One of my favorite new road trip activities is to tune into local talk radio stations as I drive through different areas of the country. With the recruitment season taking me to Cincinnati again this year, I knew I was going to have the opportunity to pass through rural Indiana and Ohio, which always leads to great talk radio. Freaky, scary, bigoted talk radio, but still entertaining in a weird kind of way. Luckily there’s a Cincy-area station that carries Air America, or I would have been forced to ride in complete silence.

Of course, the most popular conversation on both conservative and liberal stations has been President Clinton’s interview with Fox News that apparently showed the world how rage-filled the 42nd POTUS really is. Personally, I thought it was awesome. I know Bill threatened the very core of our country by having sexual relations 8 years ago with a woman not named Hillary, but his ability to actually stand up for himself in the face of the Fascist News Channel was nothing short of inspiring. Sure, he poked a cowardly, wannabe reporter in the knee. I saw that and I thought to myself, “wow, if I’m getting out-smarted and out-witted on my turf, the last thing I want is for the guy to step it up and poke me.” I hate when a person rubs in their higher ground by doing something like that. But that Wallace… he just chilled out and let the President continue with his venting. He’s a trooper.

Of course, we probably should be paying attention to the anger a former President showed on a cable news interview where he was asked questions purposefully meant to agitate him instead of the fact that a report was put together in April by our intelligence agencies that clearly points out that the invasion of Iraq has made the United States less safe than before the war. A report that was “leaked” by someone in the current President’s own freaking administration. All while enemy combatants are stripped of their rights as Prisoners of War in weak-kneed political bullying labeled as compromise so congressmen and women can go on break with a clear conscious and a happy electorate.

Instead, let’s talk about how angry Bill Clinton is and how he didn’t do enough to prevent 9/11. That’s productive.

See the Clinton interview for yourself:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3 (not as exciting)
 Keith Olbermann says it all.

I’ve been struggling with something to write concerning world affairs and the significance of Monday and everything that has happened in the last 5 years, but putting together an honest reflection has been somewhat challenging.  So, instead of putting together something of my own, I point you to the slacktivist… a somewhat liberal, Christian blog I read.

The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, were intended to kill a lot of innocent people, and they did, but all that hideous death was meant to serve a larger intention — “to influence an audience.” Specifically, they were meant to scare us and to keep us scared.

This was a gamble on al-Qaida’s part. They were gambling that the America of the early 21st century, George W. Bush’s America, was populated by a much weaker breed than was the America of the 20th century, FDR’s America. Bin Laden surely remembered that Imperial Japan had tried this same gambit — the devastating sneak attack meant to demoralize — back in 1941, and that it hadn’t worked out very well. But he was gambling that Americans nowadays were made of flimsier stuff.

And for the past five years, our so-called leaders have been tripping over themselves to prove bin Laden was right. From color-coded “terror alerts,” to duct-tape panics, to the fetishizing of “security,” to the idea that the Constitution, due process, legal warrants and the Geneva Conventions are “quaint” relics unsuited to these insecure times, our leaders have been working hand in hand with al-Qaida to make us scared and keep us scared.

(Get the full post here)

It’s an honest read and one that I completely agree with.

Let’s make a list of things that don’t go together…

Fish and the desert.

The Amish and electricity.

Meat and vegetarians.

Dave and yoga.

Well, one of these unlikely bedfellows met today. Take a guess.

If you’ve met me, you’re probably reacting one of two ways right now. You are most likely either a) falling out of your chair laughing; or b) picking your jaw up off of the floor. Regardless, we did yoga today as a staff to help us prepare for life on the road for the next couple of months. What made it even better was the fact that I forgot clothes to do said yoga in, leaving me in my button down shirt and slacks. That was fantastic.

Even though I quickly learned that yoga is not for me, I will point out that the cute yoga instructor did tell me that I had a great triangle. I’m not sure what that means, but I think that was her way of telling me that she loved me. I may have to go back for a second class.

I’m feeling the burn in musceles I ddin’t even know existed…

The summer volleyball leagues have come to a close and the North Ave bus no longer runs all the way to the beach. Somehow while I was off thinking about how to enjoy the summer, the season itself slipped through my fingers, leaving me perplexed and confused as to where it went. I mean, I love fall just as much as the next guy, but 2 weeks of 90+ degree weather does not a summer make. There were plans to go camping! My friends are weak! They won’t join me on a camping trip with weather under 70 degrees! They’re frail.

Regardless, as the Indians tear up the rest of the season in an effort to save face and build momentum for next year (just so they can let us all down again), the college football season has kicked off (HA!) and brought back the hope of a national title for all of the Buckeye faithful. We read the stats - every time the Bucks get ranked 1st in the preseason polls, they somehow stumble on their way to fulfilling that expectation. We watch the news to make sure a key player doesn’t get suspended for a game or arrested by campus security (still keeping my fingers crossed). We deflect the hate and embrace the target that gets placed on Brutus’ back. The Scarlet and Gray begins to flow through my body again and I get all giddy like a little kid the night before Christmas.

“What will the season hold?!” I keep myself awake thinking about the possibilities that lay ahead. A tough game in Texas next weekend with the opportunity to truly earn that No. 1 ranking, but making sure to keep an eye on the present and not looking past NIU.

I keep looking outside and realizing that it is gorgeous outside, and here I am.. inside… refusing to step away from the television. This is what football does to me. In full disclosure, during halftime, I flipped to the US Open to catch up on tennis. I just needed a few minutes of non-football and I attribute that to poor conditioning in the off-season.

GO BUCKS!