Cokie Roberts, so elite both of her parents were congress persons

… but still not afraid to suggest that Barack Obama go to some godawful resort to look more American, rather than to Hawaii TO VISIT HIS GRANDMOTHER and his sister and her family. As reported by digby:

“Cokie Roberts said today that Obama shouldn’t be going on vacation anywhere that has the ‘look of a foreign exotic place’ and should go to Myrtle Beach instead.”

Several other pundits have made this observation — some no doubt phoning it in from their vacation homes on Martha’s Vinyard or in The Hamptons. What a bunch of jerks.

Excellent idea

While watching the Colorado Rockies defeat the hapless San Diego Padres 6-3 Friday night, Ken, official oldest child of NewMexiKen, suggested that baseball adopt that European soccer practice of dropping the poorest team in the league each season and moving up the best team from the next level.

Good bye Mariners. Good bye Nationals or Padres.

Hello Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. Hello Iowa Cubs or Salt Lake Bees.
 
 

Photo taken with iPhone from upper, upper right field seats August 8th. Click image for larger version.

Herbert Clark Hoover

… was born on this date in 1874. Mr. Hoover, who was the 31st President of the United States, lived until 1964. Among the presidents, only Ford, Reagan, and the first Adams have lived longer.

Born in Iowa, orphaned at nine, Hoover grew up in Oregon. He was in the first class at Stanford University, graduating as a mining engineer. Hoover earned millions in mining before turning his attention to public service. He was instrumental in relief and humanitarian efforts during and after World War I. He was Secretary of Commerce under Presidents Harding and Coolidge.

Hoover, the Republican, defeated Al Smith, the Democrat, handily in the 1928 election with 58% of the popular vote.

President at the time of the stock market crash and subsequent depression, Hoover believed that, while people should not suffer, assistance should be primarily a local and voluntary responsibility. Even so, he supported some measures to aid businesses and farmers; indeed, among his party he was moderate. But he was simply not bold enough to meet the crisis.

Hoover lost to Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, 57.3% to 39.6% of the popular vote, 472-59 in the electoral vote.

Sorting Out Coffee’s Contradictions

Jane Brody sums up what’s known about coffee. Seems to me if one were to dunk broccoli into one’s coffee, you could live about forever.

Drinks containing usual doses of caffeine are hydrating and, like water, contribute to the body’s daily water needs.

. . .

“Contrary to common belief,” concluded cardiologists at the University of California, San Francisco, there is “little evidence that coffee and/or caffeine in typical dosages increases the risk” of heart attack, sudden death or abnormal heart rhythms.

. . .

But in a study of 155,000 nurses, women who drank coffee with or without caffeine for a decade were no more likely to develop hypertension than noncoffee drinkers. However, a higher risk of hypertension was found from drinking colas. A Johns Hopkins study that followed more than 1,000 men for 33 years found that coffee drinking played little overall role in the development of hypertension.

. . .

Recent disease-related findings can only add to coffee’s popularity. A review of 13 studies found that people who drank caffeinated coffee, but not decaf, had a 30 percent lower risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Another review found that compared with noncoffee drinkers, people who drank four to six cups of coffee a day, with or without caffeine, had a 28 percent lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. This benefit probably comes from coffee’s antioxidants and chlorogenic acid.

Best broccoli line of the day, so far

“Eating broccoli could reverse the damage caused by diabetes to heart blood vessels, research suggests.

BBC NEWS

Triathlon report

Jill reports on 7-year-old Mack’s first official attempt at a triathlon.

Mack did great.  I am so proud of him.  He swam well and passed seven kids before he even got out of the pool.  He also ran so hard and passed several kids.  His bike was his weakest link, which is understandable.
 
He did not medal.  We don’t know his place or time because they only announced the top three.  But when they post the times I’ll let you know how he did.  He was aiming for something in the 13-14 minute range.
 
He has another one next Sunday and then we’re going to reevaluate whether he wants to continue with these.

Miss the opening ceremony?

NBC has the video.

Best line of the day

“When John McCain and his surrogates call Obama a ‘celebrity,’ they’re not insulting Obama; they’re insulting Obama’s supporters.”

Adapted from something NewMexiKen saw at Crooks and Liars

I like to watch

Don’t like the Olympic coverage that’s on? Try watching online.

There’s nothing on as this is written because it is the middle of the night in China, but at times you can watch full live coverage of any event without commentary.

The same link will let you find customized TV listings for your location and cable provider. At least NINE channels are carrying events! NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Universal HD, Telemundo, and more.

Did you know handball was an Olympic event?

Best not about the Olympics line of the day

“Washington Post has article saying Obama’s tax plan would balloon deficit. Fail to mention McCain’s plan would balloon it more. Damned liberal media”

Fark.com

“Chauvinism” and Olympic TV

Again, James Fallows with some Olympian insight.

This is normal! I switched just now to Korean TV, where I saw the Korean team playing soccer. Then NHK, the Japanese network, with a badminton doubles match involving a Japanese team.

The Olympic Games are for “the youth of the world,” but they’re organized and scored by countries. It’s no surprise that countries treat them as vehicles of national pride, and assume that their people will be most interested in their own athletes. So anybody who was saving up to write an angry letter, blog post, or op-ed about NBC’s chauvinistic coverage: don’t bother! They’re actually more above-the-fray than most.

WiiBowling, WiiTennis, we ready?

Anyone up for a more modern pentathlon?

As in an Olympic event combining something more 21st century than the current combo of fencing, shooting, swimming, horseback riding and running.

“Its replacement could be WiiSports, a pentathlon of tennis, bowling, golf, baseball and boxing,” wrote Lorne Chan of the San Antonio Express-News. “There’s plenty of skill involved with perfecting the tennis power serve or getting the right spin on a bowling ball.

“There would also be the added joy of seeing a 9-year-old win the gold medal.”

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