Dubai Or Not Dubai (or Bball in the time of Allah-ah)

If you recognized the title as an omage to Rocky and Bullwinkle's practice of giving multiple clever titles to the same thing, then congratulations. You probably laughed at Dennis Miller's old jokes too didn't you? Before he sucked and got a horrible show on CNBC.

I am ecstatic the last couple of days. Maybe its because UVA trounced Boston College on Tuesday night, and maybe because these days, it seems like Bush seems to alienate his own party more and more. Honestly, I vote every election, and I care about what direction this country goes in, but I can't seem to be as much affected internally about politics as I used to be, maybe assuaged by my own happiness and success. Whatever it is, I still want my opinions to be heard, and Republican or Democrat, I will probably like the next president a LOT better. College bball first.

The Boston College win was the product of crazy good 3 point shooting (12/21) - a lot of which was helped by the fact that all of the shots were close to wide open, some good fortune, and good defense. The 3's were all wide open because of good penetration. I also can't help but think that BC as a collective thought they would come in and roll over UVa. I am bolstered by the fact that our team seems to get better as the year goes on (with the exception of the Florida State performance) instead of worse. Dave Leitao really knows his job, and it really shows. I just want good basketball to make its real return to Charlottesville, since college bball is my second favorite sport. The consensus amongst UVa fans is win 3 more and we're in the tourney. I would like to know what the sports writers think.

Secondly, I looked at pictures and read accounts of the city of Dubai in the wake of recent events. By far it looks like the most modern thing I could possibly see out of the middle east. I mean, Dubai looks like Seattle. I can understand how a fair number of people would think that they are basically our allies and nothing more, our partners in modernization. That being said, I can also see how everyone who wants to hurt the US might try to get a job with Dubai ports. Seriously, I wonder if job applications to Dubai ports would skyrocket. One can imagine a political cartoon with Osama Bin Laden standing in line for a job interview.

Don't construe this as rascism. I continue to have no general problem with Muslims (except the reckless and hateful ones) and Arabs. I'm not even accusing Dubai ports of being a bad company. This has more to do with the fact that I would be against anyone handling our security but our own government. And even they seem to be doing things I don't like lately (wiretaps). This may be the only move that W has made that has absolutely confounded me as to its motives. Does his family have crucial business dealings with UAE? Is this a "UAE are our friends" move? Does he think that their culture is the only chance we have? I just don't understand. No matter what the motives are, he seems to have lost (temporarily) the support of three of his Republican governors. I have heard Ehrlich on the radio here singing W's praises for years until now. And Frist even sounded weirdly mixed when he said that "he would not support (Schumer's) bill, but he would support a bill that blocked the sale until a proper review could be conducted." The way W has talked, he doesn't even want a review. So Frist's comment is really damnation by faint praise. Or just a good way of saying what he thinks most people want to hear, without openly revolting.

Whatever comes of all of this, I just hope that the Democrats realize that no matter how many times W seems to mess up in the public's eye, that hate of the opposite party will not drive another party to victory in the end (unless you are Hamas in the middle east). I hope we can provide another Clinton-esque Democrat who might really have ideas and governing skills. In other words, I hope Mark Warner or Barack Obama wins the nomination. My bet would be on Mark running.

-K