Florida tops Alabama for national title

Florida pitcher Hannah Rogers holds the trophy as the team celebrates following an NCAA Women's College World Series softball tournament game against Alabama in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, June 3, 2014. Florida won 6-3 and took the title. (AP Photo/)




Florida pitcher Hannah Rogers, left, celebrates with teammates Aubree Munro (1) and Kelsey Stewart, right, following an NCAA Women's College World Series softball tournament game in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, June 3, 2014. Florida defeated Alabama 6-3 and won the title.

I had to look hard to find this article on the internet, and as you can see, it was only a couple of photographs with captions. OTHER sporting events get massive coverage. This was a great tournament and the culmination of a great season for the ladies. This is PURE sports, I'm sure there are others, but I honestly think these young ladies are the epitome of what college athletics should be. They get a fine education, prepare exceptionally well, represent their schools, and ENJOY the entire experience. Neat, also, Hannah the Florida pitcher and Jaclyn Traina, her counterpart on Alabama have been competing against each other since little league, then high school, now college .... and, they hardly ever speak to each other. I think they each have had championships at each level .... first one, then the other. I THANK THEM ALL FOR A COMPETITIVE AND AN ENJOYABLE SEASON .......

OMG - it never ends, just one thing right after another

By Jane Sutton

MIAMI (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Karen formed in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico on Thursday and was forecast to sweep through U.S. oil installations before hitting the Gulf Coast between Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle, the National Hurricane Center said.

Energy companies in the Gulf started shutting in production on Thursday and were evacuating some workers from offshore platforms as Karen approached a region that produces nearly a fifth of daily U.S. oil output.

Three days after much of the U.S. government was closed down over a budget standoff, the Federal Emergency Management Agency began recalling furloughed workers to help prepare for the storm.

The storm, the first to threaten the U.S. coast during the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season, had top winds of 65 mph and was centered about 430 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River.

View gallery."

A man walks on the beach as clouds form on the horizon in Cancun October 3, 2013. REUTERS/Victor Rui …

It was moving north-northwest and was expected to slow down and turn north. Coastal residents could start feeling its bluster by Friday night and the center was expected to cross the coastline east of the Mississippi-Alabama border early on Sunday.

A hurricane watch was issued for the coast from Grand Isle, Louisiana, eastward to Indian Pass, Florida, alerting residents to expect hurricane conditions within 48 hours.

Karen would become a hurricane if its sustained winds reach 74 mph. That was expected to happen late Friday.

Shapiro: Sanford police preparing for riots if Zimmerman is acquitted

 By Ben Shapiro

On Monday, the Broward County Sheriff's Office in Florida released a public service announcement attempting to convince young people not to riot in case George Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed Trayvon Martin, was acquitted of second-degree murder. That likelihood remains high, thanks to the fact that the prosecution itself was weak and pushed forward by a breathless media desperate for a racial hot point to drive ratings.

The sheriff's office announced that it was "working closely with the Sanford Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies" on a "response plan in anticipation of the verdict." Sheriff Scott Israel appeared in a video alongside a rapping duet of two teenagers, one a Hispanic female and another a black male, who tell the public, "Raise your voice, and not your hands! We need to stand together as one, no cuffs, no guns. ... I know your patience will be tested, but law enforcement has your back!"

Despite the passions elicited in both the black community and the white community over Zimmerman, one fact remains clear: Americans are far more concerned with the possibility of a minority riot over Zimmerman's acquittal than they are with the possibility of a white riot over Zimmerman's conviction. That's not unreasonable. Al Sharpton of MSNBC, among others, has threatened civil disobedience in Sanford before, and Americans still remember the Crown Heights riots of 1991, the Los Angeles riots of 1992, the St. Petersburg riots of 1996, the Cincinnati riots of 2001 and the Oakland riots of 2009, among others.

A Hurricane, in Florida, in August ... no way

I would like to know what JACKASS made the decision to have a convention in Florida during the hurricane season. There are so many locations in the country that had a much better chance of not having a weather  problem. There are never any guarantees, but it is probably an omen of things to come for the Republican party this year.

Not sure if Vegas made book on what the weather conditions would be during the convention, but a hurricane would NOT have been a long shot.

Comment for the day

Watching the evening news .... flooding in Florida, huge holes in the earth, some swallowing up homes, more rain on the way, dangerous situation.... Fires in Colorado, hundreds of homes burned and thousands of acres of gorgeous land  is ruined ....... Stockton  California is going bankrupt, business's are closing, 26 million in the red ..... the big news of the day .... College football is going to have playoff games in 2014 ....  are we a great country, or what?

PS,  let's not forget all the debris washing up on our shores in California, tons and tons, much more to come, and the money has already run out to "clear the mess" .... and tons more are on the way

PSS ..... my wife and I were just talking about the above problems .... primarily everyone having money problems, individuals, cities, states, the federal government ......  in my estimation, all for one reason, UNCONTROLLED SPENDING OF GOVERNMENT MONEY ... Fiscal Responsibility is a Myth, does not exist .... uncontrolled spending ....... the weather related problems don't help, either.

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Ten GREAT All-American Road Trips

Seward Highway
Alaska


Dine' Tah Scenic Road
Arizona


Pacific Coast Highway 
California


San Juan Skyway
Colorado


Florida Keys Overseas Highway
Florida


North Shore Drive
Minnesota



Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway
New York


Blue Ridge Parkway
North Carolina and Virginia


Mt. Hood Scenic Byway
Oregon


Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
South Dakota

Oh, RATS!!!! OOOOohhhhhhhh, rats!

When it comes to giant rat infestations,  New York gets all the attention.

But a breed of giant, Gambian rats have been rapidly reproducing in the Florida Keys despite a decade-long effort to wipe them out. KeysNet reports the invasive, African native species first began showing up between 1999-2001 after a local exotic animal breeder released eight of the rats into the wild.

"We thought we had them whipped as of 2009," said Scott Hardin, exotic species coordinator for Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "We think they have not moved far but they clearly reproduced," he said.

The rodents, officially known as the Gambian pouched rat, are the largest known breed of rats in the world. They can grow up to three feet in length and weigh as much as nine pounds. Wildlife officials fear that if the large-sized rodents make it to the Florida mainland, they could devastate local crops if they reach the Florida mainland.

Big Ten coaches upset with Urban Meyer's recruiting tactics

Erick Smith

I remember his reputation in Florida, he is up to his old tricks .... "old ways die hard" 
OSU may have gone from the "frying pan into the fire" .... Woody, Bo, and Joe, they, and their ethics, are gone ....................

The dust has settled on Urban Meyer's first recruiting class at Ohio State, and there are some hard feelings from some Big Ten coaches.

One issue is Meyer's strategy of poaching commitments from other conference schools.

In the two months after being hired by the Buckeyes, Meyer managed to flip several players, including defensive Se'Von Pittman from Michigan State and offensive lineman Kyle Dodson from Wisconsin.

Spartans coach Mark Dantonio, a Zanesville native and former Ohio State assistant, wasn't pleased.

"They've got a new coach, and it's different," Dantonio told The Detroit News. "I would say it's pretty unethical, in the end."

Meyer also took advantage of Penn State's disarray following the firing of coach Joe Paterno which led to the Buckeyes grabbing All-USA defensive lineman Tommy Schutt and linebacker Camren Williams from the Nittany Lions.

Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema, like Dantonio, was unhappy about the developments and was proactive about addressing his concerns about Meyer.

"There are a few things that happened early on that I made people aware of that I didn't want to see in this league, that I had seen take place in other leagues," Bielema told CBS Chicago. "Other recruiting tactics, other recruiting practices that are illegal.

"I was very up front and was very pointed to the fact, actually reached out to coach Meyer and shared my thoughts and concerns with him. The situation got rectified."

He later added that he was happy the Big Ten coaches held itself to a different standard.

"Our league is based on certain values that we're going to hold to be true and if you don't hold those to be true, you are going to be held accountable."

Comments from Fred Thompson

I am one of the countless number of Americans who know firsthand that, in this country, a person may be born into modest circumstances, but that he comes into the world blessed in ways that have been unimaginable to the vast majority of people who have ever lived. We are born with the birthright of freedom and opportunity – free to make our own choices about the important things in life and the opportunity to fulfill our God-given potential.

The greatest fear that I have for my country is that our government now has us on a different path. Instead of freedom and opportunity, it is one of debt, dependence division and decline – a path that will weaken our country and sap the vitality of the American people.

I believe that we are at a tipping point, one from which we may not return. To avoid these disastrous consequences, our country needs leadership that is fearless and confident, a candidate who can give voice to the concerns and frustrations of the American people, a candidate who understands – and will never apologize for – American Exceptionalism.

We don’t need to just manage the way Washington works. We need to fundamentally change Washington. We need someone who has the courage and ability to communicate the truth to the American people. Someone who will explain the hard choices that we must make if we are to give our children and grandchildren the same opportunities our forefathers bestowed on us and avoid the fate that other great nations have suffered throughout history. I believe that person is Newt Gingrich. And that is why I strongly support him and his candidacy for President of the United States.

America needs someone who is able to articulate the message of growth, free enterprise and freedom, someone who knows that bold ideas have preceded every major achievement of mankind – including the United States of America. America needs Newt Gingrich.
Sincerely,
Fred Thompson

Limbaugh, Mike Reagan Blast Romney for Smears on Gingrich

I must admit I thought Romney was playing "dirty pool" when I heard him make those comments. I, too, always thought he was a supporter and admirer of Ronald Reagan. "Richey Rich" Romney will stop at nothing. I think the Mormon Church should do a "morals" evaluation on him. I wonder what all he preached on his "mission." Does "spoiled brat" come to mind?


Ronald Reagan’s eldest son Mike Reagan has issued a statement lambasting Mitt Romney and his supporters for claims that Romney’s Republican presidential rival Newt Gingrich was a strong critic of President Reagan.
Mike Reagan says such claims are false.

Even Rush Limbaugh, shocked by the Romney claims, chimed on his Thursday radio broadcast to say, "This is obviously a coordinated attack to take Newt out here in Florida."

Rush slammed the Romney-backed smear campaign against Newt.

“That kind of stuff is why people hate Romney so much," Limbaugh said.

Limbaugh added that Newt has always been a conservative from his early days in national talk radio in the 1980s.

“He was perhaps the premier defender of Ronald Reagan,” Limbaugh said.

Wait till November............................

I am really fed up with ALL the Conservatives and their "Wait Till November" attitude. Look what just happened in Florida. WHY will things be different anywhere else, at any other time.

We really don't know what or where the OBAMA Machine is doing or located. They did something right in Florida. Where was the Tea Party? Apparently drinking tea and patting each other on the back, in some nice affluent tea room, and telling each other how great they were. They are like a lawn mower without a blade, they get a lot done, but nothing changes.

"Oh, we're gonna do it in November." I know Thanksgiving happens in November.

Does anyone honestly think that the Obama machine is sitting around doing nothing. Look at the actual presidential election results ............... THEY did what they had to do in the right places, TO GET THE JOB DONE. Do we honestly think that whoever orchestrated that election symphony, is doing nothing. My guess is they were playing a tune in Florida. The Republicans were watching baseball while the Democrats were doing, what had to be done, to win the election today, AND THEY DID IT.

A LOT OF TALK, NOT MUCH ACTION .... I think the Conservatives are in trouble, and they don't even know it, they just optimistically say, "Wait till November."

A GREAT Evening ...... Softball and Mathis

I hope some of you watched a GREAT game last night, I did, still have tears in my eyes. College Softball Women's Championship game, pure sports, pure emotions, dedication, athletic ability, and more emotions.

The winning pitcher's Dad came down out of the stands and hugged his victorious daugthter, tears, hugs and sobs, that brought tears to my eyes, then her Mom came down, it was great. Mom and Dad couldn't site together, too much for them.

Just think what the three of them had gone through, for all those years, all the practice, all the games, grade school, high school, college, probably traveling teams, all the hours, late meals, all leading up to this National Championship. All the emotion poured forth, from them all, and it was great to see.

Teary congratulations from the losing team, the Florida Gators, but congratulations, not storming off, like poor Labron did after the Cavalier loss. And he makes millions a year, win lose or draw, but he was hurt he lost. Not the Gators, they were sad, envious, but proud.

I've watched much of the tournament, lost some interest when Michigan lost, but, I love women's softball, sport in its purest form.

I had a major problem though, Johnny Mathis was on a PBS Special, so I had to swing back and forth. I missed some of John, but caught his medley of the ones from my days, back in the 50's, floods of memories came rushing back .... memories then softball.

A great evening, I hope some of you watched it with me .... if not, you REALLY missed out on some great STUFF .....