The results are yet to be posted but the event itself cannot be described
as anything but an historic success. The path from here to a functioning
democracy is still anything but assured but certainly the willingness of
ordinary Iraqis to brave the threats of all out attacks to cast their
ballots could be a harbinger of an even more positive future.
Collectively as a nation we should take a deep sigh of relief. This is not
the end of violence or of other problems that may beset this transition
but clearly it does present the possibility of a light at the end of the
tunnel. We are closer to having our troops come home now than we were on
Saturday.
There is joy in Baghdad and relief in Washington yet there seems to be
disappointment here in Massachusetts. Senator Kennedy's incomprehensible
outburst last week followed by Senator Kerry's appearance on Meet the
Press yesterday seemed to exhibit a sorrow of sorts that we didn't have an
enormous failure. How else can you describe this quote from the Senator:
MR. RUSSERT: Do you believe this election will be seen by the world
community as legitimate?
SEN. KERRY: "A kind of legitimacy--I mean, it's hard to say that
something is legitimate when a whole portion of the country can't vote and
doesn't vote." Or how about this beauty "This may be the president's
last chance to get it right."
This is an outright prevarication. By all accounts very few areas not
whole portions of the country did not participate. In an average
presidential election in the United States about 55% of the voters turn
out. In this nationwide election held under the threat of murder and
mayhem in which 36 people died as well as nine bombers, somewhere near 70%
have voted and Kerry can't bring himself to admit that the Iraqis have
overwhelmingly endorsed the concept?
The disappointment was certainly in evidence at the Boston Globe as well.
Turn to the editorial page and the op ed page and the Globe cannot find
one inch of space to devote to this historic event. They do however have
space enough to speculate on whether or not President Lincoln was gay.
The coverage of the event seems to be fairly even handed with the
obligatory reference to the violence but how do they account for the space
given to Jacques Chirac here?
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/01/31/chirac_say
s_is_satisfied_with_iraq_voting. What the hell do we care what Chirac has
to say about this event?
It is time for the campaign to be over and time to unite behind the goal
of a free and stable Iraq. We have as a nation an enormous stake in a
successful outcome in Iraq. We cannot afford to have partisan bickering
and posturing for an election which is way out in the future. There are
more than enough issues which don't involve our national prestige in
which differences between potential candidates and parties can be staked
out.
Wishing for a defeat in this endeavor is not the place to make political
hay. It is not in the country's best interest and quite frankly any
candidate who takes this position is betting against the overwhelming
allure of democracy. I would guess that is not a winning hand.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Patriots will dominate
The New England Patriots are on the verge of football legendary status and all that stands in their way are the Philadelphia Eagles.
It has been a difficult stretch for the Patriots as in the playoffs they have met the vaunted Indianapolis Colts passing game featuring Peyton Manning and The Pittsburgh Steelers crushing ground game and defense. In both cases the Patriots made it clear very early in the games that they were the superior team. The next challenge in the Super Bowl will feature the Philadelphia Eagles who on paper are not nearly as potent as the two previous playoff foes.
The Patriots are no strangers to the Eagles having played them three times over the past two seasons. This year they defeated them 24 to 6 in pre-season and last year were victorious 24 to 12 in pre-season and 31 to 10 in a regular season game.
There are 2 other common opponents that the teams played that are worth taking a look at. The Pats defeated both teams while the Eagles fell to them. Philadelphia played Cincinnati and Pittsburgh during this regular season. The AFC is commonly referred to as the stronger of the two conferences and this is easily illustrated in the results of these two games. The Steelers held the ball for over 40 minutes and rushed for over 250 yards winning by a score of 27 to 3. The Bengals prevailed by a score of 38 to 10 however the Eagles did hold out starters in preparation for the playoffs. A game in the middle of the season which had all the Eagles playing was against the Browns in which the Eagles barely escaped by a score of 34 to 31. The Browns are not considered an AFC powerhouse yet they amassed almost 400 total yards against the Eagles defense.
The key to defeating the Eagles will be containing their fine quarterback Donovan McNabb. In the last regular season meeting the Patriots were able to sack him seven times. One of the ways the Patriots will contain McNabb is to keep him on the bench with a balanced ball control attack featuring Corey Dillon. When the Eagles try to shut down the running game Brady will riddle a secondary that he has previously decimated. In the 2003 game Brady was 30 for 44 for 247 yards while the Patriots held the ball for 39 minutes.
The Eagles simply do not have enough fire power in their offense to score enough points to offset what the Patriot offense will amass. Brian Westbrook is a fine all purpose back who can both run and catch the ball however he cannot be a feature back and carry the Eagles against a ferocious defense which will focus on him. The Eagle wide receivers Todd Pinkston and Freddie Mitchell do not strike fear in the heart of the Patriots secondary.
Injuries are certainly a factor as Terrell Owens is either unlikely to play or will be strictly in decoy status if he returns. In a game this brutal, hobbled wide receivers are cannon fodder not game breakers. Also the Eagles will definitely be without one of their tight ends as starting tight end Chad Lewis who was coming off a big game against Atlanta will be replaced by second year man L.J Smith.
The Patriot injured list is one we are familiar with. Law and Poole are out but the secondary has long since recovered from those losses. Richard Seymour has had two more full weeks to recover and may be a go however not having Seymour against a crushing Steeler ground game did not hurt the Pats, it is unlikely to against the Eagles.
One Eagle that will have to be accounted for at all times is the “Freak” Jevon Kearse. We have seen him before in big games against the Titans and know enough not to let him rush and pursue. He is simply to good and athlete to be allowed to wreak havoc. Matt Light will have the assignment to protect Brady’s blind side against Kearse. Look for Daniel Graham to be helping make sure Kearse is not a factor. In the rushing game we might see them running right at him to neutralize his speed.
Philadelphia has finally made it to the big game but this is not their year. Look for the Patriots to dominate in all aspects of this game and come out a winner 24 to 6.
It has been a difficult stretch for the Patriots as in the playoffs they have met the vaunted Indianapolis Colts passing game featuring Peyton Manning and The Pittsburgh Steelers crushing ground game and defense. In both cases the Patriots made it clear very early in the games that they were the superior team. The next challenge in the Super Bowl will feature the Philadelphia Eagles who on paper are not nearly as potent as the two previous playoff foes.
The Patriots are no strangers to the Eagles having played them three times over the past two seasons. This year they defeated them 24 to 6 in pre-season and last year were victorious 24 to 12 in pre-season and 31 to 10 in a regular season game.
There are 2 other common opponents that the teams played that are worth taking a look at. The Pats defeated both teams while the Eagles fell to them. Philadelphia played Cincinnati and Pittsburgh during this regular season. The AFC is commonly referred to as the stronger of the two conferences and this is easily illustrated in the results of these two games. The Steelers held the ball for over 40 minutes and rushed for over 250 yards winning by a score of 27 to 3. The Bengals prevailed by a score of 38 to 10 however the Eagles did hold out starters in preparation for the playoffs. A game in the middle of the season which had all the Eagles playing was against the Browns in which the Eagles barely escaped by a score of 34 to 31. The Browns are not considered an AFC powerhouse yet they amassed almost 400 total yards against the Eagles defense.
The key to defeating the Eagles will be containing their fine quarterback Donovan McNabb. In the last regular season meeting the Patriots were able to sack him seven times. One of the ways the Patriots will contain McNabb is to keep him on the bench with a balanced ball control attack featuring Corey Dillon. When the Eagles try to shut down the running game Brady will riddle a secondary that he has previously decimated. In the 2003 game Brady was 30 for 44 for 247 yards while the Patriots held the ball for 39 minutes.
The Eagles simply do not have enough fire power in their offense to score enough points to offset what the Patriot offense will amass. Brian Westbrook is a fine all purpose back who can both run and catch the ball however he cannot be a feature back and carry the Eagles against a ferocious defense which will focus on him. The Eagle wide receivers Todd Pinkston and Freddie Mitchell do not strike fear in the heart of the Patriots secondary.
Injuries are certainly a factor as Terrell Owens is either unlikely to play or will be strictly in decoy status if he returns. In a game this brutal, hobbled wide receivers are cannon fodder not game breakers. Also the Eagles will definitely be without one of their tight ends as starting tight end Chad Lewis who was coming off a big game against Atlanta will be replaced by second year man L.J Smith.
The Patriot injured list is one we are familiar with. Law and Poole are out but the secondary has long since recovered from those losses. Richard Seymour has had two more full weeks to recover and may be a go however not having Seymour against a crushing Steeler ground game did not hurt the Pats, it is unlikely to against the Eagles.
One Eagle that will have to be accounted for at all times is the “Freak” Jevon Kearse. We have seen him before in big games against the Titans and know enough not to let him rush and pursue. He is simply to good and athlete to be allowed to wreak havoc. Matt Light will have the assignment to protect Brady’s blind side against Kearse. Look for Daniel Graham to be helping make sure Kearse is not a factor. In the rushing game we might see them running right at him to neutralize his speed.
Philadelphia has finally made it to the big game but this is not their year. Look for the Patriots to dominate in all aspects of this game and come out a winner 24 to 6.
Friday, January 28, 2005
Democratic peace
I have always been struck by the hypocrisy of our foreign policy. Growing up I wondered why we were hell bent on being antagonistic toward left wing communist or socialist dictatorships yet we were perfectly willing to jump into bed with any right wing military regime. I came to the conclusion that it was simply business interests that drove our foreign policy. It was wonderful to promote the ideals of liberty and freedom as long as it didn't interfere with corporate profits. Murder and repression were ok as long as it did not include nationalization of private property interests. Therefore Fulgencio Batiste was good however Fidel Castro was bad. Batiste is not my only example. Pinochet, Noriega, Somoza, and Marcos to name a few all managed to be worthy of our undying loyalty.
When I re-read President Bush's inaugural address my previously formulated notions got a bit of a jolt. The quote that stuck in my mind seemed to make such perfect sense to me and I sensed that the president may actually be serious in adopting this new doctrine.
" We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: the survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world." Followed by this: "America's vital interest's and our deepest beliefs are now one".
Could this be true? Are we to adopt a national foreign policy, which recognizes that the things we so dearly treasure yet so frequently take for granted will be our marching orders? Instead of capitalism being our proselytizing standard it now will be freedom?
Of course the realists and the naysayers were quick to respond to the idea. Dante Chinni says it's unrealistic here. http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0125/p09s01-codc.html . E.J. Dionne Jr. tries to debunk the whole idea in this column http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33958-2005Jan24.html.
While the pundits are quick to reject such a new found dedication to our own principles there is a whole school of thought and a good deal of empirical data that backs up the presidents position. While Natan Sharansky seems to be getting the bulk of the credit regarding the dawning of the Bush freedom doctrine it would appear that the president has been reading a lot more about this subject than just Mr. Sharansky's The Case for Democracy.
I happened to be ruminating on the idea of a community of democracies and put a few related phrases in my browser one of which was the phrase "democracy club" just to see what might I might find on the subject. Up came an interesting article by James C. Bennet in the Washington Times 6/9/2003 entitled Anglosphere: The Democracy Club http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/COMM.6.17.03.HTM which recognized our need to stay in the UN but also pointed out some obvious problems.
"We are distressed by such travesties as Libya and Syria chairing U.N. bodies on human rights and disarmament; we must endure being lectured by representatives of "national" governments that are little more than gangs of pirates who have seized the presidential palace back home; we tediously note mischievous coalitions of such kleptocracies passing one after another absurd resolution in the U.N. General Assembly".
"Although remaining in the UN we would be better served if we fostered the birth of a new group whose membership roster would be limited to countries with genuinely constitutional representative governments, accountable to their citizens, with such attributes as a fairly enforced code of laws and effective civil rights."The essence of the article is that the UN has failed to keep the peace and that a Democracy Club would be much better suited to such a task.
What piqued my interest a good deal further was that this article was located on a site operated by Professor Rudolph J.Rummel. http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/PERSONAL.HTM
Apparently Professor Rummel has been studying the very concepts that President Bush is now espousing for the past 25 years. His basic conclusions come from his earliest works, which "to eliminate war, to restrain violence, to nurture universal peace and justice, is to foster freedom (liberal democracy)." After arriving at this conclusion he has spent the rest of his academic career researching and accumulating data to back up his assertions. The results are strikingly similar to what President Bush has laid out in his inaugural and can be read here:
Saving Lives, Enriching Life: Freedom as a Right And a Moral Good
*http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills?note15.HTM
The book details why people "who are free, do not starve, do not make war, have the least internal violence and instability and are an engine of economic growth and scientific and technological advancement". This is called "democratic peace" http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/POLSYS.ART.HTM
We have used aggressive force of arms to change regimes in two foreign countries. Despite talk of quagmire, colossal error and exit strategies we have only one option for redemption. We must make it our duty to repair the damage we have done and to bring to these people what we cherish most. If Professor Rummel is right it will likely have a profound effect on the region.
When I re-read President Bush's inaugural address my previously formulated notions got a bit of a jolt. The quote that stuck in my mind seemed to make such perfect sense to me and I sensed that the president may actually be serious in adopting this new doctrine.
" We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: the survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world." Followed by this: "America's vital interest's and our deepest beliefs are now one".
Could this be true? Are we to adopt a national foreign policy, which recognizes that the things we so dearly treasure yet so frequently take for granted will be our marching orders? Instead of capitalism being our proselytizing standard it now will be freedom?
Of course the realists and the naysayers were quick to respond to the idea. Dante Chinni says it's unrealistic here. http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0125/p09s01-codc.html . E.J. Dionne Jr. tries to debunk the whole idea in this column http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33958-2005Jan24.html.
While the pundits are quick to reject such a new found dedication to our own principles there is a whole school of thought and a good deal of empirical data that backs up the presidents position. While Natan Sharansky seems to be getting the bulk of the credit regarding the dawning of the Bush freedom doctrine it would appear that the president has been reading a lot more about this subject than just Mr. Sharansky's The Case for Democracy.
I happened to be ruminating on the idea of a community of democracies and put a few related phrases in my browser one of which was the phrase "democracy club" just to see what might I might find on the subject. Up came an interesting article by James C. Bennet in the Washington Times 6/9/2003 entitled Anglosphere: The Democracy Club http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/COMM.6.17.03.HTM which recognized our need to stay in the UN but also pointed out some obvious problems.
"We are distressed by such travesties as Libya and Syria chairing U.N. bodies on human rights and disarmament; we must endure being lectured by representatives of "national" governments that are little more than gangs of pirates who have seized the presidential palace back home; we tediously note mischievous coalitions of such kleptocracies passing one after another absurd resolution in the U.N. General Assembly".
"Although remaining in the UN we would be better served if we fostered the birth of a new group whose membership roster would be limited to countries with genuinely constitutional representative governments, accountable to their citizens, with such attributes as a fairly enforced code of laws and effective civil rights."The essence of the article is that the UN has failed to keep the peace and that a Democracy Club would be much better suited to such a task.
What piqued my interest a good deal further was that this article was located on a site operated by Professor Rudolph J.Rummel. http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/PERSONAL.HTM
Apparently Professor Rummel has been studying the very concepts that President Bush is now espousing for the past 25 years. His basic conclusions come from his earliest works, which "to eliminate war, to restrain violence, to nurture universal peace and justice, is to foster freedom (liberal democracy)." After arriving at this conclusion he has spent the rest of his academic career researching and accumulating data to back up his assertions. The results are strikingly similar to what President Bush has laid out in his inaugural and can be read here:
Saving Lives, Enriching Life: Freedom as a Right And a Moral Good
*http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills?note15.HTM
The book details why people "who are free, do not starve, do not make war, have the least internal violence and instability and are an engine of economic growth and scientific and technological advancement". This is called "democratic peace" http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/POLSYS.ART.HTM
We have used aggressive force of arms to change regimes in two foreign countries. Despite talk of quagmire, colossal error and exit strategies we have only one option for redemption. We must make it our duty to repair the damage we have done and to bring to these people what we cherish most. If Professor Rummel is right it will likely have a profound effect on the region.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Teddy complaining about truth?
I find it increasingly more difficult being a registered Democrat these days. When I say that out loud I can almost hear a number of deceased family members rolling over in their graves. All I can say is it must have been a radically different party when they were alive.
The most recent event which has given me thoughts of a registration change is the embarrassing episode surrounding the Condoleeza Rice appointment as secretary of state.
There is not a single thing on this woman’s resume that would call into question her qualifications for this post. She is by education and experience one of the most prepared nominees we have seen in recent memory. During the past four years she has be arguably the most powerful woman in the world and has been in the front lines dealing with a myriad of foreign policy crisis.
Why then did she get the least support in terms of votes for her nomination since Henry Clay in 1825? Why would the second woman and first black woman to serve in this enormously important position be denied the respect that she deserves? Why was it so all fired important to drag this out and make an issue of an appointment that was a fait accompli?
It is particularly embarrassing for me as a resident of Massachusetts to see both Senator Kerry and Senator Kennedy in the vanguard of the Rice bashers. When the issues are candor and admitting mistakes these two make Dr. Rice look like an oracle of truth. Add to them the venerated Robert Byrd formally of the KKK and I guess the point is that even if Condi is a liar like them she can be rehabilitated and become a senator if the state gig doesn’t work out.
The rest of the list is predictable with teary Barbara Boxer and Wrongway Jeffords and Evacuation Dayton included. The list would have been completed if Hillary Clinton was on it but apparently she does have some political acumen.
Surely the black voters in the country cannot help but notice how warm and cozy these people are with Reverends Al and Jesse but someone like Dr. Rice who actually has a spotless record of achievement and service is not worthy of a simple rubber stamp.
The most recent event which has given me thoughts of a registration change is the embarrassing episode surrounding the Condoleeza Rice appointment as secretary of state.
There is not a single thing on this woman’s resume that would call into question her qualifications for this post. She is by education and experience one of the most prepared nominees we have seen in recent memory. During the past four years she has be arguably the most powerful woman in the world and has been in the front lines dealing with a myriad of foreign policy crisis.
Why then did she get the least support in terms of votes for her nomination since Henry Clay in 1825? Why would the second woman and first black woman to serve in this enormously important position be denied the respect that she deserves? Why was it so all fired important to drag this out and make an issue of an appointment that was a fait accompli?
It is particularly embarrassing for me as a resident of Massachusetts to see both Senator Kerry and Senator Kennedy in the vanguard of the Rice bashers. When the issues are candor and admitting mistakes these two make Dr. Rice look like an oracle of truth. Add to them the venerated Robert Byrd formally of the KKK and I guess the point is that even if Condi is a liar like them she can be rehabilitated and become a senator if the state gig doesn’t work out.
The rest of the list is predictable with teary Barbara Boxer and Wrongway Jeffords and Evacuation Dayton included. The list would have been completed if Hillary Clinton was on it but apparently she does have some political acumen.
Surely the black voters in the country cannot help but notice how warm and cozy these people are with Reverends Al and Jesse but someone like Dr. Rice who actually has a spotless record of achievement and service is not worthy of a simple rubber stamp.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Thing of Beauty
Football is a violent ground acquisition game played by men with enormous size and physical skills. Often a player exhibits his athletic prowess and makes a play that defies gravity and is a picture of grace and beauty. Not to often can a game as a whole be described that way yet that is what comes to mind in watching the Patriots defeat the Steelers 41 to 27. From a planning and execution stand point this game was a thing of beauty.
There should have been a hint of things to come when Bill Belichik told Armen Ketayan in the little pre-game interview that he felt confidant that his team would do well and that the team was coming off its two best games of the year.
Sure enough the Patriots came out confidently on defense as on the first series of downs the Steeler rookie quarterback was intercepted. This resulted in Adam Vinatieri giving the Pats a 3-0 lead. The Patriots set the tone of the game and showed its defensive strategy right away. They were going to stop Bettis and Staley on the ground and make the rookie beat them in the passing game. The Patriot defensive game with few exceptions included a rush by only three men in passing situations and dared Rothlisberger to beat them.
The next Steeler possession began at midfield and gained one first down before having a fourth and 1 yard in Patriot territory. The Patriot line stuffed Bettis and he fumbled and Vrabel recovered. Smelling blood in the water, Brady immediately went deep to Deon Branch for the 61 yard touchdown and a 10 –3 lead.
They struck again on their second possession of the second quarter with the long ball to Branch for 46 yard gain and two plays later David Givens scored on a 10 yard pass making the score 17-3.
Immediately following the Givens score the Steelers had a seven play drive to the Patriot 25 when Rothlisberger was picked off by Rodney Harrison and he returned it 87 yards for the touchdown to give the Pats a seemingly insurmountable lead going into the locker room at the half. The teams traded points throughout the second half with the Steelers closing to as close as 11 but could manage no more.
Nobody comes to mind as the MVP of this game although Brady certainly was error free and Branch had two big catches but everyone should get credit for this as the execution both offensively and defensively was flawless. It’s to early for stats but we know they made no turnovers while Pittsburg had four and in the penalty department, Pittsburg made several critical errors including a holding call on a screen-play that was already doomed to failure.
There were many keys to the game but certainly the inability to get to Brady enabled him to riddle the Pittsburg secondary. The offensive line play gave Brady protection and his only sacks were coverage sacks where he simply ate the ball instead of making a poor throw.The "Blittsburg" attack was picked up no matter where it came from. Corey Dillon was a factor with some very hard ball control running which kept the Patriot attack perfectly balanced
Despite having only a containment rush by the defensive line, the defensive backfield held the larger Pittsburg receivers in check. Along with Harrison’s interception were two by Eugene Wilson. Although the line recorded only one sack, Green, Wilfork and Ty Warren were stalwarts against the run.
The offensive plan was typical Patriot as it was completely unpredictable. Corey Dillon got the ball often but so to did Faulk and Branch contribute to the running game. Brady also spread the ball around the receivers with everyone contributing. Brady was so accurate in is throws that it did not appear that Pittsburg was close to intercepting a ball the whole game.
This is a game of historical trivia in that Pittsburg is the only other team to put Superbowl bookend championships surrounding a World Series victory (Pirates in 1979). If the Patriots win this Superbowl they will have accomplished the same thing for this region. What an exciting time to be a sports fan in New England.
It’s early in the pre Super Bowl analysis but one thing stands out. As bad as Philadelphia wants a championship, the Eagles are a flawed team. They are ineffective on the ground and will have to rely on short passes to Brian Westbrook and to their wide outs. Philadelphia also may be without Terrell Owens for the big game. McNabb is a gifted athlete and a dangerous runner but look for Belichik to force him to beat us with the passing game. My pick Patriots by 10.
There should have been a hint of things to come when Bill Belichik told Armen Ketayan in the little pre-game interview that he felt confidant that his team would do well and that the team was coming off its two best games of the year.
Sure enough the Patriots came out confidently on defense as on the first series of downs the Steeler rookie quarterback was intercepted. This resulted in Adam Vinatieri giving the Pats a 3-0 lead. The Patriots set the tone of the game and showed its defensive strategy right away. They were going to stop Bettis and Staley on the ground and make the rookie beat them in the passing game. The Patriot defensive game with few exceptions included a rush by only three men in passing situations and dared Rothlisberger to beat them.
The next Steeler possession began at midfield and gained one first down before having a fourth and 1 yard in Patriot territory. The Patriot line stuffed Bettis and he fumbled and Vrabel recovered. Smelling blood in the water, Brady immediately went deep to Deon Branch for the 61 yard touchdown and a 10 –3 lead.
They struck again on their second possession of the second quarter with the long ball to Branch for 46 yard gain and two plays later David Givens scored on a 10 yard pass making the score 17-3.
Immediately following the Givens score the Steelers had a seven play drive to the Patriot 25 when Rothlisberger was picked off by Rodney Harrison and he returned it 87 yards for the touchdown to give the Pats a seemingly insurmountable lead going into the locker room at the half. The teams traded points throughout the second half with the Steelers closing to as close as 11 but could manage no more.
Nobody comes to mind as the MVP of this game although Brady certainly was error free and Branch had two big catches but everyone should get credit for this as the execution both offensively and defensively was flawless. It’s to early for stats but we know they made no turnovers while Pittsburg had four and in the penalty department, Pittsburg made several critical errors including a holding call on a screen-play that was already doomed to failure.
There were many keys to the game but certainly the inability to get to Brady enabled him to riddle the Pittsburg secondary. The offensive line play gave Brady protection and his only sacks were coverage sacks where he simply ate the ball instead of making a poor throw.The "Blittsburg" attack was picked up no matter where it came from. Corey Dillon was a factor with some very hard ball control running which kept the Patriot attack perfectly balanced
Despite having only a containment rush by the defensive line, the defensive backfield held the larger Pittsburg receivers in check. Along with Harrison’s interception were two by Eugene Wilson. Although the line recorded only one sack, Green, Wilfork and Ty Warren were stalwarts against the run.
The offensive plan was typical Patriot as it was completely unpredictable. Corey Dillon got the ball often but so to did Faulk and Branch contribute to the running game. Brady also spread the ball around the receivers with everyone contributing. Brady was so accurate in is throws that it did not appear that Pittsburg was close to intercepting a ball the whole game.
This is a game of historical trivia in that Pittsburg is the only other team to put Superbowl bookend championships surrounding a World Series victory (Pirates in 1979). If the Patriots win this Superbowl they will have accomplished the same thing for this region. What an exciting time to be a sports fan in New England.
It’s early in the pre Super Bowl analysis but one thing stands out. As bad as Philadelphia wants a championship, the Eagles are a flawed team. They are ineffective on the ground and will have to rely on short passes to Brian Westbrook and to their wide outs. Philadelphia also may be without Terrell Owens for the big game. McNabb is a gifted athlete and a dangerous runner but look for Belichik to force him to beat us with the passing game. My pick Patriots by 10.
Friday, January 21, 2005
Candidate for Moderator
Dear Friends,
As you know, our town moderator, Robert Marrano has announced that he will not seek re-election to the post.
I am writing to you to announce my plans to seek election to the post and ask that you consider my candidacy when casting your vote in the April town wide election.
The position of moderator is critical to the operation of the town meeting in one primary area. The full and complete airing of each issue facing the legislative body rests on the commitment of the moderator to fully and fairly protect the interests of each individual town meeting member by insuring the members right to speak on the issues facing the membership.
I have demonstrated that commitment in my previous stint as moderator from 1981 through 1984. That period of time in Burlington's history is note worthy by virtue of the fact that it was the then that Proposition 2 ½ was being implemented throughout the Commonwealth. Uncertainty was the situation at the time as budgets had to be brought before town meeting all throughout the year to deal with an ever changing financial picture.
The fundamental lessons I learned during that period are still with me today. We provide the residents with good government when we endeavor to fully inform ourselves of all the points of view surrounding an issue. We guarantee that at town meeting when we seek to hear each voice in debate rather than restrict those voices. I pledge to serve the membership by making that my gospel.
Since leaving the post in 1984 I have brought that lesson to each position I have held in town government and each program I have brought to local television. In the position of moderator, I began my interest in local cable TV in 1981 with the program Issues in Burlington on Greater Boston Cablevision. It was the first all politics non partisan programming in Burlington and it focused on the challenges facing the Burlington taxpayer and included the people who were seeking solutions to those challenges.
Subsequent to my terms as moderator I served 7 years on the Board of Selectmen. One of the issues I devoted myself to was the renewal of our cable TV contract which resulted in the creation of Burlington Cable Access Television. The results of that contract enabled the town to have its own dedicated channels. Our goal in those negotiations was to provide a vehicle by which the people of Burlington could see and understand the operation of town government at every level. Town meeting has been televised in Burlington ever since.
The public programming I have written, produced or participated in on BCAT since that time has consistently strived to increase public awareness of critical issues and the people involved in our town. Around Town, Topics, Live Election Night Coverage, BCAT Candidate Debates, Editors Roundtable, and BNEWS Weekly all share the common theme of taking a closer look at each issue. When moderating any of this programming I have sought out differing points of view and treated those views with the respect that they deserve.
In closing I would simply add that I have sat in many chairs serving in a variety of different capacities at town meeting and have marveled at its beautiful simplicity as the cornerstone of New England's brand of democracy. I respect the institution of town meeting and would be both honored and dedicated to serving the membership and upholding its time honored principles.
Thank you
As you know, our town moderator, Robert Marrano has announced that he will not seek re-election to the post.
I am writing to you to announce my plans to seek election to the post and ask that you consider my candidacy when casting your vote in the April town wide election.
The position of moderator is critical to the operation of the town meeting in one primary area. The full and complete airing of each issue facing the legislative body rests on the commitment of the moderator to fully and fairly protect the interests of each individual town meeting member by insuring the members right to speak on the issues facing the membership.
I have demonstrated that commitment in my previous stint as moderator from 1981 through 1984. That period of time in Burlington's history is note worthy by virtue of the fact that it was the then that Proposition 2 ½ was being implemented throughout the Commonwealth. Uncertainty was the situation at the time as budgets had to be brought before town meeting all throughout the year to deal with an ever changing financial picture.
The fundamental lessons I learned during that period are still with me today. We provide the residents with good government when we endeavor to fully inform ourselves of all the points of view surrounding an issue. We guarantee that at town meeting when we seek to hear each voice in debate rather than restrict those voices. I pledge to serve the membership by making that my gospel.
Since leaving the post in 1984 I have brought that lesson to each position I have held in town government and each program I have brought to local television. In the position of moderator, I began my interest in local cable TV in 1981 with the program Issues in Burlington on Greater Boston Cablevision. It was the first all politics non partisan programming in Burlington and it focused on the challenges facing the Burlington taxpayer and included the people who were seeking solutions to those challenges.
Subsequent to my terms as moderator I served 7 years on the Board of Selectmen. One of the issues I devoted myself to was the renewal of our cable TV contract which resulted in the creation of Burlington Cable Access Television. The results of that contract enabled the town to have its own dedicated channels. Our goal in those negotiations was to provide a vehicle by which the people of Burlington could see and understand the operation of town government at every level. Town meeting has been televised in Burlington ever since.
The public programming I have written, produced or participated in on BCAT since that time has consistently strived to increase public awareness of critical issues and the people involved in our town. Around Town, Topics, Live Election Night Coverage, BCAT Candidate Debates, Editors Roundtable, and BNEWS Weekly all share the common theme of taking a closer look at each issue. When moderating any of this programming I have sought out differing points of view and treated those views with the respect that they deserve.
In closing I would simply add that I have sat in many chairs serving in a variety of different capacities at town meeting and have marveled at its beautiful simplicity as the cornerstone of New England's brand of democracy. I respect the institution of town meeting and would be both honored and dedicated to serving the membership and upholding its time honored principles.
Thank you
Monday, January 17, 2005
Headed to Steeltown
Wow is all can be said regarding the Patriots 20 to 3 win over the Colts on Sunday. Although each side was quick to give the other side credit it was really a combination of both the Patriot offensive and defensive units dominance that was responsible for the win.
The defensive club set the tone by sending the Colts off the field in three downs on their first possession. Then the offense came in and provided power ball control football. It was apparent in the first half that Corey Dillon would be a key component in the game. The running game punished the Colts in the first half and then put them in a coma in the second half. So the game went. The defense stopped them short,the offense then basically held the ball on long drives and scored.
The impressiveness of the win is almost a concern. All the conditions favored the Patriots. The snow started to fall before game time. The wind was whipping and the field was slow but it seemed unimaginable that the Patriot defensive backs would render the Colt's pass catching core largely irrelevant. The key statistic was Manning having 60 plus throws of 20 or more yards during the season yet he only managed an 18 yarder yesterday. The Patriot cornerbacks who have been thought a weakness certainly didn't seem that way yesterday. The names of Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison were barely heard during the broadcast.
Either Bill Belichik and the game plans of his coordinators are impeccable and the team is a finely tuned and mentally prepared juggernaut or the Colt's just plain stunk up the place yesterday.
Next week will be a different story. The Patriots will be playing the Steelers in Pittsburgh against a team that is an outdoor team and has a reputation for physical play which is appropriate for a steel workers town.
The Patriots have already seen the Steelers this year in Pittsburgh. It was only one of two losses for the Patriots and broke their historic win streak. The only caveat is that the Patriots played the game without Dillon and only garnered 5 yards rushing. This will be a different Patriot team.
The contrast between the two clubs coming into the game is quite dramatic. The Patriots fresh of a conquest and Pittsburgh backing into the game by virtue of the Jets inability to accept a gift. The Jets Missed two field goals one in regular time and one in over time.
Pittsburgh will want to run the ball with Bettis and Staley. The Patriots will stop that first and force the outstanding rookie quarterback to throw into the maze of Crennel's secondary coverage. Although Rothlisberger has had a great year he is still a rookie and at times he looked like one in the Jets game. Bettis has had a great year but again he is no stranger to us in a big game and the defense has stopped the run cold and forced the pass.
On offense the Patriots will throw a bit more against Pittsburgh out of necessity. As always in the passing game Brady will be short and precise however the key is as always is protection. Can the Steelers get to Brady? My guess is not enough. Can the Steelers stop Dillon? No one else has.
Pittsburgh has had a great season and is a team in ascendancy however the Patriots have an undeniable string of near perfection in planning and performance over the past two years. It is hard to imagine that a rookie quarterback will prevail in a game of this magnitude against our club. Patriots by 7
The defensive club set the tone by sending the Colts off the field in three downs on their first possession. Then the offense came in and provided power ball control football. It was apparent in the first half that Corey Dillon would be a key component in the game. The running game punished the Colts in the first half and then put them in a coma in the second half. So the game went. The defense stopped them short,the offense then basically held the ball on long drives and scored.
The impressiveness of the win is almost a concern. All the conditions favored the Patriots. The snow started to fall before game time. The wind was whipping and the field was slow but it seemed unimaginable that the Patriot defensive backs would render the Colt's pass catching core largely irrelevant. The key statistic was Manning having 60 plus throws of 20 or more yards during the season yet he only managed an 18 yarder yesterday. The Patriot cornerbacks who have been thought a weakness certainly didn't seem that way yesterday. The names of Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison were barely heard during the broadcast.
Either Bill Belichik and the game plans of his coordinators are impeccable and the team is a finely tuned and mentally prepared juggernaut or the Colt's just plain stunk up the place yesterday.
Next week will be a different story. The Patriots will be playing the Steelers in Pittsburgh against a team that is an outdoor team and has a reputation for physical play which is appropriate for a steel workers town.
The Patriots have already seen the Steelers this year in Pittsburgh. It was only one of two losses for the Patriots and broke their historic win streak. The only caveat is that the Patriots played the game without Dillon and only garnered 5 yards rushing. This will be a different Patriot team.
The contrast between the two clubs coming into the game is quite dramatic. The Patriots fresh of a conquest and Pittsburgh backing into the game by virtue of the Jets inability to accept a gift. The Jets Missed two field goals one in regular time and one in over time.
Pittsburgh will want to run the ball with Bettis and Staley. The Patriots will stop that first and force the outstanding rookie quarterback to throw into the maze of Crennel's secondary coverage. Although Rothlisberger has had a great year he is still a rookie and at times he looked like one in the Jets game. Bettis has had a great year but again he is no stranger to us in a big game and the defense has stopped the run cold and forced the pass.
On offense the Patriots will throw a bit more against Pittsburgh out of necessity. As always in the passing game Brady will be short and precise however the key is as always is protection. Can the Steelers get to Brady? My guess is not enough. Can the Steelers stop Dillon? No one else has.
Pittsburgh has had a great season and is a team in ascendancy however the Patriots have an undeniable string of near perfection in planning and performance over the past two years. It is hard to imagine that a rookie quarterback will prevail in a game of this magnitude against our club. Patriots by 7
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Go Patriots
Tomorrow’s game between the Patriot’s and Colt’s has received a great deal of attention as the marquee match-up of the weekend NFL playoffs. Most of the attention has revolved around Colt’s quarterback Peyton Manning who is in the midst of his second NFL most valuable player season. There is no denying Manning’s achievements in breaking Dan Marino’s single season passing touchdown record and what he contributes to an explosive Colt’s offense.
The Colt’s are indeed an impressive offensive machine. They have 3 wide receivers in Wayne, Harrison and Stokley who have garnered more than 1000 yards each in receptions. In addition the Colt’s have a running back, who has had a wonderful year rushing for over 1500 yards in Edgerrin James. They are a balanced squad with many weapons and are fresh off a destruction of the Denver Broncos last week. So should we throw in the towel and simply award the awesome Colt’s the game? Of course not because pre-game hype and speculation is just that, pre-game hype and speculation.
As you know this team is not one that we are unfamiliar with. Last year’s Patriot Superbowl run had to go through the Colt’s and if the NFL champion Patriots are to repeat this may be the key game.
Despite what you may be reading in the national press, the Patriots are actually favored in this game for a variety of reasons. Despite Manning’s personal achievements he has not fared well against our club and Bill Belichik. He is winless in Foxboro and has always been challenged by the defensive schemes of the Patriot coaching staff. Schemes are one thing and performance is another. The Patriots are not the Broncos. Despite having an injured secondary the Patriots are big, fast, strong, deep and experienced.
Add to the defense of the Patriots the home field advantage. The difference is more than just a partisan fan base screaming their lungs out. The Colt’s are a dome team and in the NFL dome teams rarely win the Superbowl. The precision, lightning quick timing routes that you saw last week are not so easily duplicated on a cold and soggy grass field. Add the unpredictable winds of New England in January and you get an idea how that can affect a precision passing game.
Despite the challenges the Colt’s will score and probably often. However in case anybody has forgotten our own guy is no stiff. We have seen Brady to often guide his team to the end zone or within field goal distance during the most pressure packed situations. As good as the Colt’s receivers are, there is not a great deal of difference to Brady’s core group. Patten, Branch and Given’s do not have the stellar numbers of the Colt’s group simply because the Patriot offense operates a bit differently.Can you imagine Troy Brown is now a reserve in this group? With the addition of Corey Dillon this year, the club has become a traditional power football team. They run first and force the safeties up in the box and then kill you with a ball thrown down the field. It is no accident that Brady is throwing longer completions this year. Play action has enabled him to get more time and allow longer routes.
The key to the game is the Colt’s defense. They have been playing well of late but they are smallish group that can be bulled by the larger Patriot group. The key to the game will be keeping Manning on the sidelines while the Patriots play ball control offense. This scenario is the one that works best for the Patriots. However if the game becomes a shootout the Patriots are not under gunned in this type of game either.
All in all this should be an entertaining game with the Patriots denying Manning’s quest to bring his team to the next level. My pick. Patriots by 10
The Colt’s are indeed an impressive offensive machine. They have 3 wide receivers in Wayne, Harrison and Stokley who have garnered more than 1000 yards each in receptions. In addition the Colt’s have a running back, who has had a wonderful year rushing for over 1500 yards in Edgerrin James. They are a balanced squad with many weapons and are fresh off a destruction of the Denver Broncos last week. So should we throw in the towel and simply award the awesome Colt’s the game? Of course not because pre-game hype and speculation is just that, pre-game hype and speculation.
As you know this team is not one that we are unfamiliar with. Last year’s Patriot Superbowl run had to go through the Colt’s and if the NFL champion Patriots are to repeat this may be the key game.
Despite what you may be reading in the national press, the Patriots are actually favored in this game for a variety of reasons. Despite Manning’s personal achievements he has not fared well against our club and Bill Belichik. He is winless in Foxboro and has always been challenged by the defensive schemes of the Patriot coaching staff. Schemes are one thing and performance is another. The Patriots are not the Broncos. Despite having an injured secondary the Patriots are big, fast, strong, deep and experienced.
Add to the defense of the Patriots the home field advantage. The difference is more than just a partisan fan base screaming their lungs out. The Colt’s are a dome team and in the NFL dome teams rarely win the Superbowl. The precision, lightning quick timing routes that you saw last week are not so easily duplicated on a cold and soggy grass field. Add the unpredictable winds of New England in January and you get an idea how that can affect a precision passing game.
Despite the challenges the Colt’s will score and probably often. However in case anybody has forgotten our own guy is no stiff. We have seen Brady to often guide his team to the end zone or within field goal distance during the most pressure packed situations. As good as the Colt’s receivers are, there is not a great deal of difference to Brady’s core group. Patten, Branch and Given’s do not have the stellar numbers of the Colt’s group simply because the Patriot offense operates a bit differently.Can you imagine Troy Brown is now a reserve in this group? With the addition of Corey Dillon this year, the club has become a traditional power football team. They run first and force the safeties up in the box and then kill you with a ball thrown down the field. It is no accident that Brady is throwing longer completions this year. Play action has enabled him to get more time and allow longer routes.
The key to the game is the Colt’s defense. They have been playing well of late but they are smallish group that can be bulled by the larger Patriot group. The key to the game will be keeping Manning on the sidelines while the Patriots play ball control offense. This scenario is the one that works best for the Patriots. However if the game becomes a shootout the Patriots are not under gunned in this type of game either.
All in all this should be an entertaining game with the Patriots denying Manning’s quest to bring his team to the next level. My pick. Patriots by 10
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Something more than bias?
The Thornburg Boccardi report seems to be a pretty thorough examination of the CBS forgeries scandal. Prepared by CBS appointees, working with a CBS appointed law firm it looks like a "modified limited hangout" in which blame is assigned and scapegoats sacrificed on the alter of accountability. This was done under the guise of an "indepedent investigation".
The result has been the 4 firings and a semi admission by Les Moonves that Rather was moved out of his anchor chair because of it. The investigation was also useful in pointing out that Dan Rather is a news reader, not a crusading, in charge newsman responsible for every insightful piece he fronts for.
Dan has read the report and assures us "I take it seriously, and I shall keep its lessons well in mind". I presume CBS hopes that the report and the Rather semi mea culpa will relegate this matter to the back burner of the hot stove of American politics. Some how I don't think so.
The fundamental question other than whether a crime has been committed by someone forging government documents and trying to alter the course of American history, is whether or not CBS exhibited bias against President Bush in running a fraudulent news story in the midst of a tightly contested campaign. The panel's conclusion is no. "The panel does not find a basis to accuse those who investigated, vetted or aired the segment of having a political bias".
It wasn't bias but something even more insidious. People within CBS acted like nothing less than direct operatives of the Democratic Party.
It appears as though the timing of the report was no accident. It was rushed to air because John Kerry's candidacy was falling apart at the seams. A very smooth Republican convention has just concluded with Democratic turncoat Senator Zell Miller eviscerating Kerry in a fiery convention speech. The Swiftvets had shifted gears from questioning Kerry's military record to now accusing him of being a quisling after returning from the war and visiting with the Viet Cong in Paris.
The Swiftvets were advertising in battleground states and it was obvious they were gaining strength from a grass roots, net driven string of donations.
Something was desperately needed to turn the tide for Kerry and shift attention away from the damage being done to him. CBS was apparently glad to fit the bill.
The evidence of direct pro Kerry political action is obvious in comparing the coverage of the military records of both candidates. Mary Mapes had admittedly been chasing the Bush guard story for five years with little to show for it. She apparently had information that refuted previous comments that Bush had been given preferential treatment in getting into the Texas Air National Guard. Never the less she continued a relentless effort to find anything that could go on air.
Compare those actions with the treatment of the Kerry military records. Forget all the other Swiftvet assertions regarding Kerry in "Unfit for Command", the one irrefutable fact was that Kerry had not signed his standard form 180 for the public release of his military records. In a piece for the Washington Post on August 21, Michael Dobbs wrote the following;
"Although Kerry campaign officials insist that they have published Kerry's full military records on thier web site(with exception of medical records shown briefly to reporters earlier this year, they have not permitted independent access to his original Navy records. A Freedom of Information Act request by The Post for Kerry's records produced six pages of information. A spokesman for the Navy Personnel Command, Mike McClellan, said he was not authorized to release the full file, which consists of at least 100 pages".
This was further reported in a Washington Times piece by Nat Hentoff entitled "The Opaque John Kerry". In addition Kerry's own biographer, Douglas Brinkley had denied that he controlled Kerry's records and called for him to release them. CBS had to be aware of this yet chose to completely ignore it.
The bottom line is that the Kerry story was a better story with more corroboration and more detail to be examined, yet it was ignored by CBS simply because it was detrimental to him. Shelving the story is what any good political operative would have done.
The result has been the 4 firings and a semi admission by Les Moonves that Rather was moved out of his anchor chair because of it. The investigation was also useful in pointing out that Dan Rather is a news reader, not a crusading, in charge newsman responsible for every insightful piece he fronts for.
Dan has read the report and assures us "I take it seriously, and I shall keep its lessons well in mind". I presume CBS hopes that the report and the Rather semi mea culpa will relegate this matter to the back burner of the hot stove of American politics. Some how I don't think so.
The fundamental question other than whether a crime has been committed by someone forging government documents and trying to alter the course of American history, is whether or not CBS exhibited bias against President Bush in running a fraudulent news story in the midst of a tightly contested campaign. The panel's conclusion is no. "The panel does not find a basis to accuse those who investigated, vetted or aired the segment of having a political bias".
It wasn't bias but something even more insidious. People within CBS acted like nothing less than direct operatives of the Democratic Party.
It appears as though the timing of the report was no accident. It was rushed to air because John Kerry's candidacy was falling apart at the seams. A very smooth Republican convention has just concluded with Democratic turncoat Senator Zell Miller eviscerating Kerry in a fiery convention speech. The Swiftvets had shifted gears from questioning Kerry's military record to now accusing him of being a quisling after returning from the war and visiting with the Viet Cong in Paris.
The Swiftvets were advertising in battleground states and it was obvious they were gaining strength from a grass roots, net driven string of donations.
Something was desperately needed to turn the tide for Kerry and shift attention away from the damage being done to him. CBS was apparently glad to fit the bill.
The evidence of direct pro Kerry political action is obvious in comparing the coverage of the military records of both candidates. Mary Mapes had admittedly been chasing the Bush guard story for five years with little to show for it. She apparently had information that refuted previous comments that Bush had been given preferential treatment in getting into the Texas Air National Guard. Never the less she continued a relentless effort to find anything that could go on air.
Compare those actions with the treatment of the Kerry military records. Forget all the other Swiftvet assertions regarding Kerry in "Unfit for Command", the one irrefutable fact was that Kerry had not signed his standard form 180 for the public release of his military records. In a piece for the Washington Post on August 21, Michael Dobbs wrote the following;
"Although Kerry campaign officials insist that they have published Kerry's full military records on thier web site(with exception of medical records shown briefly to reporters earlier this year, they have not permitted independent access to his original Navy records. A Freedom of Information Act request by The Post for Kerry's records produced six pages of information. A spokesman for the Navy Personnel Command, Mike McClellan, said he was not authorized to release the full file, which consists of at least 100 pages".
This was further reported in a Washington Times piece by Nat Hentoff entitled "The Opaque John Kerry". In addition Kerry's own biographer, Douglas Brinkley had denied that he controlled Kerry's records and called for him to release them. CBS had to be aware of this yet chose to completely ignore it.
The bottom line is that the Kerry story was a better story with more corroboration and more detail to be examined, yet it was ignored by CBS simply because it was detrimental to him. Shelving the story is what any good political operative would have done.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
A rocky stretch coming up?
This week the, Burlington residential real estate owner received their tax bills in the mail. Two things were immediately apparent. Both the total of the bill as well as the assessed valuations of the average property were up substantially. It has been reported that the average value is up over 14% while the average bill was up 8%. The rise in values is obvious by virtue of the comparable sale prices that we can readily see in the sales recorded in our various neighborhoods. Whether or not these single-family home prices can be sustained remains to be seen. The primary driving force behind these high values has been the low cost of money in the form of mortgage rates. Secondarily has been Burlington’s continued appeal as a result of location and the wide array of services that Burlington offers to its residents.
The second part of the notice was the actual tax amount, which has a couple of components that are responsible for the sizable increase. The town budget has increased in the neighborhood of 4% but the remainder of the increase has come as a result of the decline in values in the commercial industrial sector. Despite the fact that the Selectmen attempted to cushion that shift by increasing the classification values (higher commercial tax rate) the full impact could not be mitigated.
Last month this column examined the FourPoints hotel sale and the local option hotel tax as an indication of how dramatically those values and revenues are going to be impacted in the future. We can examine the most recent past and see how those values and tax bills have impacted the residential taxpayer over the past three years. Keep in mind this is only one industry and a small selection of properties but is never the less indicative of the same type of trend in the office market.
Let’s take a look at all 6 hotel properties over the past the past three fiscal years by total property tax* billed:
Marriott
2003 821,000
2004 794,018
2005 714,035
Candlewood
2003 190,820
2004 183,186
2005 163,136
Homestead
2003 167,461
2004 161,939
2005 145,815
Summerfield
2003 254,559
2004 241,129
2005 220,402
Staybridge
2003 242,661
2004 231,796
2005 213,178
FourPoints
2003 255,113
2004 246,699
2005 214,068
The total tax of $1,671,559 is $260,155 or 13.4% less than the town received in 2003 from the same properties. The Assessor’s office has been aggressively reducing the values of these properties to reflect the market yet even with these markdowns the FourPoints sale is still almost 20% below what the Assessor’s have it on the books for 2005. This reduced property tax amount coupled with the over $300,000 reduction from the room tax vividly demonstrates the shift to the residential property owner. The town is already faced with some very difficult budgeting decisions this fiscal year. If this trend is not reversed soon Burlington may be faced with either a Proposition 2/1/2 over ride or some very serious budget cuts.
Again the wild card in this is the retail properties, which have held their value during this difficult period. If the construction of Wayside Commons as well as the huge new 1 million square foot mall in Tewksbury provides aggressive competition to our existing retail base then we can expect to see similar drops in retail values as we have in office and hotel values.
*Source Tax Collector’s office
The second part of the notice was the actual tax amount, which has a couple of components that are responsible for the sizable increase. The town budget has increased in the neighborhood of 4% but the remainder of the increase has come as a result of the decline in values in the commercial industrial sector. Despite the fact that the Selectmen attempted to cushion that shift by increasing the classification values (higher commercial tax rate) the full impact could not be mitigated.
Last month this column examined the FourPoints hotel sale and the local option hotel tax as an indication of how dramatically those values and revenues are going to be impacted in the future. We can examine the most recent past and see how those values and tax bills have impacted the residential taxpayer over the past three years. Keep in mind this is only one industry and a small selection of properties but is never the less indicative of the same type of trend in the office market.
Let’s take a look at all 6 hotel properties over the past the past three fiscal years by total property tax* billed:
Marriott
2003 821,000
2004 794,018
2005 714,035
Candlewood
2003 190,820
2004 183,186
2005 163,136
Homestead
2003 167,461
2004 161,939
2005 145,815
Summerfield
2003 254,559
2004 241,129
2005 220,402
Staybridge
2003 242,661
2004 231,796
2005 213,178
FourPoints
2003 255,113
2004 246,699
2005 214,068
The total tax of $1,671,559 is $260,155 or 13.4% less than the town received in 2003 from the same properties. The Assessor’s office has been aggressively reducing the values of these properties to reflect the market yet even with these markdowns the FourPoints sale is still almost 20% below what the Assessor’s have it on the books for 2005. This reduced property tax amount coupled with the over $300,000 reduction from the room tax vividly demonstrates the shift to the residential property owner. The town is already faced with some very difficult budgeting decisions this fiscal year. If this trend is not reversed soon Burlington may be faced with either a Proposition 2/1/2 over ride or some very serious budget cuts.
Again the wild card in this is the retail properties, which have held their value during this difficult period. If the construction of Wayside Commons as well as the huge new 1 million square foot mall in Tewksbury provides aggressive competition to our existing retail base then we can expect to see similar drops in retail values as we have in office and hotel values.
*Source Tax Collector’s office
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
It's good to be Us
In the immediate aftermath of the Asian tsunami, the early words of the New York Times and Washington Post were not a plea to Americans to open up their pocket books and be generous to the afflicted. No, the tragedy was viewed as an immediate opportunity to criticize President Bush as being "slow to respond" by waiting several days to have a press conference to offer words of condolence. As if words could actually do something. Others carped that it was a lost opportunity to win back the affections of Muslims around the world. Further whining was done by Jan Egeland of the U.N. about how stingy Western countries were and how American tax rates were to low. Even now, with every media communiqué we read regarding American's leading the effort in disaster relief, the remarks are prefaced by our slow initial response.
The reality should be clearly in focus now nine days after the disaster. The three most critical elements of a relief effort in a disaster of this magnitude are food, water and medicine. The people who are in place and delivering this relief are mostly from the United States. Within four days of the tragedy the United States had deployed off the coast of Indonesia the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln is a Nimitz class carrier and has capabilities beyond the abilities of the United Nations or anyone else in the world. It can deliver electricity to light a major city and it can purify 400,000 gallons of water per day. It can provide an enormous mobile platform for any kind of operations.
The main outreach to the most decimated and remote regions is being done by the helicopters of the Lincoln. In addition, the Lincoln has an operating theater and hospital on board. This is only one ship. The Lincoln is accompanied by a main battle group of as many as 30 additional warships that have similar, although proportionally smaller, capabilities, along with food preparation facilities and supplies to feed tens of thousands. Perhaps the President didn't bother with public relations cheap talk because he was too busy mobilizing this tangible response.
Not only has the U.S stationed this awesome naval capability in the region, we have also responded with C-130 aircraft, which are the primary transports that the military uses in hauling goods. These aircraft, with their short runway capabilities, will be the primary workhorses in delivering relief directly to the affected areas. This hardware will be on the scene doing the lion’s share of the work necessary to relieve the suffering going on in this region, while the UN officials streaming in focus on coordinating (with each other) and ensuring that 24 hour room service will be available for jet-lagged UN officials staying at five star hotels.
Those hotels are expensive, so let's talk about the money. How dare Jan Egeland suggest that the United States is stingy! Nobody is even attempting to calculate the actual costs of the US military capabilities being deployed. Maintaining such a force, to be used when needed, is an expense beyond the capability of any other country on earth. The American taxpayers provide this emergency relief every time it is needed and welcomed, and get in return mostly scorn and protest over our “war-mongering.”
The additional money that will be provided directly to these countries and to relief agencies by both the government of the US and the average person through corporate and personal donations will be staggering. It won't be done because we want to curry favor with a particular religious group. It will be done because Americans care about the people and the world we live in and because we are empathetic with those families who have lost loved ones. We respond to the need to alleviate human suffering.
When all is said and done, years from now Americans will look back with pride as to how we as a people responded to this tragedy. Other countries will be left to do some soul searching. After all, we have one actress in the country who has donated more money than some countries.
Published on January 5, 2005
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles.php?article_id=4156
The reality should be clearly in focus now nine days after the disaster. The three most critical elements of a relief effort in a disaster of this magnitude are food, water and medicine. The people who are in place and delivering this relief are mostly from the United States. Within four days of the tragedy the United States had deployed off the coast of Indonesia the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln is a Nimitz class carrier and has capabilities beyond the abilities of the United Nations or anyone else in the world. It can deliver electricity to light a major city and it can purify 400,000 gallons of water per day. It can provide an enormous mobile platform for any kind of operations.
The main outreach to the most decimated and remote regions is being done by the helicopters of the Lincoln. In addition, the Lincoln has an operating theater and hospital on board. This is only one ship. The Lincoln is accompanied by a main battle group of as many as 30 additional warships that have similar, although proportionally smaller, capabilities, along with food preparation facilities and supplies to feed tens of thousands. Perhaps the President didn't bother with public relations cheap talk because he was too busy mobilizing this tangible response.
Not only has the U.S stationed this awesome naval capability in the region, we have also responded with C-130 aircraft, which are the primary transports that the military uses in hauling goods. These aircraft, with their short runway capabilities, will be the primary workhorses in delivering relief directly to the affected areas. This hardware will be on the scene doing the lion’s share of the work necessary to relieve the suffering going on in this region, while the UN officials streaming in focus on coordinating (with each other) and ensuring that 24 hour room service will be available for jet-lagged UN officials staying at five star hotels.
Those hotels are expensive, so let's talk about the money. How dare Jan Egeland suggest that the United States is stingy! Nobody is even attempting to calculate the actual costs of the US military capabilities being deployed. Maintaining such a force, to be used when needed, is an expense beyond the capability of any other country on earth. The American taxpayers provide this emergency relief every time it is needed and welcomed, and get in return mostly scorn and protest over our “war-mongering.”
The additional money that will be provided directly to these countries and to relief agencies by both the government of the US and the average person through corporate and personal donations will be staggering. It won't be done because we want to curry favor with a particular religious group. It will be done because Americans care about the people and the world we live in and because we are empathetic with those families who have lost loved ones. We respond to the need to alleviate human suffering.
When all is said and done, years from now Americans will look back with pride as to how we as a people responded to this tragedy. Other countries will be left to do some soul searching. After all, we have one actress in the country who has donated more money than some countries.
Published on January 5, 2005
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles.php?article_id=4156
Saturday, January 01, 2005
A Fat Cat
While visiting with a friend a few weeks ago I happened to notice his very fine looking cat. He was long, strong and lithe and when he walked you could see the speed and power that these feline predators possess. I remarked how good he looked and inquired of his age thinking he looked so young. I also couldn’t help but notice how affectionate this cat was toward my friend. When I remarked about that as well my friend replied that the secret to keeping a cats attention and affection was to keep from over feeding them! I had never before been so fully introduced to the meaning of “fat cat”.
I had never before considered the origins of the term but could easily have mistaken it for an over weight jazz player or some other beatnik type of interpretation. Perhaps a derivation of that cat really swings! In any event it brings me to today's subject of resolutions which is appropriate for me since it is New Year’s Day.
The importance of adopting a resolution and achieving its goal cannot be denied. It builds self-control, raises self-esteem and provides for personal growth. Certainly achieving an adopted goal provides for self-fulfillment as well since it creates the feeling of productivity and provides a foundation of positive reinforcement in ones life. In the same way it can provide for negative reinforcement if we are too aggressive in our resolutions and we end up with a consistent string of failures. I know this because for several years I made resolutions to explore self-improvement!
I am a great believer in the adoption of resolutions and and come up with a few every year at this time, however my track record is somewhat spotty. I have had many and I think that determination to continue the practice has led me to achieve several that have been important to me. The most important from my perspective was to finally quit smoking cigarettes. That habit had long completely vexed me by exerting its insidious control over me. Finally after many tries and some multi year successes I now enter my 12th year without so much as a puff. I did pick one up one time but quickly put it down knowing from experience that if I smoked one I would be right back to a pack a day. Even now after 12 years I could smoke one and enjoy it and probably chew the filter afterwards.
This year’s resolution brings me to my fat cat experience. Losing 10 pounds has been on my list of resolutions consistently over the past ten years. The result has been that for the last ten years I have been trying to lose the same ten. Unfortunately that has led me to the point where the 10 now have turned into 15! Those 15 have turned me into a fat cat. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the human version of the fat cat it means frequent visits to the refrigerator, naps in front of the TV and crumbs on the front of a sweater. Further evidence is a gym bag full of clean sweats but the bag covered with dust. Being a fat cat can have mental as well as physical implications. Perhaps it means being closed to new ideas, or new people or even new experiences. This is unacceptable!
So without further delay I usher in 2005 with a firm resolve to lose 15 pounds! I etch this goal in stone by admitting to a 205 pound starting point and a 38-inch waist! I go forth with great determination and expectations of success so let the games begin!
The bride just offered me a piece of fudge she had made this morning. I can see that this is going to be difficult. Happy New Year!
I had never before considered the origins of the term but could easily have mistaken it for an over weight jazz player or some other beatnik type of interpretation. Perhaps a derivation of that cat really swings! In any event it brings me to today's subject of resolutions which is appropriate for me since it is New Year’s Day.
The importance of adopting a resolution and achieving its goal cannot be denied. It builds self-control, raises self-esteem and provides for personal growth. Certainly achieving an adopted goal provides for self-fulfillment as well since it creates the feeling of productivity and provides a foundation of positive reinforcement in ones life. In the same way it can provide for negative reinforcement if we are too aggressive in our resolutions and we end up with a consistent string of failures. I know this because for several years I made resolutions to explore self-improvement!
I am a great believer in the adoption of resolutions and and come up with a few every year at this time, however my track record is somewhat spotty. I have had many and I think that determination to continue the practice has led me to achieve several that have been important to me. The most important from my perspective was to finally quit smoking cigarettes. That habit had long completely vexed me by exerting its insidious control over me. Finally after many tries and some multi year successes I now enter my 12th year without so much as a puff. I did pick one up one time but quickly put it down knowing from experience that if I smoked one I would be right back to a pack a day. Even now after 12 years I could smoke one and enjoy it and probably chew the filter afterwards.
This year’s resolution brings me to my fat cat experience. Losing 10 pounds has been on my list of resolutions consistently over the past ten years. The result has been that for the last ten years I have been trying to lose the same ten. Unfortunately that has led me to the point where the 10 now have turned into 15! Those 15 have turned me into a fat cat. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the human version of the fat cat it means frequent visits to the refrigerator, naps in front of the TV and crumbs on the front of a sweater. Further evidence is a gym bag full of clean sweats but the bag covered with dust. Being a fat cat can have mental as well as physical implications. Perhaps it means being closed to new ideas, or new people or even new experiences. This is unacceptable!
So without further delay I usher in 2005 with a firm resolve to lose 15 pounds! I etch this goal in stone by admitting to a 205 pound starting point and a 38-inch waist! I go forth with great determination and expectations of success so let the games begin!
The bride just offered me a piece of fudge she had made this morning. I can see that this is going to be difficult. Happy New Year!
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