Neutered

I guess this is what kind of men Blue State America is producing these days:

http://et.tv.yahoo.com/newslink/13964/

Nick Lachey Files for Spousal Support
February 17, 2006
ET has learned that NICK LACHEY has filed papers in L.A. Superior Court Friday
requesting spousal support from JESSICA SIMPSON in response to her divorce petition. Property assets and obligations have not been established yet in the proceedings.

I would just assume move to the mountains and live off the land before I would admit that I needed alimony from my "Sugar Mama". If I remember right, Lachey wasn't a jobless beach bum before he hooked up with Jessica. I guess he doesn't want to have to actually have to work for a living ever again.

There are better ways to avoid work than having to renounce your manhood. He could always get a job as a Logan County School Bus driver and file for permanent total disability and let the taxpayers pay his "alimony".

First sign of the Apocalypse - Gazette supporting LESS government?

When I read this editorial this morning, I had to glance at the URL just to make sure it said www.wvgazette.com instead of www.dailymail.com .

The headline alone nearly floored me:

RESAs
* No longer needed

Of course the Charleston Gazette editorial is a response to yesterday's revelation that bureaucrats have lost over $1 million dollars in one of these eight agencies.

RESA stands for Regional Educational Services Agency, and the entire state is broken down into eight regions. Eight RESA's exist and service the 55 county school systems as a layer of buracracy between the county school system and the WV Department of Education.

This wasteful layer is a major factor in why West Virginia can spend so much on education, and yet not have enough money left over to pay teachers (West Virginia teachers make less than teachers in 40 other states).

According to National Education Association, West Virginia ranks 18th in per enrolled pupil spending in the nation in 2003-2004. When spending is factored in with our 2004 per capita income, West Virginia spends the largest share of its per capita income spending in the nation per pupil. ($9,018 spending per enrolled pupil in 2003-04 and $25,681 per captia income in 2004 equals 35.12% per pupil spending of the state per capita income)

Vermont chimes in at second place spending 33.91 percent of its citizens per capita income on education per pupil. In other words, NO STATE SPENDS A LARGER PORTION OF ITS CITIZENS' INCOME ON EDUCATION THAN WEST VIRGINIA.

Getting rid of RESA is a good start, and bravo to the Gazette editorial page for getting this right.... for once.

In view of this ugly situation, it appears that West Virginia didn’t save
anything by creating regional school agencies. If the state must continue having
55 separate school administrations, they should be expected to work together
without an unnecessary level of bureaucracy between them.

We can have teacher pay raises without spending more or raising taxes.

Football Season is over...

Well, almost three months until the NFL draft. Congrats to all the Steeler fans in Morgantown and Wheeling, you finally have "One for the Thumb".

Here is my record of prognostication this past season:

PLAYOFFS: 6-5 Picking Winner, 5-6 vs. spread
REGULAR SEASON: 171-85 Picking Winner, 134-113-9 vs. spread
OVERALL: 177-90 Picking Winner, 139-119-9 vs. spread

SUPER BOWL XL

A few weeks ago when Big Ben saved the Bus from becoming the 21st Century reincarnation of Earnest Byner (Cleveland and Denver fans should get this reference) on what would have been the last carry in the future Hall of Famer's career, I knew destiny was on the side of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh will win and cover, and Dan Rooney will finally have one "for the thumb" after a 25 year wait - and I will have to hear it from my Wheeling and Morgantown friends for a full year.


FINAL SCORE

Pittsburgh 35
Seattle 24

MVP: Big Ben

Championship Sunday

Disclaimer: The following picks are for recreational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of gambling.

(Home team in CAPS)

LAST WEEK: ( 3-1 Picking Winner, 2-2 vs. spread)
PLAYOFFS: (3-5 Picking Winner, 2-6 vs. spread)
REGULAR SEASON: (171-85 Picking Winner, 134-113-9 vs. spread)

DENVER -3 Pittsburgh
STEELERS WIN AND COVER. I've been burned by Big Ben and the Bus two weeks in a row. Not this week.

SEATTLE -3½ Carolina
SEAHAWKS WIN AND COVER. Seahawks have had their act together all season, and risen to the occaision in every big game this season. Today will be no different.

NFL Divisional Playoffs

Disclaimer: The following picks are for recreational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of gambling. (Home team in CAPS)

LAST WEEK: (0-4 Picking Winner, 0-4 vs. spread)
REGULAR SEASON: (171-85 Picking Winner, 134-113-9 vs. spread)

Last week, I followed up a strong regular season by being the kiss of death to four teams. In Wild Card week, all four teams I picked lost and failed to cover the spread. Of course, three of four road teams (and underdogs) won. I was not alone in my bad week.

Saturday, Jan. 14
SEATTLE -9 Washington
SEAHAWKS WIN AND REDSKINS COVER. Seattle has too many ways to score.

DENVER -3 New England
BRONCOS WIN AND COVER. The champs reign ends here.

Sunday, Jan. 15
INDIANAPOLIS -8½ Pittsburgh
COLTS WIN AND COVER. Colts send the Bus into retirement.

CHICAGO -3 Carolina
PANTHERS WIN AND COVER. Panthers peaking at the right time. Bears hope that return of winter to Midwest can make the difference.

WILD CARD WEEKEND

LAST WEEK: (12-4 Picking Winner, 10-5-1 vs. spread)
REGULAR SEASON: (171-85 Picking Winner, 134-113-9 vs. spread)

Saturday, January 7th
TAMPA BAY -2 Washington
BUCS WIN AND COVER. Opponents almost mirror images of each other. Homefield advantage the deciding factor.

NEW ENGLAND -7½ Jacksonville
JAGS WIN AND COVER. Jacksonville pulls the stunner with the return of Leftwich.

Sunday, January 8th
NY GIANTS -2½ Carolina
GIANTS WIN AND COVER. Giants offensive firepower the difference.

Pittsburgh -3 CINCINNATI
BENGALS WIN AND COVER. Cincy fans have been waiting for this game for over a decade.

NFL Week 17

Disclaimer: The following picks are for recreational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of gambling. (Home team in CAPS)

LAST WEEK: (9-7 Picking Winner, 7-7-2 vs. spread)
SEASON: (159-81 Picking Winner, 124-108-8 vs. spread)

Saturday, Dec. 31, 2005
SAN DIEGO -9 Denver
CHARGERS WIN AND COVER. Since rolling over to Chiefs last week, this is the closest thing Chargers will get to a playoff game. With Cincy loss to Buffalo last week, Broncos have little reason to play starters more than a half.

N.Y. Giants -8 OAKLAND
GIANTS WIN AND COVER. My beloved Raiders end very forgettable season on low note. The Godfather needs to overhaul his roster in the off-season. (Hint- Trade up for Leinart or Bush)

Sunday, Jan. 1, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS -7 Arizona
COLTS WIN AND CARDINALS COVER. The real Colts team will show up in two weeks after their well-earned playoff bye. All-Manning Super Bowl looks to be in the works.

Baltimore -3 CLEVELAND
RAVENS WIN AND COVER. Normally, Cleveland would be expected to give it all against the "old Browns", but if they couldn’t show up in a home game against the Steelers, why expect this week to be any different. Raven offense has finally shown up in December, two months too late.

N.Y. JETS -4 Buffalo
JETS WIN AND COVER. Both teams 4-5 players away from being substantially better. Whoever has best off-season will be a playoff team next year.

Carolina -4 ATLANTA
PATHERS WIN AND COVER. Carolina locks up the Wild Card berth as Bucs win the NFC South.

MINNESOTA -3 Chicago
VIKINGS WIN AND COVER. Two teams on the rise in an exciting thriller. Vikings and Chargers are two best teams not making playoffs this season.

KANSAS CITY -2 Cincinnati
CHIEFS WIN AND COVER. Bengals cap a great regular season with a losing streak. This game would mean something if Cincy had not lost to the Bills. Cincy needs a little more defensive help in the front seven to be a Super Bowl team.

PITTSBURGH -17 Detroit
STEELERS WIN AND COVER. Pittsburgh earns a trip to Cincy with a win.

NEW ENGLAND -8 Miami
DOLPHINS WIN AND COVER. New England is locked into playoff spot, and Dolphins playing for next year. Saban has turned in an impressive performance with Dolphins this season.

TAMPA BAY -14 New Orleans
BUCS WIN AND SAINTS COVER. Tampa Bay in position to make a run for NFC Crown next season. Saints just happy to have 8 home games next year.

Houston -2 SAN FRANCISCO
TEXANS WIN AND COVER. The loser of this game is the real winner with a leg up on the Reggie Bush sweepstakes.

JACKSONVILLE -3 Tennessee
JAGUARS WIN AND COVER. Titans a long way from being Super anytime soon.

GREEN BAY -3 Seattle
PACKERS WIN AND COVER. Packers wanting a win for Farve in his last game. Seahawks playing to stay healthy for playoffs with home field clinched.

Washington -4 PHILADELPHIA
REDSKINS WIN AND COVER. Gibbs has finally regained control of his team and earns a wild card berth. Eagles wishing this were a road game as they must face the wrath of their fans for a very disappointing season.

DALLAS -12½ St. Louis
COWBOYS WIN AND COVER. This will be the “Tuna’s” last game as a head coach, as Cowboys lose playoff berth on tiebreaker to Washington.