Wednesday, February 08, 2006

NEW YORK (AP) - Nobody turns off the microphone on Mick Jagger without a fight. Censorship of their songs during the Super Bowl halftime show was "absolutely ridiculous and completely unnecessary," the Rolling Stones said through a spokeswoman on Tuesday. [WTOP News] Is the NFL serious?  Or are they just a joke?  The Rolling Stones songs listed have played in every major, minor and insignificant market in the United States for the better part of the last 30 years.  Start me up was used as recently as 1995 as an advertising pitch by Microsoft of all companies.  If the FCC has not had a problem with the lyrics in their songs after all this time, why is the NFL worried?  There is more precedent to not censor than there is to censor.  The Super Bowl has been reduced in recent years to little more than a joke and at best a cheesy showcase.  With few exceptions, the game has been the least interesting of the season (with, perhaps, the exception of the Pro Bowl, but again there have been years where the Pro Bowl has been more exciting) with the outcome almost predetermined. This year, even the commercials were less than exciting and the build up over the last week has been almost negligible nationally as the two teams, from less than mid-market cities have little national draw. Who cares what Mick sang?  Most of the people that even bothered to watch were just hoping that he did sing and did not have a heart attack in the middle of the set. 9:37:33 PM    comment []

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - For the fifth straight year, a proposal to ease Virginia's helmet law has died in the House of Delegates. [WTOP News] What is more ironic?  That the State has to tell you to wear a helmet or that you are too stupid to know you should wear a helmet?  There is a part of me that says it should be eased and let natural selection take its course.  But a more rational part of me knows that if that happens, there will be lawsuits and the financial burden to provide for the idiots that actually survive the crash, but are in no way capable of continuing to function in anything resembling a normal capacity would be crushing. I guess it is better this way.  For all of us. 9:35:18 PM    comment []

WASHINGTON (AP) - The District of Columbia Council approved a revised lease for the Washington Nationals' new ballpark early Wednesday, just hours after rejecting an earlier version. [WTOP News] Do not think for one moment that this is the last word on the subject.  The District of Columbia really does not want a baseball team.  This is not a reflection on its citizens.  I firmly believe, based on the people at the games, that the PEOPLE of DC want a Major League Baseball team.  The problem is that the government of the District does not want a team.  Or maybe it is the Federal Government that does not want it.  While the second council vote is a critical first step in securing baseball in Washington, it must be remembered that the Nationals are still owned by Major League Baseball and until they are sold to an owner that is committed (and convinced) to keeping them in the District, there is still a chance that all the games being played by the District will result in a loss in extra innings. 9:34:00 PM    comment []

WASHINGTON - If President Bush gets his way, the venerable $255 Social Security death benefit will fade into history. And 16- and 17-year-old high school dropouts will lose their monthly survivor payments. [Yahoo News] I have to disagree with the Democrats on this one.  I think the Office of Management and Budget called this one correctly. There are two issues here.  The first is children and the incentive to stay in school.  Realistically, $200 is not a big incentive in the modern day.  Really.  But if it means the difference between being able to feed your family and stay in school and not, then it becomes an incentive.  Dropping the age to 16 might actually make a difference.  It is a small carrot and the decision makes sense. The second issue is the survivor benefit.  Anyone who has even looked at the price of a funeral knows that $255 will not even cover the tax on the coffin, let alone put a significant dint in the overall cost of the funeral (I doubt it would cover the liquor bill for the wake - yes, I am stipulating a wake in my will - I would rather go out with a party).  $3.4 billion over 10 years is almost insignificant against a $2.7 trillion budget per year, but ever little bit helps and this is one are where it probably costs more to print the cheque than the value of the cheque.  Cut the benefit, it is not doing anyone any good. 9:32:45 PM    comment []

© Copyright 2006 David Lane.