REALITY CHECKS

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The latest act of senseless violence caught on tape is cosmic in scope: A black hole in a "death star galaxy" blasting a neighboring galaxy with a deadly jet of radiation and energy.
A fleet of space and ground telescopes have captured images of this cosmic violence, which people have never witnessed before, according to a new study released Monday by NASA.
"It's like a bully, a black-hole bully punching the nose of a passing galaxy," said astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York, who wasn't involved in the research.
But ultimately, this could be a deadly punch.
The telescope images show the bully galaxy shooting a stream of deadly radiation particles into the lower section of the other galaxy, which is about one-tenth its size. Both are about 8.2 billion trillion miles from here, orbiting around each other.
The larger galaxy has a multi-digit name but is called the "death star galaxy" by one of the researchers who discovered the galactic bullying, Daniel Evans of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
Tens of millions of stars, including those with orbiting planets, are likely in the path of the deadly jet, said study co-author Martin Hardcastle of the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom.
If Earth were in the way -- and it's not -- the high-energy particles and radiation of the jet would in a matter of months strip away the planet's protective ozone layer and compress the protective magnetosphere, said Evans. That would then allow the sun and the jet itself to bombard the planet with high-energy particles.
And what would that do life on the planet?
"Decompose it," Tyson said.
"Sterilize it," Evans piped in.
The jet attack is relatively new, in deep space time. Hardcastle estimates it's no more than 1 million years old and can stretch on for another 10 to 100 million years.
"A truly extraordinary act of violence," Evans said. "The jet violently slams into that lower half of the neighboring galaxy after which the jet dramatically twists and bends."
The good news is that eventually an area of hot gas that gets hit and compressed by this mysterious jet -- astronomers are still baffled by what's in it and how it works -- over millions and billions of years can form stars, Tyson said.
NASA, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in United States and the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom used ground optical and radio telescopes, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the infrared Spitzer Space Telescope to get an image of the violence on various wavelengths, including invisible ones. The results will be published in The Astrophysical Journal next year.
The two galaxies are only 24,000 light-years apart and are in a slow merging process. The jet has already traveled 1 million light-years. A light-year is about 5.88 trillion miles.
Tyson said there are two main lessons to be learned from what the telescopes have found:
"This is a reminder that you are not alone in the universe. You are not isolated. You are not an island."
And "avoid black holes when you can."

**********************************

I realize that it's the holiday season and one should be focusing on the positive aspects of giving and loving and brotherhood and all that best of human nature "stuff" ....but then I encountered this story and realized that REALITY CHECKS are abundant.

The advice to "avoid black holes when you can," should be relayed to those geniuses who are building the machine at the CERN facility underground in Europe. The machine supposedly will be the largest super-collider in the world and could possibly create a mini-black hole.

"AVOID BLACK HOLES WHEN YOU CAN"

It seems that certain people on this planet are messing with reality that could literally result in a story like the one above....but reporting on a mini-black hole, that starts to suck in all light and all matter, would represent a problem.

Read the story once again and try to visualize the size of the event.

The last time I looked the Earth was considerably smaller than the galaxies in question and a mini-black hole would not have to be very large to start sucking.

I seriously would love to get Mike Huckabee's take on this event.

Actually I'd love to know any of the "players" opinion on the CERN...and BLACK HOLES.

I realize that they are quite busy in Iowa and New Hampshire trying to convince people that their beliefs and their plans are in the best interest of America.

BUT...there are things happening in the Universe that are not only humbling but are extreme REALITY CHECKS, and it would be interesting to know that someone in the political realm actually thought about this kind of "stuff."

Let's assume each has a viewpoint and let's imagine that we get to hear it...

HILLARY.......Black holes are dangerous....I know this because my husband has encountered some....

BARACK.........Black holes are a part of life, and everybody needs to accept them.

And actually they are quite beautiful.

JOE................I served as Chairperson on a Black Hole Committee. It was fun.

Mitt................Ten years ago I thought Black Holes were dangerous, now I think that they are a figment of people's imagination because there is nothing in the BOOK about them.

Mike...............seriously, you've got to be kidding....how the hell can a telescope see something 10 billion trillion light years away? That would mean the Universe was created a really long long long time ago....and we know that's not true.....hand me my guitar.

John Edwards.....Black holes are creating poverty but I don't know why.

John McCain.......I actually was around when the first Black Hole was seen.

Rudy...................Bring on those son's of bitches!

Fred....................You mean...you really care what I think?

Dennis................I tried to warn everybody, but all that kept asking about was my wife.

Oprah................no Black Hole is going to prevent me from creating a new

Universe.....unless of course it pays to advertise.

AL GORE.............I can tell you one thing....Global Warming will not be a problem if we create a Black Hole....which I guess is one method of solving all the problems.

Read the story again and once more try to visualize the distance and the size of the event. Now think about your personal situation, whether it be wonderful or not so wonderful.

THERE IS A REALITY CHECK....and that check is simply.....

everything can change...and it can change rather quickly

If things are not going so well......it can improve

If things are going well..........enjoy and share that joy with others

If you have no idea how things are going, I doubt very much that you read this article....but you might have stumbled upon this site and my only suggestion is....go back to sleep....and try not to dream of Black Holes...

Just try........

Michael Timothy McAlevey

AND FROM THE OUTSIDE POST POSITION....

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa -- Advisers to Hillary Clinton have been pushing the notion that John Edwards poses a growing threat in the Iowa caucuses, suggesting their internal data show something of a mini-surge for the former senator from North Carolina. Barack Obama's advisers have countered that it makes for a convenient story line -- and is evidence that the Clinton campaign is threatened by a two-way race with Obama.

On Wednesday, Clinton took Edwards on over his signature issue, indicating that she may view the Edwards improvements as quite real. "People talk about poverty in this campaign," Clinton said during a crowded event here, noting that her husband's administration was an era of great progress on the issue. "Well, we lifted more people out of poverty during the 1990s than at any time in our history.

"We had policies that actually helped to create 22.7 million new jobs. The typical Iowan family saw an increase of $7,000 in their incomes during the '90s."
During an appearance in Portsmouth, N.H., on Wednesday, Edwards responded sharply. "There are 37 million people living in poverty in America. Alleviating poverty is the cause of my life," he said. "What I would ask Hillary Clinton and the other candidates to do is to join me for calling for an increase in the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour, and to put forth a comprehensive plan to eliminate poverty, which I have done."

The above story is from today's Washington Post.

The phrase that caught my eye was HIS SIGNATURE ISSUE.

HIS SIGNATURE ISSUE, simply put, is.......

TO END POVERTY IN AMERICA

A highly successful trial lawyer running for President whose primary objection is to end poverty in America, can't be a totally bad idea.

We have spend so much time focusing on Barack and Hillary because of certain connections they both have and because they both offer an interesting option within the realm of racial and gender awareness growth.

Six months ago I predicted that the convention would be deadlocked after the first ballot and that on the second ballot JOHN EDWARDS would get the nomination.

I'm not sure the American public could handle that type of excitement....

And there is always the possibility that he could win on the first ballot, but I think the Barack and Hillary machines are just too powerful to succumb until a second ballot is needed to secure the Democratic nominee.

Neither of them is going to placate the other.... or the American public.

And the only concession will be when they realize that neither can win the nomination....and then the scramble will take place on the floor, behind the doors, in the bathrooms...and for the first time in American politics..... iphones and blackberries will be the machines that help resolve the stalemate.

I think Hillary's people will move to Edward's because there might be a chance for her to be named Vice-President and EDWARDS/CLINTON has huge upside potential against anything the Republicans can conjure up.

But I'm really getting ahead of myself.

JOHN EDWARDS MIGHT POSSIBLY WIN IOWA

JOHN EDWARD MIGHT POSSIBLY WIN NEW HAMPSHIRE

People are a funny lot....and just when you think you've got them figured out....whack!

All the OPRAH stuff and the BILL stuff might just be tooooooooooo freakin much for the average American voter....

and from what everybody is saying.....

IOWA IS THE HOME OF THE QUINTESSENTIAL AMERICAN VOTER.

IF THAT'S TRUE....THEN THERE EXISTS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEY ARE ALREADY TIRED OF THE TWO BIG MACHINES OPERATING WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THEIR PRECIOUS FARM LAND.

and JOHN EDWARDS is the most sensible alternative option....even though I really don't understand people's problem with Joe Biden.

Hell, the guy looks like he's already President of the United States....and if one is looking for experience.... no one comes close.

But when the numbers aren't there...they just aren't there.....

Now maybe after all the hoopla has finally died down it might just be that.....

EDWARDS/BIDEN

makes the most sense.

Wasn't Lincoln a trial lawyer?.......I think that worked out fairly well within historical perspectives.

EDWARDS/BIDEN

Has a ring to it.....don't you think?

The only thing that matters right now is what IOWANS are thinking.

And if you know any Iowans....then you know that anything is possible within the framework of their realities.

After all, they are the......

quintessential american....

and the ball is in their court....even if it is a court made of corn and soy.

Except of course for the magical Field of Dreams.

I wonder how many candidates have stopped by that field to yell.....

Play ball!

Michael Timothy McAlevey

The Season

Eight days until Christmas 2007 and 15 days until 2008. 18 days until Iowa and 380 days until 2009....and in case you are wondering what I need for Christmas.....it's not another picture of the Universe.

Even though I can honestly say....the pictures of the Universe continue to blow my small little mind....and I every time I see one I immediately think of those biblical people who think it was all created in the last 10,000 years.

REALLY

Those people underestimate The Creator's ability by margins that are too high to calculate.

And then this morning I'm reading about MECCA and Saudi Arabia and once more am reminded on underestimating The Creator's ability.

One of the five basic requirements or "Pillars," of Islam is

BELIEF IN ONE GOD AND IN MUHAMMAD AS HIS FINAL MESSENGER

Now I realize that by going any further with this article that I am basically putting my name on a list and it's a list that no one wants to join. The list consists of anyone who questions or demeans the Islamic faith.

Fortunately it's a pretty long list and other members that belong to the list have ways of responding.

All I have are my words and my logic and my common sense and my total devotion to a CREATOR that cannot be underestimated or understood while existing in this dimension.

Neo-Illumination #12

It's not about knowing GOD....

it is simply about loving GOD

and you will soon know

as

much

as

you

can

handle

But back to the "PILLARS"

And to the fact that the last messenger from GOD would be sent in the 7th century.

Was there a retirement party that I missed?

Was there an I'm out of here announcement from The Creator?

I humbly think, while not knowing for sure, that A CREATOR of the Universe might possibly have something else to offer us after the 7th Century.

The arrogance of any religion to say they have the final word on the plans of THE CREATOR makes

me

want

to

puke

or at least

LAUGH

very

hard

or

CRY

depending on the physical experiences that are created because of such Deity underestimating beliefs.

Neo-Illumination #23

The Universe has a system of

order and chaos

The human experience is a tangent of that system

that can both establish order

and

create chaos

BELIEF SYSTEMS DIRECTLY LEAD TO CHAOS

Acceptance with investigation and introspection

creates more order

The mysteries of the Universe

will always

outnumber

the known realities

and

chaos

will forever exist

OUR JOB SIMPLY MIGHT BE

TO

AVOID

EXTINCTION

I wish that during this holiday season there could be some type of breakthrough regarding the arrogance of certain groups that have determined that the final word rests in their hands.

It's so damn silly.....and none of it seems to have anything to do with the only thing that matters

LOVE

AND THAT'S MY HOLIDAY WISH

TO YOU...WHEREVER YOU MIGHT BE HEADED THIS SEASON....

MECCA

CHICAGO

HUMBOLT

LUPE'S

WASHINGTON D.C.

ECHO LAKE

A CHAIR

THE ROSE BOWL

SUDAN

SKIING IN IDAHO

IRAQ

GOLFING

PAKISTAN

CUBA

INDIANA

OUT BACK TO GET SOME WOOD

NEPAL

THE MOVIES

BAHAMAS

MONTANA AVE

LIVING ROOM

SCOTLAND

KITCHEN

RUSSIA

Front Porch

CHINA

SLEEPING

OR

THE PHILIPPINES

JUST KEEP SHOWING

LOVE

and if it doesn't come naturally

start

practicing

Merry Christmas

or

whatever you celebrate.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Heavyweight fight

As IOWA gets closer and closer.....the fight is getting intense.

This week Barack landed the Oprah punch and it has staggered Hillary. She is wobbling and Bill has rushed in and is trying to rejuvenate her. Whether or not he can make a difference seems to be the major question.

There is the possibility that John Edwards might emerge as the winner. He's not taking any direct blows and he might prove to be the safe alternative to the other two who seem to be only focused on each other.

There is some questions out there that Oprah is using her tremendous media power in ways that just aren't deemed fair.

Of course, in politics fair has always been a questionable issue so I'm not really sure how I personally feel about this situation. I think that since the radio air waves are dominated by right wing announcers, Oprah's left reaching empire is a nice counterbalance.

I do know that after the nominations are set, any energy Oprah extends will be highly appreciated by the Democratic nominee.

Hopefully she will back, with the same present furor, whoever gets the nomination.

If the Democratcs could decide before Iowa that Hillary should be President and Barack should be Vice-President then all of this would be settled.

But I'm not sure Barack would settle for number two....and I'm pretty sure Hillary only wants the top spot.....so the battle continues.

Smack, wham, boom....punches are thrown.....blood is showing and IOWA has more attention than anytime in history.

I'm looking for some big celebrity counterpunch from the Hillary camp and if anybody in her corner can make that happen.....it's Bill.

This is getting good.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

HGH is ???????

The men shown above were injected with a certain kind of HGH on an experimental basis and things just got out of hand.......except of course for the bottom picture. She used to be a man named Oliver and the kind of HGH he took, obviously changed him dramatically.....and my recommendation is that they make more of that kind and less of the other kind.

I think my first awareness of Performance Enhancing Drugs came during the Olympics in the 70's when German and Russian women showed up looking like Green Bay Packer interior linemen.

Speculative rumors had those two countries doing SOMETHING to make their athletes bigger and stronger....but the story just faded away. The Olympics has a natural buffer due to the fact that they only happen every four years. OUT OF SIGHT...OUT OF MIND

I have to be very honest and tell you that I don't have the slightest idea what a HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE IS....and I think I can safely say.....neither do 90 percent of the public.

DRUGS ARE DRUGS AND BECAUSE SOMETHING IS LEGAL DOESN'T MEAN IT ISN'T A DRUG.

BEER IS A DRUG

NICOTINE IS A DRUG

CRACK COCAINE IS A DRUG

WINE IS A DRUG

HGH IS A DRUG

Let's take all drugs out of the playing arena....or make contests just for the people who want to test the limits of their physical abilities with drugs.

THE JUICED OLYMPICS

THE JUICED BASEBALL ASSOCIATION (JBA)

THE JUICED BASKETBALL TALL GUYS ASSOCIATION (JBTGA)

THE JUICED FOOTBALL LEAGUE (JFL)

Not only would they have an audience but people would have the same attitude they have at NASCAR races. They are there because they love the sound and they love watching fast cars....... but they also are just waiting for the moment when all hell breaks loose.

Imagine watching a JUICED OLYMPIC 100 METER RACE.

GUYS ARE RUNNING 6.9 AND POSSIBILITY EXPLODING AT THE END.

Imagine watching a JUICED BASEBALL GAME in Boston

Pitcher throws the ball 130 miles an hour and batter hits the ball through the Green Monster on a line drive and the ball lands in Baltimore.

Imagine watching a JUICED FOOTBALL GAME.....wait a minute, that's probably what we are already watching.

Imagine watching a JUICED BASKETBALL GAME

Players dunk from the half court line....and when they go up for a jump shot their hang time averages about 6 seconds. Of course the baskets would have to be raised to 30 feet.

IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES.

AND THE FUNNY THING IS ....

THERE IS SOME GUY IN THE SPORTS BUSINESS WHO RIGHT NOW IS WONDERING HOW TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

OR SOMEONE LIKE DONALD TRUMP WHO JUST LIKES TO TAKE EVERYTHING TO THE MAXIMUM LEVEL....or MARK BURNETT WHO HAS MADE REALITY INTO A TV SHOW.

SOMEONE IS ON THIS IDEA.

I need to do a little research on HGH and find out excatly how it's made and where it's made and can you buy it at the Health food store or do you need a prescription?

And of course I need to find out where that kind is that makes the bottom picture possible and start injecting into all my male friends.....which will probably piss off some wives.....

OR NOT

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Ashamed....and seriously

The pictures above show the before and after of someone taking steroids.

NOW WHICH LOOK IS BEFORE AND WHICH LOOK IS AFTER?

That is the question that must be asked and how one answers will determine what exactly is wrong with the how the United States deals with drug problems in this country.

There are athletes out there right now who think using steroids and human growth hormones will make them into characters like the two bottom pictures. While a very large group of non-athletes think that using those drugs will make them look like the top pictured guys at the age of 35....after they have stopped using.

Of course Barry Bonds didn't start using until he was 35 so he deserves his own category.

EXTRA BALLSY

I mean really...I would think steroids and human growth hormones would be a young man's game and messing around after 35 might make your feet grow too big....or something weird like that.

Barry Bonds has always been extra ballsy as far as I can tell and he really does belong in his own league.....I can't think of another athlete who personifies arrogance more than Barry Bonds. I realize that around his family he is probably the greatest guy alive.....but over the years he addresses anybody outside of his inner circle as a total dickhead.....but that's Barry and nobody is being fooled by his personality. Most people in the media regard him as an asshole and that's because for the last 22 years...he's been an asshole.

But I didn't start this column by wanting to rip Barry Bonds because actually I like the guy.

I think most media people are redundant and don't know the details of any sport they cover so generally their questions are trivial and stupid. And when someone like Barry tells them to go f--k themselves....it's damn refreshing.

I started this column with the intention of discussing the United State's stance on drug use.

ANYBODY WHO USES A DRUG ON THEMSELVES is doing it at their own risk.

Those two guys shown in the first picture above are positive that anybody who uses any type of drug should go to jail.

They both probably use ADVIL and they both probably drink ALCOHOL on a regular basis.

They look like guys who drink a lot but I seriously don't know.

But they are guys, who if they drink a lot, do not regard ALCOHOL as a drug, because ALCOHOL is legal.

DRUGS are things that the United States has determined are illegal substances...

such as Marijuana and Human Growth Hormones.

Wait a minute....are Human Growth Hormones illegal?

And what exactly are HUMAN GROWTH HORMONES?

I know what marijuana is even though I can't seem to enjoy it anymore because I don't like altering my consciousness....but that's just something that has popped up in the last five OR ten years... though some people I know will say I probably smoked too much pot in my life...others who know me well will attest to the fact that I've always used it in moderation and I've adhered to the one hit rule from the beginning of my pot experience which started at the age of 21.

I basically don't drink alcohol because I can't afford Opus One.....and that's about the only alcohol I've tasted in the last 20 years that I think taste great. Of course there was a Lafite Rothschild 67 that I will always remember......but that's not even considered alcohol.

I think it's actually melted gold or liquid diamonds.

The point I'm trying to make is when someone puts a drug in their body and didn't rob a liquor store or a bank or a convenience store or a neighbor to get the money to buy the drug................................then it's their body and their gamble.

Nobody should be able to regulate personal drug use.

If you own a company and you don't want your employees taking drugs then make sure they don't take any type of drug....not just the one's you deem bad.

No drugs....means No drugs.

BEER IS A DRUG and if beer was removed from the sports scene in America.....there would be no more sports scene in America.

But Bud Selig has a job because of BEER SPONSORSHIP in Major League Baseball and George Mitchell probably receives huge money from ALCOHOL related lobbies.

IT'S A CHOICE THAT ONE MAKES FOR THEMSELVES

IF YOU DON'T WANT SOMEONE TO USE DRUGS AT YOUR COMPANY....IE...MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM ONE THROUGH 32....DON'T LET THEM USE ANY DRUG.....LEGAL OR ILLEGAL.

CLEAN PLAYING OR NO PLAYING.

NEW RULE.

or how about this rule.....every time you get caught using a drug in Major League Baseball you will lose one fifth of your salary.

So do whatever you want but face the possibility of having no money at the end of a season.

THE MONEY COULD GO DIRECTLY TO CHARITIES

Don't suspend someone....just make them pay.

IF THEY PLAY AND ARE FOUND TO HAVE HUMAN GROWTH HORMONES

MAKE THEM PAY

IF THEY PLAY AND ARE FOUND TO HAVE ALCOHOL IN THEIR SYSTEM

MAKE THEN PAY

IF THEY PLAY AND THEY ARE FOUND TO HAVE MUSHROOMS IN THEIR SYSTEM

MAKE THEY PAY (but you better wait until they've stopped laughing)

Seriously

People that are in prison for using drugs should be released immediately.

If they committed a crime to get the drugs that's another type of sentence...and they have to stay and pay the piper.

The people who use Human Growth Hormones in major league baseball and ANY professional sport... should be fined on a regular basis and the money should go to hungry kids charities.

People who think National Basketball players don't smoke pot should be fined and the money should go to hungry kids charities

People who have won Olympic events while on Human Growth Hormones need to give back their medals if the other people who they beat weren't using. Keep in mind, many losers were probably also participating in the HGH experience.

People who are sitting around with a beer in their hand and a cigarette in their mouth and criticizing steroid use should be fined and the money should go to hungry kids charities.

HYPOCRISY

IS

RAMPANT

AND IT NEEDS TO BE FINED

AND

THE

MONEY

COULD

GO

TO

HUNGRY

KIDS

CHARITIES

Michael Timothy McAlevey

I feel bad about ignoring him

Thanksgiving this year fell on November 22nd and I wrote an article that day called "Mixed Emotions."

I made a quick reference to JFK and Dallas but I had other things on my mind that day.....

and its been bothering me and I feel bad about ignoring him.

I also have a slight problem celebrating the day someone leaves this dimension but the largeness of that moment makes it hard not to take a pause and bow to his memory....and to remind people what type of world we might have today had hate not triumphed on that dark day in Dallas.

So many young people that I talk to just have no idea what type of charisma he brought to the highest office in the land. Of course they see pictures and read stories but it's always the womanizing that seems to dominate when talking to anyone under the age of 40 about the life of John Fitzgerald Kennedy....and what he meant to a country that was moving towards modern day realities.

One of the things that has always bothered me is that Lyndon Johnson is regarded as the President who brought Civil Rights to the African American.

IF JOHN F. KENNEDY HAD NOT SAID THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN JUNE OF 1963, CIVIL RIGHTS WOULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN IN THE OVAL OFFICE AS AN AGENDA DURING JOHNSON'S SHORT TERM.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON was fulfilling and honoring something that JFK had started with these words. And although he had writers one of the basic truths about him was that he could write like a son of a bitch....and of course he might be one of the great orators of all time.

These words were said on a nationally televised address in JUNE OF 1963.

"We are confronted primarily with a moral issue. It is as old as the Scriptures and is a s clear as the American Constitution. The heart of the question is whether all Americans are to be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities...One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free. They are not yet freed from the bonds of injustice. They are not yet freed from social and economic oppression. And this nation, for all of its hopes and all of its boasts, will not be fully free until all its citizens are free...A great change is at hand, and out task, our obligation, is to make that revolution, that change, peaceful and constructive for all."

He followed this speech by asking Congress to enact a bill that removed race from consideration "in American life or law." ( Robert Dalleck )

In 1964 Johnson signed the civil rights bill into law....but I promise you that JFK if had not said those words in 1963, Johnson would only be known for increasing the troop size in Southeast Asia.

But what I want to try to emphasis regarding the man can best be told with the pictures above and the speech's he made.

Because the guy was a hound dog should never enter into a discussion about the political atmosphere he created while being in the White House.

IT WAS AN ATMOSPHERE OF FRESHNESS AND DAMN GOOD LOOKING PEOPLE.

The fact that we only got two State of the Union addresses and one Inauguration speech from him is one of the really sad things in American political history.

For years I've wanted to sit down and write the missing speeches of JFK and RFK...

the missing speeches being the ones we were denied by HATE, INSANITY, JEALOUSY AND by people who just didn't like good looking people who could really think and talk....but I just don't have the talent or the positive outlook that allows for such a project.

Anyone who was over the age of 13 in 1963 knows what I'm talking about when I say the charisma factor was completely different than anything we might ever see in the White House.

We got a glimpse of something unique and it was taken away by elements that still piss me off.

Anyone born after 1960 has no idea what I'm talking about unless of course they have a bit of historian in them and have looked deeply into the 60's.

There is a certain age group that looks at the loss of John Jr. as being a real tragedy.

THEY HAVE NO IDEA.

I was 17 years old and a freshmen in college on November 1963 and was numbed by the experience in Dallas. Of course by the time 1968 was over I was just downright pissed off, along with about 50 million other people my age.

I'm still rather pissed off about that time period and the voices that were stilled.

But I remember the hope and I remember the elegance that graced the White House and I know I will never see anything like that again in my lifetime.

Thank you John for the short experience and thank you for letting me see what it meant to have real charisma in the highest office in the United States. And thank you for the speeches that to this day stand with some of the greatest speeches ever delivered in the political arena.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

OPRAH is the big dog

Barack Obama is bringing out the big dogs in Iowa and this week he's brought out the biggest dog of them all.

I think the term big dog refers to hunting but then again I've never used the expression before but for some reason it seems to apply here and it has nothing to do with negativity.

Bring out the big dogs seems to me to be a very aggressive and serious gesture.

Whatever or wherever the term originated I can safely say that Barack Obama is bringing out the big dog by traveling with Oprah Winfield.

Suddenly it feels like the Oprah Winfield campaign and I suppose that's not a bad thing for Barack.

IT COULD HAVE A BACKLASH EFFECT....but then again an endorsement from Oprah is probably the single biggest endorsement he could receive.

A TOUR WITH OPRAH IS ANOTHER ENTIRE BALLGAME.

IOWA has become the center of the universe now that Oprah has entered the scene. I saw a picture yesterday in the paper where 23,000 people (mostly women in the picture) had gathered in Des Moines for an OPRAH/BARACK tour event. She will probably have Led Zepplin play at their next event.

By the way...why is the Led Zepplin performace in London NOT being offered on Pay per view?

To offset the Oprah/Barack Tour..... Hillary countered with Chelsea.

In the meantime on the Republican side in NEW HAMPHSIRE, Mike Huckabee continues to rise and this week Mitt Romney made his first religious content speech. I read it and I'm not sure it was effective because when he talks I really can't figure out what he's really saying.

The only similarities between JFK and Mitt Romney are the good hair and Massachusetts.

He's got the political bs down pat and it will probably get him the nomination.

ROMNEY/HUCKABEE would be a formidable foe for the Democrats.

But of course the questions will arise about Huckabee being an ordained Baptist Minister....and combine that with the Morman dealio and they would be open for numerous unique questions.

If he really is a creationist then I would think we will finally have a forum on a very important issue.

Questions that could arise during the ultimate debate between the two final nominees...if those two are Huckabee and Obama.

"Governor Huckabee....DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE UNIVERSE WAS CREATED WITHIN THE LAST 10,000 YEARS?"

"Governor Romney...do you really think that the Book of Mormons contained passages that told men to have multiple wives?"

I can't wait to hear those answers.

And then there's Barack questions.

"Senator Obama....is Oprah going to be Secretary of State?"

I can't wait to hear that answer.

The Barack/Oprah Tour will be a tour that Republicans do not want to see happen on a national basis.

Of course Hillary still has Bill and he is Oprah with POLITICAL EXPERIENCE.

Bill Clinton could have a talk show and compete quite nicely with Oprah.

I would watch it.....but of course I've never watched an entire Oprah show so maybe I'm not in the targeted demographic.

ARE YOU?

Michael Timothy McAlevey

I was getting ready to accept and help

A few days ago I was getting ready to accept the Dodgers off season moves and start to explain why they can have the best team they've had in awhile....and then they went out and got Andrew Jones and now I don't have to stretch the truth....as much.

The fact that they acquired a center fielder who batted .222 last year isn't exactly a reason to start printing World Series tickets....but Andrew Jones won 10 straight Gold Gloves and unless something terrible has happened....there is now an arm in center field....and from what I've heard....a bit of an attitude.

I've decided to approach the 2008 Dodger season with.....
IF THEY HAVE CAREER YEARS
or
IF THEY HAVE CLOSE TO CAREER YEARS

LINE UP

FURCAL .290
PIERRE .320
JONES .270 (35 HR)
KENT .295 (27 HR)
LONEY .330
KEMP .325
MARTIN .300
GARCIAPARRA .315

The fact that a guy who batted .372 and .357 a few years ago.... will bat eight on the 2008 Dodgers says something about the potential of this line up. Of course I'm a huge Nomar fan and I think he still has some fire left in that body. He was regarded as one of the best shortstops in baseball just a few years ago and then an injury here and there.... and we are lucky to have a player of his caliber and as far as being a human being....he's the real deal. Luis Gonzales might be the nicest guy to ever play baseball, but Nomar isn't that far behind. I think they should sign Luis just for insurance.....as long as they can get him for $5 or $6 million. I loved listening to him and of course someone needs to help feed the triplets so why not Frank and Jamie?

Combine the everday LINE UP with Penny, Lowe and Billingsley and two of the better relief pitchers in baseball in Broxton and Sieto and the POTENTIAL IS HUGE.

I'm not even going to discuss the upside potential of some of the younger players....no need to add pressure to their lives.

After all the life of being a Major League baseball player is so so stressful.......
and that's a ha ha ha.

I haven't even mentioned the new manager....what's his name......Joey Torrinismo ???????

AND what if Jason Schmidt recovers and they sign that Japanese ACE?

THIS IS A TEAM TO BE RECKONED WITH IF THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING ELSE.

If it wasn't for one three week stretch in August this would be a team that everybody would be talking about....but alas that infamous stretch in August completely reduced them to a team that no bodies talking about.

I'M TALKING and it's pretty early but what the hell....there's no bowl games for a couple of weeks.....and being a Ram fan I don't have any interest in the 2007 Pro Football season even though the Green Bay story is pretty cool.

And of course Miami and New England have their stories but it's not grabbing me.

I'll probably watch some of the playoffs but maybe I'll go golfing instead.

When do the pitchers report to spring training?......

I'm itching.

And I have a feeling that the Dodgers aren't finished wheeling and dealing. I hope they don't go crazy....because I think what they have is good enough to win 95 games and 95 games in the West should be plenty.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

AUGUST RUSH RUSH

I can't tell you why anyone else goes to the movies. I can't make anyone else go to a movie that I recommend. I can only tell you that I go the movies to see if my emotions can be affected. If I laugh out loud more than two times I probably think the film is pretty funny. If I cry once in a film I think it's either a sad or uplifting film. If I leave the theater thinking, then I know there was a lesson to be learned....and of course I go to some films because there are certain faces that I like to see the size of a building....Reese and Jessica for example.

But the normal main reason I go to a film is to see if it can touch the various emotional brackets in my heart and mind.

There's a sequence at the end of August Rush where I have no control over the tears running down my cheeks....and that was the third time during the film that I had shed moisture.

Three times the uplifted emotional bracket in my mind was touched and unlocked. Three times in a movie that nobody I know seems to be talking about.

I'm afraid that people don't want to feel good when they go to the movies.

Box office for this film will not reach 50 million domestic and that's just a shame because this is the quintessential holiday movie that can be enjoyed by ANYBODY....OF ANY AGE

I'm going to go out on the edge a bit and say that AUGUST RUSH is one of my favorite musicals of all time....and most people will not regard it as a musical. It's not your standard musical because the delivery of the notes and chords and singing are done within the story line.

And that might be the best type of musical that one can create.

When an uplifted emotional bracket is touched and unlocked there is one aspect that must be involved. The human facial gestures from the actors can make or break a tear jerker. The casting agents for AUGUST RUSH struck gold with this cast.

Not only are there known commodities but some new introductions grace the screen that totally blew me away.

I'm not about to write a review because I want it to be a total surprise.....but you need to go see AUGUST RUSH and take someone you really like, really love or would really like to like, or really love to love. Or if there is someone you are mad at....take them.....and if that someone is just you by yourself....so be it.

AUGUST RUSH was an emotional rush and it's one of the few films that I will probably go see again and I don't see movies twice while in release....and a movie that I would own on DVD....and that my friend is the highest recommendation that can come from this humble movie goer.

Directed by Kirsten Sheriden
Story by Paul Castro and Nick Castle
Screenplay by Nick Castle and James Hart

GO
GO
GO
experience an August Rush Rush

Michael Timothy McAlevey

HOME without the teddy

That major international criminal Gillian Gibbons was freed from prison in the Sudan and returned home to England where she will obviously plot and plan her next devious crime.

Her first crime was low key compared to her next idea. Instead of naming a teddy bear, rumors are circulating that she plans on naming every taxi in London "Muhammad." She said something to the effect that since most of the taxi drivers in London were already named Muhammad, why not just marry the two ideas. The idea actually can work quite well in New York and Chicago and Los Angeles.

Actually the MUHAMMAD TAXI COMPANY is probably a great idea. I wonder if any corporations in Islamic countries have the name Muhammad in their logo. I wonder if corporations are allowed in Islamic countries. I bet there are very few corporations in Iran that operate without the permission of the Ayatollah.

I bet you didn't even know that the Ayatollah was still in charge. It's kinda like a Pope dealio....one dies and the another takes over....with a new last name but Ayatollah always precedes the surname. I think the new Ayatollah in Iran's surname is

TEDDY

Now that would be irony at it's highest level.

Since we are all able to sleep a bit better knowing that Gillian is home let's turn our attention to the United States and the upcoming election.

From deep left field in the Republican wasteland a candidate has emerged from that party who seems to be an acceptable compromise from the previous choices.

John McCain is finished
Rudy Giuliani will self destruct and maybe already has
Fred Thompson is just not happening
Mitt Romney makes people a little nervous for some reason
and
MIKE HUCKABEE has been able to rise above it all and create a real buzz in the Republican party.

How weird would it be to have 2 people elected President of the United States within the last 16 years to be from HOPE, ARKANSAS.

Seriously the odds of something like that happening have to be as high as 3 or 4 to 1......

ok...... how about 10 billion to one.

Mike Huckabee is following a similar path as the other Hope resident did when he started running for President.

I have seen ten pictures of Mike Huckabee in the last two weeks and each and every time he is playing a guitar. Bill Clinton in the beginning played a Saxophone.

I wonder if they played together in some band. I realize Mike is a bit younger than Bill but the town of Hope only has 13 people so there's a good possibility that Mike and Bill were jamming somewhere in the same vicinity.

The HOPE boys....Mike and Bill

This is an amazing story. It could turn out that there's one civics teacher in Hope that has all the right things to say when talking to young people as they make there way into the world.

I'll research the actual facts and figures of HOPE Arkansas and get back to you later.

The Iowa caucus is only 29 days away and things are heating up. Hillary is losing steam in the Demo race and Huckabee is gaining ground in the Repubican front.

Actually I think Hillary should divorce Bill and marry Mike and form the new AND IMPROVED POLITICAL PARTY


THE HILLARY HUCKABEE PARTY

now that would be some irony.

And maybe just enough irony to help repair a political process that seems to be basically turning off more people than it's turning on.

But then again that might just be my cynical side pouring forth in the midst of all this election hoopla.

I need to take a break from the political process and write a little tune....

EVERY TIME I WANT SOMEONE
TO TELL ME SOMETHING NEW
I JUST KEEP HOPING THAT
THAT SOMEONE COULD JUST BE YOU

IT'S NOT THAT I NEED YOU IN MY LIFE
NOR WANT YOU BY MY SIDE
IT'S JUST THAT I KNOW YOU KNOW
THAT AT LEAST I TRIED

Michael Timothy McAlevey

We are Carrolling to the Rose Bowl

My older brother asked yesterday why I cared so much about USC football when I didn't even go to school there.

There are so many different answers to that question.

I do know that if being a fan was limited to being part of a program then there would be nobody at any Dodger gamess or Angel game or on and on and on.....

The truth is I'm not quite sure how it started but it's been a long time since I first started rooting for the Trojans. I've told a story for years about how my Dad took us to a USC/UCLA game when I was around six years old.

(Which would have been 1952 when both teams were undefeated)

Both my Dad and my brother were for UCLA and it was raining. USC came back in the last few seconds and won the game and I was hooked.

I'm not really sure that actually happened because recently my Dad said he doesn't remember taking us to a college football game. But then again he is still rooting for UCLA so maybe he just didn't want to remember it.

A friendship was formed in high school that remains to this day....and his family was wacky nuts over the Trojans so that went well. And then in college I fell hard for a beautiful girl at USC and that went well for a while.

I don't think those of us who cheer for college teams, who did not attend the school, should have to apologize......

But I kinda understand that it might appear silly if carried to the next degree. I don't wear USC clothing and I don't have a Trojan sticker on my car and I'm not really sure I own anything that says USC.....

.....but I would put my Trojan Football loyalty level at the same plateau as anyone who attended the school and cheers for them 12 or 13 times a year.

I have never wavered in my loyalty.....ever......and during the UCLA victory streak over the Trojans which lasted for 8 years and finally ended in 1999, I was upbeat and optimistic and sure every year that it would not happen the next year and it kept happening.....year after year after year after year after year after year after year after year.

It was impossible to know a UCLA fan during that time period without feeling the smirks and giggles.

And in 1993 my son Sean and I went to the game at the Coliseum which USC lost and it became a significant game in our short time together. IT being the only college game that we physically
attended. The losing streak that kept going on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on JUST DIDN'T SEEM SO HORRIBLE AT THE TIME.....compared to what had happened in Feb of 1994.

I'm sure I was watching the games but my heart and my soul were absorbed with the reality of life and death.

When Pete Carroll came to USC it seemed to bring a spark of life back into the Trojan family.....of which I am proudly one.

Listening to Mr. Carroll talk over the last several years has been one of the best parts of being a Trojan fan. I love good coaching and when someone can explain it well......it's worth the price of admission.

And explaining the losses is the real talent and he does it as well as anybody who has ever coached at the college level. Of course he's only had to do that only 14 times since 2001.

75 times he's spoken about a winning game.

It's been a extreme pleasure to watch Pete Carroll and if anybody from UCLA doesn't like him it's simply because he doesn't work at UCLA.

He might go down as the greatest college football coach of all time.......if he stays put and doesn't let the glamour of pro football entice him away. I think his personality was meant to help develop young college men...

It's been a great time to be a USC fan........and when I really think about it.....that great time has lasted since 1952.

Go Trojans
Thanks Pete

Michael Timothy McAlevey