Posted by parallel
It is really sad that one now has to look at Russian TV to get the news about the Israeli attack on the aid convoy heading for Gaza. What little is reported in the US media is watered down, even reporting lower numbers of killed and wounded.
see Global outrage at Israel violating international maritime law
Monday, May 31, 2010
Blogger Template | PeaceKeeper
PeaceKeeper is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The theme is designed by web2feel and converted by me to blogger.The design is gorgeous and it looks damn proffesional.Top menu links are ready for you.Seo for title has been done and it supports all blog features and is compatible with all browsers.The template is dark and has specially made for dark template lovers.It uses very high quality images and i am sure everyone will gonna like this for sure.Comment system too is looking great with simple design.
Other blogger templates you may like are Greymagic and Simplebox.
Other blogger templates you may like are Greymagic and Simplebox.
Blogger Template | PeaceKeeper
PeaceKeeper is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The theme is designed by web2feel and converted by me to blogger.The design is gorgeous and it looks damn proffesional.Top menu links are ready for you.Seo for title has been done and it supports all blog features and is compatible with all browsers.The template is dark and has specially made for dark template lovers.It uses very high quality images and i am sure everyone will gonna like this for sure.Comment system too is looking great with simple design.
Other blogger templates you may like are Greymagic and Simplebox.
Other blogger templates you may like are Greymagic and Simplebox.
Blogger Template | PeaceKeeper
PeaceKeeper is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The theme is designed by web2feel and converted by me to blogger.The design is gorgeous and it looks damn proffesional.Top menu links are ready for you.Seo for title has been done and it supports all blog features and is compatible with all browsers.The template is dark and has specially made for dark template lovers.It uses very high quality images and i am sure everyone will gonna like this for sure.Comment system too is looking great with simple design.
Other blogger templates you may like are Greymagic and Simplebox.
Other blogger templates you may like are Greymagic and Simplebox.
The Tragedy of Gaza
Posted by parallel
The Gaza Strip is a 25 by 5 mile concentration camp holding about one and a half million impoverished Palestinians, half of whom originally fled from the Israelis during the 1949 war. According to Wikipedia, “The UN, Human Rights Watch and many other international bodies and NGOs consider Israel to be the occupying power of the Gaza Strip as Israel controls Gaza's airspace, territorial waters and does not allow the movement of people or goods in or out of Gaza by air or sea.” There are three land crossing points, the one into Egypt is still controlled by Israel, thanks to the $28 billion bribe to Egypt from the US.
After the population of Gaza elected Hamas in 2005 and their Palestinian victory in 2007, the Bush administration secretly signed off on a deal to funnel arms and money to Abbas to remove Hamas from Gaza by force. It is apparently OK for the US to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries if it doesn’t like them, like Gaza above or Mosadeqh's overthrow in Iran in 1953. Does anyone doubt Iranians still remember that? It must be legal as our President can designate anyone, even
Americans, a “terrorist” without trial and order them assassinated. That can’t be illegal as we are a nation of laws.
Anyway, Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip is now in its fourth year and they only allow basic foods and basic medicine in. No building materials to allow them to repair the buildings Israel flattened, not even such dangerous materials as powdered coffee. No trade to give them hope of eventual recovery, no material for the 100 new schools they require, certainly no exit to their requisitioned farms in Israel.
According to the CIA, 44% of Gaza’s population is fourteen or younger. The Fourth Geneva Convention, article 33, makes collective punishment a war crime. When Nazi Germany did that, perpetrators were punished. When Israel does it, our legislators are so afraid of AIPAC they turn a blind eye.
The people of Gaza are virtually helpless to do anything about it. When they resist this daily humiliation, and armed robbery, in the only ways available to them, they are labeled terrorists. Israel ignores all international condemnations such as Goldstone’s 600 page report for the UN. Obviously, international opinion can be safely ignored as long as Israel has America’s veto power on the UN Security Council. Might is right and we are a nation of laws.
Although Netanyahu recently boasted that Israel controlled America’s foreign policy and can get away with claiming they would not be the first to introduce nuclear weapons to the Middle East, it recently surfaced they offered to sell nukes & missiles to S. Africa’s then apartheid government (birds of a feather?) A number of people object to Israel’s apartheid policies and their lethal collective punishment of countless innocent children.
The latest result, now making headlines, was for a group of people concerned when the United Nations, among others, described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "grim" and "deteriorating" decided to try and actually help. Their small flotilla of ships carrying aid was boarded by Israeli commandos in international waters. For any other country that would be an act of war or piracy. Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, called the unarmed passengers Al Qaeda and stated “There was no question of easing the blockade.”
News is sparse as Israel has blocked most communications (a long history of blocking communications - remember the USS Liberty?) and it will be interesting to see the spin they and the US media put on it. It seems the passengers were mainly European, with a number of prominent activists and even an 85 year old survivor of the Holocaust. Breitbart reports 19 passengers killed and 36 wounded, many of them Turks, but this needs confirmation.
If pre-emptive strikes are legal, what can be wrong with a friend shooting up a few unarmed ships carrying Al Qaeda intent on providing aid to the “cockroaches” (as the settlers call Palestinians.) Maybe the President has secretly designated all Gazans as terrorists, even the kids, so it would be legal to exterminate them all. We are a nation of laws who would never condone anything illegal. The $5 billion/year from Congress to Israel confirms they have done no wrong, right?
The Gaza Strip is a 25 by 5 mile concentration camp holding about one and a half million impoverished Palestinians, half of whom originally fled from the Israelis during the 1949 war. According to Wikipedia, “The UN, Human Rights Watch and many other international bodies and NGOs consider Israel to be the occupying power of the Gaza Strip as Israel controls Gaza's airspace, territorial waters and does not allow the movement of people or goods in or out of Gaza by air or sea.” There are three land crossing points, the one into Egypt is still controlled by Israel, thanks to the $28 billion bribe to Egypt from the US.
After the population of Gaza elected Hamas in 2005 and their Palestinian victory in 2007, the Bush administration secretly signed off on a deal to funnel arms and money to Abbas to remove Hamas from Gaza by force. It is apparently OK for the US to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries if it doesn’t like them, like Gaza above or Mosadeqh's overthrow in Iran in 1953. Does anyone doubt Iranians still remember that? It must be legal as our President can designate anyone, even
Americans, a “terrorist” without trial and order them assassinated. That can’t be illegal as we are a nation of laws.
Anyway, Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip is now in its fourth year and they only allow basic foods and basic medicine in. No building materials to allow them to repair the buildings Israel flattened, not even such dangerous materials as powdered coffee. No trade to give them hope of eventual recovery, no material for the 100 new schools they require, certainly no exit to their requisitioned farms in Israel.
According to the CIA, 44% of Gaza’s population is fourteen or younger. The Fourth Geneva Convention, article 33, makes collective punishment a war crime. When Nazi Germany did that, perpetrators were punished. When Israel does it, our legislators are so afraid of AIPAC they turn a blind eye.
The people of Gaza are virtually helpless to do anything about it. When they resist this daily humiliation, and armed robbery, in the only ways available to them, they are labeled terrorists. Israel ignores all international condemnations such as Goldstone’s 600 page report for the UN. Obviously, international opinion can be safely ignored as long as Israel has America’s veto power on the UN Security Council. Might is right and we are a nation of laws.
Although Netanyahu recently boasted that Israel controlled America’s foreign policy and can get away with claiming they would not be the first to introduce nuclear weapons to the Middle East, it recently surfaced they offered to sell nukes & missiles to S. Africa’s then apartheid government (birds of a feather?) A number of people object to Israel’s apartheid policies and their lethal collective punishment of countless innocent children.
The latest result, now making headlines, was for a group of people concerned when the United Nations, among others, described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "grim" and "deteriorating" decided to try and actually help. Their small flotilla of ships carrying aid was boarded by Israeli commandos in international waters. For any other country that would be an act of war or piracy. Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, called the unarmed passengers Al Qaeda and stated “There was no question of easing the blockade.”
News is sparse as Israel has blocked most communications (a long history of blocking communications - remember the USS Liberty?) and it will be interesting to see the spin they and the US media put on it. It seems the passengers were mainly European, with a number of prominent activists and even an 85 year old survivor of the Holocaust. Breitbart reports 19 passengers killed and 36 wounded, many of them Turks, but this needs confirmation.
If pre-emptive strikes are legal, what can be wrong with a friend shooting up a few unarmed ships carrying Al Qaeda intent on providing aid to the “cockroaches” (as the settlers call Palestinians.) Maybe the President has secretly designated all Gazans as terrorists, even the kids, so it would be legal to exterminate them all. We are a nation of laws who would never condone anything illegal. The $5 billion/year from Congress to Israel confirms they have done no wrong, right?
Blogger Template | Blackboard
Blackboard is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The design is cool and it looks beautiful and clean.Pages feature by blogger has been added for you.Seo for title has been done and it supports all blog features and is compatible with all browsers.Rss widget ready at top of blog and in this template header has been made at top of sidebar as different from all other designs.Also you need to do small date settings which u can do after checking the image you get with download.
Other blogger templates you may like are Monkeypr and Rockie.
Other blogger templates you may like are Monkeypr and Rockie.
Blogger Template | Blackboard
Blackboard is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The design is cool and it looks beautiful and clean.Pages feature by blogger has been added for you.Seo for title has been done and it supports all blog features and is compatible with all browsers.Rss widget ready at top of blog and in this template header has been made at top of sidebar as different from all other designs.Also you need to do small date settings which u can do after checking the image you get with download.
Other blogger templates you may like are Monkeypr and Rockie.
Other blogger templates you may like are Monkeypr and Rockie.
Blogger Template | Blackboard
Blackboard is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The design is cool and it looks beautiful and clean.Pages feature by blogger has been added for you.Seo for title has been done and it supports all blog features and is compatible with all browsers.Rss widget ready at top of blog and in this template header has been made at top of sidebar as different from all other designs.Also you need to do small date settings which u can do after checking the image you get with download.
Other blogger templates you may like are Monkeypr and Rockie.
Other blogger templates you may like are Monkeypr and Rockie.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
How Remove Automatic Read More Hack From Blogger Static Pages
How make work automatic read more hack with thumbnail from blogger static pages,as we have been using automatic read more hack with thumbnail in blogger templates alot.But after the the blogger released static pages feature for the bloggers, the read more hack started making problems in static pages.As when we open the static page in blogger,it openes with read more hack and remains same on expanding.So to make the pages feature work well with this hack we have to remove the automatic read more hack with thumbnail from pages to make the blogger pages work well.
So just now get continue with the implementation of hack to remove read more hack from blogger static pages.
Just Login To Blogger and Go To (Dashboard → Layout → Edit Html → Expand Widgets → Press Ctrl+F) and now search for below codes.
What you have to do is find the code like above in your template, and add the red codes to them like i did to make static pages feature work properly with this hack.I have implemented this hack on my automatic read more hack with thumbnail.
I hope now you will be able to make pages feature work properly with this hack in your blog.If you have any other problems or using any other read more hack and facing problem let us know below in comments and dont' forget to check our last hack on how to use custom fonts for blogger.
So just now get continue with the implementation of hack to remove read more hack from blogger static pages.
Just Login To Blogger and Go To (Dashboard → Layout → Edit Html → Expand Widgets → Press Ctrl+F) and now search for below codes.
<div class='post-body'>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "static_page"'><br/>
<data:post.body/>
<b:else/>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "item"'>
<div expr:id='"summary" + data:post.id'><data:post.body/></div>
<script type='text/javascript'>createSummaryAndThumb("summary<data:post.id/>");
</script> <span class='rmlink' style='float:right;padding-top:20px;'><a expr:href='data:post.url'> read more "<data:post.title/>"</a></span>
</b:if>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'><data:post.body/></b:if>
</b:if>
<div style='clear: both;'/> <!-- clear for photos floats -->
</div>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "static_page"'><br/>
<data:post.body/>
<b:else/>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "item"'>
<div expr:id='"summary" + data:post.id'><data:post.body/></div>
<script type='text/javascript'>createSummaryAndThumb("summary<data:post.id/>");
</script> <span class='rmlink' style='float:right;padding-top:20px;'><a expr:href='data:post.url'> read more "<data:post.title/>"</a></span>
</b:if>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'><data:post.body/></b:if>
</b:if>
<div style='clear: both;'/> <!-- clear for photos floats -->
</div>
What you have to do is find the code like above in your template, and add the red codes to them like i did to make static pages feature work properly with this hack.I have implemented this hack on my automatic read more hack with thumbnail.
I hope now you will be able to make pages feature work properly with this hack in your blog.If you have any other problems or using any other read more hack and facing problem let us know below in comments and dont' forget to check our last hack on how to use custom fonts for blogger.
How Remove Automatic Read More Hack From Blogger Static Pages
How make work automatic read more hack with thumbnail from blogger static pages,as we have been using automatic read more hack with thumbnail in blogger templates alot.But after the the blogger released static pages feature for the bloggers, the read more hack started making problems in static pages.As when we open the static page in blogger,it openes with read more hack and remains same on expanding.So to make the pages feature work well with this hack we have to remove the automatic read more hack with thumbnail from pages to make the blogger pages work well.
So just now get continue with the implementation of hack to remove read more hack from blogger static pages.
Just Login To Blogger and Go To (Dashboard → Layout → Edit Html → Expand Widgets → Press Ctrl+F) and now search for below codes.
What you have to do is find the code like above in your template, and add the red codes to them like i did to make static pages feature work properly with this hack.I have implemented this hack on my automatic read more hack with thumbnail.
I hope now you will be able to make pages feature work properly with this hack in your blog.If you have any other problems or using any other read more hack and facing problem let us know below in comments and dont' forget to check our last hack on how to use custom fonts for blogger.
So just now get continue with the implementation of hack to remove read more hack from blogger static pages.
Just Login To Blogger and Go To (Dashboard → Layout → Edit Html → Expand Widgets → Press Ctrl+F) and now search for below codes.
<div class='post-body'>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "static_page"'><br/>
<data:post.body/>
<b:else/>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "item"'>
<div expr:id='"summary" + data:post.id'><data:post.body/></div>
<script type='text/javascript'>createSummaryAndThumb("summary<data:post.id/>");
</script> <span class='rmlink' style='float:right;padding-top:20px;'><a expr:href='data:post.url'> read more "<data:post.title/>"</a></span>
</b:if>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'><data:post.body/></b:if>
</b:if>
<div style='clear: both;'/> <!-- clear for photos floats -->
</div>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "static_page"'><br/>
<data:post.body/>
<b:else/>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "item"'>
<div expr:id='"summary" + data:post.id'><data:post.body/></div>
<script type='text/javascript'>createSummaryAndThumb("summary<data:post.id/>");
</script> <span class='rmlink' style='float:right;padding-top:20px;'><a expr:href='data:post.url'> read more "<data:post.title/>"</a></span>
</b:if>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'><data:post.body/></b:if>
</b:if>
<div style='clear: both;'/> <!-- clear for photos floats -->
</div>
What you have to do is find the code like above in your template, and add the red codes to them like i did to make static pages feature work properly with this hack.I have implemented this hack on my automatic read more hack with thumbnail.
I hope now you will be able to make pages feature work properly with this hack in your blog.If you have any other problems or using any other read more hack and facing problem let us know below in comments and dont' forget to check our last hack on how to use custom fonts for blogger.
How Remove Automatic Read More Hack From Blogger Static Pages
How make work automatic read more hack with thumbnail from blogger static pages,as we have been using automatic read more hack with thumbnail in blogger templates alot.But after the the blogger released static pages feature for the bloggers, the read more hack started making problems in static pages.As when we open the static page in blogger,it openes with read more hack and remains same on expanding.So to make the pages feature work well with this hack we have to remove the automatic read more hack with thumbnail from pages to make the blogger pages work well.
So just now get continue with the implementation of hack to remove read more hack from blogger static pages.
Just Login To Blogger and Go To (Dashboard → Layout → Edit Html → Expand Widgets → Press Ctrl+F) and now search for below codes.
What you have to do is find the code like above in your template, and add the red codes to them like i did to make static pages feature work properly with this hack.I have implemented this hack on my automatic read more hack with thumbnail.
I hope now you will be able to make pages feature work properly with this hack in your blog.If you have any other problems or using any other read more hack and facing problem let us know below in comments and dont' forget to check our last hack on how to use custom fonts for blogger.
So just now get continue with the implementation of hack to remove read more hack from blogger static pages.
Just Login To Blogger and Go To (Dashboard → Layout → Edit Html → Expand Widgets → Press Ctrl+F) and now search for below codes.
<div class='post-body'>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "static_page"'><br/>
<data:post.body/>
<b:else/>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "item"'>
<div expr:id='"summary" + data:post.id'><data:post.body/></div>
<script type='text/javascript'>createSummaryAndThumb("summary<data:post.id/>");
</script> <span class='rmlink' style='float:right;padding-top:20px;'><a expr:href='data:post.url'> read more "<data:post.title/>"</a></span>
</b:if>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'><data:post.body/></b:if>
</b:if>
<div style='clear: both;'/> <!-- clear for photos floats -->
</div>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "static_page"'><br/>
<data:post.body/>
<b:else/>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "item"'>
<div expr:id='"summary" + data:post.id'><data:post.body/></div>
<script type='text/javascript'>createSummaryAndThumb("summary<data:post.id/>");
</script> <span class='rmlink' style='float:right;padding-top:20px;'><a expr:href='data:post.url'> read more "<data:post.title/>"</a></span>
</b:if>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'><data:post.body/></b:if>
</b:if>
<div style='clear: both;'/> <!-- clear for photos floats -->
</div>
What you have to do is find the code like above in your template, and add the red codes to them like i did to make static pages feature work properly with this hack.I have implemented this hack on my automatic read more hack with thumbnail.
I hope now you will be able to make pages feature work properly with this hack in your blog.If you have any other problems or using any other read more hack and facing problem let us know below in comments and dont' forget to check our last hack on how to use custom fonts for blogger.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Blogger Template | Saris
Saris is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The design is cool and it looks beautiful and clean.Pages feature by blogger has been added for you.Seo for title has been done and it supports all blog features and is compatible with all browsers.I have just simply used 2 images from beatheme to make this template look beautiful.I hope you will like this template for sure.Please keep footer links intact for usage of this template.
Other blogger templates you may like are Nona and NBA.
Other blogger templates you may like are Nona and NBA.
Blogger Template | Saris
Saris is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The design is cool and it looks beautiful and clean.Pages feature by blogger has been added for you.Seo for title has been done and it supports all blog features and is compatible with all browsers.I have just simply used 2 images from beatheme to make this template look beautiful.I hope you will like this template for sure.Please keep footer links intact for usage of this template.
Other blogger templates you may like are Nona and NBA.
Other blogger templates you may like are Nona and NBA.
Blogger Template | Saris
Saris is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The design is cool and it looks beautiful and clean.Pages feature by blogger has been added for you.Seo for title has been done and it supports all blog features and is compatible with all browsers.I have just simply used 2 images from beatheme to make this template look beautiful.I hope you will like this template for sure.Please keep footer links intact for usage of this template.
Other blogger templates you may like are Nona and NBA.
Other blogger templates you may like are Nona and NBA.
Sestak Backs up White House Story...
... and in so doing discredits his own.
So there it is. In a statement released minutes ago, Joe Sestak makes clear that he has been misrepresenting the truth on the White House job offer for months.
When he answered "yes" to Larry Kane's question: "Is it true that you were offered a high-ranking job in the administration in a bid to get you to drop out of the primary against Arlen Specter?" that was no true. According to the White House he was offered an "unpaid advisory position." That is not a job.
The most commonly understood definition of the word "job" is this: "A regular activity performed in exchange for payment, especially as one's trade, occupation, or profession."
When Kane followed up and about the specific job of Secretary of the Navy, which is a paid position by the way, Sestak smiled and said "no comment." When Kane came back and asked about it being a "big job," Sestak nodded.
That turns out not to be true. Sestak was offered, according to everybody's story now, an unpaid position as a White House advisor. That is not a job. In the days after asserting that he was offered a job, and the White House denied any such offer, Sestak would only say he was "asked a question" and he "answered it honestly."
He knew what he had said. He knew it wasn't accurate. He knew what he said brought the White House under suspicion of having committed a crime and covering it up. Now, it turns out, according to Sestak himself, he created a false impression with his answer. He let it stand. And he repeated it week in and week out for months.
I, for one, believed Sestak when he said he was offered a job. I believed it because of the way the White House behaved in softening its own denials about the offer. I also believed it because I thought Sestak was a man of honor and not crazy enough to level a bogus charge against the leaders of his own party.
If this the true story, there was no reason for it not to have come out within days of Sestak misspeaking. Sestak himself should have corrected the record. He didn't. So it turns out Arlen Specter was right about him. Sestak used the controversy for political mileage. And now he is the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate to represent Pennsylvania.
How this with sit with the voters, I don't know. But I am frankly amazed at Sestak's brazen misrepresentation of the truth, his failure to correct his misstatement and his willingness to let others be suspected of committing a crime that never happened.
Unbelievable.
So there it is. In a statement released minutes ago, Joe Sestak makes clear that he has been misrepresenting the truth on the White House job offer for months.
When he answered "yes" to Larry Kane's question: "Is it true that you were offered a high-ranking job in the administration in a bid to get you to drop out of the primary against Arlen Specter?" that was no true. According to the White House he was offered an "unpaid advisory position." That is not a job.
The most commonly understood definition of the word "job" is this: "A regular activity performed in exchange for payment, especially as one's trade, occupation, or profession."
When Kane followed up and about the specific job of Secretary of the Navy, which is a paid position by the way, Sestak smiled and said "no comment." When Kane came back and asked about it being a "big job," Sestak nodded.
That turns out not to be true. Sestak was offered, according to everybody's story now, an unpaid position as a White House advisor. That is not a job. In the days after asserting that he was offered a job, and the White House denied any such offer, Sestak would only say he was "asked a question" and he "answered it honestly."
He knew what he had said. He knew it wasn't accurate. He knew what he said brought the White House under suspicion of having committed a crime and covering it up. Now, it turns out, according to Sestak himself, he created a false impression with his answer. He let it stand. And he repeated it week in and week out for months.
I, for one, believed Sestak when he said he was offered a job. I believed it because of the way the White House behaved in softening its own denials about the offer. I also believed it because I thought Sestak was a man of honor and not crazy enough to level a bogus charge against the leaders of his own party.
If this the true story, there was no reason for it not to have come out within days of Sestak misspeaking. Sestak himself should have corrected the record. He didn't. So it turns out Arlen Specter was right about him. Sestak used the controversy for political mileage. And now he is the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate to represent Pennsylvania.
How this with sit with the voters, I don't know. But I am frankly amazed at Sestak's brazen misrepresentation of the truth, his failure to correct his misstatement and his willingness to let others be suspected of committing a crime that never happened.
Unbelievable.
White House: Sestak offered Unpaid Advisory Position
From the Washington Post:
The rest of the story can be read here.
Sestak has yet to respond to this version of events. But if this is what happened it was Sestak who misled the country for months.
When he was asked if he was offered a job to get out of the primary he said "Yes." A job is not an unpaid advisory position. When he was asked if it was a big job, he smiled and nodded and then declined to elaborate, leaving the clear impression that he was offered a job, a big job, something of value, but he turned down the offer.
For months he's been saying he was asked a question and he "answered it honestly." No, he didn't. Not if what the White House now says is true.
We're waiting for Sestak to make a statement... with baited breath.
At the urging of the Obama White House, former President Bill Clinton asked Rep. Joe Sestak if he would abandon his plans to challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in a Pennsylvania Democratic primary in exchange for an unpaid, advisory position, according to a White House counsel report issued Friday morning.
The rest of the story can be read here.
Sestak has yet to respond to this version of events. But if this is what happened it was Sestak who misled the country for months.
When he was asked if he was offered a job to get out of the primary he said "Yes." A job is not an unpaid advisory position. When he was asked if it was a big job, he smiled and nodded and then declined to elaborate, leaving the clear impression that he was offered a job, a big job, something of value, but he turned down the offer.
For months he's been saying he was asked a question and he "answered it honestly." No, he didn't. Not if what the White House now says is true.
We're waiting for Sestak to make a statement... with baited breath.
Take This Job and Guv It!
Gov. Chris Christie goes toe to toe with a carping public school teacher in New Jersey. And clobbers her... and her out-of-touch union.
Oil's Not Well: More Grown-Ups Please
Kim Strassel on the politics of oil and oil spills. The GOP needs to be grown-up about this. As grown-up as say, Senator Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana).
Here Here.
Imitating the Caterwauling Cajun does nobody any good.
"I know that this committee has its eyes on the environment. We in Louisiana . . . not only have our eyes on it, we have our heart invested in it and we are making a living on that delta. But we need the oil that comes from offshore to keep this economy moving. We must examine what went wrong, weigh the risk and rewards, fix what is broken and move on . . . If we could do without this oil, we would. But we simply cannot—not today, not in the near future.""How principled," writes Strassel. "How refreshing."
Here Here.
Imitating the Caterwauling Cajun does nobody any good.
Bullpen Management in Microcosm
Last night, Dave Trembley let Brad Bergesen work into the 8th. After two straight singles, he lifted Brad Bergesen for Jason Berken. Here's what happened next:"I don't think the pitch count enters into it," Trembley said of removing Bergesen. "He had retired that many, he had a long inning to sit after the seventh. You certainly don't want to put him in a situation where he's going to lose the game. He's pitched so well."
Right-hander Jason Berken entered and immediately picked up a flyout. Trembley then replaced Berken with left-hander Hendrickson to face consecutive left-handed hitters, Daric Barton and Ryan Sweeney...
"I think you're going to go left vs. left there. I think that's really what you're going to do," Trembley said. "Berken hasn't faced these guys a lot. Their two best hitters are their two lefties right there. … Berken's a fly-ball pitcher. You don't want Berken to give up a home run there. He's never been in that situation before. Hendrickson has. He did a nice job the other night in the same role. That's the decision that was made."
What followed was a debacle as Hendrickson and Cla Meredith combined to blow a 5-2 lead and the Orioles lost the game.
Lifting Bergesen after the two singles? OK. You can second guess that but if Bergey gives up a three-run homer to the next batter, Trembley's getting crucified. And to some extent, I understand that Trembley is trying to limit the psychic damage to a young pitcher. That decision is fine.
But lifting Berken after one batter faced? Berken is your "long man" and, outside of Will Ohman, your most consistent performer out of the pen in 2010. He can certainly give you an inning. He's been sitting on the bench for 7 days...he's well rested. You could also make the argument that you put Berken out there for the two inning save and rest everybody else. And everybody else needs it.
But this would only be a blip if it was one game. Unfortunately, Trembley has been managing this way all season.
Will Ohman is on pace for 84 appearances, Matt Albers, 74 and Cla Meredith, 73. These are not Perlozzian levels of bullpen mismanagement but they are getting close. Meanwhile, Berken has just 12 appearances and we're closing in on Memorial Day. Why not let Berken pitch a little?
This is not how Trembley has managed his bullpens in the past. The work was a bit more evenly spread. I think the losing is messing with his head.
So it's probably time for him to go.
(As an aside, Brad Bergesen has been much improved since his return from Norfolk. 3-1, 4.26 ERA, averaging more than 6 innings a start. OK, 10 walks vs. 8 strikeouts is not good but when you are getting grounders on 67% of your balls put in play, you're certainly going to be in decent shape. This style isn't going to win you any Cy Young awards but Bergesen still looks like a fine back of the rotation starter to me.)
Coming Soon: The "Official" Statement on Jobgate
It appears the Sestak-White House job offer mess will come to a head soon. (My print column is up.)
But several questions were raised yesterday by the president's performance at his presser. He told reporters that nothing "improper" occurred and that an "official" statement would be forthcoming on the matter sooner rather than later.
That it has taken this long for the White House to quit stonewalling and come up with its version of its talk with Joe about quitting the primary suggests, at the very least, something very stupid occurred. If Sestak is telling the truth (and I think he is) some White House honcho made it clear to Joe that if he got out of the race he could expect a nice big plum of a job.
Such an offer is arguably a crime. But such offers, we understand, are a matter of routine. The more the public finds out about these sorts of deals being offered the more cynical the public becomes about Washington and its ways of doing business. (Think Louisiana Purchase and Cornhusker Kickback to buy votes for a healthcare bill the public didn't want.)
It would have been more accurate for the president to have said "nothing uncommon" occurred in the Sestak matter. But think about it. It has been four months since Sestak blew the whistle on the offer.
At first the White House angrily and "vociferously" denied such an offer was made. Nothing improper about that? Indirectly and falsely calling a member of your own party a liar is, well, a little uncommon, even for this White House. It took a few weeks but the White House started to walk back from its flat out denial to its "nothing inappropriate occurred" stance.
Others, including the Administration's preferred senate candidate Arlen Specter, said that if what Sestak alleged was true, a felony had been committed by someone in the White House. White House advisor David Axelrod recently agreed that a job offer to Sestak to get out of the race would "constitute a serious breach of the law." But he said there is no evidence that happened.
No evidence? Well, there is the word of Congressman Sestak that it did. So now we await the "official" White House statement on the matter. Sestak says he will wait for the statement and then respond to it publicly.
Yesterday the president, for the first time, commented on the matter. At the same press conference, on another matter, he said he didn't know whether his administration's Director of Minerals Management Service, Liz Birnbaum was fired or resigned.
"She was fired," a New York Times reporter informed him.
Nice. The New York Times seems to know more about what is going on in his administration than President Obama does.
It is fair to conclude that Obama doesn't know, one way or another, if anything "improper" occurred in the Sestak matter. No doubt, he has been told that by his underlings. That's their story and they're sticking to it. Fine. But the president has promised an "official" statement that explains what did happen. It's four months late in coming but better late than never.
And it better be good.
UPDATE: Sestak says the White House spoke to his brother, Richard, Wednesday to tell him a statement would be released Friday.
UPDATE II: Quote of the day:
But several questions were raised yesterday by the president's performance at his presser. He told reporters that nothing "improper" occurred and that an "official" statement would be forthcoming on the matter sooner rather than later.
That it has taken this long for the White House to quit stonewalling and come up with its version of its talk with Joe about quitting the primary suggests, at the very least, something very stupid occurred. If Sestak is telling the truth (and I think he is) some White House honcho made it clear to Joe that if he got out of the race he could expect a nice big plum of a job.
Such an offer is arguably a crime. But such offers, we understand, are a matter of routine. The more the public finds out about these sorts of deals being offered the more cynical the public becomes about Washington and its ways of doing business. (Think Louisiana Purchase and Cornhusker Kickback to buy votes for a healthcare bill the public didn't want.)
It would have been more accurate for the president to have said "nothing uncommon" occurred in the Sestak matter. But think about it. It has been four months since Sestak blew the whistle on the offer.
At first the White House angrily and "vociferously" denied such an offer was made. Nothing improper about that? Indirectly and falsely calling a member of your own party a liar is, well, a little uncommon, even for this White House. It took a few weeks but the White House started to walk back from its flat out denial to its "nothing inappropriate occurred" stance.
Others, including the Administration's preferred senate candidate Arlen Specter, said that if what Sestak alleged was true, a felony had been committed by someone in the White House. White House advisor David Axelrod recently agreed that a job offer to Sestak to get out of the race would "constitute a serious breach of the law." But he said there is no evidence that happened.
No evidence? Well, there is the word of Congressman Sestak that it did. So now we await the "official" White House statement on the matter. Sestak says he will wait for the statement and then respond to it publicly.
Yesterday the president, for the first time, commented on the matter. At the same press conference, on another matter, he said he didn't know whether his administration's Director of Minerals Management Service, Liz Birnbaum was fired or resigned.
"She was fired," a New York Times reporter informed him.
Nice. The New York Times seems to know more about what is going on in his administration than President Obama does.
It is fair to conclude that Obama doesn't know, one way or another, if anything "improper" occurred in the Sestak matter. No doubt, he has been told that by his underlings. That's their story and they're sticking to it. Fine. But the president has promised an "official" statement that explains what did happen. It's four months late in coming but better late than never.
And it better be good.
UPDATE: Sestak says the White House spoke to his brother, Richard, Wednesday to tell him a statement would be released Friday.
UPDATE II: Quote of the day:
Sestak declined to say whether the alleged job offer was inappropriate and defended Obama's integrity. "I think the president's a pretty legitimate, you know, person," he said.A ringing endorsement.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Give Me BP Over BO
I know BP is an evil oil company that is responsible for the greatest environmental disaster in American history but listening to BP's Kent Wells makes me feel better than listening to the President of the United States defend his administration's handling of the crisis.
You want to understand what BP is doing to plug the hole, listen to Wells. You want defensiveness and political posturing, listen to the White House.
You want to understand what BP is doing to plug the hole, listen to Wells. You want defensiveness and political posturing, listen to the White House.
Let's Drum Up Some Drama Over Kagen
Posted by Undercover Corporate Titan Let's face it; the President has the right to appoint individuals to the Supreme Court. The Senate advises and consents. No fair-minded person wants this to be a political tussle everytime a vacancy opens up. Yes, I know the Democrats ganged up on poor Robert Bork for no good reason, but do we really want that to set the standard? Elena Kagen is a well-regarded, smart woman who formerly served as Supreme Court clerk for Thurgood Marshall, when he was in his dotage. She will be a reliable vote for the liberal wing on virtually any type of matter reaching the Court. It is probably too much to ask that she be part of a principled opposition. Unless, of course, "empathy" has become a legal principle when I was not looking. The Supreme Court has to be fully staffed to carry out its primary mission (which is reversing the 9th Circuit every chance it gets). I suggest we get right to the confirmation, eschewing the bipartisan effort to raise political contributions to derail/push through the nomination. Maybe we could use this time to look into why we don't use the stone from "Lost" to plug the BP oilwell. |
Matusz in Trouble? Look a Little Deeper...
The Baltimore Sun's Toy Department has a new post up this morning voicing concern over rookie pitcher Brian Matusz:The young lefty looks confused out on the mound, never more so than in the first inning of the Orioles 6-1 loss to the Oakland A's Wednesday.
He gave up four runs in that inning -- including Adam Rosales' three-run homer -- marking the second straight time he's been roughed up in the first inning.
And he's starting to take on that bewildered look that Brad Bergesen wore a few weeks ago when nothing he did was working....
"I am just in a bad groove," Matusz told reporters after the game.
The truth is, there are a lot of players in that clubhouse in a bad groove right now.
But the Orioles can't afford to have Matusz stuck in that groove for too long.
Not if he's one of their building blocks for the future.
Which is fine and all but the truth is that Brian Matusz is pitching pretty well, his mainstream stats (2-5, 5.76 ERA) notwithstanding.
His FIP is fine (3.80 and an improvement over his 4.08 FIP form last year) and his xFIP is 4.63. These numbers aren't stellar but they are better than his ERA suggests.
Other peripherals: 7.41 K/9, 3.29 BB/9, 0.82 HR/9; those are all respectable, especially for a rookie. The 1.63 WHIP is not good...but his BABIP stands at .370. There's no way that doesn't come down. His LD% of 21.2% does not support that BABIP and even though he has been a fly ball pitcher thus far his 32.8% ground ball rate is slightly better than last year.
Matusz's defense isn't doing him (or the other pitchers) any favors either. Ty Wigginton, for all his success at the plate, has been the second worst second baseman in the league in terms of UZR. Miguel Tejada is below average. Nick Markakis and Adam Jones are not living up to their defensive reps and whoever the Orioles stick in left turns into a butcher with the glove. Only Cesar Izturis is pulling his weight in the field.
Are there things Matusz can work on? Sure. Is he as bad as his ERA suggests? Absolutely not.
I'm not going to hit the panic button 18 starts into his career.
And regardless of what The Toy Department might think, the Orioles can definitely afford "bad groove" Matusz. He won't get any better if you don't let him pitch.
Photo used under Creative Commons via Keith Allison.
You Say Ranaudo, I Say Machado
OK, so LSU's SP Anthony Ranaudo is no longer considered a top 5 talent due to health concerns but I can't let that ruin my catchy title.
I'm not a scout and I haven't seen ANY of the players that are to be selected in the 2010 amateur draft but the more I hear about him, the more I like high school SS Manny Machado who should be available when the Orioles pick at #3.
Here's what they're saying:
Baseball America:
Machado is skinny at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds but surprisingly strong and has a swing that produces hard contact. He's familiar with wood bats and has shown a knack for centering the ball on the barrel. Scouts project him to hit for average future power, with a chance to be a .300 hitter. Defensively, Machado will remain at shortstop as a pro and has a chance to be an above-average defender. He's smooth, makes all the routine plays and has a plus arm that allows him to make the play in the hole.
ESPN's Keith Law:
MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo:
Machado entered the season as the top high school position player and has done nothing to diminish that evaluation. Big and athletic, he can do just about everything on the baseball field, with the ability to hit for plenty of average and some power as he matures. He's got more than enough arm to play shortstop and is fine there for now, though there is some concern he'll outgrow the position. Even if he does, he'd be just fine at third, both in terms of handling the position defensively and providing the kind of offense teams look for at the hot corner.
Here's the link to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo's video report...
PNR Scouting:
Machado has the tool set to become an offensive-minded shortstop. Even if he adds too much bulk to field his position adequately, he should hit enough to justify a move to third base, where his soft hands and strong throwing arm would make him a well above-average defender. Machado’s bat-to-ball ability and patience at the plate should allow him to hit for the average and power that major-league managers would expect out of their two-hole hitter.
What's not to like? The mock drafts are starting to think that the Pirates may be thinking of picking Machado at #2 but I still believe that his representation by Scott Boras will frighten off Pittsburgh who will instead pick high school pitcher James Tallion.
Machado will not only be arguably the best player available at #3, he also fills an organizational need. Blue chip middle infielders, especially shortstops, are absent from the Oriole farm system. And position players tend to be less risky picks than pitchers. Time to mix it up, pay the kid and make him an Oriole.
I'm not a scout and I haven't seen ANY of the players that are to be selected in the 2010 amateur draft but the more I hear about him, the more I like high school SS Manny Machado who should be available when the Orioles pick at #3.
Here's what they're saying:
Baseball America:
Machado is skinny at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds but surprisingly strong and has a swing that produces hard contact. He's familiar with wood bats and has shown a knack for centering the ball on the barrel. Scouts project him to hit for average future power, with a chance to be a .300 hitter. Defensively, Machado will remain at shortstop as a pro and has a chance to be an above-average defender. He's smooth, makes all the routine plays and has a plus arm that allows him to make the play in the hole.
ESPN's Keith Law:
MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo:
Machado entered the season as the top high school position player and has done nothing to diminish that evaluation. Big and athletic, he can do just about everything on the baseball field, with the ability to hit for plenty of average and some power as he matures. He's got more than enough arm to play shortstop and is fine there for now, though there is some concern he'll outgrow the position. Even if he does, he'd be just fine at third, both in terms of handling the position defensively and providing the kind of offense teams look for at the hot corner.
Here's the link to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo's video report...
PNR Scouting:
Machado has the tool set to become an offensive-minded shortstop. Even if he adds too much bulk to field his position adequately, he should hit enough to justify a move to third base, where his soft hands and strong throwing arm would make him a well above-average defender. Machado’s bat-to-ball ability and patience at the plate should allow him to hit for the average and power that major-league managers would expect out of their two-hole hitter.
What's not to like? The mock drafts are starting to think that the Pirates may be thinking of picking Machado at #2 but I still believe that his representation by Scott Boras will frighten off Pittsburgh who will instead pick high school pitcher James Tallion.
Machado will not only be arguably the best player available at #3, he also fills an organizational need. Blue chip middle infielders, especially shortstops, are absent from the Oriole farm system. And position players tend to be less risky picks than pitchers. Time to mix it up, pay the kid and make him an Oriole.
Blogger Template | Warpack
Warpack is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The theme is designed by web2feel and converted by me to blogger.The design is cool and it looks beautiful and clean.Top menu links are ready for you.Seo for title has been done and it supports all blog features and is compatible with all browsers.Search bar is also ready at top of blog with rss feed button and twitter button.Calender widget has also been installed.I hope you will like this dark color design for sure.
Other blogger templates you may like are Prowess and Grey Magic.
Other blogger templates you may like are Prowess and Grey Magic.
Blogger Template | Warpack
Warpack is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The theme is designed by web2feel and converted by me to blogger.The design is cool and it looks beautiful and clean.Top menu links are ready for you.Seo for title has been done and it supports all blog features and is compatible with all browsers.Search bar is also ready at top of blog with rss feed button and twitter button.Calender widget has also been installed.I hope you will like this dark color design for sure.
Other blogger templates you may like are Prowess and Grey Magic.
Other blogger templates you may like are Prowess and Grey Magic.
Blogger Template | Warpack
Warpack is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The theme is designed by web2feel and converted by me to blogger.The design is cool and it looks beautiful and clean.Top menu links are ready for you.Seo for title has been done and it supports all blog features and is compatible with all browsers.Search bar is also ready at top of blog with rss feed button and twitter button.Calender widget has also been installed.I hope you will like this dark color design for sure.
Other blogger templates you may like are Prowess and Grey Magic.
Other blogger templates you may like are Prowess and Grey Magic.
Appearing to Care about New Orleans
WaPo's Richard Cohen takes Obama to task for not being a very effective president right now. But he can't do it without suggesting George Bush was much worse.
Obama certainly showed he was not George Bush. He's worse. Much worse. By Cohen's own standard, worse by a factor of four.
Heck of a job, Richie.
Meanwhile, political magpies like James Carville are screeching for Obama to do more, or at least appear to care more, for the suffering people of Louisiana. "We're about to die down here," screeches Carville. At least on this, Cohen is right. There isn't much Obama can do.
UPDATE: Rove weighs in.
Early this month, Barack Obama went down to Louisiana to eyeball the possible damage from the blowout of BP's exploded oil rig, keep the cleanup crews on their toes -- no version of "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job" from him -- and show the Gulf states and the rest of the nation his concern. On May 3, The Washington Post's website played the story precisely where it belonged -- entombed in the middle of the page. In its placement, it said the president of the United States did not, in this case, matter all that much.That's what Democrats are supposed to be good at, showing they care. But how is it Cohen thinks Obama did such a better job of this than Bush? All you have to do is look at the dates. Katrina hit on New Orleans Monday Aug. 29, 2005. Bush flew over the ravaged city that Wednesday and was in the city by Friday. The BP oil rig blew up, killing 11 workers, on April 20. Obama didn't make it down to New Orleans until May 2. So President Bush made it to the scene of the "calamity" in four days while it took Obama 12 days. That's four times longer for President Obama to find the time to survey the greatest environmental disaster in American history.
Everyone knew that Obama was merely showing that he was not George W. Bush. He was not going to ignore a calamity, especially one affecting New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. On the other hand, we all knew that he could not reverse the winds or cork the spill. In fact, he could do precious little except show that he cared.
Obama certainly showed he was not George Bush. He's worse. Much worse. By Cohen's own standard, worse by a factor of four.
Heck of a job, Richie.
Meanwhile, political magpies like James Carville are screeching for Obama to do more, or at least appear to care more, for the suffering people of Louisiana. "We're about to die down here," screeches Carville. At least on this, Cohen is right. There isn't much Obama can do.
UPDATE: Rove weighs in.
Could this be Mr. Obama's Katrina? It could be even worse. The federal response to Katrina was governed by the 1988 Stafford Act, which says that in natural disasters on-shore states are in charge, not Washington. The federal obligation is to "support . . . State and local assistance efforts" by providing whatever resources a governor requests and then writing big checks for the cleanup. Mr. Bush had to deal with a Louisiana governor and a New Orleans mayor who were, by federal law, in charge.
But BP's well was drilled in federal waters. Washington, not Louisiana, is in charge. This is Mr. Obama's responsibility. He says his administration has been prepared for the worst from the start. Mr. Obama's failure to lead in cleaning up the spill could lead voters to echo his complaint in Katrina's aftermath: "I wish that the federal government had been up to the task."
Daily Times Question of the Day...
... Does everyone deserve a second chance?
Whether it be athletes (Michael Vick, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez) or politicians (Gary Hart, Richard Nixon) or anybody else, we seem to live by the mantra 'Everybody deserves a second chance.'Yes. I think that is true. I think mass murderers shouldn't get a second chance. Even if they are lousy mass murderers and only kill three or four people, we shouldn't give them a second chance to become really great mass murderers like Adolph Hitler, Mao Zedong, Joseph Stalin and the Green River Killer. I think that would be wrong. Call me mean and unforgiving if you want. But I think mass murderers should only get one chance. And that's it.
Well, is that true? Are there things people do where they don't deserve a second chance?
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
The Roster-Go-Round Revisited
Lots of changes on the active roster in the past week and a half. Time to step back and take a closer look.
Justin Turner DFA'd, Claimed by the Mets
Turner was removed from the 40-man roster to make room for Scott Moore and is no longer an Oriole as the Mets claimed him off waivers. I liked Turner a lot. He was probably never going to be a regular but I thought he could have been a solid utility player in a year or two, kind of a Mike Fontenot type. (He really couldn't be any worse than the 2010 version of Julio Lugo...) He still had value but not a ton of it and he's probably more of an NL player anyhow. Good luck to Red.
Scott Moore Recalled from Norfolk
I like Moore a lot and I wish Dave Trembley would find a way to get him in the lineup on a regular basis. Moore is patient at the plate, has some pop in the bat and can play all over the infield (with varying results). Only protecting Garrett Atkins' ego will keep him on the bench at this point. If you're going to bat Lugo 2nd, there's no reason not to put Moore there every now and then.
Koji Uehara Placed on 15-Day DL
Oh, Koji. Back on the DL yet again. Seemingly, he'll never be healthy but Uehara wasn't really a bad signing. Why? According to FanGraphs, Koji has been so good when he's actually been on the field that he has provided $7.9 million in value in terms of WAR over the past two seasons. The Orioles are paying him $10 million so he still has a shot at fully living up to the contract if he gets back on the field. He showed he was able to compete in the American League so he was definitely worth a shot.
Alfredo Simon Placed on 15-day DL
Simon shows you how low the bar is to close in the majors. Don't let his 2.92 ERA fool you, he is walking more than 5 per 9 innings while only striking out 7 per 9. His FIP is 4.49 (which is an improvement; he hasn't posted a FIP below 5.00 since 2005) but he's been adequate "closing out" games. The hamstring should not keep him out long.
Frank Mata Recalled from Norfolk
Mata is having a good season in AAA and it's legit. His FIP in Norfolk is 3.15. Mata seems like the kind of guy who will get lit up in Baltimore though. He needs to miss more bats and I don't think he will strike out major leaguers at a 6 K/9 rate like he has in AAA. We shall see.
Mike Gonzalez Transferred to 60-day DL
I don't think Gonzalez was going to return before mid-June anyway but he's really hurt. I liked the signing (and maybe still do) but missing half a season is going to make it hard for the O's to get a good return on the investment.
Alberto Castillo Recalled from Norfolk
He's baa-aaack. Can he keep the ball in the park? If he can, the rest of his peripherals look great. If he can't....well, the Orioles don't seem to take him very seriously anyway and he'll be back to Norfolk.
Justin Turner DFA'd, Claimed by the Mets
Turner was removed from the 40-man roster to make room for Scott Moore and is no longer an Oriole as the Mets claimed him off waivers. I liked Turner a lot. He was probably never going to be a regular but I thought he could have been a solid utility player in a year or two, kind of a Mike Fontenot type. (He really couldn't be any worse than the 2010 version of Julio Lugo...) He still had value but not a ton of it and he's probably more of an NL player anyhow. Good luck to Red.
Scott Moore Recalled from Norfolk
I like Moore a lot and I wish Dave Trembley would find a way to get him in the lineup on a regular basis. Moore is patient at the plate, has some pop in the bat and can play all over the infield (with varying results). Only protecting Garrett Atkins' ego will keep him on the bench at this point. If you're going to bat Lugo 2nd, there's no reason not to put Moore there every now and then.
Koji Uehara Placed on 15-Day DL
Oh, Koji. Back on the DL yet again. Seemingly, he'll never be healthy but Uehara wasn't really a bad signing. Why? According to FanGraphs, Koji has been so good when he's actually been on the field that he has provided $7.9 million in value in terms of WAR over the past two seasons. The Orioles are paying him $10 million so he still has a shot at fully living up to the contract if he gets back on the field. He showed he was able to compete in the American League so he was definitely worth a shot.
Alfredo Simon Placed on 15-day DL
Simon shows you how low the bar is to close in the majors. Don't let his 2.92 ERA fool you, he is walking more than 5 per 9 innings while only striking out 7 per 9. His FIP is 4.49 (which is an improvement; he hasn't posted a FIP below 5.00 since 2005) but he's been adequate "closing out" games. The hamstring should not keep him out long.
Frank Mata Recalled from Norfolk
Mata is having a good season in AAA and it's legit. His FIP in Norfolk is 3.15. Mata seems like the kind of guy who will get lit up in Baltimore though. He needs to miss more bats and I don't think he will strike out major leaguers at a 6 K/9 rate like he has in AAA. We shall see.
Mike Gonzalez Transferred to 60-day DL
I don't think Gonzalez was going to return before mid-June anyway but he's really hurt. I liked the signing (and maybe still do) but missing half a season is going to make it hard for the O's to get a good return on the investment.
Alberto Castillo Recalled from Norfolk
He's baa-aaack. Can he keep the ball in the park? If he can, the rest of his peripherals look great. If he can't....well, the Orioles don't seem to take him very seriously anyway and he'll be back to Norfolk.
Jobgate II
The lame duck doesn't say quack about it. But somebody's going to have to say something soon. The pressure is building. My print column is up.
UPDATE: All seven Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have signed a letter to AG Eric Holder asking him to appoint a special prosecutor into this matter.
Sestak has said that he would "absolutely" cooperate with an federal probe of the matter and since both he and the White House have absolutely refused to cooperate with journalists asking questions about Sestak's allegation a special prosecutor may be the only route to the truth.
UPDATE: All seven Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have signed a letter to AG Eric Holder asking him to appoint a special prosecutor into this matter.
Sestak has said that he would "absolutely" cooperate with an federal probe of the matter and since both he and the White House have absolutely refused to cooperate with journalists asking questions about Sestak's allegation a special prosecutor may be the only route to the truth.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Blogger Template | Obama Talking
Obama Talking Blogger template is two column blogger template with sidebar to its left and post section to its right.The theme is very beautiful and you would be going to like it for sure.Many widgets have been built inside it.Like search bar is ready at top of sidebar and rss button for the blog also ready at right of header.Also have an small welcome section at top of sidebar to write about your blog or yourself above sidebar in layout.You also need to do small timestamp format settings to make show proper date for your post.
Other blogger templates you may like are Webfolio and Animepress.
Other blogger templates you may like are Webfolio and Animepress.
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