Just a few thoughts on Sunday

Just a few thoughts on Sunday. I watched Padraig play an amazing last few holes to win his second straight Open championship. I am glad I wasn't out there playing. I had a hard enough time in some rain on a easy course yesterday.

I played yesterday in an outing benefitting Sand Castles Grief and Loss Program. This program helps children 3-18 to work through the grief of losing a parent. The event was named for someone that had passed away a few years ago and his children really benefitted from the SandCastles services. It was touching to hear the widow talk about the program and how it realy helped her children. All in all a nice event, except for my lack of decent play and the rain.

I am watching the Tigers game now, and wondering why Sheffield is still a starter on this team, although I don't think this team is going anywhere. But I have a do have a question: Why does Jimmy "Two Smokes" Leyland rest more than one starter on given days? I understand the idea of giving rest, but can we spread it around a little better? Verlander is pitching really well. Rodney seemed to do well last night.

I read two things today: new Playboy - some scary articles, and yes I am reading articles. Mickey Edwards (eight term Republican congressmen from Okla) wrote a strong article about the administration fighting to protect the government from the people - by protecting the executive branch from scrutiny by the public and not answering to Congress.

::Tigers update:: Wait, did Leyland just pull Verlander with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth with a four run lead? In a game where Verlander has a bunch of hometown fans who made the 163 mile trip? Are you kidding me? Verlander shook his head in disbelief as he walked off the mound. /::Tigers update::

He gives examples of the signing statements and ignoring Congressional subpeonas. I was not able to find a link to the Playboy forum.

The other thing I was reading was Al Gore's book - Assault on Reason - and he wrote about the same thing, the secrecy of this administration (plus the massive amount of denial of objective information - pretty good book) and how that is destroying the fabric of democracy. Leads me to this thought, the next president should do two things. Fight to re-establish transparency

::Tigers update:: Jones put the first guy on. /::Tigers update::

in our government, go extremely overboard and publish blogs in an automatic fashion instead of classifying everything. This administration made attempts to take things out of the National Archives that have been public for ever.

::Tigers update:: Inge makes a great play at third to save Jones and Leyland. If Inge does not make that stop, Millar has a double, one run at least scores, and Luke Scott has a chance to tie it up. /::Tigers update::

To quote from Chapter 4 - Convienent Untruths

"To head off complaints from our nation's governors over how much they
would receive under federal programs, the Bush administration simply stopped
printing the primary state budget report.
When mass layoffs become too embarrassing, this administration simply
stopped publishing the regular layoff report that econonomists and others have
been receiving for decades.
More than six thousand documents ... removed from governmental Web sites
... one example, a document ... giving citizens crucial information on how to
identify chemical hazards near where their families live."

This is contrary to democracy and the American concept of good government that the founding fathers envisioned. The adminstration is fighting the Freedom of Information Act in anyway they can. Transperancy needs to be a hallmark of the next administration.

My other thought is that the two candidates should come out and say they are going to rescind most of the Bush administration's signing statements, especially those that are unconstitutional. Let's bring checks and balances back to the government.

Later.