Carson Palmer. Is this a way to suggest that if Palmer doesn’t succeed this year, that he’s done, thrown in the compactor of abyss as another great Bengals quarterback that couldn’t win us a Super Bowl? Is this a way of hinting that the Bengals should move on with a new quarterback next year? No, no, NO! But if one player has the most to prove on this team, factoring previous successes, then really, is there anyone bigger than Palmer? In truth, the perception of recent disappointments really hasn’t been 100% Palmer’s fault. We could cite the injury in 2008 that held him back that year — even though in the four games he did play (one of which was with the injured elbow against the Cowboys), Palmer averaged 182.8 yards-per-game and recorded only three touchdowns against four interceptions. We could cite the shift with a rushing offense in 2009, along with little help from receivers and Tight Ends as more reason not to fault Palmer.

(Read more at Cincy Jungle)

Its vast improvements like what the Bengals featured last year that makes you understand that the little things can initiate a metamorphosis from mediocrity into the playoff contender.

(Read more at the Washington Post)

In late April, Arizona governor Jan Brewer signed into law one of the, if not the most, stringent laws on immigration in this country; a law that several communities and states are considering adapting. The key point of the law is that the word illegal in illegal immigration means enforcement. Many against the law decry broader powers with law enforcement to question people that they suspect as being undocumented. Many bemoaned that police would be racially profiling, therefore civil liberties are in danger.

[SB 1070s]

But the question is this: Is Arizona doing what the Federal Government wouldn’t? Several sections in Arizona’s Immigration Law actually use and refer to Federal statutes within the United States Code.

The legal scholars we spoke with told us to take a close look at two key sections of Title 8 of the U.S. Code. Section 1304e requires that "every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him." Those who fail to comply will be guilty of a misdemeanor and will be fined $100 and can be imprisoned up to 30 days.

Section 1306a says that, "Any alien required to apply for registration and to be fingerprinted in the United States who willfully fails or refuses to make such application or to be fingerprinted, and any parent or legal guardian required to apply for the registration of any alien who willfully fails or refuses to file application for the registration of such alien shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not to exceed $1,000 or be imprisoned not more than six months, or both."

What many are failing to neglect — just as people forget that 11 lives were lost during the explosion that caused a rupture on the oil pipeline in the Gulf — is why this law was needed. Is Arizona worried undocumented workers? Financial troubles? No. Too many crimes are being committed by illegal immigrants for the Arizona government to sit idle. Arizona had asked for Federal help before passing the law, which fell on deaf ears.

Arizona took matters into their own hands. They actually enforced the "illegal" part in illegal immigration and gave police broader powers to enforce the law. Once they did, the Federal government stirred from their slumber with their rusty sword and wooden shield. Unfortunately, it was to react to Arizona’s Immigration law rather than comprehensive national immigration reform that deals with illegal immigration.

In late March, Robert Krentz, a rancher along the Arizona-Mexican boarder was found dead. Murder by an illegal immigrant was suspected. The family released a statement:

“We hold no malice towards the Mexican people for this senseless act but do hold the political forces in this country and Mexico accountable for what has happened,” the family said. “Their disregard of our repeated pleas and warnings of impending violence towards our community fell on deaf ears shrouded in political correctness. As a result, we have paid the ultimate price for their negligence in credibly securing our borderlands.”

The murder, in large part, caused the Arizona state government to act — I know, a governmental body that actually reacts to protect their citizens, physically, mentally and financially without being all up in your face about it? The Pinal County Sheriff echoed concerns about illegal immigrants.

“We’ve had numerous officers that have been killed by illegal immigrants in Arizona,” Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu said Monday at a Capitol Hill news conference. “And that shouldn’t happen one time.”

The ACLU issued "travel advisories" to anyone traveling to Arizona during the Fourth of July Weekend. Executive Director Anthony D. Romero writes on the organization’s website:

"ACLU affiliates across the country are issuing these alerts because it is imperative that individuals understand their rights before traveling in Arizona. Under Arizona’s racial profiling law, people who look ‘foreign’ are more likely to be stopped for minor infractions and then asked for their ‘papers’ if police believe, based on their appearance or accent, that they could be in the country unlawfully. We hope the alerts provide people with some measure of protection from illegal harassment from law enforcement and inform them of their rights should they encounter it."

Through all of this, the Federal government, the entity whose duty it is to protect American borders reacts by trying to file a lawsuit against Arizona, who only wants to protect herself. Protestors gather around the nation — protestors that are unlikely to have actually been affected by the dangers illegal immigration in Arizona. You even have to wonder if they’ve stepped foot in the state.

President Barack Hussein Obama said:

“I’m ready to move forward, the majority of Democrats are ready to move forward, and I believe the majority of Americans are ready to move forward. But the fact is without bipartisan support, as we had just a few years ago, we cannot solve this problem."

Five bucks to anyone that can correctly point out the topic he’s talking about. Is this the card he uses when giving a speech on everything? The quote comes from a speech in front of a 250 immigration-rights advocates at American University in Washington. But I wouldn’t be so willing to believe that Americans are "ready to move forward" with Obama in the lead. It’s rarely an occurrence these days that Obama speaks for even a majority of Americans. As a result of the Federal government’s offensive against Arizona’s immigration law — you know, the law that the Federal government also has in the United States Code — Arizona is forced to spend $250,000 of tax dollars to help clean up the state’s immigration image, due to lowering tourism and businesses being affected. You can thank the Federal government’s blatant disregard of its own laws for this.

Again, Obama and the Democrats in charge of the Federal Government worries more about people that are in-state illegally than they are their own American citizens. Look at the eventually rising costs of energy services thanks to a ladder to recoup costs once the energy companies are exponentially taxed in Gas-and-Tax. Gas prices will rise. Travel and tourism will decline because it makes more economic sense for families to refuse the punishment from energy companies who are in-turn punished by the Federal Government. Furthermore, added taxes on companies will surely cost jobs and one report shows that over 125,000 jobs were lost in June. Not a good time to implement policies that will cost even more jobs.

Juan Leonardo Qunitero was charged with molesting a 12-year old girl. Deported in 1999 as an illegal, he returned in 2006.

Rodney Johnson was a 12-year veteran on the Houston police force. Married with five children, he was big, kind-hearted and unafraid of working the toughest gang beats or late-night shifts.

On Thursday, Sept. 21, around 5:30 p.m., he pulled over a white Ford pickup driving 50 mph in a 30 mph zone in what should have been a routine traffic stop. The driver, Quintero, had neither a driver’s license nor any other identification so, after a pat down, Johnson handcuffed him and placed him in the back of his patrol car. But Johnson missed the gun in Quintero’s waistband. The prisoner pulled it out and fired four times at Johnson at close range.

The story continues, deaths caused by illegal immigrants. This is what the Democrats are trying to protect, and what the Republicans indirectly failed to address. Inaction by reaction to a law that makes sense for a state in a warzone is self-defeating. No, it’s depressing to learn that through all of this time, our Federal government’s stance to not get involved with America’s protection while people die is appalling; considering that one likely refusal to address the issue is the fear of upsetting the latino vote.

When people throw political arguments against the wall hoping that it makes sense to some half-wit, they forget that born out of this is the death of good people, the destruction of whole families, all because the immigration vote is worth more than the lives of Americans. This is Obama’s change. And this is why we’ll see a lot of change in 2010 and 2012.

BEING DICTATED BY THE SLOTTING SYSTEM
Perhaps the most important thing to note regarding the signing process for first round draft picks, is where they’re slotted. The unspoken rule is that a guy is paid more guaranteed money the higher he’s drafted. Furthermore, there’s typically a decent raise from that slot the previous year — this year’s sixth overall draft pick, Russell Okung, will average more guaranteed money than what Andre Smith is “earning”.

(Read the rest at CincyJungle.com)

However, for these benefits, sometimes you should show some appreciation of the fact that you got lucky as shit when you were born into this country. It’s like saying thank you when someone gives you a gift for no reason.

Arlington High School fails badly at showing their appreciation living in the greatest country on Earth. More importantly, they fail their students.

The Arlington, Mass., school committee has rejected the 17-year-old’s request to allow students to voluntarily recite the Pledge of Allegiance, because some educators are concerned that it would be hard to find teachers willing to recite it, according to a report in the Arlington Patch.

Harrington had presented school officials with a petition signed by 700 people, along with letters of support from lawmakers including Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn. 

One committee member spoke.

Some committee members voiced concerns about forcing people to do something that might violate their beliefs – including religious beliefs. Among the no-votes was committee member Leba Heigham.

“Patriotism is a very personal thing for all of us, but I do not think it is in the school committee’s best interest to mandate that any of our employees recite the pledge,” she told the Patch.

Heigham’s understanding of voluntary must go back to when peowot was more commonly referred as a nominative, accusative or genitive translation.

The student that has caused so much of the commotion in Arlington High School is named Sean Harrington and when he was a freshman, he noticed that the school didn’t have any American flags and didn’t recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Three years later, he raised a little army of students that petitioned to bring flags to classrooms and to recite the Pledge. He won with the flags but not the Pledge. Learning of the failed vote, Harrington will enter his senior year clearly still ambitious enough to fight on.

“I’m not a person who quits and I don’t back down. It’s a very righteous cause and needs to be followed through until the end.”

Good choice.

In this video, a General Electric Executive faints during a Joe Biden speech. Maybe faint isn’t the proper word. Maybe he’s sleepy. Are you sleepy? Take a nap. There, there.

Then the graceful politician of the people went to a custard shop (he called it an ice cream shop), helped out the crew and when the manager said to Biden that he could "lower our taxes" in exchange for getting a free Ice Cream, Biden did what he does best. Be all dickish and stuff.

Former President George Bush may have made up words in the English dictionary, but at least he was smooth doing his own gaffs, actually making us believe that he knew something we didn’t. Biden? He’s just wrecking machine, causing us to laugh while holding our guts. Thanks god for Joe Biden.

Nate Davis takes a look at both sports.

Call me the Ugly American, but a 3-0 tally in the NFL is a slow first quarter. In soccer, it’s a blowout.

Well said, Nate. Well said.

Still, I’m trying. If not a good friend of mine, who is a soccer fanatic, becoming overly impressed with my initiation to discover something outside my box, then my growing affinity for reality television (aka, in my world… sports) is growing. It helps explain why I accidentally watched Tennis for over 15 minutes not staring at Serena tree trunk legs.

Meet the Ultimate Grilled Cheese BurgerMelt — "Black Angus burger topped with lettuce, tomato and mayo between two whole grilled cheese sandwiches". Friendly’s newest offering, a 1,160-calorie cheeseburger heavenly bliss, is being criticized for it’s "high levels of saturated fat, cholesterol and salt."

The Wilbraham restaurant chain is “thumbing its nose at its customers’ health” and should be “shut down by the health department,” said Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center of Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-based consumer health advocacy group.

With 83 grams of total fat and 36 grams of saturated fat, the BurgerMelt well exceeds the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recommended daily allowances. It’s also very high in salt, with more than 80 percent of the daily recommended level.

“It’s almost a parody of itself,” Jacobson said. “It’s so high in calories, fat and salt that it’s just shocking that a company, in this day and age, would market such a harmful product. These are the kind of products which show up on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ ”

Thank god this is America. But I’m sure some self-indulgent idiot — the same shithead that mimics a cough walking by a smoker outside — will agree with Jacobson. Some idiot will say, "you know what, we should do more things to limit the free choices of hard working Americans who just want a 1,160-calorie burger on their way home." If this is the best you got, trying to dictate what free Americans can choose, then I almost feel sorry for you. Seriously.

So I did some extensive research (aka, Google search) and found out that Center for Science in the Public Interest is another faction from the group We Love Being Dicks. For example, the CSPI is preparing a lawsuit because McDonalds sells toys to children to promote their happy meals.

“McDonald’s is the stranger in the playground handing out candy to children,” said CSPI litigation director Stephen Gardner. “McDonald’s use of toys undercuts parental authority and exploits young children’s developmental immaturity—all this to induce children to prefer foods that may harm their health. It’s a creepy and predatory practice that warrants an injunction.”

What. The.

After doing more extensive research (aka scrolling down on my mouse after Google search), a website was created that countered CSPI called CSPIScam.com. The site writes:

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and its founder, Michael F. Jacobson, are not as nice, sweet, and unbiased as CSPI’s name might imply. The group routinely uses scare tactics justified by "junk science" and media theatrics as part of their ceaseless campaign for government regulation of your personal food choices.

They also write that "willful manipulations and junk science calculations that CSPI used in its petition to the FDA over acrylamide in food. The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) submitted a reply brief to the FDA, detailing how CSPI arbitrarily “adjusted” government statistics and made faulty assumptions about the minimal risk to consumers from dietary acrylamide."

So CSPI aren’t just dicks, they’re liars.

Invasion (2012) – A series that’s closest to modern times, taking into account actual events and incorporating them into a global depression which results into a full scale world war. Most of the series will take place from the perspective of a solider in the army, a civilian on the East Coast where the initial invasion happens and a corrupt politician who formulated the invasion plan in an effort to take over the country in a socialist regime.

Battle of Twins Hill (2034) – Takes place 20-30 years after Invasion, introducing new characters into the Sector Four universe, which focuses on the Tribal Wars in Sector Four and leads into the unification amongst all the clans to initiate a second Civil War to reclaim the country. Includes the Alexander Kruger series, who will be a primery protagonist later in the Sector Four universe.

The Civility of War – working title (2045) – Takes place roughly 10 years after the Battle of Twins Hill, 30-40 years after Invasion, where the unified clans have taken to arms with guerilla tactics, initiating America’s second Civil War where the rebellion is eventually suppressed, but the country is in absolute ruins.

Water of the Messiah – working title (2125) – Takes places 100 years after Invasion, focusing on two grandchildren of the Bale and Lukas linage. Introduces (hopefully) the Josen Kir era, who will become a messiah-like figure that’s developed special talents from an unknown source (many believing his special talents are from God himself, giving Josen the unwelcome Messiah title and a massive fanatical following).

Fires of the Messiah – working title (2125) – Follows up the Water of the Messiah series in which Josen Kir uses a fanatical following to achieve his own ends, which indirectly caused a massive uprising towards the ideals of Old America. The fanatics become out of control and Kir, feeling the responsibility, is forced into facing his former followers.

“Being alone in the world offers benefits that only one with such a perspective can see; nothing immobilizes you, nothing holds you to false realisms, even allowing one travel without oversight throughout this claustrophobic world. Detachment brings a form of serenity, sacrificing yourself to a cause not of your own; rather the greater good. At least peace can be achieved, if not everlasting.”

- Lukas 20 years later in Sector Four