stuff happens, and sometimes i write about it

[rone]

I wanted to remark on two things that happened in the past ten days:

• Shysterball analyzes George Mitchell's report on the use of performance enhancing substances in baseball.  It is impressive that the sport thrives despite the persistently incompetent leadership displayed by the Players Association and Major League Baseball.
• The Lakota have officially withdrawn from the treaties they signed with the United States and have technically seceded.  I have no idea what's going to come of this; there doesn't seem to be any traction on this story in the mainstream media, but i suppose that it is the holiday season.  I am personally curious about this because it seems that this is the only way a legal secession could happen in the US; also, i'm wondering just how far Russell Means and the other activists and leaders have thought this through in regards to logistics, how much due diligence was done, and so on.  I wonder how well South Dakota will take this, given that Lakota territory is effectively the western half of the state.

In other events that occurred this month, i've attended, for the first time, a Hanukkah party (hosted by cda and crisper) and a Solstice party (hosted by deirdremoon and tronpublic).  All i need now is a Kwanzaa party to complete the set.

Comments

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

Well, it more or less dilutes the fact bonds took steroids b/c now it's well known that a lot of other guys, including pitchers, were doing it as well.

C'mon, who didn't know this before the Mitchell Report? Sure, it names names, but we KNEW it; hell, a smattering of players got suspended for it!

And how can you say the "steroid era" is behind us

I'm not. Given how awful baseball's testing is, players will still be doing steroids and HGH and whatever else they can find.

I disagree on most of this. While some doctors do prescribe "steroids" for injuries, I think it's generally unfair to allow athletes to use ped's in any sport, because of their obvious danger.

Obvious danger? What about the more obvious danger of being a football player? It's not important to keep athletes away from steroids, because it's simply impossible; the visible benefits are too good, even if the results might not actually improve an athlete's game. It's more important to bring steroids out of the closet so that a team doctor can supervise it. If some idiot player is going to do steroids anyway, how exactly do you propose that the league should keep the player away from them?

Prohibition doesn't work. It has never worked. Until someone can prove it can work, i will not believe that it is possible.

[joepro.livejournal.com]

When I said,

"And how can you say the "steroid era" is behind us"

I was referring to the mitchell report and not ronebofh. My bad.

And how can you, me, and EVERYBODY EXCEPT Bud selig know these guys were juicing? They should have paid us to write this report, we could have used the dough.

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

Oh, Bud knew; hell, there's been statements from him from the mid-`90s talking about it.