Local Notes On The NBA Draft

The 2005 NBA Draft just ended and there is a lot to cover on a local level. My beloved Tar Heels, 4 of the top 14 picks. Locally, the ACC was well represented in the draft. 7 0f 30 first round picks are from the ACC. In order of selection, Marvin Williams goes 2nd to the Atlanta Hawks; Chris Paul goes 4th to the New Orleans Hornets; Raymond Felton goes 5th to the Charlotte Bobcats; Sean May goes 13th to the Charlotte Bobcats joining Felton; Rashad McCants goes 14th to the Minnesota Timberwolves; Julius Hodge goes 20th to the Denver Nuggets; and Jarrett Jack goes 22nd to the Denver Nuggets. Only one second round pick from the ACC, Daniel Ewing goes 32nd to the LA Clippers.

Carolina fans have a lot to cheer about despite the upcoming season. We can go see the Bobcats and the Hawks play to watch Marvin, May and Felton. Charlotte probably had the most effective draft with Felton and May, not particularly for the talent acquired, but for the increase in ticket sales that is about to happen at the new stadium in Charlotte. Atlanta did good as well with future NBA superstar Marvin Williams and Arizona guard Salin Stoudamire.

Nine high school kids were taken today in the last draft allowing high school students to be drafted. Fourteen foreign players were taken as well. I know with this draft class I will be watching the NBA again. I have been team skipping for a while now. Phoenix for Barkley, then Vince Carter in Toronto, then the Nets for Vince, now I am going to toss it up between Atlanta and Charlotte, I need to see who fits me better. Hell I might route for both teams.

The Big Link XIV

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I Might As Well Bend Over And Grab My Ankles...

Today the Supreme Court ruled(pdf) that cities can take private property for public use. This is another stab at the middle class American, which I now consider an endangered species.

In this particular case, New London, CT fought owners of private property for their land to develop the city. The original case went all the way to the Connecticut Supreme Court, ending up in favor of the city. The appeal to the US Supreme Court today also upheld the ruling in favor of the city by a 5-4 margin. This case will open the door for all cities to take your property as long as they want to build the cities infastructure to build their capital gain with taxes.

Todays ruling is another in a string of attacks on middle class America and the civil liberties we once enjoyed. I will lay out a timeline for the past couple of weeks, covering the constitution raping the Bush Administration, Supreme Court and Congress have been partaking in.

Today-US Supreme Rules 5-4 in favor of cities in eminent domain and taking land for public use case.

6/20/05- Bush nominee Bolton is blocked again in Congress for appointment to UN. President Bush threatens "recess appointment", which will bypass any vote in Congress and give Bolton 18 months no matter what. Reuters reports here.

6/10/05- Rep. F James Sensenbrenner takes his gavel an goes home, abruptly ending a Judiciary Committee meeting on the USA Patriot Act. The Stakeholder has this blog report. Remember the name Sensenbrenner, your about to see it come up a couple of more times.

6/6/05- US Supreme Court rules against states rights in medical marijuana case, setting up the Dept of Justice to arrest terminally ill patients who smoke marijuana to alleviate pain. Reuters reports here. I have a dissenting view of the ruling here.

4/20/05- Sensenbrenner gets his HR685 Bankruptcy bill passed becoming public law 109-8.

4/4/05- Sensenbrenner and three other house reps(Pallone, Sabo and Berman) introduce HJ Res 24 to repeal the 22nd Amendment of the US Constitution. The 22nd Amendment is Presidential term limits. He is trying to set up Bush 3, officially making this country Communist Russia.

3/20/05- Sensenbrenner introduces HR1452, relief for the parents of Terry Schiavo act. This became law the following day.

1/26/05- Sensenbrenner introduces HR418, the Real Id Act. It has been attached to the Defense Appropriations Act(a must pass bill) and was passed unanimously without debate, becoming public law 109-13 on May 11th. I have dissenting views here, here, and here.

There's a lot more from Sensenbrenner, but I will close my list with this:

10/26/01- Sensenbrenner's USA Patriot Act is made public law 107-56. Introduced just 24 days earlier he changed the face of civil liberties in this country for the worse. When we allow or rights to be taken in order to fight the enemy we have let the enemy win.


I plan on keeping an eye on F James Sensenbrenner. He seems to be the scribe of all that is wrong with our Congress. The Supreme Court should be interesting as well, with Rehnquist on his way out. His replacement will shape the courts bias. The President, well you know how I feel about him, "I got my eyes on you Focker".
In the mean time, I will bend over and grab my ankles...waiting for all three branches of our government to come by and stick it to me good.

The Big Link XIII

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Been Busy

Sorry for the lack of posting folks. I've been slam busy with my painting business and it will continue like this for another week. I will be back and writing soon enough.

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Nerd Up

(via Mr Sun) A young Ed Cone speaks through Mr Sun. Interesting and funny stuff. Go check out Nerd Up.

Supreme Court Says No To Helping Cancer Patients

Today the Supreme Court rules(pdf file) that the Federal government can tell states no on medical marijuana. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that 3.1 million people use marijuana on a daily basis. This is not about abuse. This is about relieving pain and suffering for severely or terminally ill patients who can not function without the help of marijuana. Up until today, nine states allow doctors to prescribe or recommend marijuana as a treatment for their patients. The Federal government stomped on states rights once again. The Supreme Court was split on the decision, one I hope is appealed.

I once was a user in my early rocker days. I used it to get high. Once I grew up and got past this, I realized that it wasn't for me anymore. I do however advocate the legalization of marijuana for medical use, and yes personal use. It is no more dangerous then alcohol. It is most likely less dangerous. The use of law enforcement funds to try and stop the sale and possession of marijuana is absurd. President Jimmy Carter once said, "Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against the possession of marijuana in private for personal use." We could use our law resources more effectively. Maybe go catch those terrorist instead.

NORML is a non-profit group that has been trying to end marijuana prohibition for over 30 years. I have had phone conversations with their founder R Keith Stroup Esq. on several occasions, about several issues. He is no pot head. He is an intelligent individual, attorney, and in most cases no different then anyone else. His only difference is that he is fighting the fight for a group of individuals who are shunned by society. NORML has a ton of info on marijuana and it's good and bad points. I urge you all to go check it out.

Marijuana is not just for getting high. It's uses are broad. It can be used to make paper, rope, clothes, fuel for our cars that burns cleaner and it is a year around crop. It's medical use has been well documented and if we are for a "culture of life" then we would want patients to be comfortable in their living, wouldn't we?

What I think the big issue in Washington on marijuana is, is the effect on other industries in the US. Big lumber, big oil, pharmaceuticals and textiles. Plus, how would all the little beach towns keep themselves afloat if it wasn't for simple possession and drunk in public charges?

The bottom line is that: 1)criminal penalties for marijuana use causes more harm to individuals lives then the drug itself; 2)people are already using it and decriminalization would not increase the amount of people who use it, nor does having laws deter use; 3)we could use our law enforcement resources more wisely.

Before you all get to slamming my endorsement, let me say that I do not condone drug use. I'm not saying lets legalize drugs in general. Crack is bad, so are many other drugs. On the other hand, how many FDA pharmaceuticals could kill you in just one use? Yes a lot. I do not consider marijuana any different then alcohol. Alcohol was once in prohibition as well. I say legalize it, tax it, control it. Like everything else(except dying for your country) 21 and over for an age limit. There would be less problems with it legal then without.

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