memobo's Blog

As this is a political response to a sports event (the Olympics) I decided it was best here instead of the sports blog.  Has anyone heard about China revoking the visa of gold medalist Joey Cheek just hours before he was to board his flight to China?  It seems that Mr. Cheek has founded an organization called "Team Darfur" which is a group of athletes that are working to raise awareness of the atrocities going on in Darfur, Sudan.  Some of the athletes going to the Olympics are part of this "team".  

So, what does this have to do with China?  Well, China has a history of long and ongoing military, economic and diplomatic ties with Sudan.  So....Joey Cheek has had his visa revoked.  

Mr. Cheek made a comment which included, " the denial of my visa is a part of a systematic effort by the Chinese government to coerce and threaten athletes who are speaking out on behalf of the innocent people of Darfur."

Any comments?

YEAH JIM!   Congratulations and Kudos on the double home run in the 4th inning against the White Sox!

Now, who was the idiot that decided to get rid of Jim here in St. Louis?

I hope Jim has his best season ever.  We should have kept him until his retirement.

I don't know about the rest of you but I have to question, "When is enough, enough?" 

I'm all for capitalism.  Stimulating the economy, etc.... but I have to question the long run outcomes of an InBev takeover of Anheiser Busch.  Has anyone else read the Post's different stories this week?  I have to say I wasn't surprised with the run ins the company has had with the worker unions.  After all, how does a big company streamline itself except by cutting out the everyday Joe? 

My question to the stockholders is this.  "How much is enough money?"  I know they bought stock to make money, I don't begrudge them that but, "how much is enough?"  Do they take the buy-out and make $65 a share and then who cares what happens to the workers, St. Louis economy and not to forget the many charities?  Or, do they see past the immediate gratification and be a long term investor, investing in the continued support of the everyday worker, the economy of the city, the charitable history of AB.  It's either one or the other because believe me things are NOT going to remain the same if InBev buys out AB.  They have no vested interest in St. Louis, they are internationally minded not locally minded.  All they want from St. Louis is enough stability at a "headquarters" level to make money. 

Another thought....what about the clydesdales?  Has anyone thought of them?  What do they mean to InBev?  Oh, I don't expect them to take them out and shoot them but really what do they want with a bunch of big horses that drag a beer wagon out on opening day of the baseball season, or the World Series, etc.....   Yes, they will probably keep them and do the same with them but then do we really want to see them doing the same thing knowing its some foreign company pandering to our old sentiments that wouldn't even be real anymore.  Who wants to believe in something and keep up a tradition when the ones who made the tradition sold us out?

Just my thoughts.

Did it irritate anyone else that Barack Obama had to turn the whole focus of President Bush's speech on Israel into a personal attack on himself?

The President gives a speech telling Israel they were not alone, that the United States stands behind them in the repeated, ongoing and renewed attacks by the Palestinians and Hamas.  Bin Labin (Al Quiada) is now urging the Palestinians into further violence, telling them they must destroy Israel.  

The President states that people in the past have urged giving in and negotiating with the terrorists and that that has never succeeded in the past they just want more and more.  He states that anyone wanting to negotiate with terrorists now and in the future are pretty much living in a pipe dream  (MY WORDS). 

So, in all this Obama doesn't issue any statement about the issue of terrorism or Israel's fight to survive when repeatedly being attacked.  What does this great politician do?  He cries and says "The President is picking on me!" 

Wow, how self centered can you get?  He totally bypasses the important issues and turns it all into a focus on him.   Give me a break!  The world does not revolve around Barack Obama.