Coming in 369 Days, The 2012 Iowa Caucus

We are, almost, officially one year out from the first in the nation caucus which takes place in the great state of Iowa. Did I mention that I live in Iowa? The Iowa Caucus will take place Tuesday, February 6, 2012. This is a month later than it is usually held. According to The Washington Post, the RNC changed the date "to make it difficult for a candidate to rack up an insurmountable number of delegates early in the process, forcing candidates to campaign across the country." Perhaps taking votes away from someone like former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who is a very likeable guy that spent a lot of time schmoozing in Iowa.

The Iowa caucus is like the Iowa State Fair for political junkies albeit in freezing cold temps. News trucks line the downtown streets. The local economy gets fatter as familiar faces from television and the campaign trail feast on corn fed beef or pork at neighborhood eateries with dark bars. Restaurateurs and residents alike cheerfully take note of their famous guests, spreading the word of sightings as fast as their fingers can text.

If you couldn't tell already, I love the Iowa caucus. As an implant from the Washington DC area, the buzz leading up to the Iowa caucus gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. You know that feeling that most people get when they smell their grandmother's chocolate chip cookies? I get that way when I smell Italian leather, cashmere and single malt scotch with a hint of smugness and nicotine.

My point is, we republicans have another year before we get to decide who we are going to put up against President Obama for the 2012 Presidential Election and in doing so, what platform we are going to support most. I am in favor of any candidate with a strong economical plan; plan being the operative word.

We must choose wisely and think in terms of putting forth a winner, a republican candidate with core conservative principles who has a specific economic plan that will lure independents who are fed up with rhetoric and ready for real change and growth. This candidate must campaign on issues that matter today, not issues of the past. And their campaign must go beyond talking points and one-liners.

The republican pool for the presidency is going to be bigger than ever. President Obama is a master campaigner who will likely have a billion dollars at his disposal. His oratory skills and charisma on the stump will be hard to match so we mustn't try. Facts, figures, methods and means are the only way to defeat Obama. So, I implore you to put your litmus tests away, social cons; a RINO in the White House > Barack Obama.

Cross-posted at Pundit League

Lance Armstrong: Cancer Survivor and Cheater?

This week's Sports Illustrated has a pretty scathing article about cyclist golden boy, Lance Armstrong. In short, Armstrong is under federal investigation and could face charges against him of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, racketeering, drug trafficking and defrauding the US government.

Yikes.

Directing the government’s investigation is the Eliot Ness of Performance Enhancing Drug (PED) inquiries, Jeff Novitzky. Remember him? He famously brought down BALCO Labs and Olympian Marion Jones.

If you haven’t read the article it's worth a read. Lance Armstrong maintains that he will be vindicated. But after reading all of the allegations from so many people closely involved with US Cycling and Armstrong himself, it's easier to believe that from 1990 to 2009 US Cycling was a very dirty sport and everyone that was affiliated with the teams is guilty. Armstrong and his lawyer would rather throw around words like "discredited" in the direction of anyone who is cooperating with the investigation or who has made public statements regarding his alleged use of PEDs.

I know, I know…but, Armstrong is a cancer survivor and his foundation raises so much money for cancer research. If he cheated, surviving cancer doesn't make him any less of a cheater. Also, Floyd Landis is quoted in the SI article as saying: "Lance told me that [Dr. Michele] Ferrari had been paranoid that he had helped cause the cancer and became more conservative after that". File that quote under: things that make you go hmmm. Also, yes, I’m aware that no one believes anything uttered by the "discredited" Landis.

This article confirms my feeling that Lance Armstrong is the Barry Bonds of cycling. Speaking of Bonds, Barry Bonds he’s facing perjury charges (thanks to Novitzky's BALCO investigation). If Bonds was a cancer survivor would baseball fans feel any different about him? No. We wouldn’t.

As a lifelong Orioles fan (go ahead, laugh) I grew up watching Cal Ripken, Jr. play. If the Orioles had a game, Cal, Jr. played in it. In good seasons and in bad, like when the O’s started their season 0-21 and his father Cal, Sr. was fired as Skipper…Cal, Jr. continued to play. He played in 2,632 consecutive games, all with the Orioles. Cal, Jr. played in all those games during the so-called "steroid era" in baseball and was never associated with the use of any PED. If he had been, my heart would have shattered.

Remember how outraged we were during the 2008 Summer Olympics when the Chinese girl's gymnastics team beat our girl's team with their toddler underage squad? They cheated. And while I do think that cheating is cheating, period; using PEDs in an endurance sport like cycling seems more beneficial than in a sport that also involves physics and hand-eye coordination like baseball. Seriously, anyone can ride a bike, including me. I've never tried hitting a home run out of Giants Stadium but I’m pretty sure that I couldn't even if I was on roids.

And while I understand that US Cycling isn't exactly Major League Baseball, Lance Armstrong has catapulted himself from US Cyclist to some kind of American hero. So while we as Americans may not care much about the ins and outs of cycling we should care about someone who may have duped us into thinking that he’s one of the good guys.

Cross-posted at Pundit League

You are Formally Invited Down the Rabbit Hole with Duchess Rebecca

Hey kids! Guess what? Nope. Guess again? Nooooooo. Okay, okay...stop begging, I'll tell you...

Yours truly will be live on these here intertubes...as the kids say...oh they don't say that anymore, who cares...anyway as I say saying and writing (it's called multitasking also shaddup) Thursday night at 11 pm CT (that's stands for "central time" dummy) I will be debuting a live *gulp* show on Brad Wyman's ustream channel, WYTV. [hint: that's called a name drop, that means you should Google him]

My show, "Down the Rabbit Hole with Duchess Rebecca" conceptually, is the would be love-child if The View (ABC) and Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (Bravo) made a demented thirty-fun-year-old-baby. Sounds awesome, right?

Do you have questions for me? Well by all means, tweet me @duchess_rebecca, Facebook me, email me duchessrebecca@gmail.com or if you'd like to send me something good, please do:

Duchess Rebecca

PO BOX 13332

Des Moines, IA 50310

I'm super excited and supremely nervous, tune in to watch me make a big fool of myself in a most fantastic way live this Thursday night (9 pm PT, 11 pm CT)/Friday (12 am ET).

Watch or die. No...really, no promises...I am very powerful.

Quiz: Will You Be Watching American Idol?

Quiz: Will You Be Watching <i>American Idol</i>?

Happy Birthday, Wikipedia!

Ten years ago, this week, the internet was forever changed with the January 15, 2001 launch of Wikipedia.org. With over 3.5 million English language entries, Wikipedia has become the go-to place for information. Some teachers frown on or flat out forbid the use of Wikipedia as a factual source for information because anyone may edit any page. But, I say hogwash...actually I say something else but this is a family show...Wikipedia is the cat's pajamas!

Where else can you find:

...famous people that share your birthday?

...is it a fruit or a vegetable?

...the side effects of Vicodin?

...the lifespan of a hamster?

...the Weight Watchers PointsPlus formula?

...the traditional gift for your sister's 12th wedding anniversary?

...recipe for a Flirtini?

...the administrative capital of Sri Lanka?

...all of the Green Lantern bios?

...a list of NFL individual player records?

and so much more, all in one place???

Birthday cheers, Wikipedia!

h/t Major Garrett

Cross-posted at Pundit League

Stalking for Dummies

Like having your personal information on the web such as home address and telephone number, age, information about your home and more? All in one place? Well have I got great news for you! There's a new(ish) website, spokeo.com, that shares most of your private personal information for free or the whole kit and kaboddle for under $40 a year. Creeptastic!

I visited spokeo, typed in my name and hit enter. My jaw dropped as not only my home address showed up and not one but three views of my home. *waving* Hello, creepers! Also available, my home phone number, house value, household income, credit score and much, much more! How dare they not share my shoe size, at least then, my stalkers could send stylish gifts. Hrmph. Oh well. I didn't freak out, because thanks to a friend's Facebook status update, I knew how to remove my listing. Many thanks, Katy!

Here's what YOU need to do, asap:

1) Go to spokeo.com - their site must be very busy today, be patient, you will want to remove your listing

2) type in your name, city and state

3) The next page will have your info, go to the top of the page and copy the url address

4) at the bottom in small print, click "privacy" - this should take you to a new page

5) paste your page's url address, enter your email and the security code given

6) check your email and click the confirmation to remove yourself

You're Welcome!

According to Snopes, this is only half the battle. They're still going to sell your info to third party members a la Facebook. But hey, maybe now that creepy guy on Twitter won't show up at your crib with duct tape and chloroform.

PS If you do find my address, I wear a size 39 (or an 8.5).

Cross-posted at Pundit League

Obama, The Eagles and Tucker Carlson Walk Into a Bar

It seems everyone has an opinion on Michael Vick's redemption story including President Obama. In case you were under a rock yesterday, Obama phoned Eagles owner, Jeff Lurie who shared:

“The president wanted to talk about two things, but the first was Michael,’’ Lurie told Peter King, who wrote of the conversation for SI.com. “He said, ‘So many people who serve time never get a fair second chance. He was ... passionate about it. He said it’s never a level playing field for prisoners when they get out of jail. And he was happy that we did something on such a national stage that showed our faith in giving someone a second chance after such a major downfall.’

The second thing President Obama wanted to discuss with Lurie was the use of wind turbines, solar panels and coming soon, a biodiesel plant at Lincoln Financial Field. I know, yawn.

A few of thoughts on the Presidential phone call before I weigh in on Vick. Firstly, shame on Lurie for the kiss and tell. Also, this might be the stupidest "I'm outraged that Obama did/said that" story of the year. Lastly, I agree with President Obama on Michael Vick.

I love dogs, especially my dog and I hate the Eagles. But Michael Vick and the NFL deserve a pat on the back. A young black man, not to mention an elite quarterback, who was wrapped up in a dog-fighting and gambling ring as large as Vick was bankrolling to plead guilty, go to prison for nearly two years and lose everything is a sad tragedy, if the story ends there. But the story continued, after his release he did not fall back. Statistics were not on Vick's side, the NFL was. Vick wasn't angry at "the man" and if he was, he didn't show it. He followed the rules, went to meetings, swallowed his ego and his pride and did what Roger Goodell asked of him to get his life back. I'm sure it wasn't an easy thing to do, the path to self destruction is usually easier and more common. And if you want proof, check out the stats, both on and off the field, of Vick's younger brother, Marcus.

This leads me to Tucker Carlson, who said yesterday while filling in for Sean Hannity:

"I'm a Christian, I've made mistakes myself, I believe fervently in second chances," Carlson said. "But Michael Vick killed dogs, and he did in a heartless and cruel way. And I think, personally, he should've been executed for that. He wasn't, but the idea that the President of the United States would be getting behind someone who murdered dogs? Kind of beyond the pale."

What the bleepity, bleep, bleep, Tucker? You know, anytime a person starts a sentence off with "I'm a Christian..." it's gonna be a doozy. In the name of unity I'm going to refrain from further comment but methinks Tucker is still upset that he was never able to play the "Name Game".

Cross-posted at Pundit League