First Blog

The Bathroom. We are driven beyond the politics of the left and right.   Long may they survive.   We have arrived at what may only be called politics of the bathroom.   Modern politics seems now confined to a small room needing frequent deodorizing. ------------------ Handlers . Many celebrities, mostly those driven to political activism, have handlers pumping, pumping, and pumping them to make news.   The most recent is the footballer Kyle Kaepernick, who’s most recent activity was to stick in the eye of Miami Cubans the affirmation of Fidel Castro’s greatness (in education and more).   He has little understanding of what Castro did, what he represented, how he operated, and how many died opposing his injustice.   Despite his ignorance, he does make news for those regarding him merely as an useful idiot*. Kaepernick is truly just that, having not the slightest understanding of his usefulness.   No doubt, he regards himself as an athlete-intellectual – or maybe an intellectua

Mostly this note applies to American football and hockey - and a little to basketball.  This issue at hand is roughness, and indeed (very) unnecessary roughness. By way of background, in soccer the "Yellow Card" is applied to cite an egregious foul against an opponent.  This puts the offender on notice that one more such violation is a second yellow card and thus a red card implying ejection from  the game.  Thus the recipient of said card must be most cautious about future fouls.  The procedure works, and it works well.  The concomitant sanction is that the red card recipient is barred from at least the next game.  There are only rare second yellow card violations, and the game, though rough, is a lot cleaner than it could be.  Mind you, soccer is a sport of both skill and strength, of many bumps and bruises, of serious injuries despite possible sanctions. Note, for athletes, playing the game is not just important, it is the only thing there is!! In America football, t