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Four More Years

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Lots out there about Jessica Hardy’s withdrawl from Beijing. I’ve tried to list only press releases, blog entries and articles that add something to the discussion.

I don’t want to think about how Hardy must feel right now. I hope that she clears her name and that we see her in the pool in London.

Press Releases

Blog Entries

  • USA Swimming indifference sinks Kirk
    Chicago Tribune blog entry. “USA Swimming should be ashamed of itself,” writes Philip Hersh. “And the U.S. Olympic Committee doesn’t look good on this one, either.”
  • Jessica Hardy Has Removed Her Name…
    Analysis of the situation at the Southern California Aquatics blog. Excerpt:

    This whole episode has been a definitive fiasco in planning by both US Swimming and the US Olympic committee…. A deal must have been struck. I am NOT saying that Hardy is dirty; that is for WADA and USADA to judge, I just have a strong suspicion that a lot of people really want this to episode to go away and to do so quickly. Now, Jessica Hardy has provided an out.

  • Hardy withdraws, USA Swimming affirms: No athletes added to Beijing roster
    Seattle Times blog Ron Judd’s emphasizing Hardy’s deal with USADA.

Articles

  • Jessica Hardy withdraws from Olympic swim team
    Excellent story from Lisa Dillman at the LA Times.
  • A late Jessica Hardy update
    Update of the LA Times story, with a full statement from Hardy’s lawyer. “Based upon information obtained as recently as today, August 1,” the statement in part says, “she accepts the fact that the testing was properly done and the results properly reported. She sadly accepts the fact that this necessarily means she will not be able to compete in the upcoming Olympics in Beijing….”
  • Swimmer Pulls Out, Upsetting Her Rivals
    Another excellent story, this time from the NY Times, emphasizing the impact of Hardy’s decision on Tara Kirk and Lara Jackson.
  • Swimmer Hardy accepts suspension
    Only article to mention possible action against AdvoCare, the supplement maker that Hardy endorsed. From Mark Zeigler at the San Diego Union-Tribune.
  • Jessica Hardy Stops Positive Test Appeal
    Coverage at Swimming World Magazine’s site. Has full text of USADA press release as well as that of Hardy’s lawyer.
Categories: Jessica Hardy, Supplements, Swimming | Comments (0)

Links to the Hardy Mess Thus Far

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Jessica

AdvoCare

Fallout So Far — Tara Kirk, Lara Jackson, USA Swimming, et al.

Just My Opinion, But It’s Fact

    little snake
  • Suggested training supplements
    Some wise words from cyclingnews.com. Aimed at cyclists but applicable to everyone. Excerpt:

    Most of us could finish further up in the pack if we trained more often or at a higher intensity, lost a few extra pounds of body fat, ate better, or got more sleep. If you feel you need to spend some money, a set of racing wheels or lighter frame would be a better investment. At least you’d have something to show for your money other than supplement-enriched urine.

  • Snake Oil Salesmen Were on to Something
    In this Scientific American article, author Cynthia Graber writes that snake oil contains omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, calling supplements snake oil (as I am inclined to do — see above) unnecessarily denigrates snakes.

The only person who looks good in this so far — as long as she stays away from those Speedo LZRs — is Lara Jackson. She hasn’t badmouthed anyone and just keeps quiet, apparently waiting to see what happens next.

Thanks to yadavop for the adorable snake.

Categories: Supplements, Swimming | Comments (0)

Sacagawea-Sacajawea-Sacowgewea

Monday, January 28, 2008

SacowjaweaSpeaking of Lewis & Clark, et al., here’s a bovine take on one of the ongoing expedition-related controversies (i.e. what’s Janey’s real name?): Sacowgewea. Moo.

Categories: Lewis & Clark | Comments (0)

Love for NoDak

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Hannah and friend on the banks of the MissouriDuring the Lewis & Clark bicentennial, I visited just about every state along the Lewis & Clark trail, and North Dakota was easily my favorite. The photo to the right shows my daughter with a friend on the banks of the Missouri River in Washburn, North Dakota.

The folks at National Geographic say that their article, the emptied prairie, was “never intended to be an in-depth look at the economy of North Dakota. But I don’t find anything in the article to support that claim.

My friend Wendy up in Williston, North Dakota, sent a link to No Love For NoDak?, a response to the article (on ABC News).

Categories: Lewis & Clark, North Dakota | Comments (0)

The State of the California State Song

Thursday, November 8, 2007

California State Song coverGeorgia gets “Georgia on My Mind.” Kentucky gets “My Old Kentucky Home.” Oklahoma gets “Oklahoma!”

With its insipid lyrics and unsingable melody, why do we Californians get saddled with “I Love You, California“?

I love you, California, you’re the greatest state of all.
I love you in the winter, summer, spring and in the fall.
I love your fertile valleys; your dear mountains I adore.
I love your grand old ocean and I love her rugged shore.

Gag me with a garibaldi! In a 1984 New York Times article, “Cacophany in the Search for a Melody,” Robert Lindsey writes that California democrat Dan Hauser, at the behest of some of his district’s fourth graders, tried to replace “I Love You, California” with “California, Here I Come” as the state song. However, according to Lindsey,

…the proposal has run into angry resistance from traditionalists, especially an organization called the Native Sons and Native Daughters of the Golden West. Among other things, their members say that “California Here I Come” conveys an undesirable message that Easterners should migrate here.

In 1988, the California legislature made it law: “‘I Love You, California,’ a song published in 1913 with lyrics by F.B. Silverwood and music by A.F. Frankenstein, is an official state song.”

That’s a big “an.” Now that the horse is out of the barn (i.e. those undesirable easterners — myself included — are already here or are on their way whether we want them or not), maybe we can dump Frankenstein and enlist Jolson. Or, at the very least, add a second state song. Tenessee has six; we’ve just got our crumby, measly single song (and an “an” to boot).

California, Here I Come,
Right back where I started from
Where bowers of flowers bloom in the spring
Each morning at dawning birdies sing at everything
A sunkissed miss said, “Don’t be late!”
That’s why I can hardly wait
Open up that golden gate
California, Here I Come

Categories: California, History, Music | Comments (0)

Trembling or Trailblazing?

Friday, November 2, 2007

Sacagawea statue in Charlottesville“Downtown statue draws protesters” — some folks don’t like the statue of Sacagawea in Charlottesville, Virginia (via my friend Kira Gale and her newsletter at Lewis and Clark Road Trips):

The protesters complained that the statue depicts explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark looking into the distance as their guide, Sacagawea, crouches in a subordinate position behind them.

As I have a buckskin-vested interest in Sacagawea statues (see below), I looked around for images of the one in question. From what I saw, I don’t like it either. The best view I could find is the one above right, from Alexander Kurashev. There’s another good one from Bob Travis, and this one from pursuecharlottesville.com.

Sacagawea and kids in PortlandHere are some photos of less controversial Sacagawea statues. Various Slosbergs accompany her.

Sacajawea in Salmon, Idaho, 2005
Sacagawea in Portland, Oregon, with Hannah and Noah, 2005
Sakakawea in Bismarck, North Dakota, with Noah, 2004
Sakakawea in Bismarck, North Dakota, with Ben and his grandma, 2000

Categories: History, Lewis & Clark | Comments (0)

Magoo on Writing

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Mr. Magoo“His ‘Bowl’ runneth over lately,” an article in this morning’s LA Times, reports the arrival of “Bowl of Cherries,” 90-year-old Millard Kaufman’s debut novel. Kaufman, a screenwriter and the creator of Mr. Magoo, says of writing:

You just put one word after another. If you do it long enough, you get some pages.

Thanks to Toon Tracker for the Magoo/Scrooge picture.

Categories: Uncategorized | Comments (0)

He’s In the Box

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

It has John Cusack and a maybe martian — could it be more promising?

Unfortunately, the full-page ad for “Martian Child” in the Sunday LA Times flaunts blurbs from three people I’ve never heard of, along with the “Heartland Truly Moving Picture Award” logo. Scarier and scarier.

You be the judge:

One way or the other, I have to see the film because I like John Cusack and I like my heart warmed. And, of course, I need to find out if the kid really comes from Mars.

Categories: Movies | Comments (0)

What War?

Monday, October 29, 2007

Soldier and childI was satisfying my political jones this morning listening to the podcast of Friday’s installment of kcrw’s Left, Right and Center. Host Matt Miller mentioned a recent New York Times op-ed piece, Party Here, Sacrifice Over There. Author Will Bardenwerper, an Army infantry officer stationed for 13 months in Iraq, writes about

the disparity between the lives of the few who are fighting and being killed, and the many who have been asked for nothing more than to continue shopping.

It took awhile to dig up the piece — you won’t find it under Most E-mailed or Most Blogged, next to things like “Apple Limits Sale of iPhones” or “Five Easy Ways to Go Organic.”

Thanks to the Honolulu Advertiser for the photo.

Categories: Politics | Comments (0)

A Birdhouse in My Soul

Friday, October 26, 2007

In Wednesday’s episode of “Pushing Daisies,” Olive (Kristin Chenoweth) sings a bit of They Might Be Giants’ “Birdhouse in Your Soul” in duet with aunt Vivian (Ellen Greene):

What a voice Chenoweth has: gorgeous and rich, yet quirky and fun. “Kristin’s singing interludes complete me,” writes Rickey Yaneza, which feels just about right.

Chenoweth’s voice reminded me of a song, “Popular,” that my daughter Hannah learned for her elementary school chorus a few years ago. The unnamed voice on Hannah’s practice recording had the same mix of delightful qualities. Turns out it was Chenoweth too, playing her Tony-nominated role as Glinda in the musical Wicked:

Here’s “They Might Be Giants” doing all of “Birdhouse in Your Soul”:

And finally, iTunes links to TMB Giants’ “Birdhouse…” and Chenoweth’s “Popular.”

Categories: Music, Television | Comments (0)