March 2006 Archives

March 2, 2006 [LINK]

Shibe Park refinements

Thanks to some helpful comments from Ron Selter and some excellent old photographs from Bruce Orser, I've made some corrections in the Shibe Park diagrams, mostly in the 1909 and 1913 versions. Some of the new findings are interesting. It appears to me that the bleachers in left field ended about 50 feet from the center field corner, 30 feet more than Mr. Selter estimates. In one photo dated 1913, there is a low fence between those bleachers and the right field wall, which would account for the drop in distance from 515 to 502 feet given by Lowry for late 1909. I also used trigonometry to determine the distance to the outer wall in left field: it was 387 feet, nine feet further than the left field foul pole; the difference was due to the scoreboard, which I had not seen previously. A few questions remain, especially about the backstop distance in the early years, and exactly when the far ends of the lower deck were rebuilt, but much has been cleared up. I greatly appreciate the research assistance.

Covering stadium overruns

D.C. Mayor Williams has submitted a plan that would provide $20 million in contingency funds in case the cost of constructing the Nationals' future home exceeds budgetary projections. The extra money comes from (expected) surplus in tax receipts over what is needed to pay interest costs to service the construction bonds. (Aren't those accountants amazing!?) Some Council members fear that the mere act of preparing for cost overruns will make cost overruns more likely; see Washington Post. Indeed, they have a point. In the public sector, there is no real incentive to hold down costs, so the only way to avoid cost overruns is for constituents to constantly scrutinize spending and demand accountability from their elected officials. Bor-ing! Monday is the deadline for Major League Baseball to accept or reject the stadium lease terms with the cost cap stipulated by the D.C. Council.

March 2, 2006 [LINK]

More falsehoods about 9/11

Others in the right-leaning side of the blogosphere heap scorn on lefty cartoonist Ted Rall for his sick sense of humor and habitual dishonesty. I scowl but usually try to ignore his garbage. Mind you, I do appreciate good political satire from all points of view, but I frankly can't remember the last time he produced anything that made a good point. Today, thanks to Connie, I learned of a recent cartoon about United Airlines Flight 93 in which Mr. Rall deliberately spreads the false notion that "The 9/11 Commission says there's no proof of a passenger revolt..." My copy of the 9/11 Report (paperback edition from the New York Times) states unequivocally in several places that there was such a revolt, describing the action in detail on pages 21-22. There is simply no excuse for blatant mendacity about something as important as 9/11. Mr. Rall is either a liar or else one sick, deranged puppy. Either way, he qualifies for my list of unmentionable wackos.

One year after 9/11 I was at a ceremony for airline employees on the Washington Mall in which the theme was "standing together as United Americans." If only...

March 2, 2006 [LINK]

The choice (?) to abort in S.D.

The South Dakota legislature recently passed a bill that would ban almost all abortions, obviously hoping to precipitate a challenge to Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court; see Washington Post. [Governor Mike Rounds has until March 20 to decide whether to sign or veto the bill, after which it would otherwise become law automatically.] Generally speaking, abortion is a low priority issue for me. I think it's obvious that Roe v. Wade was decided on bogus constitutional grounds, and that the function of defining civil rights lies exclusively within the legislative domain, not the courts. Like most Americans, I think that too many abortions are being performed, but I also believe that in gray areas like these, it is best to leave the decision up to the individual. Thus, I think the South Dakota bill is much too restrictive. On the other hand, I also think that the states should have the power to set their own rules according to local moral standards, as long as they do not impinge upon the laws of other states.

As for the politics of the issue, I am annoyed by the strident tone and frequent hypocrisy expressed by activists on both sides of the issue. There is, however, an especially glaring inconsistency on the "pro-choice" side, which was brought to the forefront in a letter to the editor in yesterday's Washington Post: "Women in South Dakota may be forced to seek illegal abortions, and doctors in the state will be powerless to help them." [emphasis added] Forced by whom, exactly? Isn't abortion supposed to be a matter of choice? It might help to apply this logic to a different issue involving morality and the law: If Prohibition were reenacted, would I be "forced" to buy bootleg liquor? I am not trying to compare a common vice to a traumatic personal dilemma, I am just calling attention to the basic fact that the conscience with which human beings are endowed is what enables us to live in a free, well-ordered society, and to decide whether or not to obey the law.

UPDATE: The South Dakota Politics blog has been following this issue closely, of course. Not surprisingly, they are getting a lot of hateful e-mail from some out-of-staters.

Church vs. state in Spain

Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero continues to coax his country toward the secular mainstream of Europe, ending religious instruction in public schools, and pushing for liberalized laws on abortion, divorce, and other moral issues. This has angered many traditionalists who want to maintain the Catholic Church's quasi-official status. According to the Washington Post, Zapatero's agenda is "creating some of [the] deepest political and social schisms in Spain since it returned to democracy 28 years ago." To a large extent, this is a generational issue: Spaniards over the age of 80 can still recall the wave of church burnings unleashed by the leftist Republican faction during the Spanish Civil War, and they are deeply suspicious of the contemporary counterparts to that movement represented by Zapatero. In contrast, young adults in Spain are well aware that Generalissimo Francisco Franco was a stick-in-the-mud brute, and tend to equate social conservatives with apologists for the franquista dictatorship. The thriving democracy and prosperity enjoyed by the citizens of modern Spain are the fruits of the constitutional arrangement that was carefully constructed after the death of Franco in 1975. I wrote on Jan. 28 that Zapatero is taking a big risk with autonomy for Catalonia. If he proceeds with his sweeping reform agenda with only a slim majority in the Cortes (parliament), he would put Spain's precious social stability in even greater jeopardy.

March 3, 2006 [LINK]

World Baseball Classic opens

Japan whalloped China 18-2, and Korea (South, presumably) edged China-Taipei (the country formerly known as "Taiwan," and the "Republic of China" before that) 2-0. Both games were at the Tokyo Dome. Attendance was nearly 16,000 for the first game, and barely 5,000 for the second. Not exactly a huge sensation. After concluding the six-game round robin on Sunday, the best two teams from "Pool A" will advance to the next round, facing "Pool B" (North America plus South Africa) in Angel Stadium, March 12-16. See the schedule at worldbaseballclassic.com. Somehow Nicaragua failed to qualify for a berth in the tournament, even though it has much more baseball talent and interest than Italy, Australia, or the Netherlands. It's probably the lack of money.

Guillen injures wrist; Nats S.O.L.

Jose Guillen, upon whose shoulders the Washington Nationals' hopes for this season rest to a very large degree, has torn some tendons in his left wrist, and will be on the disabled list for at least three months. The team doctor recommended surgery, but Guillen wants a second opinion. The high-spirited outfielder says he couldn't stand being out of action for so long. Having lost pitcher Brian Lawrence, and with Alfonso Soriano's future with the team highly uncertain, this is a devastating blow. The Nats have just about exhausted their payroll budget, they have few tradable reserve players, and their farm system has almost collapsed over the past few years. Time to punt... See MLB.com.

In today's Washington Post, Thomas Boswell laments that "the bloom is off the rose" for the Nationals. Observing the paltry attendance at Space Coast Stadium compared to last year, he gripes about the decline in fan enthusiasm for the Nats since the magical inaugural year. He blames the shortsighted, selfish MLB bosses and politicians in D.C. for putting the franchise in dire straits. Since there is no owner yet, the team is playing with an unfair handicap for the fourth consecutive year. He warns that resorting to arbitration over the stadium finance dispute would further disillusion D.C. area folks about their new team, which might cause attendance to drop, thereby lowering the value of the franchise, currently estimated at $450 million. Are you listening, Bud? How about you, Linda?

March 3, 2006 [LINK]

Election truce in Colombia?

The "Army of National Liberation" (ELN), the second-ranking guerrilla force in Colombia (motto: "¡Nosotros ponemos más esfuerzo!") has pledged not to make any attacks during the March 12 congressional elections. The presidential elections will be held in May. Government mediators and rebel repesentatives recently held talks in Havana, and will do so again in April. See CNN.com. This truce offer shows there is still hope for a possible disarmament accord, such as was reached with two other Colombian guerrilla movements over a decade ago. Only 3,500 ELN insurgents remain active, thanks to the counteroffensive campaign waged by President Uribe. Unfortunately, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC, with about 12,000 effectives) remain grimly committed to inflicting mayhem as a tool for reaping a large share of profits from the narcotics trade. The right-wing militias are almost as dangerous and drug-corrupted as the left-wing rebels.

More delays in Haiti

The inauguration of president-elect Rene Preval, previously scheduled for March 29, has been delayed because it is contingent upon holding legislative elections, which have been postponed until complaints over last month's presidential elections are resolved. In the mean time, Preval is visiting the Dominican Republic, the neighbor with which relations have been chilly in recent months because of the alleged mistreatment of Haitians there. See BBC.

No bail for Fujimori

A judge in Chile has denied the petition for bail made by the former president of Peru, Alberto Fujimori, so he will remain in jail pending a decision on extraditing him to Peru. See CNN.com.

March 5, 2006 [LINK]

Sobriety check on Iraq

The recent upsurge of violence in Iraq, climaxing with the bombing of the Shiite mosque, was obviously intended to provoke a full-scale civil war, but the curfews seem to have staved off that prospect for now. The cumulative effect of these attacks is clearly undermining morale in the United States, however, as some of the strongest minds are starting to exhibit faint hearts. Last week I blogged about Francis Fukuyama's wary assessment of Iraq. In Thursday's Washington Post, George Will complained about the lack of reality in Bush's speeches on the war. It's not a new theme, and indeed Bush has made some tentative steps toward a more sober tone in his statements about Iraq since early December. He still has a long way to go, however, and Will draws a comparison (unfair?) between the war rhetoric of Bush and Winston Churchill. As Will notes, it doesn't matter if most Iraqi people "choose" peace or democracy unless wise, courageous Iraqi leaders emerge to shepherd them toward stability and prosperity. Beyond mere words, Will is growing more pessimistic on the prospects for the emergence of a stable, effective government in Baghdad, and on the global strategic outlook. He notes that the three members of the "Axis of Evil" (Iran, Iraq, and North Korea) are actually more dangerous now than they were three years ago. I would agree that our forces have not yet achieved their military goals, and that additional resources are needed to subdue the terrorist resistance, but I think Will is being unduly glum.

"Radio blogger" Hugh Hewitt interviewed Christopher Hitchens about this general topic yesterday. (via Instapundit) Hitchens reminds us that conservatives are just plain not eager to fight wars, build state power, or fight over religion to begin with, so their reluctance to make an all-out military commitment without a clear guidepost for victory is understandable. Ironically, Hitchens, the former leftist, gives a more even-handed appraisal of the war than some of the recently alarmist mainstream conservatives. It is easy to overlook the huge advantage we have obtained by doing away with the vicious dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, which used to menace the entire region. Try to keep that in mind the next time you see a news report of a car bomb in Baghdad. Things could be worse -- much worse.

Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Peter Pace, USMC, appeared on Meet the Press this morning, and frankly acknowledged the difficulties on the ground. It's a good sign that he didn't come across as spinning a rosy scenario, but one would hope for something a little more upbeat. He rejected the proposition that Iraq would have been stabilized if we had deployed more forces to occupy it in mid-2003, but no one would expect him to say such a thing and keep his job. Dissent in the military chain of command is supposed to be extremely discreet, behind closed doors.

The death toll

Fifty one American service men and women died in Iraq last month, the fourth consecutive month in which the death toll declined. The total now stands at just under 2,300, including two from our area who died last year: Jason Redifer and Daniel Bubb. See globalsecurity.org. During the course of the war, an average of 63 American soldiers' lives have been lost every month. We are approaching the third anniversary of the war's beginning.

Meanwhile, in Afghanistan

A reinforced battalion of Canadian army troops (over 2,000) was recently deployed to the Kandahar region in southern Afghanistan. On Wednesday, one of them died when their vehicle overturned on a mountain road, and yesterday five of them were wounded by a suicide car bomb. Taliban insurgents claimed credit for the attack, which appears to be part of a stepped-up campaign by the extremists to regain the initiative in that country. See the Toronto Globe and Mail.

En route to India, President Bush made a surprise stop in Afghanistan, the first U.S. president to go there since Dwight Eisenwhower. He visited Prime Minister Karzai and greeted some lonely American soldiers, a nice and very appropriate gesture.

March 6, 2006 [LINK]

MLB signs stadium lease deal

It's a huge relief, but not really much of a surprise. Major League Baseball knows full well that taking the dispute over the lease terms for the new baseball stadium in Washington to arbitration would only lower the value of the franchise, which they are very eager to sell. So, they took the revised deal presented to them by the D.C. Council, attaching a few technical stipulations that no further legislation contrary to existing terms be adopted. (Translation: Don't muck this thing up any more.) See Washington Post. According to MLB.com, Bob DuPuy said,

Everyone has to compromise so the Nationals can enjoy a strong future. We are offering a compromise that I call on District leaders to support.

Ah, sweet reason! Does this settle the matter once and for all? Will everything fall apart if the cost cap provisions don't work like they're supposed to? No in both cases. This is just one more landmark event in a long series of contentious haggling over the ballpark that will not end until the final coat of paint and the last plumbing fixtures are installed. MLB will presumably announce the new Nationals owners just before Opening Day, more or less coinciding with the beginning of the demolition of the existing warehouses on the stadium site. Groundbreaking will probably take place by the end of the summer. "Theoretically," the new ballpark could be finished in time for the beginning of the 2008 season, but an opening at mid-year or early in the following year is more likely. For now, RFK Stadium still has a "life expectancy" of three years.

Guillen gets second opinion

Whew! It turns out that Jose Guillen was smart to seek another doctor's opinion about his wrist injury. Further tests indicate that his left wrist is merely swollen, and may heal in time for Opening Day -- as long as he follows doctors' orders and gives it a rest for 7-10 days. See MLB.com. All in all, it's been a great day to be a Nationals fan. Maybe they'll have another shot at a pennant race after all!

Kirby Puckett has died

[UPDATE: Earlier today I reported that Kirby Puckett was hospitalized in critical condition, and since then we have learned that he passed away. The popular hero of the Minnesota Twins' championship teams of 1987 and 1991 suffered a stroke at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on Sunday morning. His friendly personality and fierce determination to win made him an ideal team player, inspiring others on his team to match his accomplishments. It was a tragedy when his career was cut short by glaucoma in 1996, and this sudden death only compounds it. At least he got to savor the sweet reward of being elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2001. One thing is for sure, he will not be forgotten in Minnesota. For more, see MLB.com.]

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UPDATE: Kill an evening here!

Lonnie Spath, a sportswriter whose fine panoramic photos grace the Oakland Coliseum and Fenway Park pages, has included this Web site among his "10 Web Sites To kill 10 evenings with." I'm pretty sure that's a compliment. Much obliged, Lonnie!

UPDATE: WBC Round 1

The national teams of (South) Korea and Japan earned berths to the second round of the World Baseball Championship, which will begin in Anaheim (and San Juan, Puerto Rico) on March 12. It was a surprise that the Koreans beat the Japanese (3-2) in the final game of the preliminary round, winning all three of their games. The Taiwanese beat their mainland Chinese arch-rivals, 12-3. See worldbaseballclassic.com.

March 6, 2006 [LINK]

Gutierrez freed from jail

In countries in which obeying the law is the exception not the rule, the mere act of challenging the legality of an abrupt change of government (or even coup d'etat) is considered subversive. That is the situation in Ecuador, where former President Lucio Gutierrez was just set free by a judge after almost five months of incarceration. He was removed from office by Congress last April after a brief period of street violence that escalated into an insurrection, [and was jailed in October as punishment for having disputed the procedure by which he was removed from office]. See CNN.com. Ironically, he led an insurrection in 1997, and was then elected president, following in the footsteps of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez. To the surprise of many people, he began cooperating with the United States after his inauguration. The leftist Democratic Alliance suspects that the (conservative) Social Christian Party led by former president Leon Febres Cordero was behind his release from jail, according to El Comercio of Quito. Interim President Palacio, who will serve until a new president is elected in October, just returned from a visit to the United States.

Mexican mine disaster aftermath

Workers have resumed digging through the rubble of the collapsed coal mine in northern Mexico where 65 miners died two weeks ago. They had to stop for a couple days because of toxic gas emissions. Miners and steel workers in Mexico used the opportunity of public attention to go on strike as a protest against poor safety conditions. There are complicating factors, however. The Labor Department in Mexico recognized a dissident union leader who is challenging the leadership of the old union boss. Most unions is Mexico are as corrupt as the government and business, part of the decrepit "corporatist" socio-economic system put in place in the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920). See CNN.com. Ironically, many if not most workers in Mexico remain opposed to NAFTA even though it includes provisions to improve labor and environmental standards in their country.

There was more gripping testimony on Capitol Hill last week about recent incursions by Mexican drug runners and (possibly) rogue soldiers or police officers on the southern U.S. border. It was cablecast on C-SPAN, but somehow, it didn't get as much coverage in the mainstream media as I would have expected. Is someone trying to hush this up?

Arias wins Costa Rica recount

Oscar Arias, who served as president from 1986 to 1990, has been declared the winner of the presidential election in Costa Rica. Losing candidate Ottón Solís pledged to carry out his campaign promises in the role of opposition leader, in a spirit of dialogue and respect. See Tico Times. Solís had opposed CAFTA, so this outcome is a good sign for free trade in the hemisphere. As in Honduras, however, the general public in Costa Rica is leery of free trade agreements with the United States, fearing economic dislocation, which raises awkward questions about the relationship between free trade and democracy.

March 7, 2006 [LINK]

New book on Barry* Bonds*

Why can't this story just go away? Because we as loyal, hero-worshipping fans are each implicated in the scandal, in a small way, that's why. This cover of this week's Sports Illustrated features a new book, Game of Shadows, written by San Francisco Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams. They are pretty sure that Barry has been doping himself heavily with multiple drugs since 1998 -- the fateful, seemingly glorious year of McGwire* vs. Sosa*. (hat tip to Bruce Orser)

More on Kirby Puckett

Chad Dotson, the Commonwealth Conservative blogger, questioned Kirby Puckett's Hall of Fame credentials, so I felt compelled to respond:

If baseball were primarily a technical profession, and if most fans were number-crunching wonks, then Chad would have a valid point. I tend to see baseball (and most sports) as a very human, joint endeavor in which hustle and heart count more than innate ability or individual accomplishment. Teamwork! How many World Series rings did Ted Williams get?

To which Chad asked, "Andrew, are you seriously contending that Kirby Puckett was a better player than Ted Williams?" So I wrote to clarify,

Chad - Heavens no, it never occurred to me that Kirby Puckett was anywhere near as good as Ted Williams. My point was simply that it takes more than a superstar to win ball games or world championships. It takes a gutsy guy whose love for the game and willingness to put his team first inspires his team mates to do their best. Ted never really had such "infectious enthusiasm," as most Red Sox fans would grudgingly admit, I think.

Construction updates

The St. Louis Post Dispatch has a preliminary analysis of Busch Stadium III's likely effect on batting. Upshot: It should be "fair and balanced," like its predecessor (and Fox News? ). The designers take pride in avoiding the contrived outfield nooks and crannies that were taken to excess in places like Ameriquest Field and Minute Maid Park. Hat tip to Mike Zurawski, who also relayed this photo of the expanded upper deck at Fenway Park. It will be a real, substantial upper deck, after all, not just an enlarged mezzanine level. Only the sections adjacent to the infield will be expanded, however.

PETCO Park

Partly at Mike's prompting, I modified the PETCO Park diagram to account for the slightly shorter fence in right center field. (I wish all diagram revisions could be so easy!) The change is not enough to warrant a "dynamic diagram." PETCO Park will host the final three games of the first-ever World Baseball Classic, on March 18 and 20.

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D.C. Council OKs deal

UPDATE: As everyone expected, this evening the D.C. Council approved, by 9-4 vote, the stadium lease deal that MLB officials signed the other day. That clears the way for the sale of the team, after which it will be safe to say that the probability of the Nationals being relocated has dropped to zero. I am very anxious about the stadium design, which will probably be unveiled next week. Council member Jack Evans thinks they can finish the new stadium by April 2008, but without the finishing touches. Like bleachers and lights? If groundbreaking takes place in late April, as they are now saying, I guess that target date is still possible. See WTOP Radio.

March 7, 2006 [LINK]

Hardball in Richmond, again

It's "deja vu all over again" here in the Commonwealth: A Democrat governor is in a showdown over the state budget with the Republican-led General Assembly. Like his predecessor Mark Warner, Governor Kaine is maintaining the pretense of bipartisan cooperation while waging a brass-knuckled fight behind the scenes. His chief of staff William Leighty was forced to apologize last week after mischaracterizing the voting record of a Republican state senator, Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, and for threatening that Kaine would veto bills authored by Republicans who oppose him in the budget battle. Ritual apologies followed, and then this week we learn that Kaine is launching an advertising campaign targeting those Republicans. So, it would seem, nothing has really changed. My impression during the 2005 campaign (see Oct. 10) that Mr. Kaine's ear-to-ear grin is but one of two faces that he routinely alternates, as expedience dictates, seems to be correct.

The 2006 session of the General Assembly is scheduled to end this week, but it may be forced into "overtime" to resolve difficult issues. Del. Vince Callahan, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee foresees a repeat of 2004 in the offing, with GOP moderates in the state Senate compromising on tax hikes, creating ill feelings in the Republican Party. See Washington Post. Nothing would be worse for Republicans and for Virginia taxpayers than another end-game collapse. Egos need to be set aside, and both sides need to respect each others' legitimate worries: needless waste of taxpayers money, on one hand, versus putting the state's financial status at risk, on the other. In the end, the real question is whether the leaders of the Senate and House of Delegates can fashion a workable mutual compromise and avoid letting a governor of the other party exploit their differences over policy. If not, then Virginia voters will be entitled to ask whether the Republicans are really up to the task of governing their state.

Transportation

The most vexing issue this year is funding for transportation. Kaine, who has spent his political career representing urban-suburban interests, believes that all Virginians must shoulder the burden of building new highways to make life easier for those who live in congested areas. If the rural minority objects to going along with such a plan, that's just tough, Kaine seems to believe. I say, if people who live in high-traffic zones want more highways, they should pay for it, one way or the other. For example, all the quibbling in Northern Virginia over HOV lanes, Metro extension, or improving the Virginia Railway Express commuter service seems to be centered upon how to get someone else to pay for what particular constituencies think they deserve. One of the main initial proposals made by defeated Republican gubernatorial candidate Jerry Kilgore was to allow for regional transportation planning and funding solutions, which makes eminent sense.

Generally speaking, it is a good idea to take alarmist calls for new spending with a grain of salt. That is how Chad Dotson reacted to former VDOT commissioner Phil Shucet's plea for "new, sustainable, dedicated funds" in the Richmond Times Dispatch. There is a simple solution to the catastrophe of gridlock he laments: move to less densely populated areas! Otherwise, quit yer moanin'. I'm on record as favoring tax hikes on petroleum fuels to encourage less driving and to pay for road and rail improvements, but I am also well aware that that won't happen in Virginia any time soon. Eventually, the idea that energy really is a scarce resource is bound to catch on. In the mean time, we need to be wary of bogus rationales for wasteful spending for ordinary government functions, as Chris Saxman (a staunch opponent of new taxes) rightly notes at his new Virginia Cost Cutting blog:

Would one dramatically increase transportation spending if one was told by a very high ranking VDOT (no longer there) administrator that instead of the 9,300+/- employees that we really only needed about 5,000 to run the department efficiently?

Not me.

March 7, 2006 [LINK]

Bell's Lane again

Sunny, clear skies and milder temperatures drew me out to Bell's Lane late this afternoon. I spotted the Harrier as soon as I got out of my car, and admired its low-altitude hunting flight for several minutes. Seeing two semi-migratory birds for the first time this spring was an encouraging sign. Today's highlights:

• Northern harrier (M)
• Short-eared owl (prob., far)
• 300+ Canada geese
• Mallards
• Red-winged blackbird (FOS)
• 3 Grackles (FOS)
• Bluebirds
• Meadowlark
• 11 American coots
• 4 Ruddy ducks

March 8, 2006 [LINK]

One (less) Hand Clapping

Donald Sensing has announced an indefinite hiatus for his superb blog One Hand Clapping, which focuses -- or focused, I guess -- primarily on military, religious, and cultural matters. He was one of my very favorite bloggers, and it will be hard for someone to fill the void. It's quite understandable that he has to devote his time to more pressing matters, however. Is this the beginning of the Great Blogosphere Crunch that some have been predicting?

March 8, 2006 [LINK]

Our "Man in the Sand"

Even if some of our leading pundits are growing weary of protracted conflict, our troops are made of stronger stuff than most civilians, thankfully. I'm proud to say I know one of them who was recently deployed to Iraq: Sgt. Herb Harman, who volunteered for active duty in the Army soon after the 9/11 attacks. I met Herb and his wife Jan at the local Republican headquarters during the 2004 fall campaign, and enjoyed some interesting conversations. Herb is not just a great guy, he knows a great deal about this country's political system and heritage. We held a send-off dinner for him last October, which was covered by WHSV-TV3. I recently received a letter from Herb, and even though his unit is quartered in very Spartan conditions, he is very enthusiastic about his mission of helping to build a new democratic government in Iraq. For obvious security reasons, he can't go into detail, which reminds us why we often don't hear as much of the good news from Iraq as we would like. It's an incredibly difficult, sensitive, and vital task, but as far as Herb is concerned, he's just doing his job. We are so incredibly lucky to have guys like him serving our country, defending freedom and laying the groundwork for a more peaceful future in the Middle East.

Steve Kijak has some photos of signs that are being put up around the county in Herb's honor. Steve is also arranging for a "Goodwill" package campaign for all the lonely U.S. soldiers who are not so fortunate to have close friends and family back home. (Web site pending.)

Carrier fleet cutback?

The Navy recently announced the retirement of its F-14 "Tomcat" fleet, and now it is proposing to reduce its fleet of carriers from twelve to ten. It probably makes sense, given that there is only one part of the world where we might have to engage a enemy force with advanced weaponry -- and it's not in Europe. See strategypage.com; hat tip to Chris Green.

March 9, 2006 [LINK]

WBC: Canada stuns U.S. team

Is this revenge for losing the Expos to Washington? Or perhaps for the invasion by American troops in the War of 1812? A team of virtual unknowns from North of the Border trounced the United States team at Chase Field last night, 8-6, putting the home team on the brink of elimination in the World Baseball Classic. Shame! Was Ken Griffey Jr. dragging his heels in center field on that bizarre inside-the-park home run? That's what it looked like to me. Steven Poppe is attending the games in Phoenix, and I look forward to his perspective on this. Canada and Mexico play this evening, and the U.S. plays South Africa (!?) tomorrow afternoon. The tie-breaking procedures in the WBC are from the International Baseball Federation, rather unfamiliar to American fans. It has something to do with runs allowed per game; see if you can figure it out at worldbaseballclassic.com.

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FEEDBACK: Canadian fan Matt Bahm took exception to the phrase "virtual unknowns" referring to his country's team, of which he has every right to be very proud. No disrespect intended. I know of Corie Koskie, but the name of Pirate All Star Jason Bay was somehow missing from my feeble memory, which just goes to show my lack of familiarity with most non-East Coast teams. In my defense, I try to stay abreast of political developments in Canada and expect my students to at least know who the Prime Minister is. (Do you know? He's new.) Back to baseball, I think Canada's surprise victory validates my point yesterday (in reference to Kirby Puckett) about team effort outweighing "star power" when it comes to winning Big Games.

UPDATE: Mexico beat Canada 9-1 this evening, which was quite a shocker, but good news (for us folks south of the 49th parallel) nonetheless. It means the United States can still advance to the next round in the WBC by beating South Africa tomorrow. In that case, the three NAFTA partners will be tied at two wins and one loss each. If Mexico's margin of victory had been less than three runs, under the tiebreaking rules, the U.S. team would have been eliminated no matter what. I agree with Johnny Damon: the WBC tiebreaking procedure "makes you use your mind a little more than you want to." It would appear that Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico are all headed to the next round, which will be held in Hiram Bithorn Stadium, beginning Sunday.

Nats keep Bowden

The Washington Nationals have extended the contracts of General Manager Jim Bowden and his assistant through the rest of this season. That's good news, but I'm a little less confident in Bowden than I was a year ago. Whether the new owners decide to keep him or not depends more than anything else on how Alfonso Soriano behaves after he returns from the WBC. Team player? The Nationals have only won one exhibition game so far this year, and Frank Robinson is rightly upset at his players. See MLB.com. Time to kick some butt in the dugout.

Cashman Field

The Cashman Field page has been finished, which means that every Major League Baseball venue used since the early 20th Century is now covered on this Web site -- I think.

March 9, 2006 [LINK]

Constituent assembly in Bolivia

In Bolivia, new President Evo Morales is following through on his promise to convene a constituent assembly to rewrite the country's constitution. One of the leaders of his "Movement Toward Socialism" (MAS) proposed changing the name of the country to "Tawantinsuyo" (Quechua for "Four Corners," the name of the ancient Inca Empire) or "Kollasuyo." Morales also signed a law authorizing a referendum on regional autonomy. See BBC. It is almost as though he were trying to bring about the breakup of Bolivia. The sharp cultural divides within the mountainous country make this a very real prospect. The flat southeastern region around Santa Cruz, where most of the country's oil and natural gas are produced, tends to resent the highlands. It is too small to become an independent country, however, and the option of joining with neighboring Paraguay is almost unthinkable, because the two countries fought each other in the Chaco War in the 1930s. For a more thorough analysis of this situation, see Miguel Centellas.

Unusually heavy rains caused heavy flooding in La Paz last month. The capital city is located in a canyon that funnels water into a narrow channel leading toward the Amazon Basin.

Strike by Ecuador oil workers

Army troops in Ecuador used tear gas to disperse striking petroleum workers and restore the country's oil output, which had been severely curtailed since the strike began on Monday. One of their main demands is to be employed directly by the state-owned PetroEcuador company, rather than subcontractors. See BBC. Given that national elections are scheduled for October, political agendas are likely as well.

March 9, 2006 [LINK]

Arab port deal collapses

Well, there goes our hopes for building alliances in the Middle East. Lacking a clear sense of leadership from the White House, Republican leaders in Congress caved in to populist outcries and rebelled against the Dubai Port World port management contract. As I wrote on Feb. 28, this isolationistic reflex is "blindingly stupid." This morning came word that the United Arab Emirates would divest itself of U.S. investments, which was probably an empty threat, but a very hostile gesture nonetheless. That in turn killed any hope for salvaging a compromise on Capitol Hill, because it would look like the United States was submitting to blackmail. So early in the afternoon Sen. John Warner read an announcement that DPW would sell off its U.S. port operations, making sure that all managers were Americans. Read it and weep at washingtonpost.com. The two countries really need each other, so they will probably come up with some arrangement, but it's still a lot uglier outcome than it had to be. Part of the blame lies with President Bush for failing to stay on top of such sensitive issues, and for mishandling it when it first became public knowledge. Sen. Chuck Schumer's astute expose of the DPW deal last month was a stroke of political genius, from a partisan political standpoint, but it unleashed a terrible diplomatic setback for the United States government. I hope he's enjoying himself.

March 10, 2006 [LINK]

U.S.A.! U.S.A.! Rout at WBC

Ken Griffey Jr. apparently felt obliged to make amends for not backing up the left fielder on that bizarre inside-the-park home run by Canada on Thursday. Today he hit two homers and racked up seven RBIs altogether, as the United States annihilated South Africa 17-0 in a game that was called on account of mercy after four and a half innings. Roger Clemens only allowed one hit in the four innings he pitched. (We still don't know if the Rocket will play in the majors this season; I'd say more than likely "yes.") I was pleased to see that Washington Nationals closer Chad Cordero struck out the only batter he faced to end the game. For some reason, this climactic matchup was played in Scottsdale Stadium rather than Chase Field. See worldbaseballclassic.com. Take that, Dave Matthews! Same to you, Charlize Theron! So, the U.S.A. and Mexico advance to the next round, to be played in Anaheim. If I were Canadian, I would be gnashing my teeth at the way the tiebreaker system works.

Super-sized roof in K.C.

Most sports fans are aware that the NFL and the football players reached a labor agreement that will avoid a possible strike this year. Only a few know, however, that Commissioner Paul Tagliabue conditionally awarded Super Bowl XLIX (forty nine) to Kansas City. That will be nine years from now, in 2015. There is a small catch, however: the referendum set for April 4 to authorize funding for the renovation of the Truman Sports Complex must pass. The main element of that plan is a gargantuan rolling roof that would cover either Arrowhead Stadium or Kauffman Stadium. It would be the only football stadium roof in which the arches run the long way, parallel to the sidelines. Since this roof was envisioned as an eventual option from the very beginning, I can't help but wonder why they didn't build Arrowhead Stadium oriented north-to-south rather than east-to-west. Wouldn't that have allowed for a smaller, less expensive roof? For details, see the Kansas City Star; it has a cool animation of the proposed roof in action, but you'd better be patient while it downloads. Including debt service, the entire project would cost one billion dollars. Yikes. If I were a taxpayer in Jackson County, Missouri, I would think long and hard about spending that much money just to land the Super Bowl. Hat tip to Mike Zurawski.

March 10, 2006 [LINK]

More conservatives oppose Bush

Earlier this week, former Reagan administration adviser Bruce Bartlett spoke about his new book Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy (Doubleday) at the CATO Institute. David Boaz, who introduced the speaker, echoes my general opinion of Bush: He's not really disappointed in the President because he did not really have high hopes for Bush in the first place. Anyone who voted for Bush believing that he "trusts the people," in contrast to the Democrats who trust the government, however, has every right to be disappointed. The CATO event was reported by the Washington Post. Bartlett may have an axe to grind, and I would hesitate to accept at face value his contention that the Bush White House is "vindictive," but many of his criticisms seem to be well founded. What worries me most is his [contention that the White House lacks] "anybody who does any serious analysis" on policy issues. What really sticks in Bartlett's craw, as he put it, is the fact that Bush has not vetoed any spending bill passed by Congress, even though he complains about pork barrel spending and says he wants to have line-item veto power. What for? The last president not to have vetoed any bills was James Garfield, who served for less than a year.

In his comments on Bartlett's book at the CATO gathering, renowned blogger and new TV pundit Andrew Sullivan opined that the ultimate consequence of the Bush (II) administration will be a vast increase in the size of government at all levels, which he believes is a great tragedy. He also called Bush a "Christian Socialist," using government to promote a sectarian religious agenda. He later clarified on his blog that he meant that only in a particular context. It is a pretty explosive charge, nonetheless. It parallels his allusion to Bismarck he made in September 2004. I agree 100 percent with Sullivan's low opinion of Karl Rove, who has said that deficits don't matter because voters don't care about deficits, and to him, winning elections is all that matters. Such a grotesquely irresponsible attitude, if that is what Rove really believes, would be paving the way for the collapse of the conservative coalition.

For those who place loyalty to party leaders above all else, such dissent is tantamount to treason. In my view, vigorous debate and exchange of different viewpoints is a healthy sign of a party that is confident of winning elections. To my surprise, there is a lot of dissent fermenting over at GOPUSA.com, where Bobby Eberle has been criticizing Bush in blunter terms lately. He calls for a "new message" as the 2006 midterm elections approach. Who in the Party of Lincoln will emerge to articulate that message?

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UPDATE: Re-reading this piece made be think about the White House flap over policy adviser John DiIulio, who got the boot in the autumn of 2002 and later derided his former colleagues as a bunch of "Mayberry Machiavellis" who didn't care a whit about policy substance. See my blog post of Dec. 3, 2002. I guess it's not like we weren't warned...

March 12, 2006 [LINK]

GOP beauty pageant in Tennessee

The victory of Bill Frist in the Republican straw poll yesterday means almost nothing, since the event was held in his home state (Memphis, actually), and the real campaign does not begin for almost two more years. The stock sale mini-scandal last year could erupt once again, so he's better make sure that is all straight lest the party be tarnished by more financial misdeeds. I wish both parties would do something to reform the primary election process, which is distorting the nomination more and more each election cycle.

John McCain has decided to play the "loyalty card" in his race for the presidential nomination, urging his supporters to pick Bush in the straw poll even though Bush can't run again; see Washington Post. Several pundits on the Sunday morning talk shows found this gesture to be phony, and it costs him a couple points in my scorebook. I think he's decent overall but has a hard time refraining from pandering.

George Allen, who came in fourth place, was on Meet the Press today, and he exceeded my rather modest expectations of him. His swagger turns many people off, but he controlled his instinct to grin (a malady shared by Virginia's new governor) and came across as serious and thoughtful. After a few more years of grooming, maybe he'll be ready for the Big Job. (Veep in 2008?) I appreciated his opposition to the draconian anti-abortion law in South Dakota, which risked offending his social conservative base. I agree with him that states should be able to set their own standards on abortion, within reasonable limits.

Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has intrigued me as a possible candidate, but he didn't do or say very much to excite the crowd. His father George became one of the first victims of the modern-era media's "feeding frenzies" in 1967, when he said he had been "brainwashed" by U.S. generals in Vietnam about the military situation. That simple, offhand remark undermined his reputation and pretty much ruined his political career.

Ex-Bush aide arrested

For the Bush White House and its recent troubles, "when it rains, it pours." Claude Allen, who resigned as domestic policy adviser last month, was arrested in Maryland for swindling Hecht's and Target stores of more than $5,000, via refunds for items he allegedly did not actually buy. This comes as an especially hard blow, since Allen was one of the relatively few black staffers in the White House. For more, including the White House reaction, see Washington Post.

Kaine cries foul

The Virginia House of Delegates voted to reject former union leader Daniel G. LeBlanc as secretary of the commonwealth. See Richmond Times Dispatch. Kaine vowed revenge agains the Republicans, presumably when he was not grinning. I thought it was nice to see the Republicans acting united for a change, but Sic Semper Tyrannis fears that this action may alienate independent voters, especially those with libertarian leanings. On more serious business, State Sen. John Chichester is sounding very uncompromising on the budget-tax negoatiations with the Virginia House of Delegates.

March 12, 2006 [LINK]

Spring arrives; amphibian rescue

The temperatures climbed into the seventies yesterday and today, accelerating the pace of bird migration that is now underway. Yesterday I saw a male Bluebird out back, which is unusual around here, as well as a female Purple finch, and a dozen or so Cedar waxwings flying over head. Early this morning I walked behind the Staunton-Augusta Rescue Squad in hopes of spotting arriving migrants, but the only first-of-season bird was a Field sparrow. Today's list:

• E. towhees
• Yellow-bellied sapsucker (M)
• Purple, house, and gold finches
• Field sparrow (FOS)
• Killdeer
• Golden-crowned kinglet
• Junco

After I returned, I saw this Downy woodpecker at our suet feeder, which was almost empty thanks to the Starlings, so I put in a new chunk of suet. I also saw what I thought was a large worm (three inches or so) that was helplessly stranded on the asphalt, but it turned out to be a very young salamander that was very dry and barely alive. I brought it home and kept it moist until it finally revived and crawled away into the mud. "Born free..."

March 14, 2006 [LINK]

New D.C. baseball stadium unveiled

We can all exhale now: The future home of the Nationals looks pretty good, after all. What is most striking about the new stadium is the curved permimeter, which stands in stark contrast to every other "Neoclassical" stadium except for Great American Ballpark. It apparently has four main decks, but the top two decks may be partly connected, as in several other newly built stadiums. It retains the glass and stone exterior style that has been rumored, rather than the red brick style that traditionalists such as D.C. Councilman Jack Evans had hoped for. (I was leaning that way too, but I am also aware of the need to create a truly distinctive design.) As widely expected, it will be oriented toward the northeast, wedged into the intersection of South Capitol Street and Potomac Avenue. It has some interesting features: The lights are placed along the rim of the stadium roof, as at Yankee Stadium (post-1976), and no light towers are evident at all. Behind home plate at the very top is a three-tier press box / luxury suite section that occupies a void between the two wings of the upper decks. There is a wide staircase and promenade from the Anacostia waterfront to the gap between the upper decks on the first base side. As at Citizens Bank Park, the grandstand beyond that gap is not as high as is the main part. (That is one of the only features shared by my proposed D.C. stadium design.) There will be a double-decked bleacher section in right center field, with the scoreboard on top. In the plaza beyond left center field there is some kind of circular building. It's hard to get a sense of the outfield shape, but there appears to be a straight diagonal stretch of fence at the left field corner. [Adjacent thumbnail-size image, and the moving image seen in a pop-up window when you click on it, are used with permission from the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission; note updated link. Also see HOK architectural firm.] Their Web site also includes a link to dcballpark.com, which implies that it is operated by the consortium of Clark Construction, Hunt Construction Group, and Smoot Construction.

The Washington Post has an analysis, as well as some artist's renderings that show the surrounding neighborhood. Hat tip to Rudy Riet, who sponsors the RFK Stadium page. Does that old place really have only two years left to go? We should know in the next month or two whether the 2008 completion target for the new ballpark is realistic or not.

I'll have much more to say on this subject after I've had more time to mull over the details. Stay tuned. Once again, I welcome fan feedback, especially from folks who have been visiting for a while but haven't taken the time to write. I can't promise that I'll answer every message, but I will try my best.

UPDATE: Maury Brown, one of the leading stadium experts at SABR, announced the new D.C. stadium design at his blog, The Baseball Journals. LATER UPDATE: Maury has included some additional images, including a semi-detailed overhead view of the playing field, which has some intriguing angles, some of which are contrived and some that are a logical fit to the surrounding street grid. Interestingly, the left-center and right-center fences (both mostly straight) intersect in dead center field much like at Wrigley Field (L.A.). Now that I've seen the outfield layout, I'm a bit more impressed, overall.

Feedback from fans

UPDATE: Sean Holland has some very thoughtful things to say about this; click HERE to read it. I'm still working on making this a regular feature, even as I toil away at the diagrams (!), but I figure I can do it on a one-time basis for such an important occasion. LATER UPDATE: Giuseppe Mirizzi and Mike Zurawski added their two cents. Mike alerted me to the story at MLB.com, including outfield dimensions.

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Nick Johnson signs

Nick Johnson has signed a contract with the Nationals for three more years, which is great news. To me, he is one of the irreplaceable "core" team players. But then, that's what I thought about Vinny Castilla and Brad Wilkerson... See MLB.com.

Classic era ballparks

Ever-vigilant Steven Poppe, just back from the WBC in Arizona, noticed I had posted a preliminary rough version of a reoriented Sportsmans Park diagram. Can't put nothin' past him! I have now finished the touch-ups on it, but have not added the early (1909-1925) versions that will be part of the "dynamic diagram." At this point, I'm becoming more inclined to finish the basic versions of the remaining Classic Era ballparks rather than finishing all the versions for each successive one, which consumed so much time with Shibe Park. Then there's the new Busch Stadium III to do...

March 15, 2006 [LINK]

Beware the Ides of March

What the soothsayer warned Caesar holds special meaning for the Clem household. It was five years ago today that our pet canary Goldie died of some unknown ailment, in spite of treatment by a veterinarian, less than a year after we brought her into our home.

On a brighter note, Princess has been very busy rebuilding her nest recently, taking bits of cotton from my hand. Her flirtatiousness induced George to break out in a loud, clear song today for the first time in weeks.

March 15, 2006 [LINK]

Beware the Ides of March (II)

Yesterday, coincidentally, a friend brought to us a bird he thought was injured, figuring we would know how to take care of it. It turned out to be a fledgling Mockingbird that was probably blown out of its nest by the high winds we've been having for the past couple days. The gray plumage, white wing bars, and yellow eyes were unmistakeable. It wasn't much bigger than a sparrow, and didn't even have a tail yet. (CAUTION: If you ever see a small bird flapping around on the ground, think twice before you try to rescue it. Most young birds spend a day or two on the ground before they can fly, and their parents protect them and feed them during this time.) If it didn't improve, I was planning to take the Mockingbird to the Wildlife Center of Virginia, which specializes in animal rescue and rehabilitation, the next morning. We tried to feed it and give it water, but unfortunately, it went through cycles of lethargy followed by convulsions, and died last night. What is it about mid-March?

Yesterday Jacqueline and I went for a brisk walk behind the Staunton-Augusta Rescue Squad, but few birds were in view because of the strong winds. I did spot one bird that I hadn't seen recently, however: a Yellow-rumped warbler.

March 16, 2006 [LINK]

Chinese military training

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner expressed concern about the fact that China is taking the place of the United States in some Latin American countries, as far as military training. This is a truly ominous trend, from the perspective of U.S. foreign policy, at least. "At issue is a U.S. law that mandates an end to military training in countries that refuse to exempt U.S. citizens overseas from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court." See CNN.com.

That law is no doubt the precipitating factor behind this trend, but there is more to it. Ever since the Reagan Era, protests against the School of the Americas and its successor, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (which has either drastically curtailed its activities or else shut down completely, from what I can tell) have seriously damaged U.S. relations with Latin American armed forces. Politics hates a void as much as Nature does, so it is only natural that a rival geopolitical force would fill the void created by our absence.

More protests in Ecuador

President Alfredo Palacios appealed for calm as protests against the pending free trade negotiations have resumed after a brief respite. The interior minister resigned after failing to quell the disturbance. The The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador began blockading roads on Monday. See CNN.com. The rise of indigenous / Indian political power over the last ten years has revolutionized politics in Ecuador. Last week oil workers staged a protest strike, voicing the same general grievances.

Bachelet inaugurated in Chile

Michelle Bachelet was inaugurated as president of Chile on Sunday, pledging "development for everyone, equally" as her government's first priority. Her first major official act was to decree automatic free medical care to all Chilean people over the age of 60. See Washington Post. This breathtakingly generous new entitlement rivals the social safety nets in the European welfare states. Can a country that is still Third World in many respects sustain such a program without ruining the economic success they have enjoyed until now?

Beisbol y política

At the World Baseball Championship last week, there was a confrontation in Hiram Bithorn Stadium (San Juan, Puerto Rico) when a Cuban official objected to the protest sign held up by a fan: "Abajo con Fidel!" (Down with Fidel!) See CNN.com.

Nuptials for Fujimori?

Wedding bells may soon ring in the Santiago academy for corrections officers where ex-president of Peru Alberto Fujimori remains incarcerated. He announced that will get married to his girlfriend, Satomi Kataoka, before the upcoming elections on April 9, in an apparent attempt to bolster his party's candidates, most notably Martha Chavez. Ms. Kataoka is the owner of several luxury-class Japanese hotels, and is campaigning for Fujimori in Lima. See CNN.com. He became estranged from his first wife, Susana Higuchi, just before I went to Peru for the first time in 1994. She created quite a scandal, accusing him of various misdeeds, and even organized a political party to run against her husband.

March 17, 2006 [LINK]

Mexico spoils U.S. WBC dreams

With nothing at stake but pride, the Mexican national team edged the hometown favorites in Anaheim last night, thereby eliminating Team USA from the WBC. Talk about a Charlie Brown moment: "A-a-r-rgh-h-h-h!" See worldbaseballclassic.com. If you ask me, those cheesy "U.S." logos didn't exactly help. How about something more dignified next time around? Just wait till next year, I mean four years from now. In his Washington Post online chat today, Thomas Boswell observed "The whole draw was as close to "fixed" as you will ever see __to ensure that the U.S. not only made the semifinals but played almost NONE of the stronger foes in ANY game before the Finals." What we have here is a failure to motivate!

Reactions to stadium plan

Washington Post columnist Marc Fisher was mostly upbeat about the design of the new stadium, noting that it's backward, with main entrance on the south side, where hardly anyone will enter. He also suspects that the multistory parking garages in the plaza beyond left field "are really a political ploy and a sales pitch ... to scare the Nationals' new owner and developers into coughing up the $28 million needed to dig the hole for parking."

The mail bag

In spite of harsh winter weather, the expansion of the bleachers at Wrigley Field is on schedule for completion by Opening day. For photos, see MLB.com. (via Mike Zurawski)

There are some good photos of the landscaping work aimed at beautifying Dodger Stadium. They are also replacing many of the seats, as the stadium reverts to the original color scheme of 1962. (via Mike Zurawski)

Roger Foster tells me that the movie It Happens Every Spring was filmed in part at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, which was also the location for the 1959 TV series, Home Run Derby.

Mary Beth Bourgeois notes that the bullpens at Hiram Bithorn Stadium have been removed from foul territory and placed behind the foul poles. I noticed that too when watching a video clip from the WBC, and can't figure out why they did it, since there is so much foul territory to work with there.

March 17, 2006 [LINK]

Virginia budget follies

Ah, if I could only keep up with what's going on in Richmond... Providing backup support for an op-ed piece in the Richmond Times Dispatch, One Man's Trash reminds us of Sen. John Chichester's past record on tax policy, which has been consistently wrong, from a conservative point of view. What's more, he has been as obstructionist as Tom Daschle ever was in the U.S. Senate. From what I can tell, he seems to be the main source of the problem in the budgetary showdown, refusing to reach a middle ground with the "extreme" Republicans in the House of Delegates. True fiscal conservatives need to put heavy pressure on Chichester, lest the Republican Party prove to be totally ineffectual in translating its majority power into coherent policy. (link via Commonwealth Conservative)

Along those same lines, Steve Kijak wrote a fine letter to the Staunton Daily News Leader backing up our local Republican legislators for resisting Gov. Kaine's push for massive tax hikes to pay for his transportation plan. I repeat my main point on this issue: People who want more highways should bear the full cost for them, preferably via a tax on gasoline, or else with tolls. Using general fund revenues (mostly from income taxes) for such purposes is an outrage.

South Dakota vs. PBS

South Dakota has garnered a lot of national attention since Gov. Mike Rounds signed the abortion bill into law last week. My sense is that those who want to ban abortion altogether will be disappointed by the way it is handled in Federal appeals courts, so it may turn out to be a good thing, from my perspective. Meanwhile, Republicans in the state legislature may be opening a new front in the cultural wars on the Great Plains: The Appropriations Committee of the state Senate has passed a budget resolution stripping $500,000 from the South Dakota Public Broadcasting. That's a lot of money, out there. Some people think it's a political vendetta, and others say it is a budgetary necessity. See Vermillion Plain Talk. (link via Connie)

March 19, 2006 [LINK]

Princess lays eggs!

We had thought Princess had already reached canary "menopause" (see Dec. 4), but she surprised us by laying two eggs, one each on Thursday and Friday. It's the first time since last June. George apparently could tell this was about to happen because he has been signing every day since Wednesday, the first time he has done so regularly in months. It's not as strongly as he used to sing, but it's nice anyway. On a sad note, Princess lost a third egg that was expelled prematurely, without a shell having formed. That happened to her once before, in May 2002. Her lifetime total is now 151. "You go, girl!"

March 19, 2006 [LINK]

The war comes to Staunton

It was three years ago today [see Iraq War chronology] that U.S. cruise missile and stealth fighter launched aerial attacks on Baghdad, the beginning of "Operation Iraqi Freedom." Protesters gathered to mark the occasion around the country, including here in Staunton. Anti-war demonstrators confronted a group rallying to support the troops in front of the county court house downtown yesterday, and things apparently became rather tense. The anti-war folks were quoted with some typical erroneous assertions, such as "Iraq has never posed any real threat to the U.S." or denying that American troops would be greeted in Iraq as "liberators." (In fact, they were so greeted, by and large.) Jan Harman, whose husband Herb is serving in Iraq right now, was deeply distressed by the protesters, who claim to be "supporting the troops." See Staunton News Leader.

Even though polls seem to indicate growing pessimism on the war in Iraq (including another glum assessment from George Will in today's Washington Post Outlook section), there is a silver lining: the anti-war movement is suffering from internal fighting between those who are sincerely skeptical about the war versus those such as Ramsey Clark (one of Saddam Hussein's defense lawyers) who just plain hate America. See gopusa.com. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is certainly not without flaws, but he is quite correct in today's Washington Post: The terrorists in Iraq have alienated a large portion of the population, creating an opportunity to bolster support for the new democratic government. A critical turning point like this is no time for retreat. If we do bug out, an escalation of violence into all-out civil war would become a very real prospect.

The new blog aimed at mustering donations of items to be sent as care packages to the troops is now up and running: From Our Hearts, run by Benny and Dianne Rankin, owners of T-Bone Tooter restaurant in Churchville, where we had the dinner for Herb Harman last October.

Pilgrimmage to Appomattox

Jacqueline and I missed the big event in Staunton because we paid a visit to Appomattox, where Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9, 1865, nearly 141 years ago. It was a very moving experience, and the theme of healing the wounds of a war-torn nation is very appropriate for the United States today. Let us not forget President Lincoln's words: "With malice toward none; with charity for all..." See the new Appomattox photo gallery page.

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UPDATE: Remembering Tom Fox

Ever since it was learned that Virginia peace activist Tom Fox was killed in Iraq last week (see Washington Post), I have been searching for the right words to express my mixed feelings on this. Fox was a Quaker who had attended courses at Eastern Mennonite University (located in Harrisonburg), which has a strong peace studies program. Since my support for the war is based more on reasoned calculation than on "gung ho" patriotic sentiment, I can empathize with war opponents perhaps more than most war supporters. Thankfully, I just came across a refreshingly thoughtful blog post at Sic Semper Tyrannis that reflects my own thoughts and feelings very accurately.

March 19, 2006 [LINK]

Birding around Appomattox

During our day trip to Appomattox yesterday, Jacqueline and I stopped at a few spots to soak in the solar rays and enjoy nature. I heard a Phoebe at the James River, and saw a Pine warbler at Holliday Lake State Park; both observations were the first of the season. I managed to get a decent photo of a Turkey vulture at the James River, and a Bluebird (mostly obscured by shade, unfortunately) at Appomattox. Yesterday's list:

• Turkey and Black vultures
• Pine warbler (FOS)
• Pileated woodpecker
• Cedar waxwings
• Bluebirds
• House finches
• Golden-crowned kinglets

March 20, 2006 [LINK]

Soriano acts like a big jerk

There. I said it. Or as Phil Faranda would put it, more elegantly, he's a "rectal cavity." On his first day back at Spring Training from the WBC, Alfonso Soriano refused to play left field and was taken out of the line up. He may be put on the "disqualified list," which I had never heard of. That would mean he would not get paid, and would not become a free agent, either. See MLB.com. The Nationals simply cannot afford to back down on this and still expect to operate an effective team, so Soriano apparently is asking to be traded. Fine. The problem is, who is going to want to hire such a selfish player?

"Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?"

Plans for Kauffman Stadium

Voters is the Kansas City area have a better idea of what Royals fans will get if the bond issue referendum passes on April 4. The centerpiece of the proposed improvement at Kauffman Stadium is widening and extending the main level concourse all the way around the outfield. There would be new plazas with fancy eateries, standing room, and kids play areas behind the famous waterfalls. To make room for more seats, the bullpens would be moved to foul territory, which seems like a bad idea to me. See MLB.com. One thing's for sure, the team needs a jump start, and this may be it. (via Mike Zurawski)

WBC championship

In lovely PETCO Park, near the San Diego waterfront, it is the bottom of the seventh inning, and Japan leads Cuba 6-3. Steven Poppe is wagering there will be multiple defections by the end of the game. It still doesn't seem right that the Dominican Republic didn't make it to the final game -- or, you know, US!

March 21, 2006 [LINK]

Political geography in Virginia

Thanks to Chris Green, the unabashed gun nut and T-shirt mogul, I came across a wonderful Web site, myvirginiagenealogy.com, that includes an interactive map (much like the "dynamic diagrams" on my Baseball pages) that shows the evolution of counties in Virginia since the early colonial days of Jamestown. It is a truly splendid resource, especially for history and geography buffs like me. It also sheds light on one of the odd peculiarities of the Commonwealth: Unlike every other state in the Union, cities are considered entirely separate from, and independent of, the counties in which they are located. If you have ever seen a nationwide county-by-county electoral or demographic map, you will notice that Virginia contains many small "urban islands" within its counties' borders. I remember some civic meeting I attended in Charlottesville in the mid-1990s, at which then-Council member Kay Slaughter was explaining why some proposed project couldn't be done. (It might have concerned schools or roads, but I forget the details.) I made the point that the problem stemmed from Virginia's unique arrangement, and that many problems could be solved if the state constitution were amended to erase the artificial division between cities and counties.

When I took a closer look at the post-1900 maps that show the separate cities, however, I realized to my horror that Staunton was missing! Well, nobody's perfect.

"It's all about Hillary"

Chris also drew my attention to a useful and interesting Web site, Just Hillary, which is run by New York Post political editor Gregg Birnbaum. It purports to be an impartial compilation of the latest news and comments about New York's junior senator, and seems to do a very good job. Rush Limbaugh has pointed out that Senator Clinton has been reticent about the recent Dubai Ports World uproar, perhaps because her husband has done lobbying for some business interests in the United Arab Emirates.

March 22, 2006 [LINK]

Soriano relents, moves to left

After realizing that he was in a no-win situation, and that dragging things out would only damage his reputation even further, Alfonso Soriano conceded and agreed to play left field on a regular basis for the Washington Nationals this season. After that, who knows? See washingtonpost.com. As details emerged about the trade through which the Nationals gave up Brad Wilkerson to the Rangers, it became clear that the whole misunderstanding originated with the refusal of the Rangers to let Nationals GM Jim Bowden talk to Soriano before they consummated the deal. Bowden took a high risk, and he certainly bears some of the blame for this unfortunate situation.

Bruce Orser concludes that Soriano didn't learn from the example of mega-bucks superstar Alex Rodriguez, who graciously moved to third base after he was traded from the Rangers to the Yankees, in deference to incumbent shortstop Derek Jeter. As David Pinto noted,

For the majority of us, a $10 million dollar salary means we're going to do pretty much anything the boss asks, as long as it's not illegal. Playing left field, with that in mind, seems to be a reasonable request.

Crosley Field

There is a revised diagram on the Crosley Field page, but early versions (in a "dynamic diagram") are still pending.

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Disaster humor

UPDATE: Steven Poppe writes:

Notice how New Orleans' NFL and NBA teams played their home games this season in other cities (Saints in San Antonio, Hornets in Oklahoma City)? If New Orleans had a MLB franchise that played in the Superdome, I suspect Bud Selig would have the New Orleans Baseball Club play its entire 2006 home schedule in San Juan, Puerto Rico at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.

Very likely, but he would probably also beg for government disaster relief money to build a new stadium full of luxury suites for fat cats, while displaced local residents wait and wait. Or is that possibility too close to the truth not to be funny?

March 22, 2006 [LINK]

Argentina - Uruguay tensions ease

It appears that Argentina and Uruguay have reached an understanding over two controversial pulp mills that are under construction along the east (Uruguayan) side of the Uruguay River. Presidents Nestor Kirchner and Tabare Vazquez agreed to commission an independent environment study before any construction is resumed. In response, Argentines have called off a blockade that had stymied river ferry traffic for the last two months. See BBC. This situation first came to light in November. Anyone who has driven through the south side of Baltimore knows the awful stench given off by pulp mills, even in modern plants operating under strong environmental laws.

Bomb blasts in La Paz

Two bombs wrecked hotels in La Paz last night, killing at least two people. A Uruguayan woman and an American man have been arrested, but the motives for the attacks are not yet clear.

UPDATE: The American is believed to be mentally disturbed, giving various accounts of his identity and activities. He has been offering explosives and liquor for sale in Bolivia, but police discount any political or terrorist aims. Nevertheless, President Evo Morales took the opportunity to portray the bomb blasts as an attack on Bolivia's democracy, implying it was orchestrated by the U.S. government. See CNN.com.

Martial law in Ecuador

After several days of economic strangulation brought on by anti-free trade protesters, the government of Ecuador declared a state of emergency in five provinces. Army units have forcibly removed roadblocks. Free trade negotiations involving the Andean countries are about to begin in Washington. See BBC

UPDATE: Inmates set fire to a prison in Quito, and one of them died because fire fighters had to dodge bullets. The 900 prisoners are being transfered elsewhere, but conditions are already very crowded and out of control. See CNN.com.

March 23, 2006 [LINK]

Mob threatens U.S ambassador

U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela William Brownfield protested that pro-Chavez mobs prevented him from entering a social club outside of Caracas earlier this week. He noted that many of the protesters arrived in buses and were provided with meals, which are obvious signs that their actions were state-sponsored. (CNN.com) Perhaps this was in retaliation for the ambassador's recent comment that "The United States could survive with its economy intact without Venezuela as an oil supplier." (So we're not "addicted to oil"?) For his part, Chavez has not let up in his series of childish insults and taunts of President Bush ("Mr. Danger") and the U.S. government. Chavez may be stirring up trouble as a means to squelch a nascent secessionist movement by Chavez opponents in the oil-rich region of Zulia in western Venezuela. It's probably not serious, but the mere possibility is too much to tolerate.

Campaign in Peru gets rough

With the election less than three weeks away, populist former military officer Ollanta Humala holds a slight lead over the conservative candidate, Lourdes Flores Nano, according to the latest polls. APRA leader and ex-President Alan Garcia is in third place. During a recent campaign stop in the highland city of Huancavelica, some of Humala's supporters threw rocks at Flores, but she was not hurt. Humala has been whipping up resentment among the poor (mostly Indian) people of Peru during his campaign appearances, and the political and economic establishment in Peru are becoming fearful of what might happen if he wins the election. Since it will probably go to a second round, the main question is whether APRA would throw its support to an even more dangerous demagogue than Alan Garcia or put the interests of Peru first by supporting the conservative Flores. (Caretas)

The news chronologies on the Peru and Ecuador pages have been updated, and both now have relatively complete coverage of the news in those countries since the turn of the millenium.

March 24, 2006 [LINK]

Windfall from D.C. stadium?

According to a report issued by D.C. official Natwar Gandhi, cited in the Washington Post, the Washington Nationals' annual revenues are expected to climb from $125 million to $203 million in the first year of the new baseball stadium, based on sales of 3.17 million tickets. It would then probably edge down in subsequent years as the excitement and novelty wear off. That would put the Nats in the same elite class as the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Cubs, and Dodgers. (And to think that two years ago, people like Peter Angelos were still arguing that Washington couldn't support a major league team!) The article doesn't talk about profitability, which is a sensitive subject, but you can bet it will be high. I assume that this report is timed to persuade the soon-to-be-named new owners of the Nationals -- probably the Lerner family, or else Fred Malek and Jeffrey Zients -- to make a reasonable offer of contributing extra money to make sure that the new ballpark has all the necessary finishing touches.

Field of Schemes

Coincidentally, I just received in the mail an inscribed copy of Field of Schemes, the book by Joanna Cagan and Neil deMause. See their Web site, where you can (and should) buy your own copy. So far, it's been a great read, with lots of fascinating, juicy details about how public officials and team owners mustered the money to build the sports palaces of the last couple decades. It makes one cringe to read about such dirty little secrets as the guaranteed ticket buy-back clause that San Diego agreed to as part of the lease terms when Jack Murphy Stadium was renovated and renamed a decade ago. It's like something you would expect from Pete Rose.

World Baseball Classic wrap-up

Congratulations to Japan! The final game between Cuba and Japan was a fitting, dramatic climax to a tournament that got off to a slow start, and finally started drawing some broad attention in the later rounds. I was following that game on the GameDay feature (the WBC Web site was obviously part of the MLB operation), and was riveted by the late-inning drama. The Cubans (all amateurs, of course) made a come-back effort, but the Japanese scored some insurance runs in the top of the ninth, going on to win, 10-6.

The WBC was perhaps a little too unusual to fully appreciate at first. The next time around, baseball fans in the U.S. and abroad will know what to expect from the format. As Mike Bauman notes at MLB.com, this was a wake-up call for Americans, but we really don't need to feel too glum. Other countries simply have a stronger zeal to compete, and we should feel proud at inspiring such athletic endeavor and fan enthusiasm. (Did you see those images of Japanese fans going wild?) Just wait till 2009!

Luis Ayala hurt his arm while pitching for Mexico in the WBC, helping to defeat the U.S.A. 2-1. Well, that oughta teach him! Unfortunately, losing the reliable reliever will be a big blow to the Washington Nationals, whose pitching staff is already dangerously thin.

All Star game in K.C.?

In an obvious attempt to encourage Missouri voters to pass the stadium renovation referendum next month, Bud Selig announced that Kansas City will host the All Star game for a second time, some time between 2010 and 2014, by which time the planned renovations should be completed. See MLB.com. (hat tip to Mike Zurawski)

March 24, 2006 [LINK]

In the footsteps of France?

I try to refrain from bashing France, but the news today makes it hard not to. President Jacques Chirac's conservative (by their standards) party is trying to pass a bill that would make it easier to fire workers who fail to perform, eliciting sharp resistance. Protests against the proposed reform law (known as the CPE, meaning "First Job Contract") have turned violent, but unlike last November, the perpetrators are the French people themselves. Back then, Interior Minister Nicholas Sarkozy bore the brunt of criticism, and now Prime Minister Pierre Villepin is on the hot seat. Since the two men are the main contenders for the Gaullist party's candidate in the next presidential elections, it would appear that conservative politics are on the decline in France. For much more background on this, see today's Washington Post. To his credit, President Chirac thus far has refused to be intimidated by the riots or the ultimatum issued by the French labor leader, but he probably doesn't have enough political capital left to prevail; see BBC.

What on Earth is wrong with the French? How could a proud, highly civilized country descend into such chaos and tumult? Well, it's not the first time, of course: Charles DeGaulle was faced with a similar ugly mass uprising by students in 1968, so such upheaval is something of a local tradition. Still, it is a clear symptom of a system that has gone awry. The French political establishment has become complacent and stuck in a rut over the years, pretending that things will get better on their own. France is probably the most egregious of all the European social democracies, with generous entitlements and long six-week paid vacations, as long as you "belong." It's a good life: the French Dream.

How can they possibly afford to keep this up in an era of global-scale competition? With cheap immigrant workers who are ineligible for such benefits, that's how. When a country is populated with coddled, blissfully ignorant people with their heads buried deep in the sand ("What clash of civilizations?"), bad policy is the usual result. On one hand, the beneficiaries of the (soon-to-be defunct) status quo resent any suggestion that they must change their ways, and on the other hand, the excluded/exploited ones (African Muslims, by and large) resent their inferior social and legal status. Over time, the present course will lead inevitably to sharply increased friction between the native French and the immigrants, accelerating France's decline as a world power. Interestingly, all this is happening at the same time that two smaller European countries are beginning to wake up and smell the coffee. Denmark and the Netherlands are tired of being pushed around, and are now standing up against the Islamic incursion.

Immigration debate in the U.S.

So, what does this have to do with us? Take a look at the protest marches by immigrant "advocates" across the country this week. By happenstance, today's Washington Post also had a major story on the Great Immigration Debate that is causing great unease within the Party of Lincoln. Ironically, John McCain is lining up with President Bush in urging that a guest worker program be included, while Bill Frist is leaning toward the strong zero-tolerance position of Tom Tancredo. No doubt, the prominence given to this story may have something to do with the Post's editorial slant, and their desire to sow division among the Republicans. Nevertheless, it does provide a perfect illustration of how the Republican Party -- and indeed, our Republic -- has recently veered off in a dangerous direction, as a consequence of the short-term priority given to winning elections (let's call that the "Tom DeLay approach") over the pursuit of long-term structural reforms (the "Newt Gingrich approach"). It is the eternal conflict between the contrasting imperatives of policy efficacy (governmental actions that achieve their stated goals) on one hand, versus political expedience (staying in office) on the other. To understand this debate, it is necessary to take a look at the state and local level of politics.

The debate in Virginia

Many people criticized GOP candidate for governor Jerry Kilgore for pushing the immigration issue too hard last fall, but I disagree. The problem is, as I stated last Sept. 28, is that he failed to draw the obvious (well, it's obvious to me) linkage between immigration and the broader need for a comprehensive social-economic policy reform. With mere half-measures, in contrast, people will doubt that you are sincerely committed to that ultimate goal. Kilgore laid out an ambitious reform agenda in the primary campaign, and then reverted to harsh attacks during the fall campaign against Tim Kaine, all but forgetting his original agenda. Result: an embarrassing and entirely avoidable loss. So how have Virginia Republicans reacted to this setback? By thoughtfully reconsidering the premises of the "Get Out The Vote" strategy (i.e., exhorting the conservative base while ignoring the moderates)? No, by blaming each other. I have personally witnessed so much bickering and recrimination over the disappointing election results last November that I am getting sick to my stomach.

The debate in Illinois

Red-state Virginia is hardly alone in confronting this dilemma. Thanks to a tip from José Rodriguez, I learned that a similar controversy has split the Illinois Republican Party, where Judy Baar Topinka -- currently the state treasurer, and considered a moderate -- just won the primary election against four (!) party rivals, mostly conservatives. The runner-up, Jim Oberweis, sharply criticized the third-place candidate, Bill Brady, for voting to allow the children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates. Brady is reluctant to hold children accountable for their parents' transgressions, which is understandable. See Chicago Sun Times. It is a similar rationale that Virginia State Sen. Emmet Hanger gave recently; see Feb. 10. I have no idea if Topinko has a reasonable shot at unseating incumbent Governor Blagojevich, but the public squabbling among rival Republicans during the primary season certainly didn't help their chances any.

Crunch time for GOP

I think these cases illustrate a gnawing problem within the Republican Party across America, which is in danger losing touch with its traditional conservative roots in a scramble to attract more votes via dumbed-down populist appeals. Jerry Kilgore kept saying last year that "Republicans trust the people," but that's not how many of them act when they are on the campaign trail. Over-coached by cynical advisers, they often pander to fashionable popular sentiments (e.g., "gas prices are too high!"), hemming and hawing when it comes to tough issues. This kind of behavior wastes the huge advantage the Republicans have as the party of economic freedom, hope, and opportunity. The more people you convince that they can get ahead in life by working hard and playing by the rules, the more voters the party will attract. With respect to immigration, all we reform advocates ask for is consistent public policy and enforcement of the laws. The status quo is intolerably cruel to immigrant workers, and that is something that everyone should agree on, except for certain unscrupulous businessmen, perhaps. Calling for tighter controls on immigration is not "anti-immigrant," it is anti-exploitation of immigrants!

In sum, unless the Republican Party gets its act together soon and articulates a compelling domestic policy reform agenda based on market principles, in the proud tradition of Ronald Reagan and Newt Gingrich, it is doomed for the foreseeable future. If Republicans cannot muster enough intellect and imagination to resolve the basic policy vs. politics dilemma on their own, it is hard to see how they can ever hope to govern effectively. Even if the GOP manages to hang on to a slim majority in Congress this fall by heeding the advice of the crass "wise guys" like Karl Rove and Tom DeLay, after that there is nothing but bleakness on the political horizon, if current demographic trends continue. Time is not on our side. One of these days, if we don't wake up, the streets of Queens, El Paso, and Takoma Park will be in flames like the streets of Paris are today. We will look fondly back on the days when we were arguing bitterly about such comparatively trivial matters as the tax rate or how much to pay for widening highways.

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UPDATE: The Federation for American Immigration Reform supports Majority Leader Frist's strong stand on immigration. He has issued an ultimatum to the Judiciary Committee to meet his deadline of coming up with a serious alternative immigration bill by March 27, which is Monday. See GOPUSA.com. Hey, maybe some people are starting to listen!

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Immigration: Get in line, and Speed up the process.

March 24, 2006 [LINK]

Ospreys on Candid (Web) Camera

Prompted by an inquiry from Brenda Tekin about recent sightings of eagles in this region (I saw three of them on Nov. 6), I checked the Webcam at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, and sure enough, two Ospreys were there. No eggs or chicks, though, as far as I can tell. To see for yourself, just click on this image. (If you are curious about Nature and not too prudish, there is even a photo of the Ospreys mating! ) The first time I saw that Webcam on Nov. 27, a Bald eagle was there.

March 26, 2006 [LINK]

No cash prize for Cuba

Fidel Castro will not be able to carry out his pledge to donate the 2nd-place prize money from the World Baseball Championship to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, because Cuba will not get any of the money. The first place team (Japan) is supposed to get nine percent of the net proceeds (if any), and the runner-up gets seven percent. As a condition for participating in the WBC, however, the Cuban government had previously agreed not to accept any money. Otherwise, it would have been a violation of U.S. laws. (See CNN.com) That's funny, I could have sworn the Cold War was over... Castro insisted that such a donation would not be "wasteful extravagance," but rather an "investment in humanity." (Whether the gesture might have been influenced in some small way by Cuban propaganda objectives is another question, however.) See the Granma Web site for the official Cuban version of these events (en español).

In Cuba's defense, it should be noted that not one Cuban player defected, quite a contrast to the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.

March 26, 2006 [LINK]

Spring!? Swallows arrive

Notwithstanding the fact that Spring has supposedly arrived, yesterday it snowed! Not much, just enough to cover the grass. As I was driving across the Blue Ridge at Afton in mid-afternoon, I encountered a veritable blizzard, with minimal visibility. That is one of the biggest accident-prone traffic chokepoints in all of Virginia, so it was rather scary. Today was a bit milder, so on my way back from Blockbuster's this afternoon, I headed out to Bell's Lane. Today's list includes two first birds of the Spring, and one first bird of the Winter:

• 5+ Tree swallows (FOS)
• 5+ N. rough-winged swallows (FOS)
• 15+ American coots
• 8+ Ruddy ducks
• Pied-bill grebe
• Meadowlark
• Kestrel (F)
• 7 Killdeers
• Great blue heron
• 2 Buffleheads ! (FOS)
• Red-tailed hawk
• 200+ Canada geese
• 20+ Red-winged blackbirds

Several Grackles appeared in our back yard today for the first time since last summer, and two Great blue herons flew overhead just before dusk. Also, two Downy woodpeckers have been visiting our suet feeder every day, so we hope they build a nest near by.

March 27, 2006 [LINK]

Baseball research at U.Va.

After tracking down a rare book in my old stomping grounds in the libraries at the University of Virginia on Saturday, I squeezed in some time to look up some baseball references which I had misplaced long ago. When I first began drawing pencil sketches of stadiums in my grad school days (as a diversion to stay sane), one of my main sources was The Mutual Baseball Almanac (edited by Roger Kahn), which included stadium diagrams in several of the editions in the 1950s. Another very useful source was Baseball Guide and Record Book (1947), by J.G. Taylor Spink and others. It included wonderfully detailed and amusing cartoon illustrations (by Gene Mack) of all the major league ballparks then in operation. For the Polo Grounds, for example, a young lad is pictured in the right field corner upper deck saying, "Aw, I could hit a homer here."

I also came across a book I had never seen before: Miracle in Atlanta: The Atlanta Braves Story, by Furman Bisher. It's all about the lengthy negotiations that led to relocation of the Braves franchise from Milwaukee to Atlanta, which was finally consummated in 1966. In October 1964, the Braves signed a 25-year contract to play in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, then under construction, and if it weren't for the legal injunctions filed by the state of Wisconsin, they probably would have moved to Atlanta in 1965. (Actually the Braves did play an exhibition game with the Tigers just before the 1965 regular season began, much like the Expos played two exhibition games in Washington in 1999, one of which I saw.) Negotiations between the Braves and Atlanta mayor Ivan Allen began in 1963, and the possibility of using rickety old Ponce de Leon Field for the 1964 season was even considered! Charlie Finley, owner of the Kans