Snyder delivering early on promise of bipartisanship

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the November 15, 2010 edition of Central Mochigan Life.)

Gov.-elect Rick Snyder talked the talk, now he is starting to walk the walk.

During his campaign for governor, Snyder, a political novice, promised to bring bipartisanship back to Lansing to get Michigan back on track.

So far, he is off to a great start.

Mark Kirk deserves to beat seated, immediately

Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., is a fraud.

There is no two ways about it, the man should no longer be serving in the United States Senate.

In early 2009, Burris was appointed to serve in the interim basis before a special election could be held to fill the remainder of the Senate term that became vacant when Barack Obama resigned after being elected president.

The special election was held last on November 2 along side the regularly scheduled election for a full 6-year Senate term.

Republicans should take advantage of opportunity; will not get another soon

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the November 5, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

A second chance.

That was the common theme among victorious Republicans on Tuesday night.

It first came from Senator-elect Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who said in his victory speech the Republican wave across the country that catapulted the GOP into the majority in the U.S. House, cut the Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate in half, and saw numerous gubernatorial and statewide races go for the GOP was “not an embrace of the Republican Party but a second chance.”

It is a chance that must not be squandered because, as demonstrated by Tuesday night, the American voting public can be very unforgiving at the polls.

Students saw what happens when smart meets crazy during Westboro Baptist Church event

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the November 3, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

There is an old expression that goes something like, “Never argue with an idiot because they’ll take you down to their level and then beat you with their experience.”

Shirley Phelps-Roper is many things. She is a hateful, spiteful, mean-spirited angry bigot whose words and actions are a disgrace to anybody who calls themselves a Christian or professes a love for Jesus Christ.

But she is no idiot.

Voters should consider the ballot before heading to the polls

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the October 29, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

The question of whether it is a responsibility to vote is the basis of any basic political science class.

The debate hinges on whether it is better for the electorate of this country to be comprised of the greatest numbers possible or a smaller, yet more informed public?

To me, this has never been a question.

I grew up in a household where you voted. There was no question, no apathy, you just voted.

Michigan Promise scholarship should not be guaranteed by candidates who can not deliver

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the October 8, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

Politicians really must think college students are dumb.

That is my only answer as to why Michigan’s politicians keep telling college students that they will bring back the Michigan Promise scholarship.

The Michigan Promise is gone and much like ‘N Sync, never coming back.

Gary Bettman is a damn nitwit

Picking on Gary Bettman is like picking the short fat kid in elementary.

Its easy. Everybody does it and there's plenty of material to use.

In this instance, its his absolute retardedness in scheduling the season opener of the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks.

Don't get me wrong, as Red Wings fan, I despise the Blackhawks immensely.

But the defending Stanley Cup Champions who have great young stars such as Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews deserve more respect.

Cable news needs to rediscover ethics

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the October 6, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

The decline in quality of the American cable news networks is nothing new.

Fox News and MSNBC have been steadily carving out their niche as a place for partisan blowhards to preach to their choirs while CNN has become the most trusted name in “info-tainment.”

CNN once had the most revered brand name in broadcast journalism and still features some of the best political analysis on television and their election-night coverage is second to none.

Where CNN is erring these days is their new emphasis on entertaining news, rather than just news.

Time to take back tailgating in lot 63

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the October 1, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

Football fans and party seekers alike again face the year-old dilemma: Is it even worth it to tailgate in lot 63?

After the month that has seemed like years since the last home football game, the Chippewas return to action Saturday against Mid-American Conference West rival Ball State and the controversy over tailgating will once again return.

There’s no need in going over the administration’s failed tailgating policies that is killing game attendance and school spirit — they are horrible and we all know it.

Competing Facebook events have already sprouted up inviting students to tailgate either in lot 63 or to tailgate on Main Street.

From where I sit the answer is clear on where to spend your Saturday afternoon: Lot 63.

Both parties standing in way of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the September 24, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

What should have been a monumental and historic occasion was reduced to a political ploy for votes and ultimately failed, leaving a legal form of discrimination in place.

On Monday, a provision that would have led to the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the military law that prevents gays and lesbians from serving openly failed to garner the 60 votes needed to block a Republican filibuster in the Senate.

While pundits from both sides will try and lay blame at one specific group, there is plenty of blame to go around here.

Debates in gubernatorial race unnecessary

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the September 20, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

Political debates are dull, tedious and boring, and thanks to this year’s gubernatorial candidates, Michigan voters may be spared from them.

The sides representing Democratic candidate Virg Bernero and GOP candidate Rick Snyder have not been able to compromise on how many debates should take place, when or where the debates should take place, the time they should be and who the moderators should be.

Fine, just scrap the whole idea.

Not all conservatives are far-right extremists

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the September 15, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

As someone who freely admits to being politically conservative, it always angers me when people just assume I am tuned into Fox News 24/7 and I already have a ballot punched for Sarah Palin in 2012.

I do not watch Glenn Beck or even think Sarah Palin is qualified to run as much as a Dairy Queen.

I have no doubt President Barack Obama was born in Hawaii; not Kenya, Senegal or the forest moon of Endor. And I am not alone.

Report the truth, no matter how ugly

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the September 13, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.) 
Matt Dobek committed suicide.


Those were four words that the Detroit media establishment would not print for a week.

Dobek, a CMU alumnus and 2009 inductee of the CMU Journalism Hall of Fame, was found dead Aug. 21 after hanging himself at age 51.

Yet, if you only relied on media reports, you would have had no clue that Dobek took his own life.

Tate Forcier still fails to earn his wings...

A picture may tell a thousand words, but the sight of a 20-year-old kid pouting on a bench by himself speaks even louder.

Tate Forcier, the former freshman standout reduced to third string quarterback at Michigan made headlines this summer when he was forced by Head Coach Rich Rodriguez to practice with a blank blue helmet that lacked Michigan's trademarked yellow wings as a punishment for not being totally committed to the team.

By the time Michigan kicked off their 2010 season with a impressive 30-10 win over Connecticut on Saturday, Forcier had his wings but obviously left his maturity back in the lockerroom.

1,553 tickets issued in first week at CMU, 30 percent of parking violations voided

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the September 1, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

Central Michigan University Police issued 1,553 parking violations during the first week of classes.

Out of those violations, 453 tickets were voided, said Kim Roshak, office manager of CMU Parking Services. There are 54 citations still pending, as of Tuesday afternoon.

Most citations issued were for not properly displaying a parking pass, which is called a “Failure to Display,” Roshak said.

“If a student comes in the Parking Services office with a ticket for failure to display and purchases the required parking permit, we will, as a courtesy, void their parking citation,” she said.

The Detroit Tigers All-Decade Team, the 2000's

Quickly as it came, the first decade of the 21st Century has come and gone.  With a decade or century or millenium ending, as we've all experienced within the past 11 years, people need to compile lists.  So with that, I have taken the initiative to compile the All-Decade Team for our beloved Detroit Tigers for the 2000s.

A few notes, stats only compiled from the beginning of the 2000 through the end of the 2009 seasons are counted for this team.

Now, you may notice that this list will be heavy on players who have played for Jim Leyland, as Leyland's tenure as manager coincided with the team getting good.  There's a reason for that.  For the first six seasons of this decade, the Tigers were awful.  From 2000 through 2005, the Tigers were the worst team in baseball.  The team's record was an abysmal 386-585 for a winning percentage of .399, finishing an incredible 199 games under .500.  The team lost atleast 90 games five years in a row (2001-2005), lost over 106 games twice (2002 & 2003) and tied the Major League record for losses in a season with 119 in 2003.  That 2003 team is also the worst team in American League history.  Phil Garner, Luis Pujols and Alan Trammell guided the club and all of them suffered atleast 96 losses in that period, the most wins the team had was 79.

Since 2006, with Leyland as manager the team has incurred an incredible turnaround, how much credit due to Leyland is debateable, but the numbers don't lie.  Since 2006, the team is 343-306 and in 2006, made the post-season for the first time since 1987, made the World Series for the first time since 1984 and captured the franchise's first Wild Card berth.  After suffering 12 straight losing seasons from 1994 to 2005, Leyalnd's Tigers have had three winning seasons in four years.  Also, the Tigers lost the AL Central Division Championship in 2009 in the 163rd game of the season, losing to the Minnesota Twins in a one-game playoff.

From the Vault: Chris Benoit

(NOTE: I plan to post any old columns writings of mine on here from my days at The North Star and random blogs I have floating on the internet, if I can find them.  This was originally written on July 4, 2007 and is about the Chris Benoit tragedy.  More info on the Benoit double murder-suicide.)

Does Gary Bettman know the NBA Exists?

It sounds like a dumb question to ask, considering he was David Stern's right hand man before he was sent to destroy the NBA's main competition in a long con bigger than anything that James Ford had ever put on.  But when Bettman schedules Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals to go head-to-head against Game 2 of the NBA Finals, you have to wonder what he's thinking.

Obama's Quid Pro Quo shows he's just another politican

Sen. Barack Obama campaigned for 2 years on bringing "Change" to Washington.

President Barack Obama has turned his administration into a seemingly never ending game of quid pro quo where the President would gladly trade positions within his administration so his hand-picked candidates would not have to face tough primaries in their senate races.

Hilarity in Local Sports Media

So, we all know that Dontrelle Willis isn't very good.  He had a below average start last night and Brian VanOchten of The Grand Rapids Press proceeds to write this puff piece on Willis, actually celebrating his substandard outing.

Noting that Jim Leyland and his teammates, "still has his back."

Less than two hours after that puff piece was posted, the D-Train was designated for assignment and his Tigers' career is over.  Apparently, Dave Dombrowski didn't have his back.

Just too funny

Crosby/Ovechkin in Winter Classic IV, Bettman not totally incompetent?

Gary Bettman didn't get his wish of Crosby vs. Ovechkin in the Stanley Cup playoffs thanks to those pesky Montreal Canadiens, he will showcase them on what is fastly becoming the league's biggest showcase, the NHL Winter Classic.

The 4th edition of the NHL's answer to largely meaningless college football games on New Year's Day will feature the closest thing the NHL has to superduperstars, as Sidney Crosby and his Pittsburgh Penguins host Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, from Heinz Field.

Students seek to ease tax stress

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the February 10, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

Sometimes, students may feel like they need to learn a new language just to understand tax forms.

W2, 1040, 1040 short, 1099 — many have no idea what all these terms mean.

But two Central Michigan University students want to help.

More tax breaks this year for students

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the February 10, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

The only two things guaranteed in life are death and taxes.

For most students, death is well off, though some would welcome it before paying taxes.

As the April 15 tax filing deadline approaches, there are more opportunities for students to receive a bigger refund than in recent years.

“It’s a good year to be in school,” said Nina Cunningham, public relations director of Liberty Tax. “There are more breaks than there were last year.”

First four minutes of LOST Season 6 online...

Hey there LOST fans, if you cannot wait until Tuesday night for the much anticipated final season premiere of LOST, the first four minutes are online now.  Minor spoilers are contained at the link, which can be found after the jump.

Wilbur addresses transition, budget processes

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the January 29, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

The university presidential transition and looming budget cuts were the main topics of discussion as Interim University President Kathy Wilbur addressed Campus Conservatives Tuesday night.


The meeting, which took place in the Bovee University Center’s Lake St. Clair Room, continued a series of forums that Wilbur has hosted with various student groups around campus.

“We were very pleased to have Interim President Wilbur come to our meeting and speak with us,” said Hart junior Bryant Greiner, president of Campus Conservatives.

Beau Biden not running for the "Biden" seat

In a week where the Democratic party needs some good news, Beau Biden's announcement that he will run for reelection as Delaware's Attorney General instead of running for his father's, Vice President Joe Biden, old senate seat.

Beau Biden's decision to not run clears the path for 8-Term U.S. Rep. Mike Castle, the state's lone member in the House of Representatives, to take over the seat that Vice President Biden was elected to seven times.

I would call this a case of rats jumping off a sinking ship, but Beau Biden wasn't even on the ship.

Fivethirtyeight.com had the Delaware seat as the sixth seat most likely to change hands in 2010, with Beau Biden as potential candidate.  Without him, any Democrat running against Castle, who is a former Governor at Lt. Governor and has never received less than 55% of the vote in his statewide elections, it will be a tough hold for the Dems.  Putting this with Sen.-elect Scott Brown's mounmental upset last week in Massachusetts and the retirement of Sen. Byron Dorgan, the Democrats are having a bad week.

Michigan Senate candidate Michael Trebesh visiting campus Tuesday

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the January 11, 2010 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

As Central Michigan University prepares to kick off the winter semester, local politicians are beginning to kick off their campaigns.


One such candidate is Michael Trebesh, who is speaking to Campus Conservatives at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Bovee University Center.

The location at Bovee has yet to be announced. The event is free and open to the public.