Monday, June 30, 2003

A HUMOUROUS TAKE ON THE ACC/BIG EAST FIASCO A poster over at Rutgersfan.com put up a funny set of lyrics set to the tune of Eric Clapton's Layla: "Sha-lay-la, you got me on my knees, Sha-lay-la, beggin' darling please, Sha-lay-la, darling won't you ease my worried mind?" "I tried to give you 90 million, When Ol' Swofford came around, Like a fool, I really trusted you, Now you're friggin' ACC bound!" Sha-lay-la.... File under From The Sports Desk. 11:30:29 PM    Go ahead, make my day  []

THE UNPATRIOTIC ACT There's an excellent post over at a small victory about access to records under the Foreign Intelligence Security Act. The "highlights" are: Allows an FBI agent to obtain a search warrant for “any tangible thing,” which can include books, records, papers, floppy disks, data tapes, and computers with hard drives.   Permits the FBI to compel production of library circulation records, Internet use records, and registration information stored in any medium.   Does not require the agent to demonstrate “probable cause,” the existence of specific facts to support the belief that a crime has been committed or that the items sought are evidence of a crime. Instead, the agent only needs to claim that he believes that the records he wants may be related to an ongoing investigation related to terrorism or intelligence activities, a very low legal standard.   Libraries or librarians served with a search warrant issued under FISA rules may not disclose, under of penalty of law, the existence of the warrant or the fact that records were produced as a result of the warrant. A patron cannot be told that his or her records were given to the FBI or that he or she is the subject of an FBI investigation.   Overrides state library confidentiality laws protecting library records. They would've had our Founding Fathers swinging from the gallows in no time under this one. Pay attention kids. Your freedom is at stake.   File under Current Events. 11:09:58 PM    Go ahead, make my day  []

MORE BIG-TIME COLLEGE ATHLETIC HYPOCRACY You be the judge. On March 6, 2002 at the CEO meeting of the Big East Conference, Donna Shalala, the University of Miami's president, reiterated Miami's commitment "in the strongest terms possible, emphatically stat[ing] that the University of Miami is in the Big East Conference and has no interest in leaving it for any other conference." I wonder if being a former Clinton appointee has anything to do with Ms. Shalala's version of what a promise is? On June 8, 2003, Charles W. Steger, Virginia Tech's president, stated on a conference call with 31 participants including 10 reporters that "if [Virginia Tech] received an offer [from the ACC] today, we would not accept it." Virginia Tech actually beat Miami out the door by accepting the ACC's belated offer over the weekend. According to Steger, in a letter to VT supporters, "the context of that discussion [on the conference call] is now lost, but at the time we truly thought that would be the appropriate course of action." Well what the hell was the context Mr. Steger? Could it have been that you didn't believe at that time the ACC would make Tech an offer? Way to stab your "buddies" in the back. Virginia Tech was one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed by the remaining football members of the Big East against the ACC, Miami and Boston College. Big time college sports is nothing more than minor league professional sports, except the "student" athletes don't get paid. File under From The Sports Desk. 8:11:07 PM    Go ahead, make my day  []

A DRINKING TOWN WITH A VICTORIAN PROBLEM After The Trial Of The Century ended last week (maybe more later if I feel like it) I decided to play hooky on Friday so me, Mrs. Hondo and our son headed down to Six Flags Great Adventure for a day of being spun at high speeds in various directions. I can report that Superman Ultimate Flight is an interesting experience, at least for the first couple of drops. After that, the novelty of hanging face down from a roller coaster wears off. Especially at the end when you're waiting to unload and you're still hanging face down for longer that the ride took. Nitro is definitely the best ride there. It's a high speed hypercoaster whose 3rd drop is still higher than the 1st on most coasters. If you go it definitely pays to purchase a Q-Bot so you don't have to stand in line. Plus the sight of pissed off line standers is worth the price alone. Sunday my wife and I headed further south driving at high speeds playing loud music until we reached Cape May. We strolled around town and on the promenade overlooking the ocean and caught some sun. Then we repaired to Martini Beach for some sustenance and cool libations. I started with a Key Lime martini along with a small tasting plate of crawfish tails, moving on to Mikey's Dirty Little Secret with some thin sliced rare sesame crusted tuna. I closed out the session with a more traditional Bombay Sapphire martini, very dry and straight up with a twist. Now I face down Monday. Just gotta get to the weekend baby! File under Stuff That Don't Fit Anywhere Else. 8:12:31 AM    Go ahead, make my day  []