professorlarry

Pretty much all of the experts are predicting a Republican Tsunami, with the GOP taking back the House and maybe even the Senate. I’m a realist; I know that the poll numbers don’t look good. However, there’s too much at stake in the upcoming Midterm Elections and the Democrats need to put up a fight and get their message out. President Obama is at his best when he is in front of a live audience in campaign mode. Today he gave a spirited address in Wisconsin defending his record and attacking Republicans and their “No We Can’t” message. Despite common perception and Conservative Talk Radio and Fox News message points, President Obama and the Democratic Congress have done many positive things. The much maligned stimulus package gave tax cuts to 98% of Americans, the auto industry was saved and is now back on its feet, the banks are stable, there have been positive job growth the last eight months, financial reform of credit card issuers and banks was passed, a bill was passed increasing student loans, many state jobs of teachers, police, and firefighters were saved, the health insurance law, while not perfect, will help to regulate insurance companies and will eliminate the egregious lifetime benefits cap, American troops were withdrawn from Iraq in a responsible manner, drone attacks against al Queda in Pakistan have been very successful, and several terrorist attacks were thwarted. Nonetheless, it will come down to the economy. Democrats have to convince people that their policies have stopped the economic free fall that started during the Bush Administration and prevented a Depression. Hopefully, they will aggressively attack the radical right wing tea party candidates that have taken over the Republican party. Republicans are opposing everything that Obama and the Democrats are proposing, even if it’s a good idea, such as the current proposal to reduce taxes on small businesses and make it easier for them to get credit. They’re likely to oppose Obama’s plan to invest in improving roads and other infrastructure that would create jobs. Do you think that it’s a done deal and that the Republicans will take over the House and/or the Senate? Or can the Democrats make a last minute comeback? Like John Belushi said in Animal House, it wasn’t over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor. Please comment below. 

I know that Jerry Lewis has his flaws, but he deserves to be saluted as a national hero for the work that he has done over the last 45 years with the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, which has raised $2.45 billion. Some people criticize the telethon as being schmaltzy and manipulative. However, while many celebrities spend their time on parties, drugs, and vacation, Lewis has dedicated much of his life to help people who really need it. The telethon starts tonight and Lewis is still going strong at age 84 despite some health setbacks over the last few years.  So don’t be distracted by his recent quote that he would smack Lindsay Lohan; focus on the great work that he has done over the years for MDA. Are you a fan of Jerry Lewis and the Telethon? Please comment below.

As a long time Temple football fan, I was disappointed when they decided to renew their rivalry with Villanova a couple of years ago. It seemed like a no-win situation; if Temple wins, they beat a 1-AA, FCS team, but if they lose, they lost to a 1-AA team. Last year, Villanova beat Temple on a last second field goal. Things looked bleak last night when Villanova kicked a field goal with around 1:30 to go in the game, but Temple marched down the field and Brandon McManus kicked a 42 yard field goal to win the game. (Temple added a fumble return for a touchdown on the subsequent kickoff to win the game 31-24. Now, I’m a believer that it’s a good thing for Temple to play Villanova. First of all, it’s become an exciting rivalry, with down to the minute finishes. Next, it’s great to see exciting college football in the city of Philadelphia, which is mostly a pro football, Eagles, town. In addition, the attendance for last night’s game at Lincoln Financial Field was over 32,000 fans, which was the largest non-Penn State game crowd that Temple has had at the Linc. Win or lose, it’s a game that should be played every year. Please comment on the game or the rivalry below. (Photo from the Philadelphia Inquirer).

There’s a good article in American Journalism Review about the decline of Investigative Journalism. As newspapers have seen circulation plummet, they have cut costs and jobs, and cut back on investigative reporting due to expense. There’s a great tradition of investigative reporting, including Watergate, in which the media serves as a watchdog against corruption in society and government. Investigative reporting takes time and money, and most newspapers can’t afford it. Although some nonprofit organizations have tried to pick up the slack, it’s not enough. Most website operators and bloggers don’t have the resources to conduct investigative reporting. Without investigative reporting, we’ll become a less informed society. What’s your opinion about the decline of investigative journalism? Please comment below. (Photo of Don Barlett and Jim Steele, Pulitizer Prize Winning Investigative Reporters, from barlettandsteele.com ).

President Obama took heat from both sides of the political aisle for his Iraq speech last night. Conservative Republicans criticized him for failing to give President Bush credit for the surge in troops, while Liberal Democrats criticized him for failing to hold the Bush Administration accountable for the decision to invade Iraq. I thought that Obama played it about right. Now that the combat phase is officially over, what is your take on the Iraq war? Was it worth invading Iraq? I realize that Saddam Hussein was evil, but he was contained. There were no weapons of mass destruction, Iraq had no ties to al Queda and they didn’t invade us on 9/11, Iran has gotten worse now that Iraq isn’t there as a buffer, thousands of U.S. troops and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis were killed during the war, and the U.S. spent over 1 trillion dollars on the war. What’s your take on Obama’s speech and whether the Iraq war was worth it? Please comment below. (Photo from the Christian Science Monitor).

Jon Friedman of Market Watch wrote an interesting article yesterday explaining that he had gone from a Twitter critic to a Twitter convert. I realize that Twitter has value as a marketing tool and for breaking news, but it still hasn’t won me over. I don’t need to know details of people’s lives like what they had for lunch yesterday. I’ll probably come around to use it in the next couple of years, just like I came around and joined Facebook. I’m just not there yet. Do you use Twitter or are you still a Twitter skeptic like me? Convince me why I should convert. Please comment below.

Two studies released this week by the American Academy of Pediatrics showed that concussions in youth sports are on the rise, as emergency room visits for young athletes suffering concussions have increased significantly. It’s time that the old school “just suck it up and go back in there and play” mentality from coaches, athletic administrators, and fans needs to change. States and local school boards need to introduce strict rules to protect young athletes who suffer head injuries. You can’t leave it up to the individual player who doesn’t want to come out of the game and doesn’t want to let his or her teammates down. Players who suffer concussions are vulnerable to further injury and it should be required that they get medical clearance from a doctor before they are allowed to continue playing. It’s a serious issue. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention estimates that around 3.8 million sport-related concussions occur each year. A few years ago,  a La Salle University football player died from a concussion related injury. Have you ever had a concussion related issue as a player, coach, parent, or fan? Please comment below.

Yesterday, I had a chance to watch a good bit of Glenn Beck’s KookStock Rally at the Lincoln Memorial. I still think that he’s a lunatic and I disagree with most of his views, but the rally wasn’t as bad as I had expected. Most importantly, Beck stuck to his pledge to keep politics out of the event. I didn’t hear any negative mentions of President Obama, Harry Reid, or Nancy Pelosi. No one called Obama a socialist, and there were no images of Confederate Flags or signs depicting Obama as Hitler or a Witch Doctor.  All mentions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were positive. The event was more like a religious revival, where Beck urged people to turn to God. Even Sarah Palin didn’t mention politics, as she focused on honoring injured military veterans. While the crowd was mostly white, there were a diverse array of speakers, including several minorities. The event was contrived, corny, and self-serving, but nonetheless it wasn’t the hatefest that I expected. I have no doubt that Beck, Palin, and their ilk will go back on the warpath against Obama and Democrats right away, but at least for one day, they were able to tone down the hateful rhetoric. What do you think about Beck’s rally? Please comment below. (Photo from AP).

Former Wyoming Republican Senator Alan Simpson, now serving as a member of the deficit commission co-chairman, milked a new controversy over Social Security when he wrote an email to a women’s group leader stating, “I’ve made some pretty smart cracks about people on Social Security who milk it to the last degree. We’ve reached a point now where it’s like a milk cow with 310 million tits! Call when you get honest work!” Do you agree with Simpson? Should Social Security be eliminated or privatized like many Republicans would like? Personally, I think that this could become a good issue for Democrats to exploit. Republicans want to cut government spending and they would love to eliminate many entitlement programs that people rely on and have paid into. Please comment below.

Rolling Stone Magazine just came out with its list of the Top 10 Beatles songs of all time. These lists are obviously subjective. I would have included Here Comes the Sun, Norwegian Wood, and Back in the USSR. From my perspective, there’s also a difference between best songs and songs that I like. For instance, I realize that objectively, Eleanor Rigby is one of the best Beatles songs ever, but I don’t really like it. Same thing with Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane. Do you agree with the Rolling Stone list? What changes would you make? Please comment below.