Last Call

I love my Duke Blue Devils, and they're doing well so far here in the first half against W. Virginia, but...I don't even think Kyle Singler and Duke on their best day could stop Butler right now.  I remember Duke's win over KY in 1992 (I was in high school in Durham at the time), and they took that Team of Destiny role all the way to the national championship that year.  It was a hell of a ride.

Butler's looking like that team this year.  Their win tonight against Michigan State was a grindfest, but they won 52-50 in front of effectively a home crowd in Indianapolis.

I'm thinking Duke might not want to get in their way.

A Doctoral Thesis

So, much has been made of Florida urologist Dr. Jack Cassell, who posted a sign on his office window this week directing those who voted for Obama to "seek urological care elsewhere."  Well, turns out the part of Florida he's in is Orlando.

You know, Alan Grayson's district.

In a recent CNN appearance, Rep. Grayson told host Anderson Cooper that he's filed a formal complaint against Dr. Cassell with the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Medical board.

"He's a very confused individual. That much is obvious," Grayson said. "But what he's doing clearly is a violation of the ethics rules that you cited earlier, the Hippocratic oath, the rules of the AMA. And it's at the expense of his patients and care. What he's doing is no different from saying, 'I will not treat a black person. I will not treat a Catholic.'

"I thought that we, as a country, has moved beyond that."

This should be...interesting.



I wonder how this will turn out.

Fiscal Responsibility Means Never Having To Say I'm Sorry

The difference between Republicans and Democrats?  Republicans have no problem spending trillions on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  But $9 billion for unemployment benefits?  Can't have that, that's not responsible spending.

Starting Monday, more than 200,000 unemployed Americans won't see jobless benefits they're expecting because Congress failed to act.

The interruption in benefits will last two weeks at a minimum, according to Judy Conti of the National Employment Law Project (NELP), since lawmakers return from spring break on April 12.

As the two-week recess began, Congress was at an impasse over how to extend the emergency unemployment insurance program and other expiring provisions, including increased COBRA health insurance subsidies for the unemployed, the Medicare doctor payment rate and federal flood insurance.

Senate Republicans said the $9.3 billion, 30-day extension preferred by Democrats should be paid for, while Democrats said the bill's cost didn't need to be offset because the program was "emergency spending."

Republicans refused to let the extension go forward unless the money was funded by making cuts in other programs.   Democrats give in, Republicans say "Democrats cut programs!  They hate you, America!"  Democrats don't give in, Republicans say "Democrats cut unemployment benefits in a recession!  They hate you, America!"  They really do hope you're stupid enough to give the country back to the GOP, and doing so while holding thousands of Americans hostage.

This is your Republican party, folks.  Winning requires sacrifice.  Just not on the part of Republican politicians.  Everyone else?  Fair game.

StupidiNews, Easter Weekend Edition

• The Vatican is being urged to adopt a series of reforms in the wake of the growing priest sexual abuse scandal.
• Laid off French factory workers are threatening to blow up their plant unless management gives in.
• More African nations are turning towards nuclear power as a long-term energy solution.
• The White House is working on an early list for candidates to replace Justice John Paul Stevens.
• With the Apple iPad launching today, here's six must-have apps for the tablet device.