Obama announces
Thousands of folks out in 14 degree weather came to see and hear Obama. If he does nothing else, he has for a minute, gotten us excited about our future, our potential.
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Black Quarterbacks in the NFL
A new book is going to tell their tale - 3rd and a Mile. Here’s a short excerpt.
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From ESPN.com:
EDITOR’S NOTE: William C. Rhoden’s new book, “Third and a Mile: The Trials and Triumphs of the Black Quarterback,” an oral history, is now available from ESPN Books. This excerpt from Chapter 5 examines the fitful start to the 12-year NFL career of James Harris, who was drafted in the eighth round by the Buffalo Bills after an outstanding career at Grambling from 1966-68.
James Harris: They didn’t draft me the first day. All these guys I’d played against in the SWAC were getting picked. What chance did I have? I decided I wasn’t going to play. Coach called me and said he wanted to talk. We went out to the bleachers, just me and him, sat down, and I told him that being from the segregated South, understanding that no blacks were playing quarterback, I couldn’t see any reason to go to Buffalo. He said, “I know you can play quarterback in the NFL. The decision is yours, but if you don’t go, if guys like you don’t go, it’s going to be that much more difficult for the next guy.” That touched me.
Jimmie Giles: Coach Robinson always talked about living in America. If you want something, you’ve gotta understand how to go out and get it. He was not a negative person, always positive. Willie Davis, former Grambling defensive end: No one was better than Coach Robinson at convincing you that somehow you could do something. I can still see and hear him saying things meant to prepare you for whatever challenge you faced.
James Harris: I made a commitment, threw balls ’til my arm got sore. They always talked about the down-and-out in the NFL, so I went to the park nobody there but me to test myself. I was going to throw at this tree blindfolded. I figured if I hit the tree, I’m ready. If I miss the tree, I’ve got to walk and get the ball. The first time I tried, I missed. The ball was way downfield. I debated about trying it again. I dropped back and threw, heard the ball hit, and something went through me gave me all the confidence in the world. [Read more →]
Obama on 60 minutes
Clearly getting the spotlight, Obama is taking the limelight and doing the most he can with it. His answers are smooth but not evasive. He has thought about the questions. There hasn’t been a question that has caught him off guard, at least not yet. Cocaine and MJ in the past, no problem. He didn’t side-step the issue like our current president. He was honest. He made a mistake.
What Progressives Believe
Republicans are able to distill their ideas down into a couple of key words or phrases. Democrats seem to get tongue-tied in a cacophony of noises that seems to resemble an epileptic seizure when we are asked the same thing. Here is a list of five basic principles which I think cover most of the Democratic, liberal, progressive thinking Americans believe in. I hope this catches on.
Stronger America
Prosperity for All
Better Future
Effective Government
Mutual Responsibility
I decided to re-post this because I believe that these concepts are important.
More violence in Iraq
No end in sight. There seems to be no end to the bombings.
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From CNN.com:
Three explosions ripped through central Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 90 people, amid memorials marking last year’s attack on a revered Shiite shrine in Samarra, police said.
More than 190 people were wounded in the bombings, sandwiched around a brief commemoration on the anniversary of the attack on Al-Askariya Mosque, also known as the Golden Mosque.
The February 2006 bombing is blamed for sparking an eruption of sectarian violence between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. It has been a year since the attack, according to the Islamic calendar. (Read about the significance of the Golden Mosque)
In the deadliest attack, a pair of car bombs exploded at the Shorja market, killing at least 79 people and wounding 170 others, police said. The blasts sent dense, black smoke rising hundreds of feet into the midday air. (more..)
The Errington Thompson Show 1/27/07
More verbage on the this show later. We do discuss the State of the Union. We talk with Spenser Boyer from the Center for American Progress.
Remember I’m on iTunes and several other podcasting services.
Representative Susan Fisher’s Leg’ Update
Representative Susan Fisher
N. C. House of Representatives
Raleigh, North Carolina 27603
(919)715-2013
February 6, 2007
Representative Susan Fisher’s Report from Raleigh…
The General Assembly has been in session a little over a week and legislators wasted no time in getting to work on the state’s business. Last Tuesday morning, my colleagues and I received a briefing on our state’s economic situation, which will help us as we begin work in the coming weeks on drafting a two-year budget. Wednesday morning we received updated information on our state’s Medicaid program. Over 100 bills have been introduced so far this session in the House and Senate on a wide range of topics related to education, health care, public safety, taxes, the environment and local projects across the state.
Please remember that you can learn more about the General Assembly by visiting http://www.ncleg.net/. Our newly updated website allows citizens to listen in on each day’s legislative session, committee meetings and press conferences, learn more about introduced legislation, and view each day’s schedule and list of bills to be voted on. [Read more →]
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Errington C. Thompson, MD, is a surgeon, scholar, fulltime sports fan and part-time political activist. He is active in a number of community projects and initiatives. Through medicine, he strives to improve the physical health of all he treats...
