The Rattling of Sabres Has Begun (Round 2)

Have you ever watched someone you don't like make an ass of themselves and enjoy it?

Lebanese Hold Historic Anti-Syrian March

By ZEINA KARAM
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Tens of thousands marched Monday in the biggest anti-Syrian protest in Lebanese history amid signals that Syria will soon withdraw its troops from parts of the country. President Bush renewed demands for Syrian forces to leave Lebanon immediately.


Makes you wonder if the Syrians didn't bite off more than they could chew this time!

Hopefully, we may yet see a peaceful revolution in the Middle East in our time!


Addendum for February 28, 2005:

Lebanese Gov't Resigns Amid Protests

BEIRUT, Lebanon — With shouts of "Syria out!" 25,000 protesters massed outside Parliament in a dramatic display of defiance that forced out Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister and Cabinet Monday, two weeks after the assassination of a popular politician touched off increasing unrest.

(snip)

The White House welcomed Karami's resignation, saying it opens the door for new elections that are "free of all foreign interference" from Syria, but called again on Damascus to pull out its soldiers.

Slowly,...slowly,...slowly,...

Watch Dan? I'd RATHER Not,...

(link attached to title)

Watch Dan? Rather not

Anchor doesn't click with CBS bigs

BY ADAM LISBERG
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Dan Rather
Now they tell us.

Some of Dan Rather's best-known CBS colleagues say they don't watch the embattled anchor's "CBS Nightly News."

(snip)

Cranky "60 Minutes" commentator Andy Rooney told the magazine he believes Rather broadcasts from the road so often because he's ashamed of anchoring - "a dumb job," Rooney said.


I have no real comment on this,...I just think its funny as hell!

NASA - 2005 Could Be Warmest Year on Record

(See Link in Title)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - A weak El Nino and human-made greenhouse gases could make 2005 the warmest year since records started being kept in the late 1800s, NASA scientists said this week.


Of course, I'm hearing about this right after digging out of 6" of snow!

Collegiate PC Gone Wild!

Rutgers University Grills Sandwich Vendors

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — A student group at Rutgers University (search) has demanded sandwich vendors on campus change the names of sandwiches that have been deemed offensive.

For God's sake, the sandwiches were named by the people who created them, not by the vendors!!

(SIGH)

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Well,...Mayor Street was right: "The brothers and sisters are running Philadelphia!"

This has nothing to do with his moronic politics, but how to bad business for the sake of race and ratings.

On Thursday morning, two local - and popular - morning radio DJs, Preston & Steve, signed off on their farewell show at radio station WPLY (Y100). They were going to move to a competing rock station. This is common in the industry. P&S' contracts expired and WMMR offered them more money, plain and simple.

(In the interest of full disclosure, Y100 is owned by RadioOne, which owns numerous radio stations, in a mostly-urban/rap/sh*t-hop format.)

What happened next was an absolute disgrace:

As fellow Y100 DJs, support staff, and management gathered around Preston & Steve to wish them fair-thee-well, the station went to commercial break. Suddenly, the entire group was herded into a meeting room and told they were fired. Radio One, which also owns TWO other stations in Philly, was moving the format of WPHI (103.9-The Beat) over to Y100 for better reception. 103.9 will become an urban/gospel station. Radio One is also introducing yet another station in Philly, WRNB 107.9, this month!

If you're keeping count, that will bring a total of SEVEN (yes, SEVEN) rap/sh*t-hop radio stations in Philly and only TWO (yes, TWO) current/AOR rock stations and ONE "classic rock" station in Philly. (WTHK 97.5 in Trenton, NJ also broadcasts a "classic rock" format that reaching most of the Philly radio area)

I know radio formats change faster than a Frenchman's underwear, and while I've made it no secret that I despise rap, what bothers me (and about 500K area rock fans, too) most is that in shutting down Y100, Radio One is also screwing over the entire community.

Y100 held several rock "Festivals" every year, where entrance cost you nothing more than a couple cans of soup, which in turn, went to a local food bank for the homeless. Preston and Steve would spend an entire week every year in the December cold, soliciting donations of canned good and non-perishables (totaling in the 100+ ton range every year).

Now, all of this is gone.

Sad,..really, simply,..... sad.

Ripple Effect,...

Egypt's Mubarak Orders Election Reform

By MAAMOUN YOUSSEF
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Saturday ordered a revision of the country's election laws and said multiple candidates could run in the nation's presidential elections, a scenario Mubarak hasn't faced since taking power in 1981.

The surpise announcement (snip) comes shortly after historic elections in Iraq and the Palestinian territories.

Hmm,...maybe the "Arab Street" does get it after all,....

Paybacks for Thanksgiving?

Turkey Terrorizes State Troopers

It was a brief but glorious run along an Ohio highway for one ornery turkey.

The video from this story is available here and here.

Gay Backlash

Anglican Church Asks U.S., Canada to Leave

LONDON (AP) - Leaders of the global Anglican Communion declared Thursday that they want the U.S. Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada to withdraw from the communion's councils temporarily, and to explain their attitudes toward gays which have split the church.
Now, I'm neither Anglican nor Episcopalian, but I've been following this story for quite awhile.

There is a local Episcopalian priest in the Philly suburbs who has been leading the conservative charge for awhile. He was defrocked by the Episcopal Church, USA for his beliefs.

Another One Bites the Dust

Boo-hoo-hoo! First, they killed Medic 251, now my latest baby dies!


The beginning of a beautiful friendship:


And today:


Then again, what do you expect from a truck that has over 210K miles????

If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It!

WB to Update Characters for 'Loonatics'

NEW YORK (AP) - Bugs Bunny and his pals are being updated for the future - way in the future. The WB network will take the famed Looney Tunes characters as models for a new children's series, ``Loonatics,'' that will air on Saturday mornings starting this fall. The characters' descendants - Buzz Bunny and the like - will be superhero action figures for the cartoon set in the year 2772.

Of all the lame-brained ideas to come out of Hollyweird over the years, this has to take the cake! Are the people at Warner Brothers hitting the crack pipe a little too often???

David Janollari, president of the Kids' WB says, "Their parents may be a little surprised."

Ya think???

My childhood has been ruined!

The TrekMedic Fires Back!

Ok,...the fever has finally subsided and the dizziness is slowly going away. The extra day off gave me time to peruse the blogosphere for a few germs,..I mean, gems!

Found this at Blogs Against Hillary:

Mona Charen: Hillary cannot reinvent her past

"A little immigration reform here, a little religion in the public square there, a little gentle talk about common ground on abortion - and what have you got? A new, moderate Hillary Clinton, announces the press."

I've made it no secret that I believe the biggest threat to our country (internally) would be a victorious presidential campaign by Hillary Clinton!

No matter how much she tried to move to the center, she will always be the neo-Socialist who almost pulled off a Euro-styled National Health System for this country.

Additionally, no matter how much she moves away from the left, she'll be at odds with a party trying its damnedest to move even FURTHER to the left!

The best way to defeat Billary is to keep up the pressure: remind people that she isn't a "centrist, church-going Methodist," but a true one-world neo-Socialist!

OK, Alia and Mata,..chime in!

Taking a Break!

Well, having woken up this morning with a headache, stuffy nose, and a cough that makes me sound like a sick horse, I can only assume that someone opened the door and in flew enza! (Get it?)

I'm going to chill for the rest of today and tomorrow. Hopefully a lot of Vitamin C will kill this before it gets outta hand!

Just "Cos?" (Revisited)

No criminal charges against the Cos
Montco D.A.: 'Insufficient credible and admissible evidence'

By NICOLE WEISENSEE EGAN

weisenn@phillynews.com

I'm glad to see that "justice was served."

As I have stated in a previous posting, I don't traffic in conspiracy theories, but I believe this was all a poorly-thought out attempt to silence Bill Cosby's criticisms of black America.

In yesterday's Daily News (a/k/a The Fishwrapper), Michael Smerconish had an editorial piece on all of this foolishness. He likened the Cosby ordeal with the Kobe Bryant incident.

I tend to disagree. In Kobe's case, the question wasn't "did it happen?" The question was "Yes, but was it consensual?" In Cosby's case, a woman suddenly remembered that he (Cosby) drugged and fondled her. This epiphany came a year later and, in all that time, she was still making contact with Cosby!

Puh-leeze! Somebody who wanted Cosby to stop contradicting the "official" blame-game policies of the NAACP went on a fishing expedition and found this woman, twisted her story, and went public with it to the MSM.

As stated before, in a country where style trumps substance, the MSM jumped on this like chum draws a shark to a fisherman.

Addendum for February 19, 2005:

The 'victim' is now going to file suit against Cosby. This is now a no-win situation for him because:

• A) If his insurance gets him to settle out of court, the stigma of guilt will hang over his head for quite awhile
• B) If he chooses to fight this, he'll be tied up in court for a long time. His legal handlers will advise against him making public appearances, thereby silencing his criticism of black America.

Quote from MontCo DA Bruce Castor: Castor, who announced the decision on his Web site, said he did not plan any further comment for fear his comments would be used as evidence in any possible civil lawsuit.

"Much exists in this investigation that could be used (by others) to portray persons on both sides of the issue in a less-than-flattering light," he said.


Either way, the NAACP wins on this one!

Speaking of Salvation,...

Vatican University Debuts Satanism Classes

Oh, no,..they've finally caught up with me!

Salvation for ST: Enterprise?

Wannabee-Medic Mike sent this to me:

A Plan to Save Star Trek: "Enterprise"

"Even though U-P-N is canceling the series, the ad asks that it continue to be produced and that the Sci-Fi Channel take it over "for a fifth season and beyond."

Personally, I think Sci-Fi has enough on it's plate with the Stargate series and the new Battlestar Galactica.

Another Reason to Hate Ze French!!

From the Philadelphia Fishwrapper (I mean,..Daily News):

Posted on Tue, Feb. 15, 2005
Street apologizes Calls widow of cop in wake of 'welcome'
By CHRIS BRENNAN brennac@phillynews.com

Mayor Street yesterday apologized to the widow of Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner for the official city greeting and small replica Liberty Bells given Friday to two French politicians in town for a protest in support of Mumia Abu-Jamal. Street, in a private phone call, told her he believes Abu-Jamal murdered her husband in 1981 and was sentenced appropriately, Maureen Faulkner said. Abu-Jamal was sentenced to death in 1982 but a federal judge in 2001 said he should be resentenced to life in prison or receive a new trial. Faulkner is still appalled that Street's staff allowed an impromptu rally for the convicted cop killer to happen in City Hall. "They were here to make their voices very clear to free Mumia Abu-Jamal," Faulkner said. "When that was going on, right then and there, it should have been shut down." Street offered a more qualified apology in public yesterday. "To the extent that anybody misunderstood the actions that were taken here, then we certainly apologize for that," Street said. "Other than that, we're a government that holds itself open to people from all over the world and who have different views." Street's call to Faulkner came after Fraternal Order of Police president Robert Eddis issued a statement saying his union is "outraged" by Friday's meeting. "It is my hope that the mayor will call Mrs. Faulkner and express his disappointment in his representatives for giving them our most prestigious symbol," Eddis said. A city councilman from Paris and a deputy mayor from the suburb of Saint Denis, both members of France's communist party, were originally scheduled for a private meeting with two of Street's top staffers, a typical courtesy for visiting dignitaries. They showed up, however, with about 150 sign-waving protesters who had just marched around City Hall chanting Abu-Jamal's name. Street's staff consulted with the police Civil Affairs Unit and then decided to allow the protesters into the Mayor's reception room, which quickly took on the air of a rally for Abu-Jamal. Leaflets were passed around, exhorting the crowd to "expose the conspiracy to frame-up and murder Mumia!" Mjenzi Traylor, the city's first deputy director of commerce, and Connie Little, the mayor's executive assistant, listened to the politicians as they claimed Abu-Jamal is the victim of "discriminatory and racist justice." Paris made Abu-Jamal an honorary citizen in 2003. Saint Denis plans to name a street for him. The mayor's staff on Friday mistakenly said he had been scheduled to attend the meeting. Street knew about it, staffers said yesterday, but never planned to meet with the Frenchmen. The Liberty Bell replicas, Street said, were not meant as an endorsement of the protest. "I am absolutely certain that the people meant no disrespect for the Faulkner family or the Philadelphia Police Department," Street said. Asked if it was a mistake to schedule the meeting at all, Street responded, "I don't know all the details. I wasn't here."

Note #1 - Yeah, Mayor Street, that's the same excuse you've been giving at every corruption trial involving your administration, too!


Note #2 - The French (specifically, Paris) made Abu Jamal an honorary citizen back in 2003!

DoubleStandard?dradnatSelbuoD (Revisited)

So,...Congressman Charles Rangel went and shot himself in the foot today? Calling Southerners "rednecks," then backtracking and saying "it was a term of endearment?"

Once again, it appears that it's perfectly OK for the PC, leftist crowd to stick their collective donkey hooves into their mouths, and cry "First Amendment!" afterwards.

Funny side note: Found this while checking FOX News about this:

1. Discount Charles Rangel New & used Charles Rangel. aff Check out the huge selection now!


This got me thinking about a drive I took this weekend with my friend, Kevin. While sitting in the usual Schuylkill Expressway crawl, we saw a bumper sticker that said:

BULLSHIT!

Hmmm,..notice something? Anyway, we got talking and we seemed to remember that during the 2004 Presidential campaign, while you saw stupid-ass stickers like this, the "No W" (W) , the "Anybody But Bush" and the obvious "(Mission) NOTHING Accomplished!" stickers, you never saw any anti-Kerry stickers lowered to this level of infantality (is that a word?)

Hmmm,...so it makes you wonder who the "progressives" are now, doesn't it??

Oh,...My,...GOD!!

Yes, it appears Wannabee-Medic Mike has started blogging again!




I guess he finally heard about ST: Enterprise being cancelled!

Random BS for Today (2/15/05)

Grammy Awards Get Lowest Rating Since '95
By DAVID BAUDER

To Which I say: "Thank you, Captain Obvious!"

Is there any reason to watch a show where rappers and their ilk are rewarded for polluting the airwaves?

(As Wannabee-Medic Mike would say "apply thin layers of "Meow-Hiss" now)

Randomness, Part 2:

OK,...so I'm rushing from call to call, and I have just enough time to scarf down a quick sandwich. I'm on a medically-mandated movement to lose weight, so I'm beginning to LOVE Diet Coke w/ Lime. (ack-ack). Anyway, I'm at a local Arby's and all they have is DIET CAFFEINE-FREE COKE!

Diet,...OK, I'm game. Caffeine-free? Isn't that like doing a Lorena Bobbitt to Coke?? And put together, you have nothing more than fizzy, brown water!! Jeez, If I want fizzy, brown water, I'll stick a cup in the Delaware or Schuykill Rivers, down near the refineries!!

A New "Contract With America?

I saw this on Weapons of Mass Discussion. It isn't going anywhere on their blog, so I'm taking up the challenge:


Hugh Hewitt asks a very interesting question: If the Democrats were to introduce a "Contract With America" today, what would be in it?


My reply:

The "Blue Contract With America" would include:

- increasing the tax rate on SS to keep it solvent
- tagging a National Health plan onto the above
- reintroducing the Brady Bill
- adopting a plan that capitulates our national security to the UN (thereby pulling us out if Iraq, and letting the UN mollycoddle Iran, Syria and North Korea.)
- reinforcing both the separation of church and state and the civil right to gay marriage.

Anybody care to comment further??

Ward Churchill Was Right!

Yes! I've said it here! Ward Churchill was right when he said there were "little Eichmanns" at the WTC on 9/11.

The problem is, you see, they weren't going by any Germanic names. They were more Arabic names, like Mohammed Atta.

Yeah, just like Eichmann, Atta and the other 18 cowards turned the WTC towers into their own little gas chambers and crematoriums and, just like Eichmann, killed thousands of innocent civilians.

By Request (For Alia & MataHarley)

Sorry, ladies, but Blogger.com wouldn't take this as my icon, so here it is. Save it if you please!

Dean Heads DNC!

Yes! The Republicans are going to take Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and NY, and New Jersey, and Massachusetts, and Oregon, and Washington, and in less than four years, we'll be back in Washington DC,..."YE-E-EAA-RGH!"




Now,...if Dean really is on the up-and-up,..this is what we'll be looking forward to in '08:





Arrghhh! My eyes! (MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!)

Remember friends, only YOU can stop Socialism in '08!

So This Is What Junior's Learning in School, Huh??

I found this on Zebra Report:

Student Gets "A" for an Art Project on Bush & Hitler




Jeffrey Eden devised his award-winning project less than 30 minutes after his high-school art teacher asked him to express a thought or two in a three-dimensional way. So, in the wake of last year's polarizing election and the war in Iraq, the 17-year-old built an abstract scene comparing President Bush's war policies with Adolf Hitler's pillage of Europe. The student's diorama-like assemblage juxtaposes Hitler quotes with Bush statements, Nazi swastikas with American flags, desert-colored toy soldiers with olive plastic figures. And so on. Eden said he's trying to point out certain similarities between the U.S.-led war in Iraq and the German blitzkrieg - without actually equating Hitler to Bush.


Hey, Kid,...you're #1 in my book!



Gindy made a pointed reply to this and I have countered:


"It is pretty bad that a teacher can't tell the difference between the Nazi era and America's war on terrorism. There are very few (if any) true similarities."

My reply:
"But, Gindy,..to answer your reply:
The teacher CAN tell the difference! Most teachers these days are left-of-center and probably went out of their way to try to indoctrinate their students to the evils of GWB!

From personal experience, here in Pennsylvania, most public school teachers (and NEA members) wore black on Inauguration day this year to protest GWB's victory."

I'm a Wizard!

My Inner Hero - Wizard!





There are many types of magic, but all require a sharp mind and a cool head. There is no puzzle I can't solve, no problem I can't think my way out of. When you feel confused or uncertain, you can always rely on me to untangle the knots and put everything back in order for you.



How about you? Click here to find your own inner hero.

Just "Cos?"

I'm only posting this to get it off my chest and because its hitting home on several levels.

Normally, I don't traffic in conspiracy theories, but you can't help but scratch your head and wonder why Bill Cosby is suddenly the focus of salacious rumors?

Bill Cosby has forced the black population of this country to take a hard look at itself and his comments are pointing out the failures of the current NAACP leadership to actually "advance" "colored people."

Is it any wonder that Mr. Cosby, who has been speaking out in public with comments that fly in the face of professional protesters who preach from the "official" NAACP blame-game doctrinaire, is suddenly the focus of two sexually-related charges against him?

In a country that focuses more on style than substance, these accusations are drawing the MSMorons like chum draws in a shark!

As a non-conspiracy item, this evening Montgomery County DA Bruce Castor stated to the press that he doubts the second accuser, who's story is more than 30 years old, will be investigated or used in the first investigation.

The Rattling of Sabres Has Begun

Rice: Iran Can't Delay Nuke Accountability

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice put Iran and Europe on notice Wednesday that their negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program cannot go on forever.

Medic Musing:

While I'm not an advocate of violence, you can see the handwriting on the walls here: Iran MUST capitulate to the voices of reason or suffer dire consequences.


Addendum for February 10, 2005:

Khatami: Iran Would Be Hell for Attackers

Addendum for February 13, 2005:

Report: U.S. Using Drones to Spy on Iran

Axis of Weasels

Check out this book at Amazon.com

Ash Wednesday

Grrr,..another 40-day endurance test for the faithful.

This year, I'm giving up:

• Sex
• Booze
• Sweets after dinner
• Blogging

(blink)

(blink)

(blink)

(blink)


Um,....did I just say "blogging??" Wow! Less than 24 hours without alcohol and I'm already hallucinating!

Super Bowl Post-Mortem

Buu-rr-rr-pp!

Sorry, just finished a piece of humble pie!

OK,..first up,...to prove I'm not another in-your-face sports nut, I heartily salute the New England Patriots. You don't win three of the last four Super Bowls by being lucky, you win them by being good.

Now, some random thoughts about the game and the future:

• The Eagles did look bad, but the good things are:

1. The Eagles have almost all of their top-tier talent locked up into long-term contracts. Unlike teams like the Florida Marlins, the 2004 Eagles weren't cobbled together from a bunch of primadonnas to make one big shot at the brass ring.
   
2. Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb will learn from their mistakes and come back stronger next year. Bill Belichick didn't become the dominant coach we know today overnight.
3. It only took the Eagles a few tweaks (Jevon Kearse and T.O.) to get over the NFC hump. A few more tweaks and we're the next dynasty.

• T.O. really is a football god.

1. Ankle fracture? What ankle fracture.?

• The Super Bowl isn't a best-of-seven series.

1. For God's sake,..I'm getting tired of all the Monday-morning quarterbacking from sports pundits! The game is over. The Eagles lost. We'll learn from our mistakes. See ya all in 2006!

• If you didn't choke up during the National Anthem, you need your head examined!

1. If you didn't think Bush 41 wasn't whispering to Bubba "I deserve to be here, you don't!" you need your head examined, too!

• Wow! So that's what a Super Bowl halftime show looks like when you hire some REAL talent!

1. Only four songs, but Sir Paul ripped the house down!
   

• Best Commercials of the night:

1. Budweiser's salute to the Armed Forces. Whoever designed adverts like that (and the 2002 post-9/11 NYC salute) deserves a big raise!
2. The Americhoice cat-sauce-and-knife commercial. ROFLMAO!!
   
   
   
   
   
   

1. 3. Diet Pepsi and Sean "Puff Pastry" Combs: most realistic commercial of the night. Monkey see, monkey do.

1. 4. Speaking of monkeys,...how many Philadelphians saw the "Career Builders" commercials and thought "Hey, that looks like Mayor Street, a City Council meeting, and the token Republican councilman?"

Oh, well....there's always the Phillies!

Right to Work or Right to Keep and Bear Arms

CBS News (yeah, I know,..) reports that people are being fired from their jobs for possessing a firearm IN THEIR PERSONAL VEHICLE while at work!

Will this PC crap ever end???

Saudi Arabia Hosts Terrorism Conference

So, last night, I'm watching CBS News and Sheila McVicar is reporting on this. The Saudis are trying to show the rest of the world that they have shaken off the fact that 15 of the 19 9/11 terrorists were Saudis.

The Saudis are also trying to show the world just how modern they are. Clearly, this was evident by how Ms. McVicar was dressed - in a long black dress, wearing a black scarf over her head.

Yeah, that's progress alright.

Addendum for 2/7/05 - Mosul Bomber was Saudi!


Fox reports that Ahmed Said Ahmed al-Ghamdi was studying medicine in Sudan before turning into a gutless coward,..I mean, a suicide,..I mean, a homicide bomber.

CBS News also reports that several other bombers have been identified as Saudi nationals tied to Ansar al-Sunnah, another pack of Islamic terrorists. (Sorry, I can't find the story on CBS' site as I am posting this.)

Speaking of the State of the Union,....

OK,..several days have passed since GWB laid out his plan for the next 4 years.

If anything will be remembered of the GWB administration, it'll be the concept of "black and white."

It's evident that GWB doesn't tolerate gray areas. Post-9/11, the position was "either you are with us, or you are against us." Osama bin Laden was wanted "dead or alive." (OK, that was a joke, guys,..)

Now, as we enter the last half of his administration, GWB has stated, again, in no uncertain terms the following:

There are two types of governments out there: government where power is given BY THE PEOPLE and government where power is TAKEN FROM THE PEOPLE.

Stable governments are formed from the former. Think he's wrong? Look at Germany and Japan? 60 years on and I don't see them declaring war or making overt threats to their neighbors. Iraq, Afghanistan, and yes, even the Palestinian State are headed that way. It takes time. The (former) Ukraine government learned this the hard way.

Iran, North Korea, and most of Africa follow the latter and, in most cases, Islamic sharia law is leading the way.

And finally,...I have to wonder how many MSMSNBC pundits would've mocked all the standing ovations if Kerry had been elected? Would the purple fingers held high been hailed as "progressive" behaviour?

Repeat after me,..."We are NOT in a theocracy and we are not out to start a holy war!"

The Purple Fingers Just Got a Little Sticky!

Poor Janeane Garofalo,..she just doesn't get it!




Equating Wednesday's State of the Union's purple finger-waving congressmen with Nazi's saluting Der Fuhrer while shouting "Sieg Heil?"

Hey, Juh-neen,...I know life as a has-been actress/comedian sucks but, drop the crack pipe, take a shower and get laid, OK?

BTW - 54% is still a mandate!

Fly! EAGLES! Fly!

Ok,....less than 48 hours to go and lots to prepare for tomorrow. Hey! I actually have to pay more attention to the game this year than to the commercials!

Anyway,..here's the official TrekMedic pick: (drum roll, please)

I'm taking Da Iggles (+7 1/2) and the over (47pts).

The game will come down to a final FG. We WILL prevail!

E-A-G-L-E-S!!

Star Trek - R.I.P.

(Note - Wow! Four whole days without blogging! That's gotta be a record for me!)

Well,...it with mixed emotions that I'm reading that UPN has decided to cancel Star Trek: Enterprise.

I can't say I was wholly surprised. UPN made it known last year they were only funding a fourth season to make enough episodes to market the show for syndication and recoup the losses from the previous three years. (More on that further down)

The last show is reportedly scheduled to air on May 13...(Hmmm Friday the 13th!)

Anyway, I have a few thoughts on why this show failed and why this may be the end of the Star Trek franchise as a whole.

• First is the never-ending tug-of-war between creativity and the bottom line. The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine were syndicated shows and HAD to be good shows to sell to independent TV stations or else they would be shown at 3 am between Ron Popeil informercials. Voyager and Enterprise were within the provenance of UPN, which IMO, is the worst of the six non-cable networks, bar none. UPN looked at the bottom line, not the talent and market available. It is well-known in TV that sci-fi shows take several years to develop into successes. UPN, however, answers to their parent company, who answers to their parent company, etc and only saw a need to make a profit NOW!
• Second, the quality of what UPN put out was never all that great. I'm not a 24/7 Trek-head, but having watched the shows and movies for years, have read more ST books than school books, and having written some ST fiction myself, you get the feeling that their is/was/will be a certain group dynamic between humans, Vulcans, Klingons and Romulans. Voyager took the franchise outside of that group and never really warmed up many ST fans. With Enterprise, UPN took tremendous liberties with the whole ST canon. Being a bit of an ST purist, I never liked where the show was going in the first two seasons and I personally believe the whole Xindi escapade was an unmitigated disaster! It appears that only now did Enterprise find itself - three- and four-part, self-contained, story arcs play well with the whole idea.

Ah, well. Time to drown my sorrows in a bottle of Romulan Ale. At least Battlestar Galactica appears to be a hit on SFC.

Scotty,....beam me up!

BTW - There's a rumor that this news may have sufficiently stirred Wannabee-Medic Mike out of his blogging stupor and he may actually rant in his two cents!