Welcome! This is an unapologetic, agenda-free zone. Just commentaries on current events that’ll move you to think, laugh, rage, and even cry.
Day 13 (August 21) Softball The US losing in softball at these Olympic Games was almost as shocking as the US losing in basketball at the Athens Games in 2004. After all, since winning gold at the Sydney Games in 2000, the US (women’s) softball team had won 22 straight international tournaments – “most of… Read more.
Washington has been abuzz this week with speculation about who presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Barack Obama, will choose as his vice presidential running mate. And the consensus seems to be that Obama will choose Delaware senator, Joe Biden. I agree. Frankly, thanks to Russia’s invasion of Georgia 10 days ago, Obama had little choice. But instead… Read more.
Day 11 (August 19) Gymnastics The Chinese returned to their dominant form by winning both the Men’s Parallel Bars and Men’s Horizontal Bar. In fact, the only thing noteworthy about these last two events in men’s gymnastics is that Jonathan Horton of the US ended his team’s shutout in the individual event finals by winning… Read more.
Nothing troubles my conscience and geopolitical consciousness more … than the prevailing ignorance I find amongst so many American colleagues and friends about the origins and implications of this conflict [in Georgia]. Of course, this is hardly the forum for such rudimentary political education – although nothing demonstrates the need quite like the American who wondered why her… Read more.
Day 9 (August 17) Gymnastics Not surprisingly, the Chinese men continued their dominance with different teammates winning the event finals in Pommel Horse and Floor Exercise. The more interesting results, however, came in the women’s event finals. Alas, Alicia Sacrimone– who nearly torpedoed the US’s chance of winning any medal in the team competition – was denied personal redemption. … Read more.
The writing was on the wall for Musharraf even before the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), once headed by the assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto but now headed by her widower, Asif Zardari, and the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), headed by Sharif, defeated his “king’s party” (PML-Q) resoundingly in parliamentary elections last February…. [Pressure mounts… Read more.
The greatest Olympic athlete of all time! With his team’s relatively easy win today in the Men’s 4×100 Medley Relay, US swimmer Michael Phelps completed his Phelpsian quest to win 8 gold medals in one Olympic Games. He has now surpassed the formidable standard set by Mark Spitz at the Munich Games in 1972 of winning 7 gold medals. Congratulations Michael!!! Related… Read more.
Day 8 (August 16) Swimming You know the story by now: Michael Phelps on course to emulate Mark Spitz by winning eight gold medals in swimming at one Olympic Games. Well, after the way he won his second gold medal (with the improbable come-from-behind swim by teammate Jason Lezak on the last leg of the Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay),… Read more.
Is it just me or are you also wondering why, with over 1 billion people at their beck and call, China’s totalitarian leaders have not ensured that all venues are always packed with spectators? Frankly, I find it more than a little difficult to reconcile all the Chinese hype about these Olympic Games being such a source… Read more.
As much as I would like to comment on the latest feats of athleticism at the Beijing Olympics, I cannot in light of ongoing developments in Georgia. And nothing troubles my conscience and geopolitical consciousness more in this respect than the prevailing ignorance I find amongst so many American colleagues and friends about the origins… Read more.
