Wild World of Sports

I was going to write a light-hearted recap of some of the best sports has to offer for the week, but when I learned of the deaths of two coaching greats, I knew this post would begin with a much somber tone.

RIP Skip Prosser

On Thursday, after completing a jog, Skip Prosser, basketball coach of the Wake Forest Demon Decons, was found slumped against his desk and was unresponsive to CPR. Wake Forest has grown to be one of the most recognizable college basketball teams in the country, the firery-haired coach on the sidelines was the main reason why. Prosser coached at Wake Forest two dynamic players close to a decade apart in Tim Duncan (arguably the best player in the NBA) as well as Chris Paul (arguably the best young point guard), and in the process elevated the Demon Deacons to their first ever No. 1 ranking. He is the only coach to take three seperate schools to the NCAA tournament his first year as coach, as his teams made the postseason in 18 of 21 years of coaching.

TP’ing for Skip - Students pay homage to their coach in the Quad

But most of all as I watched him the last several years he seemed like a good guy who players liked to play for. His coaching roots were in Wheeling, West Virginia, where he coached the high school team to a state championship in 1982 and five regional championships. Although he would go on to be the winningest coach in Xavier history, and succeed in securing Loyola’s only NCAA tournament berth, he has remarked that he would be just as content with his career had he remained as a coach back in West Virginia at Central Catholic High. For the upcoming basketball season he had a top five recruiting class coming in, and the future for Wake Forest looked especially bight. I am sure the tradition will continue, but it pains me to see such a great man and coach leave so early.

RIP Bill Walsh

We lost another great coach in Bill Walsh, architect of the 49′ers dynasty and arguably the greatest offensive football mind the NFL has ever seen. Bill Walsh, 75, had been battling with leukemia before passing away Monday afternoon. One cannot overstate the importance this man had to the game of football. He had a rocky start coaching in the NFL, almost deciding at one point to quit being a coach for a front office job, but would return and lead the 49′ers to three Super Bowl wins in only 10 years of coaching. He had an eye for talent, drafting Jerry Rice and Ronnie Lott, and acquiring Steve Young, a hometown hero of mine who was given his opportunity thanks to Walsh’s belief in his potential. He was a man who believed football was a mental game, that was won with preparation in the film room and confidence in teammates, and he put his players in positions to succeed. The elements of the West Coast offense he designed is used by all NFL teams today. In fact, looking at the coaching tree below, it is easy too see why he his influence has permeated the lead long after he has left it:

(click to enlarge) 

He was more than a great coach though, he helped shape the league to what it is today. He was one of the loudest voices for diversifying the coaching ranks, starting a minority fellowship program to speed the development of black coaches by bringing them to training camps. It is perhaps only fitting that the last Super Bowl he watched pitted for the first time two African-American coaches against each other, one a former player of his in Dungy and the other a product of his coaching lineage. Steve Young remarked today that no man has done more for the game in the past 25 years, and there is little doubt that he will long be remembered.

In other sad (and shocking) football related news, it appears as if officials are considering the possibility that Pat Tillman was murdered by his own comrades less than 10 yards away, and did not die from enemy fire (as the Army orignally claimed) or from friendly fire (as the subsequent investigation initially concluded). Pat Tillman gained instant notariety and respect when he left the Arizona Cardinals at the peak of his NFL career to go be an Army Ranger in Afgahnistan and Iraq following 9/11, only to be killed and then have his death be lied over and manipulated as a recruiting stunt by the Army. Although his mother was able to reveal a coverup at the highest levels of government regarding his death, the chance that his death was deliberate at the hands of his own men provides even more detail that casts an undeserved shadow over his sacrifice. Read the article here.

Now on to the good stuff.

Let me first say it has been a rough week for sports - Mike Vick is indicted, the leaders of the Tour de France have been removed for doping (and the winner accused), the contoversy over Bonds breaking Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record continues to unfold, and the NBA is dealing with a betting scandal of massive proportions.

So here is a bright story to kick things off: the Iraqi soccer team was victorious in its biggest tournament, the Asian Cup. This is a country who could use the distraction and any sort of unity, and one can only hope that this success will be sign of better things to come.

In Hoya world, Roy Hibbert struggled to get his game on at the Pan American games, no thanks to Villanova guard Scottie Reynolds, who shot an abysmal 8 for 37 (4-19 from 3), along with eight assists and 15 turnovers. It will be interesting to see if Roy Hibbert will benefit form his experience with international play, but it is disheartening to see USA not even win a single game. Article here.

Jeff Green, meanwhile, continued to show promise over the Summer League. See articles here and here.

Switching to American football, check out this article on the image of an NFL franchise, which takes a look at the the beleagured Atlanta Falcons and what a good role model should be.

In other football breaking news, it looks like Reggie Bush really likes grilles on his cars - check out his customized Mercedes ride:

And guess who also likes to pimp his ride?

If Barry Bonds were a dog, this is what he would look like:

(Article here)

Check out this trick football play…those kids know what they are doing:

Don’t believe it? One team once won their state championship on the same play:

Finally, here are some quality video clips, showing that other side of sports:

-Gymnastics

-Diving

-Golf 1

-Golf 2

-Tour De France

-Dunk gone bad

-Athletes can’t act

-Chuck Norris impression

-Umpires don’t care about rape

-Biking stunt

-Sick soccer save

-Cheap soccer goal

Healthy Eating

No Subway for me today, not after Thursday’s fiasco. I headed to JuiceZone, which serves health-concious smoothies and wraps.

“Hi, can I help you?”

“Yes, could I have the Buffulo Brown Burrito?”

“Sure. Everything on it?”

“Yes, that would be fine.”

“And would you like white or wheat?”

“Uh…white.”

“Ok…”

“Wait. Don’t you have other options? I normally get the sundried tomato…”

“Uh, yeah. I guess we do.”

“Ok, could I get that then?”

“Well, you know, we have other ones, but they are kind of old and moldy and I can’t really ensure they are any good…” the attendant says as if he merely supplying a personal reccommendation.

“What?”

Wait, why again is he telling me this? Is it because the tortillas are always this suspect or he somehow merely feels bad that I have gone this long without noticing?

“Would you like to change from white then?”

Not if you put it that way.

I give an incredulous look.

“No. That’s…that’s quite all right. I think I’m good.”

I go ahead and buy a drink and return to pick up my burrito.

“Burrito? Thank you, sir.”

I go and sit down, unwrap the burrito.

Hmmm…sure enough, it’s sun dried tomato. Yum, my favorite.

Modernism at the Corcoran

During my parent’s visit to DC several weeks ago they had a chance to check out the Modernism exibit at the Corcoran Gallery, and were so impressed they reccommended I go as well.  I had been finding my weekends so busy I had had to put it off, but the exhibit’s last day is July 29 so I finally made sure my Sunday afternoon was open for some culture.

I had an idea of what the Modernist movement entailed before I stepped into the Corcoran, but they did a magnificent job laying out its evolution as well as individual nations and artists contributions.  Since Modernism is such a broad movement though, here is a summary to capture the general motivation:

Modernism is a trend of thought that affirms the power of human beings to create, improve, and reshape their environment, with the aid of scientific knowledge, technology and practical experimentation, and is thus in its essence both progressive and optimistic. The term covers many political, cultural and artistic movements rooted in the changes in Western society at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century. Broadly, modernism describes a series of reforming cultural movements in art and architecture, music, literature and the applied arts which emerged in the three decades before 1914. But Modernism encouraged the re-examination of every aspect of existence, from commerce to philosophy, with the goal of finding that which was “holding back” progress, and replacing it with new, progressive and therefore better, ways of reaching the same end. In essence, the modernist movement argued that the new realities of the industrial and mechanized age were permanent and imminent, and that people should adapt their world view to accept that the new equaled the good, the true and the beautiful. Modern (quantum and relativistic) physics, modern (analytical and continental) philosophy and modern number theory in mathematics are, however, also said to date from this period. Embracing change and the present, modernism encompasses the works of thinkers who rebelled against nineteenth century academic and historicist traditions, believing the “traditional” forms of art, architecture, literature, religious faith, social organization and daily life were becoming outdated; they directly confronted the new economic, social and political aspects of an emerging fully industrialized world. Some people divide the 20th Century into movements designated Modernism and Postmodernism, whereas others see them as two aspects of the same movement. (Wikipedia)

Bauhaus credo

For those that perhaps deem themselves unfamiliar with Modernism, popular examples include the VW Bug, the World War II propaganda posters, A Brave New World, Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, and much of the furniture we use today (especially IKEA).

                                         Monument To The Third International

For me, as I walked through the exhibit, it was astounding how much of the designs were ahead of their time, and truly spurred the advancements following World War II.  The heyday of Modernism was from the beginning of World War I to World War II, and many of the contributors attempted to create amid what was a dire period of endless chaos hope for a more organized and “functional” future. 

 The chair below is an example of the lasting quality of the designs introduced by Modernism.  Growing up (until my parents replaced them) these were the chairs we had in our living room, and they were wonderfully simple, comfortable, and served their purpose well.

Here is another example: the Tatra T87 Saloon, a Czech produced car that traveled up to 100 mph.  This car was created in 1937, but clearly has challenged the conventiona; boundaries of speed and styling for its time.

   

For more on the exhibit, see this feature by Slate. 

The Corcoran has another permanent gallery on display, although a lot smaller in size than the Mordernism exhibit.  Most interesting to me was a replica of Hiriam Power’s The Greek Slave, which has been called America’s most famous and dinest controbution to sculpture. 

Here is an image:

As the first prominent nude statue of a woman in the U.S. it attracted controversy, but Power was careful to stress the pure nature of the figure.  Furthermore, created in the midst of the debate over slavery, many saw it as a symbolic parrallel to the plight of the African-Americans, further cementing its influence on public discourse.  Read more about the statue here.

 The next exhibit arriving at the Corcoran Museum will be the photographer Ansel Adams.

Roosh V

I did not make it to yesterday’s bloggers happy hour at The Science Club, but would have liked to perhaps meet blogger Roosh V (formerly DC Bachelor), who is one of mine (and DC’s) favorite and prolific bloggers.  He will be parting for travels in South America, but luckily there are plenty more blogs to pick up the slack.  It seems like others have been inspired to make note of their ponderings and ventures after coming across his blog, and I am no exception.  Thankfully, he leaves us with his book, Bang, as well.

For those unfamiliar, here is a sampling of posts:

- 5 Washington Dc Bars for Men

- Solutions for Girls

- The Flag Metric

- American Culture

- How to Get Your Finances in Order

- Coffeeshop Couple

- Spain Lessons

- My Rules of Life

- Don’t Take A Blowup Doll to the Beach

- Having Fun

- Testing Women

- What’s Wrong With You

- Cum-dumpsters

- 9 Rules of Opening a Hot DC Nightclub

- How To Get Free Drinks At Starbucks

- Why You Get Punped and Dumped

The Simpsons

The Simpsons movie is hitting theaters this weekend, and promises to be one the biggest draws of the summer. Even though the episodes of the past decade have dropped off in quality (with writers such as Conan leaving and the passing of Phil Hartman), the series has more than held his own against the likes of Family Guy. I don’t expect the movie to top the series, but it should be, and by all accounts that I have heard, as good as the episodes and a worthy inclusion.

Even more entertaining is watching the marketing campaign for the movie, which includes converting 7-Eleven stores into Kwik-E-Marts. Here is the closest one to DC, in Bladensburg, Maryland:

 

The stores sell items seen in the episodes, such as Buzz Cola:

Some owners have taken issue to this, arguing that Apu is a racist caricature. However, they also report that the promotion campaign has more than doubled sales for the month, so I doubt anyone is complaining too loudly. Here is the CNN report:

Many are using the moment to discuss their favorite Simpsons moments. I haven’t watched the vast majority of episodes (my parents made me change the channel each time it was on - the American cultural references were too much for them to handle I think, but my history teacher insisted anything worth knowing can be found on the Simpsons) but it does seem to me that the Simpsons does best when it is able to satire the core elements of the American lifestyle and history. This is why I place Rosebud high on my list of best episodes.

Here are three other worthy looks:

-101 Greatest Simpsons Quotes
-The best Simpson lines of all time
-Best Simpsons satires

Some have drawn the parallel of sports figures as Simpsons characters.

My favorite character is Sideshow Bob, probably because he looks like Anderson Verjao of the Cleveland Caveliers.

Here is a clip from the classic ‘Cape Feare’, in which Bart narrowly avoids his demise at the hands of the ever gentlemanly muderer by having him recant the score of the HMS Pinafore (which I, too, have had to sing before)…

 For a cool map of Springfield, click here.

Eat Fresh

 Stupid Subway.

 ”Yes, sir, what would you like?” the man at the counter askes me.

“Footlong Italian Herb and Cheese…”

“Yes,” grabbing the bread.

“With roast beef and turkey.”

Cuts it open. Hands over bread to next Subway girl.

She puts about five slices of roast beef on the bread. Looks up.

“Cheese?”

“Yes, but I also need turkey.”

“Turkey?” Proceeds to give the man a damning look on her left, starts taking roast beef off.

“No, roast beef and turkey. Both.”

The man gives me a stare.

“A club. Without ham,” I explain.

“Oh.” Takes a slice of roast beef off, add four slices of turkey.

Slides it over to next Subway girl.

“Lettuce?”

“I wanted cheese.”

Gives previous Subway girl on her left a damning look, slides it back.

“He wants cheese.”

She puts cheese on, and as she does so I remind her I want it toasted.

She doesn’t hear me, slides it back to the Subway girl.

“Lettuce?” she asks me again.

“I wanted that toasted.”

Shoots girl to her left another damning look, slides the sandwich back.

“He wants its toasted.”

She slides it to the first guy.

“He wants it toasted.”

He gives her a look, and puts it in the toaster. After a minute, takes it out, slides it to girl on his right, who slides it to the second girl on her right.

“Lettuce?” she asks me for a third time.

“Yes please. Also, tomato, green peppers, onion, cucumber…”

Puts topping on sandwich.

“Anything else?”

“Yes, could I get a bit of ranch and chipotle?”

Applies ranch, begins cutting sandwich in half.

“Sorry…a bit of chipotle as well?”

“Ok.” Squirts some chipotle.

“And some black pepper sprinkled on top?” as she begins to fold up the sandwich.

Shoots me a look, reaches for green peppers.

“No, we already had green peppers. Just a little bit of black pepper.” I point to it on the sill and make a jerking motion with my hand.

Good, done. That was easy.

Slides it over to cashier guy.

“Value meal?” he asks.

“No, I’m set. Thanks.”

Hand over my credit card. Notice the sign says no signature required, but seriously contemplating checking the receipt.

Slides me my sandwich.

I walk over to find a table. Open up my sandwich, and see that it is wheat.

“What the?” Screw it, I’m too hungry.

Open the sandwich, to discover there is ham inside. Not my sandwich, the guy handed me the wrong one.

Get up, walk back to Subway. Another guy is there, sees me with a sandwich in hand, and tells me that was his. I offer it to him, but he dismisses it, telling me they are making him another one from scratch.

“Good luck,” I tell him. I mean it.

They still have my sandwich and give it to me. I walk back to the table and sit down. A few bites into my sandwich, a lady walks by, and gets my attention.

“Oh, do you know where Subway is?”

Groaning, I point her in the right direction. Hey, it was a good lunch once I got around to actually eating it…

Eavesdropping

Some favorites from Overhead In New York:

Chick: She’s gonna have to run here… It closes at eight.

Meathead: Oh, but that bitch can run! I saw her running for birth control one time, and she fucking ran faster than me.

–Kimmel Cafeteria, NYU

Conductor: Please sit up.

Bag lady lying across several seats, staring at lights: Why won’t everyone leave me alone? [Begins loud, incoherent screaming.]

Conductor, backing away slowly: Okay, never mind.

Bag lady, to passenger: So, I tied him up. I gave him a Viagra, and I rode him for seven hours. And that’s why I look like this.

–A train

Black guy: Yeah, Superman — he hangs out around 42nd Street. He might go uptown every once in a while, but you never see his ass in Brooklyn. That’s ridiculous — Superman can not be killed by bullets, and he still won’t come to Brooklyn.

Black lady: You’re right. What about Batman?

Black guy: Oh, he probably has to come through Brooklyn — you know, that brother lives out on Long Island.

Black lady: He probably comes through Brooklyn, but you know he’s not getting out of that Batmobile.

Black guy: I’m sure he’s damn careful when he stops, too. Those are some ballin’ rims he’s got on that whip. If he ever parked, them shits would definitely get stolen!

–3 train

Party girl, looking at police on horses: I want to take a horse to the Upper East Side!

Jock: You’re going to the Upper East Side? Want to share a cab?

Party girl: Sure.

Jock: Want to fuck?

Party girl: Sure.

–21st & 6th

Chick #1: You know how people will, like, tell their parents a bunch of really horrible lies to make whatever they need to tell them seem not as bad?

Chick #2: Yeah…

Chick #1: I think that’s what I’m gonna do.

Chick #2: What’s worse than getting pregnant, dropping out of school, and moving to Jersey?

–3 train

Barista: Sir, you can pay for the juice over there.

Middle-aged Brit: But I bought it.

Barista: No you didn’t.

Middle-aged Brit: Yes, I did — at another place.

Barista: Yeah, oookay [rolls eyes].

Middle-aged Brit: I really did.

Barista: Yeah, oookay.

Middle-aged Brit: What the fuck is your problem?

Barista: Well, you just stole juice, and you’re being an ass, so you can leave now.

Middle-aged Brit: Excuse–

Old lady Brit: –Alexander, just stop talking! He could shoot you!

–Starbucks, Fashion District

Teacher: Does anyone know what ‘condemned’ means? Okay, let me give you an example: The Jews condemned Jesus. [Everyone looks at only Jewish student in class, who then glares at the teacher.] Oh, I’m so sorry!

–Notre Dame Academy, Staten Island

Ghetto chick: … And then I got caught on a gun charge because my boyfriend pistol-whipped me when I was pregnant and I took the gun and chased him down the street with it. And you know that drug bust in far Rockaway last year? That shit was me! Haha… And my lawyer got me five years probation and now jail time — he took care of me, ya know? And he was a Jew… You know them Jews — all into they money and shit.

–E train

Man, about freestyling partner: He was like the Mexican version of 50 Cent, ‘cept his name was 537 pesos, and he don’t need no gun — all he gots is his burrito and a hot dog.

–D train, from Coney Island

Man on cell: I don’t know! He just called me up and said that I owe him 50 grand and that he’s coming to kill me… Yeah, I told him I have no idea what he’s talking about, but he said he’s coming to kill me anyway.

–77th & Broadway

British mum to eight-year-old son: Bobby, stop looking at the bloody NASDAQ.

–Outside Toys ‘R’ Us

Dad to baby in stroller: Did you know that the price of copper is becoming irrelevant?!

–31st & Ditmars, Astoria

Fan to Beyoncé: Yo, Beyoncé, baby — they is childrens starvin’ in Bolivia! Why don’t you give ‘em some o’ dat be-hin’?!

–Outside MTV studios

Hobo #1: Hey, that cell phone you sold me — that’s a crackhead cell phone! I want my money back! You sold me a crackhead phone!

Hobo #2: What do you expect? I’m a crackhead.

–Madison Square Park

20-ish man: So, I used to use the laundry on Driggs, but that place is dirty. Two weeks ago I started coming here–

30-ish woman: –I don’t give a shit. I just wanna have sex with you before I gotta get the kids and my husband comes home.

20-ish man: Okay.

–Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Girl #1: Anyhow, I kept telling him no, but he did. Then this morning I realized that I was raped.

Girl #2: Oh my god…

Girl #1: Yeah, but it was the best sex I ever had. But I didn’t want it.

–B train

30-ish investment banker on cell: She had so much makeup on her face she looked like she had just blown 20 clowns.

–44th & Park

Black guy: Here, this is for you, man, ’cause you look like Jesus.

Homeless guy: I thought Jesus was black!

Black guy, coming back: For that, my man, you get a dollar.

–55th & Broadway

Old guy browsing power tools: What about a bomb?

Buddy: A bomb? … We already talked about that.

–Home Depot, 23rd St

Yuppie lady boasting about son: He graduated summa cum laude from Villanova!

Cashier: Vee-la-no-va? Is that in New York?

Yuppie lady: No, it’s in–

Cashier, interrupting: –Yeah, then I don’t care.

–Clothing store, 54th & 5th

Boy pushing friend toward bathroom: Hurry! Empty your gizzard!

Girl: You mean my uterus?

–Brooklyn Tech High School

Lady: Sir, this woman is very pregnant. Please give her your seat.

Fat man: Yeah, well, I’m very fat, and that’s basically the same thing.

–4 train

Biotech #1: Jersey girls ain’t trash — trash gets picked up!

Biotech #2: Hahaha!

NJ girl passerby, defensively: I get picked up!

–Penn Station

Six-year-old girl to mom: … And the entire neighborhood was staring at us!

Four-year-old sister: Even God! And he was still alive!

–Joralemon St & Garden Pl, Brooklyn Heights

Male business student: Hey! Why the long face?

Female business student on crutches: Oh, just everything lately.

Male business student: Oh. Well, see ya later!

–115th & Amsterdam

Teen #1: Can I have a piece of gum? My mouth tastes weird.

Teen #2: Dude, you can’t eat Jesus and expect it to taste good.

–Cathedral of St. John the Divine

Chick #1: Thanks, bitch.

Chick #2: I’m obsessed with you!

Chick #1: A restraining order couldn’t stop my love.

–Canal St, Chinatown

Woman: You won’t take a fifty? Why won’t you take a fifty? This is outrageous! You don’t have a checker pen? You just check it with a checker pen! You need to get a checker pen. Oh my god, I can’t believe this is happening!

Counter chick: It’s company policy, we can’t take fifties. Nothing bigger than a twenty. But this drink is on the house.

Woman: I don’t want it on the house! I want to pay!

Counter chick: Don’t worry about it. It’s on the house. You don’t have to pay.

Woman: Well, this is the craziest thing I ever heard! You won’t let me pay! This is my husband’s fault! He owns a nightclub and he won’t give me a credit card. All he gives me is cash from the till! All I have is fifties and hundreds! I have a whole purse full of them! And you won’t let me pay! I feel like I’m homeless or something! Oh my god, this is so embarrassing.

–Jamba Juice, 5th & 23rd

Mom: Honey, you better behave while you stay at Daddy’s house this weekend.

Five-year-old boy: If he doesn’t buy me a new toy, I’m going to slice his sausage open!

–Canal St

Girl #1: Ewww! That doughnut looks like it’s covered in cum.

Girl #2: Mmm… If cum tasted like this I would give head everyday… I wish I tasted like this.

Girl #1: Word.

–Park Slope

Desperate wannabe bridezilla: Let me ask you a question — if you’re at a wedding and the bride throws the bouquet directly to you instead of to the whole crowd, does it still count?

Friend: I don’t think any of it really counts.

Passerby: Way to kill the mood.

–Elevator, 11th & University

Girl: Why don’t you just make a list of all the girls you want to fuck and their qualities for me, so I can take notes?

Boy: … Like, bullet points, or can I use full sentences?

–Brooklyn-bound L train

Weird girl: Did you bring the scepter?

Weird boy: No, I forgot.

Weird girl: That’s the second time!

Weird boy: I know, I’m sorry! I got the Tetris theme song stuck in my head again!

–D train

Asian girl, after falling down: Ouch! My knee!

Suit: That is the hottest thing I’ve seen all week.

–45th & 3rd

Little girl: Mommy, can I have ice cream?

Mom: No! Not until you finish your McDonald’s. Then you can have that ice cream.

–Atlantic Center

Debating YouTube Style

Last night’s Democratic debates were done via YouTube - individuals could submit questions which would then be aired via video to the candidates.  I thought the format was interesting, but mostcandidates gave their typical answers. Hillary was polished and never answered a question directly, Edwards tried to be charming, Gravel did a lot of finger wagging, Obama spoke how we need to unite as an American people, Richardson spoke to his base, Biden at least was direct and very senatorial, and Kucinich was, well, Kucinich. Anderson Cooper moderated.

Here are some highlights:

On Change: 

 SEN. HILLARY CLINTON: Well, I think the Democrats are united, as Davis said, and we are united for change. We cannot take another four or eight years of Republican leadership that has been so disastrous for our country.

The issue is: Which of us is ready to lead on day one? I have 35 years of being an instrument and agent of change, before I was ever a public official. And during the time that I’ve been privileged to serve as first lady and now as senator, I’ve worked to bring people together, to find common ground where we can, and then to stand our ground where we can’t.

COOPER: Senator Obama, you were involved in that question as well.

OBAMA: Look, I don’t think this is just a Republican problem. I think this is a problem that spans the parties. And we don’t just need a change in political parties in Washington. We’ve got to have a change in attitudes of those who are representing the people, America. And part of the reason I don’t take PAC money, I don’t take federal lobbyists’ money is because we’ve got to get the national interests up front as opposed to the special interests.

And that is something that I’ve got a track record doing, and I think that is what the American people are looking for in this election — people of both parties as well as independents.

——————————————————————————————

On Education:

COOPER: Our next question comes from South Carolina.

QUESTION: Hey, I’m Mike Green from Lexington, South Carolina. And I was wanting to ask all the nominees whether they would send their kids to public school or private school.(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: The question is public school or private school. We know, Senator Clinton, you sent your daughter to private school.  Senator Edwards, Obama and Biden also send your kids to private school.

Is that correct?

CLINTON: No.

COOPER: No?

CLINTON: No, it’s not correct.

COOPER: OK.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

EDWARDS: I’ve had four children, and all of them have gone to public school. I’ve got two kids…(APPLAUSE)

… who are actually here with me in Charleston tonight, two kids, Emma Claire and Jack, just finished the third grade in public school in North Carolina, and Jack just finished the first grade in public school in North Carolina.

COOPER: Senator Clinton?

CLINTON: And Chelsea went to public schools, kindergarten through eighth grade, until we moved to Washington. And then I was advised, and it was, unfortunately, good advice, that if she were to go to a public school, the press would never leave her alone, because it’s a public school. So I had to make a very difficult decision.

COOPER: Senator Obama?

CLINTON: But we were very pleased she was in public schools in Little Rock.

COOPER: Senator Obama?

OBAMA: My kids have gone to the University of Chicago Lab School, a private school, because I taught there, and it was five minutes from our house. So it was the best option for our kids.

But the fact is that there are some terrific public schools in Chicago that they could be going to. The problem is, is that we don’t have good schools, public schools, for all kids.

A U.S. senator can get his kid into a terrific public school. That’s not the question. The question is whether or not ordinary parents, who can’t work the system, are able to get their kids into a decent school, and that’s what I need to fight for and will fight for as president of the United States.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: I want to ask this question of everyone.Senator Biden?

BIDEN: My kids did go to private schools, because right after I got elected, my wife and daughter were killed. I had two sons who survived. My sister was the head of the history department. She was helping me raise my children at Wilmington Friends School.

BIDEN: When it came time to go to high school when they had come through their difficulties — I’m a practicing Catholic — it was very important to me they go to a Catholic school, and they went to a Catholic school.

My kids would not have gone to that school were it not for the fact that my wife and daughter were killed and my two children were under the care of my sister who drove them to school every morning.

COOPER: Congressman Kucinich?

KUCINICH: My daughter, Jackie, went to the Columbus public schools and got a great education. And I want to make sure that that commitment that sent her to public school is a commitment that will cause all American children to be able to go to great public schools.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: Senator Gravel?

GRAVEL: My children went to public school and private school, and I’m recommend that we need a little bit of competition in our system of education. Right now, we have 30 percent of our children do not graduate from high school. That is abominable, and that is the problem of both parties.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: Senator Dodd?

DODD: My daughter goes to the public school as a pre-school — kindergarten.

——————————————————————————————

On the Environment:

COOPER: So let me just ask a question to everyone on this stage. And I know we said we wouldn’t do a lot of show of hands. This is probably the only one we’ll do tonight.

COOPER: How many people here a private jet or a chartered jet to get here tonight?You’re not sure?

(LAUGHTER)

RICHARDSON: Yesterday.

COOPER: Yesterday, OK.

(CROSSTALK)

(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: Senator Gravel, what was that? You took the train?

GRAVEL: I took the train…

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: OK.

GRAVEL: And maybe one of these will give me a ride someday.

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

——————————————————————————————

 On being a liberal:

Senator Gravel, are you a liberal?

FORMER SEN. MIKE GRAVEL: I wouldn’t use either word (OFF-MIKE) Zach asked about change. You’re not going to see any change when these people get elected.We were asked about — that we’re united.

We’re not united. I’m not united on many of their views. And I want to take on Barack Obama for a minute, who said he doesn’t take money from lobbyists. Well, he has 134 bundlers. Now, what does he think that is?

And, besides that, he has received money from a Robert Wolf, the head of the USB (sic) bank in the United States, who raised $195,000 — from this bank — wait a second — who has lobbyists in Washington…

COOPER: Your time is up.

GRAVEL: … and it’s a foreign-owned bank.

COOPER: Senator Obama, I’m going to have to let you respond.

OBAMA: Absolutely.

Well, the fact is I don’t take PAC money and I don’t take lobbyists’ money.

And the bundlers — the reason you know who is raising money for me, Mike, is because I have pushed through a law this past session to disclose that.

And that’s the kind of leadership that I’ve shown in the Senate. That’s the kind of leadership that I showed when I was a state legislator. And that’s the kind of leadership that I’ll show as president of the United States.

GRAVEL: Wait a minute… (APPLAUSE)

—————————————————————————————–

On gender and race:

QUESTION: Hello. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am a student at K.U., from Coffeyville, Kansas.This question is meant for Senator Obama and Senator Clinton.

Whenever I read an editorial about one of you, the author never fails to mention the issue of race or gender, respectively. Either one is not authentically black enough, or the other is not satisfactorily feminine.

How will you address these critics and their charges if one or both of you should end up on the Democratic ticket in ‘08?

COOPER: Senator Obama, how do you address those who say you’re not authentically black enough?(LAUGHTER)

OBAMA: Well…

COOPER: Not my question; Jordan’s question.

OBAMA: You know, when I’m catching a cab in Manhattan — in the past, I think I’ve given my credentials.(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

But let me go to the broader issue here. And that is that race permeates our society. It is still a critical problem.

But I do believe in the core decency of the American people, and I think they want to get beyond some of our racial divisions.

Unfortunately, we’ve had a White House that hasn’t invested in the kinds of steps that have to be done to overcome the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow in this country.

And as president of the United States, my commitment on issues like education, my commitment on issues like health care is to close the disparities and the gaps, because that’s what’s really going to solve the race problem in this country.

If people feel like they’ve got a fair shake, if children feel as if the fact that they have a different surname or they’ve got a different skin color is not going to impede their dreams, then I am absolutely confident that we’re going to be able to move forward on the challenges that we face as a country.

(APPLAUSE)

——————————————————————————————

On religion as a moral guide:

QUESTION: I’m Reverend Reggie Longcrier. I’m the pastor of Exodus Mission and Outreach Church in Hickory, North Carolina.Senator Edwards said his opposition to gay marriage is influenced by his Southern Baptist background. Most Americans agree it was wrong and unconstitutional to use religion to justify slavery, segregation, and denying women the right to vote.

So why is it still acceptable to use religion to deny gay American their full and equal rights?

(APPLAUSE)

EDWARDS: I think Reverend Longcrier asks a very important question, which is whether fundamentally — whether it’s right for any of our faith beliefs to be imposed on the American people when we’re president of the United States. I do not believe that’s right.I feel enormous personal conflict about this issue. I want to end discrimination. I want to do some of the things that I just heard Bill Richardson talking about — standing up for equal rights, substantive rights, civil unions, the thing that Chris Dodd just talked about. But I think that’s something everybody on this stage will commit themselves to as president of the United States.

But I personally have been on a journey on this issue. I feel enormous conflict about it. As I think a lot of people know, Elizabeth spoke — my wife Elizabeth spoke out a few weeks ago, and she actually supports gay marriage. I do not. But this is a very, very difficult issue for me. And I recognize and have enormous respect for people who have a different view of it.

COOPER: I should also point out that the reverend is actually in the audience tonight. Where is he? Right over here.Reverend, do you feel he answered your question?

(APPLAUSE)

QUESTION: This question was just a catalyst that promoted some other things that wrapped around that particular question, especially when it comes to fair housing practices. Also…COOPER: Do you think he answered the question, though?

QUESTION: Not like I would like to have heard it…(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: What did you not hear?

QUESTION: I didn’t quite get — some people were moving around, and I didn’t quite get all of his answer. I just heard…

COOPER: All right, there’s 30 seconds more. Why is it OK to quite religious beliefs when talking about why you don’t support something? That’s essentially what’s his question.

EDWARDS: It’s not. I mean, I’ve been asked a personal question which is, I think, what Reverend Longcrier is raising, and that personal question is, do I believe and do I personally support gay marriage?

The honest answer to that is I don’t. But I think it is absolutely wrong, as president of the United States, for me to have used that faith basis as a basis for denying anybody their rights, and I will not do that when I’m president of the United States.

(APPLAUSE)

 —————————————————————————————–

On Sudan:

QUESTION: I’m Gabriel. And I’m Connie, from a refugee camp near Darfur.Before you answer this question, imagine yourself the parent of one of these children.

What action do you commit to that will get these children back home to a safe Darfur and not letting it be yet another empty promise?

COOPER: Governor Richardson, what are you going to do? Would you commit American troops?

RICHARDSON: I was at that refugee camp. And there was a refugee, a woman who came up to me. She’d been raped, her husband had been killed and she said, “When is America going to start helping?”

This is what I would do: It’s diplomacy. It’s getting U.N. peacekeeping troops and not African Union troops. It’s getting China to pressure Sudan. It’s getting the European Union to be part of economic sanctions in Sudan. It’s called leadership.

A no-fly zone, I believe, would be an option. But we have to be concerned about humanitarian workers being hurt by planes, being shot.

The answer here is caring about Africa. The answer here is not just thinking of our strategic interests as a country, as oil and Europe and the Middle East. It should be Africa, Asia and Latin America, doing something about poverty, about AIDS, about refugees, about those that have been left behind. That’s how we restore American leadership in this country.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: You say U.N. troops. Does that mean American troops?

RICHARDSON: United Nations peacekeeping troops, and that would primarily be Muslim troops. We need a permanent U.N. peacekeeping force, stationed somewhere.

If we get U.N. peacekeeping troops authorized for Darfur, there’s some already there, it’ll take six months for them to get there. Genocide is continuing there; 200,000 have died; close to 2 million refugees in that region.

America needs to respond with diplomacy, with diplomatic leadership.

COOPER: Senator Biden, in the past, you’ve talked about NATO troops. What about American troops?

BIDEN: Absolutely, positively. Look, I’m so tired of this. Let’s get right to it. I heard the same arguments after I came back from meeting with Milosevic: We can’t act; we can’t send troops there.

Where we can, America must. Why Darfur? Because we can.

We should now. Those kids will be dead by the time the diplomacy is over.

(APPLAUSE)

I’m not joking. I’ve been to that camp. I walked through that camp.

You know what happened when I landed?

When I landed and the dust settled, a young African aid worker came up to me and he looked at me and he said, “Thank you. Thank you, America, for coming.”

You don’t understand — they don’t understand. They think we can save them.

And guess what? We can. Twenty-five hundred American troops — if we do not get the 21,000 U.N. troops in there — can stop the genocide now. I have called for a no-fly zone. Everybody agreed, but you need troops on the ground.

COOPER: Senator Biden, how do we pull out now? That was the question.

BIDEN: Anderson, you’ve been there. You know we can’t just pull out now. Let’s get something straight. It’s time to start to tell the truth. The truth of the matter is: If we started today, it would take one year, one year to get 160,000 troops physically out of Iraq, logistically.

That’s number one.

Number two, you cannot pull out of Iraq without the follow-on that’s been projected here, unless you have a political solution. I’m the only one that’s offered a political solution.

And it literally means separate the parties; give them jurisdiction in their own areas; have a decentralized government, a federal system. No central government will work.

And, thirdly, the fact of the matter is, the very thing everybody’s quoting is the very legislation I wrote in January. It said: Begin to draw down combat troops now; get the majority of the combat troops out by March of ‘08.

There’s not one person in here that can say we’re going to eliminate all troops…

COOPER: OK, time.

BIDEN: … unless you’re going to eliminate every physical person who’s an American in Iraq.

COOPER: Time.

BIDEN: Tell the truth for a change.

(APPLAUSE)

——————————————————————————————

On Iraq:

QUESTION: Thank you for taking my question. The 2006 election gave the Democrats in office a mandate to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Since that time, 800 of our military service members have died there.As the mother of an American soldier deploying to Iraq for a second time, I would like to know if the perception is true that the Democrats are putting politics before conscience.

How many more soldiers must die while these political games continue in our government?

Is the reason why we are still in Iraq and seemingly will be for some time due to the Democrats’ fear that blame for the loss of the war will be placed on them by the Republican spin machine?

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: Senator Clinton?

CLINTON: Well, I want to thank her and her son for their service and their sacrifice. When we send a soldier or Marine to combat in Iraq, we really are sending a family.

And since the election of 2006, the Democrats have tried repeatedly to win Republican support with a simple proposition that we need to set a timeline to begin bringing our troops home now.

I happen to agree that there is no military solution, and the Iraqis refuse to pursue the political solutions. In fact, I asked the Pentagon a simple question: Have you prepared for withdrawing our troops? In response, I got a letter accusing me of being unpatriotic; that I shouldn’t be asking questions.

Well, one of the problems is that there are a lot of questions that we’re asking but we’re not getting answers from the Bush administration.

COOPER: Time.

CLINTON: And it’s time for the Republicans to join us in standing up to the president to bring our troops home.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: Congressman Kucinich, the Democrats have been in power for seven months. Nothing has changed in Iraq.

KUCINICH: If you’re not going to answer the question, I’m going to answer the mother that troop — question.

The answer to your question, ma’am, is: Yes, it is politics. The Democrats have failed the American people. When we took over in January, the American people didn’t expect us to give them a Democratic version of the war. They expected us to act quickly to end the war.

And here’s how we can do it. It doesn’t take legislation. That’s a phony excuse to say that you don’t have the votes. We appropriated $97 billion a month ago. We should tell President Bush, no more funds for the war, use that money to bring the troops home, use it to bring the troops home.

(APPLAUSE)

And, Anderson, right, now if people want to send that message to Congress…

COOPER: OK. Senator…

KUCINICH: … they can text “Peace,” 73223.

—————————————————————————————–

On registration for the draft:

QUESTION: My name is Tony Fuller from Wilson, Ohio, and I was wondering if the candidates feel women should register for the draft when they turn 18. Why or why not? 

COOPER: Should women register for selective service when they turn 18 like men do currently?

Senator Dodd?

DODD: Well, yes, I think they should, in a sense. I’m opposed to a draft, but I think if you’re going to have registration, it ought to be across lines so you don’t just ask one gender to do the — have the responsibility. So in my view that would be the fair thing to do.I happen to believe, by the way, Anderson, and taking the question here a bit further, and it’s a good question that Tony has raised, I’m an advocate of universal nation service, not by mandating it, but one of the things I’m missing in our country is the shared experience.

I served in the National Guard, I served in the reserves, I served in the Peace Corps in Latin America back in the ’60s here. I want to see every American given the opportunity to serve their country in some way.

I think we need to do more of that in the United States today. Elections ought to be more than just about a series of issues, but the shared experiences of service.

(APPLAUSE)

It’s so important that every American have that opportunity. It’s something I strongly advocate and would advocate as president.

COOPER: Senator Clinton, do you think women should register for Selective Service? 

CLINTON: I do. I don’t support a draft. I think our all- volunteer military has performed superbly. But we’ve had women die in Iraq. We’ve had combat deaths of women in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I do think that women should register. I doubt very much that we’ll ever have to go back to a draft. But I think it is fair to call upon every young American.

And I agree completely with Chris. We’ve got to look for more ways for universal national service. I’ve introduced legislation for a public service academy that would be patterned on great institutions like The Citadel and our military academies. Because we’ve got to get young people back into public service.

And the other night we had a provision in our bill that we passed to have people who go into public service have their student loans deferred and even forgiven.

We need to do more to support public service.

COOPER: Senator Obama, should women register for Selective Service?

OBAMA: You know, a while back we had a celebration in the Capitol for the Tuskegee Airmen, and it was extraordinarily powerful because it reminded us, there was a time when African-Americans weren’t allowed to serve in combat.

And yet, when they did, not only did they perform brilliantly, but what also happened is they helped to change America, and they helped to underscore that we’re equal.

And I think that if women are registered for service — not necessarily in combat roles, and I don’t agree with the draft — I think it will help to send a message to my two daughters that they’ve got obligations to this great country as well as boys do.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: Senator Edwards?

EDWARDS: Anyone who has any question about whether women can serve this country honorably in the military should meet Sally Bardon (ph), who’s sitting with my wife Elizabeth down there. She flew fighter jets, F-16s, into the first 15 minutes of the war in Iraq. Flew over Baghdad.

(APPLAUSE)

She put her life at risk, at the very beginning of the war. Anybody who has any questions about whether women can serve courageously and honorably, need to meet women like Sally Bardon (ph).

COOPER: Senator Gravel?

GRAVEL: Well, of course I want to take credit and admit that I’m the guy that filibustered for five months, all by myself, in the Senate to end the draft in the United States of America.

And I’m very proud of that because George Bush does not have the boots on the ground to invade Iran.

COOPER: Thank you. Do you think — should women register?

GRAVEL: Of course women should be going — go into the draft if we’re going to have a draft. They should register also. What’s the difference?

COOPER: OK. Thank you for your answer.(LAUGHTER)

—————————————————————————————–

On nuclear powers:

QUESTION: In 1982, Anwar Sadat traveled to Israel, a trip that resulted in a peace agreement that has lasted ever since.In the spirit of that type of bold leadership, would you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?

COOPER: I should also point out that Stephen is in the crowd tonight.Senator Obama?

OBAMA: I would. And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them — which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration — is ridiculous.(APPLAUSE)

Now, Ronald Reagan and Democratic presidents like JFK constantly spoke to Soviet Union at a time when Ronald Reagan called them an evil empire. And the reason is because they understood that we may not trust them and they may pose an extraordinary danger to this country, but we had the obligation to find areas where we can potentially move forward.

And I think that it is a disgrace that we have not spoken to them. We’ve been talking about Iraq — one of the first things that I would do in terms of moving a diplomatic effort in the region forward is to send a signal that we need to talk to Iran and Syria because they’re going to have responsibilities if Iraq collapses.

They have been acting irresponsibly up until this point. But if we tell them that we are not going to be a permanent occupying force, we are in a position to say that they are going to have to carry some weight, in terms of stabilizing the region.

COOPER: I just want to check in with Stephen if he believes he got an answer to his question.

QUESTION: I seem to have a microphone in my hand. Well, I’d be interested in knowing what Hillary has to say to that question.

COOPER: Senator Clinton?

CLINTON: Well, I will not promise to meet with the leaders of these countries during my first year. I will promise a very vigorous diplomatic effort because I think it is not that you promise a meeting at that high a level before you know what the intentions are.

I don’t want to be used for propaganda purposes. I don’t want to make a situation even worse. But I certainly agree that we need to get back to diplomacy, which has been turned into a bad word by this administration.

And I will purse very vigorous diplomacy.

And I will use a lot of high-level presidential envoys to test the waters, to feel the way. But certainly, we’re not going to just have our president meet with Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez and, you know, the president of North Korea, Iran and Syria until we know better what the way forward would be.

(APPLAUSE)

—————————————————————————————-

On gun control:

QUESTION: Good evening, America. My name is Jered Townsend from Clio, Michigan.To all the candidates, tell me your position on gun control, as myself and other Americans really want to know if our babies are safe.

This is my baby, purchased under the 1994 gun ban. Please tell me your views.

Thank you.

BIDEN: I’ll tell you what, if that is his baby, he needs help.

(APPLAUSE)

I think he just made an admission against self-interest. I don’t know that he is mentally qualified to own that gun. I’m being serious. Look, just like me, we go around talking about people who own guns. I am the guy who originally wrote the assault weapons ban, that became law, and then we got defeated and then Dianne Feinstein went to town on it and did a great job.

BIDEN: Look, we should be working with law enforcement, right now, to make sure that we protect people against people who don’t — are not capable of knowing what to do with a gun because they’re either mentally imbalanced and/or because they have a criminal record, and…

COOPER: Time.

BIDEN: Anyway…

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: We got one more question. Before…

BIDEN: … I hope he doesn’t come looking for me.

(LAUGHTER)

——————————————————————————————

On each other:

QUESTION: My name is Jason Koop, and I am from Colorado Springs, Colorado. And my question is for all of the candidates, and it is intended to lighten up the mood a little bit.

I would like for each of you to look at the candidate to your left and tell the audience one thing you like and one thing you dislike about that particular candidate. And remember, be honest.

COOPER: Senator Gravel?

GRAVEL: I turn to my left and I like Chris Dodd. I knew his dad, I served with his dad.

I do have a difference of opinion with respect to where the money’s coming from.

GRAVEL: I’ve advocated, people, follow the money if you want to find out what’s going to happen after any one of these individuals are elected. Follow the money, because it’s politics as usual is what you’re seeing.

COOPER: Senator Dodd?

DODD: I like John Edwards. I love his wife Elizabeth and his family, and I think we’ve had enough of negative in politics. I have nothing negative to say about the gentleman.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: You’re not going to answer the question. All right. Senator Edwards?

EDWARDS: I admire what Senator Clinton has done for America, what her husband did for America.

I’m not sure about that coat.

(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: Senator Clinton?

CLINTON: Yes, John, it’s a good thing we’re ending soon.

(LAUGHTER)

You know, I think that Chris Dodd has it absolutely right. I mean, I admire and like very much Barack, as I do with all of the candidates here. And I think that what you’ve seen tonight is how ready the Democrats are to lead.

CLINTON: We are ready to lead the change that America so desperately needs.

COOPER: All right. I’ll take that as you’re not going to answer.

Senator Obama?

OBAMA: I actually like Hillary’s jacket. I don’t know what’s wrong with it. And I like the fact that Bill Richardson has devoted his life to public service, because that, I think, is the highest of callings.

(APPLAUSE)

I don’t like the fact that he either likes the Yankees or the Red Sox, but doesn’t apparently like the White Sox. And we’re having a tough time this year.

COOPER: Governor Richardson?

RICHARDSON: You know, let me just say, I love all of the candidates here.

RICHARDSON: In fact, I think they would all do great in the White House as my vice president.

(LAUGHTER)

Let me say something about Joe Biden.

(APPLAUSE)

Joe Biden — you know, the only negative thing about Joe. We disagree on Iraq very strongly, on Darfur. But this man has devoted his whole life to public service. He’s been a distinguished chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He’s had great contributions in civil rights, in issues relating to gun control, in Supreme Court nominees. He will make an excellent secretary of state for me.

(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: Senator Biden?

BIDEN: I don’t like a damn thing about him. I — no, I’m only kidding. Only kidding.

(LAUGHTER)

Dennis and I have been friends for 25 years. I think this is a ridiculous exercise.

(LAUGHTER)

Dennis, the thing I like best about you is your wife.

(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: Congressman Kucinich, talk about Senator Gravel.

KUCINICH: Wait a minute. He talked about my wife.

COOPER: Well…

(LAUGHTER)

KUCINICH: You notice what CNN did. They didn’t put anybody to the left of me. Think about it.

(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: I’m not sure it would be possible to find anybody.

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

KUCINICH: And you know what? And you know — and I’m glad I get a chance to debate you to my left, because there’s no one more mainstream on the war and on health care and on trade than I am, Anderson.

Now, about Senator Gravel: Didn’t he show great courage during the Vietnam War, when he exposed what was going on with the Pentagon Papers. Really courageous American. I’m proud that he’s up here.

Thank you, Senator Gravel.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: All right. We’ll leave it at that.

A Humble Weekend Home

It looks like A-Rod may be tipping his hand with the Yankees.  I honestly would be surprised if he stayed in New York, but according to a recent New York Post article he has been inquiring about an estate in Greenwich worth in excess of $25 million.  Would he really need a home in the suburbs of New York if he is moving out West?  This could be an investment decision as well, but I remain skeptical of this possibility. 

Here is an excerpt:

The Lake Carrington Estate is a sprawling 9-acre lakefront property dominated by a Georgian-style stone mansion spanning 35,000 square feet.

Inside are seven bedrooms, 17 bathrooms, nine fire places, a 45-foot-long indoor lap pool, a basketball court, a 20,000-bottle wine cellar and a 20-seat home theater. Outside are three other buildings, including a fishing and ice-skating hut. 

And it would cost Rodriguez, who now lives on Park Avenue, an extra $5 million to finish the mansion’s interior, which for now is just framed out.

Rodriguez’s interest in the property comes as the Yankees have indicated they want to negotiate a new contract to avoid letting A-Rod become a free agent in November, when he can exercise an opt-out clause on the remaining three years of his existing contract.
A new contract could keep the all-star third baseman in pinstripes for the remainder of his career - and pay him more than $30 million annually.

Although the Bombers brass is anxious to cut that deal soon, Rodriguez has said he will not negotiate before the end of the current baseball season.

But in addition to the Greenwich mansion, Rodriguez, 31, also has checked out a Manhattan townhouse for possible purchase, indicating he expects such a deal with the Yankees to happen. It also suggests that he plans on staying together with his wife, Cynthia, despite revelations in late May that he was traveling across the continent with a busty, blond stripper named Joslyn Noel Morse.

This is what the estate, Lake Carrington, looks like:

Antares is the fastest growing real estate development company in the US, recently having completed a $233 million dollar deal in Greenwich, the largest in its history.  I went to school with the owner’s son (like his dad, also a talented lacrosse player), but this was as the firm was relatively new, and before they gained recognition for their development of The Delamar on the waterfront.  Here is an article on how they were able to grow the company.

Friends in High and Low Places

I seem to be attracting a lot of random Facebook friends these days. A couple of days ago I saw that one of my Facebook friends added photos. I had a vague recollection of accepting a Facebook friend request a long time ok from this girl, who I was pretty sure I did not know, but as this was in the nasence of social networking I thought I might as well add her. She seemed harmless enough anyway, going to a Midwest school and occasionally sending out Biblical newsletters, listing Jesus Christ as an interest and passages as favorite quotes. In fact, I’m pretty sure this is the only friend I do not know - trust me, the last thing I want Facebook to become is MySpace. But she did look cute, so yeah, she was added.

Anyway, the point is when I curiously clicked on the photo update this was what came up:

Yes, that is Paris Hilton (looking quite drunk may I add). The caption reads “At Area Night Club… with Paris! We were dancing by her table and she actually got up and danced in the middle of us for a bit!”

Furthermore, I found this photo of her and Nick Lachey and Vanessa Milano:

So, moral of story here is, it seems like the girl with a Bible-verse-a-day widget enjoys partying it up in LA…interesting indeed. I’m not a deeply religious man but if she can get me into these clubs I’ll swear by anything…

Sunday I got another random Facebook friend request from the girl below:

I couldn’t think whether I kenw this person or not, since the pic was pretty standard (I mean girls with dyed blonde hair all look similar at some point anyway) so I checked out her profile. Her interests were pretty nondescript - Angels and Demons as favorite book, horseback riding as a hobby, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away…” as a quote…So I clicked on the web site listed on her profile.

Yeah, pictures of her naked. Pretty sure that I did not know this person. Neither, I would think, the thirty people who accepted her as a friend that day. Still confused why and how I was chosen to be her friend..a bit more alarmed than flattered I must admit.

Finally, today I recieved a request from a girl in Germany, who claims she is moving to the US and wants someone to chat with. I was guessing this is spam, but it actually seems like she is telling the truth and moving to the DC area….but still. Why me? and who the hell does that? I don’t mind making my profile public (I really have little content of interest to anyone on there) but if I continue to attract such strange friend offers, I may have to reconsider…

Tripleheader

I wasn’t quite up for going out Friday night, so I was just relaxing flipping through channels on TV when I came across Insomnia on AMC. I was immediately drawn in, and thus began an entertaining, if unproductive, night in which I managed to sit through three straight “American Movie Classics”. I am not normally the type to watch that much films, but all three were good enough (and I was lazy enough) to keep my ass on my couch for the night.

Insomnia stars Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank, and is based off of a Norweigian film by the same name. In it, Pacino’s character, an LA dectective, is sent beyond the Artic Circle to help out with a murder investiation while an Internal Affairs investigation probes whether he planted evidence in cases which he covered. While in Alaska, he accidentally shoots his partner, the same one who was providing information to the investigation. Realizing how this would look, Pacino’s character must at the same time solve the murder he was assigned to as well as cover his own tracks. He struggles to sleep (hence the insomnia), both because of the long Artic summer day as well as because of the feelings of guilt that gradually envelop him.

As I was watching I was reminded of The Prestige and Batman Begins, which have a clear focus on human emotions (obsession and fear) and sure enough, the movie is directed by Christopher Nolan (who also did Momento). (Georgetown trivia - Chris Nolan’s brother (’99) wrote Momento, and named the title character Johnny G. after our hardass screenwriting professor, John Glavin.) Pacino does a masterful job conveying his character’s fragile state, and Robin Williams turns in a strong performance as well.

Trailer here:

What better way to follow an Al Pacino movie than with a De Niro movie - A Bronx Tale, his directorial debut, was up next. I had definitely heard of this movie, just never seen it, and it was fun to see De Niro play a role in which he is on the opposite side of the mafia. The story, which follows a kid growing up in the Bronx in the sixties, used to be a one man show by Chazz Palminteri (from The Usual Suspects), which De Niro saw and tried to buy the rights to. Chazz, who based the tale on his youth in the Bronx, insisted he be given the role of Sonny, the mafia lead, which De Niro then backed.

Even more interesting, however, I found was the lead role of Calogero, played by Francis Capra (age 9) and Lillo Brancato (age 17). First off, this is a picture of Franciz Capra from his Bronx Tale days and present day:

A little different, no?

 Lillo Brancato, who plays the teenage version of Cangelo in the film, earned the role under fortuitous circumstances. He was hanging out with his friend on Jones Beach when a talent scout was looking for someone to play De Niro’s son in the movie, and was struck by the similarity of Lillo to him. Lillo even did an impression of De Niro for the scout from Taxi Driver.

Although he achieved instant stardom through this starring role, and had a moderately successful career since, his life took some dramatic turns as he became a drug addict and, on December 2005, he was involved in the shooting death of an off duty policeman in New York City. He is currently serving time after being convicted of second degree murder, insisting that once he is released he would like to make a film based on his own life. Talk about life imitating art.

For an excellent look into the journey of Lillo Brancato, read this New york Magazine article, I highly recommend it.

Trailer here:

The final film of the night was Dead Calm, featuring Billy Zane and Nicole Kidman. This is a thriller that takes place on the seas off of the Australian Barrier Reef. Nicole Kidman’s character and her husband enjoy a vacation on their yacht after the death of their infant son, when a young man (played by Billy Zane) deserts his nearby sinking boat and comes on board, insisting that everyone on his boat had died of food poisoning. Suspicious, her husband goes to investigate, only to have the man take his boat (with Kidman still on board) and leave him stranded. The husband discovers the mutilated bodies of the crew, his suspicions confirmed, and must try to repair the ship and rescue his wife before she meets a similar end. Kidman, meanwhile, must do everything to stay alive and stall the boat long enough to have her husband reach her.

I actually really enjoyed this movie..whether it was watching Nicole Kidman in one of her earlier roles, Billy Zane pulling off the part of the handsome but wild-eyed psycho perfectly,the Hitchcock-esque pacing, or how the tension develops as the entire film essentially revolves around three characters drifting in the open water, with no margin for error.

I had recognized Billy Zane, but forgot where I had saw him before…he was Cal Hockley in Titanic, as well as was in Zoolander as himself. However, he looks different in this movie, as he now suffers from premature hair loss (but, as Wikipedia puts it, it has not “dimished from his career”). In fact, in Titanic he was wearing a wig.

Here is a before and after photo:

Trailer here:

So all in all a long evening, but it felt gratifying to catch up with some good movies I probably should see at some point. Now if I can only get someone to see Transformers with me…

Free Reading

Preppy is back…

Vote on the nation’s most annoying Liberal Arts colleges…

Who to blame for our sense of entitlement…

The business of making money…

Hotter Fans - Yankees or Red Sox…

The degradation of ESPN…

A life recruited at 17, dead at 18…

Welcome back, Kotter…

Why Facebook shouldn’t sell out…

The Left’s Inequality Obsession…

What happens when you opt out of swim class…

Why you should think twice before joining a Fight Club…

Sexual persuasion revealed…

How trying to recreate the Playboy mansion can get you into trouble…

Late Night Shots

I attended a triple birthday party this Saturday in Georgetown, at Blue Gin no less. Considering I spend more weekends in Adams Morgan than anywhere else for purely practical reasons, I knew this would be a slightly different crowd than my typical weekend exploit. Sure, I used to spend the majority of my student days hitting up the local scene, but this was different. First off, Blue Gin (formerly Champs) is one of the very few places in the area that that thinks of itself as a club, with a regular cover and dress code. Secondly, the school which the birthday girls hailed from already has a reputation of being ultra preppy. But its good to get back to my roots once in a while, I figure, so I put on the polo shirt (albeit unpopped) and headed out to make my appearence.

It turns out that they had basically the upstairs to themselves, and, while still relatively early, had a decent amount of people already there. And yes, it was pretty much the crowd I thought it would be. I found the birthday girl, wished her a happy birthday, chatted with a few mutual friends, and headed over to the bar to get my $6 beer. I was shortly introduced to another member of the birthday party, who I made small talk with (what’s your name, who do you know here, etc…).  He was shorter than me, with an Oxford shirt and mixed drink in his hand, and also a few years out of school.

We are scarcely into our conversation when his eyes light up, and he suddenly asks me, “Do you like Asians?”

“Huh?” I ask

I follow his eyes towards three Asian girls making their way to the bar.

“Uh, I guess…I mean, I’ve never had anything agianst Asians.”

Interested, he turns to me. “Have you ever hooked up with an Asian before?”

Not sure where this was heading, I responded “Uh…”

“Oh, I love Asians. You got to hook up with them. I’m telling you, there nothing fucking like it.”

I quickly nodded in agreement, taking a swig of my beer, as if this was a foreseen conclusion by me. But then when he found out I went to Georgetown, he immediately asks about a girl he knows there.

“Do you know her?”

“Sounds familiar, not sure though.”

“Was on the lacrosse team … “

“Oh, um…”

“Total slut.” he interjects.

“Really?” I ask, more incredulous of the point raised by him in the context of our conversation than the fact that this girls is (allegedly - but I’ll give it to her) a whore.

“Definitely. You have no idea. You been to Third’s?”

Third Edition is where most of the lacrosse team ends up (especially Wednesday nights)…

“Yeah…”

“She did two guys. In the bathroom there…plus probably most of the guy’s team.” he says with glee.

“Well, that’s good to know…I’ll keep that in mind?” I had no idea how to respond to this.

The thing was, this was normal banter for this guy, and he did not hesitate to engage me in this shortly after introducing ourselves. I may make comments like this to my close friends, or occasionally joking around, but what if that girl was my friend? The thing is, if she has friends like this guy, she probably hangs around people like this all the time.

Then I found out that there is a place especially made for these people so they can find each other and socialize: Late Night Shots.

Late Night Shots is a “closed social network which allows you to explore your city’s social landscape and bar scene” as the web site describes it.  Essentially, it is invitation only, allows people to arrange their social lives around specific bars, and create a network.  There are other similar organizations like this, to be sure, such as the formal Capital Club, limited to a 100 members, or the informal crowd that gathers at Smith Point.

As Rock Creek Rambler puts it:

The site in itself is actually kind of a cool idea.  Bars are arranged by neighborhood and list nightly drink specials.  People associate themselves with the bars at which they are “regulars” so you can kinda get an idea of the scene at each bar.  The problem is: the people.  I mean, it’s like a tractor trailer hauling duffeldouches jacknifed on the highway after colliding with a chartered bus for Hootie and the Blowfish, leaving the highway strewn with a bloody mangled mess of dead Hootie and used douche bags.  Hmmm… too macabre?

Aye, the people.  Therein lies the rub.  These people, or douches as we are apparently referring to them, were the inspiration for this week’s “must read” City Paper feature, “Members Only“.

The author, Angel Valdez, allows readers to gain some insight into the group by attending its functions and asking provoking questions of its members,  reporting on her observtions, and perusing its forums.  While the first people she speaks to claim to think little of the group, it becomes clear that most seem to take Late Night Shots seriously or are actively involved, and the idea of status is the pervading element in keeping interest strong, and racist and sexist overtones are the norm.

The three guys sitting at the bar at Town Hall in Georgetown swear it’s a true story: A friend of theirs called a buddy in the middle of a sexual conquest, placing his cell phone out of view. When the voice mail picked up, it recorded him asking his lady, “You like that Republican cock?”…At first, the sordid tales of preppy hookups just make me laugh. Then the bearded one in the middle busts out with this: “Do you like anal sex?” I squint. I’m confused. “Do you do anal?” he repeats, head bobbing with excitement.

The sense of entitlement and snobbery becomes clear when the author approaches a set of African-American twins at a LNS charity event:

I’m standing near a station serving only Red Bull with vodka when I meet Otis Ofori, 24, who, along with his twin brother, Curtis, is another star of LNS. I ask him what it is like to be a black man among such a uniformly white crowd. (I recently found a profile on the site for one Tyrone Biggums, who lists his skills as “Suckin dick for crack and drinkin red bawls!”) Ofori leans forward, reaches for my waist, and pulls me close. He says he knows people talk behind his back, but he doesn’t care. He’s rich, and that’s all that matters. “My brother and I, we do all right,” he says. “Guys with money can do whatever they want.” He grabs me again and says, “You’re kind of cute.”

She writes about the forums:

Code words like “turbo” and “turbette” help posters maintain the site’s exclusivity. The lingo ranges from abstruse to obvious. In addition to “takedowns” and “going to poundtown” or “PT” (getting laid), there’s “big timing” (snubbing someone, often a member of the opposite sex, at a bar), “smoke” (an attractive LNS member), and “RBV” (a Red Bull with vodka, the preferred drink of many LNSers).

Indeed, topics worth discussing include:

Lying about Greek affiliation
Posted By: very concerned on 10-19-2006 11:20 am
At age 29 if you’re dating a chick, how big of a problem is it if you’re digging through her desk and you find out that she was lying about what sorority she was in. This happened to a friend of mine.

RE: what are acceptable handouts from parents
Posted By: taxman on 10-25-2006 6:23 pm
Someone should receive absolutely no more than 30 k/yr and car payments from parents. If you’re above that, you really have problems. Girls may be entitled to a bit more than that with shopping and everything, but I feel like 30k is pretty reasonable.

LNS Forum Photo

The forums had been monitored for the past year by Wonkette, who shared
this exchange:

Breakage

Posted By: Plan B on 11-29-2006 10:00 am Report as shockingly offensive

Last night, after a few too many glasses of wine at Milano, I dropped my date off at her apartment. She asked me up for a drink. I was not into it, but Tuesday night takedowns only happen ever so often so I proceeded. She made me wear a condom because she was not on the pill for some reason. Deed done, I went into the bathroom to dispose of said condom and discovered it had long since broken. In a panic, I went back into her room, chatted for a few minutes and then departed gracefully. She also mentioned she was glad we slept together because she was getting her period in a few days. I failed to mention whatsoever that I may have impregnated her. Do I have to say something or just leave it be and hope she won’t get pregnant? Maybe she knew? I never want to see or talk to her again. She was a boring conversationalist and the sex was bad.

RE: Breakage

Posted By: oh god on 11-29-2006 12:00 pm Report as shockingly offensive

wait, plan b? im kind of freaking out. were you at a table in the front room of milano with me at milano and did we stop at the cvs in gtown before going back to my place to buy durex ultra thin strong>condoms? i tried calling but you wont pick up

RE: Breakage

Posted By: Plan B on 11-29-2006 12:16 pm Report as shockingly offensive

oh god: I probably should have searched for your profile on here first. That’s us. Check your gmail and tell me what you want to do. Sorry.

RE: Breakage

Posted By: oh god on 11-29-2006 1:16 pm Report as shockingly offensive

this is unbelievable. how could you not tell me? i could have taken plan b this morning instead of having to run all the way to cvs sobbing.

Hilarious.  Commentary ensued:

BY JOSETTE 12/01/06 03:56 AM

The brutality of this exchange brought tears to my eyes. Tears of AWESOME.

BY KJC9 12/01/06 01:21 AM

I’m not sure if Hallmark makes a card for this situation….but they should.

BY SHADOWFAX 12/01/06 11:24 AM

Peejay, you’re right… actually not that bad. I had a condom pop off mid thrust and it got lost inside the girl’s ( insert Britney Spears most recent photo incident slang) and couldn’t be located even with about 10 minutes of thorough searching… Of course, had to explain that one to her right away or she would have wondered where the Trojan came from a couple of hours later… and of course we never had the forum encounter to discuss it… wait… Ashley???? Is that you???? Who the hell were you out at Milano with????? Slut.

 

Want these people as friends?  Join Late Night Shots! 

The article sparked an immediate reaction from the LNS crowd, who countered that the article portrays them in an unfair light, that interviews were inaccurate, and that she revealed the full names of those she spoke to.  The “hipsters” lashed back immediately as well.

Here is some sample commentary:

 —————————————————————————————-

Comment: By: MGR Jul. 12, 2007, at 2:29 pm

At the end of the day, they hate because they are jealous. Jealous of our priviledge, jealous of our economic success, jealous of our fun. I hate to say it but they hate us for the same reasons the terrorists do. Perhaps that’s why they all want us to withdraw from Iraq and hand victory to al Qaeda on a silver platter? Ok, I better stop before I go off on a major tangent/rant here.

Comment: By: Coldbliss Jul. 12, 2007, at 4:20 pm                                                         

The problem with the LNS people is that they exclude themselves from the rest of Washington, DC society. It’s not that they are shutting people out; they are isolating themselves and this is detrimental social behavior–anti-social behavior even. I think if the LNS members would expand social networks to include minorities, middle-class people, homosexuals, and people who have liberal political views, they would become more sensitive, thoughtful human beings. The comments from LNS members to this article re-affirms my thinking. Coming from a prominent family and making a high-income living doesn’t make you an ass hole…shutting yourself away from society and spouting racist, homophobic, sexist, and class-based hate makes you one. This is something LNS people will have to come to grips with.

Comment: By: Note to LNSers: Jul. 12, 2007, at 3:25 pm

Hipsters enjoy…

There is a reason this embarrassing paper is free and staffs Angela vanslut. Let them have their forum of use posts and we will go back to our forum. Enjoy your crummy Indie music and making minimum wage. When I need your opinion or critique on privilege, I will be sure to give you a ring (and opinion) while I am renting a car and you are filling up my tank. Both of which you did a terrible job of doing. Hipsters its no wonder you cannot not find a job. Keep writing about us and we will be sure not give damn whether you live or die. That is the thing about your purported privilege. While you are busy writing about us, we are busy running the world and making money so you have something to write. LNS end scene.

Comment: By: Pimp C Jul. 12, 2007, at 5:47 pm

 I love LNS but Inigo Montoya, that has got to be the wordiest, dumbest comment I’ve ever read.  I knew the article was made up when she claimed that some guy told her she was cute. I mean, come on:  http://www.myspace.com/angelavaldez

Comment: By: Jack Hoff Jul. 13, 2007, at 10:44 pm

I own loafers and a red polo shirt and I like anal sex. How do I join this LNS?

Comment: By: We Drink Bitter Jul. 13, 2007, at 0:48 am

Holy shit, the comments section is like finding out, after dad gives you the keys to the yacht that he left you 105 pairs of 2007 boat shoes inside. And, worst of all, I just moved to Honolulu and you ridiculous haoles are actually making me MISS DC. I always thought it ironic that these kids always had coke that was so much lower-quality than the stuff east of 18th st NW. Good luck, dummies, though God knows you’ll never need it.

p.s. the terrorist comment was the best of all.

Comment: By: Cranky Media Guy Jul. 13, 2007, at 3:26 am

Bottom line: you’re a bunch of cowards, desperately frightened of the parts of the world which aren’t entirely populated by smug preppie Caucasoids exactly like yourselves. You’d shit the leather seats in the Beamer your folks bought you for managing to graduate from prep school if you ever took the wrong exit and found yourself in Southeast D.C. I hear those black men have HUGE cocks and can steal any women you might have. Be afraid, be VERY afraid!  You HAVE to drink at every opportunity because your world is hollower than a basketball. In twenty years, you’re be as big an alcoholic as your Mummy. Keep telling yourselves you’re somehow, inexplicably, intrinsically superior to the people you see on the street. Keep killing those brain cells with your trendy drink; it’ll keep you from contemplating the incredibly mediocrity you really are.

Comment: By: welcome to the world Jul. 13, 2007, at 10:12 am

“while you are busy writing about us, we are busy running the world and making money so you have something to write.”

oh, honey. You aren’t running my world. you aren’t even IN my world. I know the LNS 22 year olds love to feel they have some sort of actual importance beyond their adorable little website, but it’s just not true. Kissing ass every day on the Hill and puking up Smith Point’s offerings every night does not a world leader make ye.

Comment: By: Goatse Jul. 13, 2007, at 4:19 pm

This article is garbage. What about the positives that LNS brings to our community? Not once did it delve into the snuff porn charity auctions, the turbo grope-a-thon, or the homeless person nickel dance.

You act like th