… which will have more viewers, that wrinkly white dude’s presidential nomination acceptance speech, or the Super Bowl Champs taking on their division rival?

Gigantes

Will anything that happens in Mile High this year electrify the crowd as much as last Thursday’s doings?

That’s hard to say because Obama went for a policy speech rather than an inspirational one and the Broncos don’t have any stars

Which division will be more competitive this year, the AFC South (Colts, Jags, Texans, and Titans) or the NFC East (Giants, Skins, ‘Boys, and Iggles)?

I’m leaning NFC East because it’s more balanced. And don’t underestimate the Giants … they could end up in the Super Bowl again

As far as my home division (from Minn., lived in Appleton Wisc. … and actually I’m a huge aberration because I’m a fan of the Vikes [1a] and the Pack [1b])

I see the Vikings in first going 10-6 and the Pack in second going 9-7

A few weeks ago I was guessing the Vikes would go 12-4 or 11-5 but now with Bryant McKinnie’s 4 game suspension and Madieu Williams injury I think they can only hope for 10-6; they have a brutal first four weeks of the season. The Vikings will wind up with a top three defense; they have the best defensive line in football this side of the Giants of last year. The offense will be improved; AP and Chester Taylor will rush for over 2,500 yards; and the passing game will depend more on Bernard Berrian and Sidney Rice than Tarvaris Jackson, because Tarvaris wouldn’t have a bad year last year, he just didn’t have anybody who could hold on to the ball when he threw it. The best the Vikes can hope for is to get lucky in the playoffs and get to the NFC Championship game

Say what you want about Favre but McCarthy and Thompson will find out that he was worth at least 4 wins per year to the Pack. They have a good young team, but some have it, and some people don’t, Favre does, and they traded him. The best they can hope for is a wildcard game

PS what happens if Aaron Rodgers gets hurt?

Bears have no offense and the defense is getting old

Does Detroit still have a team? … just kidding

Who would schedule a nomination accepting speech to compete with football?

Uh, ClemMcCain.

Dear Kathleen,

Thank you for your wonderful email. I have started my new job with Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) to improve security, development and local governance at sub-national level. We are supporting sub-national institutions to ensure local institutions deliver public services effectively.

I have visited the most dengerious provinces in these few months. I have visited Kandahar, Urozgan, Helmand, Zabul, Paktiya, Khost, Kunar, Nooristan. I have plan to visit all 34 provinces and to meet provincial authorities to understand there problems. We are working on reviewing Provincial Development Plans (PDPs). We are working with provincial authorities to prepare comprehensive PDPs.

I have organized one day conference in Kandahar in which regional governors, UN Special Representative for Afghanistan, NATO and ISAF Commander, Ministers, Foriegn Embassadors participated. We encouraged provincial authorities to discuss challenges and problems in three areas: Security, Devevlopment and Local Governance. They identified problems in each areas and provided solution to solve that problem. It was very effective conference. I am planning the same conference in other provinces.

Situation is very dangerious. I am afraid of this situation. I am thinking why I left the U.S, because nothing could be change. It is a mess. I am thinking to find a way back to the U.S. There is no place for people who are really working for the prosperity of Afghanistan.

My children and wife are happy to have me arround them. Yet, I have a little bit afriad of the situation. If something happens to me, they will suffer a lot.

I miss you all. I miss the moment we were together discussing about world issues especially Iraq, Phalestine, Afghanistan, the U.S. politics. I miss all those moments.

Please convey my regards to your daughters, gradparents and all your friends. Hope we will meet once again.

Thank you
Haroon

=================
Haroon Rashid Sherzad
Strategic Communication Coordinator
Office of the President
Independent Directorate of Local Governance
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

—————————————————————————
One has to wonder what the U.S. is really doing to improve the lives of the Afghani people? The whole time Haroon was here he would speak weekly with his whole family. They reported that things were better in regard to the oppression by the Taliban just after the invasion of Afghanistan. But soon after they believe to be an illegal invasion (the government of Aghanistan has been asking for proof of Osama Bin Ladens involvement in 9/11 and have never received any proof) the Taliban were moved back but when the Bush administration took their focus off of Afghanistan the Taliban have regained power.

Haroon is convinced that the only way to deal with the Taliban is to pull them into the process of building up their infrastructure. To be inclusive and take their deep concerns about the negative influence of Western ways on their culture into the development equation. He claims that there is no way (at this point) to destroy the Taliban or some of their valid concerns He firmly believes in making them part of the process(that they are not all violent radicals)

He also believes the only way to deal with the illegal poppy production is to turn it into legal poppy production (medical use) He has explained that before the Russians invaded many of these farmers had pomegrante, apricot and almond orchards that were destroyed by the Russians during that war. (would take a long time to be able to make a living off new orchards)

Haroon and I would talk hours about the incredible focus on family on their elders that the Afghani people still hold onto and that those values are very precious. The question seems to be how can they improve their access to water, electric, health care, education without destroying these precious values?

So how much money are we sending to Afghanistan to help really build up their access to water, electric, health care, police training and protection, education. Last I read we have sent to Afghanistan in six years what we spend in one month in Iraq. Pathetic

Obama May Bring Criminal Charges Against Bush

Thursday, September 4, 2008 10:15 AM

By: Jim Meyers Article Font Size

Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden said he and presidential hopeful Barack Obama could bring criminal charges against the Bush administration if they are elected in November.

“If there has been a basis upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation, they will be pursued,” Biden said during a campaign stop in Florida on Monday, ABC News reported.

“Not out of vengeance, not out of retribution. Out of the need to preserve the notion that no one, no attorney general, no president — no one is above the law.”

Biden promised that an Obama-Biden government would go through Bush administration data with “a fine-toothed comb” and pursue criminal charges if necessary.

Democrats in Congress have issued subpoenas this year to senior Bush administration aides as part of an investigation into the authorization of torture tactics at the detention center in Guantanamo Bay.

And Obama vowed in April that if elected, he would ask his attorney general to investigate Bush administration actions to see if “genuine crimes” have been committed.

He told the Philadelphia Daily News: “If crimes have been committed, they should be investigated.”

Biden: ‘We Will Pursue the Bush Administration’

I have been able to get many friends to write the Rehm show about particular programs and have been successful numerous times. Is anyone here willing to join on and write the show about this topic?

Also trying to get her producers to bring on Flynt Leverett, Scott Ritter (she has had him on numerous times, it’s time to do it again), and Juan Cole to discuss the situation with Iran . We know if Cheney, Feith, Wolfowitz, Bolton and Israel have their ways. We will be witnessing a September or October attack on Iran.

Please write or call the Diane Rehm show and back up these request if you have the time or interest.

The link
http://wamu.org/programs/dr/contact_us.php

I am also tired of the McCain campaign telling us the McCain lived in a 4ft by 6 ft box. I honor that this man did not break down with information that would have endangered others. But I do not honor his service in another immoral and illegal war. I do not honor that he was part and parcel of the slaughter of innocent people. How many times are they going to use that “box story.

PJ, I had also missed that Biden mentioned criminal charges, but from what I’ve read now it still seemed tepid. I wish someone would shake the Dems until they realize this stuff matters to people and they had better shape up and follow through. I know, I should stick to tilting at windmills… sigh…