Periodic Twitter update

Note: This is a series highlighting selected stories from the Twitter feeds for my blogs Musings of a (Fairly) Young Contrarian and Black Star Journal. The Twitter feed contains not only links to original pieces from my blogs but also links ("re-tweets") to diverse stories from other media outlets. 103 people presently get their updates this way. Those interested are encouraged to subscribe the Twitter feed to get all stories by going to Twitter.com/mofycbsj and clicking 'follow'.

-Boaters, don't pollute lakes and rivers (NYS DEC)

-Amnesty: Powerful Governments 'Stand Above the Law' on Human Rights (VOA Africa)

-The opposition is the restraining force on government. Obama in power means we must look to the GOP to restrain militarism... (Wikileaks)

-Green Party Nominates Clark and Lawrence for US Senate and 2010 Candidates of Green Party NY (GPNY)

-Guinea headed for free election, analysts say (AP)

-Sexual violence against men (Forced Migration Online)

-What a 'Peace Corps' of Africans Is Doing for Cajuns and Creoles (Wall Street Journal)

-Six myths about immigration that just won't die (Alternet)

-Children working on farms at younger ages, report says (PBS Need to Know)

-Despite Legislation, Misleading RNC ‘Census’ Mailers Continue (Pro Publica)

Exhibit A on why we need real multipartyism

Apparently, the US Senate health "reform" fraud retains the provision fining people $750 for not being able to afford or choosing to not buy health insurance while rejecting the provision creating a public option that might actually make insurance affordable for a lot more people. This proves yet again that a) it's not just the GOP who is sticking to the little guy and b) why I don't belong to either of the corporate parties. An honest, pragmatic analysis can only conclude that neither is a vehicle for progressive ideas.

Update: This bill is a bit like mandating all Americans eat prime rib and organic vegetables twice a day as a "plan" for eradicate hunger.

Further update: Both The Progressive offers a critique of the Democratic 'reform' fraud. So does the group Physicians for a National Health Program. While left-wing opposition to the bill is usually pooh-poohed with phrases like 'the perfect is the enemy of the good' or most inanely 'If both extremes hate it, it must be good,' the critiques are a little more substantive. Like me, PNHP most objects to the atrocious mandate that individuals be forced to buy an overpriced, inadequate insurance policy or else face a hefty fine, a provision no doubt adored by the private insurance lobby.

Says it all, really

I think it's telling that this article in The Times of London about American soccer fans' hostile reaction a a certain overhyped fraud was filed not in the paper's football section but under Life Style > Women > Celebrity.

Chump change

The soccer world's most overpaid fraud, who I won't dignify by mentioning his name, has returned to the US' Major League Soccer and make sure that the league's players who actually want to play here don't get any media attention.

I never thought his signing by the league was a good idea. I knew the circus he'd bring with him would distract from the league rather than enhance it. The media attention has been fleeting and directed at his brand, rather than at the soccer.

He's proven to be a failure as a player in this league. He's proven to not give a toss about playing here. It's a testament to his unprofessionalism that he can be useless against Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas but light it up against Inter Milan and Juventus.

This book excerpt gives a lot of insight into exactly how unprofessional he has been.

Frankly, no player in his right mind would rather play for Los Angeles Galaxy than AC Milan. I understand that. But I wish he'd stop insulting everyone's intelligence.

The league's doing fine without him. There are many other foreign players who are actually making an impact in the league because they comport themselves like they actually want to be here. They are far more deserving of media attention than this fraud who's more interested in being 'an ambassador' (ie: expanding his already substantial business interests) than being, you know, a soccer player.

He's boring. He's been more or less useless on the field. As for intelligence and charisma, he makes George W. Bush seem like a cross between Einstein and Churchill. He adds nothing to American soccer but aggravation. It's too bad he can't just go away.

While we may lack the tradition of other countries, the American soccer community isn't quite as stupid and gullible as this Chump, his handlers and many other foreigners (and, for that matter, the league's 'braintrust') seem to think.

Update: Props to Los Angeles' forward Landon Donovan for calling out the fraud. No one can question Donovan's commitment to the Galaxy or to American soccer.

A particularly pathetic thief

Local headline: Woman charged in cancer fraud:
'Victim' who collected thousands of dollars wasn't sick, police say

I don't know. She sounds kind of sick to me.