Honduras, Defendiendo nuestra Democracia!!!

Hondurans protest against former President Mel Zelaya, and in favor of maintaining their 27 year old constitutional democracy. La Gringa comments and translates:

Don't let the first part put you off. If you only watch one Honduran video, watch this one.

If you don't read Spanish, the first part says,

"These are not Hondurans....if they are, they are not doing what true Hondurans do......Enough!"

"These are the true Hondurans and we want peace and to live in democracy...."

Near the end, the video states:

"We are a free and pacific country.

Let the world see us and listen to our voice and know the truth.

We are united defending the truth.

We will defend our democracy.

Honduras is free. Tell the whole world."

What is happening in Honduras?

The former President, Mel Zelaya, doesn't much like democracy, and wants to be installed as President for Life. He illegally attempted to garner support for rewriting the Honduran Constitution. The Honduran Supreme Court ordered Zelaya's arrest by the military. The arrest was carried out in the middle of the night. The military deported Zelaya to Costa Rica.



President Obama supports Zelaya's return to power. Is President Obama right? Was Zelaya's arrest illegal?

No. President Obama is wrong. Zelaya's arrest was legal. Here's why:

Zelaya wanted to call for a national vote on the question of whether or not the Honduran Constitution ought be completely rewritten. The Honduran Supreme Court ruled that only the Honduran Congress could call for such a vote.

Zelaya had ballots imported from Venezuela. The ballots were confiscated by Honduran Customs.

Zelaya then declared that he would still conduct the vote, but it would just be a "poll" on the question of whether or not the Honduran Constitution ought be completely rewritten. The Honduran Supreme Court ruled that such a poll would violate the Honduran Constitution.

Zelaya went forth, anyway. He led a mob which broke into a Customs building and confiscated the ballots which were being stored there. He scheduled the "poll" for Monday, June 29.

When Zelaya burglarized the building and stole the ballots, he broke Honduran law. When Zelaya conspired to conduct the illegal "poll", he broke Honduran law. The Honduran Supreme Court thereafter issued a unanimous (15-0) arrest order to the Honduran Military, and the arrest was carried out in the early morning hours of June 29.

President Obama's argument is that the Honduran Supreme Court turned a political disagreement into an illegal usurpation of the Office of the Presidency. In actuality, President Zelaya escalated a political disagreement into criminal action which threatened Honduras' constitutional democracy. The Honduran SC ruled that the Honduran Congress could order a national election about whether or not the Honduran Constitution ought be rewritten. If Zelaya disagreed with the Honduran SC's ruling, he could have pursued his goals via either legal means in the Honduran Courts, or via political/electoral means in the Honduran Congress. Instead, Zelaya pursued his goals via extra-legal means. He deserved arrest.



Why was Zelaya deported?

The Honduran Military made the decision, based on their fear of rioting and property damage. The Honduran Military feared they would have to use deadly force against rioters. The Miami Herald quotes the Honduran Military's top legal advisor, Colonel Herberth Bayardo Inestroza:

''What was more beneficial, remove this gentleman from Honduras or present him to prosecutors and have a mob assault and burn and destroy and for us to have to shoot?'' he said. ``If we had left him here, right now we would be burying a pile of people.''

Military officials expect to be legally exonerated under Article 24 of the Honduran Penal Code, which they argue allows them to make such decisions for the safety of the nation and the populace.

If Zelaya had been jailed and arraigned, might he have received bail and returned to his Presidential duties?

Unlikely. Zelaya posed a grave threat: overthrow of the Honduran Democratic Republic. I see almost zero possibility of his being offered bail. He likely would have looked at the inside of a jail cell for many years, with the only variable being whether or not he was hanged for treason.

Besides, the Constitution says any President who even attempts to evade the Presidential Term Limit Provision immediately ceases to be President. In actuality, Zelaya ousted himself from office. Article 239 of the Honduran Constitution:

“No citizen who has already served as head of the Executive Branch can be President or Vice-President. Whoever violates this law or proposes its reform[emphasis added], as well as those that support such violation directly or indirectly, will immediately cease in their functions and will be unable to hold any public office for a period of 10 years.”

Via proposing to change this law, Zelaya constitutionally and immediately ousted himself from office.

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Miguel Estrada writes an enlightening article in LAT.

Side Notes: Estrada is Honduran, and was nominated to the U.S. Federal Bench by Pres. George W. Bush, before being blocked by Dems who feared his legal acumen and his Latin heritage would make him an unstoppable nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court. After 18ish months of his nomination languishing, Estrada withdrew his name from consideration. The racially motivated blocking of Miguel Estrada from the Federal Bench was obscene.

Byron York: Dems Despicable Blackball of Miguel Estrada
American Thinker: Clarence Thomas, Michael Steele, Miguel Estrada


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Last note:

Barack's actions, i.e. supporting Zelaya and undermining Honduran democracy, are indistinguishable from what a Manchurian Candidate would do in this situation. It's amazing we can say that a President is acting exactly as an American enemy would act.

The great Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, commenting on President Jimmy Carter:

Unable to distinguish between our friends and our enemies, he has essentially adopted our enemies' view of the world.

My Expectations for Texas Rangers Pitcher Tommy Hunter

In his 4 major league starts this season, Tommy Hunter has given up: 3 runs, then 2 runs, then 1 run, then 0 runs.

I expect his next step will be to give up 0 runs in 7 innings instead of tonight's 6 innings,
then 0 runs in 8 innings,
then 0 runs in 9 innings.

Thereafter, I expect complete game shutouts which will include Tommy Hunter himself hitting homers:

first a solo homer in each game,
then a two run homer in each game,
et al

Once he reaches complete game shutouts which include him personally htting 4 Grand Slam HR's, I expect Pitcher Tommy Hunter to:

begin increasing his defensive assists,
then begin increasing his "1 Unassisted" put outs,
then begin increasing his strike-outs.

Beyond that, I expect Tommy Hunter to:

begin selling concessions during his pitching performances, followed by
beginning to personally prepare concessions, followed by
using napkins to wipe stray nacho cheese from the faces of fans.

At some point, I expect Tommy Hunter to:

begin transporting busloads of sweet old ladies (sweet, only) to the ballpark to watch him pitch;
then begin transporting cancer kids to the ballpark;
then dome the stadium and install A/C, for the comfort of sweet old ladies and cancer kids.

Oh, and be a role model! Ballplayers are so rarely role models these days...

End Zone answers the query: Why do they hate Sarah Palin so?

Is it possible to dislike Sarah Palin for cause? Sure it is. This is about those persons who go beyond cause, and into hateful territory.



Many oh-so-virtuous leftists are actually filled with hatred for a group. Examples of such a group might be conservatives, or Christians, or Americans who love traditional, middle American values. Problem is, the oh-so-virtuous leftists cannot admit (sometimes even to themselves) they hate such a group, b/c such hatred equates to unseemly prejudicial hatred such as racial hatred, or religious hatred, or misogyny. So they keep it bottled up.

Until a Sarah Palin cames along.

In their way of thinking, they get to hate ONE person. That is okay. That is justifiable. That is not unseemly or prejudicial. They hate her so much b/c they have so much pent-up, repressed hatred being held down under pressure. Their hatred needs release. She is the excuse. She is the person they can hate while rationalizing that they remain oh-so-virtuous.

Update:

What of the rampant lies about Sarah Palin?

"People don't hate Sarah Palin because of the lies. The lies exist to justify the hate."

Exactly (link). The hatred needs release; the haters need rationalization of their own virtue(i.e. need some rationalization other than that they are storing massive pent up hatred which needs release). Viola! The lies emerge ... to justify the hate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just as Neda Agha-Soltan personalizes Iranian oppression:

so Sarah Palin personalizes conservatives for insecure leftists who hate and fear conservatives;

so Sarah Palin personalizes Middle American values for insecure leftists and for professional women who have rejected those values, and who both hate and fear those values(fear they have made the wrong choice via rejecting those values);

so Sarah Palin personalizes the detested underclass who do not have the right education, do not speak the right way, yet have the GALL to believe they are just as smart and just as wise and just as capable;

so Sarah Palin personalizes the ethics of abortion for women who have had abortions and whom are insecure about the virtuousness of their choice;

so Sarah Palin personalizes Christianity for insecure nonbelievers who have rejected Christianity and whom are worried they might live empty lives and then go to Hell;

so Sarah Palin - with her damnable hot husband and well adjusted kids and successful career, personalizes the envy for those who tend towards insecurity and envy.

Stephen Pressfield says the opposite of love is fear. I say hatred is closely tied to fear. People who tend to be insecure, envious, ungrounded, fearful, guilty: Sarah Palin personalizes everything for them, and they direct all their “stuff” at her. Sarah really is a “designated hate receptacle”, as the God sneering chick* who bans consideration of neurological differences between males and females said - and brilliantly said. Sarah Palin really is (as neo commenter Mike O’Malley pointed to) a subconscious scapegoat which hearkens to early and ancient human traditions (that’s my paraphrase of Mr. O’Malley’s words) - especially for those who have never studied the Christian gospels, and have never been exposed to the radical message of love in the Sermon on the Mount. Sarah Palin really is, as neo says “the perfect storm, the confluence of flashpoints regarding class, education, beauty, sexuality, Christianity …, and female ambition.”

Many on the left consider themselves too virtuous to hate an entire large group of people. Such is unseemly. However, they get to hate HER. To them, it is not unseemly to hate a specific individual. She personalizes it for them, and their bile spews as if from a wide open sewage pipe which has been closed up and storing it’s contents under pressure. Sweet release. And all the @#$% shoots forth: insecurity, envy, guilt, fear, hatred, and plenty more. Stinky. And they don’t know it. They think it smells like flowers.



David Kahane channels the left: I Hate You, Sarah Palin
David Kahane: I Still Hate You, Sarah Palin


*I so love calling her a chick, b/c she is super attenuated to gender insult, and I enjoy imagining it might rile her. But, I am just being playful. The important thing is she wrote one gat-danged outstanding examination of Palin hate. It is worth clicking the link and reading.

Brazil's Daniela Mercury

Camille Paglia:

Daniela, now 42, has been called Brazil's Madonna, but her work as a singer and dancer is far broader and more eclectic than Madonna's. Her folkloric aesthetic was shaped by Salvador's colossal Carnival celebration, where the entire city turns out to sing and dance around huge amplified trucks (trio élétricos). A typical performance on the elevated platforms can last seven hours straight. (Here's Daniela in full carnival drag getting charmingly teary on the catwalk before singing "Swing Da Cor" to the vast crowd below.)

Though her professional career began in nightclubs, Daniela achieved stardom in the 1990s as "Queen of Axé," a Salvador-based Afro-Brazilian fusion pop sometimes called samba-reggae. Her extensive repertoire ranges from torch songs to Portuguese rap. Through it all runs her attunement to deep emotion as well as her fascination with the infinitely complex rhythms of Africanized Bahia. Her stated master principle is "alegria" (joy), which she calls the essence of life and which she visibly transmits to her surging sea of fans.

Watching Daniela Mercury in action, I realized just how bored and disillusioned I have become by American popular entertainment over the past 15 years....
[...]
I heartily recommend Daniela Mercury's DVD, "Eletrodoméstico," to every aspiring young performer or to anyone who longs to see the performing arts in magnificent full flower. (That bewitching cover image

gives a taste of Daniela's staggering variety of swirling, cutaway leather costumes, intricate jewelry and raffish gaucho armbands.) "Eletrodoméstico" is a marathon, high-octane 2003 performance for Brazilian MTV where Daniela tirelessly sings and dances through 25 songs. There are also several spirited song-and-dance duets with guest stars. One can't imagine Madonna graciously sharing the stage with anyone (as Judy Garland did with the young Barbra Streisand, for example, when the variety-show format was still thriving in the U.S.).

Similarly, one can't imagine Daniela, with her relaxed, fluid body language and sleek, golden silhouette, cultivating the grotesquely sinewy arms and sallow, claw-like hands that have to be minutely erased from workaholic Madonna's magazine photos. Stressed-out, wired, over-conceptualized Anglo-American womanhood, currently on display in the hit film of "Sex and the City," is causing cultural dyspepsia. Is it any wonder that so many interesting, talented young men are reluctant to marry or have turned gay in droves? Exactly what do young professional women have to offer these days, aside from hyper office talk over a business lunch?

Reconnection to nature would obviously be easier in lushly tropical Bahia than in the stony grid of Manhattan. But this is where art comes in -- the medium of expanded imagination, which dissolves time and space. Full circle to feminism: Sexism, where it exists, is a political barrier that must be removed. But life is an organic principle and a cosmic skyscape, far vaster and more eternal than politics.

I recommend this Paglia column, which gives a flavor of Daniela's hometown of Salvador, Brazil, with its African inspired culture, it's overflow of 365 churches, it's beach culture, and it's open air Carnaval celebration which draws approx 1 million revelers.

Video of Salvador Carnival: Daniela's performance truck, "Crocodilo" approaches at approx 1:45. Paglia says it takes up to 7 hours for Daniela's truck to move along the entire Carnaval route. Daniela tirelessly performs along the entire route. Bruce Springsteen is a punk. Daniela is the woman.

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Notorious Daniela nod to Madonna and Britney Spears.

My friend Ray Storey was buried yesterday

Ray died of cancer. Obit

I met Ray a couple of years ago, when my Mom spent some months recovering from a brain hemorrhage. Ray's wife, Janice, had been a nurse with my Mom for over 20 years.

Ray found Christ about 8ish or 9ish years ago. Before that, his life had been less than fulfilling in several areas. Ray married Janice sometime after he gave his life to our Lord.

What I want to say about Ray is this: he was a Christian inspiration to me.

It wasn't anything, really, which he ever said. Ray was sort of a John Wayne values and principles man. He was personable and interesting, yet he wasn't given to making speeches - at least not to me. I don't recall him ever speaking about religion.

And it wasn't that Ray was perfect. I think he would be the first to say that he was, on occasion, a cantankerous Christian.

It was, instead, that this cantankerous John Wayne values and principles guy often gave off a kind of a peaceful glow which only comes from people who know Christ. He wasn't trying to give off the glow, and he wasn't imposing the glow into a space. He was just naturally giving off the glow. I'm a salesman. I study people - as sort of a natural habit - for signs of authenticity vs. inauthenticity. Ray's glow was authentic and natural. That's what I liked about it, and that's what drew me in, and that's what was inspiring to me. He was a fine man. He is an inspiration to me.

Obamacare Wait Times Visualized in Lego

Watch it once. That's all it takes.



h/t

VDH: What is Wisdom? Sarah Palin and Her Critics

in Pajamas Media:

In the End, What is Wisdom?

6) Euripides asked that in the Bacchae? So who is the better one to sit down across from Putin? What training is critical to size up a Chavez, or say ‘no thanks, bud’ to Iran?

Does it require brains to manage a family with five kids, live on a limited budget, get elected to local office, fish, hunt, go to sea, cook your own food, navigate in politics with no money, without an influential dad and powerbroker husband-or is real wisdom finishing prep school, doing B+ work at Yale, and writing a novel, column or short story? (A little of both, you say? That’s why I started this piece off with my suggestion she take her new time to read and digest.)


In all seriousness at last, I’ve found it was harder to calibrate an old spray rig (without getting Parquat ['liquid death' we used to call it] up your nose and Simazine down your pants), with a shot roller pump and worn nozzles. It took some skill to put one pound (and only one pound) of Parquat and Simazine per acre on a two-foot-wide vineyard berm, correcting for tractor speed, wind, leaks, pump idiosyncrasies, soil conditions-knowing that too much preemergent herbicide gives you sick vines, and too little, weeds–than it was to do an apparatus criticus of 200 lines of the Greek text of Aeschylus’s Suppliants-all things, of course, being considered.

Sorry for the ‘either/or’ reductive binary: but I saw more stupid people in graduate school and three decades in academia than I ever did who ran 100 acres without going broke-and more of the latter whom I’d trust not to bankrupt the country and let down our defenses than of the former.

While we rightly argue that the Sarahs of the world, if they are to be taken seriously as leaders, must read and study more, why do we not also suggest that the Baracks of the world could do a little more chain-sawing, run a coffee shop for a summer, or drive a Winnebago cross-country? (Who knows, he might meet a fellow woodcutter who knew there were 50 states or that it was dumb to make fun of the Special Olympics.)

After all, a lot of geniuses are now calling for a “second stimulus” to borrow another trillion or so still, but I don’t think they come from Wasilla.

So I am afraid right now, but not of Sarah Palin.

7/8/9!

A good day to be alive!


Let's mark the occasion with this from The Anchoress:

Something wonderful, from dear friend Sarah, who writes:

On July 4th the Boston Red Sox had a young man sing the Star Spangled Banner. He was somewhat disabled and there were other youngsters in the same condition with the players around the field as well those as standing near the batter’s box. He only sang a few notes when you realized he was not a renown vocalist. A few bars more and he missed a word or two, there was some laughter and it was laughing with him, he and the lady with him were smiling.

Then…50,000 voices gallantly streamed in…!

And let's celebrate with this unnecessarily profane yet nevertheless funny add:



h/t theospark.net



And let's celebrate by reading this Bloggess post, which gives a feel for growing up in the Bloggess' family in rural West Texas. A sample:

Also, I figured that my dad had stored the cannon somewhere during the day because I didn’t remember seeing it before that night but then when I was developing my pictures I noticed that the picture I took of the chickens has the cannon in it and I didn’t even notice it. Because that’s the kind of backyard they have. One where a cannon doesn’t really stick out. Also, it smelled weird there but I was used to that because the Taxidermy Shop is next door but then Victor pointed out that there was a dead bear on a table that had been raised up with chains to like 10 feet above ground....

She has a photo of the bear on the table. It really is suspended about 10 feet in the air.


Final note: The Anchoress has another video, from Pixar, which is inspirational genius, if you are interested in being inspired, and if you have 5 minutes. Her comments about the video are also inspired.

Ash Soular: Obamanation

She's singing my song, and she can play guitar:



h/t Hot Air

First thought was to save Ash for Friday Hot - but she's too hot to save: she might burn up the other bookmarks.

Is Palin weak? courageous? or strategically clear eyed? Is she, in actuality, smarter than her critics?

ABC video of Sarah Palin fishing with her family.

Diane Sawyer is a snake in the grass. And fingernails on a chalkboard. Is ANYONE in media as condescending and snaky as she? She breathes it: inhale, exhale, repeat ….


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The more I’ve re-listened/re-read Palin from Friday, the more clearly I see this:

She will attempt to become a national voice and a national leader who advocates conservative principles(and naturally opposes Barack Obama’s lack of conservative principles).

If she catches on as a national voice and national leader: she will run for President - maybe in 2012, maybe later. If she doesn’t catch on as a national voice and national leader, then “if I die, I die. So be it.”

If she doesn’t catch on, then she was never meant to catch on, and was never going to win the Presidency anyway. From her strategic perspective: if she doesn’t catch on as a national voice, she has lost nothing. In other words, in such circumstance: she could have stayed Governor, and made a Presidential run, yet it would have failed. If she is ever going to have a legit chance at POTUS, then she will catch on as a national voice, and her opportunity to speak out and to act in unconstrained fashion will strengthen her legit chance to win the Presidency.

If she never catches on: she has lost nothing, she is happier, her family is wealthier, Alaska is better off than it would have been if she had stayed on as a lame duck, Alaska Repubs are better off b/c the Repub. Lt. Gov. now has a better shot at being elected Gov.

Strategically, Palin has made a bold and audacious move which is worthy of Gen. Stonewall Jackson or Gen. George S. Patton. She has picked up her army, and is marching it hard towards the opposite end of the Shenandoah Valley. Sarah Palin is an American original. If she didn’t exist we would wish to invent her. She is one of the few truly heroic figures - whom children can look up to - in existence today.

The strategic risk, which must exist in order for Palin’s strategic choice to be bold, is that she is teaching the left and the critics and the legal terrorists that they can defeat a Repub if they bring enough pressure (financial, personal, legal, verbal assault upon a candidate’s children, governing assault [gridlock] upon a candidate’s constituency) to bear upon that candidate and upon his or her loved ones. This is a dangerous precedent to set. The danger of it - the possibility that Palin’s choice will do long term harm to Republicans - is part of what makes Palin’s choice either bold, or a selfish strategic miscalculation.

In the end, I like her choice. Her situation was unusual. I would not have sacrificed my family's financial security for the possibility (possibility, only) of helping future Repub candidates defy critics and legal terrorists.


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Last note: it is said - including by me - that Palin has been attacked via dishonorable legal actions which have imposed unfair legal/financial burden upon her. All true.

However, the very notoriety which spawned the dishonorable legal actions also spawns opportunity for Palin to make her book deal and to give lucrative speeches. Even after paying her legal bills, she and her family will emerge in significantly better financial condition than they otherwise would have. And I already see left persons (both bloggers, and the wealthy Diane Sawyer) bemoaning Sarah Palin’s pending acquisition of minor wealth. Hilarious. I can’t think of any left side moaning and carping which I have more enjoyed.

Anyway, Sarah Palin truly found herself in unusual circumstances. She could not take full advantage without making her audacious and worthy strategic move. Looking at everything - from her responsibility to Alaska, to her responsibility to her family, to her Golden Rule responsibility to Repubs: the foolish strategic move would have been to maintain status quo as Governor.

Sarah and Todd have said this choice has been under consideration for some weeks. Was this really a flighty and knee jerk decision? Or, was Sarah Palin taking counsel from Todd, and considering the strategic landscape for some weeks, and did she actually have a clearer strategic vision than her myriad critics now do? Is she more knee jerk and reactionary, or more courageous, or simply more strategically clear eyed? Is she, in actuality, smarter than her critics?


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Bro 64 opines, in email which partly inspired me to write this post:

The thing that kills me about the media coverage of Palin's resignation is that everyone is automatically assuming her ambition is to run for President in 2012, and talking about how this is a horrible strategic decision for her future in electoral politics. Pile on, pile on, pile on.

It also drives me nuts that all the Eastist, leftist media talk about how they could not understand her resignation speech, and that they "just don't get" the basketball reference. To me, her speech was perfectly clear. Is it possible that she resigned for exactly the reasons she gave in her speech? That she is spending 80% of her time on legal defense and public relations issues, and because she understands she has become such a polarizing figure that she is no longer able to effectively serve? It is a rare case when this happens in electoral politics, but when it does, is it not the most dedicated response to resign and move on, so someone else may govern more effectively? Is this so hard to comprehend, a decision to sacrifice?

Very few have stopped to ponder that her ambition may have absolutely nothing to do with any future Presidential run. In fact, her ambition may have nothing to do with electoral politics at all. Maybe her ambition is to just be a mom. Maybe it is to be a public speaker and movement leader, or to somehow be involved in tv or radio. Very few have considered her decision in this light, and thus the Palin Derangement Syndrome continues.

I am not one who believes she is perfect. I do understand that is she were to run for President, she has some substantive issues that need to be addressed. However, she is one of the most energizing, refreshing, and clear spoken politicians to come along in my lifetime, and if you can accept her for what she is, it is easy to be a huge fan.

Update: Originally composed this as a comment at neo-neocon's. Courtesy of her commenter, turfmann: Time Magazine Interview with Sarah Palin.

neo commenter Ecgbright:

[Palin's] understanding of the environment in which she will operate is, I think, immeasurably more sophisticated than that of conventional political analysts because she can see what their now almost fossilized assumptions conceal from them.

If that is true, events will be exciting. I'm hoping for that.

Daily Sex - especially with younger women - keeps men alive

Link

Husbands are not paranoid.

Their wives are trying to kill them.

Health Care Expert

photo from theospark.net

Also catchy: "Here's to You, Mr. Jefferson"

Not as catchy, yet it fits in here:

Cap and Trade Video: it's catchy, watch it more than once

Let it sink in.

What the Texas Rangers should do at the trade deadline:

Nothing.

Sit tight. Compete for the division championship.

The Rangers have 7 capable starting pitchers:

Millwood
Padilla
Feldman
Harrison .(when he returns from IR)
Hunter .. (has given up 3 runs; then 2 runs; then 1 run)
Holland . (reports of his demise are knee jerk overreactions)
Nippert . (hasn't proven his capability, but I expect he will)

The Rangers have 15 capable relief pitchers ready to go:

Francisco
Wilson
O'Day
Jennings
Guardado
Grilli ..... (a pleasant surprise: Rangers ERA is 2.09)
Eyre .....(battle tested and healthy)
El Duque
Madrigal (excelling in AAA)
Mathis .. (having success in Arlington in long relief)
Moscoso (excelling in AAA)
Diamond (announcing his presence with authority)
A.J. Murray (all he does is pitch his booty off, then get hurt)
Hinkley ..(excellent LH relief, anyone?)
Feliz

The Texas Rangers have enough pitching to win their division.

What the Rangers don't have is enough disciplined hitting. However, rather than trade for disciplined hitting, they should let their own hitting ripen and mature into a state of championship quality discipline.

Just sit tight, compete for the division championship, and it should be an entertaining summer and an exciting September.

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Note: I would be very happy to not see Feliz and Smoak until the end of April, 2010. Especially Smoak. He is a Boras client, and there's no reason to start his clock early. If you promote him at the end of April, 2010, he remains Rangers property through 2016.

If Borbon is sent back down after only a few days (less than 7?) in Arlington: his prospect clock also fails to start. Borbon is also a Boras client. I would be perfectly happy to not see him until the end of April, 2010. He can mature his plate discipline in AAA.

July 4; What a Real Man Looks Like

Construction worker Jason Oglesbee rescues woman from Des Moine River. He pulled her around and cradled her between his legs, then the crane operator guided both of them out of there. Salute to Mr. Oglesbee, and to the crane operator. h/t American Digest



Happy Fourth of July!

Standard Operating Procedures for BBQ






h/t