was a struggle for the Illini and they still managed to pull it out.

Maybe it is a sign of our culture to say that Illinois should lose. No one can be perfect, and the mentality says that people should prepare themselves so that they are never perfect. Well, why can't we strive for the ideal? Why shouldn't we hope/wish/strive for perfection? Why can't the Illini run the entire freaking table? I think part of the hesitancy of fans to look for the unbeaten season is years of broken expectations and let downs. Seeing the program crumble after the Deon Thomas recruiting mess and watching the limitless potential of the Peoria gang falter. Austin Peay anyone??? The excitement of the Illini fan is an excitement bottled in a small container...we always seem to be waiting for the other shoe to drop.

This team is different. They are wearing #1 with pride and meeting all challengers with enthusiasm and courage. I can tell these guys are playing for each other, they must really like each other. The extra pass, the dive to the floor, and the support for each other make this team different. They may lose before the tourney season, but I am through waiting for it to happen. I am rooting for loss column to remain a vacant space. What good is failure anyway? Why not continue to improve while you are already excelling at a high level? I hope the Illini keep this focus that they have. I truly believe that if they can get past Michigan State that they have an exceptional chance to be undefeated headed into the Big Ten tourney.

Baby Steps Toward Progress

2005-01-28T08:13:00.000-08:00

Retail giant shifts policy to account for domestic partnerships. Way to go Wal-Mart!

Remembering The Past

2005-01-27T07:21:00.000-08:00

Today is the 60th Anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland. A place where millions of innocents were slaughtered for an ideology of hate. Jews, gypsies, prisoners of war, political opponents, and homosexuals were killed, over one million in this place. The Soviets were the first ones to reach the camp and discover the horror of what was left.

Sixty years sounds like a long time to me, but it really is not that long ago. I was watching a film on MLK Day this year about Dr. King and the Montgomery, AL transit strike. I couldn't believe that these sorts of things had actually happened in the lifetime of some of my family members. The same thought goes through my head when I consider Nazi Germany. It just blows me away that such evil and such hate was forced upon the world.

To be sure, Nazi Germany was a direct threat to the freedom and safety of the world. Not only did Hitler have grand designs on his power, but he feared no one in his conquest of the power. Millions of innocents lost their lives due to his evil, some in battle, some locked away for a difference of perspective, or a difference of faith. Sixty years ago. Fifty years ago since the Civil Rights struggle.

Are we really that different today? Have we embraced the lessons of the past to ensure a better future? To be sure, lives are not being lost in the quantities that they were in the past, but have we erected social "ghettos" for those that have ideological differences from us? Have we let our government stigmatize and outkast a whole religious culture from the mainstream?

Never forget, and never again are the mantras associated with Holocaust rememberance. So on this day of reflection, ask yourself, how do you make a difference in the lives of the downtrodden? Do you stand up for injustice when you see it? How do you help amplify those that do not have a voice?

Busting Knee Caps

2005-01-26T05:57:00.000-08:00

Two games into the tough stretch for the Illini and the team has met the challenge so far.

Last night's game at Wisconsin was amazing. This team keeps achieving the incredible and makes it look so easy. Any other team probably would have folded last night under the Wisconsin pressure. Illini took the punch to the mouth and then took out their own brass knuckles.

Wisconsin really did what they needed to. Alondo Tucker posting up. Wilkinson playing tough. Illiniois just showed that they have a superior fight this year. Jack Ingram is blowing me away....I wish someone would blow Nick Smith away, the kid is just a train wreck for being seven feet tall. Do I really want to watch him take 10-ft jumpers?? Hell no! Take the ball to the hoop rat-faced man!

Anyway, cheers to the Badgers and their 38 game home win streak. I did toast a shot to them out of my Bucky Badger shot glass last night. Anyway, the record was good...but not as good as Illinois being 70-3 in the past five years in Champaign.

No one will beat Illinois at home this year. I feel sorry for Minnesota on Saturday, when 300 alumni will come to Assembly Hall to celebrate 100 years of Illini basketball. Three big tests remain: at Michigan State on Feb. 1st, at Michigan Feb. 8th, and at Iowa Feb. 19th.

There can be only One!

2005-01-20T07:13:00.000-08:00

I am getting excited for the Illini game tonight because it is the first chance they will have to lock up with a decent opponent since they laid the wood to the Bearcats in Las Vegas. Illinois is off to a 4-0 start in the Big Ten as it gets ready to hit it's difficult stretch of Big Ten games. Tonight they play Iowa at home, then Wisconsin on the road (where the Badgers have won 38 in a row), home against Minnesota for the 100 years of Illini B-ball celebration (guaranteed win!), on the road at Michigan State, at home against a rising Indiana, on the road at Michigan, and then hosting Wisconsin at Assembly Hall. This is a seven game test of wills...if this team is going to lose in the Big Ten, it will happen somewhere in this seven game stretch. If, on the other hand, they can pull through this seven game stretch undefeated, I see a clear run with no losses to the Big Ten tourney...although a tough test in Iowa City is on the schedule. I am hesitant to predict that because it will be very hard to win at the Kohl Center or at the Breslin Center. I do think that this team has the talent to win all of these games, and they should make for great viewing!

Tonights game is special, because I hate the Hawkeyes. I loathed them for the longest time before I moved to Iowa, but ever since I have been here I hate them even more. Steve Alford and his crew of crooks has no respect for anyone. I watched Iowa get pummeled by Northern Iowa in the UNI Dome last year after Alford had the nerve to suggest UNI was an inferior opponent keeping Iowa from playing higher quality teams. So, let's all root for a royal rout of the evil that is the Hawkeyes!!!

...And One Other Thing!

2005-01-20T03:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Inauguration Day for those of you that are into it!

Last time Bushy had a parade, he was pelted with eggs and protestors were hauled away in droves. I expect with his newly proclaimed capitol and declaration that the election was a vote of confidence on his ignorant handling of the Iraq war, we will see some more interesting crowd behavior.

Here's hoping Bush forgets the words that are carefully repeated to him by the Chief Justice.

End of The Search

2005-01-12T11:58:00.000-08:00

People forget it was the reason we sank ourselves into this awful quagmire, even though Bushy tried to spin it otherwise.

U.S. ends search for WMD in Iraq

Give Em Hope Howard!!!

2005-01-11T19:27:00.000-08:00

Today's news is worth a pause and a look back into the political forum that I have tried to turn a shoulder on for the time being.

Today Howard Dean announced his candidacy for the Chair of the Democratic National Committee. This is the post held by Terry McAullife for the past four years. By declaring his candidacy, Dean is abandoning a run for President in 2008...even though that may have been improbable considering his exit from the 2004 race.

I am for Howard Dean. I like Howard Dean, and I respect Howard Dean. I stood up on stage and endorsed Howard Dean for President. I flipped pancakes with Howard Dean. I will support Howard in his quest to take the DNC chair.

Why? Because I am a reform Democrat. The party has strayed dangerously close to violating a number of the principles that we hold dear. The Democratic Leadership Council is driving the party further toward corporate backing and losing our sense of change. Democrats have too long focused on regional victories based on perceptions and frames that have been generate by the other side. As Howard Dean put it in his email today:

"Offering a new choice means making Democrats the party of reform -- reforming America's financial situation, reforming our electoral process, reforming health care, reforming education and putting morality back in our foreign policy. The Democratic Party will not win elections or build a lasting majority solely by changing its rhetoric, nor will we win by adopting the other side's positions. We must say what we mean -- and mean real change when we say it."

"But most of all, together, we have to rebuild the American community. We will never succeed by treating our nation as a collection of separate regions or separate groups. There are no red states or blues states, only American states. And we must talk to the people in all of these states as members of one community.
That word -- 'values' -- has lately become a codeword for appeasement of the right-wing fringe. But when political calculations make us soften our opposition to bigotry, or sign on to policies that add to the burden of ordinary Americans, we have abandoned our true values."

I believe that Dean offers hope to the Democratic Party. Dean is not a left-wing liberal...he is a staunch fiscal conservative, socially progressive, rurally grounded, and able to use technology to outreach to core bases. Do not be fooled by the right wing and the picture they will paint of Dean...he scared the jeepers out of them (not with the scream) by motivating the unmotivated and speaking a powerful and compelling message when it was unpopular. Dean's opposition to the war does not make him a super liberal, it makes him intelligent.

Other candidates have promise. Simon Rosenberg is a powerful centrist who is also adept at using technology for outreach. Donnie Fowler is a Clintonista and will be the choice if Hilary is serious about a run. However, candidates such as Tim Roemer (anti-choice, pro-Bush tax cuts, conservative board member) and Martin Frost are just quick answers to what some perceive as an easy problem. Throwing a conservative or Southern Dem at the head of the party is not going to unite us, it is going to fracture us.

Let's give Dean a chance to help us take our country back.

Oskee Wow Wow Illinois!

2005-01-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

Illinois ran through their non-conference schedule at a stunning 14-0. I say stunning for several reasons. First of all, Illinois played some quality opponents, and did play most of them outside of the Assembly Hall. Beating Oregon, Arkansas, Missouri, Gonzaga, and Cincinatti on the road helped this team keep it's gaudy expectations and rankings. Beating Wake Forest at home is the crown jewel of a non-conference resume that should land the Illini a #1 seed in the tourney with games in Indianapolis and Chicago...if they can do well in the Big Ten. The start is stunning as well as Illinois won 13 of the 14 games by more than 12 points, and has yet to trail in the second half of any game. On top of that, Illinois has only trailed teams for less than 30 minutes...phenomenal.

We have managed to avoid the injury bug and we won our first conference game by 19 points. As excited as I get, I know tough games still remain. Specifically I worry about road contests at Iowa, Michigan St., and Wisconsin. I also worry about the team being off and getting ambushed by a lesser team like Indiana or Northwestern.

All that aside, I think Illinois is playing great. Most experts agree...except for Dick Vitale, who still ranks Illinois behind Kansas. I think Kansas is a good team, but they are without their superstar, have not played a road game, and have nearly lost 3 close games at home. Look for the Chicken-hawks to lose at Kentucky this weekend to get knocked back to earth.

Iowawineguy is back! Bigger, Longer, and Uncut!!

2005-01-03T06:45:00.000-08:00

It feels good to be back in the blogosphere. I did enjoy some free time during the holiday season, but I feel like I have so much I want to get on the blog...be patient as I update through the next few weeks!

I had a great break. One of the reasons that I love working on campus is that you get to have the breaks that the students have, as long as you are willing to give up some vacation time. Mrs. IWG and I went home to Central Illinois for about 10 days over this break. To say the time spent was special would be an understatement. Ususally when we are at home, my two brothers and I are busy visiting many friends and zipping about all over the place. This year was different. We literally spent nearly every day together, playing Mario Kart, going to see movies, just talking, and hanging out. My mom was also around as well. The time spent was so special because it does not happen very often, and I think we all realized that this would be the last time we would all have together before Baby T got here and changed some of the dynamics of our family. It truly was an amazingly blessed time.

We also got to go to Indy to see my dad, went to visit my grandparents and family, went to see Mrs. IWG's grandparents, and made it to Champaign to see some friends and soak in all of the Illini goodness of that city!

I enjoyed several bottles of great wine over the break, and managed to bring a couple home as well. If you ever get the chance to visit Friar Tuck's in Champaign, I highly recommend you do...just make sure you have a large stack of dollar bills with you!

We managed to avoid the bad weather that hit Indiana, and we got back to Iowa right before we were covered in a sheet of ice. Now the forecast is calling for 4-8 inches of snow on top of the ice! Good old Iowa weather...at least the wind is not howling out of the North lands!!!

It is good to be back and now I am trying to get prepared for training my RA staff and getting the building reopened. More posts to follow, including my take on all of the movies I saw over break, happiness over the Illini, and the mysterious drama over the annual Iowawineguy Xmas letter.

Hell Yeah Bruce Weber!!!

2004-12-21T06:15:00.000-08:00

Just stumbled across this quote from Illini coach Bruce Weber from a football rally this year. Apparently it ruffled some feathers, but who cares? Vitale and a lot of folks have an East Coast/ACC bias, and Weber is right. Time for the spotlight to be on Illinois. Vitale still has Illinois ranked behind Kansas in his ranking...Kansas who has not played a road game and has lost Wayne Simien for 4-6 weeks.

"But the extra attention has made the free-speaking Weber more aware of his comments, especially since a remark he uttered at an Illini football pep rally in August made it into Sports Illustrated and created a potentially awkward situation with college basketball analyst Dick Vitale. " "We are 63-3 at home in the past five years. That's not the best record in the Big Ten, it's the best in the nation. So Dick Vitale can take his Dookies and shove it." "

Iowawineguy On Vacation!

2004-12-21T06:04:00.000-08:00

With the approach of the holidays, and the moving out of 480 students of my residence hall building, it must mean that my annual December break is here! Mrs. IWG and myself will be travelling home to Decatur, IL this afternoon for 12 days of visiting friends and family. During this time I will not be posting. I shall return in the new year refreshed and ready to fight the good liberal fight! Interestingly enough, a CNN poll yesterday said that Republicans prefer to say Merry Xmas more than Happy Holidays 72% to 24% or so. Democrats prefer to not offend our non-Christian friends and say Happy Holidays at 55% over Merry Xmas at 44%.

Happy Holidays to you and yours! I hope your year has been as blessed and special as the one I have enjoyed. Happy New Year!

Wine Tasting Results

2004-12-15T09:16:00.000-08:00

We had a great time tasting some wines! First though, the food was great. Mrs. IWG and I slaved over the stove to prepare a homeade Spinach Artichoke Dip that was amazing, as well as baking a Brie, and providing some cookies!

We tasted four wines, here is how I ranked them.

1. 2002 Concannon Selected Vineyard Petite Sirah: This wine was amazing! I had never had a Petitie Sirah before I and I have to say that I was blown away. This wine was thick, it coated the glass nearly like a cough syrup, yet it was rather smooth when I drank it. The tannins were incredible in this wine! The aroma coming from this wine was first rate. I spent half my drinking time just inhaling all of the goodness! On first taste my cheeks were sucked dry by the tannins. If you like dry reds, pick this baby up! At $12 retail it is a bargain, and I found it on sale for $9.

2. 2002 Ravenswood California Chardonnay: Normally I do not like dry, oaky wines, but this one was a beauty! It was buttery and flavorful. A really good buy at $10.

3. 2003 Château Ste. Michelle Gewurztraminer: A great Gewurtz, nice and spicy with good aroma. The Riesling of this vintage is supposed to be exceptional, but for that bite of spice this is a good wine.

4. 2001 Blackstone Pinot Noir: Just okay. I grabbed this one off the shelf to give it a try and was not dazzled by it. It was the least touched at the party. Nothing wrong, just not a great Pinot.

All in all we had a great time and we drained a few of the bottles.

The Annual Holiday Wine Tasting

2004-12-14T17:09:00.000-08:00

Tonight is the annual Iowawineguy Holiday Wine Tasting. We will be trying out four wines that are all good buys, in fact, I found them all for $10 or under this year! The reviews are courtesy of Wine Enthusiast.

2002 Concannon Selected Vineyard Petite Sirah, Central Coast$12 A Best Buy 88 Points
Quintessential "Pet" wine, inky black, rich in thick, dusty tannins, absolutely dry, and bursting with blackberry, plum, dark chocolate and spicy, peppery flavors. Beautiful in its own way, and a super-value compared to similar wines costing far more. — S.H. (11/15/2004)

2001 Blackstone Pinot Noir, Monterey County$12 83 Points
Varietally correct in the soft, silky tannins, crisp acids and notes of berries. This simple wine also has a baked edge and finishes hot. — S.H. ()

2003 Château Ste. Michelle Gewurztraminer, Columbia Valley (WA)$9 87 Points
Very much a food wine, it minimizes the floral oiliness of the grape in favor of citrus rind and spice. Crisp and fresh, with a touch of sweetness, it makes a perfect partner for crab cakes, Asian noodle dishes, or summer salads. — P.G. (9/1/2004)

2002 Ravenswood California Chardonnay, California$10 90 Points #3 Best Buy of the Year
One of the best Chards out there in its price range, and an incredible value for its succulent flavors and rich, creamy texture. It’s all about juicy, crisp apples, tangerines and pineapples. The oak is well integrated, adding spice and smoky vanilla. Buy this beauty by the case — S.H. (9/1/2004)

In addition to the lovely wines, we will be having Spinach Artichoke Dip (thanks Spoonchamp for the recipe), baked Brie, Oreo Cheescake Cups, Chocalate Crinkle Cookies, and Candy Cane Cookies. I will update you with my impressions of the wines we will be tasting!

The Iowawineguy Wish List!!

2004-12-11T17:02:00.000-08:00

As we move into the holiday season, you may be wondering what is on the wish list of the Iowawineguy for the holiday season! Well, at least I think you should know what I consider to be the best gifts out there!!! Without further ado, here are the best items gracing the Iowawineguy Xmas list!!!

For the Baby

Baby Iowawineguy has an extensive XMas wish list, which can be accessed at any Target store! He is already asking about presents, even though he is yet to be born.

DVD's

A whole lot of great DVD sets are available this December.

For Lord of the Rings Fans, you must get them the Return of The King Extended Edition gift set. It comes with the movie, as well as a miniature sculpture, and special DVD on the production of the score. A must have.

If you love the Matrix movies, then the great gift might be the Ultimate Matrix Collection. It includes the Animatrix, plus there is a gift set available with a statue of Neo.

For fans of television, a must have is the Seinfeld Limited Edition Gift Set. It comes with seasons 1,2, and 3, as well as some fun collectibles. I can't wait to get these on DVD to relive all of the great episodes!

If you are not watching HBO, then you are missing out on the best television out there. One of the best shows on HBO this past year was Carnivale. A show about the battle between good and evil set in the dust bowl of the 1930's. It is simply phenomenal. The second season starts on January 9th, so get Season One of Carnivale on DVD now to make sure you are up to speed!

Wine Clubs

There is nothing the Iowawineguy likes better than having quality wine delivered to his door each month. Wine clubs are a great way to present a gift that lasts the whole year. Here are some great wine clubs that I would love to have a membership in.

Big Bold Reds, available from www.wine.com. I spent some time this past year in this wine club and found it's offerings to be great. The price is decent and the wines I received were all very good.

Wine Express.com A new service available in conjunction with Wine Enthusiast magazine. Any of the fine wine clubs they offer would be a great gift, but remember that the Iowawineguy loves reds!!!

DeLoach Vineyards, O.F.S. Society. One of my favorite vineyards makes some excellent wines. The wine club they have offers a great selection, as well as a rarer selection as well. This is a top notch winery.

Books

Several good and interesting books are available...here is what I am hoping to get!

Jenna Jameson is not a name that pops up in most book lists, she is more of a straight to video person! However, I am most intrigued to read her book, How To Make Love Like A Pornstar: A Cautionary Tale. Looks like interesting reading into a business you don't hear a lot about.

Children's books are going to be a great gift for the guy this year. All kids books are great!

A book I look forward to reading is Jon Stewart's America The Book. I like Stewarts humor, plus I hear there are some naked Supreme Court Justices in the book!

Well, those are some of my favorites. I hope you all get something that you want as well. Remember that the holidays are not about the physical gifts you give or receive, but the gift of friendship, love, and family.

Are Canadians Smarter Than Us?

2004-12-09T08:16:00.000-08:00

Landmark court decision out of Ottawa today on gay marriage in Canada.

The Canadians and their courts have it right. The ruling states that the government can redefine marriage to include same-sex couples. The ruling also says that the country cannot force religious sects to perform the unions against their beliefs.

This is important because it is the smart and logical way to tackle gay marriage. Marriage is currently written into laws across our country, but it is discriminatory and it is at it's basic level, a religious denotation. What Canada has done, and what the US will do eventually I am willing to wager, is say that the government definition of marriage cannot be tied into the religious definition of marriage.

The outcome is that government in Canada will now pass legislation making gay marriages a state recognized union, providing the appropriate rights to these committed couples. However, the sanctity of the religious ceremony will be preserved for those faiths that do not believe that a "marriage" should be allowed between same sex couples.

This seems to me to be a win-win situation. Loving gay couples are given government rights and allowed to be a legal couple, but the sacred tradition of marriage as a religious event between two people and God is left up to each denomination and religious sect. I think it would still anger right-wing folks in America that don't care to see the seperation between religion and government, but I think it is an important lesson from our neighbors to the North.

Number One Is Sweet

2004-12-06T18:25:00.000-08:00

It has happened. Illinois is #1 in both polls. Illinois has been #1 in the nation twice before, each time for only a week. 1952 and 1989. Both years the Illini went to the Final Four......

Steroids and Baseball

2004-12-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

I was all set to write a post about the revelation that Jason Giambi did admit to taking steroids (duh!), and then I stumbled across this article by Mike Celizik.

I would be interested in hearing what all of you think about the arguments presented within. Does society expect our heroes to lie? Would you take steroids if it could earn you $10-$15 million a year? Interesting themes.

Yoni's College B-Ball

2004-12-02T07:56:00.000-08:00

Added to the blogroll on the left is Yoni's College Basketball blog for all of you junkies out there.

Illinois 5-0, #1 in the Nation?????

2004-12-02T07:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, to be honest, it was not a fair fight. The Assembly Hall is a special place, one of the best homecourts in all of college basketball, with the best fans. All that orange? Well it is bound to throw off your shot. Bruce Weber's jacket alone could leave the opposing team wondering about the existence of such a place as Delbert's in Arthur, IL that would make such clothing.

However, what happened last night against #1 ranked Wake Forest was still an incredible moment for Illinois basketball. The announcers (okay, I love Bill Rafftery and hate Jay "Bias" Bilas) kept saying that Wake Forest had been punched in the mouth. I say that Wake Forest walked onto the playground, stuck out their hand, were promptly hit in the mouth with an aluminum bat, and sat down on the playground and cried.

Okay, to be honest, it is nearly impossible to beat a team when they shoot 61% in a half. It makes it even harder when that team only turns the ball over 4 times. Illinois had 27 assists on 32 basketes. Wow. I am still in shock over the complete domination of the Illini. The game was so ridiculous, that I turned it off in the second half and watched part of the Iowa St. vs. Northern Iowa game (GO PANTHERS!).

I love this team, I have for a long time. I love every player. My favorites though, are Roger Powell and Luther Head. Powell is so versatile it is crazy. The way he flashed to the ball and shot with good mid-range last night, just beautiful. He plays a crazy kind of defense, and he is just out there working hard. He is the key to any success we have this year. Luther is just a freak. Nuff said. This is Bill Self's team...he recruited them, coached them, and got them to click as a team. However, this season, the genius coaching of Bruce Weber is really showing through. The motion offense Illinois is running is the perfect complement to the aggressive swarming defense they play. I appreciated the high-low with Brian Cook, but can anyone disagree that watching this team weave, pass, and shoot is one of the best things you have ever seen? They are so fast and they are so sharp with their passes.

This team has discipline, not all of the time as some shots are still rushed, but this team makes snap passes, clean blocks, good cuts, and is shooting great. In my recent memory there have been three great Illini teams that have done things. The 1989 Flyin' Illini were amazing and dominant in many ways. They lost a close game to Michigan in the Final Four in a year that probably should have produced a National Title, they had it all. Another great team was the year we won the conference with Matt Heldman, Bryan Johnson, Jarod Gee and that group of guys. They did not have a ton of talent, but they had more heart than their bodies could contain. The third great team was during the time of the Peoria Manual guys. Frank Williams, Marcus Griffin, Sergio McClain, and Corey Bradford were the lynchpins...Brian Cook was in this crowd as well. This team had a ton of talent, but had no heart and had some real problem players...hello Frankie!! My point is, the current incarnation has it all. They have the heart and the talent to do great things. The bench is playing great, and would be even greater with Brian "Damn You Wall!" Randle.

My mom called after the game and immeadiately stated that we were going to the Final Four and she needs tickets. I am not as far out there as her right now, even though one of my bosses does have two tickets to the Final Four. We have not gone on the road yet, although if we keep winning our tournament sites could potentially be Chicago, Indianapolis, then St. Louis. We need to see how we respond in the Kohl Center, and at Michigan State. We still have a long way to go, and some other tough teams to match up against. I think one of the toughest teams out there is Georgia Tech. I am sure if we played them it would be tight. I don't worry about North Carolina, we have matched up well with them in the past 2 meetings over the past two years. Kansas you say? They have a great dominant inside presence with a lot of talent...but I dare you to put this Illini team in the same gym with Bill Self...retribution anyone?

At any rate I am pleased as punch for this team because I truly like this team and the personalities on it. The only thing that makes me sad is knowing the number of NBA folks that were there last night seeing so many Illini having great games. I would hate to see any of these guys leave early, but I fear it is inevitable. I will just enjoy this ride as long as it lasts and give a:

OSKEE WOW WOW!!!!

Illinois Fighting Illini 4-0, Time to Prove Something

2004-11-27T13:06:00.000-08:00

Great big win for the Illini today over Gonzaga. The final score was closer than the game was, as the Illini flirted with a 40 point lead in the second half. It was the first time I got to watch the Illini on TV, which is the only way I get to see them now since Self left and took my courtside seats with him!! The shooting of our team is just ridiculous, they are averaging more than 10 three pointers a game.

I was impressed with the team, although I would still like to see more inside-outside balance. However, the team looks good, and the bench players have really come along way.

Now, we will have a chance to make a huge statement on Wednesday night, when #1 Wake Forest comes to the Assembly Hall. I am nervous for the game. Illinois has had huge expectations before, and we have all been disappointed (I am talking Frank Williams y'all!!!), so I will feel better when the game is over. I am optimistic though...I remember what happend the last time a highly ranked ACC team came to Assembly Hall (Illinois over North Carolina 92-65). The Assembly Hall is a magical place, and it will be off of it's rocker on Wednesday night, but make no mistake, Wake Forest is the real deal. Chris Paul and Justin Gray will match up with Dee and Deron, so hopefully we can look for a good game from Luther. The subs will have to do a great job as well. It is another chance for Illini to make a statement and win big on the National stage. I am hoping they do well, I think they can.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2004-11-25T19:48:00.000-08:00

I give thanks for a wonderfully supportive and beautiful wife.

I give thanks for the little boy that will soon be here to bless our life.

I give thanks for my family, who supports and loves me.

I give thanks for the friends in my life for their friendship and laughter.

I give thanks for the good health I find myself in.

I give thanks for having a home, food to eat, and enough money to live comfortably.

I give thanks for my dog.

I give thanks that I live in America.

I give thanks to the Spirit, for all the amazing blessings of my life.

I give thanks to you, readers of my blog, for putting up with my rants!!! Have a great holiday!!

The NBA

2004-11-21T16:22:00.000-08:00

NBA= Nobody should Bother Anymore. What a terrible spectacle this weekend in Detroit. The fans do have a heavy share of the responsibility, but the players have been punished in a fitting way for the stupidity of their actions.

The NBA is a joke of a professional league. These fools display no talent, no teamwork, and put out a me first attitude. Why should I pay to support that? The NBA has made it's own bed, and now they must lay in the results of it. This used to be a proud and honorable league...until David Stern. Remember the great team play of the Showtime Lakers, or the Celtics? How about the thrill of the role player on the Bulls title teams?

Now, the league has turned into the worst sort of organized playground ball, except they are all millionaires. Coaches cannot contain their players...they are making a mint as well. The court clears for the star players to have their showtime. The whole game is slow pace show off basketball, until the last few minutes when the teams actually pretend to care. Play some damn defense for God's sake!!!!

The NBA should also have a rule on early entry like the NFL. Who wants to watch 18 year old millionaires pout, wine, play bad basketball, and then get into trouble.

To hell with it, I hope this spells the end of the league, and then we can concentrate on a pure team game. At least college basketball is still entertaining, and you can feel good rooting for the majority of the teams.

Illinois Fighting Illini 2-0

2004-11-21T16:16:00.000-08:00

The Illini got their second win of the season today over Florida A & M, not quite the type of opponent that is going to help get Illinois ready for Wake Forest, but still a good chance to get the subs plenty of playing time. 20 points from Dee Brown, 11 from Deron (more important 8 assists), although Deron was 2-8 3 pts. Roger Powell contributed a good game on the boards. This week will mark an uptick in the opponents, the sometimes dangerous Oakland, and the always tough Gonzaga at the Wooden Tradition.

Mizzou Tigers 2-1

2004-11-19T20:22:00.000-08:00

Suffering their first loss at the new Paige Sports Arena, to lowly Davidson...I feel bad for the Tigers. Quin Snyder has brought shame on that program, and they may struggle mightily.

Illinois Fighting Illini 1-0

2004-11-19T20:17:00.000-08:00

Illinois got the college basketball season tipped off with a win over Delaware St. Great balance among the starting five tonight in a tune up win over a cupcake opponent. Looks like #3 North Carolina (or the most overrated team in America with the most overrated coach) will lose to the mighty Santa Clara, slayer of giants. That means the Illini will be bumping up the polls next week. It is a long season, but always great to start with a win!!

Kansas took a close win at Fogg Allen over Vermont, who is an awesome, awesome low major program. Of course, I constantly wish Bill Self continued turmoil and Roy Williams syndrome at Kansas....minus the Final Fours.

It is here baby! College basketball!! See you in St. Louis!!!

Can't We Have Any Fun Any More?????

2004-11-18T13:47:00.000-08:00

So there is this whole flap about the Desperate Housewives intro on Monday Night Football this week. Now, the show is one of the best new shows on TV this year, and I am wondering why they need the promotion on MNF, but the larger question is: when did everyone lose their sense of humor????

I think this will be the hardest thing to deal with over the next four years, because let's face it, more conservatives + more moral values = loss of fun and laughter in society. The Janet Jackson flap with the FCC is to blame....I mean God forbid that kids, adults, and household pets may have seen a woman's breast for 5 seconds on TV (but really, what a breast to see!). Once we start analyzing every minute of what is on television, in the media, in the movies, or on the radio we continue to lose part of our freedom of speech and expression. But we also lose the fun!!! I think this election has left us all so damn serious it is ridiculous. We are all in "judgement" mode and I think it is terrible. Laugh at MNF. Laugh at the skits...as this article in ESPN shows, they have been a lot worst in the past with no reaction!!

C'mon people! We don't live under communist rule in China. Take the time to express yourself. Laugh at a dirty joke instead of worrying about the impact on your soul. Hug your kids and tell them that you love them. Show them what right and wrong is, rather than worrying that society will corrupt their morals.

LIGHTEN UP!!!!!

The Incredibles

2004-11-15T07:33:00.000-08:00

I saw it this weekend with a theatre full of kids. I love this movie. It is so much fun to see the world of superheros and their powers in the Pixar world. I can sense a whole franchise of movies with these fun heros running around with their exploits.

Check this movie out, it is well worth it. Also, before the movie was the trailer for the new Star Wars movie coming out in May.....talk about wetting myself in public. It looks so good. Check out Revenge of The Sith.

Changing of The Guard

2004-11-15T07:28:00.000-08:00

Today we say goodbye to Colin Powell. An unfortunate casuality in George Bush's dangerous game of world chess. Powell is a great man, and a good moderate. He was forced to take dangerous positions due to his loyalty to the President, and his credibility may be forever damaged because of it.

Is it just me, or do the wave of resignations signal that maybe folks have not been happy working with Bush. I know that some turnover is natural, but the volume seems high this time. Check it out:

Already Gone: John Ashcroft, Attorney General Don Evans, Sec. of Commerce Colin Powell, Sec. of State.

Expected Announcements Today: Education Secretary Rod Paige, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman

Others Rumored to be leaving: Tom Ridge, Homeland Security, Donald Rumsfeld, Dept. of Defense.

Can it be that these are intelligent people tired of not having their voices heard and being marginalized by a President that does not want to hear facts??

Who knows.

Veterans Day

2004-11-11T09:18:00.000-08:00

Originally called Armistice Day to mark the end of The Great War, a war so terrible many thought it would be the war to end all war, in 1918. When man did not learn it's lesson, and World War II was fought, the name was changed to Veteran's Day. It is a day to honor all the past soldiers and present soldiers who keep us free. We honor them for the freedom they gave us, freedom to screw things up from time to time, but freedom for us all. I honor the following:

Sgt. Chet Wilcox, 82nd Airborne Division: Chet is my brother in-law. His four year term of service ended two weeks ago and he is home now enjoying life out of the service. During his service time he served in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also completed the gruelling Army Ranger Training. Chet will be starting college in January.

William Max Coon: My grandfather that recently passed away. Max served in the Army from 1952-1954. He spent part of his term of service in Korea. One of my cherished heirlooms from him is his green Army trenchcoat that he used in Korea. My grandpa still had his M-1 rifle that he used in the Army.

James Thompson: My other grandfather. Jim served in the Army for several years. Jim fought in the Pacific theatre during World War II, including dangerous times on the island of Guam. Grandpa Jim has a great photo album of his times abroad.

Chris Thompson: My first cousin. He currently serves in the Navy. He is moving up the ranks and I believe he is now training submarine crew members. He has been in the navy for nearly ten years now.

Jim Wilcox: My wife's grandfather. Jim served in the Navy during World War II.

Take the time to thank those veterans in your life. They served during hard times when the will of America was truly tested.

A Week To Forget, and Other Ramblings

2004-11-07T07:34:00.000-08:00

Well, nearly a week off from blogging and I have a lot to talk about today. Last week was hard enough having my Grandpa pass away, but the election news on top of it made for a very tough week for me.

To say I was devastated by the outcome of the election is to understate my emotions dramatically. I am not going to try and get into logic, rationale, explanations, etc. There are plenty of other places to read about that. I am not going to launch into a diatribe about "culture war" and "the growing American theocracy". At this point, it is counter-productive to talk about the huge rifts between urban and rural America. If you want to explore that more, I suggest Thomas Frank's book, What's The Matter With Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America. I won't even spew forth my feelings on the way the election was won, by using fear, ignorance, and hate to divide the electorate. No, none of these things are appropriate, and certainly will not make me feel any better.

I will simply say, congratulations Mr. Bush. You have fairly, and soundly won a presidential election. As an American, I value our Democracy and therefore I support the results of the voice of America, even though I may disagree with that voice. To be sure, the message sent by America last Tuesday does not look like the message that I would send. I do not recognize America or her values anymore, but that is why it is important for me to stay engaged in the progress of this country. So, my hope for you Mr. Bush is that you will do well with your victory. Your first four years are nothing short of what I would call a mess, but that is the beautiful part of our system. You now have four more years to start anew, repair what you have broken, and truly strive to be a great President. I hope that you learn from the past four years. I hope that you will fire those in your administration that have failed you and the country. I hope that you will respect that more Americans voted against you than any other Presidential candidate in history. I hope that you will respect that 48% of Americans did not rubber stamp you with a right wing mandate. I hope you are humbled that if not for 70,000 Ohio voters, you would be headed toward retirement.

What does that mean for you? Let me make some suggestions on how to unite and lead for the next four years.

1. If you are going to talk about protecting the sanctity of life, then do not limit it to abortion. Fight for the sanctity of life for our troops, the civilians we harm, those given the death penalty, and those in abject poverty. If life is sacred, then ALL life must be held sacred.

2. If you are going to talk about putting money back in the pockets of those that earn it, then mean it for everyone. Make sure the poor get lots of money back, they are truly the ones that need it. Remember, the country itself needs to have money in it's pocket, do not let these deficits spiral out of control.

3. Remember that we have plenty of problems at home that need attention. Health care and education in Iraq are important, but not more important than taking care of our elderly, poor, and weak here at home.

4. When you talk about faith, and others call on you to use your Christian faith and the Bible to guide you, do not just focus on the parts of the book that teach condemnation. Focus on the love, the understanding, the forgiveness and acceptance of Christ. Focus on the charity, and the call to love our neighbors. Remember that Christ was a giver, not a taker. Do not use his amazing teachings to hold people back, he came to lift us up.

5. Temper the calls for you to wield your new power in a dominant sense. Yes, you are beholden to elements of the right that helped propel you into office, but their agenda will not lead to the greatness of the best free nation on the planet, it will lead to the greatest shame on free people. You must be the steadying voice, to act as the counter to such extreme people such as Coburn and DeMint who were elected to the Senate. They are not the voice of the people.

I hope that you will use your gifted skills at communicating with the everyman to truly unite us. I am ready to support you should you truly be a coalition builder. However, you need to know that the dissent offered by Democrats is valuable and needed. You have won a great victory, and in doing so have eroded some of the checks and balances that are in place to keep one party from domination. Wield your power wisely. We will be watching.

I was glad to see Daschle go, but sad to see that the Dems will replace him with Harry Reid from Nevada. We are going to get in the same mess with Reid, being a Dem from a red state. Glad to see Dick Durbin in the whip seat.

So the election is over, and it has been a large focus of this blog. I think there will be a shift in posts for the good of this site. My next big political mission will be to do what I can to help mid-term elections in 2006. Part of this project will be to do all I can to defeat Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. I love politics and it will never go away, but I need to return focus to the myriad of other things in my life. First and foremost will be the birth of my child in March! I also need to return a steady focus to my job, as being distracted by politics has allowed me to be complacent in some aspects. I also look forward to the upcoming college basketball season (My favorite sport!) and will most certainly be posting about my team, the Fighting Illini. Of course, now that the craziness has ended, I will return to the cellar and begin looking for that next great bottle of wine. The beauty of wine, and of time, is that there are always exciting new things to discover, and the back of every wine bottle has a new story, a new twist, and new beginnings.

The Day That Changed America, One Way Or The Other

2004-11-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

No words can express the emotion I will be feeling today. My plans changed when my grandpa died. Funny enough, I thought I would have been staying at the hotel where Tom Daschle and the South Dakota Dems will be having their "victory" celebration. I was going to try and break in. I may be off the blog for a few days while I am at the funeral.

I know the tears will come tonight. How can they not. March of 2003 I got involved in presidential politics by volunteering for the Dean campaign. Since then, I have busted my ass for the Democratic Party...a group I have disagreed with, but who I believe holds the best vision for this country. Tonight is the payoff. It might be tears of sadness, tears for those that will continue to suffer under Bush if he wins.....but I am feeling confident that it will be tears of happiness, tears to signify that hope is indeed on the way. No matter how you feel, vote today. I leave you with the words of the man that inspired me to action, the one that changed the face of the race, and made us all realize how important things are. His words still move me to tears, and provide the inspiration to keep fighting. These words are from his speech withdrawing from the Presidential race. Enjoy.

"Change is hard work. Change does not happen simply because you go to a rally and simply because you make phone calls -- and I know how hard everybody here has worked. But change is a process that you can never give up on because change is the state of America and change is the state of humankind.

So we will continue to fight. This is the end of phase one of this fight, but the fight will go on, and we will be together in that fight. We will continue to bring our message of hope and change to the American people.

We will speak out. We will fight on. We will continue to stand up against the dangerous foreign policy which weakens our security, and stand up against this president who weakens our civil rights.

We will continue to stand up against special interest that prevent change. And we will stand for America's working families for jobs and health care, investment in our children, the chance of all Americans to pursue their dreams.

We will continue to stand up against the divisive policies of the far right. We will no longer be divided by race. We will no longer be divided by gender. We will no longer be divided by sexual orientation. We will no longer be divided by religion. We will no longer be divided by income. And we will no longer be divided by George W. Bush in the White House.

And now that the campaign is stopped, I'm going to say something that all of you have heard me say before.

But I want you to think about it now because now is the most important time that you have heard it. And this is the real message of this campaign and you'll hear it in a different way because I am no longer a candidate.

The biggest lie that people like me tell people like you at election time is that, If you vote for me, I'll solve your problems. The truth is the power is in your hands, not mine.

Abraham Lincoln said that a government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from this Earth. You have the power to take back the Democratic Party and make us stand up for what's right again.

Allow us to fulfill the dream of Harry Truman in 1948 that he laid out where we would no longer be the last industrial country on the face of the Earth without health insurance. Allow us to stand up again for the rights to organize for ordinary men and women. Allow us to stand again for the principles of equal rights under the law for every single American.

You have the power to take our country back so that the flag of the United States of America no longer is the exclusive property of John Ashcroft and Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh and Jerry Falwell; that it belongs to all of us again.

And together we have the power to take back the White House in 2004 and that is exactly what we're going to do."

-Howard Dean

Let's do it together, let's take our country back. Vote today. Vote Democrat. Vote for Hope. God Bless us and keep all of us

1 Day To Go...

2004-11-01T07:49:00.000-08:00

A tough day for me today. I found out this morning that my Grandpa Max died overnight. He was my grandpa, the one I was closest too. He had been suffering for years with rheumatoid arthritis, a terribly crippling disease. A couple years ago, due to the disease, his spinal column weakened and he injured his spinal cord in his neck. This, along with four joint replacement operations, left him wheel-chair bound. A few strokes had left him a little short of what he used to be as well, so it truly is a blessing that this homecoming occurred now. Still, I will miss not being able to see him....and I truly regret that he will not get to meet his first great-grandchild in March.

My grandpa helped to shape the man I have become, and helped ground my values. He was a quite introverted man, prefering to be out in his fields than engaged in conversation. Twice in my life he got cross with me. The first time was when I was a young child, and I was acting up in the car and would not behave. I was the first grandchild in my family. Grandpa Max was driving, and when we hit a stop sign he turned around and thumped me on my head with one of his fingers! Well, suffice to say that I was a better behaved child after that. The "thumping", as it became known in my family, is legendary. The second time was during a heated political discussion I was having with my family. My mom's side of the family, with the exception of my mom, are all Republicans. We were talking during the Clinton Lewinsky Republican Coup. I was arguing with my Grandma about how I thought the charges agains Clinton were not very sound. My Grandpa eventually roared in that character counts, and Clinton had shown poor character and judgement. It was the only time that I heard my Grandpa raise his voice, and like the thumping, it made an impact.

I could trust my Grandpa's opinion, because he told it like it was no matter what. He told me what he thought of Clinton, and he and my Grandma told me what they thought of Bush. They could not bear to vote for Bush in this election because of the same loss of character, and a flawed moral compass. They knew that Bush was trying to peddle bruised fruit to the American public. As Republicans, they were able to see past the strangleholds of pary affiliation and know that the right choice was not Bush.

So, tomorrow instead of being glued to the election coverage, I will make the long trip home to be with family. It was only a month ago that I was home burying Grandpa Max's brother. Once again I will serve as a pall bearer...what an honor. To bear Grandpa to rest, the same way he took me on my first combine and tractor rides, by lifting me up in his arms, and carrying me.

My last memories of being with my Grandpa are so special for me. At my uncle David's funeral, I got to push my Grandpa home from the church. It was only a few blocks, but it was just me and him, out in the sunny day. I got to spend those last few minutes with him listening to some last great words of advice, "Try not to hit the bumpy spots. Take your time, we are in no hurry."

2 Days To Go....

2004-10-31T11:26:00.000-08:00

"We must scrupulously guard the civil rights and civil liberties of all citizens, whatever their background. We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization."

-Franklin Roosevelt

Vote Kerry, to protect those civil rights.

3 Days To Go....

2004-10-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

"I've always been amazed that the very people forced to live in the worst parts of town, go to the worst schools, and who have it the hardest are always the first to step up, to defend the country. They serve so that we don't have to. They offer to give up their lives so that we can be free. It is remarkably their gift to us. And all they ask for in return is that we never send them into harm's way unless it's absolutely necessary. Will they ever trust us again?"

"George Orwell once wrote, that it's not a matter "if the war is not real, or if it is. Victory is not possible. The war is not meant to be won, but it is meant to be continuous." ... "A hierarchical society is only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance, this new version is the past and no different past can ever have existed. In principle the war effort is always planned to keep society on the brink of starvation. The war is waged by the ruling group against its own subjects and its object is not the victory over either Eurasia or east Asia but to keep the very structure of society in tact." "

-Michael Moore, Farenheit 9/11

4 Days To Go....

2004-10-29T17:31:00.000-07:00

A little Howard Dean for inspiration today:

"Change is difficult. You cannot expect people with great privileges taken at the expense of ordinary working people to surrender them lightly. But the history of humanity is that determined people will overcome obstacles.
And we will overcome the problems that this country is facing as a result of George W. Bush and as a result of a Washington establishment that has forgotten who sent them there."

"We have been here before in this country. When William McKinley was president, enormous trusts were put together which made it impossible for ordinary Americans to start their own business, make any money without enormous pressure from those trusts, which destroyed their business.

Teddy Roosevelt came along, busted up the trusts and made it possible to earn a living for ordinary Americans and small businesses again.

Under Harding and Coolidge and Hoover, Calvin Coolidge said, The business of America is business, but forgot that human beings are not meant to be cogs in an enormous government corporate machine; that we are spiritual people who need connections and have to have community again.

Franklin Roosevelt came along and took America back for ordinary working people again.

My favorite, however, is this one. In 1824, John Quincy Adams, the son of a one-term president, John Adams...

... beat Andrew Jackson of Tennessee in an election where Andrew Jackson received more votes.

It was decided in Congress by one vote, electing John Quincy Adams as president.

In 1828, four years later, John Quincy Adams became the one-term son of a one-term president."

5 Days To Go....

2004-10-28T19:38:00.000-07:00

"You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, and with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world. You impoverish yourself if you forget this errand. "

-Woodrow Wilson

So let's talk about hope for the future. Which candidate will enrich help America enrich the world, and by enrich, I do not mean fertilizing the soil with the corpses of thousands of dead troops and civilians. I am talking about which guy will help us recapture the Amercian vision of freedom and democracy. Who has the compass of hope?

Is George Bush? Record federal defecits coupled with record federal spending. Tax cuts on top of it. Waging unilateral war that stretches our military thin, alienates our allies, and makes Americans greater targets? Someone that is a strict Constitutionalist, but wants to write discrimination into that sacred document?

How 'bout John Kerry? Someone that says lets make everyone welcome in America. Someone who can think and react with his decisions as the situation mandates. Someone with the intellegence and ability to listen and reason with others. Someone who understands, like Wilson did, that we cannot do this thing alone. We must work together.

6 Days To Go....

2004-10-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

"Let America Be America Again"
by Langston Hughes

Let America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let it be the pioneer on the plainSeeking a home where he himself is free.

(America never was America to me.)

Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed--
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.

(It was never America to me.)

O, let my land be a land where Liberty
Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.

(There never has been equality for me,Nor freedom in the "homeland of the free.")

I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,
I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars.
I am the red man driven from the land,
I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek--
And finding only the same old stupid plan
Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.

I am the young man, full of strength and hope,
Tangled in that ancient endless chain
Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land!
Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need!
Of work the men! Of take the pay!
Of owning everything for one's own greed!

I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.
I am the worker sold to the machine.
I am the Negro, servant to all.
I am the people, humble, hungry, mean--
Hungry yet today despite the dream.
Beaten yet today--O, Pioneers!
I am the man who never got ahead,
The poorest worker bartered through the years.

Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream
In that Old World while still a serf of kings,
Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true,
That even yet its mighty daring sings
In every birck and stone, in every furrow turned
That's made America the land it has become.
O, I'm the man who sailed those early seas
In search of what I meant to be my home--
For I'm the one who left dark Ireland's shore,
And Poland's plain, and England's grassy lea,
And from Black Africa's strand I came
To build a "homeland of the free."

The free?

Who said the free? Not me?
Surely not me? The millions on relief today?
The millions shot down when we strike?
The millions who have nothing for our pay?
For all the dreams we've dreamed
And all the songs we've sung
And all the hopes we've held
And all the flags we've hung,
The millions who have nothing for our pay--
Except the dream that's almost dead today.

O, let, America be America again--
The land that never has been yet--
And yet must be--the land where every man is free.
The land that's mine--the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME--
Who made America,
Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain,
Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain,
Must bring back our mighty dream again.

Sure, call me any ugly name you choose--
The steel of freedom does not stain.
From those who live like leeches on the people's lives,
We must take back our land again,
America!

O, yes,
I say it plain,
America was never America to me,
And yet I swear this oath--
America will be!

Out of the rack of ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain--
All, all the stretch of these great green states--
And make America again!

7 Days To Go.....

2004-10-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

"The essential principles of our Government... form the bright constellation which has gone before us and guided our steps through an age of revolution and reformation. The wisdom of our sages and blood of our heroes have been devoted to their attainment. They should be the creed of our political faith, the text of civic instruction, the touchstone by which to try the services of those we trust; and should we wander from them in moments of error or of alarm, let us hasten to retrace our steps and to regain the road which alone leads to peace, liberty and safety."
--Thomas Jefferson, 1st Inaugural Address, 1801.

The bright constellation is Democracy. TJ certainly knew something about it and it's principles. The past four years have certainly given us "moments of error...of alarm". Terrorists, attacks, war, poverty. All of these have effected the American people. It has not been easy, but we all gave the administration the benefit of the doubt, we all united to fight the common threat. In return, we were led off the road of Democracy. As TJ says, "...let us haten to retrace our steps...to regain the road which alone leads to peace, liberty, and safety." John Kerry is ready to lead us back onto the road. He will not sacrifice our safety, but he will do more to bring allies and diplomacy into the road to peace. He will not leave us vulnerable, but he will work with the Patriot Act to make sure that does not infringe on the liberties that we love in America. He will not act unilaterally, making sure that all of our troops are as safe as possible.

We have been led off of the road, and it is due time that we take the steps to correct our akward course and return to the path of the future.

Two Years...Remember His Message

2004-10-25T09:27:00.000-07:00

With all the negative news today about our mis-leader, it is important to pause and reflect on a true leader, and a true progressive. Two years ago today, while running for re-election, Paul Wellstone, a US Senator from Minnesota died in a plane crash with his wife and daughter, as well as 3 campaign aides. Wellstone was a true champion of the middle class and was someone constantly working to better the political system. His words are inspiring:

"The people of this country, not special interest big money, should be the source of all political power."

"Politics isn't about big money or power games; it's about the improvement of people's lives"

"I'm from the Democratic party-wing of the Democratic Party" (a personal favorite!)

Howard Dean drew a great deal of inspiration from Paul Wellstone, as can be seen in the similarity of the quotes from Wellstone, and things that Dean has said. As we countdown the days of this final week, keep in mind the messages of Paul Wellstone, a champion of the middle class and a lover of peace. I will do my best to focus on the inspiration this week, God knows we should be looking toward the hope filled future with John Kerry, rather than the cloudy Bush future. God rest Paul Wellstone, his voice and his message was a clarion call to us all.

380 Tons of High Grade Explosives.....

2004-10-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

....dropped into the hands of Zarquawi and other insurgents in Iraq. No longer can we operate under the assumption that George Bush will keep this country safe, let alone safer than John Kerry would keep us. What a colossal failure in Iraq, as 380 tons of high grade explosives, used to trigger nuclear weapons, is missing. Worse than that, apparently the Bush administration knew about it, and has been keeping the story buried until after the election.

This administration failed to have enough troops on the ground in Iraq to protect these stockpiles of weapons. The IAEA warned us pre invasion of these stockpiles that we would need to secure...we turned a deaf ear, and then we let this massive pile of explosives go.

How dangerous is this stuff? Well, it is not dynamite, it is not a grenade. It can be used in warheads and it can be used to destroy buildings. For perspective, one pound of this type of explosive was used to detonate the Pan Am flight over Scotland in the 1980's. ONE POUND. We let the insurgents have 380 TONS.

This is criminal negligence, exercise your right for a citizens arrest on Nov. 2nd.

Bush Music Videg

2004-10-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

Savannah J will call this video an angry, left wing attempt to tear down the President. I could not agree more. Savannah J says anger will not win an election. However, I think that if you are not angry with this President, you have not been paying attention. Maybe you think he deserves another four years, but you should still be angry with the way he has handled his first four years. If you are not angry, then you are not engaged. Enjoy the video no matter where you are...

Bush Music Video

Be Mean To A Non-Voter Today

2004-10-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

This is a great article on apathy of non-voters, no longer should we chalk it off, we should be mean to them.

Routing Out the Anti-Voter