Representative Pete Stark does not mince words about Bush and the coming war

Who is going to pay for this war?

"I am troubled by who pays for his capricious adventure into world domination. The administration admits to a cost of around $200 billion!

"Now, wealthy individuals won't pay. They've got big tax cuts already. Corporations won't pay. They'll cook the books and move overseas and then send their contributions to the Republicans. Rich kids won't pay. Their daddies will get them deferments as Big George did for George W.

"Well then, who will pay?

"School kids will pay. There'll be no money to keep them from being left behind -- way behind. Seniors will pay. They'll pay big time as the Republicans privatize Social Security and rob the Trust Fund to pay for the capricious war. Medicare will be curtailed and drugs will be more unaffordable. And there won't be any money for a drug benefit because Bush will spend it all on the war.

"Working folks will pay through loss of job security and bargaining rights. Our grandchildren will pay through the degradation of our air and water quality. And the entire nation will pay as Bush continues to destroy civil rights, women's rights and religious freedom in a rush to phony patriotism and to courting the messianic Pharisees of the religious right."

Uhh, Pete, what are you saying? What's the bottom line?

"The bottom line is I don't trust this president and his advisors."

This is a must read.

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Is the Hawaiian Ironman World Championships becoming a triathlon version of the Ten Little Indians?

First Steve Larsen pulls out a month before the race due to nagging leg injuries.

Next Craig Walton withdraws due to fatigue from a short course season extended too long.

Now two-time champion Luc Van Lierde has removed himself from the race due to an inflammed disk.

Larsen was the unknown super cyclist who could alter the race with his bike. Craig Walton is the short course specialist who has been very successful at other Ironman races. Van Liedre is probably the most talented, but also most fragile, long distance triathlete in the world.

We will see who is left a week from Saturday.

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Students tell Confederate flag waving rednecks to leave them alone.

The student advisory committee that was formed to look at the Confederate flag banning issue at Cherokee High School, in Cherokee County Georgia, has asked people from outside the school to let them settle the matter internally.

"There was such an uproar because of the protesters," committee member Bubbah Abernathy said. "But we've learned that racism is not an issue at this school and that our school is not as bad as we thought it was. There aren't fights here because of racism. And we're learning that students can change things."

Seems much of the uproar surrounding the ban has been brought by adults from other counties and the Sons of the Confederate Veterans. Many people travel all over the state trying to ignite a rallying cry behind their beloved, if not racist, flag. The students hope to come up with their own resolution on the matter. Principle Bill Sebring is not bound by the students resolution, and may or may not rescind the ban

The students seem to be benefiting from the controversy, and a dialogue on the issue has opened. The students seem to want to take charge of the situation themselves and work through it.

"There is going to be a gray area, and the chance of making everybody happy is not high," said senior Chris Selden. "But this has brought the school together. There is a new respect for one another. We found out that we do all get along, and we don't fight much."

I swear, I did not make up the name Bubbah Abernathy. It is in the paper as "Bubbah", although that spelling is new to me. His parents may have spelled it that way intentionally, thinking it was French or something.

What the hell were they thinking? College students spending a lot of money?

When Georgia State University wanted to tear down historic office buildings they talked about how the new student buildings and dorms would help revitalize the restaurant and retail industries downtown. They carried on about the infusion of student's money into the area. Atlanta's downtown would be jumping and hopping with students, and it would spur more development.

Perhaps they overstated. None of these predictions came true. Turns out these college students, like college students everywhere else in the country, have about $5 a week in discretionary income. They like cheap food and cheap beer. When not inside their dorm rooms drinking cheap beer and eating cheap food, they do dumb things like study and write papers.

I hope it was not Georgia State's business school that churned out all these studies predicting the influx of money into the downtown area.

My prediction for a busy restaurant with students lined up out the door would be one with a sign that said, "Ramen Noodles! 50 cents!" That should spur some big growth.

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