Boycott British academics!

Need I say more?

Via StandwithUs.com:

Yesterday, May 30th 2007, the British University and College Union voted to adopt a policy broadly supporting a boycott of Israeli academic institutions, as well as calling for a moratorium on EU funding for Israeli research.

THIS IS URGENT AND TIME LIMITED:
You can join StandWithUs, Fairplay in the UK and other groups help overturn this move, but please act right now.

We want to place as much pressure on the UCU leadership as we can.

We want them to call a referendum of all the members to vote on the boycott issue.

Write an email now, keep it polite; don't make it personal, but address the issues. They are:

· Express your dismay at the decision of the Congress to boycott Israeli academic institutions

· Ask UCU leadership to condemn the boycott vocally and publicly

· Ask Sally Hunt, UCU General Secretary, to confirm that she will be honoring her promise to call a referendum of all the UCU membership to ask ALL the UCU members if they support a boycott.

· Express your feelings about the boycott. Boycotts are one sided and do not help anyone;

Please send your emails to:
shunt@ucu.org.uk
pmackney@ucu.org.uk
hq@ucu.org.uk
jointpresidents@ucu.org.uk
blovejoy@ucu.org.uk
mkeight@ucu.org.uk

With a bcc to:
info@standwithus.co.il, info@standwithus.com
ucu@fairplaycg.org.uk

(Above are the emails of: Sally Hunt, General Secretary / Paul Mackney, Joint General Secretary / UCU Head Office / UCU Joint Presidents / Heads of Higher & Further Education).

THE UCU GENERAL SECRETARY HAS SAID SHE DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP OF THE UNION SUPPORTS A BOYCOTT.

YOUR PRESSURE CAN MAKE THE UCU LEADERSHIP ACT.

EMAIL YOUR RESPONSES NOW.

You can Fax the UCU at: +44 207 670 9699

In political or sports news...

Alan Solomont is supporting Sen. Obama despite a long relationship with the Clintons. On that note, Clinton leads the race in money raised from Jewish donors.

Clinton also leads among Jewish funders who have a range of commitments in addition to Israel, said Steve Rabinowitz, a top Democratic consultant in Washington.

"The overwhelming amount of the establishment money is with Hillary," Rabinowitz said, in part because her husband, former President Clinton, is such a well-known quantity. "Hillary is in a special situation -- her longstanding relationship with the community, her husband's relationship with the community, her husband's fund-raising prowess."

But Obama is making significant inroads, and Rabinowitz says he may pose a significant challenge to Clinton among the Jewish grassroots.

"The phenomenon that is Obama has certainly penetrated the Jewish community," he said. "Among small givers, first-time givers, rank-and-file supporters, there's tremendous interest in Obama."

Major Jewish donors also are backing former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina and the "second tier" of candidates, including Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, because of their loyalty to Israel and Jewish issues over the years. Richardson had a solid pro-Israel record during the 1980s and early 1990s when he was a congressman.

Michael Adler, a South Florida developer who is chairman of the National Jewish Democratic Committee, is leading the Jewish backing for Biden; Marc Stanley, the NJDC deputy chairman from Austin, Texas, leads Jewish fund raising for fellow trial lawyer Edwards; Micah Green, the former head of the Bond Market Association, backs Dodd, who is known for his closeness to bankers; and Steve Bittel, a South Florida mortgager in the petroleum business, is in Richardson's camp.

Stanley said Edwards, who has boned up on foreign policy since his 2004 run for vice president on the ticket of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), is appealing to Jewish funders because of his domestic emphasis on alleviating poverty, a key issue for Jewish philanthropists.

"If you listen to what John Edwards says, he's advocating 'tikkun olam,' " the Jewish concept of repairing the world, Stanley said, rattling off a long list of Jewish backers he has successfully solicited.

Support for the longer shots is expected and even welcome, according to those backing the front-runners.

"They are all people who in their congressional careers have been partners with the American Jewish community," said Steve Grossman, the Boston-based marketing magnate who is Clinton's principal Jewish backer. "So it's appropriate that leaders of the American Jewish community support these candidates even if the conventional wisdom says they may not have a great chance."

Rabinowitz raised another motive: Longer shots offer bigger rewards if they defy expectations and win.

"There's a motivation among some to not go with the front-runner because it'll be a bigger payoff," he said.

After Sen. Evan Bayh dropped out of the race, I switched to Edwards and then there was the blogger blow-up so I am currently undecided until former Vice President Al Gore makes his final decision known. If the former veep runs, he'll get my endorsement.

AISH.com has an interesting essay on ten ways Israel is treated differently.

With Billy Gillispie at the helm, you can rest assured that the Kentucky Wildcats will have limited free time this summer.

Though NCAA rules prohibit Gillispie from working out his team during the summer, the Cats will have ample opportunity to play pickup games against one another and work individually on their basketball skills at the Joe Craft Center. And based on the conversations he has had with his players, Gillispie expects they'll take advantage of those opportunities.

"Either they're lying to me or they're really working hard, because every time I call them, they're either sleeping or they're in the gym working on their game," Gillispie said. "So I'm sure that's what they're doing. That's it. I do believe them, until they give me a reason not to. I believe that they're eager, and I think they're excited about coming in and working hard."

Gillispie still has an assistant coach to hire, and he's said he expects to name the third member of his staff sometime this week or next.

He's not the only UK basketball coach with a "help wanted" sign.

Steve Beshear's victory last weeked revived his political career.

"What a difference 20 years makes!" Beshear told jubilant supporters about 10 p.m. at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Frankfort, referring to his third-place finish in the 1987 Democratic gubernatorial primary. "Some people are just slow learners. It took me 20 years to learn how to win this race, but we learned how to do it today."

Opinion polls, including The Courier-Journal Bluegrass Poll, showed Beshear gaining momentum in the final weeks, particularly after state Treasurer Jonathan Miller withdrew two weeks ago and endorsed him.[...]

Beginning in the 1970s, he won a series of elections, rising through the offices of state representative, attorney general and lieutenant governor. But he was badly defeated in the 1987 Democratic primary and was thrashed in a 1996 race for the U.S. Senate against Republican incumbent Mitch McConnell.

But when some top Democratic Party prospects — including 6th District U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler and Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson — backed away from this year's governor's race, Beshear jumped in, signing up state Sen. Daniel Mongiardo as a running mate.

From the campaign's outset, Beshear was the strongest advocate for a constitutional amendment legalizing expanded gambling.

Bayh has asked NASCAR to switch over to ethanol.

"It" is American-made ethanol, which Bayh referred to as the "fuel of the future."

Bayh and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., sent a letter to NASCAR President Brian France last week asking that NASCAR consider the conversion of the organization's cars to "high-powered U.S. ethanol."

Shimon Peres will be a candidate for the Israeli presidency.

Billy Donovan leaves Florida Gators for NBA's Orlando Magic

Anyone surprised by this move? I can't help but feel sorry for Jai Lucas. He's one who went to Florida after the UF folks told him that Patrick Patterson would be playing there.

Marc Maggard has this over at KSR.

Samardo Samuels' guardian is now being quoted as saying that UK is a MAJOR player for Samardo. I understand that Samardo was not even mentioning UK as an aside prior to a day or two ago. When I posted about Samuels a few days ago, I knew that it would be difficult for some to believe…and still probably is. The simple fact is this….Billy Gillispie is not a good recruiter….he is not even a great recruiter….he is an AMAZING recruiter. The best part about this is, he is one hell of a coach as well. Samuels may not end up at UK, but if the right things happen, he very well could be a Cat in the next few weeks.

If Jai Lucas decides to get out of his LOI to UF and Foley lets him out, It would not surprise me to see him at UK. I am quite certain that he was disappointed at the least when Patterson came to UK. He was all but told that Patterson was going to be a Gator. I also am quite sure that UK would still be interested in his services.

As far as recruiting goes, I don't know what will happen to any of the McDonald's or Parade All-Americans that have signed with Florida. If anything, Lucas goes to UK.

Some Patriotic Poems...

In honor of Memorial Day, here is Howard Schnauber's poem, My Name is Old Glory aka I am the Flag:
I am the flag of the United States of America.
My name is Old Glory.
I fly atop the world's tallest buildings.
I stand watch in America's halls of justice.
I fly majestically over great institutes of learning.
I stand guard with the greatest military power in the world.
Look up! And see me!
I stand for peace - honor - truth and justice.
I stand for freedom
I am confident - I am arrogant
I am proud.
When I am flown with my fellow banners
My head is a little higher
My colors a little truer.
I bow to no one.
I am recognized all over the world.
I am worshipped - I am saluted - I am respected
I am revered - I am loved, and I am feared.
I have fought every battle of every war for more than 200 years:
Gettysburg, Shilo, Appomatox, San Juan Hill, the trenches of France,
the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome, the beaches of Normandy,
the deserts of Africa, the cane fields of the Philippines, the rice paddies andjungles of Guam, Okinawa, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Guadalcanal
New Britain, Peleliu, and many more islands.
And a score of places long forgotten by all but those who were with me.
I was there.
I led my soldiers - I followed them.
I watched over them.
They loved me.
I was on a small hill in Iwo Jima.
I was dirty, battle-worn and tired, but my soldiers cheered me,
and I was proud.
I have been soiled, burned, torn and trampled on the streets of
countries I have helped set free.
It does not hurt, for I am invincible.
I have been soiled, burned, torn and trampled on the streets of
my country, and when it is by those
with whom I have served in battle - it hurts.
But I shall overcome - for I am strong.
I have slipped the bonds of Earth and stand watch over the
uncharted new frontiers of space
from my vantage point on the moon.
I have been a silent witness to all of America's finest hours.
But my finest hour comes when I am torn into strips to
be used for bandages for my wounded comrades on the field of battle,
When I fly at half mast to honor my soldiers,
And when I lie in the trembling arms of a grieving
mother at the graveside of her fallen son.
I am proud.
My name is Old Glory.
Dear G-d - Long may I wave.

Here is I am the Nation or as it's known during the opening ceremonies of Thunder over Louisville, Proud to be an American:
I was born on July 4, 1776 and the Declaration of Independence is my birth certificate. The bloodlines of the world run in my veins, because I offered freedom to the oppressed. I am many things, and many people. I AM THE NATION.

I am 243 million living souls...and the ghost of millions who have lived and died for me. I am Nathan Hale and Paul Revere. I stood at Lexington and fired the shot heard around the world. I am Washington, Jefferson and Molly Pitcher. I am John Paul Jones, the Green Mountain Boys, and Davey Crockett. I am Lee and Grant and Abe Lincoln.

I remember the Alamo, the Maine and Pearl Harbor. When freedom called I answered and stayed until it was over...over there. I left my heroic dead in Flanders Fields, on the roads of Corregidor, on the bleak slopes of Korea and in the steaming jungles of Vietman.

I am the Brooklyn Bridge, the wheat lands of Kansas and the granite hills of Vermont. I am the coal fields of the Virginias and the bluegrass farms in Kentucky, the Golden Gate and the Grand Canyon. I am Independence Hall, the Spirit of St. Louis...and footprints on the moon.

I am big; I sprawl from the Atlantic to the Pacific. My arms reach out to embrace Alaska and Hawaii, more than 3 million square miles throbbing with industry and technology. I am more than 2 million farms. I am forest, field, mountain and desert. I am quiet villages...and cities that never sleep. You can look at me and see Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, Babe Ruth and the World Series.

I am 170,000 schools and colleges and 260,000 churches where my people worship G-d as they think best. I am a ballot dropped into a box and an editorial in a newspaper. I am the roar of a crowd in a stadium, and the voice of a choir in a cathedral.

I am Mark Twain and Stephen Foster. I am Tom Edison, Albert Einstein and Walt Disney. I am the Wright Brothers, Will Rogers and Bob Hope. I am Henry Ford, Jonas Salk, John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. I am Neil Armstrong, Charles Yeager and Christa McAuliffe. Yes, I AM THE NATION, and these are the things that I am. I was conceived in freedom and, G-d willing, in freedom I will spend the rest of my days, PROUD TO BE AMERICAN.

Memorial Day

Thank you to our troops serving our country and to those who have died in the line of duty to protect the freedoms of America.

Here's some background information by way of Wikipedia.

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May (observed this year on 2007-05-28). It was formerly known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. One of the longest standing traditions is the running of the Indianapolis 500, which has been held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911.

Another long standing tradition is that it opens up the traditional summer movie season.

Many people observe this holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 pm Washington time. Another tradition is to fly the U.S. Flag at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Volunteers place a U.S. Flag upon each gravesite located in a National Cemetery.

In addition to remembrance, Memorial Day is also a time for picnics, family gatherings, and sporting events. Some Americans view Memorial Day as the unofficial beginning of summer and Labor Day as the unofficial end of the season. The national Click it or ticket campaign ramps up beginning Memorial Day weekend, noting the beginning of the most dangerous season for auto accidents and other safety related incidents. The USAF "101 Critical days of summer" also begin on this day as well. Some Americans use Memorial Day to also honor any family members who have died, not just servicemen.

Flags flying at Fort Logan National Cemetery during Memorial Day 2006.Memorial Day formerly occurred on May 30, and some, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), advocate returning to this fixed date, although the significance of the date is tenuous. The VFW stated in a 2002 Memorial Day Address, "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."[1] Hawaii's Senator Daniel Inouye, a World War II veteran, has repeatedly introduced measures to return Memorial Day to its traditional day since 1998.

General John A. Logan is the person credited with pushing for a Memorial Day.

Drive safe this weekend.

Caption this photo...

Nickolas moving on...

I heard earlier today via email that Mark Nickolas was leaving the state. Pol Watchers also has a post up on the news.

This is sad news especially given the revolution he started here in the Commonwealth. What Mark has done for this state has been amazing. He took on Ernie Fletcher and Jerry Lundergan. He took on Bruce Lunsford.

He voiced his opinion so loud that the Fletcher administration blocked the blog as well as some others, including my own.

Political blogger Mark Nickolas will move to Helena, Montana next week, he confirmed today in a telephone interview.

Nickolas, who authors the Democratic blog BluegrassReport.org, will continue to update the blog from Montana during the immediate future. He is exploring other long-term options, including selling the blog or transforming it into a publication focused on national politics, he said.

BluegrassReport has had more than 1.8 million visits and more than 5 million page views since launching on June 12, 2005.

"It's been a really good run," Nickolas said. "BluegrassReport has accomplished a lot and hopefully will continue to accomplish a lot."

A controversial figure, Nickolas has been highly critical of Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher and Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Lundergan.

The blog's traffic increased dramatically after it gained national attention in 2006 when Fletcher's administration began blocking state workers from accessing it and other sites. A lawsuit filed by Nickolas against Fletcher is still pending in federal court.

I wish you the best, Mark, and never forget all your friends here in the Commonwealth. You leave some pretty big shoes to fill. I will try my best. In the meantime, there's Pol Watchers, the Bridge, Bluegrass Roots, etc.

I'll be on hiatus from June 12 until about July 1 since I will be away in Eretz Yisrael and then the annual family vacation.

Here's Mark's post on the matter.

Other news going on...

Israel has threatened the top leader of Hamas. Once again, I reiterate that there will be peace in the Middle East when the Arabs love their children more than they hate the Jews. I stand by that statement and will continue to do so for the time to come.

While Jonathan Pollard has yet to be released, at least he's yet to be executed.

Bullcrap and you know it.

Natalie Portman, perhaps the greatest actress of this generation, has started to venture into video blogging.
Natalie Portman Video Diary #1

Natalie Portman Video Diary #2


All you political junkies, get ready for a station on XM Radio devoted solely to the 2008 election.

UK has pulled out of it's game with UMASS. I like Travis Ford and I wish we could play UMass and Minnesota every year but I guess Gillispie has other plans up his sleeve. Perhaps an annual game against Duke?

I'm not buying it.

This was one of the final statements released by Chairman Lundergan.

Kentucky Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Lundergan this evening issued this statement regarding the 2007 Democratic Gubernatorial Primary Election:

This is a great day for Democrats across Kentucky! Voters united in this Primary Election and chose our 2007 “Team Kentucky” Democratic nominees for constitutional offices.

I would like to begin by congratulating Steve Beshear and Senator Dan Mongiardo for their win in the gubernatorial race. Not only are we entering the General Election with two outstanding candidates at the top of the Democratic ticket, but without a run-off election, Democrats will be able to give all of our resources to our candidates starting tomorrow.

I am so proud of all of our gubernatorial candidates for the way they conducted this race. Back in January, I brought all of these candidates together and secured a Unity Pledge from each one, promising that they would run a clean campaign and support whoever our nominee would be. They fulfilled that pledge, using their campaigns to focus on good ideas and strong solutions to the problems that face Kentucky’s families.

On the other side, the Republican candidates for governor spent countless resources pointing out the reasons their opponent would not make a good governor. So tomorrow morning, as our Democratic “Team Kentucky” candidates unite and begin bringing positive change to the Commonwealth, Republicans will only be beginning the healing process within their party.

Along with the Beshear/Mongiardo ticket for governor and lieutenant governor, “Team Kentucky” also welcomes five highly qualified, superior candidates who will be running for the offices of Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Commissioner of Agriculture and State Treasurer.

Jack Conway, our nominee for Attorney General, ran a super campaign and showed an uncanny ability to connect with voters. Todd Hollenbach, our nominee for State Treasurer is a talent who has a great future in this party. David Lynn Williams, our nominee for Agriculture Commissioner, showed a great deal of heart in his race and S. Bruce Hendrickson, our nominee for Secretary of State, makes a welcome addition to our team.

Finally, I’d like to talk about our incumbent Democratic State Auditor, Crit Luallen, who ran without opposition in the Primary Election.

I personally know Auditor Luallen to be a person of great integrity and ability.

The party is strongly united behind all of these candidates and I urge all Democrats to give your full support to “Team Kentucky” as we forge ahead to victory in the General Election. Thank you for coming out to support our candidates in today’s election and for all that you do to help the Kentucky Democratic Party.

Political analyst Larry Sabato believes the the governor's race leans Democratic in the November general election.

Honest Reporting has this article on what's happening in Sedrot.

Kudos to Steven Weinberg.

An American Nobel prize laureate has withdrawn from a speaking engagement at a London university, citing anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiment in the United Kingdom, a British newspaper reported Thursday.

According to The Guardian, Professor Steven Weinberg of the University of Texas told the Imperial College that his decision was motivated by a move by Britain's National Union of Journalists to boycott Israeli products.

Weinberg had been due to honor Pakistani physicist Abdus Salam, a co-winner of the 1979 Nobel Prize for physics, The Guardian said.

The paper quoted Weinberg as telling the college that he believes the NUJ's move stems from the "desire to pander to the growing Muslim minority in Britain."

In his letter of withdrawal, Weinberg wrote that, "given the history of the attacks on Israel and the oppressiveness and aggressiveness of other countries in the Middle East and elsewhere, boycotting Israel indicated a moral blindness for which it is hard to find any explanation other than anti-Semitism."

The Guardian said that Weinberg also pulled out of a 2006 conference at Durham University due to a boycott of Israeli academics imposed by lecturers' union NATFHE.

It's Beshear time, baby!

I've read up on the concession speeches and victory speeches.

Let me state first and foremost, Steve Beshear and Daniel Mongiardo have won with a mandate. Good government will finally be returned to Frankfort.

Jerry Lundergan's days as chairman are effectively over and I would expect that things at party headquarters are going to look very differently here in the next few weeks and months to come. It appears that outgoing State Treasurer Jonathan Miller will be the next chairman of the party and Louisville attorney Jennifer Moore will be the vice-chairman. Happy days are ahead for the KDP. Add in what Miller can do with the technology of today and we're about to see a Democratic revolution unlike any other event in the past. With Miller as chair, the Republican days in this state are over.

Overall, I was satisfied with most of Tuesday evening's results. I'm a bit upset with the State Treasurer and Secretary of State races. I was hoping Dick Robinson would have been the next Secretary of State. I've seen Bruce Hendrickson speak once at a down-ticket get together--I wasn't pleased with what I saw. When the other candidates spoke for five minutes at maximum, he RAMBLED on for half an hour. Had White not been in the race, I think Dick would have had it. Remember, she played a spoiler role especially when she told the press that she wanted to run for governor and couldn't find a running mate.

I would have liked Mike Weaver to have won but that didn't happen. Even as a Louisvillian, I don't know much about Todd Hollenbach other than that his father was a failed candidate in statewide races.

I want to be an optimist for my party's candidates but the way I see it, Trey Grayson's career will not be derailed and neither will UK basketball legend Richie Farmer. Had we nominated Robinson, I'd like to think that Trey would lose. But when a stump speech is half an hour long, I don't think those type of candidates will do that well and that's why I don't like Hendrickson's chances in the general election.

The big winner on Tuesday was expanded gaming and that's a key issue that I will be voting on this November.

Shavuos

To any Jewish readers, have a happy Shavuos.

To the non-Jerwish readers, Shavuos is celebrated for two days in the diaspora and it's a mitzvah to attend services to hear the Ten Commandments read during the Torah service.

It's a Jewish custom to only eat dairy during the holiday.

It's a mitzvah to stay up all night on the first night to study Torah. As such, here is a link to all 613 positive and negative mitzvot.

Here are the ABC's of Shavuot.

Did G-d speak at Sinai?

Here's an entertaining video.

In UK news this week...

Catching up on the latest in Kentucky Wildcats action...

The baseball team won this past Saturday but sadly, they don't qualify for the SEC tournament. I don't know the chances of them making the NCAA tournament but I would like them too.

We didn't get Jai Lucas (Florida), Beas Hamga (UNLV), or Michael Sanchez (Arkansas) but we sure got a great player in Patrick Patterson of Huntington, WV.

UK had an available scholarship at the end of the signing period.

Ranking-wise, the Cats will likely rise into the top 30 and will definitely now be a contender when it comes to the preseason voting for the polls.

Before the Huntington, W. Va., standout signed a letter-of-intent today, a three-man UK recruiting class had been ranked in the No. 80 or 90 range.

But the addition of Patterson – a consensus top-15 player nationally – gave the Wildcats class “some pop,” according to Scout.com national analyst Dave Telep.

Telep said UK would now be a top-25 class in the Scout rankings, while Hoop Scoop editor Clark Francis said the signing lifts UK from No. 98 to No. 36.

Rivals.com national analyst Jerry Meyer said the signing “put UK in the discussion” for a top-25 ranking. Rivals only ranks the top 25 signing classes and Meyer said the Wildcats “wouldn’t have even been in the discussion” without Patterson.

Gillispie was in the dark when it came to Patrick Patterson's decision.

New Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie said he wasn't surprised that coveted power forward Patrick Patterson picked the Wildcats. What surprised him was that Patterson kept it a surprise.

When the recruit from Huntington High School in West Virginia announced his collegiate choice Wednesday from a short list that also included Florida and Duke, even his new coach remained in the dark until the news conference.

"I've been involved in a few recruiting situations," Gillispie said Thursday. "You always know before the announcement is made. This is like being a bubble team and seeing your name appear on the screen on Selection Sunday. We didn't know. We had no idea until he put his hat on."

The hat - beige with the blue letters UK - marked the first major recruiting coup for Gillispie, just six weeks after taking the reins of college basketball's winningest program.

Gillispie gave former coach Tubby Smith and his staff much of the credit for landing Patterson, who fills a glaring need on a guard-heavy team. The 6-foot-8 Patterson led his high school to three straight Class AAA championships, last year with the help of O.J. Mayo.

"When you draw up a power forward for me, he possesses everything you need to have," Gillispie said. "He has great size and athletic ability, extremely long arms. He has really good hands. He's tougher than anything."

Dakotah Euton has UK in his top 3 choices.

Get your blog on

Since I will not be in Jefferson County this upcoming Tuesday, I voted over the weekend. I voted for everyone I endorsed originally except for in the Governor's race where I voted for the Beshear-Mongiardo ticket rather than the Miller-Maze ticket. But what can you do? The polls were what they were and that's that.

I will not be live-blogging the results on Tuesday evening due to the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which we celebrate the recieving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai. Instead, you will have to wait until Thursday night.

My class was in production week during the past week so blogging was very light, if any. So this blog will be lengthy.

Hamas has hijacked Mickey Mouse. Saddening.

Bruce, there is no calling for you to be governor. The only calling that will be done is when you are defeated this Tuesday. No one wants Lundergan as chairman anymore.

Last Wednesday-Thursday night was Yom Yerushalayim, the celebration of the the capture of the Old City in Jerusalem and the restoration of control at the Temple Mount in 1967. The day after was the Yahrtzeit of Shmuel (Samuel) the Prophet (930-878 BCE).

Oh, crap. We really do not need to go through that all over again.

The following is from an email sent by Dr. Dick Robinson:

As each day passes I continue to be humbled by the support our campaign is receiving. This support began with my good friends and former Kentucky and Louisville Coaches Joe B. Hall and Denny Crum agreeing to serve as my honorary campaign co-chairmen. I would also like to take this opportunity to let you know I am very excited to have gained the support and endorsements of the men and women of the Kentucky AFL-CIO, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and Teamsters!

Along with the fine support of labor I am honored to have been endorsed along the campaign trail by former Governors John Y. Brown Jr., Julian Carroll, and Brereton Jones as well as former Democratic Party Chairmen Tracy Farmer and Terry McBrayer. I hope you will join these fine organizations and individuals in supporting my campaign when you vote Tuesday!

My approach to this campaign is my life’s motto … there are no shortcuts in life! I have dedicated myself to doing what it takes to winning this campaign to restore Democratic values and ideas to State Government. Thank you for your time and consideration, I would appreciate your vote next Tuesday, May 22nd.

Sincerely,

Dr. Dick Robinson

UK news will be blogged tomorrow.

CW Fall Schedule

Monday
8-8:30 pm Everybody Hates Chris
8:30-9 pm Aliens in America
9-9:30 pm Girlfriends
9:30-10 pm The Game

Tuesday
8-9 pm Beauty and the Geek
9-10 pm Reaper

Wednesday
8-9 pm America's Next Top Model
9-10 pm Gossip Girl

Thursday
8-9 pm Smallville
9-10 pm Supernatural

Friday
8-10 pm Friday Night SmackDown!

Sunday
7-7:30 pm CW Now
7:30-8 pm Online Nation
8-9 pm Life is Wild
9-10 pm America's Next Top Model

FOX Fall Schedule

FOX Prime-time Schedule Fall 2007:

Monday
8 pm: Prison Break
9 pm: K-Ville

Tuesday
8 pm: New Amsterdam
9 pm: House

Wednesday
8 pm: Back to You
8:30 pm: 'Til Death
9 pm: Bones

Thursday
8 pm: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
9 pm Kitchen Nightmares

Friday
8 pm: The Search for the Next Great American Band
9 pm: Nashville

Saturday
8 pm: Cops
8:30 pm Cops
9 pm America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back
11 pm: Mad TV
12 am: Talk Show with Spike Feresten

Sunday
7 pm: The OT (NFL post-game)
8 pm The Simpsons
8:30 pm: King of the Hill
9 pm: Family Guy
9:30 pm: American Dad

FOX Prime-time Schedule Beginning January 2008:

Monday
8 pm: K-Ville (January)/Prison Break (Spring)
9 pm: 24

Tuesday
8 pm: American Idol
9 pm: House

Wednesday (January)
8 pm: Back to You
8:30 pm ’Til Death
9 pm: American Idol

Wednesday (Spring)
8 pm: Back to You
8:30 pm: The Return of Jezebel James
9 pm: American Idol Results Show
9:30 pm: 'Til Death

Thursday
8 pm: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
9 pm: Canterbury's Law

Friday
8 pm: Bones
9 pm: New Amsterdam

Saturday
8 pm: Cops
8:30 pm: Cops
9 pm America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back
11 pm: Mad TV
12 am: Talk Show with Spike Feresten

Sunday
7 pm: King of the Hill
7:30 pm: American Dad
8 pm: The Simpsons
8:30 pm: Family Guy
9 pm: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Exclusive Interview with Steve Beshear

Danielle Solzman: Thank you for joining the Kentucky Democrat today. How are things going in Lexington?

Steve Beshear: Our campaign has tremendous support in Lexington. As you know, I have lived in Lexington most of my adult life.

DS: You served in the state legislature, as Attorney General, and Lt. Governor before going to work in the private industry. What did you think of your experience so far?

SB: As we have traveled across our state, we find Kentuckians crying out for strong, experienced, and competent leadership in Frankfort. I feel both my public and private experience have placed me in a unique position to provide that kind of leadership.

DS: Things have changed a lot in Kentucky since your last electoral race in 1996 for the U.S. Senate, how is your campaign taking advantage of the technology provided by the internet?

SB: We have taken advantage of both our website and email to communicate with voters. I am very proud of our website and the wealth of information available to people because of it. We have taken advantage of YouTube, FaceBook, and have started a MySpace page. After the primary we plan on having active blog with guest bloggers from around Kentucky.

What I have found fantastic about the new technology in campaigns today is that they are able to facilitate a two way communication. I don’t want to simply talk to voters, I want voters to be able to talk to me as well.

DS: How do you feel about the image of the state party? Do you think the party is running the way it should be running or do you think that there are some areas that could be corrected?

SB: The image of our party should be one that is inclusive and embraces new ideas and new technology. We need to reach out to all Kentuckians. Our party needs to reenergize at the grassroots level and we need to bring a younger generation into the party to that will play an active role.

DS: How about the national party?

SB: Chairman Dean has done a wonderful job at the DNC, energizing the party and making sure we have good, strong Democratic organizations in every state.

DS: With all the mess going on in Frankfort, do you believe that Governor Ernie Fletcher will be one-and-done?

SB: He will if I have anything to do with it!

DS: You are running for governor and it seems that your big issue is expanded gambling. Where would you like the revenue to go and do you have any response to Speaker Richards' comments the other day?

SB: Gaming tax revenue should be dedicated to certain specific areas such as education, health care and economic development. Other candidates are making numerous campaign promises, but we are the only ticket willing to tell the voters where the money will come from to pay for our promises.

DS: How did you decide on Dr. Daniel Mongiardo? Were there any other people you were considering as possible running mates?

SB: I choose Dr. Mongiardo as my running mate for the only reason one should be Lt. Governor; he has the experience to be Governor of Kentucky.

Dr. Mongiardo was the only candidate I seriously considered as my running mate.

DS: What about 2008? Anyone out there that you would like to see run for president? Who do you think has the best chance to win back the White House?

SB: We have an abundant crop of good Democrats running for President. I have not decided who I will support yet.

DS: How do you feel about Jonathan Miller and his future in Kentucky politics?

SB: By their decision to endorse Daniel and me, both Jonathan Miller and Irv Maze placed the future of our party and our state above their own political ambitions. Both of these men have a great deal to offer Kentucky. I hope I can convince them to help me in some capacity when I am Governor.

DS: Jon Stewart or Bill O'Reilly?

SB: Bill O’Reilly? Are you kidding me? Jon Stewart’s my guy.

DS: What do you believe should be the three most important priorities that you would want the General Assembly to deal with not including expanded gambling?

SB: Improving our children’s education, lowering the cost and increasing the accessibility of health care and creating more high paying jobs for Kentuckians.

DS: How do you feel about the status of education in Kentucky and the low national rankings?

SB: Education in Kentucky has come a long way since the KERA reforms of the 1990’s, but we still have a long way to go. I am determined that every Kentucky child have a world class education so they can compete in the global economy.

DS: Thanks for joining the Kentucky Democrat and keep up the good fight, and you will have my vote in the primary election!

SB: Thanks Danielle. I appreciate the opportunity.

CBS Fall Schedule

MONDAY
8:00 p.m. How I Met Your Mother
8:30 p.m. The Big Bang Theory
9:00 p.m. Two and a Half Men
9:30 p.m. Rules of Engagement
10:00 p.m. CSI: Miami

TUESDAY
8:00 p.m. NCIS
9:00 p.m. The Unit
10:00 p.m. Cane

WEDNESDAY
8:00 p.m. Kid Nation
9:00 p.m. Criminal Minds
10:00 p.m. CSI: NY

THURSDAY
8:00 p.m. Survivor
9:00 p.m. CSI
10:00 p.m. Without a Trace (new time)

FRIDAY
8:00 p.m. Ghost Whisperer
9:00 p.m. Moonlight
10:00 p.m. Numb3rs

SATURDAY
8:00 p.m. Crimetime Saturday
9:00 p.m. Crimetime Saturday
10:00 p.m. 48 Hours: Mystery

SUNDAY
7:00 p.m. 60 Minutes
8:00 p.m. Viva Laughlin
9:00 p.m. Cold Case
10:00 p.m. Shark (new time)

Patrick Patterson's decision

Patrick Patterson decided on UK late this afternoon. My dad called and a friend sent me a text message on my cell phone. I'm relieved by this decision even if it took him a few years to come to this. Thankfully, it was UK and not Duke or Florida.

Patrick Patterson Decides at 3:45 PM today

No idea what he will do at all.

WKYT will have streaming video.

ABC Fall Schedule

MONDAY:
8:00 p.m. Dancing with the Stars
9:30 p.m. Sam I Am
10:00 p.m.The Bachelor
(Cashmere Mafia, Notes from the Underbelly, and October Road will air after Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor conclude.)

TUESDAY:
8:00 p.m. Cavemen
8:30 p.m. Carpoolers
9:00 p.m. Dancing with the Stars the Results Show
10:00 p.m. Boston Legal

WEDNESDAY:
8:00 p.m. Pushing Daisies
9:00 p.m. Private Practice
10:00 p.m. Dirty Sexy Money

THURSDAY:
8:00 p.m. Ugly Betty
9:00 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy
10:00 p.m. Big Shots

FRIDAY:
8:00 p.m. MEN IN TREES
9:00 p.m. Women’s Murder Club
10:00 p.m. 20/20

SATURDAY:
8:00 p.m. Saturday Night College Football

SUNDAY:
7:00 p.m. America’s Funniest Home Videos
8:00 p.m. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9:00 p.m. Desperate Housewives
10:00 p.m. Brothers & Sisters

Lucas picks Florida

Even though they already have a PG in the 2008 class, Jai Lucas has picked Florida.

NBC moves The Office against CSI

I'm not so sure how I feel about it. I obviously love The Office but at the same time, I've watched pretty much every episode of CSI that has been aired since it started. CRossing Jordan got canned. They should have kept it on Sundays because I stopped watching once they moved it to Wednesdays. The least surprising of all was the cancellation of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

Heroes: Origins will air during the midseason when the show is on it's spring hiatus.

Here's the schedule released today:
Monday: Deal or No Deal, Heroes, Journeyman
Tuesday: The Biggest Loser, Chuck, Law & Order: SVU
Wednesday: Deal or No Deal, Bionic Woman, Life
Thursday: My Name is Earl, 30 Rock, The Office, Scrubs, ER
Friday: 1 vs 100/The Spelling Bee, Las Vegas, Friday Night Lights
Saturday: Dead Night, reruns
Sunday: Football in the Fall, 2008: Law & Order, Medium, Lipstick Jungle

NBC made a major mistake in moving The Office.

In Gillispie news...

The basketball camp aimed at elite players will start this June.

Gillispie’s first day camp runs June 10-13. Registration for this session will be Sunday, June 10 from noon to 1:00 p.m. Sessions on Monday, June 11 and Tuesday, June 12 will start at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 5:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, June 13, the awards ceremony will mark the end of the session. Lunch each day will be provided.

Overnight camps are scheduled for June 24-28 and July 29-August 2.

Jai Lucas has UK in his final 3. His decision will come on Monday.

Former Texas A&M Aggie basketball player Chris Walker is being brought on as a graduate assistant.

Don't worry, I'm fine

I'm doing just fine despite the news the other day. I did managed to see a Jack Conway advertisement on ESPN in Northern Kentucky so it's good to see Conway outreaching to voters outside of Louisville.

It's pretty much summer and the light blogging is due to that fact and I am currently enrolled in a Digital Cinema production class and I would expect that next week will be a week long hiatus from the blog after Monday. I'm getting back to work on a screenplay I started writing last May but because of the academic school year, I stopped working on it, and now I am getting back to it.

As far as the French go, this appears to be some welcome relief of news.

Nicolas Sarkozy, "by far the most pro-Israeli French presidential figure Israel could have hoped for" according to one political analyst, won the runoff election for the presidency. He will take over his new post May 16.

With three quarters of votes counted Sunday night, Sarkozy, the UMP candidate, garnered some 53 percent of the vote Sunday against Socialist candidate Segolene Royal, who won 47 percent. In numbers not seen since 1974, 85 percent of French voters turned out, following a hard-fought campaign pitting the conservative Sarkozy against the liberal Royal, who conceded defeat soon after the polls closed.

Many French Jews were seen as backing Sarkozy, known as an American-style law-and-order politician, for his hard line against Muslim unrest in France, including anti-Semitic attacks. Royal drew fire from the community for meeting with Hezbollah lawmakers in Beirut during a Mideast tour in December.

Political expert Frederic Encel called Sarkozy “by far the most pro-Israeli French presidential figure Israel could have hoped for." Encel said Sarkozy’s campaign speeches, political program and advisers will mean a more balanced approach on the Middle East, although the Israeli Foreign Ministry has said that France has made major changes in that approach in the past two years.

Here's more on Frances' new president.

This broke the other day.

World Jewish Congress President Edgar Bronfman has resigned. His resignation came Monday at a steering committee meeting of the organization he has led for nearly 30 years.

The resignation caps weeks of turmoil within the organization after the firing of Israel Singer, a longtime senior official. WJC affiliates in Europe, Latin America and Israel had expressed dismay over the way he was fired. Representatives of those groups flew to New York for Monday's meeting. The resignation comes two years before Bronfman had intended to step down and just days after he put out a public statement saying he would not resign.

King Herod's tomb has been discovered.

Why is this a debate at all? Every JCC and synagogue I go to have both the American flag and the Israeli flag hanging up.

A UK Public Service Announcement

Marc Maggard at UKUncensored.com has an excellent post that I consider a must-read. So much so that I am posting it here in full.

don't know HOW MANY TIMES this needs to be explained....so listen close.

It doesn't matter what you think the NCAA can or should do in regards to what is fair. The rules are quite clear in their vagueness by design.

Fans of any school who start lobbying recruits to come to that school are commiting infractions. I don't give a $#!+ (leave it in mods) that some people don't think it's "Fair" of if they don't think UK can control it....it doesn' t matter. The NCAA could STILL tell Beas he has to pick another school.

It's not good enough for UK to say "We can't stop them"......in the least, you cause Sandy Bell and UK to do a media blitz to tell UK fans to stop it in order to show "institutional control". If UK were to do nothing when they discover a violation, then they are considered to be giving passive consent to the infractions.

Any fan who is doing this is putting UK in jeapordy. Not only that, but leaving messages on those sites does nothing to help UK. In fact, I would argue that in at least one instance, it is harming UK....I'll go into that more in a month or so.

The point is stop it....stop saying it's no big deal....stop telling your friends where a myspace page is....stop adding them to your page....stop messing with UK's recruiting efforts.....STOP POSTING THAT IT ISN"T DANGEROUS.

We all need to spread this message that it needs to stop NOW. There are serious implications DESPITE what some of you "NCAA Jailhouse Lawyers" think is not a risk. I will no longer allow myspace/facebook threads to be posted here and the mods are now instructed to immediately move those threads into the closed mod forum for review.

Additionally, any known contact will be reported to UK's complance department. I suspect those who are discoverd to have commited infractions will be sanctioned, which could included banning from UK events of all kinds. This is no joke, this is serious. If you people love UK and want what's best, stop causing problems and acting like it's all good.

Mr. Flip-Flop is House Speaker Jody Richards

In a move that is very surprising, House Speaker and gubernatorial candidate Jody Richards (D-Bowling Green) has attacked former Lt. Governor/Attorney General Steve Beshear and in doing so, he flip-flopped on the hot button issue of EXPANDED GAMING in Kentucky.

House Speaker Jody Richards and former Lt. Gov. Steve Henry said today it appears that Beshear is gambling with Kentucky’s future, while Louisville businessman Bruce Lunsford said it is doubtful that benefits from expanded gambling could be realized until two or three years into the next governor’s administration. Lunsford stressed that he was not directly criticizing Beshear.

Until today, all Democratic candidates for governor except Harlan demolition contractor Otis Hensley Jr. had said they supported expanded gambling.

Richards said today at a forum in Frankfort that he he made a mistake earlier this year when he told the Kentucky School Boards Association that he would vote for a constitutional amendment to allow expanded gambling.

He said he now has changed his mind.

Asked if he would vote as a legislator to put the issue on the ballot for Kentucky voters, Richards said that would be “a tough sale.”

Beshear said his opponents are making promises but he is the only candidate offering a way to pay for them.

He said he could provide the leadership to win voter approval of expanded gambling. He also said he would conduct a comprehensive efficiency study of state government to try to find additional funds.

I'm sorry, Mr. Speaker, but your flip-flopping has lost yourself a vote from me.

The run-off will likely be Beshear and Lunsford. We get Beshear in there and we will win this thing.

Jonathan Miller ends bid, endorses Steve Beshear

With the poll numbers as of late, it does not surprise me. Here's an article from the C-J:

Kentucky Treasurer Jonathan Miller is expected to drop out of the Democratic race for Kentucky governor and endorse former Lt. Gov. Steve Beshear this afternoon.

The Beshear campaign has called a press conference for 3 p.m. today at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Frankfort in which he and his running mate, state Sen. Dan Mongiardo, will be joined by Miller and his running mate, Jefferson County Attorney Irv Maze.

Miller’s campaign has found it hard to get traction during the race. The 39-year-old Miller has spent more than a $1 million — much of it on television commercials — but hasn’t been able to break into double digits in independent polling.

According to a media advisory, the press conference “is to discuss how Democrats should support a nominee who can beat Ernie Fletcher this fall.”

Robert Keller, a spokesman for Beshear, confirmed that Miller would endorse Beshear at the press conference.

Carol Andrews, a spokeswoman for Miller refused to comment.

Now I need to replace the logo on the blog...

Miller-Maze and Beshear-Mongiardo supporters MUST UNITE to defeat Lunsford and Henry.

There's only one choice...

Miller Genuine! And I say that as someone, if I drank, who would prefer Anheuser-Busch only...

A few things...

One, I had graduation on Friday and you know what that means, my summer blogging schedule is officially in affect. Blogging will probably not be every day.

Their vision for the future have put them on the spot.

Evan Bayh believes that there is a wake up call when it comes to trade with China.

Chairman Jerry Lundergan is issuing a statement every day from May 1st to May 21st to engage the party's base. I may or may not be posting all of them here.

At the Kentucky Derby breakfast, candidates were out and abound to campaign.

Until sundown, it is the 18 of Iyar and 33rd day of the Omer. Per AISH.com's day in history mailing list:

Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (100 - 170 CE), the great scholar and leader during the Roman period following the destruction of the Second Temple. After criticizing the Roman government, Rabbi Shimon was forced to go into hiding with his son for 13 years. They lived in a cave, studying Torah, and subsisting on carob and water. Rabbi Shimon is credited with authoring many works of Jewish law, including the Zohar, the primary source of Jewish mysticism, which he revealed to his students on his final day.

Lag B'Omer -- literally the "33rd day of the Omer" -- is the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shimon and, according to his wishes, is observed as a day of great celebration. Jews throughout Israel light huge bonfires, symbolically illuminating the deeper truths of Torah, as revealed by Rabbi Shimon. The main celebration is at Meiron, the Rabbi Shimon's burial site, where tens of thousands of people gather to light torches, sing and dance in his honor.

Moving on to sports news...

Coach Billy Gillispie supports the change in the 3 point line.

Ouch...that has to hurt

The Beatles to reunite, digitally, again?

I say digitally as both John Lennon and George Harrison are no longer with us.

Per the Cleveland Leader:

The Beatles, 12 years after releasing Free as a Bird and Real Love from the John Lennon vault, are recording a new song by the late Beatle for one last final hurrah. The song is called 'Now and Then'. McCartney, working with a finished Lennon chorus, has written verses to go along with Lennon's unfinished song.

The song is set for release sometime later this year but no firm date has been given. The late George Harrison had blocked the track from release as he was not as high on the song as McCartney. Some Beatles insiders say that the is it is McCartney's goal to release one more song that will be forever ever remembered and cementing the Fab Four's legacy even further.

Here's more detail from an article in Yahoo News:

The surviving members of the Beatles are set to release a never-before-heard new single.

The track, called Now and Then, is based on a John Lennon recording, given to Sir Paul McCartney by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono in 1994 as part of their Anthology project.

According to friends this may now be the "one last great song" that McCartney has been waiting for since he recommenced touring and working in 1989.

"Paul was asked in the early Nineties when he started touring again, why he was doing it. They said that he was rich, he didn't need this. But Paul said that he felt he had one great song left in him. He's always been the most uncannily intuitive person and it looks like that song has finally arrived," the Daily Express quoted ELO musician Jeff Lynne, who produced the sessions, as saying.

Archive tracks from George Harrison will also be merged with the new song, along with vocals from McCartney and drumming from Ringo Starr.[...]

Lynne also said that the best thing about the song was that it brought back a lot of memories.

"The best thing about it all was to work with John again. Hearing him in the headphones, it was like he was in the next room. It's like an impossible dream," he said.

According to sources, McCartney has reverted to the drawing board and will conclude the song the way he and John always worked, making it a suitable Lennon-McCartney masterpiece.

My apologies

I know, I know. I've been slacking at the blog but I've been busy with whatever little schoolwork I have remaining this semester. That and today was the only window I had to watch both Spider-Man movies before Spider-Man 3 opens this weekend.

UK news comes first. Then political news.

Mr. Basketball Steffphon Pettigrew has chosen to become a Western Kentucky Hilltopper. It became clear when UK didn't have the mutual interest that Pettigrew was likely headed to a place other than in Lexington.

Former Kentucky Wildcat Rodrick Rhodes wants another chance in Lexington and would like to be an assistant coach for Billy Gillispie.

Rhodes, who just completed his first season as an assistant coach at Idaho State, would like to join Billy Gillispie's new UK staff.

As a high school senior in the Class of 1992, Rhodes was generally regarded as second only to Jason Kidd among the nation's best prospects. His status gave him the credibility to ask then-UK Coach Rick Pitino to publicly pledge to stay in the job as a pre-condition to signing with the Cats. He left after three seesaw seasons that included reprimands from Pitino, a memorable meltdown against Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference Tournament and a controversial transfer to Southern California that appeared to be a way for Pitino to clear a scholarship for hot-shot prospect Ron Mercer.

"Exactly," Rhodes said. "You know it. I know it. I don't want to get into that because everybody knows that story."

But, he added, "If I had a problem with Kentucky, I'd be a bitter guy. I never had a problem with Kentucky. Never. I always loved Kentucky. I wanted to be at Kentucky. I never wanted to leave Kentucky."

Bill Keightley, indeed, has a fan base amongst the Kentucky fans.

Moving on to the political news...ethics-related questions will continue to follow former Lt. Governor Steve Henry no matter what office he is running for.

Democratic candidates for Lt. Governor recently debated.

Jefferson County Attorney Irv Maze, who is running with State Treasurer Jonathan Miller, noted that Fletcher “said he was running for governor to clean up the mess, only to leave a bigger mess.”[...]

Maze made a slight jab at Lunsford and Beshear when he said Miller wouldn’t pardon anyone in his administration convicted of a crime — a plan that he said the ticket “didn’t copy it from anyone else.”

He was alluding to allegations that both Lunsford and Beshear used in their campaign platforms portions of platforms from other gubernatorial campaigns in other states.

Here's one way that Jewish charities took advantage of the publicity made by the Israeli Baseball League's recent draft.

Here are the numbers for the recent poll conducted by WHAS-11 and Survey USA. How Lunsford is in first and Henry in third is beyond me.

29% Lunsford/Stumbo
23% Beshear/Mongiardo
18% Henry/True
9% Richards/Brown
7% Miller/Maze
6% Galbraith/Wireman
1% Hensley/Robbins
7% Undecided

Jonathan Miller would raise the funding of the women's commission

The 133rd Kentucky Derby Post-Position Draw

KENTUCKY DERBY POST POSITIONS

1. Sedgefield
2. Curlin
3. Zanjero
4. Storm in May
5. Imawildandcrazyguy
6. Cowtown Cat
7. Street Sense
8. Hard Spun
9. Liquidity
10. Teuflesberg
11. Bwana Bull
12. Nobiz Like Shobiz
13. Sam P.
14. Scat Daddy
15. Tiago
16. Circular Quay
17. Stormello
18. Any Given Saturday
19. Dominican
20. Great Hunter

Since D. Wayne Lukas does not have a horse in this Saturday's running of the Kentucky Derby, I am going to go with Imawildandcrazyguy to win the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby.

The 133rd Kentucky Oaks Post-Position Draw

Per the C-J, here's the field for this Friday's 133rd running of the Kentucky Oaks.

Horse / Trainer
1. Dawn After Dawn / Wesley Hawley
2. Cash Included / Craig Dollase
3. High Heels / Gary Hartlage
4. Octave / Todd Pletcher
5. Cotton Blossom / Todd Pletcher
6. Grace Happens / D. Wayne Lukas
7. Dreaming of Anna / Wayne Catalano
8. Swift Temper / Bobby Barnett
9. Tough Tiz’s Sis / Bob Baffert
10. Autobahn Girl / Nick Zito
11. Rags to Riches / Todd Pletcher
12. Sealy Hill / Mark Casse
13. Mistical Plan / Doug O’Neill
14. High Again / Bill Mott

I've always been a fan of D. Wayne Lukas and I will be pulling for Grace Happens to win the race.

On Wednesday, the post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby will take place live on television during the 5 PM edition of ESPN's SportsCenter.