Man of the Year (2015)

Here are the people of the year for 2015 as chose by myself.

Robin Lord Taylor: Brought the Penguin to life.

Kansas City Royals: First title in 30 years.

Golden State Warriors: First true super team in a couple decades.

Mick Fanning: Winning titles and fighting sharks.

Rhonda Rhousey: She was everywhere in 2015. Made the other girls jealous.

Iran: They get to play with nuclear weapons (thanks Obama).

Donald Trump: The Summer of Trump.

Holly Holm: Beat the previously mentioned Rhousey.

Lauren Hill: Courage.

Adele: The first time in years an album release was an event.

Jim Harbaugh: Bringing Michigan back!

and the winner is Jim Harbaugh!


Past Winners: Meriam Ibraheem (2014); Mariano Rivera (2013), Miguel Cabrera (2012), Justin Verlander (2011), Drew Brees (2010), Leonard Nimoy (2009), Barack Obama (2008), Al Gore (2007), Rahm Emmanuel (2006)

Quotes of the Month: July 2015

Quote of the Month:
"A Cespedis for the rest of us"?
-Jerry Seinfeld

Stupid Quote of the Month:
"I like people that weren't captured."
-Donald Trump






And the rest...
"On the world stage, I think [Obama's accomplishments] have been minimal. But on the world stage, just to be objective about it, I can't think of many nations in the world where we have a better relationship now than when he took over."
-Jimmy Carter

"I felt like I was in a period-piece sometimes. Because I could hear echoes or
sensations of Connery or of Roger, which I didn't try to censor; I'd just allow
them to come in."
-Pierce Brosnan

"This issue is not really an issue that is on the foremost mind of Kenyans and that is a fact."
-Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta after Obama embarrassed himself with a lecture on gay rights
"The Iran deal will take the Israelis and march them to the door of the oven.”
-Mike Huckabee

What a stunning historic mistake!"
-Benjamin Netanyahu on the Iran nuclear deal

"What is the difference between a Democrat and a Socialist?"
-Chris Matthews

Quotes of the Month: January 2014

Quote of the Month: “I'm the best corner in the game! When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that's the result you're going to get. Don't you ever talk about me. Don't you open your mouth about the best, or I'll shut it for you real quick."

-Richard Sherman

Stupid Quote of the Month: "Do you understand what he did in this country? No, no, no, you tell me, you tell me. Why is he held captive here in this country, why?"

-Dennis Rodman exploding when asked about a Korean-American held captive in North Korea.

“Political ignorance helps explain Americans’ perpetual disappointment with politicians generally, and presidents especially, to whom voters unrealistically attribute abilities to control events. The elections of 1932 and 1980 dramatically illustrated how voters primarily control politicians — by ‘retrospective voting,’ refusing to reelect them.”

-George Will

 “Do you know what the Geneva agreement means? It means the surrender of the big powers before the great Iranian nation."

-Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the nuclear deal

“There’s no doubt that there’s some folks who just really dislike me because they don’t like the idea of a black president. Now, the flip side of it is there are some black folks and maybe some white folks who really like me and give me the benefit of the doubt precisely because I’m a black president.”

-Barack Obama

“Nobody messes with Dirty Soap! Mama said knock you out! #disni—a."

-Madonna

"If the Democrats want to insult the women of America by making them believe that they are hopeless without Uncle Sugar coming in and providing them with their prescription each month for birth control because they cannot control their libido or their reproductive system without the help of the government, then so be it.”

-Mike Huckabee

"He took advantage of a girl that was 20 years old and an intern in his office. There is no excuse for that, and that is predatory behavior. Someone who takes advantage of a young girl in their office? I mean, really. And then they have the gall to stand up and say, 'Republicans are having a war on women?'"

-Rand Paul

“[President Obama has] given up on being the great uniter – the charismatic president who would bring America together. And now he’s simply trying to hang on for quite small achievements, which I think, in his own eyes, means that he’s a failure.”

– Charles Krauthammer

Quotes of the Month: November 2013

Quotes of the Month: “This is not a historic agreement, it’s a historic mistake.”

-Benjamin Netanyahu

And

"The only thing the HOF will let me in for is to use the restroom."

-Todd Jones

Dumb Quotes of the Month:

"It's fascinating to me that some of the pushback is coming from, sort of, white suburban moms who -- all of a sudden -- their child isn't as brilliant as they thought they were and their school isn't quite as good as they thought they were, and that's pretty scary."

-Arne Duncan

And

"Probably in one of my drunken stupors, probably approximately about a year ago."

-Toronto Mayor Rob Ford on when he tried crack cocaine.

And the rest…

“He’s done the best he could under the circumstances. His major accomplishment was Obamacare, and the implementation of it now is questionable at best.”

-Jimmy Carter

"I know tonight, a dispirited America, angry with their dysfunctional government in Washington, looks to New Jersey to say,'Is what I think happening really happening? Are people really coming together. Are we really working, African-Americans and Hispanics, suburbanites and city dwellers, farmers and teachers. Are we really all working together.' Let me give the answer to everyone who is watching tonight: Under this government our first job is to get the job done and as long as I'm governor that job will always, always be finished."

-Chris Christie

“I am sorry that they are finding themselves in this situation based on assurances they got from me."

-Barack Obama

"Honor the commitment the federal government made to those people and let them keep what they got."

-Bill Clinton to Barack Obama

“Certain situations we just got outplayed, ……….and outcoached.”

-Ed Reed

"It is a rolling calamity that must be scrapped." 

-John Boehner

"I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security."

Pope Francis I

Political Quotes of the Year: 2011

In no particular order...

“The Obama agenda is over.”

-Mitch McConnell

“Death to the dictator.”

-Iranian Protestors

“Go get a job right after you take a bath.”

-Newt Gingrich to OWS

“I’m a devout Catholic and I honor my faith and love it . . . but they have this conscience thing.”

-Nancy Pelosi

“What the hell are we paying you for?”

-Chris Christie to President Obama

“The Taliban, per se, is not the enemy.”

-Joe Biden

“It was a meeting of the world’s most powerful communist and the president of China.”

-Craig Ferguson on the Chinese President’s White House visit

“Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaida, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.”

-Barack Obama


"Osama always loved Snooki’s hair poof. He called it nature’s turban.”

-Jimmy Kimmel

“With allies like that, who needs the left?”

-Paul Ryan on Newt Gingrich

“I did not sext Anthony Weiner.”

-Ginger Lee

"Obama is the most successful food stamp president in American History.”

-Newt Gingrich

Best on-air exchange:

“Do you have a degree in economics?”

-Contessa Brewer to Congressman Mo Brooks

“Yes mam, I do. Highest honors.”

-Mo Brooks to Contessa Brewer

“This would be easier if I could do this on my own.”

-Barack Obama wishing he were dictator?

"This economic mandate represents a wholly novel and potentially unbounded assertion of congressional authority: the ability to compel Americans to purchase an expensive health insurance product they have elected not to buy, and to make them re-purchase that insurance product every month for their entire lives."

-11^th Circuit Court on Obamacare’s Individual Mandate

"Socrates taught that wisdom begins in the recognition of how little we know. Mr. Obama is perpetually intent on telling us how much he knows. Aristotle wrote that the type of intelligence most needed in politics is prudence, which in turn requires experience. Mr. Obama came to office with no experience. Plutarch warned that flattery "makes itself an obstacle and pestilence to great houses and great affairs." Today's White House, more so than any in memory, is stuffed with flatterers.”

“Stupid is as stupid does, said the great philosopher Forrest Gump. The presidency of Barack Obama is a case study in stupid does.”

-Bret Stephens WSJ

"POTUS has played more golf this month than I have: I have created more jobs this month than he has.”

-Professional Golfer Paul Azinger

“It's deeply bizarre and deeply creepy.”

-State Department Victoria Nuland on Moammar Gadhafi’s obsession with Condi Rice

“My neighbor’s two dogs have created more shovel-ready projects than this current administration.”

-Former N.M. Governor Gary Johnson on the Stimulus

"We’re the country that built the Intercontinental Railroad."

-Barack Obama (he meant transcontinental).

“If asking a billionaire to pay the same tax rate as a Jew, uh, as a janitor makes me a warrior for the working class, I wear that with a badge of honor. I have no problem with that.”

-Barack Obama confusing Jews and Janitors

"I think we ought to suspend, perhaps, elections for Congress for two years and just tell them we won't hold it against them, whatever decisions they make, to just let them help this country recover."

-Governor Bev Perdue

OBAMA: "I can see the unemployment line from my house!"

-Ann Coulter

'President Obama, This Is Your Army. We Are Ready to March. Let's Take These Son of Bitches Out'

-James Hoffa

"Murder will continue to rise. Rape will continue to rise. All crime will continue to rise."

-Joe Biden on what would happen if the Jobs Bill fails

“We want sweeping unspecified change.”

- A sign in the Occupy Wall Street protests

“I left the Democratic plantation a long time ago.”

-Herman Cain

"After nearly nine years, America's war in Iraq will be over."

-Barack Obama

“All my people love me.”

-Moamer Gadhafi

“Do you know right from wrong?”

-Moammar Khadafy (last words)

“We came. We saw. He died.”

-Hillary Clinton celebrating Khadafy’s death

Quotes of the Month: February 2011

Quote of the Month: “If Charlie Sheen outlives me, I’m gonna be really pissed.”


-Chuck Lorre

Dumb Quote of the Month: “All my people love me.”

-Moamer Gadhafi

And the rest…

“Blame Nicki Minaj for females calling themselves Barbies knowin’ they look like a Build-a-bear. “

-?

"There are not any plans to erect a statue to RoboCop. Thank you for your suggestion."

-Detroit Mayor Dave Bing

"100 years after president Reagan's birth, it is worth remembering that the Cold War didn't just end. It was won."

-Donald Rumsfeld

"God didn't create all men equal, Smith and Wesson did."

-Top Shot

"'They may be talking about democracy but they don't know what they're talking about and the result will be extremism and radical Islam.'"

-Hosni Mubarak on Barack Obama

"We cannot deter it. We cannot negotiate with it any more than an iceburg or a great white. I refer to the debt - the new red menace, this time consisting of ink."

-Mitch Daniels

“The Obama agenda is over.”

-Mitch McConnell

“Death to the dictator.”

-Iranian Protestors

“I take my hat off to myself.”

-Carmelo Anthony

“I for one welcome our new computer overlords.”

-Ken Jennings

“My mother was a great Pirates fan. She knows we’re in trouble, so she went upstairs to get some help.”

-Chuck Tanner (1979)

“The problem is -- and dare I say this -- it doesn't look like Michelle Obama follows her own nutritionary, dietary advice. And then we hear that she's out eating ribs at 1,500 calories a serving with 141 grams of fat per serving, yeah it does -- what do you mean, what do I mean? What is it - no, I'm trying to say that our First Lady does not project the image of women that you might see on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, or of a woman [professional baseball player] Alex Rodriguez might date every six months or what have you. I mean, women are under constant pressure to look lithe, and Michelle My Belle is out there saying if you eat the roots and tree bark and the berries and all this cardboard stuff you will live longer, be healthier and you won't be obese. Okay, fine, show us.”

-Rush Limbaugh

"Duke was a fine man, a terrific hitter and a great friend - even though he was a Dodger.”

-Willie Mays on Duke Snider

"They picked a fight with a warlock."

-Charlie Sheen on his feud with CBS

Quotes of the Month- March 2010

Quote of the Month: “So this is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause.”

-Senator Padme Amidala on Obamacare’s passage

Dumb Quote of the Month: "Today is a big day in America, only 36,000 people lost their jobs today, which is really good."
-Harry Reid on Feb job losses

The Month in Biden:

“God rest her soul”

-Joe Biden on the still living mother of the Irish P.M. (oops)

“Republicans say it hasn't created one job. Well, tell that to Scott Brown.”

-Joe Biden on the Recovery Act

“This is a big fucking deal.”

-Vice President Joe Biden at the signing ceremony for Obamacare

The Best (and Worst) of the Rest:

Victory at Last!

-Newsweek on Iraq

"September 11 was a big lie and a pretext for the war on terror and a prelude to invading Afghanistan,"

-Iranian President Ahmadinejad (sounds like an antiwar activist!)

"Rahm Emanuel is son of the devil's spawn. He is an individual who would sell his mother to get a vote. He would strap his children to the front end of a steam locomotive.

-Former Rep. Eric Massa

"The fans are ruthless and don't deserve a winner.”

-Derek Anderson

“The Democrats seem to have forgotten their Schoolhouse Rock.”

-Dana Perino on Deem and Pass

"I'm supposed to cut back on dangling participles, and I'm not allowed to split any infinitives for at least another week,''

-The Great Vin Scully on doctor’s restrictions after his fall

“Muslims should be banned from airplanes and fly magic carpets.”

-Ann Coulter

“There are combinations and permutations…there’s a gazillion of them, things that could happen to fill out the pitching staff. We’ve got conundrums too.”

-Ken Macha on the Brewers pitching staff (quoted in SI)

“Vampires do not wear product.”

-Bart Simpson commenting on the Twilight Phenomenon

Predictions 2010

Here are my fearless predictions for the coming year....

Afghan War: Afghan surge is successful.


The Economy: China collapses the world economy. Hello 1932!!!

Iran: The Iranian Mullahs are overthrown. Goodbye Islamic Republic of Iran!

Europe: Tensions over immigration leads to race riots. Meanwhile, the economic downturn and government cutbacks lead to leftist rioting.

American Elections: GOP gains 30 House Seats and 6 in the Senate; California governorship, Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, and Chris Dodd lose

Technology: Blu Ray collapses as a result of the economy, computer downloads, and old school DVDs.

Entertainment: Someone dies trying to get on a reality TV show. The genre will collapse this decade.

University of Michigan: Rich Rodriguez will be fired.

Sports: The NY Yankees will have one of the great seasons in sports history.

The Persian War 490-479 BC

Think the War on Terror began in 2001? It's more like 490 BC. The current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are nothing more than a continuation of a war that began 2500 years ago. It has had different names (Persian War, Crusades, War on Terror). It has had different protagonists (Xerxes, Saladin, Osama and Alexander, Richard, George). It has had different excuses for starting over again (Empire, Religion, Democracy). The East is very aware of this history and celebrate Xerxes and Saladin while lamenting defeats in France and Austria. While the West is clueless about the past. Regardless, one day 2500 years ago, the Persians conquered Greek colonies in Asia minor. That signalled the beginning of a conflict that wages to this day.

In 499 BC, several Greek City states in Asia Minor revolted against Persian rule. Athens supported these revolts. The Greeks won an short lived victory and reestablished rule by 493 BC. The Persians wanted to teach the mainland Greeks a lesson for interfering.

The Persian Empire was the greatest at the time and the Greece was a little backwater. In 492, Emperor Darius sent ambassadors to many Greek cities demanding their surrender. The Spartans tossed them into a well. Athens also executed the ambassadors. Persia could not turn a blind eye to the insult and invaded Attica.

The Persian assault was relentless. Eritrea was razed to the ground and all survivors sold into slavery. The invasion was stopped cold by Athens at Marathon. Following the disastrous defeat, Darius prepared for a full scale invasion.

It took ten years to launch a second invasion. Internal strife, an Egyptian revolt, and Darius’ death slowed the Persians. In 480, there was nothing left to stop Persia. The new Emperor, Xerxes, brought a fleet of 1200 ships and 200,000 men to Greece. Only 300 Spartans stood in the way. After an effective delaying action by Leonidas and the 300 at Thermopylae, Persia ran wild in Attica while the Greeks retreated. The Spartans bought the rest of Greece time to regroup.

Following the destruction of Athens, the Greeks defeated Persia at sea and on land. At Salamis, the Persian fleet was sunk. At Plataea, the Greeks defeated the Persian army. Xerxes’ folly meant Western culture would soon flourish and begin it’s long rise to dominance. Had the Persians won the war, democracy may have died and Greece’s Golden Age would never have occurred. Xerxes is a hero in Iran today. The Greek view of Xerxes is still felt today. Watch the movie 300. Xerxes is still a fool 2500 years later.

Bush: 2006

2006 was another poor year for Bush. Although Zarqawi was killed and Saddam executed, Bush continued to suffer setbacks in Iraq. The insurrection continued to grow.

Meanwhile, illegal immigrants and their allies had their own insurrection. In several cities, there were protests and walkouts for illegal aliens’ rights. This angered many and pushed Bush to support immigration reform in 2007.

The courts began to push back as well. The Terrorist Surveillance Program was ruled unconstitutional. This ruling basically gave constitutional rights to terrorists worldwide. The program monitored terrorists’ communications worldwide. Idiots that opposed the program believed that it opened the door to spying on Americans. Of course, we know that did not happen. It was an attempt to bloody Bush some more. Bush did not appeal for whatever reason.

The high court also ruled that military tribunals were a no-no. This reversed a World War II decision allowing such tribunals. The tribunals were controversial as some believed the terrorists would not receive fair trials. This has proven false. However, it the controversy demonstrates the difficulties surrounding the incarceration of multi-national enemy combatants as opposed to soldiers in a national army.

Also pushing back were the Iranians. The fascist government of Iran wants to build a nuclear bomb. Their program is buried deep underground. As a result, it is probably safe from a strike. This problem goes back at least a decade and will continue into the Obama Administration. Obama has promised to drop nukes on Iran should they attack Israel.

Bush had two achievements of note in 2006. First, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands were named a national monument creating largest marine preserve in US History. Second, Samuel Alito was nominated to the Supreme Court.

In November, the Democrats took over both houses of Congress for the first time since 1994. Bush was a drag. More importantly, the Republicans had been involved in several scandals and stuck their noses into the Shiavo case in 2005. The biggest bomb came at the 11th hour of the election when Rahm Emmanuel released information on the Mark Foley scandal. This turned a Democratic tide into a landslide.

Bush: Year 2 (2002)

Year two was dominated by the War on Terror. In January, Bush made the now infamous "Axis of Evil" speech. He tied Iran, Iraq, and North Korea together in the same fashion as Italy, Germany, and Japan during World War II. He was trying to be bold and Reaganesque. It was Bush's attempt at an "Evil Empire" speech. The problem was Iran and Iraq hated each other. There may be some connection between Iran and North Korea though.

The Bush Administration opened the Gitmo Detention Facility. Human Rights groups and liberals complained. However, where were these people to go? When the facility closes, where will the bad guys go? Originally, they were going to go through military tribunals. There is precedent for this. Nazis captured in the US had military tribunals. The courts have since ruled that they have constitutional rights. So, Bush has kept the nation safe. However, the courts overruled some of his methods.

Bush also opened the Department of Homeland Security. This was a pet project of Senator Joe Lieberman. Conservatives have talked about closing departments and downsizing government. Yet, Bush created a new cabinet department. On the downside, it creates a new bureaucracy and expands government. On the plus side, it should lessen interdepartmental squabbles and ease information sharing.

In other foreign policy matters, Bush withdrew from the ABM Treaty. The treaty goes back to 1972. The main sticking point was missile defense. This was a bit silly. The missile defense system could end up the American Maginot Line. Massive missile strikes or suitcase nukes render the system null.

Lastly, Worldcom went bankrupt. Again, mismanagement and Clinton era corruption at Worldcom and in the government led to this.

Year 2 was mixed. Withdrawing from the missile treaty was wrong. The Department of Homeland Security was not needed. Although, there was a need to end interdepartmental squabbles and increase information sharing. Gitmo kept bad guys out of the field, but made the US look bad. The Axis of Evil Speech was a bit silly.