Happy Independence Day to all the fellow Americans out there, by the way (even those oppressed in DC…thanks, Genehack.) After spending yesterday in nearby New Haven catching up and playing music with some old friends, my 4th plans probably aren’t going to extend very far beyond Internet Scrabble and a late-night poker game. At any rate, be safe out there, kids.
Category: World at Large
Short Term Thinking.
Mitch Lawrence doesn’t like the McDyess trade.
Memorial Politics.
Speaking to the families of 9-11 victims, Governor Pataki declares that nothing will be built on the site of the former WTC. While obviously some kind of memorial on the premises would be appropriate, I don’t agree with Pataki at all on this one. NYC doesn’t need another park…the city should stay true to its organic nature and rebuild on the (extremely valuable) space, particularly if you consider the fact that the WTC project tore up several blocks of historic Dutch Manhattan back in 1973.
Bottles and Can’ts.
New York City rolls back its recycling program, meaning not only less recycling (of course) but less cash opportunities for the bottle-collecting homeless. Bad call. Hopefully, most of us will keep the bottle bags going.
If Space Arms are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will have Space Arms.
Despite what it means for a nuclear non-proliferation treaty with Russia and China, the US refuses to ban arms in space. For what would such a ban entail for Dubya’s beloved SDI?
Double Sixes or Snake Eyes?
Scott Layden gambled big last night in the NBA draft, trading away the seventh pick, Mark Jackson, and Marcus Camby for All-Star PF Antonio McDyess and the 25th pick (PG Frank Williams.) I like it…if McDyess can play a full season, it’s a great trade, at least for the short term. (Camby was great when he was healthy, but he was just Mr. Glass too often, and Mark Jackson has had a fork in his back the past two seasons.) Plus, Dice is a legitimate low-post option, while Camby was more of a clean-up guy on the offensive boards…McDyess will draw double teams and open it up for Spree and Houston. Now, if the Knicks can sign free-agent C Keon Clark and actually trade PF Kurt Thomas and PG Charlie Ward to Dallas for PG Nick Van Exel, we’re suddenly a contender again. Not a championship contender, mind you, but good enough to represent in the East until we can get back under the salary cap. All in all, a much better night than the Frederic Weis fiasco of 1999. By the way, I thought it a nice parallel that the same summer US joins the world in competitive soccer, the NBA opens its doors to the world…six of the first round picks, including obviously the first pick (Yao Ming of China), were international players.
With the seventh pick…
The NBA Draft is tonight at 7pm on TNT (good historical recap here)…here’s hoping for lots of crazy trades accompanied by zingers from Sir Charles, the Jet, and EJ (Inside is far and away the best sports program on television.) As noted yesterday, Knicks pick seventh.
Hitting the Wall.
Germany defeats South Korea 1-0, and will face either Brazil or Turkey (Brazil) in the Final. Ah well, it was a great run for the Koreans.
Maybe in 2006.
As everyone knows, England and the US went down together in World Cup action Friday. A very disappointing evening, although at least we Yanks can hold our heads high (unlike the ’98 fiasco.) I’d say it’s Brazil’s to lose at this point, although South Korea is clearly exhibiting great mojo this Cup. In other sporting news, the NBA draft is on Wednesday, which along with the final four Cup games should proved oases of sporting excitement amid another long baseball summer. Ah well, at least there’s always the MLS.
Hardly Extinct.
Australia counts among its citizens approximately 250,000 Jedi, despite its being an “inadequately described” religion. I wonder how they’re all dealing with this most recent crisis of faith.