LeComte

[marcus]

so right everyone and unquestionably , racist comments and biggoted attitudes Do Not have a time or place anywhere - totally out of bounds   ...

[PapaChach]

I believe it was de Tocqueville who said something along the lines of \"in a democracy, the people get the government they deserve.\" When a significant chunk of a country\'s populace displays behaviors such as: wanton ignorance of history, the casual surrender of legal rights that in some cases date back to the Magna Carta, a willingness to swallow crude propaganda (e.g,, \"9/11, Saddam was in on it!!\" was a big hit for years), and a child-like belief that magic oil elves will sneak in at night to top off the tanks of their local gas stations for all of eternity, corrupt and incompetent government will usually follow.

[fkach]

I really want to refrain from extending any political discussion out of respect for Thorograph. This is a horseracing board and we all know how out of hand this kind of thing can get.

Last point and then I\'m gone.

I don\'t think the press is competent or unbiased either. There are strong agendas on both sides that make it very difficult for the average American to cut through all the BS and get to the truth.

In the lead up to the war I spent much of my time reading non-mainstream news sources and US libertarian web pages. I had an entirely different perspective on the neo-cons, the war, the issues etc... than the average American. Most of what I read eventually turned out to be correct. The mainstream press on both sides was in La La Land and IMO remains there.

This is not meant as an attack against the right just because in this case the war was so badly miscaluclated. It\'s an attack against what\'s supposed to be an unbiased watch dog institution that is most cases is actually just another bunch of bought and paid for incompetent corrupt dirtbags.

IMHO we desperately need to return to a more libertarian society despite some of the holes that would leave socially. Whenever this much wealth and power is located within government and it\'s institutions, you will find an endless supply of corrupt people using those institutions to transfer weath and power to themselves despite the common good and general desires of the people.  

I apologize for the rant.

F.kach

[PapaChach]

Minor historical question: I thought that Brian\'s Time was \"Class of \'88\"...and that he upset Forty Niner at a big price (32-1?) in Florida Derby, then later that year ran 3rd in the Travers that Forty Niner won by a nostril over Seeking The Gold after they let Cordero get away with murder through the early stages. Or do I have him mixed up w/someone else?

[TGJB]

Normally I would delete all the political posts, and I am going to cut it off here. But I will leave these up, editor\'s prerogative-- because they represent an attempt at a serious discussion of the subject, for a change.

One point I would make is the idea that someone \"hates\" or \"wants to change\" our way of life is incorrect. The history of the West\'s relationship with that part of the world is long (going all the way back to the Crusades), and very complex. What those who hate us want is mostly for us to get lost-- which is not to say the means some choose to effect that is acceptable. It\'s not.

Since we appear to be ramping up to something even more stupid than what we did in Iraq, I\'ll mention one of my girlfriend\'s books (\"Neither East Nor West, One Woman\'s Journey Through The Republic of Iran\", by Christiane Bird). BarnesandNoble.com named it the top travel book of the year a few years ago, top ten of all books that year (2001). It\'s out of print now, I believe, but you might be able to dig up a copy. The book is mostly about the culture, not the politics, but as she was an American woman traveling by herself through the country, the politics and history had to come up.

Before I met my girlfriend (and later read the book, where I am cast as the know-nothing Ugly American, asking dumb questions in phone calls about a very sophisticated society, and needlessly worried about her safety), I had roughly the conventional wisdom about Iran, and our history with it. One real eye-opener was that Chis quoted large excerpts from a book written by the then head of the CIA, explaining in detail how he (we) took down the legal government to install our guy, the Shah, who then tortured and killed his own citizens for years (he was Saddam light). The CIA guy was so proud of what he did he wrote a how-to book about it-- if I hadn\'t read it myself I wouldn\'t have believed it. You have to think that if another country ever did that to us we would have done a lot more than take hostages when we threw the dictator over. Again, not ratifying the tactics-- just discussing the motive.

On a lighter note-- the year she was over there (98) was Victory Gallop\'s year. There are presumably still cab drivers walking around Tehran with VG baseball caps.

[NoCarolinaTony]

Wow I thought I Logged into the wrong website for a moment.

Interesting stuff folks. It\'s got to make you wonder or at least we should take more consideration as to who or whom are we really voting for these days, and what are the \"real\" facts etc etc. Can anyone really be trusted?

Anyway, That was one outstanding performance by the Sugar Horse eh?

NC Tony

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

Richiebee, without checking upon it, I believe this must be Danzig\'s last crop because he\'s been gone for some time now and though I never favored him in a speed on speed nick, this one has some bottom side pedigree. Theres been enough Danzigs to run at \"classic\" distance to believe this one may. Obviously its early, but theres some things to like including the \"stepping stone\" TFigs and the fact he just handled two turns. I\'m excited about him.

I wish I\'d read the part of the thread that got deleted. Thats what I get for being busy.

richiebee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> With his intriguing pedigree and unblemished race
> record, is there any doubt that this one will
> eventually end up in the Sheikh\'s shopping cart?
>
> Is this Danzig\'s last crop of 3YO, or is there one
> more to come?

[richiebee]

CTC:

  Michael D posted to say that there are 18 Danzig 2YOs of 2007-- the last crop,
as they say.

  Kind of neat that this colt is a PA bred just like his pop was, and I\'m not
surprised that he has captured your imagination. Legend has it (ok, you started
the legend yourself) that you were all over Lil E Tee, another Pa bred Derby
winner.

  Been kind of busy myself lately, which is good, because it keeps me from
getting too depressed about the current state of racing, most especially here in
NY.