Latino Muslim Community On The Rise In U.S. tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6812 2010-03-10T07:40:07Z 2010-03-10T09:42:00Z American Muslims have faced almost a decade of post-9/11 negative stereotyping, and Latinos, subject to anti-immigration backlash, have come to see them as a fellow 'minoritized' community.

]]> Jason Ma American Muslims have faced almost a decade of post-9/11 negative stereotyping, and Latinos, subject to anti-immigration backlash, have come to see them as a fellow 'minoritized' community.

]]> With last month's premiere of El Clon -- a Telemundo soap opera about a Muslim girl caught in a love triangle with a man and his genetically engineered clone -- viewers curious about Islam will find a growing number of Latino Muslims at whom to direct their questions.

The show perpetuates some stereotypes of Islam, but Hjamil Martínez-Vázquez, an assistant professor of religion at Texas Christian University, thinks it will spark interest among Latinos and compel Latino Muslims to explain to family and friends what the telenovela gets wrong about their faith.

"[Islam] will be out there," Martínez-Vázquez said in a phone interview.

It wouldn't be the first time misconceptions create interest in Islam among Latinos. The religion has been growing rapidly in the Latino community since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which prompted many to learn more about Islam beyond the negative media portrayals, he said.

As American Muslims have faced almost a decade of post-9/11 negative stereotyping, Latinos, subject to an anti-immigration backlash, have come to see them as a fellow "minoritized" community, he said.

"You share that common marginalization," said Martínez-Vázquez, who wrote a book about Latino Muslims that was published in January.

In "Latina/o y Musulmán: The Construction of Latina/o Identity among Latina/o Muslims in the United States," he says the Latino Muslim population is one of the fastest growing communities in the country. Definitive numbers aren't available, but estimates range from 25,000 to 200,000. Martínez-Vázquez puts the number closer to 75,000 to 100,000.

Learning about Islam outside the mass media's filter, some Latinos discovered they preferred it to the religion they grew up with, which was usually Roman Catholicism. Lorena Elkhalafawi, who grew up in Paraguay, was living in New York on 9/11.

"I wanted to know what these kind of people are," she said. "I started searching."

She was raised a Catholic, then later converted to Protestantism, she said. But she still had a lot of questions, including whom to pray to if Jesus Christ and God were both God. But instead of getting an explanation, she was told to just believe. Islam encouraged her to ask questions, and she preferred its teachings on the unity of God and Christ's status as a prophet. 

"It made more sense to me," she said.

In 2002 Elkhalafawi became a Muslim. She moved to Southern California three years ago and attends the Masjid Omar ibn Al-Khattab every Sunday for meetings of the Los Angeles Latino Muslim Association, or LALMA.

The rational engagement that attracted her to Islam is something that other Latino Muslims cite. Many LALMA members appreciate the Quran as a guide for daily ethical behavior, said Jacqueline Hidalgo, a PhD candidate at Claremont Graduate University who studied LALMA meetings for six months and interviewed attendees.

"The Quran had teachings that were common sense," Hidalgo said. 

Latinas particularly have been drawn to Islam more than men, partly because of positive experiences they've had with Muslim men, Elkhalafawi said. She said she knows some Latinas who had bad experiences with overly macho Latino husbands and boyfriends and later met Muslim men who were more respectful toward them.

She's married to an Egyptian man, whom she first met at an Islamic school during Eid, a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. A friend introduced them to each other for professional reasons because he was an accountant and she was studying accounting, she said.

Elkhalafawi said the notion that Islam oppresses women comes from the cultural traditions of certain Muslim countries, not from Islam itself. The problem, she said, is when people get culture and religion mixed up. 

Marta Felicitas Ramirez de Galedary, who started LALMA in 1999, said women consistently show up for Sunday afternoon meetings, which generally draw about 20 people -- only three to four of whom are men.

She said Latinas are more religiously minded than the men are, regardless of the faith. As an example, she noted that Latina mothers tend be in charge of religious matters in the family.

"My mother is the one who took me to church," said Galedary, who was raised a Roman Catholic.

Martínez-Vázquez said among the reasons why more Latinas are becoming Muslim is that some women marry Muslims and convert. But more important, he said, is that women are going to college and coming into contact with Muslim students. Latinas also are open to Islam because women lead many Latino Muslim groups around the country.

Latinas also meet Muslims in everyday encounters, like going to work, shopping, running into a neighbor, and picking up their kids at school and talking to a Muslim parent, Galedary said.

El Clon is a Spanish-language remake of a Brazilian soap opera that first aired in 2001. The Brazilian show was then dubbed in Spanish and aired a year later across the Spanish-speaking world. Because of the original show's widespread popularity, the remake, which was produced specifically for Spanish speakers, was greatly anticipated.

Elkhalafawi remembered visiting relatives and friends in Paraguay several years ago after she became Muslim. People had been watching the dubbed version of the show and were curious about her new faith.

She had to explain to some people that she doesn't belly dance, which was a prominent feature on the show. But she was pleasantly surprised when others said to her, "salaam alaikum."

]]> Franz Kafka's "The Bus Pass" tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6934 2010-03-10T05:27:23Z 2010-03-10T08:31:15Z Sometimes the first step to going green is as easy as cutting the red tape.]]> Hillel Aron Sometimes the first step to going green is as easy as cutting the red tape.]]>
Creative Commons Licensed (Metro Library and Archive)
I'm one of the few Angelenos who gets around primarily by bus or bike. It's not because of some Luddite impulse or because of a "really trippy" summer spent on a commune in Santa Cruz. It's mostly because parking on campus is so expensive and because driving in Los Angeles is about as much fun as a kick in the pants.

Those who leave their cars in their driveways are a prized demographic in the Southland. It seems as if there's no amount of money local government won't spend to get more people to act like me. Voters passed a sales-tax hike in 2008 raising an estimated $40 billion over the next 30 years. LA County's Metropolitan Transportation Authority has received about $607 million in stimulus money so far. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa just returned from a three day trip to Washington to lobby federal officials for more money to build out the city's mass transit infrastructure.

Part of the sweetener to persuade folks like you and me to take the bus is a $36 student-discount fare for monthly passes. With about 20 colleges and universities in the greater Los Angeles area, students using mass transit means more than a few cars taken off the streets. You'd think with so much money invested, Metro would do everything possible to encourage college students to take the bus.

You'd be wrong.

My experience is that getting a student bus pass from Metro is a process similar to that of getting clearance to launch nuclear missiles or handle a gun around the Pope. It's a case study in all that is wrong with bureaucracy -- from the confusing and arbitrary rules to the endless wait for something that should be handled in minutes, not weeks. Considering that fares and passes only cover about 22 percent of what it costs to run L.A. busses, trains and subways, improving the customer's experience is a small step to take in order to get that number up.

All student passes begin with this form. Take a look at it and you'll notice some peculiarities. For one, a pass requires a photograph. Not just a digital printout, but one that "must be on photo paper, not photocopy paper." The dimensions are rather specific as well, "2" x 2" or 1" x 1¼." Unless you happen to have a photo studio in your home, this means a trip to the local Rite-Aid and about $9 for a set of passport photos. Tack on the $1 processing fee required to submit the form, and you've just spent the equivalent of eight bus rides on the application alone.

The photo is ostensibly to prevent someone who isn't you from using your pass, but here's the kicker: I ride the bus about 10 times each week and not once have I shown the bus driver my pass. Because MTA busses and subways use radio-frequency cards, one just taps his or her entire wallet against a sensor and boards.

The application also requires special documentation to prove you're entitled for the discount, ($36 instead of the normal $62). These include a class print-out that "must be stamped by the registrar's office" or a "letter on school letterhead containing the original signature of a school official." Even though a valid student ID is all you need to get you $800 off a copy of Adobe Photoshop, it's not good enough to get you on an LA County bus.

Even after I submitted my photos, got my official proof of enrollment and stood in line for an hour to turn the forms in, it still took eight weeks before I received my bus pass in the mail. But patience is a virtue that doesn't go unrewarded at Metro. In the subsequent weeks, I was mailed an additional four bus passes. At two bucks each for a TAP card, I have sitting on my desk $8 worth of Metro's $251.3 million deficit.

There's an easy fix that I cordially invite Metro to steal from me. USC already has the equipment necessary on campus to load bus passes onto a TAP card. I assume other colleges and universities do too, but just in case they don't, one can load a bus pass onto a TAP card at hundreds of places across L.A. County (most Ralph's have the equipment, for example).

Here's the solution: make it so that one can go into any of these places that sell passes and load a discounted fare onto a regular TAP card after showing a valid student ID. Doing this incurs only the negligible cost of reprogramming those fare machines. Further more, it ends up saving Metro money by allowing the employees that previously reviewed and processed applications to do other things.

You might say this will lead to more fraud with people forging student ID's or using expired ones to get a discounted pass. That's probably true, but consider how many dollars are lost by people overwhelmed by the current process who decide to forego mass transit altogether. Furthermore, even if some people are stiffing Metro for $26 a month, taxpayers will pay an expected $885 million next fiscal year to fund Metro's operations regardless of whether you've ever set foot on a bus. This makes any loss to that kind of fraud a drop in the bucket. With a paltry 26 percent fare box recovery ratio assumed for next year, anything that can drive up demand and create more customers for Metro is desperately needed to maintain the system's current level of service.

There are a lot of good things to be said about L.A.'s mass transit system. Having lived in both Sacramento and the Bay Area, I've found that Metro can get you to more places in less time than the bus systems of either region. But sometimes the bureaucratic inertia that comes with being the only game in town blinds an agency to the needs and desires of its customers. That's a shame because more people on busses means less traffic and cleaner air for everyone. For all the city of Los Angeles is doing to promote environmentally-friendly transportation, it should understand that sometimes the first step to going green is as easy as cutting the red tape.

Stan Oklobdzija is a first year Masters student in the School of Policy, Planning and Development.
]]> Confessions Of A Local Musician tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6933 2010-03-10T03:55:07Z 2010-03-10T09:09:51Z Los Angeles musician Matt Miller is singing his way through the wannabes of Hollywood, inspired by the blues and classic rock. Holly Butcher https://twitter.com/HollyKristaB Los Angeles musician Matt Miller is singing his way through the wannabes of Hollywood, inspired by the blues and classic rock.
Matt Miller of Los Angeles band Graydon
(Michelle Davies)

Los Angeles - Welcome to the City of Wannabes. 

Certainly most inhabitants of this golden town have big ideas and even bigger ambitions, be they actors, directors, writers, musicians or artists. But with the entertainment industry being hit hard by the tough economy, how are those living on the brink of stardom in this city faring the hostile climate?

Matt Miller, a 26-year-old Virginia native, considers his journey as a musician in L.A. so far "so lucky." Prior to his current role as lead singer and guitarist for local band, Graydon, he performed as a solo artist. 

"I'd been out here in L.A. for a couple of years and made a couple of records, and I met some other musicians around town," he said. "I think we just got lucky; it was kind of a natural thing. I was doing a show just with my own music, and I put a band together to play behind me. At the first rehearsal, we just clicked and decided to give it a shot."

As the frontman for Graydon, Miller's energy is upbeat and positive, and there's a real hunger for knowledge. A history major from American University, Miller grew up listening to the golden age of rock legends. 

"There was always music playing around the house," he said. "My dad was sort of a dead-head and he always listened to the Beatles, Rolling Stones and blues music while I was growing up. My dad also plays the guitar, so I think it kind of started from there." 

His choice to pursue music as a career led him to L.A. after graduation, coupled with his ambition and love for travel. 

"I was chasing the dream out on the East Coast and DC was a dead zone for me, like it is for most arts," Miller said. "So I met a producer and it was either going to be New York or L.A. that I was going to move to. I've been to New York a lot and I flew to LA to visit a friend, stayed a week. By the time the week was over, I'd signed a lease and went back and told everybody, packed up my car and two weeks later, I was here." 

With choppy black hair (modeled on Keith Richards nonetheless), a cool wardrobe and an affable personality, it's hard not to notice Miller straight-off. He strives to make a good impression, and you can't help but like his confident personality, which is intertwined with humility and a refreshing lack of pretension. What more, his enthusiasm for music and rock'n'roll is certainly visible, as is his desire to be among the greats. 

"I kind of hesitate to say this, but we have been described as somewhere between the Black Keys and the Beatles," Miller said. "We've definitely got that blues edge, but we're definitely making a conscious effort to make our own sound."

Sitting on a sofa in the legendary Swinghouse Studios in Hollywood, Miller shows off the plaques on the walls where bands like Sugar Ray, Goo Goo Dolls and The Fray have previously recorded their albums that went on to international success. Most rising stars may be phased when seated in that place that has produced some big names, but Miller only reinforces his musical passion and ambition. 

"I think the most important thing is that we in the band all have so much perspective, none of us are delusional. There's so much delusion in music, I mean, look at American Idol!" He said. "I'm out at shows every night; we're all out at shows, we realize there are four to five bands in every venue of every town in the entire United States. We can't get caught up in that. I think the thing that is so great about this project that I've found, as opposed to anything I've ever done before, is that it's so much fun."

So is the wait for stardom worth it in the end? 

Miller is quick to respond: "We have such a great time and we love it. I think a lot of bands and musicians feel like they have to struggle to make it, and it's not about that for us. For us, it's about the shows. If anyone comes to our shows, they realize it's fun; it's a party; it's a good time."

Miller's own admission is that his music consists predominantly of upbeat songs about love. I found however, that the unique quality of Graydon's music lie in Miller's own voice and the catchy chorus lines, both of which lend to a revamped Beatles-esque sound for the new generation of rock'n'rollers. 

"Remember in the 90s when Nirvana and Pearl Jam came out, it was like a rebellion against the 80s, against all the excess and the big hair?" Miller asks. "Now, we have hip hop - the economy's down, people don't have as much money, they don't want to hear about people rapping about their expensive cars! I feel that now is the time that people are going to get back to the real music, not delusions of grandeur. Some sort of revolution is going to happen for music, and hopefully we'll be at the forefront of it."

Miller's confidence is certainly not misplaced. Having only formed a year ago, Graydon has already managed to achieve more than many other bands that have been around much longer. 

Graydon has been booked for a six-show residency over two months at the iconic Hotel Café in Hollywood beginning January 2010. They'll be releasing their first album in April. 

Miller's eyes light up with excitement when discussing Graydon's upcoming plans: "Hotel Café is a really big beginning to the year, and then with the album being released, I really think it's is going to be a good year!"
]]> Chilean Earthquake Not Getting Same Attention As Haitian Quake tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6932 2010-03-10T03:03:24Z 2010-03-10T08:26:42Z Kevin Patra
The Basilica del Salvador was damaged in the earthquake of 1985,
 the 2010 quake just about finished the job. (Creative Commons licensed) While the earthquake that slammed Chile almost two weeks ago was 500 times stronger than the one that devastated Haiti last month, much more American funding, celebrity attention and news media has been directed towards the Haiti disaster.

According to the Christian Science Monitor, there were 2,596 news articles written within the first 48 hours after the Haitian earthquake, and only 400 after the Chilean one. In addition, $3.9 million of World Vision U.S. aid came to Haiti in the first 48 hours, and only $220,000 to Chile in the same amount of time.

The Haitian disaster received much more attention when its earthquake was a magnitude 7.0, and the Chilean earthquake measured 8.8, the 5th largest ever recorded on a seismograph, and moved the entire capital city of Conceopcion 10 feet to the West.

But magnitude was only one factor in the amount of damage done and deaths caused in both countries. The death toll for the Haitian earthquake thus far is around 200,000, and that of the Chilean earthquake is still counting in the hundreds.

Chile, with strict building codes, a wealthier population and experience with past earthquakes, was much more prepared for such a disaster. In Haiti, building codes are rarely evaluated, and corruption and poverty further contribute to citizen's lack of knowledge or ability to protect themselves from earthquakes.

Haiti's weak economy is one of the underlying problems that, above all else, prevents citizens from demanding better building codes and the country from enforcing them.

Haiti is ranked 168 on the worldwide corruption index (higher numbers indicating more corruption), with Chile at 25. Haiti has 80 percent of its population below the poverty line, whereas Chile has 18.2 percent.

As Time Magazine reported, the hope is that Haiti will improve its own ability to prepare for and withstand such disasters with the large amount of aid money it is receiving.

"The Chilean example will encourage donors to make the case that this is an opportunity to do things differently in Haiti--and do them right for a change," Michael Sifter, vice president at the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington D.C., told Time.

More information on this story:

· Christian Science Monitor breaks down the comparison of Chile and Haiti to just the numbers.

· Time Magazine's Tim Padgett reports on why Chile is better able to withstand an earthquake than Haiti.

· Collin Stark, a CNN Opinion writer, explains how the movement of tectonic plates can help predict earthquakes, giving countries a chance to prepare in advance, but touched on some of the reasons Haiti was ill-equipped to do so.

· James Joyner, of "Outside the Beltway" comments on the need for Haiti to improve its earthquake stability--but first its economy must improve.

· Betsy Mason of Wired Science explores the scientific significance of the massive Chile earthquake.

· The Infrastructurist, a site about construction, takes an in-depth look at the particulars of seismic design for buildings, explaining why Haiti's buildings were much more vulnerable than Chile's.

]]> Failing Schools Face Major Changes tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6929 2010-03-10T02:48:34Z 2010-03-10T06:08:04Z <b><font color="#ff1493">LISTEN:</font> </b> California schools ranked as the lowest five percent of the state's persistently low-achieving schools will be required to execute an intervention model to receive any new federal money.


]]> Shannon Pence <b><font color="#ff1493">LISTEN:</font> </b> California schools ranked as the lowest five percent of the state's persistently low-achieving schools will be required to execute an intervention model to receive any new federal money.


]]>
LISTEN:The lowest-performing schools will be required by state and federal laws to carry out one of the four intervention models that will result in major changes. Such changes could include, closing and sending students to a nearby school, firing all staff and rehiring no more than half, becoming a charter school, or, at the very least, replacing the principal, unless there was a recent leadership change. Los Angeles Unified School District plans to fire all staff at Fremont High School in South L.A. because it has continually shown low-performance. Although this comes with much protest from teachers and students, Larry Picus, a professor at USC's Rossier School of Education, said being targeted for improvements sometimes works. Shirin Parsavand has more on these changes and what they mean for low-performing schools already plagued with drastic budget cuts.




Click to hear more stories from Annenberg Radio News. ]]> Biden Travels To Israel Amid Increasing Controversy tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6930 2010-03-10T01:59:53Z 2010-03-10T04:26:59Z Kevin Patra Vice President Joe Biden pledged the United States' total commitment to Israel's security on Tuesday, claiming that the bond between the two nations was unshakable.

Biden arrived in Israel on Monday for a five-day trip that he hopes will help mediate talks between Israelis and Palestinians. His visit comes during a time when the Obama administration has been receiving much criticism for its lack of effort in the peace process, according to the Washington Post.

Israel and Palestinian leaders agreed to start indirect negotiations on Monday, the first peace talks between the two sides in more than a year. But both are still skeptical that the other will actually be willing to compromise.

More skepticism came Tuesday when Israel announced the building of 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem.

The move is "the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now," Biden said. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in east Jerusalem."

The timing of the announcement runs counter to Biden's objectives in Israel and complicates the negotiations.

"With such an announcement, how can you build trust?" said Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator. "It's a really disastrous situation. I hope that this will be an eye-opener for all in the international community about the need to have the Israeli government stop such futile exercises."

But Biden's visit may also have other purposes, particularly to keep "Israeli support for the U.S.-led effort to curtail Iran's nuclear program through economic and political pressure, rather than military action," said the L.A. Times.

On Monday, Biden's first visit was to Israeli President Shimon Peres's Jerusalem home. Peres spoke openly about the U.S.'s role in Middle East peace agreements.

"The United States should lead the Iranian policy," Peres said. "There is nobody else in the world."

Peres also asked for the international community to give more support to Palestinian institutions. He told Biden that the building of a state should not be "exclusive of negotiation."

But Peres said he disagreed with the Palestinians on what to start working on first and warned that focusing on the border issue first could upend talks altogether.

Regardless of the road bumps, Biden's visit will continue the rest of the week. He is expected to give a speech at Tel Aviv University, as well as meet with Palestinian, Jordanian and Israeli leaders.

]]> Men's Basketball Pac-10 Tournament Preview tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6926 2010-03-09T17:41:34Z 2010-03-09T19:06:46Z Shotgun Spratling http://blueworkhorse.com
Jerome Randle is the Pac-10 Player of the Year and a major key to victory for Cal.
(Creative Commons)

The Pacific Life Pac-10 men's basketball Tournament begins Thursday night at Staples Center with California as the prohibitive favorite.

There a few important differences between this tournament and the ones held in the past. Instead of two opening round games, there will be just one, and, instead of last year's champions trying to fend off their rivals on the court, the USC Trojans will have to buy a ticket or watch on television because of self-imposed sanctions to the program.

Even without the local Trojans, the tournament will assuredly be action-packed as the nine teams competing have battled each other throughout the season in one of the tighest conference races in the country.

The Neon Tommy Sports staff previews the tournament below, including record, key players, recent play and tournament outlooks for each team. USC coach Kevin O'Neill was also gracious enough to take the time to discuss each of the teams.

1. Cal Golden Bears

Coach: Mike Montgomery (2nd season)
Record: 21-9 (13-5)

Players to Watch: PG Jerome Randle (senior), SG Patrick Christopher (senior)
Signature Wins: Arizona State (twice), Pacific, Murray State
 
Coach's Keys: "Their biggest two strengths, to me, are veteran players and shooting. I think they're a really, really good shooting team. It looks like they're playing their best basketball of the year right now. So I think they're a legitimate team." - USC coach Kevin O'Neill

Coming In: The Golden Bears have won their last four games going into the tournament. The team has only suffered two losses dating back to the start of February.

Outlook: Cal enters as the No. 1 seed and is considered the tournament favorite. A solid core of seniors that includes Randle, Christopher, Jamal Boykin and Theo Robertson headlines the roster.

Randle leads the Golden Bears with 18.7 points per game and was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year Monday. He is one of the toughest players in the conference to stop. He is quick, elusive and once he gets hot...watch out. Randle can also salt the game away by making free throws at the end of the game. He is shooting nearly 93 percent from the line this season.

Cal presently ranks 20th in RPI, but has no wins against top-50 teams. The Bears will rely heavily on 3-point shooting from Randle and Christopher throughout the tournament. With an undersized frontcourt, Cal will use its speed and outside shooting to carry them through the tournament.

2. Arizona State Sun Devils

Coach: Herb Sendek (4th season)
Record: 22-9 (12-6)

Players to Watch: PG Derek Glasser (senior), SG Ty Abbott (junior), C Eric Boateng (senior)
Signature Wins: San Diego State, Washington
 
Coach's Keys: "Arizona State plays great zone [defense]. They're playing great basketball right now...They have veteran players and shooting. They, to me, have, along with Cal, the best shooting in the league." - USC coach Kevin O'Neill

Coming In: The Sun Devils have been on a roll lately, winning four of their last five games; including wins over USC, UCLA and Arizona.  

Outlook: Coach O'Neill is right. Arizona State is wicked from beyond the arc. The Sun Devils lead the Pac-10 not only in 3-pointers made, 8.2 per game, but also in 3-point percentage, 37.1 percent. Amazingly, they have four starters -- Glasser, Abbott, Rihards Kuksiks and Jamelle McMillan -- shooting over 37 percent from downtown.

The Sun Devils aren't just about offense, though. Their zone defense has been highly effective this season. Arizona State allows the second-fewest points per game in the conference, 58.1, and limits opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the field. If Herb Sendek's squad has a weakness, it's rebounding. They're at the bottom of the Pac-10 in that department. 

Cal has been a thorn in Arizona State's side this season, beating them in both regular season games. If they square off again in the Pac-10 finale, look for a closely contested game, but a similar result. An appearance in the championship game may be enough to secure an NCAA Tournament at-large bid though.

3. Washington Huskies

Coach: Lorenzo Romar (7th season)
Record: 21-9 (11-7)

Players to Watch: F Quincy Pondexter (senior), G Isaiah Thomas (soph.), F Matt Bryan-Amaning (junior)
Signature Wins: Texas A&M, Cal, Portland
 
Coach's Keys: "Washington has great, great talent. They can score in bunches against you. They've got great quickness. I think they're a team that, if they're on a roll, shooting the ball and playing in transition, they're going to be tough to beat." - USC coach Kevin O'Neill

Coming In: The Huskies closed their season with a four-game winning streak. They are 4-6 on the road.

Outlook: The Huskies come into the Pac-10 Tournament as the No. 3 seed and will face No. 6 Oregon State. The game will be a rematch of the season finale, when Washington beat the Beavers with Bryan-Amaning leading the way with a double-double.

Bryan-Amaning has come on strong at the end of the season, scoring in double figures in seven of the final eight games, but how well this team does depends on the play of Pondexter. The 6'6" senior is second in the conference in scoring, averaging 20.2 points per game.

The Huskies must keep Pondexter and point guard Isaiah Thomas hot and play through their two stars in order to succeed. Both players are solid passers who do a good job of penetrating and dishing. The Huskies will also need to play more consistent team defense than they have shown at times this season.

A trip to the tournament championship game is most likely needed to get the Huskies an at-large bid, but they would prefer to just cut down the Staples Center nets and take the automatic bid.

4. Arizona Wildcats

Coach: Sean Miller (1st season)
Record: 16-14 (10-8)

Players to Watch: PG Nic Wise (senior), PF Derrick Williams (fresh.), G Kyle Fogg (soph.)
Signature Wins: Cal, Arizona State, Louisiana Tech
 
Coach's Keys: "Arizona [has a] veteran point guard in Nic Wise. Jamelle Horne's a guy who's played a lot of minutes for a lot of years and [they have] really good young players. Derrick Williams, to me, is the unmitigated rookie of the year in the league. Without question." - USC coach Kevin O'Neill

Coming In: After losing five of six, Arizona finished the season with wins over UCLA and a double-overtime thriller against USC.

Outlook: Arizona is a dangerous team. They have three guys - Wise, Williams and Fogg - who can go for 20 points on any given night, giving them arguably the most diversified offense in the Pac-10. As potent as they are on offense, the Wildcats allow the most points per game in the conference, 71.9, and have a hard time getting defensive stops when they need them.

Defense and a lack of quality non-conference wins are concerns for 'Zona, but first-year coach Sean Miller has had success in the past in the NCAA tournament, which bodes well for the Wildcats' Pac-10 tournament chances. So does Arizona's schedule.

They open against UCLA, a team they swept this season. Expect Fogg, who has averaged 25.5 points per game against the Bruins this season, to shoot lights out and spur the 'Cats to victory. 

If they advance past UCLA, the Wildcats will likely play Cal, the cream of the Pac-10. Arizona has appeared in 25 straight NCAA tournaments. Anything less than a Pac-10 championship will see that streak end.

5. Oregon State Beavers

Coach: Craig Robinson (2nd season)
Record: 14-16 (8-10)

Players to Watch: SF Seth Tarver (senior), SG Calvin Haynes (junior)
Signature Wins: Cal, Arizona (twice), South Dakota
 
Coach's Keys: "Their strength appears to be their 1-3-1 zone and their depth. They have experience. They have a lot of guys that have played a lot of minutes. As freshmen they may have got their ass kicked and all that. But they're guys that have been through the wars and are hardened, tough Pac-10 players." - USC coach Kevin O'Neill

Coming In: Oregon State has won four of their last seven, including a win over top-seeded Cal, and wins at Arizona and USC.

Outlook: Oregon State faces a tough task in defeating Washington, a team that has had their number this season. The Huskies have won the last six matchups and 10 of the last 12 meetings between the two teams.

Washington's desire to speed up the tempo and push the ball on the break has given the Beavers trouble this season. Craig Robinson's squad would prefer to set up their 1-3-1 zone defense, rather than matching up man-to-man in transition.

While Seth Tarver, the Pac-10's Defensive Player of the Year, can guard just about anyone on the court, the rest of the Oregon State team doesn't have the athleticism to otherwise match up.

Don't count the Beavers out though. They will likely be in any game they play. They tend to take teams right down to the wire, having lost only one conference contest by more than 12 points. The Beavers will have to control the tempo as they don't have the offensive weapons that other teams possess -- only Calvin Haynes is a legitimate scoring threat.

6. UCLA Bruins

Coach: Ben Howland (7th season)
Record: 13-17 (8-10)

Players to Watch: F Tyler Honeycutt (fresh.), PG Macolm Lee (soph.)
Signature Wins: Cal, Arizona State, Washington
 
Coach's Keys: "If you don't shoot well against their zone, they can beat you. They're a team that scores the ball pretty well. And they're playing at home, they're playing in L.A. So that's always a big help." - USC coach Kevin O'Neill

Coming In: After previously winning four of five games, the Bruins have dropped six of their last eight, including three in a row.

Outlook: UCLA is holding out hope that they might find the magic of years past and run the table at the Pac-10 Tournament to punch their ticket to the Big Dance. In order to beat Arizona in their opening game, UCLA must stop Kyle Fogg and Jamelle Horne from receiving open looks and must keep Nic Wise from penetrating the Bruins' 2-3 zone.

If the Bruins get by Arizona, that would set up a potential semi-final matchup with Cal, a team they split the regular season series with.

The Bruins are also building toward next year as they try to get the maximum number of minutes for their young players in hopes that it will pay dividends in the upcoming seasons. UCLA hopes to have the services of rugged freshman forward Reeves Nelson, who missed the last four games following an eye injury suffered against Washington, in the tournament.

7. Stanford Cardinal

Coach: Johnny Dawkins (2nd season)
Record: 13-17 (7-11)

Players to Watch: SF Landry Fields (senior)
Signature Wins: Virginia, USC
 
Coach's Keys: "It's going to require a complete team effort, because we do not possess the depth at some positions that other teams in this conference do. For us, our ability to execute defensively while controlling tempo is a big key. In the games that we have won down the stretch, we have played very well defensively." - Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins

Coming In: Stanford has lost three straight games coming into the tournament after having won three of four prior.

Outlook: The Cardinal, like much of the Pac-10, have had a down year. Stanford is a combined 0-6 against California, Arizona and Arizona State this season. That statistic does not bode well heading into the tournament.

Senior Landry Fields has been a lone bright spot for the Cardinal, leading the conference in points per game and coming in second in rebounds. He also leads Stanford in blocks and steals.

"I don't think there is a player called upon to do more for his team than Landry has had to do with us," Dawkins said. "The kid has done pretty much everything possible for his team."

But Fields will need help from his supporting cast if the Cardinal hope to make a splash in the Pac-10 tournament. Stanford has only beaten two teams with winning records this season (USC and Washington State). With a relatively young roster, the Cardinal will need to grow up fast when they face Arizona State in the first round.

8. Oregon Ducks

Coach: Ernie Kent (13th season)
Record: 15-15 (7-11)

Players to Watch: SG Tajuan Porter (senior), PG Malcolm Armstead (soph.)
Signature Wins: Oakland, Washington
 
Coach's Keys: "Oregon has depth. I really like their point guard, Armstead. They're a team that has enough quickness and enough shooting that they could easily go on a three-game run and have a chance to play in the conference final." - USC coach Kevin O'Neill

Coming In: Oregon has won three of their last four games, including wins at USC and UCLA.

Outlook: Oregon may be Ernie Kent's alma-mater, but it is highly unlikely that it will be his place of residence next year after a first round exit in 2007-2008 and back-to-back abysmal performances the past two seasons.

The Ducks do not have the talent to make a run in the tournament. They just do not have enough offensive firepower to keep up with the top tier teams.

The key for Oregon to shock a couple of teams will be feeding the ball into the hands of Porter and Armstead. When both score in double-digits the Ducks are 3-2.

9. Washington State Cougars

Coach: Ken Bone (1st season)
Record: 16-14 (6-12)

Players to Watch: G Klay Thompson (soph.), G Reggie Moore (fresh.)
Signature Wins: Arizona (twice), USC (twice)
 
Coach's Keys: "Washington State has two guys, Reggie Moore and Klay Thompson, that can both light you up. I think the kid Casto is really improved, one of the better big men in the league. Probably going to be defensive player [of the year] in the league [before he graduates] with his shot blocking ability." - USC coach Kevin O'Neill

Coming In: The Cougars struggled this season, winning just six games in conference. They have lost 9 of their last 11 games.

Outlook: The Cougs enter the Pac-10 Tournament with the conference's lowest seed. They must reverse the outcome of last week's season finale, a 74-66 loss to Oregon, in order to have the opportunity to be Cal's sacrificial lamb in the quarterfinals.

Klay Thompson is the Pac-10's third highest scorer, but few in the conference think of him as a star. He does a little bit of everthing for Washington State, but can he knock down a game-winner in an environment such as Staples Center?

...

Kevin O'Neill's final thoughts and predictions on the tournament his team is forced to miss:

"If I had to pick one team to win the Pac-10 Tournament, I couldn't even venture a guess. You'd always think that Cal or Arizona State would have the edge going in, because of the way they've played during the entire regular season. But I think it's as wide open a Pac-10 Tournament as there's ever been."]]> A Thaw In South Asia tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6925 2010-03-09T16:56:19Z 2010-03-09T18:31:08Z India and Pakistan take one small step forward in diplomatic relations. On the table: terrorism, water, and of course, Kashmir. Hillel Aron India and Pakistan take one small step forward in diplomatic relations. On the table: terrorism, water, and of course, Kashmir.
Creative Commons Licensed (Keshav Khera)
India and Pakistan, the world's most culturally and historically identical states, are back at the negotiating table. Terrorism, water, and of course, Kashmir- the beautiful, resource filled northern Indian state that has been locked in bloody conflict for decades, are on the agenda. 

On February 25, Foreign Ministers Nirupama Rao from India and Salman Bashir from Pakistan met in New Delhi for an informal, non-binding, open dialogue. This is a milestone for the two arch enemies. 

After decades of hot and cold interactions, the recent freeze in all dialogue between the two nuclear powers has given the world a reason to worry. India rescinded from all "composite talks," a term quoted in news sources but never clearly defined, after the Mumbai terrorist attacks last November. The term "composite," means addressing a combination of elements to create a holistic approach. In this case, I assume the definition of "composite talks," suggests a road map, or a step by step playbook addressing all tension filled subjects between the two South Asian foes. 
 
"We have set out to take a first step toward rebuilding trust," said Ms. Rao, "and I believe my meeting with the Pakistan foreign secretary has constituted that first step. We have agreed to remain in touch." 

Rao believes it is a bit premature to declare bilateral dialogue, but agrees the door is open for future communication. The 4-hour conversation in New Delhi with India and Pakistan's Foreign Minister's ended without a joint statement or a date set for future conversations. 

Regardless, the discussions are a solid step in the right direction. After 15 months of a diplomatic freeze reminiscent of the Cold War, discussions, albeit informal and inconclusive, are promising. A nuclear and angry South Asia is a global security threat, and the world can let out a sigh of relief when these identical yet warring twins reconcile their differences and embrace their similarities.

The key to fostering a healthy relationship and a brighter future in the region is to celebrate the state's similarities. The U.S. should take a stronger position in encouraging future discussions between the two countries. Secretary of State Clinton has said, "With respect to India and Pakistan, we have encouraged the resumption of direct talks which were suspended when President Pervez Musharraf left office." Clinton refers to the positive steps made towards bilateral dialogue by Pakistan's previous administration. 

The Obama Administration needs to do more than "encourage." A nuclear South Asia is a threat to national and global security. With Pakistan's troops on the Indian border, less time, energy and human capital are being utilized to prevent the Taliban insurgents from crossing and recruiting on Pakistan/Afghanistan border. 

India is striving to portray itself as a savior for Afghanistan, addressing the humanitarian effects of the war by providing aid and food. Could this be an overt challenge by juxtaposing itself as a humanitarian state while accusing Pakistan as the "breeding grounds for terrorists?" Is this an attempt to garner goodwill from the international community? Perhaps, but Pakistan is also vying for international sympathy by bringing the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 back on the agenda and subtly claiming India is "stealing" more than their fair share from the treaty. In addition, as Foreign Minister Bashir claims, "Pakistan is ready to play its role for regional peace." 

Public, international, and yes, even celebrity pressure are key elements in bringing peace to the divided countries. Celebrities from Bollywood, many Pakistani immigrants themselves or with close ties and family living acraoss the border, should be used as a resource to encourage domestic public support for bilateral dialogue. International superstar Shah Rukh Khan has called for cooperation between the Pakistani and Indian cricket team, only to be pummeled with criticism, scorn, and boycotts. However, if many high-profile voices joined the debate, the domestic publics can be influenced by their beloved superstars. 

Water, terrorism, Kashmir - the answers are not simple, but the means to address these them should be considered. While the February 25 talks were by no means conclusive, they are a good indication that the leaders in both countries are finally ready to play ball.  
]]> In Their Shoes: Millennials Talk Religion tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6921 2010-03-09T09:06:50Z 2010-03-09T21:41:13Z Recent data shows that Millennials (those born after 1980) are invested in religion and spirituality, but their investment may look very different from their parents' generation. Here's a look at the role of religion in the lives of a few Millennials. Tara Graham Recent data shows that Millennials (those born after 1980) are invested in religion and spirituality, but their investment may look very different from their parents' generation. Here's a look at the role of religion in the lives of a few Millennials.
Young adults of the Millennial generation (those born after 1980) are less religiously
active than their parents and grandparents, but are fairly traditional in other ways,
according to a recent Pew study. (Clockwise: Millennials Michael Fox, Gia Longo,
Sarath Ambati and Godwin Kanu. Photo Credit: Len Ly)Bride-to-be Alyce Belayeta has not considered herself a Methodist for many years, but said she will still have a religious wedding in the fall.
 
"We're going to have a ceremony outside the church, but my pastor that I grew up with is still going to marry us," said the 22-year-old communications major at Cal State Los Angeles. "Partially that's important to my parents and it's important to me because it's not that it's the church, but that it's God."

Belayeta is part of the Millennial generation, those born after 1980.  These young adults are less religiously active than their parents and grandparents-- Generation X and Baby Boomers--but are fairly traditional in other ways, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Center. Among the findings, Millennials are less affiliated with any particular faith, have lower worship attendance and practice, and are more open to multiple ways of interpreting their religion.  

Many young adults are unaffiliated because they left the religion of their upbringing. Eighteen percent of Millennials said they were raised in a religion but are now unaffiliated with any particular faith, compared with 13-percent of those ages 30-49, 12-percent of those ages 50-64, and 7-percent of those ages 65 and older.

For Belayeta, religion ceased being a major part of her life after she joined a youth church group. It was there, age 13, Belayeta said she experienced discriminatory teachings.

"I had a friend who was considered atheist but she was a very good person and I remember bringing it up to the [church members] and they were just talking about how she's going to go to hell," Belayeta said. "It just made me feel it wasn't right."

After Belayeta became engaged in December she started seeking a church to attend again.

"I prayed beforehand but I do it more consistently now because it just makes me want to pray so hard for my future," she said. "It makes you feel better to think there is somebody there that's like watching you and caring for you."

Varun Soni, Dean of the University of Southern California's Office of Religious Life, said it is not surprising to see Millennials redefine religion and spirituality because previous studies have shown similar results.

 "Millennials are more likely to make their religion or spiritual tradition work for them as opposed to them [working] for their religion or spiritual tradition," Soni said.  "Students move into this mentality of saying, 'We're interested in spirituality, we're interested in these questions, we're interested in this journey and path, but we're not religious, we're not interested in dogma, doctrine or traditional worship services.'"

A nationwide survey called "Spirituality in Higher Education" by the University of California Los Angeles, for instance, has found that as Millennials progress through college they become increasingly interested in the ultimate questions of meaning, purpose and identity. However, Millennials' approach to answering these questions are less likely to be in the form of engagement with traditional religious services.

Godwin Kanu still considers himself a Catholic if anyone asks but does not need organized religion to believe in God.

"When I was younger I was more religious because my parents would make me go to church," said Kanu, 28, a PhD candidate in physical chemistry at UCLA. "Now I'm independent and I'm a little lazy so I really don't care about going to church these days.

"I pray once in a while.  . . just a way to keep me sane," Kanu said.

Zach Desilva, a theatre major at Loyola Marymount University, said his upbringing as a Catholic took a backseat to everything else after he entered college. Now he practices his own definition of religion.

"My religion is just treating everybody with respect," Desilva said.

Michael Fox, a student at Occidental College and an atheist, said he relies on close friends and family rather than on religion to deal with life.

"The appeal of organized religion in some aspects is that it is a social organization,"  Fox said. "It's a collective group of people who can help you and if you can find that aid elsewhere, that's adequate as well."
 
Fox was raised Catholic but started questioning religious traditions after learning about atheism in junior high school.

"I didn't believe in a heaven or hell after that," said Fox, a 20-year-old kinesiology major. "You can have a sense of purpose to life without being religious."

Soni said Millennials exhibit a more optimistic outlook than previous generations. Young adults who are religious are more likely to live out their beliefs in the form of service than in the form of worship. As Millennials become less attached to their own religious tradition, this presents many interfaith opportunities because they also become more open to traditions of others.

For example,  traditional Evangelical Christians who historically might not have engaged with other groups of students on campus around social justice issues like HIV, global warming and Darfur, are starting to do that, Soni said.

Millennials' tolerant attitudes were reflected in social and political issues.  The Pew findings indicated 52-percent of Millennials support legalizing abortion as do 48-percent of adults ages 30-49, but only 37-percent of elders ages 65 and older agreed. The study also found 63-percent of Millennials said homosexuality should be accepted compared to 51-percent of adults ages 30-49 or 35-percent of ages 65 and older.  

Sarath Ambati, who considers himself a Hindu, said homosexuality does not conflict with his personal religious beliefs. Even if his religion condemned it, Ambati said he would not care because sexual orientation is a personal choice.

"It's more important to teach children morals and not necessarily a specific religion," said Ambati, 24, a  master's candidate in computer science at USC.
 
Soni said Millennials' growing independence from traditional worship requires churches to cater more to young adults' interests. This is especially true for mainline Protestants whose congregations have been "greying" and shrinking for almost three decades.

"I think they have to let students take charge of their own religious lives, which means students should be allowed to do their own types of worship ceremonies, develop their own type of worship music," he said. "The more creative groups are in terms of engaging Millennials, the more likely they're going to attract those groups."

For Gia Longo, a similar lack of pressure made her a more devout Catholic.

"When I was younger, it was something my parents said you had to do while you were living in their household," said Longo, 22, a screenwriting major at Loyola Marymount University. "Now that I'm older. . . I want to do it for my own self and I'm not being forced to so I know it's more important."

The important lesson from the data is that Millennials are invested in religion and spirituality but their investment is a work in progress and may look different than their parents' generation, Soni said.

Those differences can be seen on and off the field when Longo plays softball with other school teammates. Although Longo doesn't wear a cross around her neck or write scriptures on her arm like some of the other girls, she always enjoys one ritual with her team.

"We all lock pinkies before every game and we pray," Longo said.




]]> Shotgun Spread Formation: NFL Movement tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6922 2010-03-09T08:39:58Z 2010-03-09T09:37:31Z LISTEN: A recap of this weekend and Monday's sports and highlights, including all the key NFL transactions. Also, NASCAR and U.S. soccer analysis, including the U.S. team's overall health. ]]> Shotgun Spratling http://blueworkhorse.com LISTEN: A recap of this weekend and Monday's sports and highlights, including all the key NFL transactions. Also, NASCAR and U.S. soccer analysis, including the U.S. team's overall health. ]]> LISTEN: Today on the quickfire, no huddle offense that is the Shotgun Spread Formation:

  • All the key NFL transactions
  • Syracuse as No. 1 dies in Freedom Hall
  • Kansas State knocked off by Iowa State
  • Teams officially in the NCAA tournament field
  • Local: Kings blowout Blue Jackets
  • LeBron sits; Cavs still win
  • Hawks buzzer beater blown off
  • Former Bruin Collison dishes 20 dimes

  • Roethlisberger facing charges, again
  • Iverson's life spiraling due to alcohol and gambling problems

  • Local: USC's Vucevic named most improved
  • Local: Dodgers' Martin out with groin injury
  • Local: Lakers' Vujacic to return soon
  • Analysis: NASCAR - Keselowski flipped; NASCAR pushed for more action; Additional penalties for Edwards?
  • Analysis: Soccer - U.S. health issues and possible returns; Wayne Bridge's life ruined by woman
 

Wayne Bridge refused to shake former teammate John Terry's hand in February, but he's letting Terry and an ex ruin his life.

Premier League: Chelsea 2 v 4 Manchester City
]]> MLB Power Poll: Spring Training Edition tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6920 2010-03-09T08:31:04Z 2010-03-09T18:17:29Z Patrick Crawley
Albert Pujols' pending free agency is one of spring training's biggest storylines.
(Creative Commons)

Guess what everybody? Baseball is back!

Baseball fans across the country have an extra spring in their step now that the hot stove has finally cooled and spring training has begun.

Granted, players haven't played in months, starters are gone after a few innings and the games include a bunch of scrubs you will likely never hear of again - unless, of course, you root for the Royals or their National League counterpart, the Pirates, in which case your entire team is made up of unknown scrubs.

At spring training, the score is only kept because it wouldn't seem like a game if it wasn't (and because teams want to shill those do-'em-yourself scorecards to overpaying fans), results are essentially meaningless and the only players exhibiting real effort are the ones playing for a roster spot. Forget all that, though. Let's get to the important part: the spring training storylines.

Last time we did this, it was in a power poll format. For the sake of consistency, I say we do it that way again.

Here we go. The MLB from bottom to top...

31. FREE AGENTS - There are still enough well-known players on the market to field a full team, albeit not a very good one. Players like Carlos Delgado, Gary Sheffield, John Smoltz, Pedro Martinez and Jarrod Washburn are still stuck without a home.

30. PIRATES - There is absolutely no reason to watch or root for this team unless you're a masochist or you root for a good team that might make a trade for one of the Pirates' marginally good players later in the season. In the last few years, Pittsburgh has gotten rid of Xavier Nady, Jason Bay and a few others. Is it going to be Andrew McCutchen this season? Who knows. I hear the Yankees might be in the market come midseason.

The other reason to watch this team would be to follow a fantasy player you have on your roster. Speaking of which, if you play fantasy sports without any actual ability to play the sport or a working knowledge of the game, I urge you to unplug the computer, turn off the TV, get off the couch and get the hell out of the house. Learn the real thing.

29. REDS - At least the Reds managed to drum up a bit of interest during the offseason by unexpectedly signing Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman. Chapman has been highly touted as a front-line starter. Now let's see just how much havoc Dusty Baker can wreak on him and the rest of the rotation.

28. ROYALS - Kansas City is clearly royal in name only. This team is interesting for one reason: ace starter Zack Greinke emerging from the dugout every fifth day to work his magic. Well, that and the team's decision to turn hotheaded reliever Kyle Farnsworth into a starter. Square peg, meet round hole.

27. NATIONALS - Nationals president Stan Kasten was president of the Atlanta Braves when they stockpiled all those good, young pitchers a few years ago. It worked pretty well then. Let's see how it goes now.

The team drafted starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg and paid him a record salary. Now fans are eagerly waiting to see what this kid can do when he makes his first start on Tuesday, March 9. Washington has drummed up more hype with the Strasburg signing than the division rival Mets have all season. Then again, the government, the auto industry and Toyota have probably received a better response for their recent moves than the Mets have.

26. PADRES - This team has been pretty bad in recent years with no clear strategy in place. But they are also in the NL West, so there's always an outside chance of winning the division. The Padres also play their regular season games in San Diego, which is always a plus.

25. ASTROS - The Astros' star is falling, especially considering their indecision about whether or not to trade key starter Roy Oswalt; at least they have him as a key piece to start building around.

24. INDIANS - The Indians traded away Cy Young winners C.C. Sabbathia and Cliff Lee over the last two seasons, and haven't found suitable replacements. They still have outfielder Grady Sizemore, but he is getting a lot less hype after a few years of struggling. Cleveland probably won't rock this season.

23. ORIOLES - The hype has started to build already for catcher Matt Wieters. Between their prospects and the veteran starter they signed this offseason to mentor the younger players, Kevin Millwood, the Orioles definitely have a solid plan for the first time in years. Of course, as is the case with all prospects, we have yet to see just how well this plan will work.

22. BLUE JAYS - Fans in Toronto definitely have reason to be blue this season as the team traded away the single best pitcher in the league, starter Roy Halladay. J.P. Riccardi is out as general manager. Unfortunately, the team is still stuck with the terrible contracts Riccardi signed, like Vernon Wells, and the owners have made it no secret that they are trying to clear money off the books.

21. CUBS - The Cubbies are fielding a roster of overpriced old guys. They are still stuck with Alfonso Soriano's albatross-of-a-contract, and have more jinxes working against them than a guy who broke a mirror while walking under a ladder on Friday the 13th. They did manage to get rid of malcontent outfielder Milton Bradley. So they've got that going for them, which is nice.

20. ATHLETICS - Billy Beane seemed a lot smarter a few years ago when he had Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson and Barry Zito in the starting rotation. Since then, he's made a habit of signing retread veterans and risky prospects who are schlepped to teams still in contention by the trade deadline.

This year Beans signed risky starter Ben Sheets, who comes to the A's with injury concerns and a high upside. My money is on him being on the Mets by July. If not, it means the Mets are out of it too. But you can fill in virtually any team in need of a starter as Sheets' home this summer.

19. DIAMONDBACKS - Starting pitchers Dan Haren, Edwin Jackson and Aaron Heilman have the potential to be a formidable rotation, but outfielder Justin Upton is their only exiting position player. Arizona traded for Yankees pitcher Ian Kennedy last season, so USC fans have a reason to follow the team. Without a strong lineup, Arizona probably can't contend though.

18. BREWERS - The best news for the Brew Crew is that first baseman Prince Fielder and his agent Scott Boras may break form and re-sign with the team before Fielder hits free agency. Fielder can certainly mash. Now if only we could put a stop to those awful home run celebrations...

17. METS - The Mets are crumbling, literally. Pieces of the Citi Field sign started falling to the ground this winter. In terms of the actual team, there is no structure or semblance of a plan.

The main piece the Mets needed this offseason was a starting pitcher to stand beside ace Johan Santana. Instead, the team signed one big bat in Jason Bay and one aging, underperforming slugger in Gary Matthews Jr. That's not going to cut it.

Another of the Mets' main problems last season was all of the strange injuries they suffered. That hasn't been fixed either. New York got into a very public argument with outfielder Carlos Beltran over his decision to pursue knee surgery; decided to sign oft-injured pitcher Kelvim Escobar, only to see him suffer shoulder soreness that will delay his arrival to spring training; and recently sent infielder Jose Reyes back to New York for a battery of medical tests.

The best thing that could happen to this organization would be finishing worse than the Nationals. Fans in New York would take to the streets, flock to the stadium and force the Wilpon's to clean house - that is, if the Wilpon's are even allowed to stay.

16. MARLINS - Aside from the recent slap on the wrist the organization got from Commissioner Bud Selig for being too cheap, the Marlins are on the right path. With excellent, cost-controlled players like Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla, Emilio Bonofacio and Josh Johnson leading the team, Marlins fans have reason to be excited. Remember, it was just a few years ago that Florida came out of nowhere with young starters Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett to win the World Series.

15. RANGERS - The Rangers have a strong pitching staff, headlined by Neftali Feliz, for the first time in years. What remains to be seen is if outfielder Josh Hamilton, and catchers Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden can rebound on offense.

Another big story for the Rangers will involve their ownership situation. Last season, they pulled a GM and asked the league for a bailout. The Rangers are expected to have new ownership by opening day, as a group including team president Nolan Ryan look to finalize a deal for the team. Anything that gets Nolan Ryan back into the game is a great thing for the sport. Up next: let Mark Cuban buy, and save, the Cubbies.

14. GIANTS - Everybody is sure young phenom Tim Lincecum can work his magic again this season. Now the team needs to see if their hitters have any interest in swapping out their bats for wands. Otherwise, the Giants don't have enough offense to be a formidable team.

13. WHITE SOX - Ozzie Guillen is going to appear in a reality show, so things just got a lot more exciting in Chicago. Personally, I can't wait. Added bonus: Guillen has a Twitter account now too. The owners can't be happy about this. Enough about Ozzie, let's get to the actual roster. The Sox have what should be a strong starting rotation with Mark Buehrle and Jake Peavy, but, like the Giants, they lack that big bat that is necessary to truly be scary.

12. BRAVES - This team is well balanced. The young pitching staff is promising, and outfielder Nate McLouth has already showed that he is worth the attention he has received. The last time Atlanta's staff had this much potential was when they had names like Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz on the roster. The year was 1995, and they won the World Series. Let's see if the Braves can give Bobby Cox another one as a retirement present.

By the way, if Nate McLouth isn't one of your favorite players already, he should be. This year he decided to change his number to 24. The reason? "It's my favorite TV show and Lost isn't a number."

11. DODGERS - The Dodgers let starter Randy Wolf walk this offseason and still haven't found a front-line starter to replace him. They do have an excellent outfield with Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, though. Hopefully, Manny Ramirez can rebound this season and remember what it means to be a productive power hitter. Catcher Russell Martin got into shape this offseason, which should probably give him more strength and durability behind the plate this season. Oh wait, he's expected to miss four to six weeks with a groin injury. Nevermind.

Between Martin's injury and the holes in their rotation, the Dodgers are in trouble. Luckily, they have the entire McCourt mess to distract from the troubles the team has on the field. Of course, that plan could backfire. The McCourt divorce could end up being blamed for the daily struggles of the team. It remains to be seen

10. ROCKIES - The Rockies definitely have a much deeper roster with Seth Smith, Ryan Spilborghs and Melvin Mora joining shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in the lineup - not to mention Matt Daley and Esmil Rogers joining the bullpen. Now let's see how long it will take for them to take themselves seriously.

Colorado has a habit of not turning it on until the last two or three weeks of the season, when they realize their league is no good and they still have a shot at winning the wild card. Only this year they will be in serious consideration for the pennant in the NL West.

9. TIGERS - The Tigers look to sober up this season, as first baseman Miguel Cabrera announced that he has stopped drinking and a new stadium-wide ban means manager Jim Leyland is going to be forced to cut out cigarettes. I can see the bubblegum, sunflower seeds and coffee cups strewn about the dugout already.

The Tigers are definitely going to be a tenser club this season, especially after trading star center fielder Curtis Granderson. Good thing they just signed Johnny Damon. He'll loosen the place up. If the rest of the roster can keep up, Detroit has the rotation to be a contender, with Jeremy Bonderman, Rick Porcello and Max Scherzer.

8. TWINS - The only thing the Twins have to worry about this season is locking up catcher Joe Mauer with a long-term deal. They proved last season that they have a competitive team, but if Mauer leaves, Minnesota would be devastated. Of course, every other team is anxiously waiting to see if Mauer becomes available. If he does decide to hit the market, Mr. Mauer will become a rich, rich man this offseason.

It will also be interesting to see how this whole playing outdoors in Minnesota thing works out; the team built a new stadium without a roof. Who thought that was a good idea?

7. ANGELS - The longstanding powerhouse of the AL West lost many key pieces this offseason - namely starters John Lackey, Vladimir Guerrero and Chone Figgins - without signing any replacements. Of course, manager Mike Scoscia always seems to make the right decision, and they have that evil monkey working in their favor. Oops. Wrong monkey. I have a feeling this team will still be competitive.

6. MARINERS - The Mariners saw incredible improvement last season. They have a solid defense and two of the best pitchers in the league in Feliz Hernandez and Cliff Lee. Like the Giants and White Sox, it's the offense that is problematic for Seattle. With the great Ken Griffey Jr. years removed from relevance and Milton Bradley in the lineup, things could get interesting. On the plus side, the team has an excellent general manager who is making smart moves. The only problem is that his name rivals Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski in its difficulty to be spelled. Zduriencik? I should win a spelling bee.

5. CARDINALS - Sluggers Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday will make for a formidable lineup. Just like Minnesota, the biggest story in the Cardinals' camp will be whether or not they can get Pujols to sign a long-term deal. The other thing to keep an eye on is whether or not the Cards can keep hitting coach Mark McGwire away from the perpetual league MVP. In case nobody noticed, McGwire sucked until he did steroids.

By the way, I find it baffling that McGwire is more demonized than manager Tony La Russa, who insists he knew nothing about steroids in his clubhouse. La Russa is either more oblivious than Jessica Simpson or he is lying. Between that and his DUI a few years ago, he isn't exactly an upstanding citizen.

McGwire broke the rules and cheated in a game. But what's the worst that could happen? A case of 'roid rage? La Russa broke the law and endangered innocent people on the road.

4. RAYS - The Rays still have a good, young core with pitchers David Price, James Shields and Andy Sonnanstine; and position players Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria on their roster. The problem is that their division is just too damn competitive. Look for Crawford to become available over the summer if the team is out of contention. If not, he is going to draw interest from teams everywhere when he hits free agency in the offseason.

3. PHILLIES - By trading for Roy Halladay, the Phillies got the best pitcher in the league. They're also coming back with virtually the same lineup that took them to the World Series last season. The only problem fans have with the organization is that they didn't keep ace starter Cliff Lee. Why didn't they keep Lee? That's like asking why they didn't sign John Lackey, Randy Wolf and Rich Harden. At some point there is such a thing as a surplus of riches, especially when you consider their division. They simply don't need Lee to contend, so why waste the money?

1b. RED SOX - General manager Theo Epstein began the offseason by saying this would be a bridge year for Boston. Then he went out and signed John Lackey, Mike Cameron and Adrian Beltre to fill out the roster. I guess he lied. Of course, now there is panic within Red Sox Nation that the team is too defense-oriented. It's always something, right?

Unless David Ortiz pulls a disappearing act again, the Sox have a pretty formidable lineup. The only reason they aren't the best team in the league is because they aren't the returning champion, they still have insufferable closer Jonathan Papelbon on their roster and their fans are a bunch of irrational, drunken miscreants who are perpetually bitter about life.

1. YANKEES - The Yankees adhered to a budget this offseason - if staying under $200 million can be considered adhering to a budget. The team suffered backlash from almost everyone for using this strategy. Some fans wanted them to spend the rough equivalent of the GDP to sign every name on the market. Others said New York was still spending too much. Gotta love consistency, eh?

The team will miss certainly free agents Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui. But they got a star outfielder in Curtis Granderson and Nick Johnson will make a solid DH.

This spring the Yankees' camp will be all about figuring out who the fifth starter is. Last season the team used "Joba Rules" to ease young pitcher Joba Chamberlain into the rotation. Could it be the "Hughes Rules" this year to protect Phil Hughes? Will the loser of the Chamberlain/Hughes battle go to the bullpen? To the minors?

Either way fans will be convinced the team is making the wrong move.
 
The other thing that will drum up a lot of noise is the fact that shortstop, and face of the franchise, Derek Jeter is currently in the last year of his contract. So is the greatest closer on the planet, Mariano Rivera. So is manager Joe Girardi.

The team is not currently negotiating with Jeter or Rivera - at least not publicly. We are certainly privy to a lot more celebrity information than we used to be, but really? Do you think the Yanks haven't basically signed Jeter to, or agreed with him on, terms for an extension behind closed doors?

I certainly hope so. Because if Jeter walks at the end of the season...wow. I don't even know what I would do. I simply can't fathom it. I'd probably be forced to drink myself into a coma. Or drop out of school, become the general manager of the Yankees and re-sign The Captain myself. Whichever seems easiest at the time.]]> Oscar Recap: 'Hurt Locker' Wins Big tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6903 2010-03-09T06:55:27Z 2010-03-09T09:53:01Z The Hurt Locker brings home the most gold with six Oscars, including Best Picture.

 

]]> Anthony Baltierra The Hurt Locker brings home the most gold with six Oscars, including Best Picture.

 

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'The Hurt Locker' won 6 Oscars,including Best Picture & Director.
(Courtesy of sinemabed, Creative Commons)

The well-written story slayed technology at the 82nd Academy Awards on Sunday night as The Hurt Locker topped Avatar for Best Picture. Overall, The Hurt Locker racked up six Oscars, including a Best Director win for Kathryn Bigelow, and Avatar walked away with three. Most prognasticators predicted a Hurt Locker victory, but recent controversies had created some doubt that it could hold off James Cameron's epic.

As of this weekend The Hurt Locker has earned less than fifteen million dollars at the domestic box office, which makes it the lowest grossing Best Picture winner in Academy Awards history. Avatar, the all-time box office champ with over $700 million dollars in its domestic tally, had hoped to add a Best Picture victory to its long list of achievements, but a very weak and heavily criticized script seemed too much for voters to overlook.

The victory for The Hurt Locker came in quite the stunning fashion as presenter Tom Hanks walked up to the stage and then quickly ripped open the envelope to announce the winner without taking the time to restate all the nominees. It has not been stated as of yet whether this was a blunder by Hanks or a call made by the show's producers. 

Bigelow's directing win marked the first time a female had won the award. The moment was ushered in by presenter Barbra Streisand exclaiming, "Well, the time has come." When Bigelow took the stage, she dedicated her monumental win to all of the women and men fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.   

The Hurt Locker also claimed the Best Original Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing categories. Avatar had to settle for wins in the fields of Cinematography, Visual Effects, and Art Direction. Joining the two juggernauts with multiple Oscar wins was Precious, Up, and Crazy Heart, each of which won two.    

Everything went as expected in the acting categories as Jeff Bridges, Sandra Bullock, Christoph Waltz, and Mo'Nique took home golden statues. All were first time nominees except for Bridges, who finally won the Oscar in his fifth attempt. After winning the Razzie the night before, Bullock made history by becoming the first actor to claim the craft's lowest and highest honors in the same year. Wins for Waltz and Mo'Nique capped off an incredible awards season that saw the two actors win all the major guild prizes and nearly every single award handed out by critics circles across the nation.   

The night's biggest shocker may have been in the adapted screenplay category, where Geoffrey Fletcher won for his work on Precious.  Up in the Air's Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner were favored to win after sweeping the Broadcast Film Critics, Golden Globes, WGA, and BAFTA awards. The upset was a major reason Up in the Air became the evening's biggest loser as they left the Kodak Theatre with zero trophies out of six nominations.

Another surprise came in the Foreign Language Film category. Argentina's El Secreto de Sus Ojos was crowned the year's best when it was mainly seen as a battle between France's Un Prophete and Germany's The White Ribbon.

The ceremony itself did little to distinguish itself from those in the recent past, even though the Academy had been promising for months that we had "never seen Oscar like this." Hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin weren't terrible, but they really weren't funny either. The two scored a few laughs by pointing out the famous faces in the crowd in their opening monologue, but the routine wore thin as they continued until every known Hollywood A-lister had been identified. They also had a very unfunny skit showing them share a hotel room and they seemed to disappear for the last hour of the telecast.

Martin and Baldwin didn't even perform the tradition opening song and dance routine. Instead, Neil Patrick Harris performed before handing it off to the co-hosts. Why not just have Harris host instead of only using him for a few minutes?

Some of the top presenters included Tina Fey and Robert Downey, Jr., who argued over the different things writers and actors look for in a project, and Ben Stiller, who came out dressed as a Na'vi from Avatar - although this joke was killed by Stiller going on about it way too long.

Certain segments seemed to be complete ratings ploys to attract younger viewers, such as having Miley Cyrus and Zac Efron as presenters. The most obvious "it's-ok-for-teenagers-to-tune-in" moment was when Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame introduced a montage that saluted horror films. The horror montage may have been okay had it not inlcluded so many films that were completely misplaced (who has ever counted Edward Scissorhands or Twilight has horror?).  It was a complete waste of time for anyone over the age of eleven.  

It was also quite puzzling as to why John Hughes was given his own special tribute. It can't be denied that Hughes' films are classics that will forever be shown on TBS, but why was it necessary for a guy who never even earned an Oscar nomination to receive such treatment? The move came off as another ratings ploy, this time aimed at those who grew up with Hughes films in the Eighties. Hughes should have simply been given a spot in the yearly "people we've lost this year" montage - and Farah Fawcett should have been in there, too!

It may have been another forgettable telecast, but the evening will go down in Oscar history due to Bigelow's win and because of her hardly-seen film being able to win Best Picture over the  biggest film in history. 

The complete list of winners:

Best Picture
The Hurt Locker
 
Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
 
Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
 
Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
 
Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
 
Best Supporting Actress
Mo'Nique, Precious
 
Best Original Screenplay
Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
 
Best Adapted Screenplay
Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious
 
Best Animated Film
Up
 
Best Original Score
Michael Giacchino, Up
 
Best Original Song
"The Weary Kind," Crazy Heart
 
Best Cinematography
Mauro Fiore, Avatar
 
Best Film Editing
Bob Murawski & Chris Innis, The Hurt Locker
 
Best Sound Editing
Paul N.J. Ottosson, The Hurt Locker
 
Best Sound Mixing
Paul N.J. Ottosson & Ray Beckett, The Hurt Locker
 
Best Visual Effects
Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham & Andrew R. Jones, Avatar
 
Best Costume Design
Sandy Powell, The Young Victoria
 
Best Makeup
Barney Burman, Mindy Hall & Joel Harlow, Star Trek
 
Best Art Direction
Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg & Kim Sinclair, Avatar
 
Best Foreign Language Film
El Secreto de Sus Ojos
 
Best Documentary
The Cove
 
Best Live-Action Short 
The New Tenants
 
Best Documentary Short
Music by Prudence
 
Best Animated Short
Logorama
]]> Democrats Pushing For Health Care Vote Soon tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6918 2010-03-08T23:04:30Z 2010-03-09T09:00:26Z ]]> John Guenther ]]>
Obama said Monday Congress "owes the American people a final up or down
vote on health care." (Creative Commons) President Barack Obama urged legislators Monday to put an end to the debate over the health care bill.

Speaking at Arcadia University near Philadelphia, the president strongly pushed for an up or down vote in the House of Representatives.

"We have debated health care in Washington for more than a year. When's the right time? If not now, when? If not us, who?" Obama said.

Democratic aides said they hope the House will vote on the Senate health care bill before Obama leaves on March 18 for Australia and Indonesia.

Democrats are planning to use the reconciliation strategy to expedite the legislative process.  Reconciliation, a voting procedure usually designated for budget concerns, requires a simple majority--or 51 votes--for passage.  

But several House members have misgivings about the Senate bill, particularly the exclusion of specific language regarding the coverage of abortions, making them hesitant to agree to the reconciliation strategy. They fear that the abortion provisions will not be changed in reconciliation amendments.

"So at the end of the day, to say, well, do this for political reasons or don't do it for political reasons, makes no difference to me. The only thing I care about is this the best policy we can do under the circumstances for the American people," said Congressman Brian Baird, (D-Wash.), during "State of the Union with Candy Crowley."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, (D-Calif.), is trying to assuage those concerns by encouraging House Democrats to focus on the over-arching goal of the bill.

"If you believe that there should be no federal funding of abortion, and if you believe there should be no change in the [current federal] policy, and if you believe that we need health care all for Americans, we will pass the bill," Pelosi said.

Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of Health and Human Services, echoed Pelosi's sentiment on "Meet the Press" on Sunday, emphasizing the need for the bill's passage in a timely fashion.  

"We've got to get things moving because there's an urgency about what's happening in people's lives.  And we're at the final chapter here," Sebelius said.


Reach reporter Catherine Cloutier here. Join Neon Tommy's Facebook fan page or follow us on Twitter.

]]> Vanity Fair's Oscar iPhone App: A Vain Attempt At Utility tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6917 2010-03-08T23:04:16Z 2010-03-09T18:12:41Z Kevin Douglas Grant http://okjournalism.wordpress.com/
Photo courtesy of iTunes Vanity Fair is the kind of magazine that would never survive if it were launched today.  A hodgepodge of high-society reportage, top-notch investigative reporting, stunning photography, left-wing politics and Hollywood fluff, it makes the deadly mistake of trying to be "all things to all people."

And yet, its circulation is growing. As owner Conde Nast has shuttered several titles and slashed perks across the board, Vanity Fair is thriving.  At least in print.

On the Web, there is still a long way to go.  A prime example is the magazine's foray into iPhone applications, Vanity Fair Hollywood.  Built to encourage those who downloaded the free app to vote for their favorite Oscar nominees, the thing provided about five minutes of entertainment.

I experimented with it yesterday before and during the Academy Awards, finding that the application's developers had been more concerned with sponsor L'Oreal's brand than with creating actual functionality.  Though the app was billed as "all you need to know about every nominee," half of it was ads for L'Oreal's makeup, Facebook page and Web site.

And although I expected a hearty selection of Vanity Fair insight, photos and videos, the selection of content was sparse, lacked links to more information, and also riddled with ads.  The app's developers were on to something when they attempted to integrate Oscar category polls with Facebook.  However, connecting the two proved tedious and unrewarding.  Why bother signing up for new things when Facebook and Twitter are already good to go?

All in all, most of the features on the application were aimed at getting people to share the app or to buy things.  Why would I share something useless with my friends?  And why would I buy anything from a faulty app?  Sorry, Vanity Fair, but this effort is a failure.  

It may be the case that magazine editor Graydon Carter and his business development team knew they were still in the sandbox when they made this promo video, in which the staff bickers about what the iPhone is called, and Carter asks "What's this?" when handed one.



Carter also consults producer Robert Evans, who tells him to "Go by your first instinct and stick with it."

My advice to Carter and his staff: Your instincts are wrong.  Focus on making something useful first, then worry about the advertising.  A heavily branded app with no usability is no better than spam.

]]> Picking The Winners: There Really Is No App For That tag:blogs.uscannenberg.org,2010:/neontommy//112.6916 2010-03-08T22:21:21Z 2010-03-10T09:30:55Z The Vanity Fair Hollywood app proves you can't rely on percentages when it comes to predicting the Oscars. Kim Nowacki The Vanity Fair Hollywood app proves you can't rely on percentages when it comes to predicting the Oscars.
I don't like to lose.

At my old job, winning the office 'Oscar picks' pool meant an envelope full of movie theater gift certificates.

Even though this year there isn't the motivation of winning anything -- other than know-it-all bragging rights -- I decided to check out the Vanity Fair Hollywood app to help me choose the sure-bet winners. I don't have an iPhone, so I stuck with the online version, which, like everything else, can link to your Facebook page.

The primary benefit of the app is to help you make educated picks, from Best Picture to Sound Editing, on whose name is in each of those highly guarded envelopes. The Vanity Fair voting ballot lists the nominees in each category alongside percentages, assumingly of who/what film has the best chance of winning. (For the Best Picture films with just 2 percent next to their names -- "District 9," "An Education" -- I guess it's just an honor to be nominated.)

The "Learn More" button then takes you to a brief synopsis of the film and you can view a trailer.

However, what Vanity Fair and a whole lot of other people didn't know, was that "The Hurt Locker" was going to be the night's big winner.

Apparently, there is still no app to predict mega upsets.

And that's a good thing. Because between the lame jokes and stilted acceptance speeches -- or crazy ones; who was that lady that burst in during the Best Documentary Short speech!? -- it's nice to know there are still some surprises on Oscar night that make it worth watching.


Reach reporter Kim Nowacki here. Join Neon Tommy's Facebook fan page or follow us on Twitter.

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