Ron Paul’s consistency doesn’t make him right

by on January 4, 2012

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson, meet Ronald Ernest Paul. He is the very soul of a foolish consistency. Meaning that he is willing, often to a fault, to follow his ideology to its logical and most extreme conclusions.

In this, the congressman differs from other GOP contenders for the White House and, for that matter, from most politicians, period. your average pol might rail against the intrusion of government into the private lives of its citizens, then turn right around and advocate a law regulating what a gay man does in his bedroom — and see no contradiction. Paul is too intellectually honest for that.

Intellectual honesty is a good thing, if only because it can lead you to reconsider a faulty premise. But in Paul’s take on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 he doubles down on the bad premise instead.

Paul has long argued — and reiterated Sunday on CNN — that the Act, which liberated untold millions of African Americans from the tyranny of Jim Crow, “destroyed the principle of private property and private choices.” In other words, forcing a restaurant to take down a Whites only sign infringed the rights of the restaurant’s owner. a similar argument was made by segregationists in 1964 — and by slave owners in the 1850s.

Maybe, it’s easy to make freedom an issue of “property rights” when you have never been the property.

That said, it is of little importance to wonder, as some are now doing, whether all of this makes Ron Paul a racist. Yes, we’ve recently learned of a newsletter sent out under his name in the 1990s that included racist language. Yes, Paul has won — and declined to disavow — the support of various white supremacist groups.

But yes, too, Paul has (rightly) decried the War on Drugs as a war on African-American men. So take him at his word, that he is just a man for whom government equals tyranny — a view shared by many on the right. Then ask yourself what sort of nation this would be if that view ever prevailed.

Can government be overlarge, overbearing, overwhelming, over restrictive, over intrusive? of course. And where it is those things, it is the right — and duty — of the electorate to pare it back.

On the other hand, unless you enjoy salmonella in your food and lead in your paint, unless you think it’s OK that your doctor has no medical degree and your lawyer no license, unless you’re fine with breathing sooty air and drinking tainted water and unless you really think a black woman in Mississippi, locked out of public places by threat of violence and force of law, should have been required to wait on market forces to rescue her, you must regard Paul’s moral imbecility with a certain appalled awe.

Heaven help us if the intellectual rigidity he symbolizes is really the only alternative to the intellectual malleability of so many of his colleagues

At its best, government vindicates and defends a people’s noblest ideals. the Civil Rights Act was government at its best. Paul disputes this and styles himself a defender of freedom for so doing. too bad he can’t spend a day being black in Mississippi in 1964. He might emerge with a better understanding of that word.

As it is, Paul’s extremism only proves this much: Emerson didn’t know the half of it.

Ron Paul’s consistency doesn’t make him right

Huntsman says nobody cares about Iowa results

by on January 4, 2012

PETERBOROUGH, N.H. —

Even before the results were in, Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman had a message for whoever won the Iowa caucus: “Welcome to New Hampshire. Nobody cares.”

Huntsman skipped Tuesday’s Iowa caucuses and was counting on a strong showing in the Jan. 10 New Hampshire primary to keep his campaign afloat.

Huntsman finished up his final day of having New Hampshire to himself with a crowded town hall meeting in Peterborough, where a voter asked him what he’d say to the Iowa winner. His short answer – “Welcome to New Hampshire. Nobody cares” – was a bit more direct than he had been in recent days. He has said the rest of the country will forget the Iowa results within days if not hours.

Showing off a more aggressive speaking style, Huntsman won sustained applause from the crowd of about 350 when he repeated his stump speech promise not to pander to voters by “signing all those silly pledges like all the other candidates.” and he answered “Hell, no!” when asked if he’d bail out banks if they sought help to deal with foreign debt.

“I can’t even believe I’m standing here!” he exclaimed at one point, reveling in what likely was the largest crowd he has attracted so far.

The former Utah governor insists that New Hampshire, not Iowa, will send a strong message about electability, but he continues to lag far behind the New Hampshire front-runner, Mitt Romney.

Asked by a reporter in Lebanon, N.H., to compare himself to Romney, Huntsman strung together all the criticisms he’s been sprinkling into his speeches in the last week. He started by saying simply, “I can get elected.”

“The issue is going to be trust in the 2012 election cycle. People want to know your core. they want to know you have a consistent, predictable core,” he said. “I haven’t been on three sides of all the issues. I ran a state that was no. 1 in job creation as opposed to no. 47. I’ve lived overseas four times. … the kind of experience I bring is unlike anyone else in the race.”

Though all eyes were on Iowa, he said he had no regrets about his decision to bypass the caucuses.

“This will be the ballgame here, because this is a primary,” he told reporters earlier in Pembroke. “This will be a broadband turnout … and it will be a result that speaks to the issue of electability.”

Huntsman gave students at the Strong Foundations charter school in Pembroke a lesson in politics when he helped distribute iPads the school recently purchased at a discount from a Utah company called iSchool Campus. the company offered 200 iPads plus computers and a new wireless network to the school in part because it wanted to capitalize on publicity generated by Huntsman’s presidential campaign.

The company’s founder, Tom Pitcher, has donated $2,000 to Huntsman’s campaign, and he promoted both his company and Huntsman at the school.

The two stopped by a fifth-grade classroom where students were writing on their iPads about their Christmas gifts and using an online thesaurus to replace overused adjectives. Briefly interrupting that lesson, Pitcher asked the students to search the Internet for information about Huntsman instead.

Team by Team Post Super Bowl Analysis: NFC North

by on January 4, 2012

Each week we get a little closer to the draft and since Winter doesn’t seem to ever want to end, thinking about the Draft just makes me think of Spring.

The Black and Blue Division was just that in 2010. With the Super Bowl now residing in Title Town and the Bears as the conference’s runner-up, the North can claim title to the best division in football. With a lockout looming, they may get to hold onto that title for quite a while.

The remaining two teams, the Lions and Vikings, also are two very interesting teams heading into next season. if Matt Stafford can stay healthy look for the Lions to take a big step forward in 2011. I wouldn’t count on a playoff spot, but a winning season is a good possibility. the Vikings have a ton of talent, but are aging and have a huge question mark at quarterback. they went one year too long with Favre. look for them to bring in a veteran for one year to see if they can make one more run before they have to rebuild.

Green Bay Packers 10-6

Not much else to say, but wow has there ever been a hotter team down the stretch and through the playoffs than last years Packers? maybe the 2008 Giants, but I think the Packers were even more impressive. Rodgers is right behind Brady and Manning in terms of quarterback rankings and there is a great mix of youth and veteran leadership to keep this team in contention for quite a while.

Strengths:

  1. A winning formula from management to the players.
  2. A young franchise quarterback.
  3. A great mix of veterans and youth.
  4. A fast, tenacious defense.

Weaknesses:

  1. Those stupid cheese heads. How is that a weakness? it isn’t, they’re just stupid.
  2. 11 unrestricted free agents, including key starters, Charles Woodson, Cullen Jenkins and Charlie Peprah.
  3. Super bowl giddiness. the Pack do seem to be enjoying their newfound fame. will it go to their collective heads in 2011?
  4. The loss of receivers coach Jimmy Robinson to the Boys shouldn’t be dismissed as he had a major influence on the development of their young wideouts and was a good sounding board for Mike McCarthy.
  5. Cheese heads. their stupidity can’t be underrated.

Needs:

The Pack need to resign Woodson, who given his age will probably be back. if Jenkins leaves they are relying on unproven youth, including disappointing former first round pick Justin Harrell and last years #2 pick in the draft, Mike Neal, both who were in IR last year. look for the Pack to add more youth to the offensive line in the draft and they will probably look to add more youth at wide receiver.

Chicago Bears 11-5

Poor Jay Cutler. No matter what he does it just never quite works out. in hindsight his knee injury was serious enough to keep him off the field and the team was best served by turning to Caleb Hanie who made it very interesting in the championship game. I would have loved to seen Cutler on the sideline, coat off, cheering his team on instead of sitting there like he was in a timeout.

Signing Lovie Smith to an extension is probably a good thing and although I don’t consider him a great coach, he does provide stability, which is something Cutler needs. this is a very solid football team; however, I am not a Mike Martz fan, so Cutler with his big arm, may put up big numbers, but never be a championship quarterback. Aren’t the Bears, the Monsters of the Midway, supposed to be a smash-mouth football team with a pounding running game?

Strengths:

  1. A very tough D, who will keep this team in games, regardless of what the offense might be doing on that day.
  2. Cutler’s arm is one of the best in football.
  3. Matt Forte is a very good back and Chester Taylor is a veteran, who provides a lot of versatility.
  4. A great city and fan base. Nothing like a playoff game in Chicago with snow flying Grab a beer, start a fire and send the kids to the in-laws. Wife- optional.

Weaknesses:

  1. Can they at least give Cutler a big wideout?
  2. Offensive line. Just about everywhere.
  3. Mike Martz.
  4. Age on defense at key position.

Needs:

Olin Kreutz is no spring chicken but he needs to be resigned. Do they bring in guy like Randy Moss? Not likely given Smith’s conservative style. they signed Canadian League standout Andy Fantuz, the 6′ 4, 220 pound former Roughrider had 87 receptions last season for 1,380 yards. if he the answer? in the draft the Bears really need to work on the trenches on both sides of the ball, especially the offensive line.

Detroit Lions 6-10

The Lions? the Lions? Yes, the Lions in reviewing their season from start to finish you’d be surprised how close the Lions were in a lot of games. Many of the close losses were to very good teams. they closed the season strong by winning four straight, including wins against the Pack and Bucs. the downside is their franchise QB, Matt Stafford, missed most of those games, including the 4-game winning streak because he was out with injuries.

Strengths:

  1. A young QB with franchise potential and a really good backup in Hill.
  2. A young and nasty defensive line, anchored by rookie stud Ndamukong Suh.
  3. Stability within the organization. Does anyone miss Matt Millen?
  4. Calvin Johnson.

Weaknesses:

  1. Linebackers. Expect this area to get a major revamping.
  2. Offensive line.
  3. Secondary, particularly cornerback.
  4. Depth at wide receiver.

Needs:

The Lion are on their way. With some additional targeted free agent acquisitions and some wise drafting the Lions will become a major pain in the necks for the rest of the division. A lot of that depends on Stafford’s ability to remain healthy though. Keeping Hill on the roster would be a good move. Hill reminds me of former Lion and current Cowboys QB, John Kitna, who will always gets the team around 500, but will never get you to the promise land. The ideal backup QB’s.

Minnesota Vikings 6-10

Was there an organization more dysfunctional than the Vikings lat season? that is an impressive, yet unflattering tag in a league with a lot of dysfunction. Addition by subtraction is how I view the Favre departure. the most overrated, overexposed, selfish player in league history, has hopefully retired for good. Yes, he was tough but in how many big spots do you remember Favre throwing the ball up for grabs? Tarvaris Jackson won’t be back, nor should he, and the other guys on the roster are just holding the spot until their replacements are signed.

Strengths:

  1. Adrian Peterson is a stud. Period.
  2. The defensive line. the Williams’ are aging but still loads to deal with in the middle and despite a down year (by his standards) Jared Allen is one of the best edge rushers in the league.
  3. Chad Greenway, recently slapped with the franchise tag, is a pro’s pro.
  4. The Wide receiving corps is good provided Harvin is healthy and Rice is resigned.

Weaknesses:

  1. Quarterback.
  2. The secondary is aging and showing signs of cracks.
  3. Age at key positions.
  4. Offensive line needs an upgrade.

Needs:

The Vikes first need to decide in which direction to go. I don’t think they can wait for a rookie quarterback to develop and keep the veterans they have. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them go after someone like McNabb to see if they can make a run with their veterans while they draft their quarterback of the future who can learn behind someone like McNabb for a year.

Team by Team Post Super Bowl Analysis: NFC North

College Football Analysis: Outback Bowl Game Preview

by on January 4, 2012

The Outback Bowl features two teams who lost their conference championships and missed out on the opportunity to play in a BCS bowl, representing their leagues’ bids.

Michigan State was one game away from playing in the Rose Bowl, but could not defeat Wisconsin for the second time this season in the inaugural big ten Championship game. the Spartans beat the Badgers 37-31 on an end-of-game Hail Mary as time expired on October 29th in the rematch in Indy, Wisconsin evened the season series winning 42-39. Michigan State will be seeking their first bowl victory under head coach Mark Dantonio, amassing a record of 0-4 in five years.

The offense is led by senior QB Kirk Cousins who is ranked 16th nationally in pass efficiency at 151.37. on the season, Cousins has 3016 yards, 24 TDs and only seven INTs and is the winningest QB in Michigan State history. his prime target is BJ Cunningham, the all-time school leader in receiving yards, who has caught 72 passes for 1240 yards and 12 TDs this season. RB Le’Veon Bell provides a balance to the Spartan’s passing game, rushing for 900 yards and 11 TDs and catching 30 passes for 228 yards. the Spartans were effective in protecting the football, committing only 15 turnovers all season.

Michigan State’s defense is led by two LBs and a DT that helped anchor a squad ranked ninth nationally holding opponents to 17.5 points per game. LB Denicos Allen was tied for eighth in the FBs with 10 sacks and tied for 18th with 17 TFL, LB William Gholston was 12th in the big ten with 11 TFL, and DT Jerel Worthy recorded 3.5 sacks. the Spartan’s hold opponents to an FBS 12th-best 104.31 yards per game and an 11th-best pass defense, allowing only 168.4 ypg.

After starting the season 0-2, the Bulldogs went on a 10-game winning streak that ended with a 42-10 loss to top-ranked LSU in the SEC championship December 3rd.

Georgia had a balanced offense rushing for 172.7 yards per game while throwing for 255.4. QB Aaron Murray spread the ball out, throwing touchdown passes to 10 different receivers this season. Murray threw for 2861 yards, 33 TDs and 12 INTs while rushing for 124 yards and two scores. RB Isaiah Crowell led all SEC freshmen in rushing with 847 yards, but has been inconsistent rushing for a season-high of 133 against Ole miss and a low of 11 against Kentucky. Murray will need solid play from his top three targets Malcolm Mitchell, Orson Charles and Tavarres King as well as a productive outing from Crowell in order to loosen up the stingy Spartan defense. 

Georgia’s defense is led by sophomore LB Jarvis Jones, who ranked third nationally in sacks with 1.04 per game and forced two fumbles. the Bulldogs are tied for 16th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 19.6 points per game, 11th in rushing defense with 103.38 ypg, and seventh against the pass holding teams to 165.1 yards per game.

Dory LeBlanc, covers Gator sports for Gators First and BourbonMeyer.com. Not just a college sports enthusiast, Dory is also a fan of NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB. Born outside Philly, she moved to Tampa, and now resides in Illinois, giving her a broad perspective on the sporting world. You can follow Dory on twitter @DoryLeBlanc

GOP Power Rankings: Week 40

by on January 4, 2012

S Hard to believe it, but it’s been almost a full year since the first GOP candidate announced he was running for president. now with Iowa only three weeks away, one candidate has finally displaced Mitt Romney as the front-runner. Donald Trump is planning to host an unconventional debate, Herman Cain was forced out after an entirely unconventional campaign, and in general it’s shaping up to be an unconventional election. what does that mean for the seven remaining candidates? we break down once more the intangibles, the strategy, and momentum of each candidate in the race for the finish, with high and low rankings reported after each candidate:

1. Newt Gingrich (1/9) – Finally somebody was able to rise from the depths to replace Mitt Romney at the top of the list (and from the depths indeed: Gingrich was 9th out of 10 candidates a few weeks ago). With some hesitation because of the late-bloom and lower campaign organization, Newt has risen to the top of the polls in both support and perceived electability. what differentiates him from other boomlet candidates is the layout of the early states. He could make a serious play in Iowa, South Carolina, and Florida, and even in new Hampshire if the next couple weeks go well. however, he needs to win at least three of these states if he intends to defeat Mitt Romney in the race to the nomination. With early states come resources for a national campaign, but he needs to display more discipline as a candidate. He had a relatively good debate performance, but his late seize on the top spot is precarious and dependent on how well he is embraced by the Republican establishment. could he be the John McCain of 2012?

2. Mitt Romney (1/2) – Romney is in a tough spot. In many ways, he does not need to be concerned about Gingrich’s rise: there are many other candidates gunning for the Gingrich base, Mitt still has the best campaign apparatus, and other candidates have come and gone before. But for the reasons outlined above, he needs to get off his defensive strategy and be more aggressive in his campaigning. In particular, he needs to make a play in Iowa, if nothing else but to stop Newt Gingrich from winning it. Along with a push in Florida, he immediately returns to the front-runner status if he is able to survive the early states. He has been effective in defending his views on Romneycare, and has begun to show a little more personal side (ex. by opening up about his religion). however, a true frontrunner can only take so much criticism, and debate phrases like his now-infamous $10,000 bet are going to bite you on the campaign trail every time.

3. Rick Santorum (3/7) – Santorum is making a strong final effort in Iowa, and could surprise people after the votes are cast. Just as Gingrich may become the McCain of 2012, Santorum has the potential to be the Huckabee. He is one of the last major candidates without a boost in the polls, and it may be his turn in perfect time. He has visited all 99 counties in Iowa, and has returned to his strong debate performances of earlier in the cycle. Would a win in Iowa catapult him to further victories? He would need a lot more money and infrastructure elsewhere if he were to capture the nomination, as well as a poor showing by Newt in Iowa if he wants to win any early states. if he falls short and decides to make an endorsement, he would be a very strong pickup for any candidate.

4. Ron Paul (2/5) – Ron Paul will fight with Bachmann and Santorum in Iowa for the title of the true consistent conservative. though his libertarian views are off-putting for some in other states, he too could surprise people in Iowa. beyond the Hawkeye state he may be a tough sell, but his strong debate performances (which energize the Ron Paul crowd) make him a formidable opponent as voting begins.

5. Michele Bachmann (2/5) – Bachmann is looking less and less impressive in Iowa, but the campaign she built early on could save her from a less-than-ideal showing. She has returned to her fiery debate and stump speech style, which can only serve her well with the Iowa base. In the next couple weeks she needs to spend as much time in Iowa as possible, energizing her supporters to turn out. In recent weeks she has finally been able to remain passionate and yet appear as a credible candidate, which can only serve her well in the race and in her future endeavors.

6. Rick Perry (2/8) – A (relatively) strong debate performance may have saved Rick Perry’s candidacy. On the trails, however, the gaffes keep piling up. In state politics, you can rely almost entirely on advisors and media consultants, but the presidential race is an entirely different ball game. Money spent on television ads won’t compensate for ill-equipped candidates, and it seems he is struggling to hold onto his base support (much less attract new voters). Rick Perry should now be concerned for his future in politics, even as a popular Texas governor. The next few weeks are make or break.

7. Jon Huntsman (6/9) – Huntsman is focusing all his attention on new Hampshire, but it doesn’t appear he’ll catch on in time. Despite reports he is rising, he is being overshadowed by other candidates, and was the only one not to participate in the ABC Iowa debate. His inconsistent imaging messages have harmed his candidacy, and a stronger than average finish in new Hampshire may be necessary should he wish to continue a career in electoral politics. however, by skipping out on the debates, he increases his chances of working in a Republican administration by one of his competitors by eliminating the possibility he may need to criticize one or another. At this point, this may be his best bet.

GOP Power Rankings: Week 40

Offseason changes

by on January 4, 2012

Sporting News analyzes the NFL coaches and key executives relieved of their duties a day after the end of the 2011 regular season. a look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

Who’s gone: Coach Raheem Morris (17-28 in three seasons).

What went wrong: Morris was done in by higher expectations for the young Bucs after they finished with 10 wins in 2010. They had a shocking tumble down to 4-12, finishing the season with 10 consecutive losses after a promising start. from the high of upsetting the New Orleans Saints at home in Week 6, it’s all been a fog since their 24-18 loss to the Chicago Bears in London. after their Week 8 bye, they went 0-9 and gave up more than 36 points a game.

— Bucs next move | Bucs flogged by Falcons | Rams fire coach Spagnuolo, GM Devaney | Jets come unglued | Playoff schedule

despite having the defensive-minded Morris at the helm, they finished last in scoring defense at 30.9 points allowed per game and run defense as 156.1 yards per game. a season-ending injury to first-round defensive tackle Gerald McCoy didn’t help, and neither did the loss of tackling machine Barrett Ruud, a middle linebacker who left as a free agent to the Tennessee Titans.

also not helping the defense was QB Josh Freeman’s third-year slump. Freeman threw 25 TD passes to six interceptions in 2010, but then regressed to 16 TDs and 22 INTs. Featured running back LeGarrette Blount had fumbling issues when healthy, and promising wide receiver Mike Williams was plagued by dropped passes.

The Bucs tied the Philadelphia Eagles for the most giveaways in the league at 36, with only the Washington Redskins having a worst turnover margin than their minus-14. Sloppy play carried over to the defense with missed tackles and blown coverage.

Raheem Morris is fired after three seasons as Buccaneers coach. (AP Photo)

there were also two incidents in games against the Carolina Panthers when Morris was frustrated to the point of benching players. In Week 13, it was defensive tackle Brian Price sent home after a personal foul. In Week 16, Blount didn’t play after an early lost fumble.

The last straw for Morris’ tenure was the Bucs’ showing little life in giving up 93 points in the season’s final eight quarters on the road against Carolina and Atlanta.

What needs fixing: The Bucs must match the aggressive front-seven play of division rivals New Orleans and Atlanta. Morris’ background was in the secondary; the next coach must mold the young talent on the front line (McCoy, Price, rookies Adrian Clayborn and Da’Quan Bowers) and get a veteran middle linebacker to fill in behind them.

The firing of Morris could mean veteran cornerback Ronde Barber doesn’t return, and with the off-the-field issues of Aqib Talib, the secondary must be addressed as well.

on offense, the Bucs need someone who can get Freeman and Williams refocused in a scheme that’s tailored to their abilities, and bring a more versatile back to spell or replace Blount. looking at how the 35-year-old Morris lost his players along the way, a good contrast would be an older, more accomplished disciplinarian type.

Who’s a good fit: General manager mark Dominik is one of the game’s brightest young personnel men, but he has plenty of work to do to assemble talent to be able to keep up with the Saints, Falcons and now Panthers in the NFC South.

The Bucs might not have a big enough net to reel in former Titans coach Jeff Fisher, but he would be the perfect candidate. Fisher would fix their problems against the run and also get the most of what Morris deemed an underachieving roster.

Fisher once had a winning relationship with the late Steve McNair, and he should be intrigued by the chance to work with Freeman.

Offseason changes

US Republican Candidates Prepare for Iowa Debate

by on January 4, 2012

United States Republican presidential candidates are preparing for their last debate before the start of the national nominating process in the Midwestern state of Iowa next month.The candidates will debate later Thursday in Iowa as they vie for a chance to unseat President Barack Obama, a Democrat, in the 2012 election.The Republican nominating process begins in the Iowa caucuses January 3.Opinion polls show the former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich, has surged ahead of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the Republican race.Gingrich leads the Republican nominees nationally and in three key early voting states — Iowa, South Carolina and Florida. he was at the bottom among Republican candidates a few months ago.Texas Congressman Ron Paul, a libertarian, has also been gaining ground in the Republican race.Rounding out the Republican field are Texas Governor Rick Perry, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, once Obama’s ambassador to China.This week, a Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey of likely Republican voters put Gingrich 17 points ahead of Romney.Separately, a poll released Wednesday showed that negative views of Obama have hit an all-time high. but an ABC News/Washington Post poll also found that Obama is viewed more positively than Gingrich.Gingrich’s unfavorable rating was 48 percent, but his favorable rating was 13 points lower than Obama’s at 35 percent.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

US Republican Candidates Prepare for Iowa Debate

Putting ‘Santa on a diet’

by on January 4, 2012

By Bari Auerbach….If you’d rather fit into a swimsuit than a Santa suit, here are some guilt-free treats that can help your diet survive the holiday season:

Pseudo cinnamon bun:Mix 1/2 cup plain flavor oatmeal with 3/4 cup water; microwave for 60 seconds; mix in a packet of Splenda and sprinkle with cinnamon

Protein pudding:Mix a large box of sugar-free Jello pudding with a cup of water blended with one scoop of protein powder; refrigerate until set

Strawberry sundae:In a tall glass, alternate layers of Greek yogurt, sugar-free strawberry jam or fresh strawberries and crunchy high-fiber cereal flakes

Pizza omelet:Top an egg white omelet with Pomi chopped tomatoes (available in a convenient pourable carton in the canned vegetable aisle); add your choice of vegetables and sprinkle with shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

Buttered popcorn:Use an air popper to eliminate oil and instead of melted butter, use an “I Can’t believe It’s Not Butter” spray bottle

Hot Chocolate:Try Swiss miss “Sensible Sweets” diet Hot Chocolate mix with only 25 calories per serving topped with fat-free whipped cream or cool Whip

Holiday Hotcakes:Mix together 1/4 cup plain oatmeal, 3 egg whites, a scoop of protein powder and blueberries – a great antioxidant; then cook as you would regular pancakes. top with sugar free maple syrup and for holiday spice sprinkle in some nutmeg and cinnamon or add some pumpkin to the mix.

Turkey Lasagna:Layer De Boles organic Jerusalem Artichoke Flour lasagna pasta with ground turkey breast cooked with a dash of olive oil, Pomi chopped tomatoes and low-fat mozzarella cheese

Healthy P&J:Spread a tablespoon of organic almond butter and Smucker’s sugar free strawberry or blackberry jam on a slice of whole grain bread

Chocolate-Dipped Delights:Cut up pieces of your favorite fruits and dip in Hershey’s sugar-free chocolate syrup

Sweet Potato Potpie: Mince pieces of chicken breast in a food processor and mix with mashed up sweet potato and cooked chopped spinach. Layer a pie pan with phyllo-dough and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes

Craving-Killing Cookies:Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; in a large bowl, lightly beat one egg 1 1/2 cup natural peanut butter, 1 1/2 scoop chocolate or vanilla protein powder, 1/3 cup Sucanat sweetener, 1/2 cup almond meal, 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; form little balls with a spoon and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes

Protein Packed Brownies & Apple Pie:Quest protein bars in flavors like chocolate brownie, apple pie, vanilla almond, berry and peanut butter & jelly have 20g protein, 0 g sugar, 4g non-fiber carbs, and no sugar alcohols or other junk. most importantly, Quest bars taste really great (like warm cookies when heated for a few seconds in the microwave or left in the car for a while). Available only online at questproteinbar. com

Reduce the fat in holiday recipes:There are plenty of low fat and low calorie substitutes that are amazingly tasty. try using applesauce in place of oil; use egg substitutes in place of whole eggs; try plain nonfat yogurt in place of sour cream; and believe it or not, black beans are a secret ingredient in fudgy, lower-fat brownies!.

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Woody: Sugar Bowl loss leaves Hokies with lots to think about

by on January 4, 2012

NEW ORLEANS —

NEW ORLEANS – Today, Thursday and for weeks and months to come, Frank Beamer and the Virginia Tech Hokies will think about what might have been. they will think about their missed opportunities in the Sugar Bowl. they will think about the fake punt that blew up in their faces, about the penalties that hampered their drives and kept University of Michigan drives alive.they will think about Justin Myer, the third-string place-kicker who excelled in regulation, making four field goals. And they will not place a single bit of blame on him for his missed field goal in overtime. Virginia Tech had ample opportunities to win the Sugar Bowl. Myers’ miss in overtime was not the reason they lost 23-20. Instead, the Hokies made mistakes on offense, defense and special teams to fall short of an extremely beatable Michigan team. “I’m about half sick right now,” Beamer said. “I’m as proud as can be of the players, proud of how we battled back, proud of where we are as a football team. it wasn’t lack of effort, and it wasn’t lack of preparation. “There were just some kind of fluke plays. Right there before the half, there were some fluke plays.”It was something of a fluke in the first quarter when David Wilson, the Hokies’ star running back, took a handoff at the Michigan 4 yard line, started right, saw no running room and reversed his field. but he had to give ground and instead of breaking away, was tackled for a 22-yard loss. Second-and-goal from the 26 is difficult to overcome. And the fluke play Beamer mentioned before halftime was about as fluky and bizarre as any you’ll see. Michigan tried a fake field goal, and holder Drew Dileo threw a pass into the midst of a number of Virginia Tech defenders. Cornerback Kyle Fuller attempted to bat the ball down. Instead, Michigan long-snapper Jareth Glanda caught it. Michigan kicked a field goal seconds later. Instead of trailing 7-6 at halftime, Virginia Tech was down 10-6. Beamer, though, knew it was more than fluke plays that cost the Hokies. “We let them have the ball too many times in great field position,” he said. “And there were too many mistakes. We get down there (on the last possession in regulation) and we jump, and now it’s third-and-six. And the roughing the penalty kicker (in the second quarter). There was some stuff that wasn’t in our best interest.” no player considered the best interests of the team more than Danny Coale. During his career, he excelled at wide receiver. he was asked to punt for the first time this season, and acquitted himself well. On occasion, he even returned punts or at least provided sure hands when a fair catch was needed. Tuesday night, Coale was part of two crucial plays, both of which went against the Hokies. On fourth-and-one at the Michigan 48, Coale lined up in punt formation. he took the snap and started running to the right as to attempt a rugby-style punt. Instead, he kept on running in an attempt to pick up the yard needed for the first down. that is difficult to do when you start 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Coale was stopped eight yards short of a first down. Beamer said that was an option play, and Coale had the choice to run, pass or punt. “That wasn’t coach Beamer’s fault,” Coale said. “That was my fault. I had the choice, and when I saw them in my face, I should have punted.”OK, Coale had to make a split-second decision, and his decision didn’t work in the Hokies’ favor. However, no college player, even a redshirt-senior as poised and composed as Coale, should be put in such a position. Beamer should have ordered a punt. The Hokies’ defense had done an excellent job containing the Michigan offense all evening. With seven minutes left in the game, the Hokies should have played the percentages. A decent punt by Coale probably would have forced the Wolverines to start at least from their 20. Instead, they had the ball on the Virginia Tech 45. they needed to go just 23 yards to put place-kicker Brendan Gibbons in position to make a 39-yard field goal and take a 20-17 lead. Coale also was involved in a pivotal play in overtime. On third-and-five at the 20, quarterback Logan Thomas launched a pass toward the front corner of the end zone. Coale made an all-out dive, managed to grab the ball with his right hand and bring it into his body a split-second before crashing to the ground at or on the sideline. Coale certainly seemed to possess the ball. The question was whether his left elbow landed inbounds or out of bounds. The initial ruling was Coale had scored a touchdown. The play was overturned on review. Apparently, the officials believed the replay showed Coale’s left elbow landed out of bounds or that he didn’t have complete control of the ball. The Virginia Tech staff, players and fans probably will watch the replay countless times and depending on the angle, be convinced Coale scored a touchdown. Instead, Myer was left to attempt a 37-yard field goal. This time, he missed. “With the other ones, I got through it so the ball went straight,” Myer said. “On the last one, I just pushed it so the ball went right.” Myer’s kicking duties this season had been limited to kickoffs and two unsuccessful field-goal attempts from beyond 50 yards.but he was pressed into duty due to odd circumstances. before the Hokies left town, first-string kicker Cody Journell was suspended from the team when he was charged with felony breaking-and-entering. Soon after arriving here, the new first-string kicker, Tyler Weiss, was sent home when he missed curfew. that put Myer on the spot. “I didn’t expect to be put in this situation,” Myer said. “It was fun to be a part of this game. I just wish it had come out a different way.” Myer did his part to keep the Hokies in the game and get them into overtime. his was an exceptional performance in pressure circumstances, and his teammates and coaches realized it. “I told him he did a heck of a job,” Beamer said.Moments later, Michigan place-kicker Brendan Gibbs gave the Wolverines the victory with a 37-yard field goal.Now, the Hokies begin the off-season once again knowing they did not get the job done in a Bowl Championship Series bowl game. Beamer’s disappointment clearly was evident. “We didn’t win,” he said. “We need to get wins.”Major college football is set up so only one post-season game matters for the current year – the BCS championship game. The immediate impact of the other BCS games is financial. Virginia Tech and the ACC will earn millions for the Sugar Bowl appearance. but this game carries a long-term impact as well. Had the Hokies won, they would have entered the 2012 season as a BCS bowl game champion, the victor over tradition-laden Michigan, certainly a top-10 preseason ranking and maybe even a top five spot. after all, Thomas returns, as do nine starters on defense, and that doesn’t count players who were starting but were lost to injuries during the season. Running back David Wilson is eligible to come back as is cornerback Jayron Hosley but both seem to be leaning toward entering the National Football League draft. The Hokies have to find a running back and replace several experienced offensive linemen. but they have the foundation for a formidable team. A Sugar Bowl victory would have solidified that foundation in the preseason rankings. Another unfortunate aspect of college football is that the higher a team begins in the preseason rankings, the better chance it has of competing for the national championship. start outside of the top 10, and a lot of factors have to break in a team’s favor to get to the no. 1 or no. 2 spot.Instead, the Hokies end this season and start the 2012 season as a team still lacking the big victory in a big game. “We were so close,” Beamer said. “There were so many plays so close that didn’t quite go our way.”If you could go back, I’d take a couple of decisions back, knowing how things worked out. but they are what they are. We wanted to get a win for the ACC and wanted to get a win for Virginia Tech. We haven’t done as well as we wanted to in these BCS games.” Instead of celebrating and entering the off-season with pleasant thoughts for the 2012 season, the Hokies once again will wonder about opportunities missed and what the future holds. And that is a situation they and Beamer are weary of facing. Twitter: @World_of_Woody(8040 649-6444

Woody: Sugar Bowl loss leaves Hokies with lots to think about

Whole Life Insurance Calculator: How to Make It Work?

by on January 4, 2012

Your decision to purchase life insurance comes with the difficulty of making an estimate of your coverage and insurance needs. you will find it easier to do with the help of a life insurance calculator. you will only have to provide information and the tool will calculate the amount of coverage that you need to ensure the protection of your family when you are no longer around. it can be difficult to figure out how much your family needs to cover all of their expenses. you should not be satisfied with the idea that if your family will be paid by insurance with an amount that is equivalent to one or two years of your income, they will be secured with a good financial condition.

It is important that you identify first whether you want a term or whole life insurance. When you go for a whole life policy, you will be covered for the rest of your life but you will have to pay for the premiums as long as you are covered so you should know if you can afford this expense. Meanwhile, the term policy provides you coverage within a particular term.

When you choose to buy whole life insurance, using a whole life insurance calculator will require you to give relevant information. you will calculate the money that you have in investments and savings at the present. These will be helpful for your family to deal with their expenses when you are no longer earning. in many cases, those who are left behind tends to sell their family house have money for the family so you should consider this possibility.

It is then important to get an estimate of your family’s expenses in the event of your death. This should include not just their living expenses but also your funeral and possible medical bills when you will be hit by a disease first. you will also have to add the educational expenses of your children while you consider their age. As you calculate all these, take into account the number of years that the expenses will incur. consider also that your spouse needs to have money to live when your children become independent.

Data such as the interest rate and inflation rate of your investment and savings are also needed by a whole life insurance calculator to accurately estimate your coverage needs. also, you will be asked about your gender and the amount of taxes that you pay. The tool is an effective and efficient means to ensure a good investment and the protection of your family in the future.

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