Jasper Journal

I just read an article from Alaska about Sen Lisa Murkowsi, who was defeated in the republican primary for senate  by conservative Joe Miller. In the article , she states that “she’s still in the game.” The suggestion of course is that she could run as a third party like the insidious Charlie Crist of Florida. He decided his ego is bigger than the good of his party or the country as we try to stop Obama madness in Washington. 

She went on to say that if it was just about her, she would move on to other things.LISA stop pretending,,,, this is all about you !!! There is a decades long feud between the Murkowsi’s and the Palin’s and Murkowski is obviously upset that Palin’s support pushed Miller to victory. Additionally, Murkowski enjoyed a comfortable position in DC where she often voted against conservative positions.  This is about ego, spite and revenge, and no one is going to be fooled. I am saddened to see this. I have also seen a case like this here in Colorado where Tom Tancredo, famous for his anti immigration efforts, has decided that the republican candidate is unelectable and has just switched parties and entered the race as a third party candidate. While his thinking might have been correct, he did not enter the primary and has completely jeopardized any hopes the republican has against the outrageously liberal Hickenlooper.  Ego is a terrible thing sometimes. Whether it is a male or female, I just wish they would stop pretending it is about something else. It is about them. Move on Lisa.  The news article is below for your perusal.

JUNEAU, Alaska — A week after conceding the GOP primary, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she’s not a quitter and is “still in this game.”

Murkowski told The Associated Press on Tuesday that she’s been inundated with calls and e-mails from supporters, asking her not to leave the race. She says she’s been humbled and is listening — and weighing her options.

She said that if this was “all about Lisa, certainly the easy thing for me to do would be to figure out what my next opportunity would be with my family and just settle in to a nice job.”

“But what I’m looking at is my state and the future of my state for my kids. So, I have not made that determination that I’m going to give up. I’m not a quitter, never have been. And I’m still in this game,” Murkowski said.

She met briefly Tuesday with the Libertarian candidate, David Haase after friends of hers — without her direction, she said — approached his party, asking if they would consider a Murkowski candidacy. She said she had an interesting discussion with Haase but made clear she’s not interested in changing her “political stripes.”

She gave no timetable for a decision — and her fate as a Libertarian candidate lies with party leaders who earlier voted against putting her on the ballot.

A party’s candidate would have to withdraw by Sept. 15 so someone else could run on the November election.

She has until five days before the general election to decide on a write-in run but acknowledged a decision needs to be made soon. She said she’s listening to Alaskans and giving “considered thought.”

First off, a tip of the Jasper Journal ball cap  to the coach of the Navy Midshipmen who chose to go for the win today  against Maryland rather than a certain tie with 31 seconds left. It didn’t work, but it is the kind of courage I like to see in college football.  Speaking of college football, Congrats to FSU, Colorado, Nebraska and Air Force.  Condolences go out to CSU fans and die hard supporters of the Washington State Cougars. Remember , there is always another week!

I was reading the Denver Post today and came upon a commentary reprinted from Indian Country Today. In it, the author compared the building of the Islamic center near the site of 9/11, to the desecration of Indian lands such as with Mt Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument in the Black Hills,  and Denver International Airport.  Clearly the author is upset over the treatment of native Americans and their culture, and is using the mosque issue to make his point. His final comment was  ” Why not build a mosque near the hallowed grounds of the world trade center? American Indian holy sites are desecrated by Christians all the time.”

 The author states he wants to do away with double standards. However, I fail to see how desecrating a site revered by so many today can make up for insensitivities in the past. If indeed the author wants people to respect other’s sacred areas,  then don’t build the Islamic center there.  I suspect the author was using shock value to make his point about how poorly the native american culture was treated in the past. I was not aware that Denver Airport was built on a burial ground either.  Nonetheless, it is probably not helpful to complicate an already  explosive issue with 200 years of mistreatment of native Americans.  The last thing we need is another group joining in this fray. If you wish to read the whole article, the link is below. Am I off base here?

http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_15986921

Well it’s back, and I don’t mean the new school season. College football is back again after seven long months. Those of us who enjoy college over the pros can again salivate over the prospect of our school or adopted school reaching a championship game or at least a bowl game, or at least a win over a despised rival.

There’s something for everybody:  For Catholic subway alumni, there is Notre Dame; for Mormons , there is BYU; for any serviceman, there is the respective service academy. Each state has at least one  or more major football playing schools; Each region has major powerhouses; There are traditionally black football powerhouses; traditionally east coast elite football powerhouses; traditionally west coast run and gun powerhouses; mid west powerhouses, southwest powerhouses…. the list goes on endlessly.

So for four and a half months a year the nation’s eyes will turn to the college gridiron and watch in awe as underdogs upset favorites, as new names enter the lore of college athletics, as dominating schools falter and new schools enter the top levels.  It is a great time to be an American.

My college didn’t have division one football, or division two or  but we enjoyed our club level games anyway.  After living in Nebraska for five years I became a supporter  of Big Red and its legion of die-hard fans.  I admired Tom Osborne and still look kindly on the Huskers … except when they play Colorado.

Living here since 2002 and sending two offspring to the University of Colorado at Boulder, CU,  I became committed to the rebirth of Colorado football. While they have not done well at all in the last four years, hope springs eternal, and we look to 2010 as the year of the turnaround.   The big test for many schools comes later in the season when they play their arch rivals. For CU, they play their arch rival Colorado State University this Saturday at Invesco field. It begins again.

So on Saturday afternoons when the world is still in turmoil and we still have Obama as president, we can for a few hours escape the doldrums and become consumed with sport, rivalry,  pageantry, and competition. God Bless America, and Go Buffs! Enjoy your weekend.