Thursday Evening Links

Some stories I've run across today:

From the Washington Post, the UN General Assembly has decided to recognize the "state" of Palestine.

Business Insider wonders why the US is building a $100M underground complex near Tel-Aviv.

In Breitbart's Big Government, John Nolte tells the Republicans to go ahead and take us over the fiscal cliff.

From the Weekly Standard, when Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell about President Obama's proposal for avoiding the fiscal cliff, McConnell "burst into laughter".

From the USA Today, House Speaker John Boehner isn't too pleased with Obama's proposal, either.

From Newsbuster, columnist Charles Krauthammer goes as far as saying that Lee was offered better terms at Appomattox.

From KTVU, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has announced that he will shut down a historic oyster farm operating along Point Reyes National Seashore.

From the Examiner, Obama orders the CIA to close down its Center on Climate Change and National Security.  You know, maybe there's a start to some spending cuts.

From CNS News, Congressman Hank Johnson calls for a Constitutional Amendment to control the speech of corporations.  This is the same guy who was worried that if you put too many Marines on Guam, it might capsize.

From Yahoo News, former president and occasional sky-diver George H. W. Bush has been hospitalized with bronchitis.

From Life News, a medical board in New Mexico has been accused of illegally closing a hearing to discipline an abortionist who botched a 35-week abortion, leaving a woman with a ruptured uterus.

From NBC News, six middle school students in Richmond, VA have been charged with assaulting a bus driver.

And from SFGate, a graduate of East New Mexico University has sent his alma mater a box of toilet paper, to atone for stealing toilet paper while enrolled (if you'll forgive the pun) as a student.

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The ACC To Add Louisville

With Maryland set to move from the Atlantic Coast Conference to the Big Ten, the ACC has voted to add Louisville, which would keep the number of its teams at 14.  Like fellow newcomers Pittsburgh and Syracuse, Louisville will be leaving the Big East.  Ironically, Louisville was one of the teams the Big East added when Virginia Tech (2004), Miami (2004) and Boston College (2005) moved to the ACC. To conclude the 2005 football season, Virginia Tech (ACC) defeated Louisville (BE) in the Gator Bowl.

Read the story at Sports Illustrated.

When Louisville joins the ACC, it will be the first time to my knowledge that they and Virginia Tech are in the same football league.  However, in other varsity sports, the two schools were both in the now-defunct Metro Conference. The two schools had a pretty good basket rivalry back then.  Meanwhile, Virginia Tech's football team was independent.

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More Blasphemy?

From Todd Starnes at Fox News & Commentary:

A painting on display at Bunker Hill Community College shows President Obama with outstretched arms, simulating the arm positions of Jesus as commonly depicted on a crucifix, and wearing a crown of thorns. The painting, by Michael D'Antuono, entitled "Truth", was supposed to debut almost four years ago in New York City, but the event was cancelled due to public outrage.  Although Obama is "posed as Jesus Christ crucified", according to Starnes, the painting does not show a cross, any nails or any wounds.

“I always regretted cancelling my exhibit in New York because I feel my First Amendment rights should override someone’s hurt feelings,” D'Antuono told Fox News. “We should celebrate the fact that we live in a country where we are given the freedom to express ourselves.”

I agree with Mr. D'Antuono, but would hope that the First Amendment is applied consistently.  For example, I wonder if he has any paintings of Mohammed, or of a modern public figure in a pose intended to remind people of Mohammed, that he'd like to show us.

Click on the fold, or go to the above link, to see the painting.

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Obama Is Our What?!?

It's a good thing for comedian Jamie Foxx that there are no blasphemy laws here in America, because if there were, he might just be in a bit of trouble.  Via the Tipsheet at Townhall:

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Bill Whittle Speaks About The 2012 Election

The Romney presidential candidacy has received its share of post-mortems, most of which I haven't had any desire to post here.  But I like this recent speech by Bill Whittle, found in the Green Room at Hot Air.  According to Whittle, it would be helpful if the Republicans believed their own story.

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Happy Thanksgiving

I'll be visiting members of the extended family for a few days, and won't be posting anything here until I get back.  There's nothing like taking a break from the normal routine, seeing some people I don't get to see very often, and just kicking back and relaxing.  For us Virginia Tech alumni, we have the odd pleasure of eating our mascot.  But whether you're staying home or travelling, may all of you who read Bigfoot's Place have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

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Maryland Goes To The Big Ten

The University of Maryland, a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, has accepted an invitation of join the Big Ten in 2014.  Rutgers, a.k.a. the State University of New Jersey, is also expected to join, giving the Big Ten 14 teams.  Rutgers would be leaving the Big East.  Here's the story and some reaction:

From ESPN, Maryland accepts the Big Ten invite.

From the NY Daily News, Maryland leaves the ACC, Rutgers expected to follow.

In Yahoo Sports, Pat Forde writes that the two schools will "cash in on their incompetence".

In the Washington Post, Johnny Holliday calls Maryland's move a "no brainer".

In Forbes, Patrick Riche says it's "Win-win-win" as they all "cash in".

In the Baltimore Sun, Kevin Cowherd thinks that Maryland has been blinded by dollar signs, and former ACC Commissioner Gene Corrigan is "flabbergasted" about Maryland and the Big Ten.

From the Baltimore Business Journal, University of Maryland president Wallace D. Loh says that the move will boost the school's academics and athletics.

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