Jeter takes the field in the 7th on opening day

At Yankee Stadium v Tigers, 3/31/11, reuters

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Mussina with Posada after ceremonial first pitch on opening day

At Yankee Stadium v Tigers, 3/31/11, getty

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Oakland A's sign deal with 95.7fm to carry all 2011 games

3/31/11, The Oakland A's have signed a deal with radio station 95.7 fm KBWF 'The Wolf,' to carry their games from 2011 to 2014. The Entercom country music station will carry all regular and post season games, per Rich Lieberman 415. "Flash! A's sign deal with 95. 7 FM 'The Wolf' to broadcast 2011 Season

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NFL lockout? Have no fear, baseball is here-sign in the Bronx

"Michael Vivalo, left, and Chaplain Warren show off their sign beneath the subway platform before the Yankees faced the Detroit Tigers in their opening day baseball game at Yankee Stadium" Thurs., 3/31/11, ap

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Commenter notices XM MLB screen displays score differently this year

Posted: "Wed Mar 30, 2011 5:51 pm Post subject: What's Up With Gametime Display Some games during the spring have a new display. Instead of having the top line with the score and the second line with inning and outs, the display's top line has the inning and outs and the second line has the score. For example today's Blue Jay-Rays game shows this on XM176

• Top line: MLB T9 2out

• Next line TOR3 TB5" from XMFan.com

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MLB 2012 games, times, and XM channels

• Update: 2012 regular season games, times, XM channels. Click x and scroll down.

Update: 2011 regular season MLB games and channels on XM Radio. Scroll down on page for daily listing (siriusxm site). (The list appeared even without cookies. Maybe they need cookies for other things).

• ========================

"Thursday, March 31 Game Time Away Team Home Team Away Home National Spanish

• 1:05 PM ET Detroit Tigers New York Yankees XM 176
• 1:05 PM ET Atlanta Braves Washington Nationals XM 184
• 2:10 PM ET Milwaukee Brewers Cincinnati Reds XM 187
• 4:10 PM ET Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Kansas City Royals XM 182
• 4:15 PM ET San Diego Padres St. Louis Cardinals XM 186
• 8:00 PM ET San Francisco Giants Los Angeles Dodgers XM 175 XM 140

=====================

• Friday, April 1

Game Time Away Team Home Team Away Home National Spanish

• 1:10 PM ET Houston Astros Philadelphia Phillies XM 185
• 2:20 PM ET Pittsburgh Pirates Chicago Cubs XM 187
• 3:10 PM ET Chicago White Sox Cleveland Indians XM 180
• 4:05 PM ET Boston Red Sox Texas Rangers XM 177
• 4:10 PM ET Arizona Diamondbacks Colorado Rockies XM 188
• 7:07 PM ET Minnesota Twins Toronto Blue Jays XM 179
• 7:10 PM ET Baltimore Orioles Tampa Bay Rays XM 176
• 7:10 PM ET New York Mets Florida Marlins XM 183
• 8:10 PM ET Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Kansas City Royals XM 182
• 10:05 PM ET Seattle Mariners Oakland Athletics XM 175
• 10:10 PM ET San Francisco Giants Los Angeles Dodgers XM 188

==================================

• Saturday, April 2

Game Time Away Team Home Team Away Home National Spanish

• 1:05 PM ET Chicago White Sox Cleveland Indians XM 180
• 1:05 PM ET Atlanta Braves Washington Nationals XM 184
• 1:05 PM ET Pittsburgh Pirates Chicago Cubs XM 187
• 1:05 PM ET Baltimore Orioles Tampa Bay Rays XM 177
• 1:07 PM ET Minnesota Twins Toronto Blue Jays XM 175
• 1:10 PM ET Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Kansas City Royals XM 182
• 1:10 PM ET San Diego Padres St. Louis Cardinals XM 186
• 4:10 PM ET San Francisco Giants Los Angeles Dodgers XM 188
• 4:10 PM ET Detroit Tigers New York Yankees XM 176
• 7:05 PM ET Seattle Mariners Oakland Athletics XM 177
• 7:05 PM ET Houston Astros Philadelphia Phillies XM 185
• 7:10 PM ET Milwaukee Brewers Cincinnati Reds XM 175
• 7:10 PM ET New York Mets Florida Marlins XM 183
• 8:05 PM ET Boston Red Sox Texas Rangers XM 181
• 8:10 PM ET Arizona Diamondbacks Colorado Rockies XM 188"

=============== from XMFan.com

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Milwaukee Brewers jog in snow in Cincinnati preparing for Opening Day

Brewers at Great American ballpark in Cincinnati, Wed. 3/30/11, preparing for opening day, ap

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Virginia Tech fined $55,000 in massacre of 32 in 2007

• 3/29/11, "Va. Tech fined $55,000 in shootings," USA Today, Eversley

"The Department of Education fined Virginia Tech $55,000 for failing to warn the Blacksburg, Va., campus quickly after two students were shot in an April 16, 2007, rampage

• that left 32 people and the gunman dead.

The failure warrants a fine "far in excess" of that, a letter notifying the university said, but $27,500 per violation was the most allowed by law. The university also was cited for failing to follow its own security policy, required by law, on crime warnings.

The department cited the school for violations of the Clery Act, which requires schools that receive federal aid to issue a "timely warning" when a serious crime is committed on campus. The law is named for Jeanne Clery, a Lehigh University freshman murdered in her dorm room in 1986.

Virginia Tech said in a written statement it will appeal. "Neither the Department of Education nor the Clery Act defines 'timely,' " the statement said. "The university actions on April 16 were well within the standards and practices in effect at that time."

• A survivor of the shootings, Virginia Tech graduate Colin Goddard, applauded the fine.

"I think what's important is it was the maximum they could fine," said Goddard, 25, who was shot four times by Virginia Tech student Seung Hui Cho. He is assistant director of federal legislation with the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. "It's not a surprise.

• I knew that the school had acted too slowly four years ago."

At about 7:15 a.m. on the day of the rampage, Cho fatally shot two students in a residence hall. At 9:26 a.m., school administrators e-mailed students and staff to say there had been a shooting; the e-mail did not say the killer had not been identified.

• Between 9:40 a.m. and 9:51 a.m., Cho shot 47 more people in Norris Hall, then fatally shot himself.

The Education Department letter says students and staff continued to move freely around campus, unaware of the danger.

• "The facts that the assailant had not been identified, a weapon had not been found at the scene and that bloody footprints led away from the bodies strongly indicated that the shooter was still at large, and posed an ongoing threat," Education official Mary Gust wrote....

Virginia Tech said that its own guidelines at the time of the shootings said 48 hours would be an acceptable time frame in which to inform a campus of a serious crime. The school complained it is being held accountable for a standard adopted after its own tragedy."...

• Yankees make special trip to Virginia Tech, 3/18/08

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Theives steal $30,000 in copper wire from KSL radio transmitter

• 3/29/11, "KSL Radio's transmission site targeted by copper thieves," KSL.com

Salt Lake City: "Police are looking for two men who got away with more than $30,000 in goods and copper wire.

The east radio tower at KSL NewsRadio's transmission site rises more than 400 feet above the ground. It has been there since the 1930s. But it was the building near the tower that thieves targeted this month, getting away with more than $30,000 in copper wire, tools and other goods. "This is stuff that isn't something that's going to come right off the shelves," said engineer Randy Finch. He said that is why metal recyclers should be able to recognize the stolen property.

• It includes sliced up sections of feed cable that the thieves stripped off large spools in the yard, cut up into sections and loaded into a truck. They also got away with a welder and other tools.

The thefts were recorded on video. "We watched one person pick up a box of Scotch rags, just a box of paper towels," said Finch. "I guess he had a use for paper towels at home so he stuck it under his shoulder and out he went with it."

• Over the past 30 years that Finch has worked at the site, he's seen other similar thefts. He said it seems when the economy turns more sour, thefts and

break-ins at the remote site pick up."

• via RadioDailyNews

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KFRC 1550AM in final hours of radio drama with Oakland A's and KTRB

3/29/11, Rich Lieberman, "The broadcast brohaha has to be mind-numbing to A's lead play-by-play man, Ken Korach, one of the vesy BEST in the business, not just here in the Bay Area, but nationally too. Korach, as I've said so many times, is about as good a broadcaster as they come. He's sharp, funny, gives the score relentlessly, and is not a homer. Just a terrific voice and consummate professional.

• The fact that this current radio standoff puts him in an awkard position is a massive disservice to both A's fans and baseball fans in general. That's not good.

*Speaking of the A's radio situation, what I'm hearing: From the A's side: KTRB's bank receiver, (Comerica,) is trying to get more money out of the franchise, in essence holding the A's radio broadcasts as hostage while negotiations continue. That may or may not be true, depending on who you listen to. In addition, Comerica is floating the spectre of another bidder/suitor. But I doubt there's any substance to that. Is this a ploy? Probably, but more on that later.

• From the KTRB/Comerica side: Simple business. The bank is trying to get maximum dollar for an admitedly distressed property, but at what price and how reasonable are they acting? If this is simply a negotiating ploy, its probably not going to work.

Bottom line: The A's, even if they're being squeezed, (and from every indication, they just might be) could have and should have avoided all of this. It further erodes any smidgen of good will between the fan base and Lew Wolff and company. And it only reinforces the notion that Wolff's mindset is squarely on San Jose as a future destination for his team, and damn the Eastbay and Oakland fans. Some conspiracy theorists on AthleticsNation have even speculated that this whole radio mess is being orchestrated by Wolff to make his case easier for a potential SJ move. I doubt that, but nothing would surprise me.

• The radio matter is an embarrassment to the A's, their fans, Korach, the franchise's sponsors and vendors. No matter who or what is the bad guy, this whole thing should have been handled well before the season.

*KFRC 1550 AM: Although it's not 100% certain, the likelihood of the entire season's broadcasts on KFRC is now formidable, according to a well-placed source. The source indicated that there's a lot more to the whole mess, with lawyers, contractual obligations, and potential lawsuits in the play. Its not simply a case of the A's and KTRB negotiating over the cost of buying a radio station. As I said Monday, "the devil is in the details." This, of course, may all be window-dressing and on Opening night, 860 AM will be doing the games, but that now remains doubtful, according to the source. We'll see...and hear more later in the week. KFRC, even at the worst dial position on the map, (1550 AM) is a clear channel and is heard fairly easily throughout the Bay Area.

• KTRB, while at a better dial position, has tower issues that require a whole lot of heavy lifting, (metaphorically speaking)...

maybe all of this, from a listening standpoint, may be a blessing in disguise. Stay tuned on this site; we'll post periodic updates when we obtain more information...Developing Story."

• 3/29/11, "A's Radio mess and Ken Korach; Latest developments; KFRC 1550 AM might be the Closer; Tuesday AM Pulse," Rich Lieberman 415

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MLB Network expands studio shows in 2011 to begin at 3pm daily, XM Radio simulcasts begin at 5pm daily

3/28/11, "About to step up to the plate with its third full season of coverage, MLB Network continues to expand its programming, sponsor and distribution roster as the clubs get ready to

• play ball on Opening Day, March 31.

MLB Network, which aired over 100 contests a year ago and figures to eclipse that total again during the 2011 campaign, is supplementing its original Thursday game productions and the pickups of regional sports network feeds on Saturdays, with an early evening contest on Fridays

• and doubleheaders on Tuesday nights.

"Most Tuesdays we'll get started between 7 and 8 p.m. and then head out west after 10 p.m. We want to provide more exposure for the West Coast teams," said MLB Network president and CEO Tony Petitti. Extending its "30 Clubs in 30 Days" previews from the exhibition season, MLBN plans to showcase all of the circuit's squads in April with "30 Games, 30 Clubs, 30 Days," starting with the Seattle Mariners Oakland A's on April 1. Set for April 8, its Thursday opener pits the New York Yankees against their nemesis the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Bob Costas, who is nominated for his play-by-play work for the network, will deliver the call with veteran analyst Jim Kaat.

• "We want to make sure that we're building awareness for the game and all of the clubs," said Petitti. He said there has been "great cooperation" with ESPN, Fox Sports Net's and Comcast's regional sports networks, as well as those owned by the clubs, with the entities sharing the games, footage and feeds of press conferences. "Our goal is to grow the sport," he said, noting MLBN will pick up the game coverage pace under its "Pennant Chase" banner during September.

MLBN, which came out of the box on Jan. 1, 2009 as the largest cable network launch in history with some 50 million homes, is also buttressing its studio lineup, adding 15 weekday hours, now tossing out its first pitch at 3 p.m. with The Rundown, beginning April 1. The two-hour show, hosted by Hazel Mae and Matt Yallof, will provide looks at day games in progress, batting practice, recaps of the previous day's action and previews of the upcoming contests.

• That will be followed on weekdays, starting April 4 at 5 p.m., by Intentional Talk, featuring Chris Rose and Kevin Millar.

"We wanted something a little different, without the panel of analysts. This will be much more conversational, a nice back-and-forth about the events of the day and around the game between Chris and Kevin, who have established a good rapport on some of our other shows," said Petitti. While the pair will be at Studio 42 in at network headquarters in Secaucus, N.J. at the outset, they will often connect from the studios in their homes via Cisco TelePresence, an HD video collaboration system. Cisco operates the network's ballpark cameras throughout MLB's stadiums.

• Intentional Talk -- featuring the song "How You Like Me Now?" by UK-based band The Heavy, as its theme, and scheduled to be simulcast on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM Radio -- will hand the bat to flagship MLB Tonight at 6 p.m.

The offseason saw Barry Larkin move to ESPN, but MLBN has added Ron Gant and Larry Bowa. "Larry provides a managerial perspective and he's right off the field," said Petitti of the veteran who served on Joe Torre's Los Angeles Dodgers coaching staff. "He's been a good fit for us, very opinionated."

• During this offseason, MLBN signed 30 new affiliate pacts, including the launch of AT&T U-verse on March 11.

"AT&T U-verse is a major affiliate success for us, given its subscriber growth and that [its parent] does a lot of business with MLB clubs at the local level," said Petitti. Among the channel's other off-season launches: Service Electric, Cincinnati Bell, Summit Broadband, Hargray Communications, and Antietam Cable TV.

"Our affiliate team has done a good job. It's difficult to grow in this business, but we've had a nice percentage increase since MLB Network started in 2009," he said, noting that discussions continue with other affiliates and Dish Network, the top 10 distribution hole in the channel's now 57-milion subscriber lineup. According to officials, the network has 60% HD penetration.

• The channel is owned by MLB, DirecTV and the owners of In Demand, Comcast, Cox, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks.

In the client clubhouse, Petitti, noting that 2011 marketplace is healthy, said MLB Network's "return rate with advertisers has been excellent. It shows that the network has stickiness if they continue to be with you, and we've been able to recruit new sponsors."

To that end, the ad sales team has scored a presenting sponsor pact with Pennzoil for its new Friday night package and is nearing a similar agreement for the Tuesday doubleheaders. For their part, Chevrolet is now the three-time presenting sponsor for Thursday contests, while

• Chrysler is back in the box for the Saturday games.

Video game developer 2K Sports has secured a position as a launch sponsor for Intentional Talk, while Home Depot again will have a major studio presence during the opening week of the season."

• 3/28/11, "MLB Network: Ready For Opening Day With New Games Packages, More Subs, Advertisers," "Channel Adds Tuesday Doubleheaders, Friday-Night Contests," Multichannel News, Mike Reynolds

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Dan Shulman ready for ESPN Sunday Night Baseball debut, says some know he's Canadian and are over it

3/28/11, Neil Best, "Dan Shulman, the new play-by-play voice of ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball,’’ said he “still is a little overwhelmed; it doesn’t quite feel real to me. Jon Miller did such an incredible job for 21 years. To be the next guy is a little intimidating.’’

Shulman grew up and still lives in Toronto, was 10 when he attended the first-ever Blue Jays game in 1977 and became a fan of the team and sport.

• Still . . . isn’t this a little like having an American on play-by-play for “Hockey Night Canada?’’

“I honestly don’t know what percentage of my peers or viewers know I’m Canadian,’’ Shulman said. “Some people know

• and they’re over it.’’"

3/28/11, "Shulman readies for 'Sunday Night Baseball' debut," Neil Best Watchdog, Newsday

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Benches clear in Peoria, Padres-Dodgers, 3/26

Benches clear in Peoria, Padres v Dodgers, as Rafael Furcal is hit by a pitch in the 6th inning. 3/26/11, spring training game in Arizona, AP

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Days from 2011 opener Oakland A's still in talks with KTRB about broadcasts and possible purchase of station

• 3/25/11, "Oakland A's notebook: Radio deal on shaky ground as season nears," Oakland Tribune, Joe Stiglich

"With the season opener drawing near, there's uncertainty over whether flagship radio station KTRB 860-AM will be broadcasting the A's games during the regular season.

A source with knowledge of the situation told Bay Area News Group on Friday that negotiations for the A's to buy KTRB -- which is in receivership with Comerica Bank -- have hit a major snag. In the fallout, the source said, the agreement between the A's and the receiver to broadcast games during the regular season also is in jeopardy.

• Ken Pries, the A's vice president for broadcasting and communications, did not return phone calls seeking comment, nor did A's spokesman Bob Rose.

The A's sent out a release Friday night saying that "due to technical issues beyond their control," the games Saturday and Sunday against the Colorado Rockies would not be broadcast on KTRB as originally planned. The games instead will air on mlb.com.

The same release also said broadcasts will resume Monday when the A's open the three-game Bay Bridge Series against the Giants at AT&T Park. But that doesn't necessarily guarantee broadcasts will continue once the A's begin their regular season Friday at home against the Seattle Mariners.

• KTRB, a 50,000-watt station, went into receivership in September. The A's have been negotiating to purchase the station ever since and are thought to be the primary bidder.

According to the source, the receiver is looking for a higher bid than the A's are willing to offer, and might be threatening

• to pull games off the air as leverage.

But it's also very possible that one of the sides could budge and a compromise struck before Friday's opener to continue airing games."...

• via Rich Lieberman 415

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Dibble and Kennedy to reunite on XM for one day Thursday 3/31, 2pm PDT-commenter

3/25/11, Commenter OGuage1 at XMFan.com says Dibble and Kennedy will have a one day reunion on XM 3/31: "A BIG HEARTY WELCOME back (if only once) for "The Show" with Kevin Kennedy and Rob Dibble...

• next Thursday, March 31, 2:00 p.m PDT from Dodger Stadium."

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Paltry NYC census numbers a referendum on paltry stewardship of Schumer and Bloomberg

• "If the Census tally of 8.175 million residents is not changed the city would lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money."...

3/27/11, "US Census counters used "highly suspect" methods to count New York City residents, Sen. Charles Schumer said yesterday, calling the final tally "dead wrong."

• "The Census Bureau needs to go back to the drawing board," said Schumer, who wants an investigation into Census methods.

Schumer is the latest official to complain that something is wrong with the Census tally, which showed the city grew by a paltry 166,855 residents -- a measly 2.1 percent -- over the last decade.

"Specifically, Schumer wants to know what did Census takers do to track down people besides going door to door.

• Did they reach out for tenant lists or contact building management?" said a source.

If the Census tally of 8.175 million residents is not changed, the city would lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money.

Mayor Bloomberg also believes the Census missed hundreds of thousands of people

• in Brooklyn and Queens."

3/27/11, "Schumer: NY census senseless," NY Post, C. Fagen

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Selig can't blame his Fred Wilpon dealings on the players union-Bill Madden

• Much of bad press on Mets is believed to be planted by Bud Selig.

3/26/11, Bill Madden, "This is why, much as Selig has always had a deep affection for Wilpon, between the escalating team debt compounded by his involvement in the Madoff scandal, people in the commissioner's office are concerned the Mets owner is fast becoming collateral damage for Selig in regard to his legacy. A telltale sign of this is the growing belief around baseball that a lot these damning stories about the Mets' debt are, in fact,

• coming right out of the commissioner's office.

The Mets owners firmly believe they are eventually going to be vindicated in the Madoff mess and will actually not have to pay anything back to the victims' trustee, Irving H. Picard, but even if they are, that could take years and Selig doesn't have years, if you believe him. That's why I believe Selig, as with the McCourts, would like to see the Mets sold, and the sooner the better, so they can return to solvency before his term runs out.

Despite Forbes' report listing the Mets' value as having dropped 13% to $747 million, most informed industry observers maintain they will still fetch a $1 billion sale price. However, right off the top of that, Wilpon and his co-owner (and co-defendant in the separate $1 billion Picard suit), Saul Katz, will be obliged to pay off the estimated $450 million in team debt. Furthermore, it's said the Mets have sold only 600,000 tickets for this season, and, so, for every game that Citi Field is half empty, that debt continues to swell. Hence the urgency from Selig's standpoint to stop the bleeding.

The bigger the Mets' debt, the bigger embarrassment to Selig - which is why the Mets' and Dodgers' financial insolvency is looming as an even bigger hit on his legacy than the steroids scandal - because the players union had no part in it."...

On revenue sharing:

"In the past, the union (along with large-market teams like the Yankees and Red Sox) have complained that too many of the small-market teams have been taking their revenue sharing money and spending it on other things. And that has been re-affirmed by the latest Forbes which reports that the

• San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians, Oakland A's and Kansas City Royals

all of whom had the lowest payrolls in baseball last year, made respective profits of

• $37.2 million,

• $24.6 million,

• $12.1 million,

• $23.2 million and

• $10.3 million."...

3/26/11, "Financial woes of Mets & Dodgers are another black eye to legacy of MLB commish Bud Selig," Bill Madden, NY Daily News

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MLB teams used to count on Mets for revenue sharing cash

3/24/11, "The team’s losses — projected to hit another $50 million or more this season based on factors including advance ticket sales — come with a range of implications for its owners, who are trying to sell a portion of the club, and for major league teams that rely on the Mets to share revenue with them.

Two years ago, the Mets contributed more than $40 million to baseball’s revenue-sharing pool — a system

• meant to create a more level playing field

for small- and large-market teams. But in 2010, the Mets put in around 40 percent less."...

• 3/24/11, "Mets Are Said to Be Suffering Sizable Losses," NY Times, Schmidt, Sandomir

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Ed Rendell tells GQ, Philly fans not 'meanest in America', fans helped Brett Myers work a walk in 2008 NLDS, then Victorino grand slam

"Letter to the Editor

• To: Jim Nelson

• Gentlemen's Quarterly Magazine

"March 23, 2011

• DEAR MR. NELSON:

So, here we go again.

Another national publication resorting to tired clichés and jumping on the "throwing snowballs at Santa" bandwagon

• to describe Philadelphia sports fans.

In the current issue of GQ magazine, you ranked the 15 worst sports fans in America, and in a tie for the title of worst in the nation you selected the fans of the Eagles and Phillies. Your magazine described them as the

• "meanest fans in America."

The "worst fans"? "Meanest fans"? I've been following sports in this town for years, since I came to Penn. Jim, you and your magazine took the easy way out.

• And you have it all wrong.

To support that contention, you say the fans have booed everyone from Santa Claus to their own star players, and that they cheered Michael Irvin's injury. You also referenced a recent horrendous incident in which a drunken fan deliberately vomited on an 11-year-old girl. Lastly, you quoted Pete Rose about the fans booing the crack in the Liberty Bell.

• Let's examine your evidence:

First, the Santa Claus incident was more than 40 years ago - there are very few of us left who pelted that forlorn, scrawny Santa, and certainly current fans cannot be blamed for that. Second, it is true that, on occasion, some of our fans have booed our players but the vast majority are incredibly supportive. The vomiting incident was horrible, but it was one incident perpetrated by only one fan. As for Pete Rose, when he came here to play, he found the fans to be very supportive (we love and appreciate hustle and effort) and has developed a special, lasting relationship with this city's fans.

You want to talk about evidence to define Philadelphia sports fans? This is a city where fans' intensity, passion and excitement can actually dictate the outcome of events. There is no doubt in my mind, because I have seen it:

* Ask Burt Hooton about Game 3 of the National League Championship Series in 1977. In the second inning, Hooton was unmercifully booed at Veterans Stadium as he disputed balls and strikes and delayed the game. The louder it got, the wilder he got. Four consecutive walks later, the Phillies had the lead and Hooton was out of the game. That would not have happened anywhere else.* Or how about that Eagles-Cowboys game in 1995, when Dallas coach Barry Switzer called the same play twice. The Cowboys lined up on fourth-and-a-short-1 at their 29 in a tie game in the fourth quarter. Even the Eagles players looked as if they thought the Cowboys would get the first down. The Eagles stuffed the Cowboys, but the officials ruled the 2-minute warning came before the play. The Cowboys lined up again. The fans continued going crazy, as only they could in the Cowboys game. The players' body language changed. All of a sudden, they became defiant. They stopped the Cowboys, got the ball on downs and won the game on a field goal. It was stunning.

* Or, Brett Myers working a walk off the Brewers' CC Sabathia in Game 2 of the NL Division Series in 2008, thanks to some help from the crowd. With every pitch to Myers, the fans further helped unnerve Sabathia. Myers walked, Jimmy Rollins walked on four pitches, and

• then Shane Victorino hit a grand slam.

Yes, there are a few isolated incidents of bad behavior by Philadelphia fans, but some have been misconstrued by the national press, such as the fans booing Donovan McNabb's selection on draft day (they weren't booing McNabb, they were booing the Eagles for not choosing Ricky Williams).

But, consider the following incidents committed by other cities' fans:

• * Jets fans boo their team's draft selection not only 1 year, but every year. The national and New York press never mention that.

• * In 1986, a Yankees fan threw a knife at the Angels' Wally Joyner, grazing his arm.

• * In 2010, some Yankees fans in the stands harassed the wife of then-Ranger Cliff Lee.

• * In 2002, two White Sox fans jumped out of the stands and attacked Kansas City Royals first-base coach Tom Gamboa.

• * A year later at a White Sox game, a fan ran onto the field and tried to tackle an umpire. Later that year, Cubs fans threw a cellphone that hit San Diego third baseman Sean Burroughs.

• * In 1999, Denver fans threw snowballs with batteries in them at Raiders players.

• * In 2003, Oakland fans hit the Rangers' Carl Everett in the head with a cellphone. Later that year in Oakland, another Athletics fan threw a cherry bomb from the upper deck and burned an 8-year-old boy.

• * In 2003, a Giants fan was fatally shot by a Dodgers fan in an argument in a Dodger Stadium parking lot.

• * In 2001, Browns fans threw beer bottles onto the field to protest a referee's call. Police had to escort the refs from the stadium.

• * In 2009, Dallas Mavericks fans poured beer on Kenyon Martin's mother and Carmelo Anthony's fiancée.

So, the "meanest fans in America"? . . . Not even close.

Booing an emaciated Santa, even booing your own players pales in significance compared with these acts of physical violence. The key fact you're clearly missing is that one can point to isolated incidents of poor fan behavior in almost every city. Unfortunately, again, you chose the easy way out.

Now let's take a look at the other side of the equation. When rating the "worst fans in America," you surely would also have to look at the

• good things they do as well.

First, Eagles and Phillies fans are incredibly loyal. When the Birds suffered through several four-win seasons, they still sold out. The Phillies have played before 123 straight sellout crowds at Citizens Bank Park. The fans' support is intense and electric. It inspires and motivates players. It literally lifts our teams.

Ask Brian Dawkins, the ex-Eagle now with the Broncos, who are the best fans in the NFL and he will tell you there are good fans in many places, but none like ours. And, Jim, did anyone at GQ listen to star pitcher Cliff Lee when he turned down an offer of more money from the beloved New York Yankees to sign with the Phillies? This is what Cliff had to say about the "worst fans in America":

"You can feel the volume. Every game has got an elevated feel to it compared to everywhere else. It's completely different. I don't know what the fans do to create that much more volume and excitement in the stadium, but it's definitely something extra here. I don't know what it is, but it's something they're doing. They get excited. They're passionate fans. They understand what's going on. They don't need a teleprompter to tell them to get up and cheer, to do that. No, it's exciting."

Lastly, let's talk about the good our fans do. In the last 6 years, Eagles fans have helped raise more than $1.5 million to fight breast cancer and have donated more than 21,000 pounds of food to hunger relief organizations. Not to be outdone, in the last two decades Phillies fans have donated $11 million to help fight ALS, $800,000 last year alone. And incredibly - in what has to be an unprecedented gesture - the fans funded the creation of a 7 1/2-foot bronze statue of the Phils' beloved, now-deceased announcer Harry Kalas and presented it as a gift to the club in Harry's memory.

"Worst fans"? Hardly. "Best fans"? Probably.

Jim, I understand you come to Philadelphia often to dine at Vetri, one of our great gourmet restaurants. Perhaps the next time you come into town you should head down to Pat's Steaks at 9th and Passyunk and give the people of South Philly a chance

• to talk with you about the article.

Better yet, come with me to the Phillies' Opening Day, and you will feel that passion - that love - that the "best" fans in America have for their teams.

• Sincerely Yours,

• Ed Rendell"

• "Counterpunching tired cliches about Philly sports fans," Philly.com

via Poynter.org/Romenesko

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Padres and Nationals had highest operating income in 2010, Ted Lerner richest owner in baseball-CBS Sports

3/23/11, "Interestingly, the Padres had the highest operating income, at $37.2 million. The Nationals checked in second at $36.6 million. Remember, the Nationals have the richest owner in baseball -- Ted Lerner -- so the road is definitely paved for the Nats to drastically increase payroll should they decide to do so. As I've written before, don't count them out as being a major player by the end of this decade. The Rangers saw the highest increase in value with the Giants third, which makes sense considering they played in the World Series. The Twins saw the second-highest increase in franchise value, which coincided

• with opening their new home park, Target Field.

After the Yankees, the rest of the top five franchises in value are the Red Sox, Dodgers, Cubs and Mets.

• Check out the full chart by clicking here ."

3/23/11, "Red Sox, Tigers, Mets, lost money in 2010," CBSSports.com, Matt Snyder

• 3/23/11, "According to Forbes, average value of MLB club increases 7% to $523 million," Biz of Baseball, Maury Brown

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Games and channels for MLB games on XM radio March 26-April 15

Games and channels for MLB games on XM radio, March 26 through April 15, XMFan.com, scroll down.

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Elizabeth Taylor, Newsday front cover

Elizabeth Taylor, 1932-2011, Newsday front cover, 3/24/11

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Detroit lost 25% of population 2000-2010-Census, WSJ

3/23/11, WSJ, "The population of Detroit has fallen back 100 years.

The flight of middle-class African-Americans to the suburbs fueled an exodus that cut Detroit's population 25% in the past decade to 713,777, according to Census Bureau data released Tuesday. That's the city's lowest population level since the 1910 census, when automobile mass production was making Detroit Detroit.

The decline, the fastest in city history, shocked local officials, who had expected a number closer to 800,000.

• Mayor Dave Bing said the city would seek a recount.

"If we could go out and identify another 40,000 people that were missed, and it brings us over the threshold of 750,000, that would make a difference from what we can get from the federal and state government," Mr. Bing said at a news conference Tuesday.

In all, the city lost more than 237,000 residents, including 185,000 blacks and about 41,000 whites. The Hispanic population ticked up by 1,500. Meanwhile, the black population in neighboring Macomb County more than tripled to 72,723, constituting 8.6% of the county's population in 2010, compared with 2.7% a decade earlier. Oakland County's African-American population rose 36% to 164,078."...

• 3/23/11, "Detroit's population crashes," Wall St. Journal, Kate Linebaugh

• chart from Wall St. Journal, 3/23/11

---------------------------------------- 3/24/11, "What happens when a city buys the liberal dream hook, line and sinker? Just take a look at the City of Detroit."..."Detroit's liberal nightmare," The Foundry, Heritage, via Weasel Zippers

via Drudge Report

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San Francisco youth population declines

Why would anyone, adult or child, want to live in a town with filthy people sitting and lying all over the sidewalks aggressively panhandling, some with diseases or mental illness? The town supervisors fought the Mayor when he tried to pass an anti sit/lie law. Although a law finally passed, the behavior is well entrenched by now and isn't easily policed.

• 3/23/11, "San Francisco becoming a child-free zone as youth population declines," SFExaminer.com, J. Sabatini

"Despite efforts to stem the tide of family flight, the population of

• children in San Francisco continues to ebb.

Families that remain in The City are bucking the trend that has plagued San Francisco for years as the number of children — defined as people up to 17 years old — has dropped from 181,532 in 1960 to 107,524 today, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau figures. The 2000 census counted 112,802 youths.

• The decrease is disappointing news for city officials, who have attempted to counter the family-flight trend by creating more affordable housing, improving schools and cutting costs, such as a college savings account for kindergarten enrollees.

“It’s definitely not a hopeful sign that we have 5,000 less kids,” said N’Tanya Lee, the executive director of San Francisco-based advocacy group Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth, which lobbies City Hall on budget and housing issues.

• The census has yet to release a more detailed age breakdown of The City’s youth population. ...

“I’m very surprised,” said Margaret Brodkin, the former head of the Department Children, Youth and Their Families. “I thought we had finally turned the corner in being a more child-friendly city and keeping families in The City.”...

• “Mayor Lee is committed to keeping families in San Francisco,” Falvey said. “He is focused on job creation and economic development, two very real factors in keeping families in San Francisco.”"...

via Drudge Report

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Joe Biden and Mariano Rivera at Blue Jays-Yankees spring training

3/23, "Joe Biden visits Yankee camp" at The Boss in Tampa. via Drudge Report

• 3/24/11, "Joe Biden keeps Blue Jays on the bus during Yankees photo op," Yahoo Sports, Big League Stew, Duk.

• Biden is a Phillies fan.

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AP reporters protest cuts in retirement benefits, increase in health insurance premiums

• 3/22/11, "AP Reporters Rally For Quality Journalism In Labor Talks," News Media Guild Press Release

"More than two dozen Associated Press journalists held a rally outside AP’s Los Angeles bureau Tuesday afternoon to stand up for quality journalism at the world’s largest news agency. Hoisting picket signs (photos attached), they handed out leaflets to pedestrians and drew honks of support from passing motorists.

Staffers at more than 25 other AP bureaus across the nation held protests against AP’s onerous contract proposals last Wednesday, including in New York. There, about 100 staff members with picket signs and a large banner protested in front of the company’s world headquarters in Manhattan,

• wearing red Guild shirts, buttons and lanyards.

In Washington, D.C., staff and their family members held a rally on March 12 outside the Newseum that drew about 120 people and two dogs wearing Guild red.

The number of protests by AP’s journalists, technicians and other union-covered staff is unprecedented and has been escalating, with contract bargaining dragging on for nearly five months.

Last week, virtually all AP journalists withheld their names from their stories and photos, a big sacrifice for many reporting on major news, to send AP managers a message that they are united in opposing the company’s contract proposals

• and supporting their union, the News Media Guild.

The staff is protesting AP’s demands to hike health insurance premiums 50 percent or more and slash retirement benefits about 50 percent, while giving only a tiny raise."...

• via Poynter.org/Romenesko

3/18/11, "AP Staff Protests Proposal to Increase Health Insurance Premiums and Slash Retirement Benefits," press release via Editor & Publisher

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2011 Yankee games on Channel 9 in NY

21 Yankee games on Channel 9, per Neil Best

• "Tuesday, 4/12/11, Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 4/19/11, Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 5/17/11, Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays, 6:30 p.m.
• Friday, 5/20/11, Yankees vs. Mets, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 5/24/11, Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 6/7/11, Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox, 7 p.m.
• Thursday, 6/9/11, Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 6/14/11, Yankees vs. Texas Rangers, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 6/21/11, Yankees at Cincinnati Reds, 7 p.m.
• Friday, 7/15/11, Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 7/19/11, Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays, 7 p.m.
• Friday, 7/22/11, Yankees vs. Oakland A’s, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 7/26/11, Yankees vs. Seattle Mariners, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 8/9/11, Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 8/16/11, Yankees at Kansas City Royals, 8 p.m.
• Thursday, 8/18/11, Yankees at Minnesota Twins, 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, 8/23/11, Yankees vs. Oakland A’s, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 8/30/11, Yankees at Boston Red Sox, 7 p.m.
• Friday, 9/16/11, Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 9/20/11, Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 9/27/11, Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays, 7 p.m."

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Leo Hindery, Goldman Sachs among familiar names bidding for Mets share

3/20/11, NY Times: "Over the next week to 10 days, five to eight possible bidders for a minority stake in the Mets will take a first step to making an offer by examining the team’s financial records....

The candidates approved by baseball to look at the Mets’ records — three of whom have personal connections to Goldman Sachs, which has deep ties to the Yankees — include:

¶David Heller, the global co-leader of the securities division at Goldman, whose group includes Marc Spilker, a former senior Goldman executive who is now the president of Apollo Global Management, a large private equity fund. Heller’s group was the first to see the Mets’ records.

¶Steven Starker, a co-founder of BTIG, a global trading firm in which Goldman has a minority ownership. His consortium includes Kenny Dichter, a co-founder of Marquis Jets; Doug Ellin, the creator of the HBO show “Entourage”; and Randy Frankel,

• a minority owner of the Tampa Bay Rays.

¶James McCann, the founder of 1-800-Flowers.com, which is a Mets sponsor, and Anthony Scaramucci, a former Goldman executive who runs the hedge fund firm SkyBridge Capital.

¶Marc A. Utay, managing partner at Clarion Capital Partners, a private equity firm, and Leo Hindery, the first chief executive of the YES Network, who is a private media investor. From 2008 to ’09, they mounted an unsuccessful bid for the Chicago Cubs. (Goldman is part-owner of YES.) ...

The files, which let possible buyers assess the team’s financial future, include media contracts; luxury suite agreements, like those that will end after this season at Citi Field; season-ticket renewals; and details of the Mets’ loans. Still, with all the information, sports bankers say that a minority stake is not nearly as attractive as selling the entire team and any of its majority ownership

• of the cable network SNY.

The team, Citi Field and SNY are laden with debt. Last November, facing a cash crunch, the team borrowed $25 million from Major League Baseball after reaching the $75 million limit of borrowing from M.L.B.’s industrywide bank credit line."...

• "Bidders near first step in Mets deal," NY Times, Richard Sandomir, 3/20/11

-----------------------------------------

• Leo Hindery wanted a White House job but it didn't work out.

• 2/3/09, "Daschle pushed Hindery for Obama job," Politico

"Tom Daschle backed the patron who paid him a million-dollar salary and supplied him with a free car and driver for a job inside the Obama administration, two Democrats said Monday.

Leo Hindery, whose InterMedia Partners employed the former Senate majority leader, had been mentioned as a

• possible secretary of commerce or U.S. trade representative.

"Tom was pushing for him," said one Democratic source.

Obama's aides rejected Daschle's suggestion that a top job go to Hindery, for whose private equity fund Daschle had served as a rainmaker and adviser....

But the news that Daschle did not pay taxes on the imputed income for the car and driver has put the spotlight on Hindery, a blustery, left-leaning mogul with an office in Chrysler Building, a table at the Four Seasons, and a passion for race cars, who has styled himself

• as organized labor’s Robert Rubin.

Democratic senators on Monday opened up a new line of defense for Daschle, saying his back-tax problems stemmed from Hindery’s failure to process the proper IRS

• paperwork on the limo rides."...

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Ground Zero mosque guys aim to get building for free, now suing for most of purchase price over signage

Ground Zero mosque site before and after Burlington Coat Factory signs, photo Atlas Shrugs Pamela Geller notes the building was sold to Islamists for only $4.7 million, they're suing now for $4.1 million, so they'll get a free building steps from the World Trade Center historic bloodbath.

• 3/20/11, "Suit over Burlington 'damage' to GZ mosque site," NY Post, Dareh Gregorian

"The Burlington Coat Factory was in such a hurry to distance itself from a former storefront that’s now a highly controversial proposed mosque near Ground Zero that it severely damaged the building when it ripped its old signs off,

• the property owners charge.

In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, 45 Park Place Partners and 51 Park Place LH LLC say the chain’s “animus and hostility to the inclusion of the mosque in the development plans of the building” resulted in the company “illegally and forcefully” removing its massive signs, destroying the owners’ property and

• causing them “economic injury.

The suit seeks a total of $4.1 million in damages.

• A rep for Burlington Coat Factory declined comment.

The store had been located inside 45 Park Place until its

• lease was terminated in 2008.

“Throughout Burlington’s tenancy, and . . . for years before, affixed to the building were two large signs,” one that was 129 square feet, and another that was 32 square feet, the suit says. The signs were bolted and permanently attached to the building, and provided “plaintiffs a valuable asset which increased the value of the premises and provided

• rental income from advertising on the sign.”

In late 2009, the new owners announced plans to build a community center on the site which would include a mosque, and by last May, the site had become “the focus of intense media attention” and the “subject of controversial protests” because of its

• “perceived proximity” to Ground Zero, the suit said.

That’s when Burlington apparently decided to distance itself from the project by tearing the signs down, even though it was “without any authority to do so,” and “did not have valid municipal permits to undertake any activities at the building.”

The suit seeks restitution for the physical damage to the building, as well as punitive damages for the company’s “wanton and willful trespass.”"

• (Bloomberg is dying to charge this to the taxpayers of the City of New York who in his mind are barely worthy

• of having such noble tenants. ed).

via Weasel Zippers

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California resident favorability rating drops 50% from 1985-2011. Wrecked because it was wreckable

California was the biggest and best state in America, there for the taking. As Gordon Gekko might say, it was wrecked because it was wreckable. They claimed to 'care' about the environment, took over government and wrecked it. Similar people advise governments how to confine US populations to urban clusters (so as to eliminate cars except for people like movie stars and Al Gore).

• 3/18/11, "Field Poll: Quality of life plunges in California," SF Chronicle, Berton

"Californians are bummed out.

The Golden State's residents rated their quality of life at its lowest mark in almost 20 years, citing the economic downturn and stagnant personal finances, according to a joint

• UC Berkeley and Field Poll.

"Residents are reconsidering the image of the Golden State and showing more ambivalence toward it," said Jack Citrin, a Berkeley political science professor who co-wrote the report. "The changes going on - socially, culturally, economic - have made people here less Pollyannaish about the reality of life here."

The poll, based on a telephone survey of 898 registered voters in February, showed that only 39 percent considered the state "one of the best places to live," compared with the glory days of 1985, when

• 78 percent gave the state the highest rating.

Californians' self-assessment has gradually declined since then, with occasional spurts of optimism, until the appraisal rock-bottomed in 1992 at the tail end of a national recession.

Jon Christensen, the executive director of the Bill Lane Center for the American West at Stanford University, said while the poll reflected personal financial woes. Californians are also bothered by a dysfunctional state government mired in a budget crisis.

"The state's dysfunction as a whole feeds into this worry that this is far from one of the best places to live," Christensen said. "One would think that a criterion for someone to say, 'This is one of the best places to live,'

• is that it's well governed."

At risk is the concept of California - land of world-class universities, beautiful open landscapes, perpetual job growth, and opportunities for immigrants, Christensen said.

"I say this in a positive way: When the myth of California gets questioned, when all of those things become disconnected, people begin to consider the reality," he said. "This is a wake-up call to fix all of those things."

• The report also asked residents whether immigration had an impact on their quality of life.

Most voters - 47 percent - said immigration had no real impact.

Yet of those who said immigration had changed California, 39 percent said it lowered their quality of life, while 10 percent said immigration made life here better.

• Brian Peterson, 45, a landscape gardener in Yreka (Siskiyou County), said that if he had been polled, he would have answered Option B, "California is a nice but not outstanding place to live."

In the past 20 years, Peterson said his community near the Oregon border has lost jobs in the timber and mining industries because of more stringent state

• regulations and pressure from environmentalists.

"The location is excellent," Peterson said. "I love my local community. But the state politics suck. It comes from either Sacramento or Washington, D.C., and

• they don't know what's best for us up here."

Peterson said illegal immigration - as opposed to legal immigration - has negatively impacted the state's quality of life. That's part of the reason he's the unofficial spokesman for the State of Jefferson, a group of secessionists who would like

• to see Northern California counties create their own state.

"Our county is rural, poor, but big," Peterson said. "If we could make decisions on our local laws and business rules that work for us - then

• our quality of life would increase.""...

• ===================================

Given enough time you can convince people of anything (plenty of people think stoning to death for adultery is fine). Californians have chosen to put time and effort into the idea that marijuana legalization is a way to help the economy.

• So they put the issue on the ballot:

10/25/10, Soros: "Besides allowing adults 21 and older to grow and possess marijuana, the initiative would allow cities and counties to authorize commercial cultivation,

• sales and taxation."...

Reference, "Multibillionaire investor George Soros backs Proposition 19," LA Times, Local, 10/25/10

• Commenter

• Posted by: Race for the Money | October 25, 2010 at 10:19 PM

"Prop 19 is a race for the money. Who is the next billionaire? Richard Lee? Zoros, trillionaire? The corporations are taking over.

• Read Prop 19.

(b) Statutes and authorized regulations to further the purposes of the act to establish a statewide regulatory system for a COMMERCIAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY that addresses some or all of the items referenced in Sections 11301 and 11302 of the Health and Safety Code.

• (c) Laws to authorize the PRODUCTION of hemp or nonactive cannabis for horticultural and industrial purposes."

• ============================

2/26/11, "“Sustainability has less to do with the environment, and everything to do with economics. It is an attack on capitalism, and

• an attack on America’s middle class lifestyle.”"

2/26/11, "Agenda 21 Part III: Maryland County Abolishes Agenda 21 – Now it’s Your Turn," Big Government, James M. Simpson

• "An in-depth explanation of Sustainable Development published in the local (Maryland) paper:

Sustainability invokes government power to enforce activists’ views of environmentalism. They want to replace farmers’, ranchers’ and other landowners’ concept of stewardship with government-centric control. It merges environmentalism and socialism to expand government into every aspect of our lives, including

• land use,
• food production,
• housing,
• transportation,
• manufacturing,
• energy rationing and
• even health care.

He identifies the ICLEI for what it really is:

…an organization with extreme beliefs on global warming that promotes United Nations’ big-government socio-economic policies....

• “So, we call our process something else,

• such as comprehensive planning, growth management, or smart growth.”...

Finally, there is another even more pernicious factor that may underline politicians’ motivations to support this wholesale assault on private property....“We have our own rural agricultural diversity and it is on the endangered species list.” Rothschild quipped."... --------------------------------------------

(We end up back where we started, with only 2 classes, the monarchy and the peasants. This is not a theory, ICLEI is an actual well funded UN group. ed.)

• ====================================

Reference: 9/22/09, "Senate rejects measure to turn California water on," Washington Times, Amanda Carpenter

• "The Delta smelt ruling impacts "the water supply for more than half of the state of California" according to California Judge Wanger. (12/15/10, para. 6).

• Two GOP congressmen begged legislators to turn the water back on in California (9/22/09), but Senator Feinstein likened giving water back to suffering farmers to the US being attacked at Pearl Harbor."...

==================================

• 2/11/11, "Identifying Federal Regulations that Impede Job Creation and Slow the Economy," BigGovernment.com, Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Ca.

------------------------------------------------

• via MichaelSavage.com

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